Obsession: Downton Abbey

I've got a lot of catching up to do but let's just get started with these two words:

 

DOWNTON ABBEY

 

When Max and I got into watching Downton Abbey back in the fall, we thought that we were the last ones to jump on the bandwagon.  I've been surprised as of late to find out that there are still a lot of people out there who haven't started watching it, let alone heard of it.  What very melancholy and hopeless lives they must lead.

 

Anywhatzerdoodle, we were immediately hooked and there was no going back.  We finished season 1 in a few days and within a week's time, we were done with season 2 (I think we stayed up until 2 or 3 o'clock some nights...just had to watch one more episode) and cursing the fact that season 3 wouldn't start until January 6th of this year.  It was September.  October, November, and December crawled by at a snail's pace as we waited for the first Sunday of this year to brighten our bleak existence.

 

Each Sunday night of this year has been filled with excitement and anticipation as we counted down the minutes until Downton Abbey would be on.  Granted we TiVo it and watch it after it records...but still.  Twice the glorious amounts of snow we get at this elevation (approx. 5,000 ft) has blanketed our satellite dish and left us in a state of sheer panic on Sunday evening.  Twice I stayed inside and tried not to have a nervous breakdown while my husband - remember he had major hip surgery in November - dragged out the ladder and climbed up on our snow-blanketed roof to clean the dish off so that we'd get reception in time.  It worked both times and he came back down to less-slippery ground safely both times.  Hallelujah!...because we couldn't have waited 1-2 days for PBS to make the episodes available online.

 

Last night was one of those nights.  We missed the first couple of minutes of it because our box was re-booting but no big deal.  We saw every other minute and they were the ones that mattered.  I discussed last night's gripping episode (seriously...how crazy was it?!) with no less than 4 people today.  During the conversation with my sister, she provided me with life changing news: Season 3 (the current season) of Downton Abbey is being released on DVD and BluRay tomorrow.  The season isn't even finished airing here in the states yet and they're making it available to all of us addicts.  Oh, my good glory...I almost passed out.  What a brilliant marketing plan on the part of those sneaky Brits.  After very little discussion between Max and I, it was decided that we would need to order it on BluRay tonight.

 

The deed has been done.  Our beloved copy of Downton Abbey Season 3 on BluRay will ship out via Amazon Prime tomorrow and it will be on our doorstep on Thursday.  I may or may not sit in one of our front bay windows and wait for it to arrive...I don't know if I'll be able to sleep tonight (or tomorrow night for that matter).

 

If you can't guess what our Friday night plans are, then something is seriously wrong with your deductive reasoning skills.  Please no phone calls, visits, etc. after 9:00...'cause we're not taking a break in watching the rest of the season for anything!

 

P.S.  I just told my spell checker to accept the word "Downton"...because it's totally legit.

THESE ARE A FEW OF MY FAVORITE FLICKS

I don't know why, but I was thinking about movies the other day. There are so many good ones out there and I started wondering...if I had to pick a list of movies (or movie series) to watch over and over again for the rest of my life, which ones would be on it and why? So here are a few of my faves in no particular order...

MOVIES I COULD WATCH AGAIN AND AGAIN (AND AGAIN...)

• BBC's Pride & Prejudice with Colin Firth as Mr. Darcy: Okay...this one had to be 1st. Do you really need a reason why?
• U-571: I really like war stories and this is one that keeps you on the edge of your seat. Beginning to end, it's just a good one to watch!
• While You Were Sleeping: A fun romantic comedy...Sandra Bullock is an absolute hoot and she and Bill Pullman are a great match. Besides, Peter Gallagher's eyebrows crack me up.
• The Lord Of The Rings: This is another one that doesn't need much explanation. I just love the characters, the story, and Viggo Mortensen as Aragorn.
• The Patriot: Mel Gibson is fantastic in this and it's a great mix of action and a bit of drama. I cry every time I watch it. Especially when little Susan goes running after him, suddenly talking for the 1st time in a long time, begging him not to go back to war...."Daddy, Daddy!"
• Ocean's 11, 12, & 13: These are just a blast to watch and George Clooney and Brad Pitt are hilarious together.
• Star Wars: I'm only talking about the original three episodes (4 through 6) with Harrison Ford as Han Solo. As non-special as the special effects are and cheesy as some parts can be, the newer movies they did can't hold a candle to the originals.
• Anna & The King: Very well done re-make of The King & I...Jodie Foster and Chow Yun-Fat are positively great together.
• The Emperor's New Groove: Possibly the greatest recent Disney cartoon. And it just gets funnier every time I watch it.
• The Sound of Music: I have always loved the music and as I've gotten older, I've come to appreciate the story as well.
• BBC's 2008 Sense & Sensibility: It can't compare with P&P (what can?) but this is another Jane Austen that I could happily enjoy time and time again. I especially love Elinor, Colonel Brandon, and the youngest daughter, Margaret.
• The X-Men movies: While the 1st is definitely the best, these are just plain old fun to watch. And it doesn't hurt that Hugh Jackman is in them.
• Seven Brides for Seven Brothers: Catchy tunes, fun dance scenes, and a couple of the brothers are really cute. Plus, one of the "brides" is named Dorcas...always makes me giggle inside. Love it!
• Return To Me: It wasn't the most raved about chick flick to come out in its day, but this is one of the best of its kind in my humble (but totally correct) opinion. Besides, David Duchovny is really quite cute.
• She's The Man: I'm king of embarrassed to list this one but hopefully not everyone will bother with reading my whole wordy list. It's a total teen flick but Amanda Bynes is positively hilarious...her expressions and some of the things she says just make the movie.
• The Philadelphia Story: This is an oldie-but-goodie with my two favorite old actors - Cary Grant and Jimmy Stewart. Throw Katherine Hepburn in the mix and it's a real treat. Haven't seen it? You're seriously missing out!
• You've Got Mail and Sleepless In Seattle: Two wonderful chick flicks with one of the greatest pairings ever - Tom Hanks and Meg Ryan.
• Elf: Will Ferrell is an absolute hoot and there is a plethora of hilarious one-liners and scenes to make me laugh the whole way through.
• Night At The Museum: This is another one that just cracks me up every time I see it...Ben Stiller is a hoot, I love Dexter the monkey, and Ricky Gervais, Mickey Rooney, and Owen Wilson just make it that much more fun.
• Indiana Jones (all of them): Maybe I'm just a sucker for old-school Harrison Ford but I just love these movies. Nothing like a fun action flick with some comedy mixed in.

I know I've got to be missing quite a few titles...but there's a little tasting for you. Oh - and a note for you Jane Austen fans: If you haven't ever seen BBC's versions of Pride & Prejudice or Sense & Sensibility...seriously. Get with the program.

TEAM...WHAT THE?

Regardless of what team you are on: Edward, Cullen, La Push, etc., you are not going to believe what I am about to tell you. I can't even believe it myself...I just saw the movie Twilight tonight.

For the first time.

I kid you not. I LOVED the books and could hardly wait for the movie to come out. And then I didn't go to see it. Not on opening night. Not a week or a month or a few months later. I waited until it came out on DVD. And no, I didn't go to a late night release party or anything like that. Just decided to pick it up at the grocery store this afternoon. Weird, I know.

Totally enjoyed it (though they left out quite a bit) and am already looking forward to the 2nd movie coming out. Actually thinking of re-reading books one and two. But that's not the point. The point is simply this: I think I'm quite possibly the ONLY fan of Twilight who didn't go see the movie in the theaters.

Kind of embarrassing, really.

WORTHY OF TAKING UP BLOG SPACE

So I'm sitting here at my computer trying to think of something to blog about. I'm waiting until Lost finishes recording on our DVR so we can watch it. The seconds are dragging by. I simply love the show...complete with the beauteous and hunky characters Jack and Sawyer. Not too shabby, are they?

Even less shabby than Jack and Sawyer is this fellow:

Anyone else's heart just flutter? I think the neighbors may have heard mine just before it up and melted. Now that is most worthy of filling up space on my blog...I think I'm going to have to watch P&P again soon. Very soon.