Normally I don’t like to discuss movies that can still be seen in the theater, but I wanted to know if anyone else found themselves thinking about these action-adventure movies in the same way.

Ranking the three I’d go with X-Men, then Thor, leaving The Green Lantern as my third favorite. But honestly, Thor and Lantern could tie for last place. X-Men was Xcellent !  Everything you could hope for even an Xcellent villian (it’s a shame we know how he turns out, cause you certainly hope he’s just a bad boy needing the right woman to set him straight). Thor …YUMMY !!  Yummy again. The let-down for me? Too much backstory and not enough action. Come on, he’s a Comic Super Hero ! And the villian is conquered much-too easily. Same thing with The Green Lantern. Much too much build up for the villian who is defeated (SPOILER) on the first attempt.

So what was the huge difference with X-MEN: FIRST CLASS–a movie completely about back story–compared to two other action adventures that I believe had much too much backstory? X-Men was a complete story-line with character arcs. The characters grew through the adventure and action and relationships. It was a movie with the perfect blend of  components. It built, grew, continued to grow, letting the audience continue to learn secrets about all the characters. 

THOR…well, the relationship was a bit unsubstantiated (it didn’t build, there was just attraction). And again, as much as I liked the actors…there just wasn’t enough story in the present.

THE GREEN LANTERN–It definitely explained HOW he came into being…it just didn’t give enough of what he did with the power (and the ultimate defeat of the villian is just plain silly).

I could also talk about PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN (#4) which I think is the best of all four movies. I like the relationships Jack has…like concentrating on HIS conflict. AND honestly, it’s another movie that deals with BACKSTORY.

Bottom line and the point of my post: When we read a book, we enjoy it at the time, and if it’s got the perfect blend of story-telling, characters, and plot…well, it sticks with us for a long time. That’s what authors strive for…to be remembered and live on every reader’s “keeper shelf”.

QUESTION FOR TODAY and I have three Intrigues to choose from for a commenter:  Which of the four movies did you like the best? OR just tell me about a movie that stuck with you.

~Angi
AngiMorgan.com

Hill Country Holdup & .38 Caliber Cover-Up
Harlequin Intrigues, available on-line

Confession: I was a size 22 one year ago. Now I’m a size 4.

Hawaii Oct 2009 -- not at my heaviest

January 2011 -- 96 pounds lighter

No one in the writing community has known me at this weight or size. It’s still taking a lot of adjustment for those around me…well, especially me. Considering that I’ve been overweight for 20 years, and seriously overweight for the past 15. I’ve lost 99 pounds (just can’t seem to reach 100). But that’s another story. 

As part of my weight loss journy, I’ve been working on what *I* want from life. I’ve given a lot of myself away, concentrating on volunteering and being there for kids & family. A huge adjustment  for  those close to me is hearing me say, “No.”  (Which I’ve discovered really is a complete sentence and actually works most of the time.)

Along those lines–and the point of this post–is just how freaky the workings of the mind are…espcially for those of us wired as writers. I used to have to bribe myself with writing time. After I finished my volunteer work, I could write. Well…it’s not like that any more. I promise myself I’ll write first every day. But don’t. The volunteer activities are getting fewer. So why am I not writing longer?

Hmmm…more thinking is required. Am I afraid of success? “Hell no.” Do you want to be successful? “Of course I do!” Then why don’t you think you deserve success? “Uhm…” More thinking required. More conversations. More analyzing: Why aren’t you writing? Final answer: “I don’t know.” 

Family, life, part-time work committments. All there, but just excuses. I had them before…I still managed to write, sell, volunteer, blog, write a new book, sell, promote. So what’s different? Why now? Why can’t I just write? 

Then it hit me . . . last week I was talking to a writing buddy and I couldn’t beleive the words I said to her: I associated writing with being over-weight. And if I wrote…I’d gain the weight back. Silly, right? But I’d never written any other way. I constantly put snacks in my mouth as I thought of the words to put onto the page. Selling was one of the things that made me decide to LOOSE the weight. I wanted to look good at author signings (ultimately, it was more about getting healthy and living longer–but again, that’s another story). 

Wow…have things changed this past week! Addressing this issue aloud has made all the difference. I’ve given myself a deadline and I’m working towards it. I’m finding ways to change those bad habits I had when I wrote. I’m developing ways to be creative and yet HEALTHY!  It can be done. I WILL find a way. 

So any suggestions? When changing a bad habit…what do you do? 

~~Angi 

AngiMorgan.com

Joe Fox: You know, sometimes I wonder…
Kathleen Kelly: What?
Joe Fox: Well… if I hadn’t been Fox Books and you hadn’t been The Shop Around the Corner, and you and I had just, well… met…
Kathleen Kelly: I know.
Joe Fox: Yeah. I would have asked for your number, and I wouldn’t have been able to wait twenty-four hours before calling you and saying, “Hey, how about… oh, how about some coffee or, you know, drinks or dinner or a movie… for as long as we both shall live?”
Kathleen Kelly: Joe…
Joe Fox: And you and I would have never been at war. And the only thing we’d fight about would be which video to rent on a Saturday night.
Kathleen Kelly: Well, who fights about that?
Joe Fox: Well, some people. Not us.
Kathleen Kelly: We would never.
Joe Fox: If only.

(Want to watch the scene >http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZVHxTtyP35w&feature=related<  I can’t embed it…but you can watch Tom at his best.)

If you aren’t familiar with the above lines, you should catch a viewing of YOU’VE GOT MAIL with Tom Hanks & Meg Ryan.  This happens to be one of my favorite lines of all times. Something I strive to write one day.  “If I wasn’t…for as long as we both shall live.”  What a great line by Nora Ephron.

And of course, there’s, “You had me at hello” from JERRY MCGUIRE written by Cameron Crowe.

Got any favorite lines?

~~Angi