Weekly Buzzfeed Roundup

This week I found a new outlet for my love of pop culture. This week I started contributing to Buzzfeed through their Community Page.

And Oh. My. Gosh. I love the attention! It's like getting a bunch of gold stars when they put you on the front page! My love of movies and internet and tv feels validated! haha

But anyway, I realized that these posts were all things I would normally post on the blog here and felt bad so I decided to do a roundup of the articles I've posted so you can check them out.

First up was this post featuring Superfruits medley of Miley Cyrus songs. And before you mention it, yes, I realize that it's not a cappella. But I can't edit it now.

Next up was a list of 7 reasons you should watch 'Wish Upon a Star'. Because I LOVE Disney Channel original movies! And this was recently (re)added to Netflix. Now, if they would just add 'Brink' my life would be complete.

Last, but certainly not least, I posted this list of 10 life lessons to be learned from 'Now and Then'.  This one just went up last night so it's not as loved as the other posts. :( But it's number one in my heart. Seriously, I feel like too many people skip over this gem in their lists of ultimate girl group movies and that's a mistake. Now and Then was a defining film of my childhood and that's just fine!

New Music...Tuesday?

It's not Monday, but here's some new music anyway! Today I'm loving "Problem" by Ariana Grande. And you should be too.

Have you been hearing the phrase "Song of Summer" as much as I have lately? Because it's obnoxious. So, instead of me telling you that this song will be the song of the summer, I'll just tell you what it really is:

Problem is a fun song that makes you want to dance and has horns.

A lot of songs this year have horns. 

Horns. The sound of summer 2k14.

"School Hard" - The Great Buffy Rewatch of 2014

Previously on Buffy the Vampire Slayer:

We've actually only missed one episode together! And it was very monster of the week in that in involved a boy at Sunnydale reanimating his dead brother and then trying to create a zombie-esque GF for him. Obviously Cordelia was top of the list of body parts. Buffy saved the day though - so it's okay!

Onto today's episode. School Hard. It's a good one!!

Okay, we're going to try something a little different here. Instead of a stream of consciousness play by play of the episode I'm just going to watch it and write about it after. 

The episode revolves around Parent Teacher conferences, where Principal Snyder is intent on discussing Buffy with her mom. Idk if you knew this but Buffy is pretty much one of the "worst" students. To be fair, she does cut class all the time (to save the world). But if you view it from her teacher's standpoint, they rarely are at the Bronze hen bad stuff is happening so they don't know she's a hero. They probably do think she's just a crazy bad student.

this is the face of Sunnydale's worst student

So, Buffy spends the episode worrying about her Mom finding out she's a bad student (or worse - the Slayer). And also, planning the Parent Teacher Conferences with the other bad seed of Sunnydale - some girl named Sheila. She deals with her punishment by painting signs and trying really hard to impress everyone. It's actually pretty adorable how much she cares about her reputation. Oh, and did I mention that she covers for Sheila the dirtbag? She cares about other people's reputations too! (and in overalls no less)

More importantly though, this episode is our first introduction to Spike (and Drusilla). The new Big Bad in Sunnydale who (spoiler) will be around for a while. And this is an amazing intro episode for him. He banters with the annoying one and his lackies and asserts his dominance by offing him. That's right, Spike killed the Annointed One. Put him in a cage and showed him the sun. And oh, vowed to kill the Slayer.

True Love. and the new Big Bad!

But aside from showing his machismo, he also demonstrates a softer side when interacting with Drusilla, his lover. Interesting to note, Drusilla is insane. Like, bat shit crazy. Nothing she says makes any sense and it's pretty much amazing. For example, she talks to her dolls. And calls them cute names like "Miss Edith". And Spike just laps it up!

Important facts about Spike (that we learn in this episode at least):

• He's killed 2 slayers in the past
• According to Angel, once he sets his mind to something he doesn't give up
• He's barely 200 (practically a baby!)
• Oh, and he knows Angel well enough to call him Angelus
• BECAUSE ANGEL WAS HIS SIRE (meaning he made him)

She made lemonade. How is she bad?

So, anyway, the night of the Parent Teacher Conference comes and the Scoobies are preparing for Spike's attack (which he claims is going to be on Saturday) by reading and making weapons. Natch. And Buffy is trying to show her mom that she's doing well here in Sunnydale. But, obviously, vampires show up to ruin the day with Spike leading the charge! (lesson - Never trust a vampire to keep to a schedule) 

It's really an epic showdown. The power to the building is cut and people are scattered in different rooms all over. Buffy's crawling through the vents and dusting vampires all over the school. Until she comes to the end of the battle to face Spike one on one. Punches are thrown and Buffy has the upper hand. Until suddently she doesn't. 

This is where it get's good. Joyce (that's Buffy's mom) smacks Spike upside the head with an axe. It's very reminiscent of Molly Weasley in a whole "Not my daughter, you bitch" kind of way. She doesn't find out that Buffy is the Slayer and doesn't realize that vampires are real. But she showcases some seriously badassery.

Overall, it's a really solid episode. It's where the show demonstrates that it's coming into it's own and really finding it's voice. Everyone is getting their character fleshed out and you start loving even the sideline players. Plus, the annoying one is dead! Who cares what else happens!

Best Quotes:

"If every vampire who said he was at the Crucifixion was actually there, it would have been like Woodstock." - Spike

"Does anyone remember when Saturday night meant 'Date Night'?" - Xander

"You sure don't" - Cordelia

"You get the hell away from my daughter!" - Joyce (aka Buffy's Mom)

"When She Was Bad" - The Great Buffy Rewatch of 2014

If you recall, we just finished season 1 of Buffy in my last post. When we left off, the master (aka Fruit Punch mouth) was dead and the gang was happily headed off to the spring dance. Buffy died and came back. Angel is a vampire. The hellmouth has teeth.

Where do we go from here? 

Season 2 - Episode 1

It's only fitting to open the season in a cemetery. With a fun game of name the movie quotes between Xander and Willow. It's summertime and they've been watching for vampires in Buffy's absence. She's been in LA but there hasn't been any monster activity since the master's death apparently. Also, Buffy hasn't called them since she left...which is BULL SHIT. What a shitty friend that doesn't call her best friends all summer. But she's back now, so it's fine?

Willow and Xander spent the Summer almost kissing

Seems like the vamps got the memo that Buffy was back in town though because one showed up the second she arrived on the scene. They must have Buffy radar. Buff-dar.

Also of note, they buried the master by a tree while wearing robes and holding holy water. These kids lead a strange life. Meanwhile, Buffy spent the summer partying and shopping with her dad, so that's nice.

So, we're back on Sunnydale High's campus and we're introduced to a new character - Principal Snyder. He's a weasely little man who seems to hate teenagers so I'm sure he'll just love Buffy.

And the gang's all back together! Giles is consulting his books and Buffy is ready to start training again. Immediately. And vigorously. She's kicking major ass and seems to have some sort of renewed focus and power sourced from her fight with the Master that's making everyone uneasy.

Which is good since we're also meeting a new batch of baddies! They're in some sort of factory listening to an annoying speech from some guy about the anointed one. Oh dear god, the anointed one is back to bore us all!

Buffy's Summer away has caused some amazing hair though

Oh shit! Giles just punched Buffy and said he was going to kill her! And she pulled off his face to reveal the Master. Must be real life! Just kidding - it's a dream.

If all bad dreams are met with waking up to Angel in your window, I'd say people should have nightmares more often. Which is weird since Buffy seems pissed that Angel is here. She's being annoying and he's just trying to tell her that trouble is coming. New Buffy is crank-y!

At least Cordelia's still up to her same old sass. And confronting them with the fact that they fight demons. Ya know - in school...during the day with people around. She's so ditzy. I love it. But at least she's keeping the gang's secrets.

These are the reactions from a Buffy zinger

"You won't tell anyone I'm the slayer, and I won't tell anyone you're a moron" Jeez Buff. A little harsh!

The gang has moved to the Bronze for a chat about Buffy's changing 'tude and a change in the dynamic that Willow was used to this summer with Xander.

Meanwhile, in the cemetery, the Master is being dug up for who know's what reason. Obviously, the Anointed Twerp misses his BFF.

Buffy just walked into the Bronze and is looking FIERCE. She's blowing off Angel and dancing all up on Xander. Toying with emotions all around and downright pissing people off. She leaves after causing a serious boner and leaving Xander with blue balls and a bruised ego. Way to burn bridges, Buffy! You know it's bad when Cordelia is the voice of reason telling you to cool it.

Seriously, that's Xander's boner face

Now the gang is getting kidnapped and brought to the factory one by one. Weird things are afoot!

Of course Buffy  walks in on them talking about her. Of COURSE. Timing. Now she's going to be a bigger bitcah than ever. At least she was able to tell them the Master is no longer in his grave and set Giles to research mode. And in her infinite self centeredness, she thinks it's all about her and demands that she go to the Bronze alone to check into it.

At least Angel is lurking in the shadows to have her back (and get verbally attacked). Because this whole Bronze thing is clearly a trap (like everyone said it was). So while Buffy is fighting the single vampire in the Bronze, Giles, Willow, and Xander are sitting ducks in the library where they've discovered the reason they're being picked off is because they were the ones who were closest to the master when he fell threw the roof and died.

Can I just say it's a little ridiculous how obsessed everyone is with the Master? He failed way back when. he failed last school year. Why bring him back to life? To fail again? Why not find a new big bad to worship?

And also, I still think it's totally weird that the Master didn't dust completely. He still has a skeleton. Which is different than any other vampire ever.

The gang's all here!

Thankfully Buffy figured out they were at the factory through torture and there's still time to save the Scoobies. And ya know, for Buffy to kill every vampire in sight. Because she's super strong and super pissed!

Everyone's safe and Buffy has a giant sledgehammer to mash up the Master's bones and work out her issues. Which is enough to make her nicer to her friends again, so that's good news.

We know she's better because when we see her at school she's remorseful about treating everyone so bad and is also wearing a sweater around her shoulders. A clear sign that you're a good person.

The episode ends with a shot of the Anointed one with the Master's skull. Just showing that the kid's still alive I guess. Which is bad news for this headache I just got.

See you next time!