#ManCandyMonday Bradley Cooper in American Sniper

It’s been a crazy couple of months with the holidays and work and writing obligations. Since Saturday was a rainy and dreary day, my hubby and I decided we were going to go to the movies, especially since there was one movie we both really wanted to see: American Sniper. We had actually wanted to go on Friday night, but it was sold out. We weren’t the only ones interested in going. The movie added another 64.4 million in box office sales to last week’s 107 million dollar take. Since release, it’s made nearly 200 million dollars.

Why the interest? Well, for me it was to maybe learn more about Chris Kyle, America’s deadliest sniper and a man who by all accounts was multi-faceted and a hero. He died trying to help a fellow veteran and earned both Silver Stars and Bronze Stars during his military service. If you want to find out more about Chris Kyle, click here for a well-rounded article. Why do I say “wel-rounded”?

There are those who will decry both Kyle and the movie. All I can say is that I thought the movie was thought-provoking and sad. You all know I support our military and that I’m as patriotic as can be. I went into the movie with those sentiments and I left the movie with those sentiments. War is hell and the movie shows that. God bless those who brave that hell for us.

I have to say that Bradley Cooper has surprised me yet again. He’s far beefier in the movie than in Silver Linings Playbook or his other movies. He looks a lot like Chris Kyle with the addition of a neatly trimmed beard. The transformation is amazing as was Bradley’s acting. For that, I’ve chosen him as today’s Man Candy!

Bradley_Cooper,_July_2009_(cropped)

By Chad J. McNeeley, U.S. Navy [Public domain or Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons

#ManCandyMonday Disney Heroes!

With the bitter cold this weekend, I found myself scurrying back into my nest after a brisk walk. When I hunkered down to write (but found that I instead had to do some website fixing!), TANGLED was on. Loved it! Fun story and the characters were interesting. Loved Flynn (voiced by Chuck’s Zachary Levi) and thought he was kind of sexy!

LOL, yes, sexy. My daughter and I have both discussed for a while how these animated characters can be sexy. Shang from MULAN and TARZAN were always some of our favorites.

Don’t think animated characters can be sexy? Well check out David Kawena’s take on the Disney heroes for an eye-opener!

Take a moment to tell me who was your favorite!

Chris Hemsworth – A True Guilty Pleasure

OMG! Hands down today’s Guilty Pleasure is Chris Hemsworth. You may remember him as the doomed Captain George Kirk (aka Kirk’s Dad) in the new STAR TREK movie. He caught my eye then, but this time in THOR – Whoa. Check out this second trailer, especially at minute 1:00. Whew. Hot. Totally hot.

I cannot wait to go see this movie!!!

Chris Evans as Captain America

Counting down the minutes. Cannot wait to see this movie and the very sexy Chris Evans, this morning’s Guilty Pleasure! How about you? Is this on your must list of movies to see?

Wanted to announce the winners of last week’s giveaways!

Tammy Rammy is the winner from Rachel Firasek’s Guest Blog.

Margay is the winner of Kelly Moran’s Guest Blog.

Noreen Lace is the winner of Chritine Ashworth’s Guest Blog.

Please e-mail me so that I can forward your contact information to our fabulous guest bloggers.

Hope you all have a blessed Monday.

Guilty Pleasures Monday – Ashton Kutcher

Photo Credit: David Shankbone@en.wikipedia.comOkay, my daughter thinks I’m crazy, but I think Ashton Kutcher is really cute. With the release of his new movie KILLERS this weekend, I figured he would be an appropriate Guilty Pleasures Monday.

In KILLERS, Ashton plays an assassin who just wants to have a normal life. Enter Katherine Heigl, a sweet and unsuspecting woman that Ashton meets and marries. The two of them then lead an ordinary life until three years later it appears that someone has placed a hit on Ashton, forcing them to go on the run for their lives!

Sounds like a fun romantic comedy and Ashton is a hottie. If you haven’t caught the trailer for KILLERS, here it is (and we get the added eye candy of Tom Selleck is in the movie!).

If you can’t see the video below, you can click here to see the KILLERS trailer or cut and paste this link into your browser:

Hope you all had a great weekend!

Boycotting 2012 the Movie

When I saw the movie trailer for 2012, the motion picture seemed to me to be more about a lot of action/blow-them-up scenes than any real plot. Because of that, I decided to hold off on seeing the movie until it came out on DVD.

Then I read certain comments by Roland Emmerich, the director of the movie, which gave me other reasons not to see 2012. When discussing why he had not blown up the Kaaba, the cube-shaped structure in the Grand Mosque in Mecca, Emmerich advised scifiwire.com that:

    “Well, I wanted to do that (blow up the Kaaba), I have to admit,” Emmerich says. “But my co-writer Harald said I will not have a fatwa on my head because of a movie. And he was right. … We have to all … in the Western world … think about this. You can actually … let … Christian symbols fall apart, but if you would do this with [an] Arab symbol, you would have … a fatwa, and that sounds a little bit like what the state of this world is. So it’s just something which I kind of didn’t [think] was [an] important element, anyway, in the film, so I kind of left it out.”

Much as he indicated, Emmerich spared the Kaaba in the movie, but had no qualms about destroying a number of Christian religious symbols in 2012. In Hollywood-blow-them-up fashion he trashed the Sistine Chapel and St. Peter’s Basilica in Italy and Christ the Redeemer Statue in Rio de Janeiro.

So I guess I’m boycotting Emmerich’s 2012 movie for a couple of reasons.

The first reason: If it’s disrespectful to destroy religious symbols for the purpose of fictional stories, then maybe Emmerich should respect all religions and not just those that might threaten harm to him.

The second reason: As long as we kowtow to extremists because they might do us harm, we’re actually encouraging them to continue with those practices. It’s the typical bully in the schoolyard scenario, although unfortunately these bullies have big bombs. As long as you let the bully continue to beat you down or threaten to beat you down, he’s in control. When you stand up to bullies, you end the power of their threats and intimidation.

Mr. Emmerich, I won’t put a fatwa on your head and hurt you physically because I’m a good Christian and don’t believe in that kind of thing. But I will put one less penny in your pocket.

What are your feelings on this? Do you think what Emmerich did was right?

SINS OF THE FLESH Casting Call

We’ve had interest from a couple of production companies for SINS OF THE FLESH and so for today’s Wicked Wednesday I’m having a casting call to see who you think would make a better Caterina Shaw, the heroine in the novel. To help you make a decision, here’s a little info about Caterina and a teaser – the inside cover copy!

Caterina Shaw is half-Irish/half-Mexican and a celebrated cellist. She’s been diagnosed with a brain tumor that has suddenly become more aggressive, making her lose her sight and be in constant pain. She goes to Wardwell Laboratories, a company renowned for gene research and engineering, for a radical gene therapy to slow the growth of the tumor. Unfortunately, the scientists use Caterina for a guinea pig, making her something more, and less, than human. Tall and lean, but womanly, Caterina has cerulean blue eyes and long wavy brown hair.

So check out this teaser and then let me know who you think would make the best Caterina.

*****

Her Touch — Innocent and Honest — Ripped Through His Body

… tightening Mick’s gut and creating an unexpected and unwanted reaction. She had brushed the tips of her fingers across his bruise. And from the tremble of her fingers, Caterina clearly had experienced something intense as well.

He rose from the chair and the motion brought him close to her. Too close. Her eyes were that intense dark blue once more, the pupils wide. The blush was even stronger across the high slashes of her cheekbones. She licked her lips.

Very human lips.

Very luscious womanly lips.

He dipped his head down, hesitating when he was about an inch away. Warning himself that if he took a
taste …

*****

Ready to decide? Is it Kate Beckinsale on the left, Evangeline Lilly on the right or the gorgeous cover model from the back cover of SINS OF THE FLESH? Or do you have someone else in mind for Caterina Shaw?

Author:  Mario Antonio Pena Zapatería Used under Creative Commons LicenseAuthor WatchWithKristen used under  Creative Commons License
Back Cover of SINS OF THE FLESH