I’m Not Special, I’m a Monster!: Firestarter (2022)

I’m not special, I’m a monster!

Its fine for our annual Stephen King film, and this year’s pick is Firestarter. I have not read the book or seen/reviewed the original but I was having a hard time trying to decide on a Stephen King film this year and this one is always coming up on my fire stick; so I figured why not give it a watch?

Oh well…

It can be any worse than some of his other films.

The biggest thing I know about this film was how every millennial was posting about how Zac Efron is now a dad in a film; our generation is officially old.

We start off with a baby breastfeeding, an odd choice and come out to Andy McGee (Zac Efron) and his wife Vicky McGee (Sydney Lemmon) looking at their little girl. Their baby is upset as she still wanted to be held, not put in the crib, and then a fire starts in the room, becoming a giant inferno.

From Captain Planet

Andy saves the baby from the burning crib but then she bursts into flames like baby Jack Jack in The Incredibles. But luckily it’s just a memory in a dream.

Present day his daughter, Charlie McGee is 10 years old. Andy walks down the hall and finds his daughter playing with a lighter. She asks him about quitting smoking and ***ding ding*** a smoker, there’s one in every SK film.

Charlie says she feels weird, and at first Andy thinks she’s talking about her period but she says no “the other thing”, something is changing inside her. Zac tells her to remember her “tool”, some word association to keep calm. I’m not sure that’s the best idea, this whole scene is giving me Frozen flashbacks and we all know how that ended. Letting go and creating a giant snow storm and sentient ice beings.

We then switch to seeing old videos of Andy and Vicky from college, some kind of “FDA” clinical trial run by the government. They are asked standard medical questions (do you take drugs, their blood type, etc). However, the thing that gets me suspicious is that both have no parents or family (all dead) and this whole thing sounds like some weird testing, something that could go very bad for them to choose people with no family. They ask about psychic experiences and ***ding ding*** Psychics. We are up to 2 SK Tropes.

But not like a fake psychic like Shawn Spencer, real psychics or “shiners”? Shining? Shiningers?

So from the rapid fire images it sounds like most had a bad reaction.

Sorry, couldn’t resist! 😂

With the only two surviving being Andy and Vicky. Andy is a hypnotist/psychologist? He’s trying to help a person, but creates some weird high pitch sounds makes my ears hurt. I’m assuming he’s psychic (or has the shining as they say in The Shining). However, something is not quite right with his ability as blood starts coming out of his eyes. Ugh, I hate that. I hate any eye trauma.

Back with Charlie she accidentally destroys the frog they are supposed to dissect. The teacher recommends that she use google to answer her the frog anatomy questions but her family doesn’t believe in computers. She almost has a freak out at schooo but calms down. I forgot to count another SK trope ***little kid has crazy powers***. (Up to 3!)

The couple are anxious about what to do next. Andy wants to protect her while Vicky wants to train her. I have to say I’m with mom on this, she has amazing power and she’s in middle school. Doesn’t dad remember how tough middle school can be? Kids can be extremely cruel and they most definitely need to train her so she didn’t blow up her school or something. In fact they should home school her.

Charlie has an incident at school where she causes a fire in the bathroom and almost burns the teacher. They call in the fire department but luckily they only think Charlie did it with normal means and do suspect it could be something more. If I was mom I definitely would have been, I told you so.

Mom and dad are unsure what to do next, but they do think they need to move. Vicky wants Andy to “push” Charlie mentally (I’m assuming they mean his psychic blast/shining ability), but Andy doesn’t want to mess with her head. So Andy can “push” people while Vicky says she has a different power, but they haven’t told us what it is. Charlie is still upset from school and they decide it is time to tell her the truth. They finally let her know there are people after them that because of their abilities. Charlie starts freaking out, they try to calm her, everyone starts yelling, and charlie strikes out as accidentally setting her mother on fire.

Meanwhile while that is all going on, the government has been watching and pick up on what happened at the school, zoning into the area the McGees lived.

We then switch to see a creepy shirtless guy with a weird tatto of an upside down cross ***ding ding*** some strange religious connotation SK trope 4, multiple single boots and creepy drawings (***ding ding SK trope 5). His name is Rainbird and he’s no longer retired but back on the playing field.

Hmm…

Back at the McGees Charlie is drawing weird pictures, ***ding ding*** child draws a creepy picture SK trope 6. Andy tries to take care of Vicky but the burns are really bad. Vicky again insists that Andy “push” Charlie but he doesn’t wash to risk hurting their daughter, but Vicky warns him that their girl might kill them. I am definitely on Vicky’s side as a “push” might not be the worst idea. Finally Vicky is tired of everything and asks Andy to leave with Andy and Charlie for ice cream and give her some alone time.

After they leave, Vicky starts acting weird. I don’t hear anything, is that is what is off is it too quiet? Or does she hear something?

There’s a knock at the door, I hope she doesn’t answer as Andy left to get them ice cream and she’s wounded. When she goes to see who it is, it’s a police officer who is responding to their earlier hung up 911 call. Vicky explains away they burns but after the police officer leave sit turns out that Rainbird snuck into the house. He is here to take them in. Vicky tries to defend herself by using her psychic abilities to throw things at Rainbird, but he also has powers as he was a test subject as well.

That’s not good.

Rainbird tells her that if she gives up, the girl will live, but she refuses. We cut away after she is hit by a flying object and I assume she’s dead.

On their way back from ice cream, Charlie and Andy have a heart to heart with Charlie sharing it was supposed to be him. Yes, lighting mom on fire was only an accident as she hit her instead of who she was aiming for.

She just admitted to her dad she meant to set him on fire.

If I was Andy I would definitely start “pushing” her. I would 100% be sleeping won’t one eye open as the next time she gets angry she might try and kill him.

Of course Andy does no such thing, and Charlie mentions again she feels weird. Her dad thinks it is just an upset tummy, but Charlie insists it is something more.

Once inside the house Rainbird has captured Charlie and is hiding behind a lamp so that Andy’s powers don’t work on him (he has to look them right in the eye. Charlie gets so angry she sets everything on fire: Vicky’s dead, Rainbird injured and shocked, and Andy and Charlie take off for somewhere safe.

In the next scene we have the lady who brought Rainbird back, as she goes to speak to a doctor played by the Red Foreman actor. He’s just as angry as usual and I can tell by his voice he was the doctor running the tests on Andy, Vicky, and the others. The woman reveals that they found them.

Cut back to Andy and Charlie on the side of the road. Charlie likes her powers and is trying to test them and work them out. She moved a piece of metal with her mind. Charlie find a cute orange cat and I’m skipping because I know exactly what will happen as Stephen King apparently hates cats. ***ding ding*** animal murdered SK trope 7.

We go back again to the doctor and I really hate these fast transitions. The scenes are so short it’s like why even do that, they really should just have a full scene then switch to another. I’ve noticed this happening a lot in films recently and I don’t like this trend as it is super annoying.

So annoying

The doctor (Red Foreman) warns the woman who came to see him, the head of DSI, that they should just kill Charlie. He knows they want to use her as a tool but she has a really strong power and is only going to get stronger. Of course she doesn’t listen to him.

Then we switch back to Charlie and Andy who have buried the cat and are praying for it and her mom. Andy tries to make her feel better and tells Charlie that her mother wanted her to learn how to use her powers so that she might use them for good. Andy warns her that if she does too much it can hurt her, but Charlie says it doesn’t hurt it feels good.

Uh oh, Charlie is a bad seed. She’s going to kill everyone I just know it.

The two hitchhike and flag a car down. Charlie worries about strangers but girl you can start fires and move things with your mind, I’m sure you two will be okay. The guy who picks them up takes them to his house to eat and Charlie wants to see the chickens, bad idea because if they peck her she will probably set the whole house on fire. While there Charlie hears something strange and finds a woman on a respirator. It turns out the woman is the man’s wife, Essi, and she was hit by a car when she was driving and now is slightly comatose.

That night Andy tells Charlie to be careful with her powers and tells her about before when the government came after Charlie. Andy had to go get her, sensing her with his abilities and knowing exactly where she was at. He used his powers to take the agents out in order to save his daughter and because he was so angry over what they did. He feels bad about it now. warns her about being caught up in the moment. He shared with her that when you hurt one person it hurts everyone and has her promise not to use her gifts to hurt people.

Andy wakes up and hears the police report on TV warning about him and tries to reason with the man, but he doesn’t listen. Charlie comes in and shares that she knows what really happened with Essi and Andy says that why they are after them, because of their powers. Charlie shares that Essi forgives him for driving drunk and injuring her (***ding ding*** SK Trope 7 an alcoholic). The police are here and Andy doesn’t know what to do. The guy wants to help them, but Andy doubts things will go well.

The guy tries to talk the police into leaving but someone’s here and shoots everyone…Rainbird. Charlie senses him and becomes so angry she shoots a fireball at Rainbird, but it doesn’t hit him.

Andy sends Charlie off while he tries to take care of Rainbird, but his powers don’t work on Rainbird completely and he is still having the bloody eye issue.

The government clean up crew come in with special lenses so the psychic powers don’t work on them. They take Andy and Rainbird.

Now Charlie is alone and has to fend for herself. DSI is not happy with Rainbird for the mess of dead cops. They blindfolded him and lock him up.

Charlie is roughing it out in The woods when she feels her father’s presence and sees the facility. She says in the woods for a bit and starts practicing her fire ability, as she wants to hone it.

As Charlie is heading to the facility she is bullied by some boys on bikes. They call her names and she“pushes” them into giving her a bike, their luck, and clothes. Then off she goes.

She finds the facility and just walks into it. I’m surprised security doesn’t find her right away, but then again they do want to capture her. Charlie uses her abilities to capture an agent on their way and home and interrogate them. When the agent tries to pull a gun on her she sets them on fire.

Bad things happen when you don’t listen

Security sees her but they want Charlie to go downstairs to the “control” floor. I hope she burns the building down.

Charlie finds her dad but he’s locked up. Captain Hollister, head of the DSI wants to have Charlie willingly come with them, and tries to convince her by bringing her mom into it, “it’s what your mom would have wanted”. But she doesn’t understand Charlie, and that only makes her angry. Captain Hollister stands by Andy to ensure Charlie doesn’t kill her, but . Charlie sets herself on fire but Captain Andy does his last push and pushes her to burn the whole facility down. She begins to burning up both Hollister and Andy.

Charlie starts setting everyone on fire or using her abilities in other ways to take them out. Good for you Charlie.

In come the soldiers in flame retardant but that doesn’t stop her. When it almost looks like she is about to lose, Rainbird saves her. Then it’s her and Rainbird, Psy versus Psy. Rainbird gives himself up to her and she starts to burn him, but she’s sees her reflection and stops, leaving him be.

What that’s it? The girl who goes from 1 to 100 on the emotional Richter scale is just letting the man who killed her mother go?

Charlie then continues to explode the facility destroying it to the ground. But now what? She’s alone and has nowhere to turn to.

Rainbird comes over to her and carries her away. I guess they will be a family now? And that how it ends? Weird choice and strange way to end the film.

I have to say that this is probably one of the better Stephen King films as it had a concise plot and interesting characters. The end was an odd choice, but otherwise I enjoyed it.

For more Stephen King films, go to Do You Like This Hotel?…I Guess So. Good. I Want You to Like It Here. I Wish We Could Stay Here Forever… and Ever…: The Shining (1980)

For more psychics, go to The Crimes of Juliet O’Hara and a Blast from the Past: Psych the Movie (2017)

What is This Thing?: Phantoms (1998)

Just what is this thing? Chaos, chaos in the flesh.

Phantoms is a 1998 film that is based on the book by Dean Koontz. The story is very creepy, and I was surprised at how well the film was done. I thought it was going to be done in a very stupid, silly way; but it was the essence of creepiness. The only thing I didn’t care for was Liev Schreiber, I felt that he didn’t portray the character very well in the beginning. I wouldn’t have chosen Rose McGowan either, but she did surprisingly well. I loved Ben Affleck as the sexy Sheriff and love interest. I love Ben Affleck though, I mean who doesn’t? They changed the film from the book, as expected, but the changes do not destroy the film, thank goodness. If you’d like to watch the film go here. So the film starts out with Dr. Jennifer Pailey bringing her trouble-making sister Lisa to live with her. They are hoping the change of scenery will help straighten her out as she was involved with gang members in Los Angelas.

I want to go back to LA

When they reach the town, it is empty. Like really empty. There is no one out and about even though they are in a ski town, in the middle of winter with great snow.

They continue on home. When Jennifer gets there she finds her housekeeper dead. All the life had been sucked out of her and she looks burned.

[Note: Pic from The Giant Behemoth not Phantoms]

The girls are widely freaked and decided to head to the sheriff’s. But there is one problem, their car won’t work.

Oh no!

The girls hurry on to the sheriff’s office where they find a deputy, burned and blackened. He appears to have shot his gun at something, but they don’t find any traces of it, except shells. Dr. Jennifer grabs a gun and the two run off to the bakery, as it is getting dark and they are really freaked out. They head to the baker’s, running quickly as they hear sounds as if someone is following them. When they get there the oven goes off revealing severed heads!

AAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHH!!!!!!

The girls are completely grossed out and confused when the Sheriff (who ex-FBI) finds them.

Hello Sexy!

With him are his two deputies Steve Shanning (Nicky Katt) and Stuart Wargle (Liev Shreiber) have come to investigate. They decide the best thing to do is go to the sheriff’s department, and just when they do every single horn, siren, whistle, bell, etc. goes off and then suddenly stops. The only lights left on are down on the Candleglow Inn up the street.

They check it out and see that only four guests are registered. The Sheriff and Stu go upstairs, while the girls stay behind with deputy Steve.

While the sheriff is upstairs he goes into a room and starts looking through an opening in a closet. When he does he sees a vision of a young boy with a gun, which disappers. You see when the Sheriff was FBI he accidentally shot a boy, which made him quit and turn to small town life.

Aw! Look at his face. 😦

Stu goes in the other room and finds a beautiful, dead woman. He sits next to her and puts his hand up her leg…

What a perv!

Then the Sheriff walks in. He lets it go, even though he is severely grossed out as he knows what Stu was doing, but he needs every man he can get as he has no idea what the situation is.

The Sheriff has Stu watch the hall as he continues checking things out. Stu comes on to Lisa who tells him flat out no, she is not digging that.

Dr. Jennifer joins the Sheriff and they discover that a bathroom locked from the inside (that has no other windows or doors) is empty, with something written on the mirror in lipstick. The writing says “Dr. Timothy Flyte–The Ancient Enemy“.

 

The two have no idea who Dr. Flyte is but intend on finding out.  In another empty room they find a bunch of metal objects like jewelry, buttons, watches, gold teeth, a pacemaker, etc.; concluding that this thing, whatever it is strips a person completely of everything, if it chooses.

EW!

They go back into the lobby to regroup and figure out their next step. But then they suddenly hear a woman crying out “Help me!” and Deputy Steve rushes out to save her. The Sheriff follows him, but when he gets outside all that is left of Steve is his shoes and a gun.

They head back to the Sheriff’s office and put the dead deputy in a body bag. They then call for help–military, Dr. Flyte, anybody, but the line was so bad they don’t know whether or not it went through.

AAAAAAAAAHHHH!!!! [Note: from When a Stranger Calls not Phantoms]

Bryce and Stu go through the dept. and pull out all their ammunition getting ready for–whatever the thing is that is trying to attack them. The lights go out and the creature takes on a Alien/The Thing (1982) feel. The next thing you know, Stu is dead.

Too be honest, good riddance. He was a creep and I didn’t like him.

They also put Stu in a body bag and wait out the night.

We then switch to another part of the country- Dr. Flyte. Dr. Flyte (Peter O’Toole) is a tabloid worker in New York City. He used to a professor at Oxford, but they let him go as they felt his writings were “too silly”.

 

Two FBI agents ask him to go to the small, winter, town of Snowfield to help solve what the “thing” is.

Back in Snowfield the three survivors are trying to figure out what to do next. Lisa tries to take a nap while the Sheriff tells Dr. Jen about how the monster called up the incident with the young boy. The two are interrupted when Lisa asks the Sherif to walk with her to the bathroom. He checks it and finds it clear. Lisa begins to smoke when she hears a squealing noise coming out of the drain.

She checks out the bathroom stalls (much like Scream) and finds the Deputy Stu there!

 

In the book the “Phantom thing” was more like the Blob from The Blob (1958); although it could take on the shape of other things, or create small phantom pieces of itself. In the film, however, the “Phantom” embodies the form of Stu, which is understandable from a filmmaker point of view. It doesn’t copying The Blob at all, as I mentioned earlier copying The Thing. Just like The Thing, the “phantom” takes on the appearance of something. This wasn’t a horrible decision as I bet it was easier to film. They also did a lot of blackout or limited lighting when the creature was in its true form, which allowed it to remain creepy as your imagination creates it. The director of It (1990)  should have used the same technique, it would have been a better film.

I didn’t really care for Liev Schreiber, and thought he could have been much creepier. Instead he just comes off as a pervert. This film has actually ruined him for me in all other films. When I watch Kate & Leopold, Scream, Scream 2, Scream 3, Lee Daniel’s the Butler, or X-Men Origins: Wolverine; I keep expecting him to do something perverted to all the women.

Yes I am

Anyways, back to the story. So the Sheriff goes into the bathroom and can’t find anything. They go down to check the body bags, but both are empty.

AAAAAAAAHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Meanwhile Dr. Flyte is on route to Snowfield with military General Leland Copperfield, some mobile labs, an armored strike van, etc–all ready to take on whatever the “thing” is. They ask Dr. Flyte about “the Ancient Enemy”. Dr. Flyte explains that there were creatures, he calls “Ancient Enemy” who are amoeboid shapeshifters. This Ancient Enemy rarely feeds, but when it does, the effects are devastating and it was theorized that the Enemy either caused or aided in the extinction of the dinosaurs, the destruction of the Mayan civilization, Roanoke disappearance, the missing army of Nanking, China in 1939, etc. And the town appears to have been built on the home of one of these “Ancient Enemies”.

The group arrives to Snowfield and the three survivors come to meet the army. The next thing you know, “the thing” has taken out almost the whole team using its shape-shifting qualities and the pipes/sewers. Now these scenes are pretty intense. I was watching them and screaming and my roommates were all, are you ok? I highly recommend watching this film.

General Copperfield is last of the military to be killed; as a pair of oily black tentacles seeps up through the pavement, penetrates his hazmat suit, and smothers him.

[Note: From The Mist]

This leaves Dr. Flyte, Sheriff Bryce, Jenny, and Lisa as the remaining survivors..

He’s dead but the “Phantom” uses his body as a mouthpiece and begins speaking to the crowd.

 “My Flesh. Study it. Write the gospel. But do not try to leave. Witnesses to the Miracle.”

The body then falls to the ground and an oily black substance comes out along with a gecko, of which the group is supposed to get a sample of. Dr. Flyte begins to analyze the sample, coming to the conclusion it has lived in the depths of the earth for eons, growing to immense size, and absorbing knowledge from its prey. It can separate off parts of Itself to send as drones, warriors, phantoms, etc.–having them assume the shapes of anything or anyone It has absorbed; even of people or monsters from memories and dreams.With these, It has manipulated Bryce, Jenny, and Lisa into bringing Dr. Flyte here, to be Its prophet, and to write Its gospel. For It has begun to think of Itself as God–or the Devil. Indestructible. All-Powerful. Immortal. Unstoppable.

This is bad. Very bad.

Dr. Flyte’s analysis reveals that It is similar to oil and if they are able to make the same kind of bacteria that eats away at oil spills, they may just have a chance at stopping it. They create cultures and prepare for the final battle.

Dr. Flyte goes out and calls to the creature.

He tells It that he needs to see all of it in order to write Its “gospel”. He says that the others are creating a weapon against It, that they don’t believe in It like he does. It appears first as a single person, but then becomes all 400 residents of the town, merging and melding into one swirling mass, which resolves Itself into an immense, hideous, upright millipede.

The Sheriff, Jenny and Lisa run and fire the guns loaded with the bacteria culture  into It. This causes It to scream.  Jenny and Lisa run for shelter into the nearby deputy’s office, to reload their guns but are pursued by a drone of Deputy Stu.

Deputy Wargle: Oh, you’ve got some guns, ladies, you wouldn’t shoot an unarmed man, would you? [both women cock shotguns and point them at him] That’s a dumb question.

They empty their shotguns into him, knocking him down, and blowing away huge chunks of his legs and arms. Tentacles shoot out of his arm and leg stumps. The girls run away and and he follows, but is killed by Dr. Jen as she shoots him with the last of the culture.

The bigger entity is falling apart and the Sheriff follows the last of It down into the sewer, finding him face to face with the boy that he killed. He hesitates, and while he does so, a tentacle shoots out of the boy’s mouth, and knocks him down. His gun with the culture is stolen by It. It pulls the vials out and starts taunting the Sheriff. In response to It’s mockings the Sheriff pulls out his gun and shoots the vials, causing the bacteria to spread all over.

With one final ear-shattering scream It is gone, and Bryce makes his way back to the others. As a helicopter arrives to rescue them, Dr. Flyte announces to the others that the Entity has won after all: It wanted him to tell the world, and that’s just what he’s going to do. Everything seems to end well, or well enough. Dr. Flyte has his story and will win back his prestige; Sheriff Bryce  is no longer traumatized about killing the boy; Dr. Jen and Sheriff Bryce have found each other; and Lisa and Dr. Jen have bonded. Sounds as perfect an ending you can get for a horror film.

Uh, uh uh. Not quite yet!

We switch to a scene in a bar where Dr. Flyte is in TV talking about It and how it may still be out there waiting. One of the guys in the bar turns to his companion and says its a lot of hooey. A strange laugh is heard and at the end of the bar is Deputy Stu Wrangle, showing that It is still alive.

So it really was a good film, and I’m telling you the scenes with the creature are super creepy!!! You’ll love them if you love scary movies!

So unlike the other facebook cover pages I have made (and you should have guessed by now that practically every post has one) I made two for this one as the first one wasn’t working out right. Here’s the second one for those of you interested.

Comment below which you think is better!

To start Horrorfest III from the beginning, go to Even a Man Pure of Heart

To go to the previous post, go to Unleash the Savage Instincts That Lie Hidden Within

For more monster movies, go to Let Them Fight

For more films based on books, go to A Bit Pottery About Jane Austen

For more on Rose McGowan, go to What’s Your Favorite Scary Movie?

For more on Ben Affleck, go to Pot o’ Gold

Since U Been Gone

So here we are another step in the “Getting Over a Heartbreak” series. As you recall from Gone Forever, Put Me Out, and But It’s Alright; we still are in that angry at my ex phase. So here we are with:

16) Since U Been Gone by Kelly Clarkson.

Now I have always liked Kelly Clarkson, although I have never really thought of myself as being a major fan. I remember when Kelly Clarkson won American Idol (yep back when the show was good and the winners actually went on to do something). I even watched her silly film From Justin to Kelly, starring her and the runner up. However, I am a huge fan of this song! I absolutely loved it!

So the song was written by Max Martin and Lukasz “Dr. Luke” Gottwald who actually wrote it for  Pink. She turned it down and it was then offered to Clarkson, in which she added more guitar and drums to counteract the light pop sound. It was number 2 on the Billboard Hot 100.

The music video is great, as after her boyfriend cheated on her and dumped her she ripped his place apart. Now I’m not one for vandalism, but finding out someone cheated on you will make anyone go crazy and pull this or a Daisy from Mystic Pizza.

It’s just a great song that truly captures how one feels after being betrayed by someone they loved and how angry they feel.

 

But just like The End by Silverstein just be careful how you react, its fine to sing about it, but if you actually participate in that kind of destruction just be prepared for the consequences.

So on to the lyrics and video!!!

Here’s the thing we started out friends
It was cool but it was all pretend
Yeah yeah
Since U Been Gone

You dedicated you took the time
Wasn’t long till I called you mine
Yeah Yeah
Since U Been Gone

And all you’d ever hear me say
Is how I pictured me with you
That’s all you’d ever hear me say

But Since U Been Gone
I can breathe for the first time
I’m so moving on
Yeah, yeah
Thanks to you
Now I get
What I want
Since U Been Gone

How can I put it? You put me on
I even fell for that stupid love song
Yeah, yeah
Since U Been Gone

How come I’d never hear you say
I just wanna be with you
I guess you never felt that way

But Since U Been Gone
I can breathe for the first time
I’m so moving on
Yeah, yeah
Thanks to you
Now I get (I get) what I want
Since U Been Gone

You had your chance you blew it
Out of sight, out of mind
Shut your mouth I just can’t take it
Again and again and again and again

Since U Been Gone
I can breathe for the first time
I’m so moving on
Yeah, yeah
Thanks to you (thanks to you)
Now I get, I get what I want
I can breathe for the first time
I’m so moving on
Yeah, yeah
Thanks to you (thanks to you)
Now I get (I get)
You should know (you should know)
That I get, I get what I want
Since U Been Gone
Since U Been Gone
Since U Been Gone

So the music video is super amazing!!!

So this song became super popular that A Day to Remember did a cover and copied the music video scene by scene. It’s pretty cool.

I have to say that I really enjoy the Kelly Clarkson version, that’s why I included it, but I like the A Day to Remember  a little bit better. I like how it has more of a rock than pop sound and I like the screamo as I think it really expresses the anger in the song. But however it is sung the song is still great.

And it teaches you an important thing:

Because never forget:

And:

But at the same time don’t get too caught up in anger and bitterness. After all:

To start the “Getting Over a Heartbreak Series” from the beginning, go to If It Means A Lot to You

To go to the previous post, go to But It’s Alright

For more of my fav songs. go to Put Me Out

For more of my fav quotes, go to It’s All Jane Austen’s Fault

The End by Silverstein

Please keep reading, you won;t be disappointed,

2) The End by Silverstein

So if you remember from my earlier post If It Means A Lot to You, I am doing a countdown of my favorite heartbreak songs to help one get over a break up. Now I did do an earlier post on this song when Michael and I broke up back in December, The End, but I only briefly talked about it. The album A Shipwreck in the Sand is kind of depressing, but still good:

The album details the story of a guy who is cheated on by his girlfriend. To make it even worse, its not just any guy but his best friend. He eventually goes crazy and sets his house on fire, very Secret Window-esque. Even though they broke his trust he still loves his best friend and girlfriend still so he ends up saving them from the fire, but still goes to court for his crimes. He is acquitted but loses his daughter to his girlfriend. He realizes he can’t go on living and ends up taking his life, hence The End.

Like A Day to Remember and Avenged Sevenfold, Silverstein was a band that Michael got me into, one of the several CDs he gave me. (Like I mentioned before a lot of these songs came from him. Is it irony or full circle?)

Like It Meant A Lot To You this song really expressed how I felt about the breakup. So here we go:

The first time we met
Your face became etched
In my mind

So the first time I saw his face, it wasn’t exactly etched in my mind, I mean I didn’t even think he liked me until a couple weeks later. But I also couldn’t stop thinking about him. He intrigued me and I wanted to know more about him.

You were the sun
I was the one
Who worshiped you.
My hands were your guns
Your eyes were my muse.

And I knew you could never love me
I had so much sorrow inside
You could never reach
But can I still keep
A place in your heart?

This was how I felt after he dumped me. I thought it was all my fault, that I was the reason we broke up. Now I know that it wasn’t necessarily what I did, I mean I still have no clue what went wrong between us, but a breakup isn’t one sided, there us far too much that to have it be blamed on only one person (except when cheating is involved.)

And all I kept thinking and hoping (at the time) was maybe he would change his mind, maybe I could hold a place in his heart (I know pathetic 😦 But people act different when they care for others, they don’t do things they normally would. You just aren’t in your right mind)

You broke my heart
You promised me the moon and stars
I fell for your dreams. I fell for your lies
There was no other way
You know I tried

Now this part of the song is sung by the gf but for me all I could think after we broke up was everything that Michael had promised me. Now I know some things were silly, like him planning our trip to Disneyland (I’m not that dense) but I thought that he meant it when we talked about seeing each other in the upcoming months, Christmas, New Year’s Eve, etc. And the worst thing is that I mentioned these things, and he knew he had already decided to break up with me but didn’t have the guts to let me know.

And I knew you could never love me
I had so much sorrow inside
You could never reach
But can I still keep
A place in your heart?

There is something
I want you to know
I think you know exactly what it is
I didn’t want to save you
I didn’t want to save you
I set our house on fire
To watch it burn
But I couldn’t just leave you there

I’m talking figuratively here. Don’t actually be burning things.

And I knew you could never love me
I had so much sorrow inside
You could never reach
But I’ll ask you this

Will you still miss me?
(Yes I’ll miss you)
Do you love me?
(Yes I love you)

Planes fill the sky
We’ll both die tonight
We’ll both die tonight
Hands from the sky
Swat us away like flies
As we follow the light

Planes fill the sky
We’ll both die tonight
We’ll both die tonight
Hands from the sky
Swat us away like flies
As we follow the light

We’ll both die tonight
We’ll both die tonight

Swat us away like flies
(We’ll both die tonight)
As we follow the light
(As we follow the light)

This union, a battle fought and lost
This union was not about the cause
This union was never about love

But you know what, even though it hurt at the time it probably was for the best. If he couldn’t tell me what was going on with him, couldn’t give me any attention,and just wasn’t as invested in our relationship like I was, it was good that we broke up.

Although it did make me sad:

But it can be better to end than to continue something that was not making both parties truly happy. (BTW by using the above pic I do not want anyone out there to think that I’m  still wallowing [that’s over] or anything, it just fit well with what I was saying)

And you’ll meet someone great who will be just right for you.

For more on the Heartbreak Series, go to If It Means a Lot to You

Otherwise here are a few posts you may be interested in

For more on Avenged Sevenfold, go to Belle of the Ball

For more on stories of betrayal by those close to you, check out Wake Up Dad 

For more on what a real man is, go to A Real Man

For more of my favorite songs, go to Once Upon a Time

Even After All This Time: Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Part II

Romantic Moment #13

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part II (2011)

So during the summer my then boyfriend Michael and I made a deal that for every Harry Potter film I saw he would watch a Jane Austen film. I made this up so that each of us could be a part of something that we both cared about and was a big part our lives growing up. When we broke up (It’s a Wrap and The End),  I had only seen five films and he had seen four. (He still owes me and I totally think he should still have to watch a Jane Austen film, just saying). Anyways, I wanted to finish the series, but since I had soooo many questions and no one to explain everything to me (well I did have my roommate Elaine, but I didn’t want to have to bug her ALL the time), so I decided I would read the books and then watch the films. Check out my Tumblr account to see the stuff I’ve written about the books and films. (Follow Me!) So I originally had another film planned for today, that’s why this is so late, but after watching this one I just felt the need to include it in my postings.

So this film is based on the book, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows. The film is pretty close to the book, but the director made some changes that upset me (mostly the Neville scenes)

So the films starts off right where Part I ended. Voldemort has just stolen the Elder Wand out of Dumbledore‘s grave.

Totally pulling a Debbie.

Dobby manages to save Luna, Mr. Ollivander, Hermione, Harry, the goblin, and Ron from Bellatrix Lestrange. However, he himself wasn’t so lucky as he ends up being stabbed and murdered by her. Harry buries him without magic, giving him the honor and respect he deserves. Harry learns that the reason his stolen wand works for him was that he disarmed Draco Malfoy and bested him in battle, thus the wand changing its alliegience. Harry also realizes that a horcrux is hiding in Bellatrix’s vault and that they need to break into the goblin Gringgotts bank. An extremely hard thing to do.

The goblin says he will help them break in, in return he wants the sword of Gryffindor. So Hermione makes up a polyjuice potion of Bellatrix, Ron changes his appearance, and Harry and the goblin use the cloak of invisibility. They go into Gringgotts and make it past the goblins (barely), the dragon, and into the vault. Harry finds the cup of Hufflepuff, but before he can destroy the horcrux, the goblin takes off with the sword; leaving them not only stuck in the bank, but in a fix as the Goblins are cracking down and searching for them.

Appears this goblin had seen Raiders of the Lost Ark too many times as he acts just like Satipo

They use the dragon to escape, setting it free in a way that would have made Hagrid very proud. They travel to Hogsmeade and use a secret passage to get into Hogwarts, becoming aware of the resistance that Neville has been leading against the Death Eater professors and their new headmaster, Snape.

Snape calls everyone to the great hall were he questions them about Harry Potter. Harry appears and McGonagall battles Snape to protect Harry. Snape disapperates, taking the Death Eaters with him; and everyone rejoices. Soon the celebration is over as Voldemort, vis a vie the Joker, asks them to give him Harry and he will spare them all. Voldemort is refused and preparations for the battle begin.

Luna takes Harry to meet Rowena Ravenclaw‘s daughter’s ghost in order to find the lost diadem and the  second to last horcrux. Ron goes down to the Chamber of Secrets where he uses parseltongue to open the doors and retrieve the Basilisk fang and destroy the goblet. Meanwhile, Harry has learned where Voldemort hid the diadem and runs to the Room of Requirement. While there Draco, Gregory Goyle and Blaise Zabini attack Harry, but Ron and Hermione intervene. Goyle uses a Fiendfyre curse, but  is unable to control it, and is burned to death along with destroying the diadem. Malfoy and Zabini almost die, but Harry and Ran save them.

The three go down to the boathouse where they see Voldemort kill Snape, thinking that woth Snape dead he will have full power/control of the Elder wand. Before dying, Harry takes Snape’s memories, in which he uses the  Pensieve to view them.

Harry learns from that Snape loved Harry’s mother, Lily, but hated his father, James, who had bullied him. After she died Snape worked secretly with Dumbledore to protect Harry from Voldemort. Snape’s murder of  Dumbledore’s death at Snape’s hands was planned between them so that Draco wouln’t have to do it.  Harry discovers that he is the last Horcrux must die in order to kill Voldemort. Harry goes to Voldemort who uses the Killing Curse on him.  Harry finds himself in limbo, where he meets up with Dumbledore’s spirit who explains that due to Voldemort killing the Horcrux inside Harry, he is able to return to his body, and defeat Voldemort.

Narcissa realizes that Harry is alive, but doesn’t care about him and the Death eaters only wanting to know if her son is alive. She lies about Harry being dead so that he can save her son. Voldemort returns to Hogwarts to announce Harry’s death. Neville stands up to Voldemort and makes a dramatic speech, and Harry reveals he is still alive and duels with Voldemort throughout the castle. A general battle begins as a defiant Neville draws the Sword of Gryffindor from the Sorting Hat and kills Nagini; Molly Weasley kills Bellatrix; etc. . The final stand of Harry and Voldemort’s fight is Harry’s Disarming Charm rebounding Voldemort’s own Killing Curse and obliterating him. After the battle, Harry explains to Ron and Hermione that the Elder Wand recognised him as its true master because he had disarmed Draco, who earlier had disarmed Dumbledore, which then explains why the wand didn’t kill Harry in his final battle with Voldemort. Harry rejects the power of the wand and destroys it.

Nineteen years later, we see Harry, Ginny, Draco, Ron, and Hermione married and happy, dropping their children off for another year at Hogwarts.

Most Romantic Moment:

So the most romantic moment that I picked was one of Snape’s memories. Now I am a huge Snape fan. I just love him so much, he was my favorite character. You just feel so much for him, he was so misunderstood and mistreated, that he turned to the bad crowd because they promised to protect him. After he lost Harry’s mom to James Potter he felt like he lost everything, and only focused on himself and power. A modern-day Heathcliff. But Snape redeems himself. He hears a prophecy and tells Voldemort, but after he realizes that Voldemort plans to kill Lily and her family, he secretly teams up with Dumbledore to ensure their  protection. He continues to help Harry Potter because he is his mother’s son; saving him from Quirrell (Sorcerer’s Stone), protecting him from Ron’s busted wand (Chamber of Secrets), Lupin’s werewolf form (Prisoner of Azkaban), from Umbridge (Order of the Phoenix), from Voldemort (Half-Blood Prince), and giving him the sword of Gryffindor/protecting him from Voldemort (Deathly Hallows).  Snape did it all, even joining the Death Eaters as a double agent to help the Order; all was for Lily.

So the romantic moment is when Dumbledore is talking to Snape (in his memory) about Harry being the last Horcrux. Snape is upset that they have to send Harry to Voldemort to be killed, wanting to protect Lily’s son. Dumbledore tells Snape that it must be done and questions whether Snape truly loved Lily, because if he did he would not let her die in vain. Snape responds by making his patronus appear. His patronus is a doe, the same as Lily’s. Because he loved her so much, his patronus became what hers was, she was his happiest memory.

So romantic!

And to make that even more romantic:

“Dumbledore: After all this time?

Snape: Always.”