5 Favorite "Guilty Pleasure" Romantic Comedies

I don't believe in guilty pleasures. We all have books, movies, or tv shows that we love, but in other people's eyes, we're supposed to feel bad about liking. Why? 'Cause they're not masterpieces or universally praised? We're supposed to "hate ourselves" for liking something other people don't? I don't get it. Since it's the month of love, and romantic comedies are supposed to be the bane of "serious" filmmaking, I thought it'd be fun to share some movies I should probably feel guilty about but don't. Here are 5 Favorite "Guilty Pleasure" Romantic Comedies. What are you some of your favorite rom-com movies other people hate? Feel free to share in the comments!

Top Nomination Picks for The 90th Academy Awards

It's the biggest time of the year for the film industry: the Academy Awards are just around the corner! Members of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences are closing in on naming the chosen ones for best actors and productions over the past year. What are the odds this year's nominees will win? After aggregating the nominations from award shows so far and figuring out who might actually walk away with gold this year, I thought it'd be fun to share my top picks of everything from Best Music to Best Picture. Who do you hope will win at the 90th Academy Awards? Feel free to share your thoughts in the comments below!

Stars I Love: Carrie Fisher

Despite being a huge geek, Star Wars wasn't a fandom I easily connected with growing up. My mom and sister have always been obsessed with George Lucas's space opera. Even though they took me to the prequels released in theaters, always had the original trio playing on tv, and even attended conventions to meet a parade of castmates, The Force failed to click with me.

Even though I didn't get the hype of the original movies, the iconography of the damsel-without-the-distress was a simple concept to love. My interest in the Star Wars realm wasn't strong, but I hugely admired Carrie Fisher.

When it’s out, it’s someone else’s version of what’s the matter with me. I want it to be my version of what it is. My recourse is to do my version. (x)

In 2015, when the original cast was announced to return to Star Wars: The Force Awakens, knowing Carrie Fisher would be on press tours and much more involved in the public than she had been was an absolute gift for me. If there was one person I looked forward to hearing from, it was her - that sharp humor, vulnerable candor, and unvarnished approach to life in and out of Hollywood.

5 Questions That Need To Be Answered in Star Wars: The Last Jedi

In 2015, Disney revitalized the galactically popular Star Wars franchise with the exciting reboot Star Wars: The Force Awakens. In the seventh installment, Rey (Daisy Ridley) was an orphaned scavenger who discovers her astonishing Jedi abilities and becomes entangled in Luke Skywalker's legacy, the rise of the First Order, and the dark Jedi-in-training Kylo Ren. As the follow-up to the previous flick, The Last Jedi aims to be a massive success at the box office and hopefully answers a lot of questions its predecessor left behind. Before we hop into our Millennium Falcons and hit hyperdrive to the movie theaters this weekend, here are five questions that need to be answered in Star Wars: The Last Jedi! Hope you enjoy!

20 Scenes Why Gal Gadot Should Be Nominated for Best Actress

One of the biggest highlights in 2017 was Wonder Woman. After the studios had so little faith in her own solo movie, she was finally able to shield herself from an onslaught of low expectations, superficial backlash, and a crummy production to give female-driven movies a continued fighting chance.

It's hard to believe a movie like Wonder Woman - adventurous, romantic, funny, dramatic - took 72 years in the making. The culmination of her film's success - which includes breaking box office records - came to down to timing with director Patty Jenkins, screenplay by Allan Heinberg, and most importantly, its leading lady Gal Gadot. If the movie was rushed to rake in money or compete with other female-led superhero movies, WW could've been a complete disaster. Because Zak Snyder discovered Gal, and she stole the show in Batman Versus Superman: Dawn of Justice, this movie offered an incredible portrayal of the legendary character.

The Avengers: Infinity War (2018) Trailer Reaction

After nearly twenty movies following every other superhero in the Marvel catalogue, the fight between good and evil all comes to a head with The Avengers: Infinity War. Earth's mightiest heroes unite to fight against Thanos, a superbeing causing destruction throughout the galaxies on the hunt for the Infinity Stones. Hype has been building for this galactic movie since Comic Con this year, and why not - it's filled with every actor of the Marvel Cinematic Universe all kicking butt and taking names.

Hold onto your Spidey-senses as we get straight into the new trailer! SPOILERS BEYOND THIS POINT

Stars I Love: Ryan Gosling

Art Streiber New York Magazine

How do you describe Ryan Gosling? I've unceremoniously given him the nickname Canadian Sugarcube, but that's just my massive crush talking. (The Twelve Days of Ryan Gosling is up to two threads on twitter and has only just begun...) But critics have called him one of the best actors of his generation, while almost anyone familiar with The Gos calls him charming, talented, smart, personable - to say the least. Settle into your onesie, in celebration of his birthday, we're digging into the charisma of his career and what makes him so lovable. Or, all of the reasons why he's one of my favorite stars - if not my TOP favorite.

20 Favorite Episodes of The Walking Dead

One of my all-time favorite shows The Walking Dead has hit its monumental 100th episode! For eight years, we've seen epic walker kills, learned how not to be walker bait, and witnessed beloved characters' deadly fates, surviving some of the worst a zombie apocalypse could deliver. After ranking my favorite seasons, quotes by the cast and Rick Grimes, Glenn Rhee moments, I thought it'd be a perfect time to cover myself in walker guts and go down a brutal memory lane.

In an effort to not repeat myself, some episodes are reserved for my favorite Rick-Grimes centered episodes, and there's probably a lot more I could give honorable mentions. But these are my top twenty favorites (so far). P.S. Reviews of the new season will be returning as a weekly feature on Wednesdays!

Happy 100th Episode The Walking Dead! (SPOILERS BELOW) What are your favorites? Let me know in the comments!

Star Wars: The Last Jedi (2017) Trailer Reaction

Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures

The time has finally arrived young Padawans! After months of the first teaser release, the Star Wars: The Last Jedi trailer dropped. As expected excitement for the eighth film, which will return to the Resistance's fight against the First Order, and Rey's ascent/descent with the force, was absolutely insane as we get a bigger idea of what's going to happen next.

Let's get straight into the new trailer! SPOILERS BEYOND THIS POINT

Old Vs New: 4 TV show Remakes Compared with the Originals

The landscape of television is always changing, and sometimes that prompts networks to bring back some old favorites to revamp. Welcoming in my first guest post writer, Katie takes a look at a few old vs new tv shows, and shares her thoughts on the contemporaries and originals. Take it away fellow Katie!

Sometimes network execs should let sleeping dogs lie. Like those holiday destinations we loved as a child and drag our own children around now; we should never return. The town looks old and forgotten and they’re serving microwave pizza and month-old chips rather than freshly fried churros and candy-floss as big as our heads.

The remake is a many faceted beast. It can find new heights and try something new and fresh and it speaks to a whole new generation. Or, like Frankenstein’s monster, it wakes up and we suddenly wish it hadn’t. Perhaps they hadn’t thought this through.

But amongst so many car-crashes, there are some returns that are worthy of the memory. What are you favorite or least favorite tv show reboots? Let us know in the comments below!

Favorite Movies from 2017 (So Far)

Can you believe we're more than halfway through 2017 already? This nugget of a realization made me think of the movies I've seen so far. Plenty of good, enjoyable movies have come out already, and a lot more promising ones are on the way. I'm hoping the next few months expands this list since it's pretty short right now, but here are my favorite movies from the past several months. What movies stick out in your mind this year? Feel free to let me know in the comments!

Stars I Love: Chris Pine

Dujour / Photographed by Blair Getz Mezibov

It's a truth universally acknowledged that Hollywood is full of Chrises, but there's only one crooning action hero who goes by the name of Chris Pine. Taking Hollywood by storm with his blue-eyes, he's become quite the chameleon to break out of the pack of similar-looking heartthrobs. In celebrating his birthday today, I'm just going down a few reasons why he's so easy to love.

Though Chris Hemsworth, Chris Evans, and Chris Pratt have been tethered, in not so many words, to their comic book franchises, Pine has managed to accomplish a lot outside of helming blockbusters. In the early 2000s, Pine was the first of the group to claim young fangirl's hearts with romcoms like Princess Diaries: A Royal Engagement, Just My Luck, and Blind Dating. In the midst of consistently playing a charmer, he's been able to finesse his heroic romantic lead in a variety of roles.

5 Outbursts I've (Accidentally) Made at The Movies

Sometimes a movie is so good or bad, everyone gets a little caught up in what's going on. Especially if we're seeing something for the first time at the theater, we get frustrated, scared, or excited about what's going on. While I'm usually pretty respectful not to cause any kind of disturbance, there's actually been a few times where I went into Eliza Doolittle mood. Here are five times I've made outbursts at the movies. (Sorry!) Maybe I'm not the only who's done the same? Have you ever been so excited or angry you've made a big reaction? Feel free to share in the comments.

5 Favorite Moments at SDCC 2017

The geekiest weekend on the calendar known as San Diego Comic Con has come and gone. Fandom across the galaxies and comic book universes was lit as studios delivered sneak peaks for some of the most anticipated movies and tv shows. There was so much to look out for and get excited about for the next year (or more). These were my five favorite announcements from SDCC. What trailers or teasers excited you the most? Feel free to share in the comments!

Bright on Netflix

"Humans, Orcs, Elves... everybody is just trying to get along. Get ready for the world of Bright", seems to be a wild new movie ready to drop on Netflix in November.

*By the director of Suicide Squad* I'm out.
*stars Will Smith* YAAASSSSSS.

I went from mildly disinterested to LET'S DO THIS in about five seconds.

The Defenders

Four of Marvel's biggest misfits are coming together to stop a villainous sect from destroying NYC. Jessica Jones, Daredevil, Luke Cage, and Iron Fist are facing off against the sci-fi queen herself Sigourney Weaver. Sign me up! We're also finally seeing the Punisher in his full costume, sparking even more excitement for Jon Bernthal's first season as the anti-hero Frank Castle.

Stranger Things Season 2

Netflix promised the next descent into the upside down would be bigger and more bad-ass than ever before. The thrilling new trailer for season two definitely proved that. There's even more eighties nostalgia as everyone deals with opening the curiosity door. I know where I'll be this Halloween!

Thor: Ragnarok trailer

So this is what a Marvel movie on crack looks like! The Hulk and Thor duel in gladiatorial games while trying to stop Hela ( goddess of death played by queen Cate Blanchett) from destroying Asgard. Oh, and Jeff Goldblum 'cause why not.

Black Panther trailer

When the trailer above dropped a few months ago for Black Panther's solo flick, I was already stoked. At San Diego Comic Con, Marvel released a trailer with new footage which sparked an adorable, ecstatic reaction from the cast and a standing ovation from the fans in attendance. It's said to be one of the craziest best reactions for a first-reveal. I can't wait to see it eventually. February 2018 can't come soon enough!

What Harry Potter Means to Me

On June 26th, 2017, Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone turns officially turns twenty years old. As a devout Potterhead, I tried thinking back to the time when I was a kid during the very beginning of the series J.K. Rowling had created. I don't remember much about the nineties, and maybe that's a good thing, just by the lack of coherent trends that took place then. The memories that came to mind was just how much Harry Potter means to me, and the weird road it took from pre-fan to a hardcore one.

Unlike an almost entire generation, I didn't grow up with Harry Potter in a typical way - dressing up and queuing at bookstores, anxiously reading each new adventure, chatting and befriending other Hogwarts students on forums and websites until the new book was released. Ultimately, being apart of the fandom culture that is so much more well-known and celebrated today in the open.

As a pre-teen, my little town was very hush hush about the wizarding world. In classes, kids who were given permission by their parents to read the books were as odd as the ones who were forbidden. My classmates chatted about their favorite characters, but it all felt very off-limits; that even though it was allowed, it was still wrong. It didn't help matters much that the quiet protest at school was only amplified on the news with groups hailing the Rowling's fantasy saga as 'evil' and 'satanic' burned copies, and the increasing controversy that the series was recruited impressionable children into worshipping the occult.

Either from the library or my mother, somehow I managed to finagle Sorcerer's Stone, Chamber of Secrets and Prisoner of Azkaban. I don't remember reading them in secret, one after another, but being shy, I hardly ever vocalized what or how much I loved the books. If my mom took me to the mall, of which Warner Bros. used to have stores filled with Loony Toons, Animaniacs, and Harry Potter merchandise, I'd usually oggle everything knowing it was too expensive to buy but secretly wanting it anyways. She knew I was interested, but we didn't really know how much by a long shot.

Then, the one time I really expressed my love of Harry, everything changed.

Stars I Love: Nicole Kidman

Since I was a teenager head over heels for Moulin Rouge, Nicole Kidman has always been a star that I've loved. Known for her eccentric, classy red carpet style and longstanding career, she's never been far from the limelight or committing to various projects.

From a Best Supporting Actress Oscar nomination in Lion to her praise-worthy performance in HBO's Big Little Lies,  and festival support for Sofia Coppola's remake The Beguiled, 2017 has been quite a fabulous year for the acclaimed actress. Since today is her birthday and has been on my fangirl heart lately, it's time to rave about the Australian native.

Five Favorite Roles of Bill Paxton

Eighties cinema churned out Hollywood icons left and right, and became synonymous as huge stars from that era. Bill Paxton was one of the few to break out of the mold from old Hollywood into new. Known for roles in movies like Terminator and Weird Science, he crafted an every day Burt Lancaster type of filmography: tough, rugged, but vulnerable and sensitive old-Americana guys. He could decipher money makers from "January jobs" so he could take smaller roles, made space for other people in the industry, and kept wanting to make good work. With a Texas drawl and steely glance, he was a force of nature.

Honestly, he was just a cool dude, laidback, charismatic and hardworking on-screen and off. As a fan of his, it was a sad day to hear of his passing. At the time, I didn't quite know what to say when the news first broke. I didn't know how to remember him until I could figure out which roles meant a lot to me, and to be honest, there were too many. So I thought why not at least share five today, on what would've been with sixty-second birthday. Hope you enjoy! What were your favorite Bill Paxton movies? Feel free to share in the comments below

The Man From U.N.C.L.E Sequel in the Works (This is not a drill)

Photo Credit: The Man From U.N.C.L.E / Warner Bros. Pictures

Back in 2015, a stylish, comedic, and action-packed spy movie took some movie goers including yours truly by storm. It was Guy Ritchie's remake of the classic television show The Man From U.N.C.L.E.

Henry Cavill, Armie Hammer, and Alicia Vikander played spies during the end of World War II trying to stop Nazi sympathizers from getting their hands on a nuclear weapon.

The movie decently satisfied critics but didn't exceed expectations, and subsequently, had an uphill battle at the box office barely just making back its $75 million budget. But since the movie set up the possibility of a franchise, leaving the trio to team up once again for another op, fans were left wondering if a sequel would ever happen.

While talking about his latest film Free Fire, Armie Hammer divulged to SlashFilm that he gets asked about a sequel all the time and that one is in the works. The film's co-writer and producer Lionel Wigram is apparently on the job to get a second film written.

I was like, ‘Dude, what’s the deal? I get asked about this **** all the time. Can you just write a sequel?’ He was like, ‘You know what?...I’ll do it. Sure, I’ll write a sequel.’ I was like, ‘If you write one, I’m sure we can get one made,’ so who knows? Apparently, the sequel is being written right now.

Officially, a movie isn't in the works just yet. Director and co-writer Guy Ritchie or other members of the cast haven't signed on. With interest from Armie Hammer to get a project rolling, hopefully, miracles can happen. Fans are clamoring for the next mission, so sorry to say Wigram, there's a lot of pressure to deliver. *fingers crossed*

UPDATED: While doing interviews for King Arthur, Ritchie talked about the possibility of doing another U.N.C.L.E. and that he'd be on board to direct.

Are you excited for a possible The Man From U.N.C.L.E sequel?

Feel free to share your thoughts in the comments!

GPOY as the news broke

Thank You Glenn Rhee + Steven Yeun

As the old saying goes, a cat has nine lives. In the zombie apocalypse, former pizza boy turned wise leader Glenn Rhee had a thousand.

The comic books already sealed his fate. It was ultimately a matter of time to see if television would follow suit. After six years on The Walking Dead, we're giving thanks to Glenn Rhee and Steven Yeun, a cinnamon roll too precious for this world who managed to survive against all odds.

It's rare in television for good-hearted characters to not only survive in an apocalypse but also become a fan-favorite. Maybe we're often a pessimistic bunch and it irks us when someone can seem so damn honestly good, especially in a world when it's an eye for an eye, blood out for blood.

Sometimes we want to know what dark and tortured issues makes a person tick, what makes them sane or insane in a dog-eat-dog society.

Often goody characters also come with on-the-nose warning signs of their imminent peril. We never feel like our growing admiration is trusted in the hands of writers who will unpredictably cast aside our heroes to the wolves.

But somehow Glenn defied everything that literally stood in his way, not only from a writer's perspective but in this ridiculous world known as the zombie apocalypse.

I get to be the funny guy with the one-liners, I get to be the romantic male in the group, and I've been able to be a bad-ass on occasion. Actors only dream of an opportunity like this. - Steven Yeun

People survive differently; it can make them be a mayor of crazy town, become an unforgivable monster, or live and lead with others day-to-day. Glenn definitely fell into the latter group, but his way of life was more than simply existing. Level-headed, humble, and good-hearted, Glenn was a beacon of how people can choose to persevere if they actively chose to. He was a genuine light in the darkness.

Community made him mature. Love means sacrifice but it also symbolizes stability; where you love, you have hope. His relationship to Maggie didn't break him, no matter their accumulation of losses. She made him realize that being walker bait wasn't cool; it was time to grow up and consider the future, whichever is however long it lasts and what they forge with the right mindset and their own hands. They were each other's equals; giving strength to one another and being each other's guiding light.

The Walking Dead has proven surviving a zombie apocalypse not just a game of brawn. Being physically fit and wielding weapons certainly ups your odds, but a good portion of using your brains comes into play too. A lot of heart goes into persevering.

When shit hit the fan, Glenn thought about who he wanted to be when the dust settled. The danger that surrounded Glenn didn't stop him from being his own moral compass. Early on he accepted that every friend or foe has something to offer, and holding onto his humanity separated him from the enemies. He remained sane, diplomatic, helpful, and resilient. This is a whole other kind of courage that's very rare not just in The Walking Dead universe but the real world.

And let us not grow weary of doing good. For in due season we will reap if we do not give up. - message Glenn sees in Father Gabriel's church

Time after time Glenn's composure was tested. He's lost his cool and questioned whether his fairness to not mercilessly kill was worth it. But his obstacles only re-enforced his strength. His focus to rebuild shone through because of his dedication to not harden or hold grudges; to not cause violence for violence's sake; to be living examples of the wisdom and blessings he received by his family. For every person the group lost, he used a piece of them forward. He observed dire situations and saw the thru-line of what kind of person he wanted to be.

Glenn was so lovable and respected primarily because of Steven Yeun who played him. Unlike Rick, Glenn didn't have the freedom to run to the edge of Crazy Town and return back from the brink. Unlike Carol, Glenn wasn't someone who was a quiet yet significant force of nature. Unlike Daryl, he wasn't a gruff bad-ass decked out in leather jackets riding around on sick cycle and acting all mysterious.

Glenn had a good heart, and that's not easy to come across as too melancholy, kooky, or naive. Yeun's humble abilities carried a significant honesty to his character's downfalls and triumphs. Glenn was a steady stream of finding the good within the bad, ugly, and just plain atrocious. He smart, wise, charming, funny, hopeful, and realistic. Yeun did it all with an underrated genuine heart and kindness. His character's transformation is one of the most remarkable arcs of the series second none to Peletier and Grimes.

It's difficult to say goodbye to someone who provided such a reasonable, and calm presence in such a grim, bloody chaotic world. He is one of the most layered and respected members of the original and evolving Atlanta clan, and it will be nearly impossible for the impact of his character to be fulfilled in the future. As fans of the pizza boy, his admirable positivity and ability to think of others before himself will always be with us. To Glenn and Steve, for everything, I give a humble Thank You.

Warby Parker & Kill Screen Limited Edition Glasses

Let me be completely honest: I'm obsessed with eye-wear. One of my favorite brands is polished and cutting-edge frames by Warby Parker. Every pair of their glasses for the everyday wearer has a gorgeously sleek and modern design. 

When Warby Parker announced they were going to launch a brand new game, alongside a new collection of limited edition glasses, I was all eyes (and ears) open!

For their new venture, Warby Parker partnered with Kill-Screen, a literary-minded video game arts and culture company, to create their first ever (and totally free!) game called Worbs. To make this vision come to life, trio master designers Highline Games, Warby Parker, and Kill Screen designed a physic-based matching game, where the objective is to match like-colored balls in a bowl.

The beautiful minimalist creation is set on a work desk with distracting book titles, a pair of their amazing new glasses and the ever-important "tilt button".  It's a perfect and simple game to play at your desk - something I've been doing a lot during my work breaks.

Aren't those glasses absolutely killer?

To match the joint effort between the two innovative brands, Warby Parker has transformed one of their best-selling (and one of my favorite) frames into another work of wearable art. 

Their sturdy and sleek creation Burke is serving as the inspiration to launch those ultra-chic Kill Screen limited-edition glasses. The attention to detail Warby Parker commits to in all of their styles takes on a whole other level with this exciting collaboration.

The limited-edition glasses, Burke in Glacier Grey (a best-selling frame reimagined in a new hue), are crafted from premium cellulose acetate and equipped with lenses that have anti-scratch and anti-reflective coatings—which conveniently reduce the glare from screens. (Score!) Inside the frame’s temple is an embossed Kill Screen logo in their signature red. Also included in the bundle is a custom lens pouch with artwork featuring the Kill Screen logo cleverly deconstructed into minimalist lines and shapes.

The game and the glasses are an absolute total score, right? Warby Parker's gorgeous and bold premium eye wear is available for both men and women. Check out this exclusive and highly anticipated launch with their awesome game at the official website here.