Favorite Authors: Sarah Beth Durst

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Sarah Beth Durst is the author of seven (soon to be nine) fantasy books for teens and adults, and I absolutely love her. Well, not really (because that would be slightly creepy), but yes, really. She's hilarious (check out her blog for a great example of said hilariousness), and her books are equal parts epic adventure, touching romance, sweeping fantasy, tongue-in-cheek humor, and pure awesomeness.

What I love most about the stories she tells is how unique they are. Most fantasy books stick to the same sort of things…vampires, werewolves, fairies, dragons, etc. Sarah Beth Durst specializes in modern fantasies with all sorts of original characters that aren't really found in any other books. Vampire-hunting unicorns? Check. Supermegaawesomefoxyhot were-tigers? Check. Talking gargoyles at Princeton? Check.

Now, I tried to pick my top two favorite Sarah Beth Durst books, but I couldn't limit myself, so here's my top three:

Drink, Slay, Love

I actually read this book before I ever read Twilight, so I probably missed a lot of Twilight references, but I enjoyed it nonetheless. It's basically a parody of the entire teen vampire obsession, and features real blood-drinking vampires. Pearl is one of them, until she gets stabbed through the heart by a unicorn (oops) and discovers that she can do un-vampire-like things, like walk around in the daylight without spontaneously combusting, and also she starts…caring. Uh-oh. This is book is awesome because A) the vampires are proper vampires, and B) Pearl is the perfect blend of sarcasm, butt-kicking, and reluctant kindness. If you enjoy laughing, vampires, and great female characters, read this book.

Vessel

Set in the world of a tribe of desert peoples, Vessel tells the story of Liyana, a young girl destined to become the vessel for a goddess. When the goddess doesn't show up, Liyana discovers that something is preventing the gods from coming down to the desert and helping the people. I think this book does a pretty good job at balancing out romance vs. action (I'm not a very big fan of an overwhelmingly romantic novel). The different vibes from the various desert tribes are really interesting, and the characters are diverse and well-written. The trickster god, Korbyn, is my favorite…so sassy. You will probably only like this book if you're into fantasy novels, but it's a pretty epic fantasy novel. Please read it.

Enchanted Ivy

I'll be honest, I haven't read this book in awhile, but I remember anxiously awaiting its publication date. Imagine my surprise when I woke up and discovered that my mom had bought me a hardback copy of the book to put in (on top of, really) my shoe for my St. Nicholas's Day. I totally devoured this book. It's a quick read and a suspenseful page turner. Lily just wants to get into her grandfather's alma mater, Princeton. When she visits, she's given a test: Find the Ivy Key, and she can get into Princeton automatically. No questions asked. But as she tries to find said key, she runs into all sorts of crazy and fantastical things around campus, such as talking gargoyles, were-tigers, and gates to different worlds. I think that lovers of all genres will enjoy this book…there's something for everyone.

(New and Improved?) Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles

I'm definitely going to be seeing this movie. I'm not totally sold on the turtles being too action-y, though. The whole point of TMNT is that they're like regular dudes, except, you know, they're turtles. We only get a small glimpse in the trailer of the turtles' personalities, and, well, I don't know. I'm predicting that TMNT will be a pretty decent film that makes a pretty nice profit at the box office this summer, and will go on to make many below average sequels. Basically, this is the next Transformers franchise.

Recent Reads

Surprisingly, I've been reading a lot as of late. I'm currently at ten books read this year, which is almost one a week. I'm honestly very impressed with myself for reading that many. I've started to rediscover my love of reading, I think, and I'm really excited about it. In the past month, I read four books, some that I enjoyed a lot, and some, not quite as much. Instead of doing long posts for each of them, I decided to mini review them...

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Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter by Seth Grahame-Smith

Once you get about a quarter of the way into this book (basically, when the vampires come into play), it's easy to get sucked it. It's a fun, entertaining read, and written like a history book, complete with historically incorrect diagrams.

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Looking for Alaska by John Green

At last, I have read every John Green book that exists on the face of the Earth. (He needs to write more, in my humble opinion.) Again, this novel takes a little bit of time to immerse you in its world, but once it does, it's hard to put down. With a realistic and incredibly entertaining cast of supporting characters, this book will take you through a whirlwind of emotions.

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Doing Harm by Kelly Parsons

Definitely not for young readers. This is a medical mystery that at first seems a little weird (especially when the killer is revealed halfway through the book), but somehow, it works. It's suspenseful and keeps you turning pages…I was almost late for work trying to finish this book. The descriptions of surgery are especially intense (especially since it's written by a urologist), so if you become faint at the sight of blood, beware.

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The Silver Linings Playbook by Matthew Quick

This book is hilarious, sweet, and sad all at once. It's the story of a man trying desperately to work through his mental problems. It's a quick, easy read, and one that you won't want to put down. Highly recommended!

'The Maze Runner' Trailer

The trailer for "The Maze Runner" has finally been released!



I think the trailer does a good job at capturing the mystery of the book. I love that it only shows tantalizing glimpses of everything: the Glade, the Maze, the Grievers…it does a great job at teasing fans of the book, and sparking intrigue in the uninitiated.

I've only read the first book in James Dashner's series (my position in the holds line for the sequel was in triple digits, and I wasn't very patient), but I really enjoyed it. Most of the book is completely confusing, so I'm excited and curious to see if they left the movie just as vague, or if they explain too many things for the audience. I definitely preferred the book being confusing…it brings you into Thomas's character, really letting you experience the book from his point of view, as well as sucking you very, very quickly into the world of the book.

"The Maze Runner" will arrive in theaters September 19.

28 Weeks Later

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I accidentally watched this film. I was planning on watching 28 Days Later, and instead, apparently, watched the 2007 sequel, 28 Weeks Later. Whoops.

However, despite the eternal curse of lameness currently bestowed on sequels (and especially zombie horror sequels), 28 Weeks Later was actually, surprising, really good. 

The film takes place six months after the outbreak of the zombie virus. Great Britain was infected and quarantined from the rest of the world. Eventually, the infected died of starvation. The US Army comes in to help repopulate the city, and starts shipping citizens back to London. However, when two returning kids go searching for their old house, they end up unleashing the deadly virus upon the city once again.

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The plot was really solid. You really can't go wrong when the main goal of every character is to survive. One of the rules of good storytelling is the baser the goal of the characters, the more relatable and sound your story becomes. You can't go much baser than survival. 28 Weeks Later differs from other zombie movies, however, with its emphasis of sacrificial love. Throughout the film, characters are confronted with hard choices which require them to sacrifice something or someone, or even their own lives. Some characters make good decisions, but some make very, very bad decisions. 28 Weeks Later shows the value of sacrificial love through the extreme repercussions of those horrible decisions. The truly good, heroic characters in this film are characterized by their willingness to give up everything for the people that they love. In order to be truly human, you have to be prepared to do whatever it takes to keep the people in your life safe.

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One thing that I really appreciated in this film is its complete lack of romance. This may sound strange, and I'm a sucker for a good love story (I cried a lot while reading a certain Nicholas Sparks book, not gonna lie), but this story did not need any sort of romantic side plot that disaster/outbreak movies usually toss in there. There was definite potential, and when sniper Sergeant Doyle meets medical specialist Scarlet, he stares at her for just a moment longer than needed, and I rolled my eyes, thinking, oh great, here comes an unnecessary side plot. I was pleasantly surprised when the romantic storyline didn't go any farther than that. It's so refreshing to just watch a zombie horror movie, with no strange and unneeded romance on the side.

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Like any good disease outbreak movie, 28 Weeks Later features characters from every aspect of the quarantine: the medical specialist, the sniper security guard, and the innocent family who just happens to be in the wrong place at the wrong time. Rose Byrne, Jeremy Renner, and Robert Carlyle (of Once Upon A Time fame…I may or may not have shrieked "Rumpelstiltskin!" when he came on screen) star, and they all convincing portray their respective personalities. (Is it just me, or is Jeremy Renner almost the exact same character in every movie…you know, the snarky soldier who ends up going against orders to save people?) The actress who plays the teenaged Tammy, Imogen Poots, was my favorite in this movie. Sh was really the emotional heart of the movie, and her determination and courage in protecting her family brought a deeper level of humanity to the film.

In short, although the film does have a few weak spots, overall it's a really interesting and entertaining zombie flick. It is fairly gory, and gets pretty intense and suspenseful at time. I actually planned to watch only half of the movie, and then finish it up later after I accomplished some things, but couldn't stop watching. If you don't mind gore and language, I would definitely recommend this film.

You can watch the trailer below:

Web Series Wednesday: Emma Approved

Emma Approved is the next web series in line from Pemberley Digital, a storytelling company that attempts to retell familiar stories in an unfamiliar and modern setting. They're known for their success with The Lizzie Bennet Diaries, one my personal favorites and also the web series that got me hooked on web series. You should definitely check out The LBD, if you haven't already.

Emma Approved is Jane Austen's Emma, retold through vlogs. Emma Woodhouse is a career matchmaker/lifestyle expert. In nine words: She makes your life better, and she never fails. However, after she inevitably fails at setting up one of her clients, she questions her problem-solving skills, and decides to test them out on a variety of non-clients (aka, her sister, and her business partner's friend).

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I think that Emma Approved works well if you do not compare it to The LBD. A lot of the Pemberley Digital fandom has been up in arms about EA, because they're looking for it to be exactly like The LBD. But it's not, and it never will be. Lizzie's stories were told on a private vlog, and Emma is documenting her greatness for future...people. (That's never quite clear.) There is a certain point where you have to suspend your disbelief in order to enjoy the series, but that's okay. I don't use Twitter, so the transmedia problems don't bother me.

Emma is my personally favorite Austen novel, and I'm glad that the heart of the story is portrayed beautifully. The details, however, are a bit…different. I do understand how this is necessary, as Emma wouldn't really be recording her personal life, but her work with her clients. EA is arranged around Emma's clients (Annie Taylor, Harriet Smith, State Senator Scumbag Elton, her sister Izzy, and now Maddie Bates), rather the details of Emma's personal life, which makes sense. However, it does make for long deviations from the original story (since when did Izzy and John Knightley have marital problems?!), and I wish that they would find a way to stay more closely to the original plot line, instead of veering off track to follow side characters that I don't really care that much for.

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The main reason I enjoy Emma Approved is because of the characters. The acting in this show is really good, and although I find Dayenne Hutton's portrayal of Harriet Smith to be a little over the top, especially in the first few episodes, overall the characters are interesting, exciting, and entertaining. The chemistry between Emma and Alex Knightley is completely believable (and also totally adorable to watch). Even though some of the characters shouldn't have been featured so prominently in the show (see: Izzy's relationship drama), they're fun to root for.

Overall, although Emma Approved has some issues that it needs to work out, it's an enjoyable show if you're willing to suspend some disbelief to let the plot work for you. The characters are fun, the story is entertaining, if not accurately following the book, and there are some great hilarious lines.

Divergent: Clip Roundup

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I really liked the first book, strongly disliked the second, and absolutely loved the third. I'm definitely in the minority in that respect, but I'm just as excited as the rest of the Divergent fandom to watch the movie coming out in theaters in just a few short weeks! They've been releasing some great behind the scenes stuff this past month, as well as awesome new TV spots and clips from the movie itself. Check out six released "Divergent" clips below.


 
This is my least favorite clip of the bunch, and I'm bummed that they released it first. I didn't really get the vibe of the book from this clip, and it made me extremely wary about the movie. After watching the other clips, I think my faith in the film is being restored a bit…


The second "Divergent" clip is my personal favorite of all five clips released. Shailene Woodley is great in this scene, and I absolutely love how they showed Tris realizing that she was trapped in a simulation, not reality. I think it was really well done, and also a smart choice, considering the only other real option is a voiceover.



Although I'm not too sure about Eric (he's absolutely nothing like I pictured him in the books, but I will give him a chance), I like this clip because it gives us a look at some of the supporting cast of characters. Although I can't really tell who is who besides Christina, it was fun to watch.



Okay, so Kate Winslet is amazing. That's pretty much what I took away from this clip. She was perfectly cast as Jeanine, and I am so excited to see her in action in the movie.



This is one of the most anticipated scenes, and imho, I don't think it was long enough, but then again, it could be cut longer in the movie itself. Also, it feels like this scene takes forever in the book, due to being able to hear Tris's thoughts, but obviously, films don't work the same way.

This clip really sold Shailene Woodley as Tris for me. Also, Eric is starting to grow on me. Basically, this convinced me that the acting is matching up with my mental pictures.

Overall, I'm really enjoying the clips that have been released so far, and I am cautiously optimistic for the film. So far, the reviews have been positive, saying that there are a few changes from book to film, but nothing too significant. Shailene Woodley and Theo James so far seem to have been good choices. And of course Kate Winslet is and undoubtedly will be brilliant.

"Divergent" comes to theaters on March 21.

Once Upon A Time: Characters I Want More Of

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At last, the ABC winter hiatus is coming to a close. My favorite current TV show, Once Upon A Time, is back on air starting tomorrow, March 9. I'm so excited to see what happened after that cliff hanger ending. (Also, I'm really excited that Once Upon A Time airs on Sundays. It's so handy during Lent.)

Although the plot of Once Upon A Time is occasionally filled with holes and somewhat strange, what keeps me and most other viewers coming back are the great characters that the writers and actors have developed. Everyone has a backstory, and everyone plays a crucial role in the story. The characters are usually interesting and well rounded, but sometimes, the writers introduce a character only to have them featured in one or two episodes, and then never seen again. Often I'm intrigued by these new characters, and wish I could learn more about their stories. Here's my favorites of these mysterious characters used to to serve the plot and then dropped. (Beware of spoilers.)

Ashely Boyd/Cinderella
2 episodes

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Ashley/Cinderella first made an appearance in the fourth episode of the show, which made it seem as though she would be a major player. The scene where Emma tells Storybrooke Cinderella (aka Ashley) to not care what people said about her, and to never give up, even though it was going to be hard, held so much potential for Emma to become Ashley's mentor. Sadly, it was not to be. Ella's spunk, courage, and fearlessness when dealing with the cunning Rumpelstiltskin made me instantly like this character, but alas, she wasn't seen again until the Valentine's Day episode "Skin Deep", where her Prince proposed to her. A happy ending, but still a slightly unsatisfying one, as I would have loved to see her personality and backstory fleshed out a little more. Plus, we missed out on all of the potential adorable family moments between Ashley, Thomas, and little baby.

Jefferson/Mad Hatter
6 episodes

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Honestly, the reason I want more of the Mad Hatter is because he's so unpredictable, and so interesting to watch. Everything he does, he does to protect his daughter. He's trapped in Regina's power, but yet he finds ways to rebel. I would really love to see more about his time spent in Storybrooke, as he created thousands of hats, hoping desperately that one would work, and slowly spiraled into insanity as not even one hat would do its job. Jefferson is such an entertaining character to watch, and I wish we could have gotten to see more of him.

Maleficent
2 episodes

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Although I find the character of Maleficent rather over done for this show, I really enjoyed her little cameos. She's basically a puppet of the Evil Queen, always gullible. She's a shape shifter, and can turn into a dragon at a moment's notice. Also, she has a strange tiny pet unicorn (and I'd really like to hear the story behind that one). The Evil Queen takes pity on Maleficent in one episode, saying that Maleficent is her only friend. I think it would be really interesting to get the story behind that shaky friendship. Also, Maleficent was never really given a proper ending--is she dead? I don't think so. (And when will we find the answer to that question? It's been almost two seasons.) 

Abigail and Frederick

Kathryn/Abigail was such a major player in season 1, it was strange when she suddenly disappeared from the show. The show's creators have assured fans that Frederick and Kathryn married and lived happily ever after in Storybrooke, but I wish we could have seen some of that. Even just seeing this couple randomly around town would have been nice. So many horrible things happened to this couple (mainly Kathryn, really) and I would have liked to see something pleasant concerning Kathryn for a nice change.

Jacqueline "Jack" the Giant Killer
1 episode

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Having a female Jack the Giant Killer was completely unexpected, but yet, really cool. Once Upon A Time is known for twisting the original fairy tales into fresh, new, and exciting (and often politically correct…but we won't go there) characters, and Jack is (was, I guess) a perfect example of this. We barely got a taste of the feisty Jack, as she was only in one episode before (spoiler alert!) she came to an unfortunate demise. I would have loved a flashback or two about her and Prince James's adventures in the Enchanted Forest, hunting giants and fighting bad guys.

Daniel the Stable Boy
2 episodes

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Daniel the Stable Boy had a ton of potential, as he was responsible for starting Regina's downfall. Sadly, his featured episode painted him as a very decent, hardworking young man, and then we saw no more of him…until he came to Storybrooke as a zombie (what?!) and tried to strangle Regina. I would love to see the Daniel/Regina romance fleshed out a bit more. As this was the beginning of the end for the Evil Queen, it would have been interesting to get some backstory on this guy and why he was so incredibly important to Regina.

Ruby/Red Riding Hood
30 episodes

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Ruby/Red Riding Hood is technically more of a major character, but she is one of the most underused characters of all time. She had a brilliant backstory, was part of a shocking plot twist, she has plowed through so many obstacles, and was always there for all of her friends whenever they needed her. However, she was almost always in the background of every episode. Red was one of the my favorite characters, but I totally understand why actress Meghan Ory decided to leave the show. She definitely wasn't being given enough to do. (However, I think we will get to see more of Red…producer Adam Horowitz announced she'd make an appearance in season three! Here's hoping it will be sooner rather than later.)

Hopefully one or more of these characters will make an appearance in the second half of Season Three, but it's not looking likely, as the show has been introducing more and more new characters. The Wicked Witch of the West will show up in this Sunday's episode, and I'm sure more will be coming as we follow Emma & Hook in our world, the rest of the gang in the Enchanted Forest, Robin Hood & Mulan off somewhere adventuring, and whoever else may feature.

Frozen Favorites

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Yesterday, Frozen hit the $1 billion box office mark. It's officially the 18th highest grossing film of all time. Which is pretty awesome, if you ask me.

If you know me in real life, it's no secret that Disney's Frozen is one of my favorite movies ever. With gorgeous landscapes, a beautiful score, and an unbeatable sisterly duo, it really doesn't get much better. Well, unless there was one thing they talked about some more… In honor of Frozen's awesome box office victory, here's ten things I loved about Frozen, and one thing I did not.

Girl power

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I don't like to use the term feminist because of the negative connotations, but I like to think of myself as…a feminist with a different definition of feminism. As my own brand of feminist, I highly approve of this movie. I think it's a really realistic portrayal of girls, and that's something that's missing in far too many films today. Both Anna and Elsa are real, relatable human beings that both boys and girls can empathize with and root for. They're funny, spunky, shy, sweet, courageous, and kind, virtues that everyone should strive for. Although they do make mistakes, they rise above them and never give up. Anna and Elsa are some of only a few female animated characters in films that are given actual personalities, and I thank the writers for that.

Idina Menzel
Dude. Idina Menzel rocks. Her voice is absolutely incredible. I get goosebumps almost every time I listen to "Let It Go". She deserves all the praise she has been getting for this movie, and I'm so glad she was cast as Elsa.

A different kind of damsel in distress

While I'm not against getting rescued by a handsome prince, it's nice to see two different damsels in distress, and how they both respond to it. Especially since there's no handsome prince to swoop in and save the day. (Although there is a rough-and-tumble ice-obsessed guy and a hilarious talking snowman who can help.) Elsa burrows away in her ice castle and decides to embrace who she truly is instead of being afraid of herself, and Anna takes matters into her own hands by setting out on a quest to rescue her sister from herself.

True true love
I love that the true love featured in Frozen is sisterly love. For once, a film focuses not on a romantic plot, but on a bond between sisters that is tested, but doesn't break. As Olaf says, true love is being willing to do anything for the good of the other person. Even the romantic subplot in Frozen works by this definition of love.

Sven
Sven is awesome. He's not your average talking Disney animal, or even your average silent-but-expressive Disney animal (see: Maximus from Tangled). He has no voice unless Kristoff, his friend-owner person, gives him one. In the end, Sven helps convince Kristoff to do what needs to be done to save his friends.

The music



This is probably reason #1. The music of Frozen is absolutely beautiful, breathtaking, inspiring, and also…foreshadow-y and tricksy. (If you've seen the movie, you know exactly what I'm talking about.) Gorgeous vocals and simple, meaningful lyrics contribute to the magic that is music.

Kristanna

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I'll admit it. Kristanna is my OTP at the moment. They're just way too adorable. Look at them. So stink in' cute.

The morning face

This circles back to the "girl power" part at the beginning. I love realistic portrayals of female characters. You can't get much more realistic than this.

The plot twist
I can't spoil it for those unfortunate few who have yet to watch Frozen. I actually did predict this plot twist, but judging by the gasps and shouts of anger in the theaters I watched the film in, most people did not. The plot twist is absolutely brilliant and perfectly works with Frozen's definition of true love.

Olaf's one-liners

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When I first saw trailers for Frozen, I thought it was a rip-off of Tangled, and I thought the talking snowman was the dumb comic relief. Boy, was I wrong. Frozen is so much better than Tangled, and the talking snowman is absolutely hilarious. Apparently Josh Gad (voice actor for Olaf) improvised a lot of his lines while recording, and the director liked them so much he kept them in. Olaf's humor constantly keeps the audience wondering "what will that snowman say next?". And it's always hilarious.

One thing I did not like about Frozen - What about Kristoff?

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At the beginning of the film, adorable baby Kristoff and Sven are…riding through the forest alone…after being separated from their icy friends….maybe? I'm not actually sure, because the movie never says. And then….a troll just adopts them? And they live with trolls forever? Why isn't Kristoff opposed to being raised by rocks? Does Kristoff not have any parents? If he does, aren't they looking for him? If he doesn't, then what was he doing with the ice people? How did trolls become love experts?

Mainly, why does he have a terribly mysterious and tantalizing backstory that is never.ever.explained?

Dear Disney: Instead of a Frozen 2, I want a prequel about Kristoff and the trolls. Congrats on the billion dollars. Sincerely, Me.

And the Oscar goes to...

Yesterday marked the 86th Academy Awards. I personally think this was one of the most entertaining and fun Oscars ceremony to date, mostly in thanks to Ellen hosting. Her humor is just so silly, and so simple, and it worked perfectly. I have a feeling we haven't seen the last of Ellen hosting the Academy Awards just yet. That selfie that broke Twitter? And Brad Pitt passing out paper plates so Ellen can hand out pizza? I'm not really sure how next year can top that.

Other favorite Oscar moments:

Pharrell Williams performing his Oscar-nominated song "Happy" from Despicable Me 2…

Lupita Nyong'o's sweet acceptance speech…

John Travolta awkwardly mispronouncing Idina Menzel's name…

The adorable and rhyming acceptance speech from the songwriters of Frozen…

And last but definitely not least, Matthew McConaughey's awesome acceptance of Best Actor.

Here at my house, we hosted an Oscars viewing party, and everyone brought food based on a 2013 movie. There was Irish popcorn for Philomena, guacamole for Despicable Me 2, mini powdered donuts for Frozen, and mini pancakes for World War Z, just to name a few. We also had Oscars ballots for predictions, and I came in with 16 out of 24 correct.

Last year I predicted 12 out of 24 correctly, so I'm only going up! And, in case you couldn't tell, I actually had correctly predicted Production Design and Sound Editing, but then second guessed myself and picked something else instead. Sigh.

All in all, the Oscars this year was actually really fun. Towards the end, the pacing stated to get pretty slow (they should not have put the Wizard of Oz tribute and the Bette Midler song so close together…way too slow), but overall it was really entertaining to watch. And now there's one more Best Picture winner for me to add to the Oscar Challenge...