"The Facebook movie" actually looks good!

Check it out! When I heard they were making a "Facebook movie," like most people I thought it was going to be some silly teen flick where the main character's life is flung wildly out of control by Facebook, a la Patrick Dempsey in "Can't Buy me Love." OK, maybe I'm the only person who thought that, but regardless, it turns out that "The Social Network" is actually about the founding of Facebook, which is an interesting story, and it takes place in Boston when I was going to college there, so double win.

Honestly, this cover of Creep alone kind of makes me want to see it:

Welcome to the summer of Liz's discontent

What a crap year for summer movies. Last night I was considering going to my local cineplex to see what Hollywood had to offer, and there was seriously nothing worth the cost of entry.

No.

Here is what was playing:

Get Him to the Greek: Jonah Hill annoys me and my jury is still out on Russell Brand.

Knight and Day: I have actually considered seeing this, because it includes a chase scene through Boston, but reviews have been bad.

The A-Team: I seem to remember the A-Team riding around in a van. Ads for this movie had them jumping out of airplanes into helicopters. Haven’t you warped my childhood enough, Hollywood?

The Last Airbender: Time to hang it up, M. Night.

Twilight: Eclipse: One of these days I am probably going to break down and get into Twighlight. But not today. Not today!!!

Toy Story 3: I’ve actually heard good things about this, but I still haven’t seen Toy Story 2, so …

Grown Ups: This will be my hell.

Splice: While I do heart Adrien Brody, I don’t heart craptastic horror.

The Karate Kid: See my feelings on The A-Team.

I saw this coming, of course. Back in May, I read a summer movie preview and realized there was almost nothing I wanted to see. But I’m still a bit slack jawed at the festering garbage dump that is this year’s summer season. I saw an art house flick called Winter’s Bone that was pretty good, but in typical art house fashion it’s a small movie and a total downer. I like my summer movies to be big and loud but also entertaining and inventive. Most of these movies go the “big” and “loud” parts right, but little else.

Maybe this fall will bring better fare. Oh, what’s that you say? The fall lineup includes a seventh Saw movie and the third installment in the Meet the Parents saga called Little Fockers? That’s it. I’m moving to France.

OMFG FINAL HARRY POTTER TRAILER!

Well it's here friends, the first look at the the final installment of the Harry Potter movies. Trully the end of an era. In its infinite greed, Hollywood has decided to stretch the end of that era over an 8 month period, but whatevs.

This is the trailer for the two part "Deathly Hallows" film. I wasn't crazy about the film version of the "Half Blood Prince" - the whole thing felt rushed and flat. Since the book version of "Deathly Hallows" touched my soul, I hope they shapen up for the last go 'round. Judging by the insanely over the top operatic music in the background here, I think we're off to a good start.

Top 5: Movies About Loneliness

Over the weekend, Liz and I saw Greenberg, the new Noah Baumbach film starring Ben Stiller. I liked it. I laughed...I didn't cry...but it was better than Cats! Mostly, it's about loneliness and I freaking love movies about loneliness...so here's my list of the top 5 films about loneliness (how many times can I write loneliness?):

5. Fight Club - A film about a man so lonely, he [SPOILER ALERT!] invents an alternate persona to hang out with. And what a persona it is.

4. Up in the Air - George Clooney has a lot of single-serving friends. He doesn't really connect with anyone...until he does...though, in the end, nothing really changes. He's got no one in his backpack...and he likes it that way.

3. About a Boy - Another movie about a man who loves his solitude. He's f*cking Ibiza! But it takes a lonely boy to show Will (Hugh Grant) he's really a 38 year-old boy himself and maybe happiness (not hell) is other people.

2. The Station Agent- A lonely dwarf, a grieving mother and a bored Cuban come together to form their own alternative family. I would give up...something...to be a part of that family. Mostly in hopes of shagging Bobby Cannavale.

1. Lost in Translation - The ultimate (in my mind) film about loneliness. No one does it better than Sophia Coppola. With this and The Virgin Suicides and Marie Antoinette, Sophia is, like, the patron saint of lonely people. And god bless her for that.

This post is terrible and rambling and full of things that only make sense in my mind, but you should still leave a comment and tell us your favorite movie about loneliness, mkay?

Randomness Friday

- I picked two of the biggest upsets in the first round of the NCAA tournament – Old Dominion and Ohio. Unfortunately, I had them each on different brackets, and on one brackett I had Marquette going really far. Wah wah

- I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: Lady Gaga’s music is generic and disposable, but I would still like to be reincarnated as a parrot that lives on her shoulder.

- Yesterday I took a personal day for no real reason. I highly recommend everyone try to do that at least once a year. You know those people who you see drinking beer on restaurant patios at 2:00 on a weekday, making you wonder, “Don’t those jerks have jobs?” Well, I got to be one of them!

- There’s a certain type of girl who just f*cking loves Regina Spektor no matter what the haters say. I am one of them.

- The new Titus Andronicus album is good. They don’t sound the way you’d expect a band called Titus Andronicus to sound. They’re kind of a mixture of The Walkmen, the Hold Steady and Conor Oberst’s rock stuff. Good times.

- I’ve been watching a lot of old movies lately. Hepburn and Tracy really did have amazing onscreen chemistry. It kind of refutes Joey’s theory from Friends that you can't have good acting chemistry with people you’re actually sleeping with in real life.

- Even if Gerard Butler promised to make out with me afterward (and I got the OK from my boyfriend), I still don't think I would see The Bounty Hunter.

- My Mom told me Mad Men is coming back on March* 21. Is that true, or is she confusing it with Breaking Bad?

* I originally wrote May 21 by accident.

Well, maybe ...

Your Weekend in Pop Culture (Vol. 2)

Here's the part where we sporadically tell you what you to do with yourself over the weekend:

Oh yeah, I pah-k'd my cah wickid hah'd

Friday

Shutter Island: Marty Scorsese' latest hits theatres. It takes place in Bah-stin, so expect wretched accent work, as well as thrills, chills, Red's nemesis, and Leo. Cat sounds!

Saturday

Go to a brewery: I will be visiting the Stone Brewery (and possibly Lost Abbey) in North County San Diego this weekend. This Web site will help you find craft breweries near your home town.

More Olympics: And more, and more and more! This weekend we got luge, skiing (of all varieties), bobsled, speed skating and your grandmother's favorite - ice dancing.

Sunday

New on DVD: Wind down the weekend with a movie at home. Newly released this week are A Serious Man, Couple's Retreat and The Time Traveler's Wife. I haven't seen any of those. I know Red liked A Serious Man.


There. Now put some pants on and get out of your house!

Add this to your Queue (or don't): In the Loop

I really liked this movie.

Red did not.

Rent it, decide what you think, and find out whether you're "a Liz" or "a Red"!

Your Weekend in Pop Culture

I'm thinking of trying this as a weekly thing. We'll see how that goes.

Here's what you should be doing this weekend (when you're not, you know, going outside and socializing and making out with your significant others you lucky bastards!!@!). Anyway...

Tonight!

Series Freaking Finale of Dollhouse - Oh, Tahmoh Penikett, I'll miss you so.

Second Episode of Caprica - The Battlestar Gallactica prequel had a promising first episode. Tonight, we finally see if it's really any good. (Christ, I'm a nerd.)

Tomorrow!

Jon Hamm on SNL - The second hottest person on Mad Men (behind C. Hend, natch) hosts for the second time. I might tune in. I heard he shaved his beard though. This gives Red a sad face :( She likes beards...a lot...

Sunday!

Go to the Movies - I'm thinking of seeing Sherlock Holmes or It's Complicated (don't you judge me!) or 44 Inch Chest or The White Ribbon. We'll see how the mood strikes me.

The Grammys - As Liz mentioned last week, there's some 3D element. I mean, obviously. Absolutely everything MUST be in 3D these days. It's like the 1950's all over again!

TBD!

Also, sometimes this weekend, Liz and I are getting together to record some music. So think lovely thoughts that all goes well and maybe I'll post our debut single here on Monday! The excitement never ends 'round these parts!

Happy weekend, friends!

Correction: Best Movies of 2009

Since we're making corrections around these parts, I need to amend my list of top films of the year. It should look like this...

10. Up
9. Star Trek
8. Fantastic Mr. Fox - Only Wes Anderson can make an animated movie so cool and hip. Hipster foxes? The cuss you say!
7. Zombieland
6. Food Inc.
5. Where the Wild Things Are
4. Up in the Air
3. Avatar - I have glimpsed the future and all I can say is, don't go back. Also, Sam Worthington, if you're reading this (and I'm sure you are!), I'd like to have 10,000 of your babies. Call me!
2. Hurt Locker
1. Inglorious Basterds

Thank you and good day.

Correction: Best Movies of the Decade

On a Dec. 18 post titled Best of the Decade: Movies, it was reported that Anchorman was Liz's #9 movie of the decade. However, it has recently come to light that Wet Hot American Summer was made not in 1999 as Liz thought, but in 2001. This means that Wet Hot was in fact Liz's favorite comedy of the decade, and not Anchorman as originally thought. Since the #9 spot was more or less reserved for Liz's favorite comedy of the last ten years, the laws of physics and blogging demand that Wet Hot American Summer replace Anchorman on said list.

Gingers is the Watchword regrets this error.

How could I miss this?

Best Movies Of 2009

The final Best Of list of the decade! Makes me a little…I dunno…nostalgic? Weepy? Excited? Something. It definitely makes me feel something. Here are my top movies of 2009. Note! I haven’t seen Avatar or The Fantastic Mr. Fox yet, both of which may very well deserve a place on this list, but we’ll all just have to deal with their absence, okay? Here we go…

10. (500) Days of Summer – The further away I got from this movie, the less I liked it. Zooey just really didn’t do it for me. Joseph Gordon-Levitt, however, rocked my world, so it makes it on my list.

9. Up – I rewatched this a few weeks ago and it’s still magical, but mostly I just like the talking dogs.

8. Star Trek – So much fun. Truly not my father’s Star Trek.

7. Precious – A tough movie about physical and sexual abuse. I saw it with my mom and nothing has ever made me feel so lucky to have her.

6. Zombieland – Funnier than The Hangover. Plus, Zombies. Hello!

5. Food Inc. – A disturbing look at food manufacturing in the US. Seriously, how scary is our food?! Can we please get back to eating things made by, like, the earth?

4. Where the Wild Things Are – Spike Jonze did a phenomenal job recreating one of the seminal works of my childhood. I don’t understand why more people didn’t check it out.

3. Up In the Air – A film for our times. Great performances, great story, great ending. Jason Reitman is well on his way to become one of the country’s great filmmakers.

2. The Hurt Locker – Another film for our times, I guess. A different slice of life in the Iraq war, packed with action and emotion. Jeremy Renner is, deservedly, finally on the radar.

1. Inglorious Basterds – I’m shocked to find this at the top of my list, really. When I saw it back in August, it blew me away, but I never thought it would be my favorite film this year. Just goes to show…QT is still a genius...and it was kind of a crap year at the movies.

Honorable Mentions: Away We Go, Julie & Julia, Adventureland, Every Little Step, District 9, A Serious Man

What you got?

Best of the Decade: Movies

Moving right along, our favorite movies of the decade...

Liz

10 Coffee and Cigarettes – OK, this pick is random, but I loved it. It’s a series of black and white vignettes with actors and musicians chatting over (you guessed it) coffee and cigarettes about odd topics. Cate Blanchett plays herself and her jealous cousin, Jack and Meg White discuss Nikola Tesla, Bill Murray serves coffee to the Wu Tang Clan, etc, etc. Probably not going to make a lot of “best of the decade lists,” but it was certainly a bright spot for me over the last few years.

9. Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy – This was a decade clogged with movies about hilariously immature men and the horrible, bitchy women with the gall to want them to grow up. What I love about Anchorman is that it seems to realize its idiot male characters are idiots, rather than role models to aspire to. That, and its got more laughs per minute that pretty much anything released in the last ten years. “Sixty percent of the time, it works every time.” Priceless.

8. Before Sunset – Before Sunrise was a little movie about an American backpacker and a young French woman spending a special night together in 1995 Vienna. In 2004, director Richard Linklater picked the story back up, with the two meeting again after 9 years. While the first film is cute, the second has an emotional heft you don’t expect, and Linklater’s growth as a director is on full display. Before Sunset is what happens to rom-com characters after the credits role.

7. Persepolis – This is a movie about a young woman coming of age in Iran while the country is turning into a theocratic tyranny, and somehow I strongly related to it. Apparently growing up sucks everywhere, no matter what. Good to know.

6. There Will be Blood – A look at the two biggest forces in American history - capitalism and religion – and what happens when they collide. Radiohead guitarist Johnny Greenwood’s score aptly sounds like the music for a horror movie.

5. No Country for Old Men – Javier Bardem personifies death (and maybe the devil) itself as he stalks Josh Brolin across the southwest in this Cohen Brothers masterpiece. Who knew death looked like the Little Dutch Boy? Intense, funny and frightening, this was one of the most deserving Best Picture winners of the decade.

4. Kill Bill (I count Vols. I and II as one film. Suck it). In both sending up and paying homage to action movies of every stripe, Quentin Tarantino endows the violence with the kind of feeling and artistry that we’re not used to seeing in our roaring rampages or revenge. I guess it takes a woman’s touch.

3. Lost in Translation – Two adrift souls find each other in Tokyo, and discover confusion isn’t so bad when you’re not alone.

2. The Royal Tenenbaums – I love Wes Anderson as much as the next middle class college graduate, but sometimes his characters are less human beings than collections of affectations. In The Royal Tenenbaums, he struck the right balance, and made one of the greatest examinations of family I’ve ever seen.

1. Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind – Jim Carrey proves he can act without ACTING!, Kate Winslet shows us the dark side of the manic pixie dream girl, and the film as a whole makes us ponder the meaning of love, memory and everything else that matters.

Red

10. Sideways - Maybe it's because it takes place in California...or because it got me more interested in wine...or maybe it's because it let us all know just how amazing Paul Giamatti is, but I loved this story of love and friendship and wine and middle age. Endlessly watchable for the performances alone. I'm still not drinking any fucking Merlot!

9. Mean Girls - Everything about this movie is teen flick perfection. Penned by the genius Tina Fey, starring the pre-trainwrecky LiLo, and introducing us all to Rachel McAdams and Amanda Seyfried, it's one of my all time favorites.

8. High Fidelity - There are several irrefutable truths about me: 1. I love John Cusack with the fire of a thousand suns and 2. I will read just about anything Nick Hornby touches. Naturally, that makes HF a big hit in my heart. Plus, Johnny's love interest in the movie is named Laura...which may or may not have special significance to me. AND The Boss cameos! ALSO, Jack Black is hilarious. I think you get the point. This movie is awesome.

7. The Wes Anderson Collection - I tried (really I did) to choose one Wes Anderson film for this list, but I can't do it. I like them all equally. Even The Darjeeling Limited (which no one liked). Thank God this is my blog and I can do what I want!

6. The Station Agent - Who knew a movie about a dwarf, a grieving mother and a mouthy Cuban could be so damn entertaining and heartbreaking? Bonus points for Peter Dinklage and Bobby Cannavale looking so hott!

5. O Brother, Where Art Thou? - My favorite Coen movie of the decade (yes, I like it even more than NCFOM). It looks and sounds amazing, draws inspiration from Homer, and is really, really hilarious. Can't ask for more than that really.

4. The Dark Knight - Best. Comic book movie. Ever.

3. WALL-E - The star of a very bright Pixar galaxy and the best first half hour of cinema since Saving Private Ryan.

2. Lost in Translation - There is absolutely nothing I love more than movies about loneliness and no movie has ever captured it better. Sofia Coppola is a genius and I think we all thank God for Scarlett Johansson.

1. Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind - I've seen this at the top of several Best of the Decade lists...especially those complied by 20/30-something bloggers. Charlie Kaufman and Michel Gondry obviously tapped into something profound and universal. And, like Liz said, the performances by Jim Carrey and Kate Winslet are just perfection.

Honorable Mentions - 28 Days Later, 4 Months 3 Weeks and 2 Days, The Departed, Once, Shawn of the Dead, Bowling for Columbine, The 40 Year-Old Virgin, Memento, Children of Men, Moulin Rouge

So, there's our 2 cents. Your thoughts on a decade of movies?

Some Bullet Points or Whatever

I currently have a serious case of the Christmas humbugs which is caring over to general humbuggedness (humbuggery?) in all aspects of life. Here's the thing: I am the worst gift giver in the universe. I apparently gave my dad Ghostbusters on DVD two Christmases in a row (an act I have no memory of, but about which my family teases me every year) and I literally lost sleep over this year's gifts last night. I just put too much pressure on myself to get "the perfect thing" when really I should just say, "Screw you guys! I'll get you what I want," but apparently that's not very Christmas spirity or whatever. So, I'm a grumpasaurus and you all suffer the consequences. I'm sorry...I don't want it to be this way...I just don't see any other option! Anyway, here are some talking points for your water coolers this morning/afternoon:

• Golden Globe nominations are out. When will House and Entourage stop being nominated? At least True Blood and Glee made the cut. Oh, and apparently we all need to see Avatar now. It better be effing good, James Cameron!
• I went to bed at 7:30 last night and missed The Sing Off (though I did DVR it). What's wrong with me?!?
• My Fantasy Football teams went 4 for 4 this weekend and I'm now in the black. So, that's something to be happy about. We're all rooting for a Packers/Chargers Super Bowl, right?

How about you? How are you feeling about this holiday season? Do you still love House and it's predictable plot lines? Did you stay awake for The Sing Off? And do you want to see me win this fantasy league or not? Selfish...

The List: Vol. 5

I know things have been rather pathetic around these parts lately. I can't guarantee they'll improve, but you should totally keep visiting anyway (I am a terrible salesperson). Here, though, are 5 things I'm digging at the moment:

Movie: An Education - While perhaps not as great as some critics would have you believe, this Nick Hornby penned film is a nice evening at the (movie) theater. Carey Mulligan IS as good as the critics say, but Peter Sarsgaard's accent is atrocious (I really don't understand why they didn't cast an actual Brit). Also, it's set in the 60's which is so hot right now. See it now if you are one of those people who like to see all the Oscar nominated films (buzz has it Mulligan will be nominated) or wait for DVD if you have an actual life.

TV: Parks and Recreation - The Amy Poehler vehicle kicked it up a notch this season and people are finally on board. I'd just like to point out I liked this show last season...when everyone else said it wasn't funny. I'm a trendsetter people. Ya better recognize!

Book: Armageddon in Retrospect by Kurt Vonnegut - A posthumously published collection of his stories of WWII. Funny, touching, scary...classic Vonnegut.

Music: It's Not Me, It's You by Lily Allen - I didn't much care for Lily's first breakthrough album, but this follow up is awesome. Still listening to it like crazy, what? Nearly a year after it's release? Good stuff.

Sports: San Diego Chargers - Not that I'm biased or anything, but we do have the best team song ever.

The List: Vol. 4

Some things I've been digging lately...

Movie - The Hurt Locker: The story of bomb dismantlers in Iraq starring the hotness that is Jeremy Renner. I enjoyed the character development...which is actually minimal. Really, the film is about American heroes doin' work. And who would have guessed the best action director in America would be female? Grrl Powa!!! I don't think this is still in theaters, so look for it on DVD soon.

TV - Curb Your Enthusiasm: Christ almighty is Larry David hilarious. The Seinfeld cast begins showing up this week. I can't wait!

Book - The Girls from Ames by Jeffery Zaslow: The real life story of 11 women who've been friends since childhood, growing up in the small town of Ames, Iowa. It made me laugh and cry and realize how special friendships between women truly are.

Music - Phoenix: Liz hooked me up recently with 2 albums by this French pop band and I Cannot. Stop. Listening.

Blog - APOCALYPSTICK: I've spent the entire morning reading the hilarious posts by this would be actress in LA (errr...I mean, I've been working super hard, boss!). Seriously funny stuff. Che-che-che-che-check it out...on non-company time, obvs.

Go See This: Big Fan

Patton Oswalt’s a funny guy. So when he does a movie about a sad little man who’s life revolves around making comedically hyperbolic phone calls to a local sports talk radio show about his beloved New York Giants, you’d think it’d be hilarious right?

But Big Fan is not a comedy. Its funny, but the humor comes out of just how serious Oswalt’s character, Paul, takes himself and his nightly screeds. It’s about what its like to have your life completely and thoroughly revolve around a sports team; a sports team that doesn’t know you exist, but which you wouldn’t exist without.

It’s a great movie period, but if you’ve ever spent even five minutes listening to sports talk radio, you’ll wonder why it took this long for someone to make this movie in the first place.

Paul is in his mid to late 30s, works in a parking garage and lives with his mother, but on the late night sports airwaves, he is an artist. He spends his time at work writing opuses about how the Giants are amazing, and the Philadelphia Eagles suck, and then reads them on the air at night, hoping listeners will think he’s coming up with it all off the cuff.

For a while, the movie just follows Paul around, showing how everyone is depressed about his life except him. It picks up speed when he and a friend have a chance encounter with Paul’s favorite player, and the encounter goes horribly wrong. Paul spends the rest of the film trying (and failing) to deal with the fallout.

Big Fan was written and directed by the guy who wrote The Wrestler, and it has some of the same tragic-comic overtones. I’d imagine Patton Oswalt will get some Oscar buzz for his performance, but I’d shocked if he wins. Not because his performance is bad – on the contrary, it’s amazing. But it’s amazing because it’s so real. There’s not a whole lot of the “ActING!” that the Academy likes to honor. Paul is just a schlub who gets all his self-worth from a football team he can’t even afford to see live.

Does he take it to extreme levels? Sure. But I think anyone’s who’s ever worn a team jersey or hat well into adulthood can sympathize, if only just a little.

Rank: Quentin Tarantino*

*[You might want to check out the Writer's Note at the end of this before reading]

I finally saw Inglorious Basterds over the weekend. Like Coen Brothers movies, whenever I see a new Quentin Tarantino film, I have a compulsive need to compare it to his others. With apologies to Grindhouse (because I didn’t see it), here’s how I would rank Tarantino's movies:

5. Jackie Brown – Chronically underrated. Even though I’m putting it at #5, this is still an awesome movie. It should have done to Pam Greer’s career what Pulp Fiction did for Travolta.

4. Inglorious Basterds – I really enjoyed this movie, but my worst fears came true: A summer full of people telling me it’s the MOVIE OF THE YEAR!!!! set the bar too high, and I couldn’t help but nitpick it a little. I’d like to see it again, a second viewing may bump it into third place, ahead of ….

3. Reservoir Dogs – The movie that taught the world how - with good writing and the right soundtrack - extreme violence could be transformed into high art. In other words, the movie that introduced the world to Tarantino.

2. Kill Bill Vols. I & II – I count these movies as one film, as they were originally intended to be. Alone, they are decent, though certainly lower on the list. Together, I think they’re something akin to a masterpiece. I know not a lot of people disagree with me. Those people should get their wrongness looked at.

1. Pulp Fiction – Still the gold standard. Who would have thought Rashomon and 1970s kitsch could mash up so well? Infinitely re-watchable and quotable, I’m not sure Tarantino will ever out-do Pulp Fiction. And he doesn’t need to.

What do you guys think?

* Writer's Note: So, I just realized Red did a really similar post to this like, a month ago. (And when I say "really similar," I mean basically the same thing. (Well, not exactly the same, because she included films he just wrote, and her order was different. But still)). I wish I could use the, "Hey, I don't read this blog," excuse, but I can't, because I do. I apologize for the redundancy, and I hope we can all still be friends. Red will be back to protect me from myself next week.

Top 5: Quentin Tarantino Movies

Inglourious Basterds comes out today and in honor of QT's latest flick, here are my Top 5 QT films:


5. Kill Bill: Vol. 1 - Yes, I know the 2 parts make one whole movie, but I way preferred this homage to Samurai movies over the David Carradine heavy, spaghetti western-esque Vol. 2.

4. Natural Born Killers - NBK brought together two of my favorite Hollywood filmmakers...Tarantino and Oliver Stone. QT is only responsible for the story here, but what a story it is.

3. Reservoir Dogs - Tarantino's first big thing, many people consider it his best work. While I totally enjoyed it, it's #3 on my list.

2. True Romance - Penned by QT and directed by Tony Scott, this is one of my all time favorites. Christian Slater totally peaked in 1993. Bonus points for a pre-Sopranos James Gandolfini.

1. Pulp Fiction - To say this movie changed my life could be an overstatement, but it's not. It sparked my love of film and Tarantino. I even drew a totally awesome rendition of the Jack Rabbit Slims scene and I don't draw!!! Absolutely in my top films of all time.

I'll be headed to the theater this weekend to see where Inglourious Basterds lands on the list. What about you?

Top 5: Harry Potter Characters We'd Most Like to Snog

As I mentioned yesterday, it's Harry Potter week! Liz and I kicked off the celebration by crushing all comers at our local pub trivia contest where this week's quiz finished with an all Harry Potter section (it was really too easy). And here at The Watchword, I thought we'd start things off as we usually do...lusting after people who don't actually exist. Here now are the 5 dreamiest Potter characters (as determined by me):

Oliver Wood - Captain of the Gryffindor Quidditch team in the first 3 books, Wood can be a bit of a task master, but his good looks and Scottish accent make up for all his faults.

Viktor Krum - I'm a sucker for Eastern European dudes, even if they are a bit dim. Hailing from rival school Durmstrang, Krum is a superstar in the Quiddich world before he's even out of school. Tall, dark, handsome and athletic. Yes, please! (Bonus points for the adorable way he utters Hermionie's name.)

Cedric Diggory - The king of Hogwarts during the Goblet of Fire, every dame wants to date Cedric and every dude wants to be him. Naturally, like all dudes, he has an Asian fetish. It doesn't hurt that he's played by dreamy Robert Pattinson in the movies (I like his hair in that picture. Shut up). Gone too soon. RIP!!!

Remus Lupin - He's a werewolf. Does it get sexier than that?

Bill Weasley - Reportedly, the dreamiest of the Weasley clan, Bill works with dragons and bags Fleur Delacour. Plus, he's a ginger. You didn't think I'd make a list and not include a ginger, did you?

Your own picks in the comments.

Don't look at me like that. You know I love you both, too.

Happy Harry Potter Week!!!

In case you live under a rock and have not been ogling Daniel Radcliffe and/or Emma Watson (depending on your persuasion) for the past few weeks, Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince movie comes out this week! We here at The Watchword are serious fans so we're dedicating the entire week to the magical peeps at Hogwarts. Get ready! More to follow...