Movie Set Monday- Something’s Gotta Give

MOVIE SET MONDAY

Last week on Instagram I posted two different posts about movie set homes that stopped me in my tracks. It got my wheels turning, and I decided to start a new series on my blog called Movie Set Monday. I get so much inspiration from movies, magazines, and of course, Pinterest, so I’m very excited to get this series started. I hope you enjoy it too!

Something’s Gotta Give

I’m starting with the great Nancy Meyers film, Something’s Gotta Give. (Just a heads up- there’s going to be a lot of her movies in this series.)

Erica’s house is in the Hamptons, and how positively perfect is this home? I love the color and the shingles, the giant porch and all those windows. It’s so beautiful on the outside, but the inside is my favorite.

Now, coastal style is not always my thing, but how can you not think this is stunning? I like when I can look at a style I don’t particularly feel drawn to and can still appreciate it for what it is and find it beautiful.

The windows get me the most. One of the things I look for in a home is how much natural light comes in. There’s no shortage of that in this house. Throwing open those three sets of French doors would be great when entertaining. I’d probably open them up when not entertaining to hear the ocean and let that salty air come inside.

More French doors and more windows. I love interior French doors. I think they add so much character. And what a great way to add privacy but still let natural light be able to bounce around the house. And that beadboard on the built-in is a perfect coastal design touch.

Yes, Yes, Yes. Everything about this kitchen is right up my alley. I love a white kitchen. And with black and white being my favorite color combination, it’s no surprise that I love the black countertops and hardware. And more windows…there’s just never enough in my opinion. I think a bright kitchen in the mornings is delightful. The kitchen in our apartment is full of natural light every morning, and I love that. That island is what dreams are made of. Look at all the storage and space. I’d love for my cookbooks to actually live in the kitchen like they do here.

I’ve never thought too much about needing a big space for a master bedroom. I’ve really only had a bedroom big enough to sleep in. You know, bed, nightstands, dresser, and that’s really it. The master we have now is probably the biggest one we’ve had as a married couple, but I have still managed to fill it up with stuff to keep it from having a sitting area or any room at all it feels like. (But that’s a whole other topic for another day-How to quit your hoarding habit. Stay tuned. Haha.)

Anyway, this room made so much sense to me. There’s a place to sit and enjoy a book, a place to work-again with the windows-perfection, and a place to sleep. I loved that Erica retreated to her room to work on her play. Why wouldn’t she? She had the dreamiest setup. I feel like when you’re a creative person you need a work space that inspires you. I think that view of the ocean is pretty inspiring, and I see why the set decorator thought to put her desk in that window.

Overview

First, if you’ve not seen this movie, please do so immediately! It’s available on HBO Now if you subscribe, and if not, I bet the library has a copy. Or head over to Amazon to get a DVD copy for eight bucks. You’ll be happy you did so you can see what I’m talking about with this beautiful house.

Second, let’s give it up to the set decorator of this film. Beth Rubino is a talented lady who helped Meyers’ ideas come to life. I think the house perfectly represents Erica with her clean, bright style and easy-going personality. The mostly white canvas of the house is exactly what I’d expect from that character, and the splashes of light blue and pale yellow are perfect coastal accents without being to “beachy”.

Come back next Monday for another round of Movie Set Monday. And tell me what you think of this house. Is it your style? Do you like all those windows? Are you a fan of white kitchens? I’d love to hear it all. Just leave me a comment.

Have a great week, y’all!

Favorite Christmas Movies

FAVORITE CHRISTMAS MOVIES

There’s something about this time of year that makes me just want to watch ALL the movies. Yes, there’s quite a few Hallmark Christmas movies, but I do manage to fit in some of my all time favorites. Here’s my list.

The Family Stone

No surprise here if you’ve read my blog for a while or if you follow me on Instagram. This is my all-time favorite movie. Not just my favorite Christmas movie. It’s just so perfectly disfunctional and awkward, yet it’s endearing and full of love. And can we talk about that house? It’s perfection. Serious goals.

Elf

Another one I’ve shared before. Elf is an absolute delight to watch. Will Ferrell is genius in this movie, and I laugh out loud at him every time I watch it. I can quote it and often do in my head when something happens that reminds me of it. At school this year, someone came to tell on someone else because they had been called a Cotton-headed ninny muggins. Bahahaha! It took all I had in me not to laugh and tell them to go get in the child’s face and say, “You sit on a throne of lies.” 🙂 🙂 🙂

White Christmas

What a classic. I am so happy it’s on Netflix this year! Thank you, Netflix. I discovered this movie not too many years ago and couldn’t believe it had taken me so long to see it. I can’t get enough of it now. I just love to watch it, and the ending make my heart so happy. It’s definitely one I’ll be watching year after year. I love the music and the dancing. Bing Crosby is magical to watch and to listen to. He’s one of the greats. Paul told me this year that he’s never watched this movie. I think it’s time to change that!

The Holiday

Okay, I just went back to an old post about my favorite movies, and this one is on it too. I clearly have a thing for Christmas movies. I watched this one on Amazon just the other day. In college I watched it on a loop. The writing, the music, the acting, the setting (those houses-always the houses in a Nancy Meyers film…swoon). And Jack Black has his best role ever as Miles. I just love that scene where he asks her out for New Years and he gives the tiniest fist pump to himself. And don’t you just get chills when they open the doors for Arthur (the older gentleman), and all those people are cheering for him. I cry every time. Watch this one please!

National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation

Just pure silliness. But in the best possible way. Straight out of the gate it’s nonsense, but it’s the funniest nonsense. It’s no wonder it’s a cult classic that will be enjoyed for years to come.

Dr. Seuss’ How the Grinch Stole Christmas

Jim Carrey was amazing in this one. I used to not care for it, but once I sat down and actually watched it, I realized it’s quite wonderful. And any Gossip Girl fans out there? Cindy Lou Who is Jenny! I remember having this soundtrack as a kid and loving it. I might need to buy this one.

A few others that I like to watch are Love Actually, Four Christmases, Deck the Halls, and Home Alone (1 and 2).

What are your favorite Christmas movies to watch every year?

Merry Christmas,

Elizabeth

Thursday Thoughts- Movie Reviews

MOVIE REVIEWS

Welcome back to Thursday Thoughts. I should welcome myself back; I haven’t written a TT post in a while. One thing I have done is watch a lot of movies, and I wanted to share my thoughts on two of them.

La La Land

I remember reading something when this movie was coming to theaters by Tom Hanks that said this is what movies are all about. Someone else told me it was so beautiful and would change your life.

Then, I never made it to the theaters to see it. (womp womp)

I knew that seeing this movie was going on my summer to-do list. So when I stumbled across it at our local library, I picked it up and decided I would watch it that night since Paul was at poker night. (He’s not so much into the musicals.)

It immediately made you feel like you were watching an old movie just because of the way it was shot. The opening musical number set the tone for the film in that there were several song and dance sequences. All were beautiful, and all of them sucked you right into the story and swallowed you whole. I tend to get very lost in musicals. I get caught up in the emotion and the talent and the feeling. There’s nothing like that feeling. It was truly a moving film and deserved every award and nomination it received.

Ryan Gossling and Emma Stone have so much chemistry together on screen. People have compared them to Fred and Ginger and Bergman and Bogart. Theirs is a believable romance and relationship. There is a scene when they go to the movies, and it is the very beginning of their relationship. They are stealing glances at each other and inching their fingers closer and closer until they are holding hands. It so accurately depicts that new, butterflies-in-your-stomach feeling you get when you’re about to enter that territory with someone new that you really like. I was smiling the whole time from the nostalgia that crept up inside because you know you’ve been there too. Those early, excited feelings with your significant other. That thrill it is to touch their skin in such an intimate yet innocent way for the first time. Like I said, they’ve got chemistry.

I can’t end this review without talking about the music. The songs are beautiful. Ryan Gossling and Emma Stone have great voices and then they threw in John Legend. So…yeah…winner in my book! And it’s not just the singing that is great, but there’s some amazing piano music, mostly jazz, that is all throughout the movie. Gossling plays a jazz pianist trying to make it, and the piano playing is a huge part of the movie.

I realize musicals are not for everyone. But I feel that even if it’s not really your speed that you’ll enjoy it. It’s definitely not something being done regularly in Hollywood, and I love that.

Hidden Figures

I realize I’m much too late to this party, but this was one movie I will not soon forget. I was left completely moved by this film.

These three women were looked over time and time again. They were the best at what they did, so unbelievably smart, witty, strong, and determined. I knew a little about the story just from all of the publicity it got when it came out and during awards season, but I didn’t know everything. I have to say I was truly inspired by this story, by all three women, and by the portrayal of these women by the actresses who played them: Octavia Spencer, Janelle Monae, and Taraji P. Henson.

One of my favorite things about the movie was the backstory they told on all the women. Mary Jackson, played by Janelle Monae, was such a spitfire! There’s a scene where she puts her husband in his place at a church picnic, and I laughed out loud at her assertiveness and how he closed his mouth so fast. And she stayed like that the whole movie. I loved her outspokenness and her determination to never give up and to get into a course she needed even when it wasn’t geared toward women and certainly not African American women. She was smart and capable, and she knew it.

Dorothy Vaughn, played by Octavia Spencer, was a genius. She got the IBM computer for the space mission up and running correctly and effectively and was later put in charge of that. Another victory for women and African American women. And in the movie she was portrayed as being self-taught in programming. That just blows my mind! I know we live in a digital age and it’s almost expected that each new generation be more technologically inclined, but in the 60s? I was so impressed and inspired by her drive and mental capacity. Smart girls are awesome!

Katherine Johnson was a math wiz. Taraji P. Henson played her flawlessly. She was a widow with three young daughters trying to make a living. Then she got sent up to the land of white men and had to fight her way to prove that she was worthy of that desk and that her math skills were up to par and even better than they ever expected. She played an integral part in putting John Glenn into space. She is a true roll model for girls of all ages.

I cried watching this movie. It moved me in ways that made me proud to be a woman. It broke my heart to see how they were degraded for being women and for being black. It didn’t matter that they were wearing skirts or using a “colored restroom”; they were the smartest, most capable people for the jobs at hand. And they proved themselves to be successful and perfect for their jobs. In this modern day wave of women’s liberation, it’s stories like this that make me proud to be a woman. And stories like this one that inspire me to go after what I want and not back down because I may not have the skills or be qualified. It inspires me to take the opportunity to educate myself and acquire those skills to be successful in whatever I want to do. Isn’t there a meme that says, “In a world of Kardashians be a ___________________”? Well, in a world of Kardashians, be a Katherine Johnson, Dorothy Vaughn, or Mary Jackson. Because these are the women you should strive to be.

Thanks for sticking around for my long post. I get so passionate about movies and entertainment. I hope you have a fabulous rest of your week and a wonderful weekend. Hope to see you back on Sunday for more home decor projects. I’m off to work on more curtains! 🙂

Happy Thursday, y’all!