If anyone was born to be queen than it would be crown princess Victoria of Sweden. Born in 1979, Victoria was not the original heir to the throne. Due to the primogeniture laws at the time, that honor was given to her younger brother. However, a few days after he was born, the law was changed and now the oldest child would ascend to the throne, regardless of their gender. Since then, Victoria has dedicated her life to her country and to her people.
In 1996, though, it was revealed that Victoria was suffering from anorexia due to the intense stress of royal duties and living in the public spotlight. Her condition had gotten so severe, that she moved to California to get treatment and attended college at Yale University. While there, Victoria was able to live an anonymous life as well as taking better care of herself. At that time, it was unheard of for a royal to admit to a personal health disorder, especially one as severe as anorexia
Victoria in 1996-1997 when she suffered from anorexia
Fast forward to 2001 and Victoria has returned home, healthier and decides to hit up a gym. There she meets Daniel Westling, the handsome gym owner who becomes her personal trainer. Pretty soon the media catches on that the crown princess has a new boyfriend....and they are not thrilled and neither is Victoria's father. Daniel was a gym owner, a commoner, middle class management. There was no way he could fit into royal life.
Victoria and Daniel kept their relationship out of the public eye as much as possible, but it was hard with the press constantly hounding Victoria on where her real loyalties lie. Overtime, Daniel won over the family and the people when they saw how much more confident Victoria was when she was with him. His relaxed nature and likable personality was noticeable and he seemed to be someone who can handle royal duties very well.
On February 2009, Daniel received permission from the royal court to ask Victoria to marry him (this is common procedure in several royal families). And on June 19, 2010, Crown Princess Victoria and Daniel Westling were married and were given the titles of the Duke and Duchess of Västergötland.
Victoria and Daniel with their children, Princess Estelle and Prince Oscar
Victoria and Daniel have two children. Princess Estelle, Duchess of Östergötland (February 23, 2012) and Prince Oscar, Duke of Skåne (March 2, 2016). Crown Princess Victoria is one of most respected royals of her generation. She has balanced traditional beliefs with modern day thinking and has become an inspiration for girls and women all over the world. She and Daniel often appear together at royal engagements and both are renown for their tireless charity work in Sweden. They are wonderful representations of a modern day royals and a modern royal family.
Christmas cookie making - 2014
Decorating the Christmas tree - 2014
Christmas baking - 2015 (Victoria is pregnant with Oscar)
While most people know who Michael Corleone is (the third son of the first Godfather, Vito Corleone, who took over the family's illegal crime business when Vito died), there is the constant question of what Michael Corleone is.
Is he a hero for taking over the family business?
An anti-hero for killing to save the one's he loves?
A villain for his cruel tactics and manipulation?
A sinner, yes; a saint, definitely not.
While Michael Corleone may be a plethora of characteristic contradictions, there is no denying that he is a tortured soul who longs for redemption. There is something about Michael that tends to magnetically draw people to him. Many people might be able to relate to him. The odd child that never fit it, the son desperate to leave, sometimes perceived as the runaway or the prodigal.
Michael lives in the shadow of his oldest brother Sonny, whom he can never seem to match in personality. He is close to his second older brother Fredo, but Fredo's fragile nature sometimes seems too shallow for Michael. Then there is Constanza or Connie, the only daughter, the spoiled little sister who gets what she wants and sometimes gets what she may not deserve. At the center of all of this is Michael's loving, but sometimes distant mother, and his extraordinary and beloved father, Vito who is worshiped and feared by everyone who knows him.
The Corleone family is lively and there is no shortage of love and drama to go around. Yet, that is not what Michael wants. He doesn't want his father's family, he wants to make his own. Michael longs for independence, freedom and his own identity; not just to be seen as Don Vito's third son. So when the Japanese hit Pearl Harbor, Michael enlists for the Marines that very day, causing conflict from his father, Sonny and Tom (Michael's adopted brother).
Michael Corleone throughout the years
Michael hoped that with the ending of the war would come the beginning of his independence from his family, but things go very differently. As "The Godfather" progresses you see the once happy, charming young man with hopes and dreams begin to descend into his father's underworld and that descent comes with may prices. When there is an assassination attempt on his father's life, Michael is called back home to help his family.
Eventually, he gets himself embroiled in a Mafia war that has him exiled to Sicily where he meets and marries beautiful young girl, Apollonia. Just when Michael believes he is finally happy and able to live as he sees fit, the family business finds him and destroys all his hopes of family and that is where any chance of Michael's independence ends.
While the reader (or viewer) may pity Michael's lot in having to run the family business, the man manages to justify every mean he uses to control the business. Michael lost his own independence and dreams of success, so the only way he can get them back is by using the family business that he was once running away from and create his own successful life within it. Success means murder, lying, cheating, bribing and manipulating your way into the highest seat of power. If Michael wants power than he will have it. If he wants justice than he will obtain it.
The Corleone family in happier times -- 1958, Lake Tahoe, Nevada
All Michael really has at the end of the day is his wife (who leaves him) and his children, Anthony and Mary. During the second film, it was obvious that Michael preferences his son over his daughter. However, in the third film, we get the understanding that Michael's past sins has caused his son to distance himself from his father and leave him. That opens up Michael's relationship with his daughter whom he believes he has neglected in lieu of the family business. Mary hopes now that she will get the love and affection that she has craved her whole life for from her father.
Happiness is never a certainty with Michael Corleone and in the end he has saved the family, but loses the most precious thing in his life. His daughter. The little girl he could have spent a little more time with is ripped from his life and he will never recover from his grief.
The repetitive theme of 'how far do you go for the ones you love?' is consistent throughout Michael's life. While he may be a hero to some, a villain to others, and an anti-hero to a larger majority, Michael Corleone was a man who, in the beginning, was trying to forge his own life. While Michael Corleone was no saint, he was not entirely evil either. An extraordinary greatness is thrust upon him and all he can do is carry his family as best as he can and live life as well as he is able.
I may just need to admit to the fact that I am a fan of vampires. Ok. Said it : ) I blame The Vampire Diaries and The Originals, (even though I stopped watching The Vampire Diaries...it was just getting too crazy.) and even Twilight which is very good, if you leave out Bella and Edward. However, before Twilight or The Vampire Diaries, Joel Schumacher's 1987 cult film, The Lost Boys, paved the way for the idealized pop culture vampires we have today.
Before Lost Boys. vampires were primarily adults who were centuries old and lived in hiding. They had never been a bunch of rocker bad boys who partied and joked around. Since 1987, the vampire mythology has changed and now vampires are young, beautiful and complicated. The movie still has a huge following and I can now call myself one of those followers.
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Michael and Sam Emerson
Jason Patric as Michael Emerson and Corey Haim as Sam Emerson
Newly divorced. Lucy Emerson and her teenage sons, Michael and Sam, have moved from Phoenix to Santa Carla, California to start a new life. Santa Carla, considered the murder capitol of America, is filled with punks, burnt out hippies and low lives, but there's a party every night on the beach, so how can it be that bad? When Michael Emerson meets a beautiful young girl named Star at a concert one night, he falls hard for her.
However, Star isn't alone and she introduces Michael to David and his biker gang. Michael is a reasonable person, but he is desperate to stay with Star and follows the guys to their caved in hotel on the beach. While there, Michael's whole life is turned into madness and chaos, and all he has to depend on is his younger brother to get him out of trouble as well as save their family.
Michael Emerson: While searching reviews for this film, I read from several viewers that Michael Emerson was the Edward Cullen of the 80's. Also that Jason Patric's performance as Michael was boring and anemic, especially compared to Kiefer Sutherland's breakthrough performance as the evil vampire leader, David. However, I find neither one of those to be true at all! I though Michael was a great character (not a hint of Edward Cullen in him at all!!).
What I loved the most about Michael is that oftentimes in movies where teenagers are in a divorce situation, you always have the one kid that is moody, angry, the whole world hates me and does everything in their power to make everyone miserable. Michael was the absolute polar opposite of that.
He is very supportive and even defensive of his mother and seemed content with moving. Michael adores his younger brother Sam and is fiercely protective of him. He is a genuinely good guy, who is compassionate, honest and loves deeply (reminds you of another favorite vampire of mine?). And it's those qualities that prevents Michael from self-destruction and remaining a decent humane person.
Sam Emerson: I loved Sam!!! He crazy, he's a dork, but an ever so lovable dork. A proper geek who knows comic books like a pastor knows the Bible (at least most do). Sam is his own individual person who doesn't care what people think about him. While trailing through a comic book store, Sam meets Edgar and Allen Frog, who believe in truth, justice and the American way...and defending the world from monstrous vampires. When Michael begins to go off the deep end, Sam enlists the help of the eccentric Frog brothers to save them. Sam also provided the comic relief for the film and some of his dialogue is just gold.
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The Lost Boys & Star
. The hardest thing about the Lost Boys is that they are all so damn likeable in the beginning, you find it hard to hate them. While they're vampires, they also retain fun loving and charismatic demeanor of regular teenagers. David, their leader, is as charming as he is cruel and if he wants something (or someone), he will stop at nothing to get it. His boys, Paul, Dwayne and Marko are loyal to a fault to him, while his two new recruits, 10 year old Laddie and Star are still half-vampires and must kill to complete their transformations.
Star and Michael (A much better love story than Twilight)
Beautiful Star who is lonely and longs for love and affection, finds herself in a situation she can't get out of. Originally Michael was going to be Star's first kill so she could become a complete vampire, but she begins to fall in love with him and refuses to go through with it. Star's decision to maintain her humane nature has severe consequences and she and Laddie are put into extreme danger.
While Star gives the appearance of a delicate doll, she has an incredible strength of character that is brought out in her love for Laddie, with whom she is a mother figure. Star will do anything to keep the sweet little boy safe and would sacrifice herself to keep him alive. It's Star's love for Laddie (rather than just Michael) that made me appreciate her character so much.
However, it's hard not to fall in love with Michael Emerson, especially after being with David. Star's and Michael's love story was a sub-story because the film was more focused on the relationship with the Emerson brothers, but the romance was very well done. Not sappy or too sensual, even though there is a brief love scene (nothing graphic). One can really see how Star is desperate to be freed from David and the Lost Boys and how Michael values her safety more than his own.
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"Cry Little Sister" by G Tom Mac - The title song
(I found this rather strange seeing that no one in the story had a younger sister)
The movie has no shortage of 1980's campiness and if it proved one thing, it was that Kiefer Sutherland was one of the few people on the 80's that could properly rock the mullet. That being said, The Lost Boys was just a fun film. The horror isn't over done and there's a proper balance of drama and humor that carries throughout the story as well. I loved the characters, good and bad, and the character development in the leads were all very well written and acted.
Chances are, this movie is probably going to end up on my (already over flowing) DVD shelf. For someone who is pretty picky about horror/80's films, I would say that that after seeing The Lost Boys, I now understand why the film is as popular now as it was almost 30 years ago. It's campy, it's funny, with a little romance, well balanced horror, brave heroes (and a beautiful heroine), evil punk vampires and a bevy load of young unknown talent that was introduced. Yeah...typical 80's film that makes me wish I had been a teenager at that time.
