On May 16, 1986 Top Gun opened at theaters. I was 8. I remember seeing it on VHS when it finally was available and I think I about wore out the tape. I know for sure I nearly ruined the soundtrack cassette. It is hands-down one of my top 10 favorite movies, to date. I had to make that Facebook official recently when I was tagged in one of those pseudo-chain mail thingies. I usually never give in when I get tagged but because this one was all about the movies I love, I couldn’t resist.

Aside from watching the movie one million times over the past 33 years, I also can sing every word to every song on the soundtrack, again, bordering on ruining the tape. Current movie soundtracks just aren’t like they were in the 80s, or at least it feels like that. Again, it could be that I’m just marinating in nostalgia so forgive me if that’s the case. Sometimes you get one or maybe two catchy songs that are overplayed on the radio. But, those classic movies are jam-packed with anthems that you know for life, that when they come on the radio, you risk blowing out your speakers because you turn it up to 11 and drive like your hair’s on fire. When Kenny Loggins comes on, everyone around me on the freeway better look out.

In 8th grade, my obsession for Top Gun was blossoming, just like me. We had a mother/daughter luncheon and fashion show. We had one or two cool stores to shop at in my little home town. It was either that or K-Mart but either way, everyone looked like everyone else because there was only so many options. I lived for shopping trips to Reno, NV where I knew I would find things that *maybe* no one else would show up in at school. The interwebs did not exist so that was my ticket to coolness.

We all got our two outfits for the fashion show at Beno’s. We also got to choose the music for the runway. I honestly don’t remember one of the songs that I chose and walked to in a rare appearance of me in a dress. But, I do remember the other song. It was “Playing with the Boys” by Kenny Loggins from the Top Gun soundtrack. It plays during one of the most iconic scenes of the movies – the volleyball scene. One could argue that the whole movie is iconic scene after iconic scene but this is seriously number one or two. I played the song for my hubby recently and he didn’t even remember it. I nearly divorced him on the spot. Now, to his credit, it’s no “Danger Zone” but c’mon, the VOLLEYBALL SCENE! How could he not remember?! I’ve since gotten over this betrayal.

Now, I was a huge volleyball fan and a decent player. I actually was co-MVP with my other best friend that year. I played on a hard court with six on a team, but tried beach volleyball, only to realize how fucking hard it was to move around in the sand. Growing up in the high desert and mountains, we didn’t have a lot of sand. My best friend and I, on many summer break occasions to the beach, thought we could just roll right into it and kick-ass like we did on the court. Yeah, right. It was in the words of Charles Barkley, TUURRIBLE. We spent most of our time just admiring the hot guys and cheering them on, which was a-ok too but we always had Maverick and Goose aspirations.

My volleyball fashion show outfit, complete with an actual volleyball in-hand, was a hooded flower top with white jean shorts and white high tops. I played basketball too so just about every shoe in my closet at the time was a Nike, along with some Vans. I also wore shades, a must. And yes, the pictures you see here are from my yearbook – our little school had limited events so they needed to fill those pages. When you reached the 8th and final year, you got a lot more real estate in the book, too. My best friend rocked a volleyball too but you only get to see me in that dress…and bangs that were their own zip code.

Say what you will about ol’ Tom Cruise but he makes great movies and timeless classics that are hard to top. I know he’s a hot mess when it comes to his personal life and all the crazy Scientology crapola but man, he can entertain. I also think whatever deal he made with the Scientology Devil err Head Alien, what’s his name…David Miscavige, has worked out to make him not really age. It’s clearly worth every terrible, guilt-ridden penny. He’ll be 57 on July 3 and still looks amazeballs.  Crazy looks good on him, just sayin’.

When news broke that they were finally making a sequel to Top Gun, that day was like Christmas for me. Now, they’ve pushed back the release date some and that was like cancelling Christmas or at least postponing it a wee bit but it’s still on the calendar for June 26, 2020. I will be there with my aviators and dog tags on, maybe even a fly boy jump suit. One can never know for sure. By 2020 I clearly will be even more nostalgic and even more crazy than I am now. I mean, that’s really only a year away. Let me write that again, A YEAR AWAY. Fuck me – time is just cruisin’ (get it?!;)) faster than Maverick in his F-15! I’ll be ready to buzz the tower a couple of times over, just like Maverick. In the meantime, I’ll keep showing up to Alamo Drafthouse for their movie parties and next time, I will *try* to refrain from reciting the whole movie and singing all the songs like an asshole. Maybe one less beer next time too…nah.

Sixteen years ago today my pop passed away. He was only 58 years old. Cancer is a real motherfucker. His love for both cigarettes and vodka likely didn’t help but we all have vices. You have to enjoy life and if vices help with that, bring it.

There’s not a day that goes by that I don’t think about him. I have two great reminders I wear daily – his pinkie ring and wedding ring.

My mom gifted me his pinkie ring when he passed away. He bought it with his earnings from the Air Force when he was in Vietnam. He came home from the war and he asked my grandpa what he should do with all that he saved. He said to put it in diamonds. So the pinkie ring is really choice. Always loved it and it fits perfectly on my ring finger. My mom then surprised me for my 40th birthday with his wedding ring. She added my birthstone, my hubby’s and daughter’s too. My mom always outdoes herself with gifting but this was by far the most special gift I’ve ever received.

When I opened up the package, I cried at the center island in our kitchen. I knew right away what it was. My daughter was there with me and she ran in to tell my husband that I was balling in the kitchen. She’s not at the point in her life to be sentimental with her emotions. Someday *maybe* she’ll soften.

Aside from my rings, I hear or see things that remind me of my pop all the time. Whether it’s a clever joke that would be a pop-ism or my own curse words that he gifted me, he’s always with me. “Fuck” was for sure my first word, whether my mom will admit it or not. My pop held nothing back and used curse words for commas, just like me. My mom attempted to make me a lady but quickly realized I was just going to talk like a sailor. I grew up on a construction crew so it was inevitable.

My pop and mom both got me hooked on my pop culture obsession at an early age. Because of my pop, I learned to appreciate all the action stars of the eighties including Chuck Norris and Charles Bronson, along with legends like John Wayne and Clint Eastwood.

He ran his own construction company where he built awesome custom homes. When I was about 5 or 6, we started watching the afternoon re-runs of Dallas. We coined it our “Daily Dose of Dallas” and when he would get home from the job site, we’d watch it together and see what the latest drama J.R. Ewing and Sue Ellen were cookin’ up.

We also watched a ton of other shows together like Magnum P.I., Simon and Simon, The A-Team, and Miami Vice, just to name a few.

Lots of sitcoms were on our TV watch list too like Cheers. We’d laugh together at all the Norm and Cliff-isms. Our favorite was “It’s a dog eat dog world and I’m wearing milk bone underwear.” Now, I hear Norm recite that from time to time on 80s on 8 on Sirius and I just smile, remembering my pop.

From time to time I’d convince him to go to see a movie in the theater. He preferred watching at home but I remember two movies specifically that I got him to see with me. We were huge Bruce Willis fans so when the third Die Hard hit the theater, he went with me. Then, because he loved to golf and thought Kevin Costner could do no wrong, we saw Tin Cup.

Sometimes he’d surprise me with watching a movie that you wouldn’t think a tough S.O.B. like him would care about. Movies like Pretty In Pink, The Cutting Edge, and The Bodyguard were among some of his favorites. He’d watch them on repeat with me, most likely because he knew how much I liked them. I’ve done the same for my daughter. It’s just what parents do, especially if you get to spend some time together.

It’s hard to believe that he’s been gone for close to two decades. So much has happened that I wish he could have experienced but I know he’s watching from the big golf course in the sky, while he sips on his vodka on the rocks at the 19th hole bar.  Cheers to you, Pop. Thanks for all the memories and being my O.G. pop culture partner-in-crime.

One of my favorite things to do is see comedy stand-up shows. Love it! And, Netflix has provided a ton of comedy specials too so I don’t even have to leave my couch, and we all know how much I love my couch. But, I try not to miss seeing my faves when they come to town.

Here’s my top five recent favorites, in no particular order, that I’ve either seen live or watched on Netflix.

1. Patton Oswalt – Patton is my numero uno comedian and always will be. Not only is he a fellow nerd, he’s so damn funny. He came to town back in February and he was great as always. His Netflix special from a couple years ago is awesome so check it out. He has others too so make a night of it.
2. Nate Bargatze– I watched his Netflix episode and was hooked. So, so funny! I was fortunate to then see him live at the Tempe Improv two weeks ago. And, I can’t walk into a Starbucks without laughing. Watch his special and you’ll know why.
3. Christine P. – I just saw her over the weekend at the Tempe Improv and holy shit! So funny! She’s married to Tom Segura, another hilarious human and they’re best friends with Bert Kreischer, yet another funny man. I now feel like I’ve experience the trifecta! Next up is listening to her and Tom’s podcast, Your Mom’s House.
4. Hannibal Buress – He had been on my short list of comedians I hadn’t seen live…and I finally got to see him about a month ago.  Oh man was he worth the wait! Hilarious!
5. Ali Wong – Probably my favorite lady comedian, and I’m a fan of a bunch of the girls. Ali is in a category all her own. I saw her a couple years ago at the famous Comedy Store in L.A. I knew I wanted to see more of her after the few minutes she yelled jokes at the audience. I recently saw her in Tucson. So great. She’s got a couple specials on Netflix. You will piss your pants!
6. Anthony Jeselnik – Because I can’t follow my own rules, here’s a 6th and final for this list. Jeselnik is ridiculously funny…or not really and it was just the three bottles of wine that my bestie and I drank Friday night. One can never be sure. His new special on Netflix made us couple of white-girl wasted bitches laugh our asses off. He’s always great on the Comedy Central Roasts AND I’m super-excited to see him live in June at Clusterfest in SF! And one final, final, comedy-related item is Wine Country, with SO MANY TALENTED AND FUNNY WOMEN! Check it out on Netflix. That’s the real reason why we drank all the wine in the house…Jeselnik was just the dessert. 😉

I watch a lot of TV…I mean, A LOT. A shit-ton to be honest. Definitely more than the average human. It’s to the point where most of my friends and family don’t think I sleep, that I may be a vampire. I can assure you that I’m not. I just squeeze it all in, somehow, but do manage to get some shut-eye. Also, I sometimes “drop” shows pretty easily, since I watch a lot. There’s no time for shitty shows – if they don’t truly hook me, I ditch ’em. I watch too much to spin my wheels and waste time. However, I am not a critic. I’m not looking for any deep meaning, blah, blah, blah like the critics usually critique shows for not having or the story wasn’t strong enough, yada, yada, yada. I just like to enjoy what I’m watching and be entertained. Period.

Since I watch a lot, I get asked often what my favorites are and for recommendations. So here’s my faves for May, in no particular order:

Billions – Season 4 is nearly over and I’m already missing it. This Showtime series is in one word awesome. Everyone is out to fuck over each other, every episode, with the backdrop of NYC, the stock market and the government. The cast, lead by Paul Giamatti and Damian Lewis, is excellent and I can’t wait to see the new episode every Sunday. Five stars, two thumbs up, the works. Watch it.

Killing Eve – OMG this show!! The two leading ladies, Sandra Oh and Jodie Comer, are en fuego!! Everything about it is great!! Bravo to the BBC, and to AMC for carrying it for us Muricans. Love, love, LOVE it. It’s in its second season and my only gripe is that there’s not enough episodes – only 8! I WANT MORE! It’s won awards, so, so, SO GOOD! Watch it NOW.

Barry – Bill Hader is my hero and a former contract killer who’s now a struggling actor in this show – no joke. If you’re a fan of this funny man too, you should be watching this show on HBO. Really unique and hilarious. Henry “The Fonz” Winkler is in it too and won awards for it!! That’s how good it is.

The Act – I just finished this Hulu show last week and man, I wish it wasn’t based on a true story. It’s one and done and I want more seasons. The two leading ladies, Patricia Arquette and Joey King, better get nominated for all the awards. It was so well-done. I watched the documentary too. Coo-coo crazy what happened!

Brockmire – Hank Azaria is my spirit animal and a train-wreck of a baseball announcer. The writing on this show, now in its third season, is some of the best comedy on TV. And the Twitter account is icing on the cake. Thanks to IFC for carrying it. It’s laugh-out-loud funny week after week!

Happy Couch Potatoing! Enjoy!

To Tony Stark: Thanks for the Memories

Over the weekend, while I was still wiping my tears of joy and sorrow away from seeing Avengers, I came across this great image and post.

It’s amazing where this man has come in his career. A career that was close to over, mentally and physically. I joke with my husband often that RDJ was his character in the 1987 flick “Less Than Zero.” I know I’m not the first to make that connection. It was life imitating art at its finest. He literally was on the brink of killing himself and came back from that, came back to something UNREAL. I’m sure there are other success stories like his in Hollywood that I’m forgetting or don’t even know about but his feels like the most awesome, especially given the legacy he leaves as Iron Man.

I knew the Russo brothers would rip my heart out with that movie. It was inevitable. I was prepared for a big loss but I really didn’t think it would be Tony. As the movie went on though, the possibility was there, even after Scarlett met her end. That was too easy that she would be the only sacrifice. I was told to bring Kleenex and it was needed.

I listened to the giant IMAX theater attendees as Tony took his last breath, dying with Pepper at his side, along with all his brothers and sisters. There were gasps and sniffles throughout. My mom handed me the Kleenex box. I looked over and my tough as nails Mean Girl Regina George daughter was crying too, rubbing at her eyes under her 3D glasses.

Even though we lost our hero, it made for great cinema, A+ cinema, according to the interwebs and the buckets of cash they made. I loved every minute of the three hours and didn’t have to leave my seat to pee. I did have to sacrifice my usual beer but it was worth it.

So, Mr. Starks, if that lady of yours was the one that helped you turn your life around many moons ago or some other force of nature stepped in, I thank them from the bottom of my nerd heart. It’s been awesome to see you kick-ass as Iron Man for the past 11 years. Those are mighty large shoes to fill for the next guy (or gal, ahem, Pepper maybe? ;)) who suits up. I can’t wait to see what you do next. Love you 3000.   

My first CD was Boyz II Men’s first album “Cooleyhighharmony” from 1991. My mom got it for me for Christmas later that year and if you could ruin a CD, I would have. I played it over and over again, especially the song “Motownphilly”. They became my favorite group, even above my other favorites, Paula Abdul and Janet Jackson. This was the beginning of a decade of hip hop and R&B love. It was all I really listened to.

Many years later, when I got the chance to see Boyz II Men in concert, I could not wait for the day. They were performing at Desert Sky Pavilion, one of the outdoor venues in Phoenix, on June 6, 1998 (P.S. I had the look up the date before writing this…). I remember getting up in the middle of the night and going to stand in line for tickets at the venue. This was long before ticket sales on the internet were a thing – you could still go and get tickets the old fashioned away at the box office. I took a lawn chair and sat with a security guard in the dark for literally hours, before another guy showed up to stand in line too, only to find out he was there to buy tickets for another concert. I was “it” for the Boyz II Men concert. I was determined to get front row tickets and I did.

A friend of mine I’d had a couple of classes with that year (since I had just finished my sophomore year) was joining me for the concert. She was a fan too but probably not quite as much as me but I was glad to have a true fan with me regardless.

It was hot as hell as usual in June but I didn’t care. I proudly bought the black “Evolution” tour shirt and made a quick change in the bathroom to wear it. Our seats were excellent. Dead center of the stage in the front row. And this was so long ago that there really wasn’t a “pit” area at this venue then. They just allowed all the front row people the option to stand right at the stage. And we did. The concert was everything I had imagined, complete with long-stem red roses they tossed to the crowd while singing “I’ll Make Love To You”. I luckily nabbed one and managed to get it home that night in one piece. I’m fairly certain I even had some tears when they sang “It’s So Hard To Say Goodbye To Yesterday” and “End of the Road”. I was that fan. I can still picture standing there at the stage 19 years ago, swaying back and forth with my friend, clutching the rose in my sweaty hand. It was a great night.

This past weekend I got to see them again as they toured with both Paula Abdul (which was a first for me because again, small town = almost zero concerts) and New Kids on the Block (NKOTB), which was the second time I’ve seen them and that was just two years ago. It was great to see all the fans for all three of them, dressed up, singing along, reliving the 90s. Boyz II Men and Paula have both been performing for 25 years, with NKOTB a little longer at 29 years. And the arena was packed. I think there may have been a handful of nosebleed seats left but it was close to a sellout. They played all the favorites and I teared up. Every junior high and high school dance came flashing back to me. I remember the days when I used to be the DJ at my junior high dances and would finish every dance with “End of the Road” because it was fitting. Paula’s “‘Rush, Rush” was always a slow one that we never missed playing and the NKOTB’s “I’ll Be Loving You” typically made the playlist. It was a big Friday night of nostalgia. I could only think and hope that Syd will be as emotionally tied to groups and songs as I was, that in nearly 30 years, she’ll be standing with tears of joy coming down her face at a Katy Perry concert. One thing is for certain though. I’ll continue to get my 90s fix as long as they all keep touring. And maybe the next time I can find my damn “Evolution” shirt so I can wear it. My closet is not at all user-friendly. Don’t get my hubby started. 😉

When The Bodyguard debuted at the movies in November 1992, I remember my mom and I were there as soon as it showed up at our little theater in Bishop, which may have not been opening weekend. We were lucky if that happened but since there was only two screens, there was a lot of competition so we sometimes saw new movies a few weeks later. Just a product of living in a small town but we were used to it.

There was rarely a movie with Kevin Costner that we didn’t see. We were big fans. And this one was even more exciting since Whitney Houston was in it. We loved her music. Who cared if she could act or not – we knew the soundtrack would be great. And it was. We listened to it over and over again, singing along. And we enjoyed the movie, regardless of what critics thought. It was good fun. We continued to watch the movie for years to come and I still watch it if I see that it’s playing on TV.

For Christmas, I always look for a fun event to get my mom for one of her gifts – something we can do together and extend the holiday. To my surprise during my search back in December, I found that there was a touring Broadway show of The Bodyguard at this awesome theater in Hollywood, The Pantages. We’d seen Mama Mia and Dirty Dancing there, and my hubby and I had seen Book of Mormon as well. It’s the most awesome theater. Still standing after all these years with so much history.

The very-talented singer Deborah Cox was playing Whitney’s role in the show so I knew she would be able to sing. I couldn’t buy the tickets fast enough.

The show was finally this past weekend and it was awesome. It not only included all The Bodyguard soundtrack but also a number of Whitney’s other greatest hits. It was an awesome tribute to her and Deborah was so, so good! The theater was packed, as it was the second to last day for the show. It was so great to see so many people there, enjoying the music of one of the greatest singers of our time.

I will always be sad that I never got to see Whitney in concert. One of those bucket list items I wasn’t able to cross off before she passed away. But seeing Deborah sing like she was the late great singer was a close second.  And if I didn’t have so many TV shows, I’d re-watch the movie this week but it’s going to have to wait, just a bit. And, if the tour makes a stop in your city, see it, especially if you’re a fan. You won’t be disappointed.

The older I get the more I love storytelling. I feel like I’m a good storyteller and can weave a tale, especially after a few beers.

The older I get the more nostalgic I am as well. Comes with the territory, I’m sure.

This past weekend I enjoyed two events that included lots of storytelling and were also very nostalgic for me. My mom was in town for Mother’s Day so I treated us with tickets to see Rob Lowe at the Mesa Arts Center on Friday night. He was doing a one-man-show in place of writing another book. We found out when he took the stage that this was his first time trying this format, to see if people enjoyed it. I’d say a sold-out crowd was a clear sign he could go on tour.

Rob was very entertaining, telling stories of his time in Hollywood and lots about his family. The show included fun photos on a large screen to help paint the picture of his stories. It was a lot of fun. His wife was in the audience, supporting him on his maiden voyage. He laughed they’d been married for 26 years, which in Hollywood that’s more like 126 years. After hearing him talk, I am very interested in reading his two books to find out even more. Such a talent and best of all, he’s very thankful for his fans and the long career he’s had. And he’s not stopping. He’s only 53 so there’s still a long road ahead of opportunities for him. I grew up watching his movies and still love seeing them when they show up on my movie channels. And his character in Parks & Rec is still one of my favorites on TV. He mentioned when asked by someone in the audience that that character is the closest to how he is in real life BUT that it’s actually modeled after a close family friend, KENNY G! Who knew! So many fun memories of Rob – I was so glad he chose Mesa for his debut show. That has to be a first for Mesa too!

My hubby and I then saw Kevin Smith on Saturday night. I can’t even count how many times we’ve seen him. We’re big fans. He’s always at San Diego Comic Con every year too, which we did cry some nerd tears that we won’t  be seeing him this year.

He told all his usual stories. I love that he’s as big of a fanboy of the pop culture he talks about as everyone in the audience is. His Star Wars stories are always the best. He told the story of the time at Comic Con when the whole audience up and left before his panel because J.J. Abrams invited them to a Star Wars concert with the San Diego Symphony. We were part of that audience.

I remember how excited we were, as we were being escorted down the street, behind the convention center, by a group of Stormtroopers, only to then realize we would miss our annual Kevin Smith-tradition. It was one of those rock and hard place situations. We knew in our heart of hearts, even as devastated as Kevin would be to see an empty room, he would want to be with us at the Star Wars concert and would understand why we all had to go. And he did but he’s still scarred by it. So scarred that he convinced J.J. Abrams to put him in the Force Awakens movie as a Stormtrooper. I think that was a fair trade.

And talk about the ultimate fan of fans. Multiple people asked Kevin to sign things and he doesn’t skip a beat. One guy even had him sign his arm, over a Dogma tattoo, and he was going to have the signature tattooed as well. That right there is dedication. He did tell him to think long and hard before he made the pen permanent.

I’m always amazed by how many people I mention Kevin Smith to that don’t know him. And my reaction always is  “You’re missing out! You need to watch this, this and this” and a rattle off all my favorite movies.

I’m really glad he came to town this year, especially since we won’t see him in San Diego, sniff, sniff. As Rob Lowe said, he’ll keep showing up, if we keep showing up. And I will for sure continue to support both these talents for as long as they’re continuing to entertain us.

For as long as I can remember, my friends and family have called me “The Cruise Director”. Just like Julie McCoy from the Love Boat, I’m the ultimate planner, the “do-er”, the go-to person to find the best places to eat, drink and be merry with heavy emphasis on the first two. Ha!

Anyway, along with my other ramblings on here, I’m going to start sharing my latest faves and probably some old ones too. And a sprinkle of pop culture for good measure won’t hurt either.

To kick things off, the fam and I went to a great St. Patty’s Day event at Hangar 9 . This bar and grill is right on our corner. We laughingly call it our Chandler Cheers. We don’t go there enough for them to know our names and yell out “ROOSH” as we walk in but we do frequent it. Great (and affordable) food and quite a few rotating beer taps, which is a must for me since I’m a craft beer snob. They had an awesome celebration for the day o’ green which was kid-friendly too with games. Syd enjoyed trying to beat her dad at corn hole and I enjoyed my Irish ale and corned beef and cabbage. I’ve never been a huge fan of that traditional meal but it was really good. Green beads were flowing from the Bud Light girls. I had to smuggle Syd some. It was a great Friday night.

A couple weeks back after I got a new job (Yes! I beat the odds and got a new gig in record time after being laid off!) we went out to celebrate on a Friday night at a restaurant recommendation I found on the Living Chandler Facebook Group. (Awesome page, BTW, if you’re interested in joining). Stone and Vine Urban Italian was delish! So good! I always know it’s a good Italian place if they 1) have Italian beer…check! Peroni and Morreti and 2) have tiramisu…check! We’ll definitely be back for more foodie awesomeness.

Just this week for lunch on Taco Tuesday, I checked out an old favorite that has a new home – Guedo’s Taco Shop. They’d been a Chandler staple for years and then moved out of their longtime location due to new development in the downtown area. The owner always said they’d be back after a much-deserved break and sure enough, they popped up in a shopping center we frequent because of the drive-thru Dairy Queen. Can’t live without that. This place happens to be right up the street from my new office. So I rallied some of the troops on my team and went out for lunch. It was just as good as I remembered. Great tacos and salsa bar. Super-affordable. Can’t wait to go back with the fam!

And after you’re stuffed and happy from all this great food, relax on the couch and binge watch Marvel’s Iron Fist on Netflix. Don’t believe any of the critic crap. It’s good. It’s no Jessica Jones or Daredevil but I still really enjoyed it, especially if you’re into either the comic or martial arts or both. You’ll dig it. Lots of good badies in it too. Don’t you think a lot of the time the villains are even more fun then the white knights? This one has a lot of people you love to hate and twists that you don’t expect. Give it a go.

That’s a wrap for now. Peace, love and good food to y’all!

I watch a lot of TV and movies. Probably more than the average person but I can’t get enough. Maybe I missed my calling as a critic of some sort but I also have a hard time finding anything really bad in most that I watch. I once penned myself “The Kind Critic” in another short-lived blog of mine. I just love to be entertained and who am I to judge someone’s work and pick it apart anyway. So yeah, couldn’t have been a critic. So this is as close as I get to sharing my thoughts about what I dig from a Hollywood perspective and hope it will help you become a TV and movie junkie like yours truly.

Last night I got a couple of free passes from Entertainment Weekly (the only magazine I still subscribe to) to see a sneak peak of Big Little Lies, the new HBO show that debuts Sunday, February 19. It’s based on Liane Moriarty’s awesome book, which I proudly finished a couple weeks ago, just in time for the show! That was a feat in itself – I’ve been so bad about reading and actually finishing books for too many years to count now. My Kindle is a virtual unfinished graveyard where half-read books go to die, plus I have stacks and stacks of paperbacks that I need to read too. Maybe it has something to do with all the TV and movies I watch….nah. 🙂 Anyway, I digress.

I was super-excited to get to see the first episode early and take my bestie with me. It’s always fun to see TV shows on the big movie screen and free makes it even better. David E. Kelley, the genius behind Ally McBeal, is the producer.  If anyone can come up with a hit TV show, and having HBO backing it, it’s this man. And it was exactly as I had hoped and painted a great picture of the book. It’s got comedy, drama, romance, murder – all the elements of another hit show for HBO.

The all-star cast is great too with some of my favorites including Reese Witherspoon, Nicole Kidman and Shailene Woodley. It’s a limited series with only seven episodes. But at least it will really be seven weeks versus what I typically do with any new Netflix series and binge watch it all over one weekend. I’ll be able to savor this show a little bit more. I can’t wait to re-watch the first episode on Sunday AND introduce my hubby to it. Check it out and let me know what you think in the comments.