Oscars 2015: Best Picture Reviews - Selma

Wow, 2014 was an awesome year for film. There's been a lot of complaining that the Oscar nominees aren't diverse enough, but I think it's less about diversity and more about having such an exceptional pool to draw from in selecting nominees. I mean, the Best Picture nominees couldn't be more different and they address everything from mental illness to civil rights to homosexuality to ALS.

Selma is the kind of movie that, in other years, sweeps through the awards season collecting a million awards. It is well-acted, well-directed, well-written, engaging, and an interesting look at a major event in our history. Somehow it came out of the nominations without being a leading contender, but it's not an argument against the film. Instead, it's really a testament to the incredible film making that 2014 brought us.

This is the story of Martin Luther King, Jr. (I find it so strange that this is the first big movie about him!), but not of his entire role in the Civil Rights Movement. Instead, it's the story of Selma, Alabama, the march to Montgomery, and King's push to get the Voting Rights Act signed by President Johnson.

Nature Box Review: February 2015

Oh, Nature Box, how I love you! I get so happy when I see your box on my porch!

If you are not familiar with how Nature Box works, they have tons of snacks available, which you add to your pantry. Then, in typical subscription box fashion, they mail you a box each month complete with the top five items on your pantry list. If you have nothing listed, they will surprise you. You can change your pantry any time before shipment, too, so if you get a sudden craving for something, just sign in, move it into your pantry and to the top, and it will be on its way. You can also add extra snacks if you like for $3 each. We added a sixth bag this month, as you will see.

Wantable Accessories Review: February 2015 #2

I really like Wantable and I've been so happy with their collections that every time I get one, I am tempted to order another right away! I am going to wait to get a March one rather than ordering a third February collection, though.

For my preferences, I try to change them a bit for each order, since I don't want to get sunglasses more than a couple times a year or too many hair accessories. I am basically always happy with jewelry and scarves, and my boxes are heavily necklace-based, because I love long necklaces. 

Oscars 2015: Best Picture Reviews - Whiplash

One of the last nominees, Whiplash, is such an interesting pick. Coming from a background in theatre and art, I have mixed feelings about the film and have a hard time deciding who is the hero and who's the villain. I think that's part of the point, of course.

This is the kind of movie you randomly see and then the Oscars come and spend all their nominations on a Lord of the Rings movie and you wonder what is happening. It's intense, engaging, and driven by nothing more than a great story and intriguing characters. It's really the story of two men and the film was shot in 19 days, because it's simple in many ways. On the other hand, there is so much happening that would go missing if you weren't paying attention.

The Teacher's Box Review: January 2015

I signed up for The Teacher's Box late in January and then there were a bunch of snowstorms, which is why I am posting my review of January's box so late! The Teacher's Box is a subscription box for teachers of all grade levels, and that's exactly why I chose to sign up for this one. My husband teaches high school English and I wanted to get him some treats for his classroom. I used to teach, too, before getting into my current work, and I also have a sister who teaches. So I am aware of how much teachers spend on supplies and how nice it is to get little classroom products sent to you. However, the only other subscription box like this is Elementary Box, and my husband doesn't have any use for things for kids. Most of his students are juniors and seniors, so they really don't (at least hopefully) need flashcards and such. 

What I loved about this box is that the supplies weren't just useful for him, but they were all things he can use, if that makes sense. What I mean is that everything can be brought to his classroom, but he's pretty well stocked on cleaning supplies and wet wipes through his school, so I can hang onto those for us at home. In fact, the Shout to Go wipes, wet wipes, and first aid kit are all products I buy every time we travel, so now we have them on hand!

Wine Awesomeness Review: February 2015 (with deal to get your own first box for only $15!)

Sometimes, I am just easily swayed by deals. I saw a deal to get the first box from Wine Awesomeness for only the cost of shipping, and I signed right up. Of course, I drink maybe three glasses of wine a year, so I have no business subscribing to a wine box. But deals are deals.

I don't what to praise first - the incredible customer service at Wine Awesomeness or the amazing wine! To start, let me say that since I don't drink much wine, I intended to try this box and cancel, because three bottles of wine will last me forever. (Literally forever, I think.) But I wanted to try it to offer a review, because I know there are lots of wine lovers out there. So as soon as the box shipped, I canceled. Later that day, I got an email from Logan, the CEO of Wine Awesomeness, who wanted to know if there was something they could have improved to retain my business. Okay, first of all, all subscription boxes need to take a note from Logan. Sure, there are lots of us who maybe try boxes when there are deals, but there are others who find that the boxes are just subpar and it's really good business to pay careful attention to what customers have to say. They, after all, make or break your business model in the end.

So I admitted to Logan that I am just not much of a wine drinker and I can't imagine I could drink three bottles in a month. Wine Awesomeness also offers the option for you to get boxes quarterly instead and I may consider that if I end up drinking three bottles in three months. But I told him that there was really nothing they did, and that I simply didn't drink enough for it to make sense (for the record, it costs $45 for a shipment - which is $15 a bottle and beyond reasonable). Instead of making a sales pitch and convincing me I needed to drink more wine, Logan instead asked for the blog address - and then provided us with this special link so that you, as readers, could get your first box for only $15 (free - but you pay shipping, which is normally included)! I was so impressed and honestly flattered, because they don't have to do anything, but chose to even after I canceled.

Anyway, on to the wine, so you can decide that you definitely want to try this (because, seriously, the deal is awesome and the wine is even better).

Oscars 2015: Best Picture Reviews - Boyhood

I want to be clear about something. There is a huge difference between a gimmick and a risk. There's a lot of animosity towards Boyhood right now because it's getting such rave reviews and critics are saying people are just being suckered by its gimmick. However, this film easily deserves every bit of praise it has earned. It's currently the first film in nearly 15 years to have a 100% on Metacritic. Although that doesn't necessarily mean much, it's evident that people are impressed by something more than the fact that the film took 12 years to make.

This is the story of a boy, Mason, from the age of 5 until he turns 18 and heads off to college. Director Richard Linklater could have easily used several actors to play Mason at varying ages and used makeup on parents Ethan Hawke and Patricia Arquette to show aging. It's done all the time. However, he instead decided to find a five-year-old actor, invest in his life, and shoot footage every year for 12 years. The risk is phenomenal. What if the actor, Ellar Coltrane, went through some kind of weird puberty and suddenly couldn't act? What if he didn't want to? What if something terrible happened to him, or Linklater, or any of the film's stars? What if the money ran out? There are so many reasons no one does this when making a movie, and so many reasons why it's incredible that the film turned out the way it did.

Product Review by Boxy: Lavender Eye Pillow

My entire job is based on the computer, so I spend a lot of my life staring at a screen. Needless to say, it doesn't do much for my eyes and I often find them tired and achy by the end of the week. I also don't sleep all that well, so I jumped at the chance to review the Lavender Eye Pillow from Eye Pillow Vacation.

I selected a turquoise pillow because I liked the color and it's also bright enough that it would stand out when I was looking for it. It arrived quickly after I ordered and I could smell the lavender before I even got the package open! (If you don't like scented products, there is an option for an unscented pillow.)