D23 Adventures

I apologize that this post has been delayed. I've been home from my D23 adventures for 2 weeks now. What is D23 you ask? It is the Comic-Con of Disney. Everything from the latest news for the Parks & Resorts to Disney art was there. From the latest technology & games to Pixar panels. Even Disney Channel cast members and movie props! It...was...amazing!!!

Basically, a Disney convention...on steroids! Among the amazing things I saw and did included: 

• Meeting and chatting with Constantine Maroulis (Placed 6th on American Idol Season 4...yes, I'm a dork, I remember!)
• Got to meet the "Voices of the Parks" including the California Screamin', it's a small world, Indiana Jones, Space Mountain, the Official Disneyland Voice, and Dee Bradley Baker!! (Remember Legends of the Hidden Temple??)
• Previewed the new Pixar Short "La Luna" which is to come out with the new Pixar movie "Brave" in June 2012. It was super good!
• Got a preview of the characters of the upcoming Pixar movie "Monsters University."
• Viewed a panel of Pixar directors (including John Lasseter) and got to hear some great insights and stories about this company.
• Met a LOST character, saw original LOST props, including the Dharma van!
• Also, got my T-shirt QR code scanned once! (Not as many as everyone else). The code links you here. Enjoy :)

Here are some photos...

(See my After Today Live T-shirt? We all wore them, with a scan code on the back)

Meeting Constantine!! SO COOL!

A LOST Dharma van!! 

Pixar Shorts directors

Rex & Ted met Bill Farmer. (The voice of Goofy.)

I...want...one...

Met Dan Roebuck. He played Artz in LOST. ("You've got some Artz on you.")

The directors of Pixar. John Lasseter is on the end closest to us. 

The new Sulley for Monsters University

The new Mike from Monsters University

The whole group in Downtown Disney the night before we left.

AJ & I 

Ok, for those other Losties. Here are my photos of the LOST props! Some are a bit blurry, we weren't allowed to use flash photography. I was so excited about these props you'd think I was at Disneyland. SO COOL! (There were also props/costumes from the Pirates movies, Hocus Pocus, National Treasure, Who Framed Roger Rabbit?, Alice in Wonderland, and others)

John Locke 

Charlie's rings!

Yes, Dharma polar bear food.

The letter Sawyer carried.

Hurley's lottery ticket and airline ticket.

Sun

Jack's card

Kate's mug shot, passport, handcuffs, and airplane.

I cannot tell you HOW excited I was!

Sayid, Sawyer, and Charlie clothes from Pilot. (Yes, I took pictures of jeans and tshirts!)

Jin & Sun

John Locke

Locke's wheelchair!

Kate

Jack

Pretty much, it was awesome. Can't wait until next time!

My Favorite Things: Harry Potter Edition

If you are tired of hearing about Harry Potter, then don't read this post. I am going to add my own tribute of sorts to the wizarding world I am soon going to miss. I am a typical Potter fan who has read the books and looks forward to the movies. Harry has been part of my childhood for 14 years. Wow!

Here are some of my favorite memories:

Also, teeny spoiler alert :) If you have not read the books, do not read ahead. If you've not seen the movie, but know the end, go ahead at your own caution (I post images from the final movie).

Favorite Book:

I love the time travel, werewolf, innocent man stuff, but really this is the last sense of happiness. I feel it is because Lord Voldemort does not show up in this novel. With dementors all around, the characters must focus on memories that bring happiness.

Favorite Movie:

In the last week, I've re-watched all 7 movies prior to viewing the final chapter for the first time. Now that I've had a second chance to watch this movie over again, I stand by my original thought. Part 2 is my favorite movie. If I could squish Part 1 & 2 into a 4 hour movie, then that would be ideal. Everything that had happened in the past has led up to this final battle. Every person has a choice to make. Some falter, some are true, some live, and some die. Makes me wonder what kind of choices I'm making and what I am doing about them...

Favorite Character:

Neville Longbottom was my favorite character since Goblet of Fire. (I loved that it was his 10 points that earned Gryffindor the House Cup at the end of Sorcerer's Stone!) Perhaps I just like underdogs, but this is one worth rooting for. We learn more about Neville as the series continues and, I confess, I was most worried about Neville's safety when HP7 was published. By the end, Neville has transformed from a timid, forgetful boy into an undaunted, admirable wizard.

Favorite Romance:

Ok, ok, so not original, but it is my favorite. I am not a crazy fanatic who was counting the seconds until they finally kiss, but I did enjoy watching the feelings grow over the years.

Favorite Death Eater:

She. Is. Crazy.

Bellatrix Lestrange is a fierce follower of Voldemort. I do not think anyone could portray the character as accurate as Helena Bonham Carter did. Although she is my favorite Death Eater, it is purely out of admiration for the actress. I would never want to come face-to-face with her.

Favorite Lord Voldemort Characteristic:

Kinda weird that I like something about Lord Voldemort. However, I love how he holds his wand. He barely grasps it! This photo isn't the best, but it gives you an idea. He is so powerfully arrogant that he holds it so delicately in his fingers. I love it.

Favorite Quotable:

"Soon we must all face the choice between what is right and what is easy."

This comes from Albus Dumbledore in the Goblet of Fire. Voldemort has returned and things are beginning to to change for the worse. You see his statement come true as the story unfolds. It is also very applicable to our own lives.

Favorite Redemption:

Poor Draco. That is all I could think of the entire series. He was lead into the "dark side" by his parents. I think I would include the entire Malfoy family in this category. Lucious was once a proud, arrogant man. By the end, he was broken and distraught. All that mattered to him was his family. I admire Narcissa Malfoy as well (I love her hair, oddly enough). Her son was all that mattered. By the end, I was overwhelmingly happy that the Malfoys figured out what was important and finally did what was best for their family. I even shed of few tears of relief for them.

Favorite Death:

I should probably replace the word "favorite" with "most anticipated" or "most appreciated." Words can hardly express my love and admiration for this fictional character! He sacrificed his pride, self-image, time, reputation, and life for those who loved him least. It was not until after his death that his true character was shone in it's full glory. Of all the Death Eaters, he was, I believe, most respected by Voldemort. And, of all the wizards, I believe that he was one of the greatest. Even more-so than his Dark Lord. If a heaven existed for the wizarding world, and the story implied that there was, I believe that Severus Snape earned a ticket to enter and reunite with those who he loved. I'll bet it was a wonderful celebration.

Favorite Lesson Learned:

I learned a lot from the Harry Potter story. The best thing I learned was precisely what Dumbledore warned of: choosing between right and easy. The consequences of each are significant. Choosing the right isn't always easy. Just look at Harry and his friends, physical and emotional pain at every corner. As I think of my life, choosing the right can be so very difficult. It isn't always, but sometimes it can be. However, choosing what is "easy" is a lie. "Easy" for Draco and his parents was not easy. It was more difficult than what Harry had to go through. In my life, when I choose what seems easier than the right, I find that everything seems more difficult. It is a lie that the Dark Lord (or Satan!) tells.

It seems to me that when we choose the right, life is easier. When we choose what is easy over what is right, life is more difficult (Matt. 11:28-30). Catch my drift?

Honorable Mentions:

Weasley Family

This family sacrificed a lot. Good, humble, hardworking family.

Fred & George Weasley

They were jokesters who knew what was right. I was particularly touched by them when they were comforting a younger kid who had "I must not tell lies" scratched in his hand. Guys who were always smiling and laughing even in the gloomiest of days. Although they were goofballs, they were sincere and brave.

Dudley Dursley

A spoiled brat who learned to respect those around him. Especially his cousin, whom he once despised.

Kreacher

I love Dobby, but Kreacher was a twisted, beaten elf who found kindness from Harry, Ron, & Hermione. Wouldn't mind an elf like Kreacher.

Lavender Brown

She was a bit crazy in HP #6. But, like her fellow students, chose what was right in the end. She paid dearly for it, and I hope that she isn't completely forgotten.

Expecto Patronum

Probably my favorite charm. It requires happy memories. I like that :)

Kingsley Shacklebolt

I don't know what it is about him, but I think he is awesome!

Professor McGonagall

Always put students first. Her courage and steadfastness really stood out in Deathly Hallows, both the novel and the movie.

Well, there you have it (sorry it is lengthy). My favorite things about Harry Potter. Seems silly for me to post all this, but it has obviously been on my mind. So, I thought I'd share it.

To Harry Potter (novels & movies), it has been a great ride!

50 Disney Movies

With the release of "Tangled" (which I highly recommend), Disney has reached their 50th full-length animated feature released in theaters. Wow! I went through the list of all 50 and found that I have only missed 6 of those. Disappointed? A tad. Dorky? A bit. Determined to own & watch them all? Yes!

(FYI: The 6 that I have not seen are: Fantasia, Saludos Amigos, The Black Cauldron, The Great Mouse Detective, Fantasia 2000, and Home on the Range...although my dad swears I saw Home on the Range with them in 2004. I promise I did not. Although, I will fix this problem soon. I promise that too.)

I found a slideshow of all 50 and I watched Snow White & the Seven Dwarfs tonight to remind me of where it all started.

Here is a video counting them all up. I was able to recognize my "generation" of movies when The Little Mermaid arrived.

As I watched this, I got chills as my childhood memories filled my mind. And that is just it, the memories...the feel-good satisfaction...the wholesomeness...the imagination...that is what I am excited about.

A goal for 2011: To watch (not necessarily own yet) all of the movies. If I could own them all by next year, great! If not, no big. Wouldn't that be cool to own them all and watch one every week in a year?? Awesome.

I'm going to say it now: Someday, I will...someday, I will...

If We Didn't Laugh, We'd Surely Cry!

If you have ever seen the movie He's Just Not That Into You, then you will be familiar with this clip. Being dumped is never fun, but this clip makes it SO funny! Instead of asking who can relate with this clip, I ask...who can't relate with this clip! (I am not trying to be insensitive, but seriously...can't we laugh about something during the dumping process??) It has been one of my all-time favorite clips from the movie. I just watched this movie the other day and I felt like sharing this today.

And, by the way, this is by sheer coincidence that I blog about this today ;) I've been wanting to share this funny moment with you for a while...promise!

If it doesn't work you may have to try this link! It is worth it, I promise!

Hope you laughed as much as I did! Hey, if we don't laugh we'll cry...right?

It is Midnight

So, naturally, it is time to watch a movie. Tonight, I will watch Sabrina with Harrison Ford & Julia Ormond. Snacks? Why yes, I've got a popsicle, a Strawberry Banana Sobe, an apple, and a glass of water.

Yep, I'm all set.

Avatar: The Last Airbender

To some of you, I sound like a broken record. But I will tell you again. I was a nonbeliever about a month ago. I was told for so long that if I watched it I would love it. Sad to say, I mocked the series. I am not a huge fan of the anime-ish shows. I would never watch it. Then, two things happened...

1. I saw the movie trailer. Wow. It looked so cool! It seemed like a movie I'd like to see. If they could create a movie like that out of a cartoon then it must be worth watching.

2. I met the director, Giancarlo Volpe, at Disneyland! I stood there with a bunch of Airbender friends and the director and his wife for about 20 minutes. They all talked of the awesome-ness of the show. I knew then and there that the time for watching Avatar: The Last Airbender had come.

A good friend, Monica, has let me borrow the series. I began to be a little skeptical again at the beginning of the series, but I soon adjusted to watching a cartoon and admitting that I was a fan of it. I have not finished the season (thanks summer school), but I am determined to finish it soon.



Avatar: The Last Airbender has taken our home by storm. I cannot wait to see it. My last class ends on Friday morning at 9am. Perhaps I will celebrate with a trip to the movie theater.

15 years ago I saw Toy Story

Tonight, I saw Toy Story 3. (No spoilers here) Call me sentimental, but the way Disney/Pixar portrayed change was amazing. Yes, I did cry...more than once. Aren't we all surprised? But I also laughed. A lot. Of all the trilogies out there, this has to be my favorite. Now, I know that there are other great trilogies out there (Lord of the Rings, Star Wars, etc), but this one-by far-hits me the most. Here is why.

When I was 7 years old, my parents took my brothers and I to see Toy Story. I remember it so clearly because it was my bedtime and instead I got to go to the movies. It such a new way for me to watch movies. It was funny and happy. I could relate to it. I had toys. I loved my toys. I remember thinking how cool it would be if toys really did come to life after I was gone. I vowed to always treat my toys nicely. Toy Story was a classic that touched my life as a child.



When I was 11 years old, our family (with the exception of Carla) saw Toy Story 2. I felt like I could relate to this movie as well. Andy was growing up, but he wasn't too grown up for toys. I was almost in junior high and Young Women's. I liked my toys still, but I wasn't as connected to them as I used to be. This was one of the first times I realized that time changes things.



I am now 22 years old and I have finally been able to see Toy Story 3 with my whole family. As Andy leaves for college, the fate of his toys is unknown. However, instead of worrying about where these toys ended up, I was worried about how they (or even me) were going cope with the changes presented at the beginning of the film. By the end of the movie, I felt like the chapter of my childhood has now been officially closed. I stopped playing with toys long ago, but tonight it felt complete as I watched the final scenes of Toy Story 3. It was a bittersweet feeling leaving that theater.



Perhaps this post sounds childish. After all, I am the girl who loves Disney. Maybe it is my love for anything Disney that has me all wrapped up in this movie, but I know it goes deeper than that. It is a realization that life doesn't stand still. It keeps going. No matter what you do, it keeps going. And its good. I am sad to see Toy Story end because it traveled with me. I felt like it was a little bit like MY Story. But, my story isn't ending. It is sad to say goodbye to all the wonderful memories made, but it is exciting to see what other memories are going to be made soon.

I know it sounds way silly, but I am grateful for Woody & Buzz. I'm grateful for Toy Story.