Laters, baby - Fifty Shades Of Grey Review

I know you've probably read a million reviews on the infamous Fifty Shades of Grey movie but I will add my fifty cents worth (see what I did there.... ;) ) and I think it's worth that much too. 

If you plan on skimming this post then I'll make it easy for you. I liked the movie. I've read the book and I do like the movie but a lot of things could go wrong with it that actually go right. The worst thing about the movie is the casting of Christian Grey aka Jamie Dornan. Yes he's cute but he's no Christian Grey. Maybe it's because I read the entire series picturing Christian Grey  as the smoldering Ian Somerhalder that anyone but him would be a let down. Actually no, Dornan just isn't sexy enough. He's just too boy next door. #ImNotEvenSorry.

Grey is supposed to be super duper strong, confident and unnerved by Anastasia while he is definitely unnerved by Ana he lacks the confidence of a sexy businessman that I think billionaires should have. 

Dakota Johnson is a nice surprise... she's a very good fit for Anastasia Steele. In fact she actually saves the two of them and the director from his bad casting of Christian and Kate. Kate is supposed to be a bombshell who's super confident, super protective of Ana and this Kate is none of the above.Elliot is just plain forgettable. Oops, did I just say that?

The only other brilliant casting is Grace Grey. She's perfect and I wouldn't change her in the least. 

Now of course there are obvious wrongs that a conversion of the book would do because in the book we got the story from Ana's POV with her sometimes - annoying, sometimes - exhilarating commentary but in the movie we're stuck trying to remember what she was supposed to be feeling in that moment.  Also, a movie will always gloss over some moments that may not change the story line but definitely add to it and Ana's step dad seems more like a nice to have character as opposed to what he actually means to her in the book. 

Ok - WHY is Ana using a flip phone? I didn't even know they still make them.... 

A definite plus is that the movie is sexual without being overly sexual and is very far off from being a porn movie which is what people said it would be. It manages to convey the sexual story without being ridiculously uncomfortable. There were exactly two times when the sexual scenes got too much for me but it passed within less than 60 seconds so I could deal and so could you!

I read an article about how as woman we should not encourage BDSM and with my little knowledge (all gained from reading the series) it's not offensive as a woman to watch this movie because BDSM isn't just where a man takes advantage or rather, dominates a woman. BDSM can work either way and men can be the submissive in the relationship. I won't divuldge more because you may just want to watch the series and I don't want to give too much away. 

So, thoughts?? Until then... laters, baby 

"I'd Rather Die Out There Than Stay In Here Forever"

My intention was for this to be a movie review post, the movie of course for those who haven't watched it or read it is The Maze Runner I had planned it while I was sitting on the edge of my seat watching the movie and then the title's quote came up "I'd Rather Die Out There Than Stay In Here Forever" and it got me thinking... what would I really do?

Now I won't give the story line away because I know some of you may want to watch the movie at some stage but there's a point in the film which got me thinking... would I choose to live a life of contentment and mediocrity or would I be willing to die looking for adventure and passion.

I actually already know the answer to this one. You see, I have this person in my life whom I love dearly and I could easily decide to pursue a relationship with him and our lives would be so good and content but I also know myself. I know I would never be happy in the long run. Maybe I'm asking too much in life to be looking for a passionate relationship which excites me and challenges me but I guess that's my question to ask because it's my answer to live with.

I wish I could tell all of you that I want to just find someone and settle down but the truth is I want someone who is going to want to challenge my every choice in life, a love which consumes me which is also a little dangerous... (sound familiar?)

Either way, this wasn't supposed to be a post about love more about a post about whether you're an individual who would choose to stay in comfort or be willing to die looking for something more.

Oh so I watched the movie as I mentioned earlier and it had a similar feel to Divergent/Hunger Games. I didn't realise it was based on a book because if I had, I would have read it before watching the movie. Also ladies, Dylan O'Brien is worth checking out. He's like a cute nerd... and who doesn't like cute nerds?

What's the latest film you've watched?

Also, I'm linking up with Helene for my current favourite song of the week and it's easy and I hope you enjoy it!

What are you listening to this week?

Bloemendal Restaurant - Review

Good morning everyone!!

I hope you're welcoming August in with open arms! For all of the people in the Southern hemisphere, we're into the last month of winter and I'm sure you can't wait Spring to bring the warmth in!

On Sunday, my family and I went for lunch at Bloemendal Restaurant which is situated in the Durbanville wine farms and I wanted to share the view from this beautiful restaurant. Also I love sharing places I've found.

The restaurant serves a buffet and different days it costs different amounts but it was so worth it. When you walk in you're greeted with a choice of juice or sherry (to warm you up).

Each course has many options and whether you're vegetarian or not there are loads of meals for you to eat. 

Although my least favourite course was dessert, I wasn't too perturbed because the rest of the meals were amazing!

They also have a company at the premises running a photo booth and the nine of us managed to get some fun photos together. 

None of the pictures have been touched up, it really is a simply beautiful as it seems here. 

What are your weekend plans?

Facebook ~ Twitter ~ Bloglovin ~ Instagram ~ Pinterest

The Fault in Our Stars (John Green) - Blogger Book Club

"That's the thing about pain," Augustus said, and then glanced back at me. "It demands to be felt."

This book is beautifully written with the obvious tragedy and yet I still could not put it down.

The love is beautiful in this book. It's sad, funny and at times heartbreaking but beautiful all through it. 

With Hazel Grace being a cancer sufferer, I enjoyed the fact that she did not bullshit (sorry for the use of this word) how she loves to live life to the full because of her cancer instead she's honest. There are definitely good days but she also shared the bad days which made me like her so much more. 

I loved the initial connection between Hazel and Gus (because I am a sucker for romance), from the first few lines of her describing being in the room with him, it was just clear how much this could grow. 

The thing I particularly enjoyed about the book was that it illustrated the scary and sad paradox of dying being that dying allows one the opportunity to completely open up and simultaneously close one's self off from others.

Gus' way of speaking to Hazel at times took my breath away. Their love story is beautiful and heartbreaking like just about every Epic Love Story ever told.

"Because you're beautiful. I enjoy looking at beautiful people, and I decided a while ago not to deny myself the simpler pleasures of existence"

I know the movie is going to be coming out later this year and I can't wait to watch it all I hope is that the actors portraying Hazel, Gus and especially Hazel's dad are all convincing in their love.

Linking up with Kay's Best Intentions for the blogger book club review.

Have you read this book? Will you watch the movie?

Movie Addict : February Addition

Another month, another lot of movies. Here are some of the movies I watched :

Jack Ryan : Shadow Recruit

I ended up watching the movie because the movie house I was at didn't have anything else I hadn't watched or wanted to watch. The movie was ok, forgettable as the story line was one I have watched a million times before but it was a nice movie, for the moment - no need to rush out and watch it 

12 Years A Slave

I wanted to read the book before watching the movie but it became a challenge because there were three movies I wanted to watch and all three were based on books. I made a judgment call that I wouldn't read this one. The movie was good. I really enjoyed it but similar to A Long Walk To Freedom, knowing that actions illustrated in the movie are based on true events made it extremely difficult to watch. It was sad and didn't help me come to terms with the fact that people could (and still can) feel such hate to another person based on the colour of a person's skin. 

The cast is brilliant and there are so many lessons a person can take away from this movie, I hope you will watch it. It will be difficult at times but I powered through because someone (lots of people) actually lived through that. 

Best Man Holiday

I already gushed about this movie and I swear, although you will cry you will laugh equally hard!

The Book Thief

I eluded to the fact that I didn't like the movie but I enjoyed the book so it was not a complete bust for me but I hope I have saved you from it. While it's not a terrible film it was my least favourite film from my February movies. Although, I realised when I looked back at my review of the book and movie I realised that I didn't mention that I am impressed that the lead actress, manages to look like 11 years old then 14 and then 16 - so well done to the make up artists!

What interesting movies did you watch last month? What are you looking forward to watching this month?

Wallbanger - Blogger Book Club

Firstly, I was slightly frustrated that I finished this book today, 1 March, as opposed to yesterday which was the "deadline". However that's just me being petty.

Moving on, I decided to join the Blogger Book Club on Goodreads and for the month on of February the book assigned was Wallbanger by Alice Clayton. I started reading this book without reading the blurb but I'll help you out with one from the Author Ms Alice Clayton herself:

Caroline Reynolds has a fantastic new apartment in San Francisco, a KitchenAid mixer, and no O (and we’re not talking Oprah here, folks). She has a flourishing design career, an office overlooking the bay, a killer zucchini bread recipe, and no O. She has Clive (the best cat ever), great friends, a great rack, and no O.

Adding insult to O-less, since her move, she has an oversexed neighbor with the loudest late-night wallbanging she’s ever heard. Each moan, spank, and–was that a meow?–punctuates the fact that not only is she losing sleep, she still has, yep, you guessed it, no O.

Enter Simon Parker. (No, really, Simon, please enter.) When the wallbanging threatens to literally bounce her out of bed, Caroline, clad in sexual frustration and a pink baby-doll nightie, confronts her heard-but-never-seen neighbor. Their late-night hallway encounter has, well, mixed results. Ahem. With walls this thin, the tension’s gonna be thick…

 This summons up the novel well, it's a romance so ChickLit meets somewhat Erotic. Is there a term like ChicRotic? I'm playing around with terms...  The story line was predictable but funny. Entertaining... I think it helped that I was reading this book while reading The Book Thief because whenever that got too heavy and dark I could use this as my bubblegum reading... I especially enjoyed the interchanges between characters via text messages and the chapter where you read all the thoughts in one short car ride is simply hilarious.

Anyway, head on over to Kay's The Best of Intentions to check out everyone who has linked up with their review. 

Have read this book or any ChicRotic ?? If you want, feel free to join the Blogger Book Club, you don't necessarily have to be a blogger to join.

The Book Thief - a Book and a Movie

A couple of weeks ago I decided I wanted to read the books before watching the movies of Labor Day and The Book Thief, I couldn't decide which one to read first and Kate from Another Clean Slate her opinion because I knew she had read both and well, I like her taste.

From the title you can see that she recommended The Book Thief and then another challenge was entered because it turns out that the movie had gone off circuit and was only showing at one cinema in Cape Town and being super freaked out that I would miss it, I read it as quickly as possible. I'll tell you know, I shouldn't have.

The book was really good. I wouldn't go so far as to say brilliant but it was interesting. Death narrates and It is intrigued by Liesel Meminger and her obsession with stealing books. Liesel is living with her foster parents in Nazi-Germany. They are struggling and Liesel who starts off uneducated cultivates a love for reading and writing wither foster father, Hans. However it is Liesel's foster mother that intrigues me most, Rosa, she appears to be a horrid person but in time I realised that she is actually extremely caring. It shows in her treatment of Max, the Jewish man they have taken in.

Liesel also has an immediate friend in her neighbour, Rudy Steiner, who starts off as a naughty child but he grows into a young man.

The movie on the other hand was disappointing. I'm not sure if I'm extra harsh because I pushed myself to finish the book by a certain date and then the movie was just sub par. I hated the narrator's voice while Rosa was cast well, her character in the movie showed her more as a self-centered woman compared to the kind hearted but loud mouthed lady in the book.Oh and to add insult to injury, I did not enjoy the movie dynamic between Liesel and Max.

Also the movie illustrated Liesel and Rudy's friendship more as a childhood romance than the friendship it really was.

All in all, I really enjoyed the book and I really did not enjoy the movie.

Have you read it? Or watched it? Do you agree or not?

I'd love to hear your thoughts...

PS: HAVE AN AWESOME WEEKEND!

The Best Man Holiday

While the festive season is well behind us and we are all moving towards Easter, for whatever reason The Best Man Holiday only released in South Africa a little over a week ago.

I was beyond excited when I saw that this movie was coming out because the first movie, which could have stayed the only movie is one of my favourites. While it was never going to win an Oscar, it was the perfect feel good, RomCom! In 1999, I was in Grade 7 and I loved this movie... in fact I think that's when I started looking at my friends around me thinking... "they would make an interesting character in my book."  And while, I still haven't written that book, I loved the soundtrack through the years.

I digress, the movie released here on Valentine's Day and while it was a Holiday film it definitely could be the perfect date movie. That's if you don't mind your date, sniffing her/his tears away!

There are so many things I loved about this movie, the fact that all the character were back, the fact that you could tell they had aged, and gone through things that a lot of people I know have done and a reminder that your past can always come back to bite you in the behind (sometimes the feelings too).

The Best Man Holiday was funny hilarious (as in you were LITERALLY LAUGHING YOUR ASS OFF) one minute and holding back tears the next. Terrence Howard reprises Quentin perfectly. He is the one you look for to lighten any moment in the film and he doesn't disappoint.  Harper (Taye Diggs) is tightly wound up due to well, him being Harper. I always see the potential of fun and then his reality. Morris Chestnut as Lance was once again the perfect picture of a man in love (minus his cheating ways in college), he is a man who treats his wife like a Queen.

When the movie ended, there were tons of people just saying how much they enjoyed the film and how much good it was and I definitely echoed their thoughts. I didn't mind that the first movie was released in 1999 because the script to this one was perfectly written to make me love there characters again. Again, there will be no Oscars but you will feel good after the movie. I promise!

While I could talk type about this movie a lot longer, it is Monday, and you and I both have stuff we need to do!

Go watch the movie or if you have watched it, share with me your thoughts?

And some music from back in the day to start your week off... (one of my favourite parts of the movie!)

Book Review : Destiny of Violent and Luke

I feel like I need to explain why I, an avid reader, read a book with a title like this but the explanation is simple, this is the third in the Callie & Kayden series and I've advised that once I'm in it, I'm in it. 

Luke is Kayden's best friend and throughout the Callie & Kayden series he is there, and I was definitely intrigued. Luke is an interesting character and although his character is not one I would normally gravitate too nor does it seem like he is a man I would want to date but Jessica Sorensen still managed to pull me in to the the relationship between him and Violet.

Violet happens to be Callie's roommate but neither of them would call one another friends. Violet comes with a unique brand of scars but there's something that draws you in to her... hope perhaps?

Anyway, I read the book easily and enjoyed it. I'm sure there will be a follow up and I'll keep reading!

What books have you been reading recently?

Movie Addict : January 2014

I've been going to movies much more than I did in the last few years. I just thought I would round up the movies I watched last month.

I already told you about A Long Walk To Freedom.

The Hobbit the Desolation of Smaug

Firstly, let me say, I did not watch the first Hobbit film but my friend said she wanted to watch this and I could ask questions where I had them. I didn't need much convincing especially because I knew I would get to see the Elf version of Orlando Bloom and let's face it, that man works his white hair like no other!
The movie was really good. The dwarfs were adorable and tough and one was even hot (don't judge!)

Delivery Man

This was funny enough for a Wednesday evening with my parents. Don't get me wrong, the movie is funny, I mean it's Vince Vaughn. so I laughed A LOT! But the story line was predictable and a bit long winded and somewhat unforgettable. Anyway, wait for the movie to come onto TV.

Don Jon and The Secret Life of Walter Mitty

I have a funny story (and completely awkward) my mom and I were going to movies while my dad was away for a few days and she chose Don Jon. She thought it was a romance drama and for those that haven't watched it - IT IS NOT! We left after 10 minutes because of the first 10 minutes, 7 of the minutes were showing scenes from the a popular pornographic site! I am not joking! I wish I was but those were the worst 10 minutes of any movie I have ever watched. I adore Joseph Gordon Levitt from his time in 10 Things I Hate About You but I could not watch anymore of this movie.

When we left, the manager said we could go into any other movie and my mom made another stellar choice (note my sarcasm), The Secret Life of Walter Mitty - one word - BORING!

The Wolf of Wall Street

This was my favourite movie of the month however it was also way toooooo long. Leo Dicaprio was brilliant and provided a stellar performance. I really enjoyed Leo in his character but also Jonah Hill and Margot Robbie. Thank goodness, I watched this with one of my friends and not my mother because I don't think we could have taken another super charged sex movie with the added benefit of all the drug use. I am really hoping that Leo wins the Oscar because he definitely deserves it!

I can only imagine what my February movies will be like!Any suggestions?

Book Review : Callie & Kayden by Jessica Sorenson

I have read the two books from this series in less than a week. I have had sleepless nights in the last week just because I wanted to find out what was next and to see how it was handled.

I do not want to go into the details of the story line, essentially Callie Lawrence and Kayden Owens both come with their own special bits of baggage.

Callie views herself as fragile, but in truth she's stronger than most people I know. Whereas Kayden thinks his tough - he almost crumbles at the sight of receiving a random act of kindness.

I picked up the first book, the Coincidence of Callie & Kayden based purely on the use of the word "coincidence" in the title. Now I know, you should never judge a book by it's cover but it's the second time it worked in my favor.

The story also touches on a lot of taboo (albeit sensitive) topics and it made me draw on people I know who have been in similar situations which is both sad and eye-opening.

You can know someone has been through an event and think you understand the pains that they feel. The truth is, I had no idea but this book allowed me to have a deeper understanding.

Seth, Callie's best friend, also reminds me of so many men I have come to know. The follow up to the Coincidence of Callie & Kayden aptly called The Redemption of Callie & Kayden was good. Really good. I was so invested in the characters that I couldn't wait to buy the physical book and downloaded it to my kindle and then I finished it in two days.

I am so happy that this book reignited my love for reading!

What are you currently reading?

Music Monday :Grammy Fashion

Hello there! Here we are with a brand spanking new week ahead of us and why not have some fun with the Grammy Fashion?

Growing up, the Grammy's Awards Show was the one award show I would always watch because I sorta love music!

So here we go.

Katy Perry in Valentino - OMW! Love! I am a  bit upset that it didn't photograph as fantastic as it looked on TV.

 

Paris Hilton -  House of Milano - This dress is stunning. I like that from the front it's covered up sophisticated and then she turns and it's super sexy. Definitely one of the best dressed of the night for me!

Taylor Swift - Gucci - Unfortunately this is another dress that did not photograph as well as I think it looked but even though Taylor is known for her sparkly dresses, I really liked this one especially that she pulled her hair back. It's simple and pretty.

Colbie Caillat - Ezra Santos - This is so dainty and subtly sexy

Austin Mahone - I don't really know him, but I watched him in his red carpet interview with Giuliana and he was so cute!

My favourite couple - Chrissy Teigen and John Legend

While I'm sure I've missed some great dresses but I decided these are my favs. Also, in the spirit of the new week I am not going to post the dresses I didn't like or rather the dirty hair look (cough Sara Barrellies) because I am hoping she is never a repeat offender!

My Music Monday post needs some music, so here is one of the winning songs 

Anyway.. hope all of you have an amazing week - January 2014 is almost over!!