When teen movies go bad

I think we can all agree that it's not really reasonable to rent the movie Step Up 2: The Streets and then be surprised when it's not very good. Especially since I had already seen the first movie, which was also not much of a winner, and the likelihood that this one would be better, or even as good, was pretty slim.

But teen movies have an oddly catnip like quality for me, so watch it I did.

And, it didn't disappoint, as long as your expectations were very, very, very low.

On the plus side, the dancing was very cool, and that was a good 60% of the movie.

The characters were poorly written and badly acted and neither charismatic or interesting. The plot, such as it was, was dull and predictable.

I will admit, however, that I ended up fast forwarding quite a bit as the film wore on, so it's possible that I missed several bon mots and plot twists. I doubt it, though.

Still, if you want to see lots of people spin around on their heads, look no further.

Second tier reading

As we all know, there are books and then there are books. Even while I tend to avoid anything too heavy, some books are a lot meatier, more involving and affecting. Some are like tiny snacks which, while enjoyable, are quickly read and forgotten.

I read quite a bit of both kinds, and I still enjoy the more snack size fare, even though I get through them quickly (and often while the TV is on in the background).

I have just finished two of these kinds of books.

Insider Dating by Jennifer O'Connell is about a woman who wants to create a database about men in Boston so women can know what they're getting into when they date them. It's a somewhat heavy handed story of someone with daddy issues who eventually learns to love.

I also just read Confessions of an Ex-Girlfriend by Lynda Curnyn. I have to admit, I started wondering halfway through if I had read this book already. On the downside, this book is clearly not all that memorable, but on the upside I was willing to read it again.

The main character in this story is recovering from a break-up and it bonding with girlfriends/dating/learning to love herself/etc.

Both of these stories are good, especially if you want something especially mindless.

At least I can count on someone

After being recently disappointed by an author I thought I liked, I was very glad to be able to enjoy Jane Green's The Beach House. I have liked all of her other books, and this one is no exception.

It takes place at the beach, which I always love since it makes me feel all vacation-y and adds to the escapist summer reading feel.

It's one of those character driven, follow various people and their stories as they intersect and are eventually resolved books that are so often found in women's literature, but you generally like everyone in it and want to see things work out well for them.

The characters are great, and it has just the right amount of intrigue, romance, and gossip-y-ness. Plus I promise a happy ending for pretty much everyone involved.

Amnesia is fun

I can only assume that there are zillions of people who have had amnesia wandering around and I, through some fluke, have yet to meet one. That is the only way I can explain the fact that it is such a prevalent problem in books and movies.

Questionable premise aside, Remember Me? by Sophie Kinsella is a great read.

I have consistently loved her other books, especially her Shopoholic series (despite its occasional cringe-y-ness) and was so pleased to find this book was no exception.

The main character wakes up with no memory of the last three years. She has to figure out her new life and the person she is and decide where she wants to go from there.

Enjoyable and recommended.

Vacation movie watching

Never one to be without a DVD player, Leisure Girl found time while in the DR to watch two movies.

Penelope was lovely. It has that fairy tale-esque quality that I love in any kind of entertainment. The people were all cute and it had the happy ending I require from everything in my life.

Jumper, on the other hand? Not so much. For a movie about people who can jump anywhere in the world, it was surprisingly dull. Hayden Christensen reminds me so much of Ryan Phillipe that I was surprised in each scene it wasn't him. His character is smug and self satisfied and quite unlikeable. And, two hours later, nothing had really happened and he movie was over. Definitely not recommended.