The Must List, October 27

1. "Love to Me" from The Light in the Piazza musical
In my opinion, this is the most beautiful, most innocent love song ever sung!! It will melt your heart.

2. "Rumor Has It/Someone Like You" mash-up from Glee
What a fun song by the Trouble Tones, a group from the hit show Glee. It's fun, it's sassy, it's girl power! And, it features the amazing singing talents of character Santana as she comes to terms with being in love with fellow cheerleader Britney.

3. Halloween candy
YES!!! It's socially acceptable to eat as much junk food and candy as possible again! I love this time of year because I can indulge in my candy addiction without being chastised... as much, anyway! There's now a large bowl on our kitchen counter filled with Nerds, Crunch bars, Laffy Taffy, Air Heads, Pixy Stix, and Butterfinger bars! Delicious!! Now, how to resist having some for breakfast?

4. Peanut Butter Cap'n Crunch
Yeah, probably my favorite breakfast cereal. I have loved it since I was a kid! Peanut buttery goodness mixed with crunchy-ness and cold milk, what's not to love? It's better than the regular Cap'n Crunch. I will admit the Crunch Berries are pretty awesome, but nothing compares to the Peanut Butter! Whoever said let's make cereal that tastes like peanut butter is my hero!

5. Green Street Hooligans
It takes about half the movie to finally understand the British English being spoken, but this is a movie with a fast-paced plot and such a satisfying ending --- arguably, the most satisfying ending in film history!! Matt is kicked out of Harvard just before graduating after his roommate frames him with drug possession. He flies to England to visit his sister and nephew where he meets his brother-in-law's brother, Pete. Pete runs the local hooligans that cheer for the West Ham United football team. It's more than a match to them. It's blood, guts, glory, fighting, and life and death. Elijah Wood sheds his Frodo baby face for this moving, gutsy movie alongside future Sons of Anarchy VP  Charlie Hunnam. Be sure to check it out.

6. The Hobbit updates
Come on, you know that you're secretly checking all the different movie blogs to get more and more details about The Hobbit. It's the most anticipated movie release since The Lord of the Rings. Sir Ian McKellen is back as Gandalf the Grey, Elijah Wood is back as Frodo, Cate Blanchett as Galadriel, and Ian Holms is back as the old Bilbo Baggins. This is the movie event of the DECADE!!! And, it's a trilogy yet again! This is an epic moment in film history you're not going to want to miss!

Trending Topic

I'm the kind of person who doesn't obsess with the most popular media craze at the time, waits a few years, then falls in love with it. And it's completely unintentional.

When I was a kid and the first Harry Potter movie was out, Voldemort drinking from the unicorn gave me nightmares, and I swore never to watch. It wasn't until the 4th movie came out that I fell in love with the series. And, I never read the books.
I swore to myself that I would never get into The Lord of the Rings. It just seemed so nerdy. But as my actor-face-recognizing horizon broadened, I realized that all these great names I loved were in these movies!!! Viggo Mortensen! Orlando Bloom! Elijah Wood! Sir Ian McKellen! Cate Blanchett! DANG IT! Now, I have to watch them! And, I loved them (like two years after the final film was released into theaters)... once I figured out that they were one continuous film in three parts. That was a surprise. I got to the end of The Fellowship of the Ring, and said, WTF?? What was that?
With Twilight, I was actually ahead of the times. I started reading the books right before the third one hit the shelves. By the time everyone had become obsessed and starting creating teams, I was over them.
The only crazy I haven't caught on is Star Trek... please, MAKE IT STOP!

But, now I've discovered another popular, cult-like television show that I swore I'd never watch. Lost! My latest actor obsession is Ian Somerhalder (as if you haven't noticed). And, he plays one of the main characters of the show... for now. I also have been curious about the show since I learned that Dominic Monaghan, an actor I love from The Lord of the Rings ironically enough, also has a prominent character.
I knew I wasn't going to like it. It was going to be too confusing; what would be the point? I'd just be lost, pun absolutely intended! But, it's completely different from what I'd expected! I feel bad now for the teasing I made against my fellow journalist Chase in high school. Now, that man was a true fan!! It was his favorite all-time show! I remember laughing when he said that it was good thing Lost was ending because he was going to college that fall. That cracked me up to no end!
So, here's why Lost is awesome (please forgive me for making general references to characters, I haven't learned all their names yet):

1. Intelligence: Lost is incredibly intelligent! Each character brings something different to the table: a different characteristic, a different skill. There's no way these people can't survive on the island with all they have to offer.
2. Being confused isn't as horrible as I thought it would be. I'm actually intensely curious about what's going to happen and what's causing trees to collapse like straws. 
3. Ian Somerhalder and Dominic Monaghan! Amen!
4. The Australian girl's accent is so cute! And, I'm interested to see what's going to happen when she has her baby.
5. WHY IS THERE A POLAR BEAR ON THE ISLAND?
6. WHO IS THIS FRENCH CHICK ON THE RADIO? I MUST FIND OUT!
7. Convenience: all the episodes are on NetFlix
8. More reasons to come... I'm only on episode 8 of season 1. I'm sure they'll be more reasons as the show progresses, and all the characters have been established.