0 Goal Success and Movie Week Kick Off!

There's a lot to talk about today and I've been saddled with an extra shift at The Store (be sure to watch my Twitter feed for sarcastic haiku!) so I'm going to just jump right into things, starting with a recap of my goals from last week. I know you've all lost sleep wondering how I did with them—although the title of today's post might be a bit of a giveaway—and I don't want to keep you in suspense any longer...

1. Complete edits for part three of Effigy. This is approximately 185 pages.


Done. They actually went a little too well, which maybe doesn't make sense to anyone who isn't me, but I got to the end and I just...I felt like I had missed something. Not quite sure what to do about that, but I can kind of feel another freak out attempting to work its way in. Blurg.

2. Attend New Hampshire's Writers' Night Out event. This is a networking event held in various locations all over the state, and will be held in the Mount Washington Valley for the very first time. So I am going to do. And socialize and network. Even though the very idea of it makes my stomach hurt.


I did this too. I was very concerned about it, but it was a small group of writers with whom I was already acquainted so that helped a lot. As did the rather large Long Island Iced Tea I drank in record time (it's amazing how much easier socializing gets once you've downed one of those). It was pretty funny watching a group of writers attempt to socialize with each other and the general public. Are all writers so socially awkward, or is it a MWV thing? I'm not entirely sure the bartender will be happy to see us come back next month.

3. Start walking again. It's supposed to be above freezing for much of the week and the sidewalks are kind of clear, so it's time to hit the pavement again. Attempt to get at least three three mile walks in this week.

I did this too. I even did some extra mileage because I'm a go-getter. No, wait, no I'm not a go-getter at all. I just did some extra mileage because that's just how things worked out.

To celebrate three 100% completion weeks in a row, I am giving myself the gift of no goals for the next week. There are a few run-off edits to be completed for Effigy, but I have until the end of the month to finish them.

And now for something completely different...
 

Next Monday, Alex J. Cavanaugh is hosting the Top Ten Movie Countdown Blogfest so I am taking advantage of this to host my own little movie week on My Pet Blog. I don't know how many posts there will be (how things go at my day job this week will determine that), but how ever many there are will be about my favorite movies, by genre—for example Superhero, Spy/Secret Agent, Heist, Animated, whatever. Then, next Monday, I will reveal my (current) Top Ten all time favorite movies. 

Today's featured genre is swash-buckling. Maybe that isn't normally a genre, but it is today because that's what I'm in the mood for. So here are some of my favorite swash-buckling movies (yes, I have more than one...) 

1. The Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl

Released in 2003, based on a Disney theme park ride, and staring Kiera Knightly, Orlando Bloom, Geoffrey Rush, and Johnny Depp as Captain Jack Sparrow, this movie kills me. I love it. I'm not as fond as the two sequels, but I will gladly watch this first one over and over again. Action, swordfights, humor and Johnny freakin' Depp playing the world's coolest pirate. What's not the love?

Favorite lines:

Will Turner: You cheated!
Jack Sparrow: Pirate.

Elizabeth: Like pain? Try wearing a corset!

Jack Sparrow: Why is the rum gone?

2. The Three Muskateers

There have been many upon many movie versions, but the one I'm talking about is the so-bad-it's-awesome 1993 Disney classic starring Keifer Sutherland, Charlie Sheen and Oliver Platt as the titular Muskateers. Chris O'Donnell, doing some of his very finest eyebrow acting, stars as D'Artangan, but the real casting coup here was Tim Curry as Cardinal Richelieu. It's possible I have entirely too much making fun of this movie.

As there are too many favorite lines to count, I'm just going to share with you this one scene:

[five Cardinal's guards ride up as Athos and D'Artagnan prepare to duel]
Athos: Only a fool would try and arrest us twice in one day.
Jussac: You're under arrest.
Aramis, Porthos: A fool.
Jussac: Are you coming peacefully or do you intend to resist?
Porthos: Oh don't be so stupid, of course we intend to resist! Just give us a moment, all right?
[to his comrades:]
Porthos: Five of them, three of us. Hardly seems fair.
Aramis: Maybe we should give them a chance to surrender.
D'Artagnan: Excuse me, but there's four of us.
Athos: It's not your fight. You're not a Musketeer.
D'Artagnan: I may not wear the tunic, but I believe I have the heart of a Musketeer.
Porthos: Warrior!
Aramis: Poet!
Athos: You got a name, boy?
D'Artagnan: D'Artagnan.
Athos: Athos, Porthos, Aramis.
Porthos: Pleased to meet you again.
Aramis: Pleasure.
Porthos: Everyone acquainted?
[the four whirl around and unsheathe their swords]
Porthos: NOW, we are prepared to resist you!

 

3. The Count of Monte Cristo 

Not sure if this one counts as a swashbuckling movie, but there is a big sword fight at the end, so I'm going to let it slide. This is a 2002 movie starring Jim Cavezial, Guy Pearce, Richard Harris, and a young Henry Cavill. The storyline only very loosely follows its source material (sorry, Alexandre Dumas!) but, in my opinion, it's the better for it. This movie is packed with action, adventure, revenge, and sprinkled with a healthy dose of humor (thanks, in large part, to Luis Guzman), and I always love a movie that can make me laugh.

 

I was hoping to find a video of Luis Guzman's best moments in the movie, but alas, there isn't one, so I will share with you instead the trailer:



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So that's going to do it for me today. Sorry about the extreme length. If you made it all the way to the end, please award yourself massive amounts of bonus points. Who knows—someday they could be worth something...

Until next time, all.