The Fast & Furious Series

This past weekend, the Fast and Furious movie series had a very successful opening-bringing in $147,187,040 domestically, crushing any other movie currently playing. The successful series introduced its seventh movie called Furious 7. Compared to the previous two movies of the series, where Fast Five earned $86,198,765 its opening weekend and Fast & Furious 6 earning $97,375,245, the seventh of the series is looking like it will be the most successful yet.

Compared to several other movie sequels, the Fast & Furious series has something very rare going here. It's amazing that after this many sequels and new plot twists, the fans have stayed by the franchise's side. Take Grease for example, the sequel-Grease 2, had a revenue that was half of the original (which was made 4 years earlier). Even though the Grease sequel saw a monetary drop in the second movie, it's understandable why they would make the second movie after the success of the first.

Another movie series to consider is the Pirates of the Caribbean. It has now produced four movies and is planning to release its fifth in 2017. While the opening weekend numbers had a significant rise from the first movie to the second and third, the fourth saw a noticeable drop. It will be interesting to see how well the next of the series will do and if the producers will continue to create movies for that series.

One theory to why Furious 7 gained so much more popularity was because of the passing of one of the main characters-Brian, played by Paul Walker. The movie was originally scheduled to release in the summer of 2014, but had to postpone due to the tragedy-as they were still filming scenes when Paul passed. This also led to a different ending to the movie- which may have sparked some curiosity. I myself have not gone to see Furious 7 yet but from what the critics are saying, the movie did a great job of honoring Brian (Paul Walker) and gave a very natural and sincere end to his story.

The big question surrounding this seventh release is if the series will continue onto Fast & Furious 8. If the numbers were talking-a sequel would be a no-brainer, but the series may choose to end with the tribute to the dear cast member. On the contrary, after the interview Vin Diesel had on Jimmy Kimmel, he made many spoiler comments, hinting towards an eighth movie. There are many ways the movie series could spin the story to create the next movie and nearly all of the main cast members have signed a contract that lasts for another three movies- so any Fast & Furious fans out there should be optimistic for the continuation of the multi-billion dollar series.


Have you gone to Furious 7 yet? What did you think?

8 Things that Movies Have Taught Us

1. To Love

I'm sure everybody reading this has seen one or two lovey-dovey movies before. I'll admit that there are some super cheesy ones that make us all gag, but let's face it, there are some that just make our hearts grow ten sizes bigger and make us dream about the love of our life.

2. To Laugh

It doesn't matter what kind of movie I'm watching, if the actors in a movie start laughing, I can't help but laugh with them. Not to mention the entire collection of "comedy" labeled movies, that usually get us giggling at least a couple times in a movie. Movies that I watch over and over again because they make me laugh every time, include; 21 Jump Street, Bridesmaids, Forrest Gump and Billy Madison (just to name a few).



3. To Never Take Things for Granted

We've watched countless characters in movies miss an opportunity and have the worst happen to them. Even though it can be pretty predictable at times, it's what creates the story line or mission of that character for the rest of the movie. Take the movie The Change Up for example: the movie starts off giving you a look at each man's life, the characters get switched with some magical power of a fountain and the rest of the movie they find out how much they truly love their life. (If you haven't seen it yet-it's pretty hilarious, so I recommend you check it out!) Then the rest of that day we start to notice all of the little things in our own lives that we may have otherwise ignored.

4. To Cry

We've all been there. We sit down to watch an awesome movie and by the end, we look like we just went to a funeral. I remember the first time that I watched Marley & Me was in a movie theater and I don't think one person walked out of the theater tear free. Most people will say that they hate movies like this but I know that they secretly love it.  For a lot of couples, the first time they witness one another crying is during a movie (and let's face it, if you're an ugly crier like me, once they've seen you like that-you've got nothing to worry about).

5. To Cook

Nearly every movie out there has a moment where you watch the character(s) eat food (there may be a few exceptions but those are very rare to find.) The reason it's in almost every movie is pretty obvious-humans love food. What makes the food-eating scene even better is when we watch the character prepare the food. Every time I watch Spider-Man 3, (you know the better version with Tobey Maguire, Kirsten Dunst and James Franco) and the scene of Harry and Mary Jane making an omelette comes up-I get super hungry for an omelette-(which leads to me cooking one). An even better example is the movie Julie & Julia, which is about a women creating every recipe in a cook book. I'm guessing that movie inspired quite a few people to cook supper for their families that night.

6. To Date

How many dates have we witnessed in the romantic comedy realm? I think you'll agree with me when I say, A LOT. Whether they showed us how to dress for the occasion, what type of restaurant to go to or how many dates to wait before the first kiss, we've learned a great deal from movies. The lessons may not always the right ones but movies definitely give us some tools for the dating game.

7. To be "Bad to the Bone"

The genre that is notorious for making the actors look "bad to the bone" is war/action films. A great example would be Terminator 2, when Arnold Schwarzenegger grabs the guy's gun and sunglasses and rides off on his motorcycle. Although it's more prominent in these movies, I can remember a great "bad to the bone" moment in The Parent Trap. The scene when Hallie walks into the cabin and the girls have an intense poker match. It always makes me want to go drink straight out of the milk carton or something. There may be a small coincidence that the song "Bad to the Bone" is playing during both of these movie scene examples :).

8. How to have Fun

Most movies that get the term "feel good" put behind their title, usually have a moment where we watch the characters just have a blast with each other. Whether it's a sleepover in a chick flick, a dance party in a romantic comedy or a drink at the bar in a war film, we just love to watch the characters have fun. One really good example is the movie Matilda, when she's dancing in her living room and moving all of the objects in the room with her "powers." Whenever I hear the song "Little Bitty Pretty One" by Bobby Day & The Satellites, I immediately think of that movie.

Celebrating National Puppy Day

In case you haven't heard, today is National Puppy Day! Those bone-loving, shoe-chewing, best friends of ours give us so many happy moments and it's hard to picture our lives without them. Hopefully you were able to spend time with that fury friend of your's today! Over the years, puppy's have played a major role in the film industry as well-acting as the main character's best friend, saving the day and giving the movie that extra plot twist. Here are some great movies that include man's best friend.

Marley & Me

Marley & Me is a great movie about a newly-wed couple who get a puppy to test their parenting skills. Throughout the movie, the puppy definitely gives them a run for their money. The more years that go by the more they realize how much they truly love their pet. I highly recommend this one! (but make sure you have the tissue box nearby, it's a real tear jerker!) 

Air Bud

Who could forget Air Bud? These movies star a dog that has the ability to shoot baskets, score touchdowns and play just about every other sport. The dog's owner is a young boy that plays along-side of the dog. The boy's love for the dog makes these movies very heartwarming.

The Fox and the Hound

Every movie on this list is recommended for kids to enjoy, but I especially suggest The Fox and the Hound. It's such a cute story about a fox and a "hound" who become best friends. They're challenged by the dogs owner (who's a hunter)- but they find a way to remain friends. 

My Dog Skip

In my mind, My Dog Skip was one of Frankie Muniz's best movies. He may have been young but he did such a great job. He saves the dog from some mean owners and takes care of it as he grows up. Like many other dog movies, this one will turn on your waterworks-so be ready! 

Turner & Hooch

In this movie,Tom Hanks plays the role of a cop who inherit's his best friends dog and uses Hooch (the dog) to solve a murder case. The dog also brings a lot of chaos into his life which gives the movie a humorous vibe.

Emily's 1st Movie

For today's post, I thought I'd give you a little insight into my movie past. The first movie that I ever saw in the theaters was Tarzan, in the summer of 1999. This first theater experience was a great one- Tarzan easily became my favorite movie (it's still on my list), the gorilla became my favorite animal and I dressed up as Jane that year for Halloween. In fact, I liked the movie so much that I begged my parents to name my brother Tarzan three years later. As you probably guessed, we didn't name him this, but for that day before we named him Justin, we called him Tarzan. :) 

I was very lucky to have my first theater experience turn out so great, I probably wouldn't like movies as much as I do if it was a poor one! I have a friend who went to a bad movie when they were little and they hate the thought of going to a movie now! If you've never sat down to watch Tarzan (kid or adult), I highly encourage you to do so-it's a great one for all ages! But don't forget to grab that popcorn! ;) 

Tarzan Trailer

Tell me about your first movie theater experience!

Popcorn Recipes

The past few weeks, I've been posting all of these awesome movies that you should be watching.

You're probably sitting there thinking-how am I gonna find time for that? Well why not make it a party? Show off that new dress of your's, invite that old friend over or make it a family movie night! Here's some awesome popcorn recipes that I found to top the party off!  

Peanut Butter Popcorn

Oreo Popcorn

My favorite one out of the list! If you like Oreo's, you're gonna love this! 

Snickers Popcorn

Chipotle Popcorn

A great switch from the sweeter popcorn recipes above. If you like spicy food-this one is for you! Chipotle can be created in less than ten minutes (if you're in a hurry)!

Chili Cheese Popcorn

If you have the ingredients for the Chipotle Popcorn-they're just about the same. Just in case you were looking to try them both! 

Check out this link for more Movie Party Recipes!

Have any awesome popcorn recipes to share?? Please post them in the comments below! 

Cure to the Winter Blues

This winter has been a crazy one to say the least! Now that nearly all of the United States has experienced snow fall, I thought it was time that we forget about the snow for 2-3 hours and enjoy a movie that will make us feel like we're in that warm season that we all love!

Here's a list of movies that I think will give you a few hours of relief: (try not to get sunburned ;))

Meatballs

This movie starring good ol' Bill Murray, is about a summer camp where one of the campers tries to be a matchmaker to a camp counselor. Meatballs is a comedy, so it should leave you laughing AND feeling warm! 

Movie Trailer: Meatballs

500 Days of Summer

 

I chose this one for the awesome title. 500 days of summer? Sounds pretty good to me! This movie is about a boy who is dumped by a girl named Summer and throughout the movie he reflects on the 500 days that he spent with her. 

Movie Trailer: 500 Days of Summer

The Benchwarmers

Benchwarmers is one of those movies that I've seen over ten times but still find myself laughing at. It's about three ordinary guys who team up to play little league baseball teams so that they can teach them the importance of including "benchwarmers." 

Movie Trailer: The Benchwarmers

National Lampoon's Vacation

Who could forget this movie? Lampoon's Vacation is a hilarious movie about a family who goes on vacation and encounters quite a few situations on the way. Maybe this movie will give you some good ideas for a family vacation this summer!...but don't fall asleep while you're driving to your destination. ;)



Movie Trailer: National Lampoon's Vacation

The Parent Trap

The Parent Trap is one of my favorite movies of all time. In this movie, Lindsay Lohan gets to play the role of twin girls who reunite at a summer camp and make a plan to switch places. The movie has a lot of feel good moments and points where you'll get a drift of that summer air. 

Movie Trailer: The Parent Trap

                                 

                               
                                The Sandlot

All of Major League Baseball's teams have officially entered into spring training-which is a great sign that summer is only a few months away! The Sandlot is a classic baseball movie about a group of kids who play ball throughout the summer. They're challenged when their ball lands in a yard where there's a vicious dog! 

You can watch the entire movie at this link:

The Sandlot

Don't worry... Summer is on it's way!

What are you looking forward to the most this summer? 

The Evolution of Villains

When you hear the word "villain," what's the first thing that comes to your mind? Maybe it's The Joker from Batman or those monsters who always used to challenge The Mystery gang on Scooby-Doo? Whatever the case, there's a reason that the producer put that character as the villain. Producers of movies and television shows use characters that truly enhance a viewers perception and emotional response. If you've ever watched old films, the bad guys in those productions don't look the same as the ones in the films today-that's because the fears of that time are not the same as they are now.

The 1920's & 1930's: 

In movies of the 1920's, the villain was usually in the form of a gangster. When thinking about the crimes being committed during that time, it make complete sense. Take Al Capone for example- a major criminal in Chicago who was known to be a bootlegger, gambler, assassin and involved with prostitution (aka: a gangster). Capone was always dressed nicely, which is how many of the villains in movies were dressed as well. 

The 1960's & 1970's:

       

A lot happened in these three decades. Between war, civil rights, and science, it gave movie producers a lot to work with. The villain in these movies and television shows had many identities, but I found some patterns that are notable. In movies such as Star Wars, there was a character who acted as a ruler of all (Darth Vader)-this type of personality is comparable to rulers like Adolf Hitler (Communist ruler of WWII) and Ho Chi Minh (Communist leader during the Vietnam War)-both of which were relevant to this time period. Another interesting thing I noticed was that the hero was usually depicted as an American, or with American colors--like Superman. The reason behind that is pretty obvious-Americans were the heroes (especially if the show was American made). The last thing from this era that seemed to catch my eye was that women were suddenly allowed to play the role of the bad guy. Take Bonnie and Clyde for example, both the man and woman were criminals. Since more and more women were getting jobs and becoming independent individuals, it gave them a new role in the world. Movie producers caught on and decided that they were powerful enough be the bad guy too. 

The 1990's - Present:

 

The 1990's may have had a little spillover from the previous category, but there was a shift in the villain between the 90's and now. The tragedies of 9/11 and the Iraqi war have initiated this change towards a villain with the qualities of a Muslim. In fact, there is a new show called State of Affairs that actually centers its investigations over people who are dressed in the traditional-Muslim clothing and that are from countries of the Middle East. If you're like me and have watched State of Affairs, it definitely leaves a guy on edge! These last two decades have also introduced the "normal" looking villain. The villain that looks like every other person on the street. With the new advances in technology, people can easily commit crimes online and through their gadgets-giving them the ability to look like any other person walking the street. The movie and television industries have caught on and are now making their villains look "normal."  The movie The Stepfather, ( a movie about a man who fools everybody into believing that he's this wonderful guy and eventually tries murdering his new family) is an example of the "normal" villain. 

Do you have a favorite villain? Tell me about it!