Methinks I need some Minions

Last night was the first night of my annual "Week-of-no-redheads" observance - that time of year when Jason and Little AM get a "vacation" and I do not, because I am so "vital" to the "operations" at my "job" that no one can fill in for me for a week.

In honor of WONR, Amanda (pictured above) and I typically try to have a girls' night out. One year, it was Vietnamese food and Napoleon Dynamite. Another, it was Vietnamese food (from a different place) and Batman Begins. This year, it was Pei Wei (are you sensing an Asian-centric vibe to our food choices?) and Despicable Me.

Since she works at the most-awesome Muddy's Bake Shop, which is across the street from the equally-awesome Paradiso Theater, someone came by last week and offered free passes to a sneak peak of the movie.

(Yeah. Anna Marie still doesn't know I went to see it without her!)

She is off this week because Muddy's closed for a "break," and the two of us painted the town yellow. Or as yellow as you can paint it on a budget and a weeknight.

(We lived dangerously, though - snuck in snacks in my purse! Power to the people!)

Thankfully, the theater showed it on a HUGE screen in a HUGE room, so there was plenty good room for all the freeloaders.

I didn't know much about this movie before last night, which I guess was a good thing. I watched a trailer this morning, and many of the jokes were included there (but were surprises to me.) But don't worry - this isn't one of those movies where all the best jokes are in the trailer!

Gru is a villain (voiced by Steve Carell) who needs to step up his bad-guy game due to competition from up-and-coming baddies. He adopts three girls from a local orphanage to help in one of his schemes, but does not expect to be won over by their love.

It was a really, really sweet movie. And funny. Did I mention funny? Laugh-out-loud funny. Not just 10-year-old toilet humor, either. I felt it was a really family-friendly-flick.

As it was a promotional event, meant to build buzz, they did have folks stationed at the exits writing down comments. We, however, were not approached personally.

We were blessed to see it in 3D, and my Android phone had a Best Buy movie app that kicked in magically as the credits rolled, translating the Minions' language. Amanda and I thought it really added to the film, and I figure other smart phones have the app as well.

I'm planning on sending Anna Marie and my mom to see this when she gets back, and downloading the app onto my mom's Hero so they can join in too.

Disclaimer: I got a free ticket to this movie, but they didn't ask me to do anything promotional in return. I'm just doing this in the name of good, family-friendly fun.

You're gonna need a bigger birthday cake.

This weekend, Jason's probable pick for all-time favorite movie is having a birthday.

Jaws is turning 35!



I did not know when we got married just how obsessed he was with this movie. Or, should I say, movies. He has shown over the years to be a fan of those cheesy SyFy made-for-TV-movies with ridiculously unlikely plots. I guess Jaws is where it all started.

Last summer, we went to The Orpheum in Memphis to watch Jaws as part of their Summer Movie Series, on the big screen. I had never watched it in its entirety before, and I jumped out of my seat a couple of times!

Jason is the proud owner of Jaws I-IV on DVD, and has just about memorized the commentary. Do you know how much he enjoys telling people trivia tidbits, like that the "You're gonna need a bigger boat" line was ad libbed?

Loves. It.

So, I suppose at some point this weekend, one (or all) of the Jaws installments will be playing on a television (or computer) screen at the Turner house. I shall have to find somewhere to be, so as not to pee my pants again at the sight of that dead body under that sunken boat.

(Which, by the way, they had to reshoot in someone's pool, because it didn't turn out right the first time?)

(Man, he's starting to rub of on me.)

I think I'm gonna need a bigger house.

When Irish eyes are smilin'

Yes, I know, today is NOT Saint Patrick's Day. I'm a day ahead. It's not my fault, though - my book club met today, and we had a three-pronged attack from the Emerald Isle. The three hostesses presented a lesson on the history of the holiday, a study of Irish authors, and an Irish sing-a-long by (a badly out-of-tune) piano.

And although I've never been to Ireland, it made me want to visit - or, at least, watch two of my favorite Irish-themed movies. I think Amanda introduced me to both of them, so I have her to thank.



Have you ever seen Waking Ned Divine? I think it's what you movie-types would refer to as a "black comedy." It's not the most well-known movie, but it's one I can watch over and over.

The other movie it made me want to see again is The Quiet Man. Maureen O'Hara, John Wayne, Ireland - need I say more? I'd love to show you this clip, but unfortunately you'll have to travel all the way to YouTube to see it - they've disabled embedding.

Anyone else have any favorite Irish-themed movies for this time of year?

Hooray for Horton!

Oh my goodness!

Anna Marie and I went to our wee tiny theater here in town yesterday and saw this movie.

I don't know when I've laughed so much! It was so completely silly!

I highly recommend it.

(Oh, and did you know - they've made a live action Speed Racer movie? I am so excited!)

(And did you also know, my poor husband didn't know who in the world Speed Racer was when I came home and told him the glad news? I knew he led a sheltered childhood, but that's ridiculous!)

The weather, by the way, has been so beautiful here today. We went to Cornerstone Church, where we used to attend before we started the church here. They were doing their annual presentation of their Easter play, The Whip, Hammer, and Cross.

It's been several years since I saw it, and they change it up just a bit every year, but its always a powerful production.

We ran a couple of errands and then came home, where Anna Marie and I went to the bank parking lot next door and she rode her bike (and I jogged alongside.) I'm determined that this spring she's going to learn to ride without training wheels, but first she has to get up some speed! That's actually pretty difficult on the sidewalk, which is on only quite broken up, but also starts off on quite an incline. I figured the parking lot, with its relatively new blacktop, would be better.

And it was.

And now, after walking around Target, and running outside with her, and going to the grocery store, and making dinner, and cleaning the kitchen, I'm tired!

And let me just say, I've had a revelation these last few days, when the first thing Anna Marie can think of is "How can I get outside and play?"

Because as a child (and even now as an adult), let me just say, playing outside was NOT the first thought that occurred to me. I wanted to figure out how to spend as much time in the house as possible, watching TV and reading (oh, and eating. Lots of eating.)

You know how the best marriages are when the spouses bring the best out in each other? When they push each other to be better people by getting them out of their comfort zones?

After puzzling for the past six years over why God gave me a child who is so radically different from myself, I finally get it. She pushes me to be a better person. She gets me out of my comfort zone!

If it weren't for her, I'd have spent these past few warm days inside, on the couch, finishing up The Memory Keeper's Daughter. As it stands, though, I've gotten LOADS of exercise and fresh air.

And, I think I'm a better person for it.

Movie memories

Ever have one of those birthday celebrations that lasts several days?

Valerie, I know you have!

Well, my birthday isn't until tomorrow, but we got a head start on Friday night.

The Orpheum theater in Memphis has a summer movie series each year. Last year, we went to watch Return of the Thin Man for Amanda's birthday. It's so cool to see those old movies on that huge screen, in that beautiful theater. And all for just $6.

This year, Jason and I met my BFF Marcia and her fiance Luke to watch The Wizard of Oz.

Marcia had to wait for Luke to come from his job (about two hours from Memphis) and told us to go ahead and eat. So we did.

We bought the tickets first - in line behind one of the weather guys from our local CBS station! I played it so cool, and wasn't spastic AT ALL!- and then went to Peabody Place Mall for a slice of pizza.

Peabody Place is like no mall you've (probably) ever seen. It's attached to the Peabody Hotel downtown, and is absolutely beautiful inside. Beceause of its downtown location (and late addition to the area) it's tall and narrow.



They don't have very many stores - it's really pretty much a tourist hangout, since there isn't any free parking attached to it. There is a 22 screen theater which includes a giant screen (I've seen Anchorman and X Men 3 there) and an indoor blacklight-lit neon golf course, not much more.

(Oh, and a Starbucks down in the courtyard, but I didn't get to stop there Friday.)

Then, after Marcia and Luke scarfed down their dinner, we walked back to the Orpheum. I was so glad we'd bought our tickets ahead of time, because there were people everywhere - including her (apparently an employee):



I don't know if you can tell, but she favored Chelsea Clinton an awful lot.

Inside, there was a costume contest. Some of the kids were spot-on, some not so much.



And, look at this cutie pie:



And she didn't even win! What is wrong with these people?

They had a contest for the adults too, but it wasn't as fun because they all either rented their costumes or came as sexed-up versions of the characters.

And Marcia said the Tin Man was creeping her out because he had face paint and everything.

After a Little Rascals short, the movie started.

It was SO MUCH FUN! We sat in the first balcony (maybe called the Mezzanine? I don't know). Luke wanted to throw peanuts, but Marcia put the kabosh on that idea. Really, unless you were seated at the extreme sides, there weren't any bad seats.

It was kind of like what I imagine a Rocky Horror Picture Show viewing is like - lots of audience participation. We sang and clapped along with the songs, and recited lines with the movie, and hissed when the witch appeared.

And we picked apart little things - like when the others come to save Dorothy, and she tells them the hourglass is about to run out, that doesn't mean anything to them - they don't know about the hourglass! And after the witch is gone, when they ask those green guys for the broomstick, he says "Please, and take it with you." Huh? Who asks for something and then leaves it there?

Guess that's how they do things in the Merry Old Land of Oz.

And one final picture, which should've been taken at the beginning of the evening and not the end (because it isn't the best picture of either of us, and I'm not quite sure why I'm even posting it, except that it feels kind of obligatory):



One final question, posed by Luke: there were two roads, one yellow brick and one red brick. Where did the red brick road lead?