Super Heroes

I have always loved action movies and super heroes. I think I am in good contact with my male side at this point. ;)  As a child we lived near a printing works, where they had a container full of cartoons for destruction. My brother and I often bicycled to it, climbed over the hence, and filled as many cartoons as we could in our rucksacks before we got caught and had to flee. So I've read them all, from the Hulk to the Phantom. I know all their special talents, weaknesses and real names. I think I scored a good deal of points for this when son was little.

The latest super hero I am crazy about is The Green Arrow, very exciting action:

Stephen Amell plays the leading part - and it is only an extra plus that he looks so appetizing.

The Green Arrow is a DC series, but in fact I am more into Marvel. I love the Avenger guys (sorry Black Widow):

Iron Man has long been my favourite:

Tony Stark (Robert Downey Junior) is also a well-hung piece of man-meat, super intelligent and lovely arrogant. He is also son's absolute favourite, so we have often seen the movies together.

As I child I loved seeing the old Hulk TV series with my brother. We sat there waiting for him to become big and green:

It was quite scary, but also very cool.

And since it was long before the animation technic was invented, the leading part was played by huge Lou Ferrigno:

But now my favourite is Hawkeye, played by Jeremy Renner:

Uhm ... yummi.

Look at that masculine smile:

I melt ...

Let's take a moment to thank the Avengers costume department for this:

So I am looking very much forward to seeing the new Avengers movie, Mission Impossible 5 and Bourne 5. It is going to be a good Renner year. Sigh!

Marilyn Monroe for Beginners

I pay a tribute to my idol, Marilyn Monroe (MM) in my Monroe Mondays, where I post a photo that is not so common every Monday. Several has commented that they liked it, and therefore I thought about writing a post about "MM for Beginners". There are a  lot of books about MM on sale, but what to choose? I have many, not all of them of course, but I can say that not all of them are equally good, many of them is waste of money. So here are my suggestions if you also think MM is wonderful.

MM The Complete Biography, is really good to read if you want to know about her life. I have no idea if all of it is really true, but the author has investigated a lot and also interviewed many and most of it sounds true:

The second book I want to recommend is Metamorphosis. It is a photo book and it is fabulous! The photos are of the best quality and they are listed cronologically, which I think is brilliant - buy it! I bought mine at Amazon UK:

My third recommendation is Fragments. It is Marilyn's own scriblings, notes, poems, lists, etc. It really takes you to her world and tells a lot about what she thought about and her problems. I read it a little at a time, since I got a bit depressed reading it:

One of the more expensive and rare books, but an absolute must have for your collection is The Personal Property of MM:

It is big boy, the same size as an ordinary garden flagstone, that lists all her private belongings as Christie's put for auction in 1999. It also gives a unique insight into her personality, when you flip through it and see her few and very unflashy things. But it is not easy to find, now you're warned.

The last I want to recommend for your collection of MM books is of course My Story, that is her own story told to a journalist and it was intended to be published in a magazine in several chapters. It never happened and now the heirs of Milton Greene have published it as a book with Milton's lovely photos of her:

But please don't believe all of it. It was well known that MM often told a lie or exaggerated about her awful childhood and other things she thought should be more interesting.

Well, that was books - but how about movies? Which ones can I recommend? I have several MM movies I love, but my absolute favourite is Gentlemen Prefer Blondes. I've seen it many times and I never go stale on it. I love both MM and Jane Russel (she is really wonderful in her role) and I love the clothes, the costumes, the dancing, and the songs - watch it:

Another MM classic is Some Like It Hot, where the boys, Tony Curtis and Jack Lemmon, are absolutely fabulous:

Do listen carefully, because there are some really great remarks and a brilliant humour.

And lastly I will recommend to see My Week with Marilyn:

Michelle Williams is doing a fantastic job making a portrait of of MM.

If you have any recommendations for me, do write me a comment.

THE LAST Drivein Theater Tour

Another post in my little "the last" series - this time is about our last trip to the drivein theater. We love going to the drivein, and in fact it is cheaper than going to normal cinemas, especially when you make tea at home and buy candy at the super market. Here DH is washing the front window so we are ready for the movie:

When visiting the drivein we always go for a walk and admire the vintage and special cars:

There are always lots of Mustangs, here with the Southfork restaurant in the background.

Can you spot Tiny Honk at the front row?

Ooh dear, half a years pause.

Skyfall

You are going to the movies, because you should see the new James Bond movie "Skyfall" - it's really good! I were lucky to see it on a pre-release last Wednesday. It is more like a classic Bond movie again, just like I love it. There is still lots of action, but it is not so action-packed and raw like the previous two movies. It's no secret that I think Daniel Craig is no good as Bond, but in Skyfall I kind of like him, although I still think a blonde Bond is wrong. The movie gives you a feeling that it could have been Sean Connery playing the role, Bond has become elegant again. The bad guy is blonde as usual, hyper-intelligent, completely insane, louche, and as something really new - bi-sexual. There are not as many babes as there used to be, but the two appearing are beautiful. It is like they're not that important anymore.

And then there's the car! Bond gets his beautiful, vintage Aston Martin DB5 out of the garage to drive M to safety. And then I, like the Bond nerd I am, notes the number plate and wonder if it is the same as in earlier movies. I went home and checked the internet and it is, except from GoldenEye, where it suddenly was number BMT 214 A (a director must have been sleeping). In Goldfinger, Thunderball and now in Skyfall the number was BMT 216 A. In Casino Royale Bond also drives a DB5, but it has another number since it was a car he won.

Sean Connery in front of his DB5 i in the movie Goldfinger from 1964.

Pierce Brosnan and DB5 in the movie GoldenEye from 1995.

Daniel Craig in the DB5 he won in Casino Royale from 2006.

And no, I have already disclosed that I'm not a complete Bond nerd, since I could not remember the number plate - only the first three letters. :)

Back to the Future

I’ve just been on a two week holiday in Florida, so this months will be a little about the US.

Son and I have been crazy about Back to the Future since it came in 1985 and when son was old enough to see it with me. We have seen it about a hundred times since and both of us know the lines before they are said. It is one of our favourite movies. Since son was 6 or 7 years old we have said that we wanted to sit in the Delorian that is the time machine in the movie. And it happened last week, that is, you are not allowed to sit in it anymore, but we met “Doc” whom we had a long chat with:

And of course we had the traditional photo taken with him:

But when we were about to go, he grabbed son and said: ”Come here son, I’ve got a good feeling for this”. And then they made the movie poster from the number two movie:
I LOVE that photo!

Here is the real poster for comparison:

It was really a lovely day and afterwards son almost danced with happiness.

Toy Story 3

A few days ago, son and I was home alone, so we went to our local drive-in cinema in my vintage car and saw Toy Story 3:

Both of us love Toy Story, and the boy in the movie, Andy, is at the same age as son. Andy is now 18 years old (son is 17) and is moving to college. This is not good, if you're a toy.Who does Andy choose?

And then lots of action goes on. There is also friendship and some sad scenes. At a moment son says: "Goddammit, I'm not crying over a Toy Story movie!". I have to admit that I had problems with my throat too.

So if you haven't seen it yet, I sincerely recommend it. All our old friends are back:

Barbie finds the only one, Ken even thinks they were made for each other:

And Rex finally wins a TV-game, with a little help from his new dinosaur girl friend:

Glossaholic

I've done it again! Bought a lipgloss, although I've promised myself 100,000 times that I have to use all those I have before buying new. I just love lipgloss, and this is fabulous: pink, mirror on the side and LIGHT in the top!!!
Can you wish for more for just 6 dollars!? Oh yes, I would wish that it didn't smell so much of plastic.
And I've bought some more, which I cannot justify I truly needed - a Jane Austen DVD collection. 10 hours cosy entertainment for just 45 dollars in my book club:
I have to resign that book club - I get tempted constantly!

What Was on Your Wish List?

Have you had a nice Christmas and got everything you wished for?
I have - both! :)

We were invited to my SIL, who is almost as Christmas Crazy as I am and add to that - an extremely great cook, so I don't complain. It was a super cosy and very traditional Christmas eve.

My presents - here we go, DH gave me a USB record playerYep, a USB record player. What I want to do with it? I am going to record all my lovely vinyl music to my pc, so I can either burn it to CD's or put it on my ZenStone (I'm not an Ipod fan). And I have plans about borrowing my parents' lovely and very scratched vintage records from the fifties and record them too. And yes, I do hear vinyl music almost every day - I know, I'm a bit nerdy.

From son, whom I've told is old enough to buy his parents, aka his main sponsors, Christmas gifts - I got the Polar Express. Now I can watch it as often as I want to, but only in December.

From my SIL I got a pair of fabulous high heeled sneakers, black/white with a white stiletto heel - I promise to take a photo soon. I wore them at work today and everybody commented on them.

My MIL had knitted a lovely sweater of the most luxurious soft wool and in the most beautiful dark red colour. I love when somebody make homemade gifts for me.

And from my parents, we have agreed on small gifts, I got a wonderful manicure set. A small suitcase with tools, and there is everything a nail enthusiast can wish for and also nail polish for French manicure. Perhaps it sounds strange, but I relax having some quality time with my nails.

Happy New Year to all of you! :)

Christmas Movies

Do you think there is way too long for Christmas or haven't you found the Christmas spirit yet, then let me recommend some Christmas movies. I LOVE Christmas movies. :)

My absolute favourite Christmas movie is Miracle on 34th Street:

It is simply perfect, contains everything a Christmas movie needs: a great lovestory, a real Santa Claus and a fantastic ending. The movie is not the original edition from the forties, but this has a vintage-feeling I truly love. And Dylan McDermott is worth see, a true neighbour-hunk:


Right after comes the Polar Express:

It is a fantastic animation movie, in which Tom Hanks plays all parts, that is the movie is animated over his movements. The movie is about a little doubtful boy's journey with the Polar Express where the children meet Santa Claus himself. Sooo well-made. See one of my favourite scenes here:


And don't forget the hilarious funny Home Alone movies. I recommend 1 and 2. I've seen a 3 and 4, but forget them.

Number 2 is just as funny as number one, and although I've seen them about 20 times I still laugh my butt off. Fantastic movie for the whole family:

An oldie but absolutely goodie is It's a Wonderful Life. Clarence, the angel, is worth everything. See it and you'll think about how good your own life is.

If you have any Christmas you movies you love, please recommend them here.

MERRY CHRISTMAS! :)

Indiana Hunk!

Have you seen the new Indiana Jones movie!?
I have!!! He is my favourite hero and I have to admit it - he is still delish!

The action takes place in the mid-fifties, my favourite era. The action opens with a bang and a loud and great Elvis song. But don't go to the cinema if you enjoy petticoats and fancy fifties dresses, there's not much of that kind'a fifties stuff.

But back to Indy - in the movie his gotten 20 years older, but in real life his turned 28 years older. But he is still smashing, he still makes most of his stunts himself (uhm, a real man!) and I read in an article that his younger player had to work hard to keep fit enough to follow his tempo. Here he is, the lastest photo of my all time hero - what do you think? As son said: after ten minutes you forgot he was an old man. :)

Son and I saw the very first Indy movie the day before and it was a great idea, since you remember and recognize a lot of things in the action.