50 Shades of Whatever...

Is Mr. Grey Ready To See Me?*

     When I first started writing this, I had never read the "World Wide Phenomenon".  I finally succumbed to getting it from the library, and just finished it.

     I had planned on getting some moms together to go see the movie, and even was invited to an early release preview.  That has come and gone.  Even without my contribution the movie managed to set box office records last weekend.

I still don't know if I want to see it.

Since its opening, there are a plethora of articles concerning/publicizing the film.

Here are a few of the posts that caught my attention.  Please note that just because the posts below are here, does not mean that I share the views of the hosting site.  If you click on the title, you will be taken to the article to read for yourself.


In Lifesite News:
"Even the co-stars of the movie think 50 shades of Grey is awful (and maybe even a bit like Hitler)"
 
Hitler!?  Oh boy... can't you imagine what the executive producers thought when they heard their stars had compared the film to Hitler?  Wonder what E.L. James thought?  With all the press that the movie has received, hard to tell what's true and what's not about the movie, the actors, the actors' relationships, etc.  I take it all with a grain of salt.

Of course there is Oscar Wilde's bit of wisdom.  Only thing worse than being talked about (even negatively), is not being talked about.

No surprise with this title:
"Fifty Shades of Grey Gets Black Marks From Bishops, Pastors"

Then there's the token psychiatrist chiming in:
"A Psychiatrist's Letter to Young People about Fifty Shades of Grey"
     I have an issue with her statement that "(healthy women) dream about wedding gowns not handcuffs."- but that's for another post.

From the other side of the spectrum there's the "A Dominatrix Reviews '50 Shades of Grey'" courtesy of The Daily Beast.

My favorites, thus far are:

"17 Dumbest, Most Disturbing Aspects of 50 Shades Of Grey"

"A Letter To My Children About Fifty Shades of Grey"

and did you see the 3 Grandmas' Review of Fifty Shades of Grey?

Sequels are planned for the other two books in the trilogy, Fifty Shades Darker and Fifty Shades Freed.

As for my thoughts on the books and the movie, here we go...

Why did it take me so long to get around to reading the book?
You can check out: "Oh Please!" and "Is It Just Me?"

or if you prefer, here are the main thoughts:

     "The twosome in 50 Shades of Grey,  Ana and Christian.  A virgin and a "troubled rich guy".  What a nice couple!  From all I have heard, it's a Beauty and The Beast for grown ups.  Now, we know that's a fairy tale.  Right?  I have even told my girls that in life, usually no matter how much love you give, a beast usually stays a beast.  From what I hear, Ana and Christian end up married, and have a baby by the end of the series.  Oh please.  I remember when I was young and single, I observed that a lot of the good ones were taken;  but so were a lot of the nut jobs.   Hope Ana enjoys being the submissive, when the baby wakes up 5 times a night.  Good luck with that settling for the first guy who pulled your chain.  If I need to spell it out: the first guy that gave you an orgasm, does not a life long partner make.

     Since I just finished the book amidst the hoopla of the movie, I'm still milling it over.  The book itself, kinda bored me.  I sort of felt like I was reading my 21 year old daughter's diary.  Granted there was smut that permeated throughout the book.  However, there were several phrases that became... oh, I dunno, cliche?  Overused?  Then again Ana is 21.  Frankly I got to the point of, yeah yeah yeah...she's biting her lip again, and YES WE KNOW what that does to Christian.  I've already returned it to the library; can't remember more of such phrases.  I know there were others.  The book is told in first person, which tends to irk me.  Especially in this kind of book.  That is what steered me clear of the book, TAINT.  The main character Justice Drake goes from playing naughty teacher to sharing with the reader his favorite part of the day and the beauty of the Arizona sky...
Sorry Honey, I'm not paying for you to think or talk like Robert Frost.  As for Fifty Shades, I had a hard time accepting that I was privy to Anastasia's private thoughts when she kept referring to her genital region as "down there".  And some of the things that she described as HOT, to me were NOT.

As to whether or not I'll see the movie.

     Does anyone remember 9 1/2 Weeks, a 1986 Adrian Lyne film with Kim Basinger and Micky Rourke?  Now that, was hot.  Also a tad disturbing; especially for 1986.  However, it seemed believable.  I was just old enough to see it, and it was set in New York City.  It made the city and being grown up seem so glamorous and risqué.  I could not wait to visit Manhatten after I saw it. Mickey Rourke played John Gray (huh... different spelling, but interesting just the same) a Wall Street hot shot, with singular tastes... who has a hot fling with Kim Basinger's Elizabeth McGraw, a divorced, bored art gallery lady.  And as in the first book of James's trilogy, the woman leaves when she's had enough.

    There are a few things I find curious about Fifty Shades Of Grey.  Ms. James is a British author in her 50's.  Why did she set the scene of Ana and Christian's affair in the good ol' US of A?  We know the Brits get down and naughty.  And not to be blasé, but how many hot blooded Americans do you know, who made it to 21 with absolutely no sexual experience?  Me neither.  Even fewer don't have some sort of computer by the time they're 12.  This year, my 7-year old's 1st grade class were all given iPads.  To their dismay they can only do math games and such.  Lord knows, I have my share of issues with computers, but I find it hard to believe that a 21 year old college grad would not at least Google a few celebrities or do a few selfies.  And then my fav, Christian.  A 27 year old Adonis multi millionaire, with a pilot's license, and kinky tastes.  Fine, IT'S FICTION.  That he's really got a heart and can do a 180 change to changing diapers and be a DILF by the third book, AGAIN, WONDERFUL.  That he had an incredibly abusive first few years of life, and that's the reason he is the way he is; that's where she loses me.  I mean if we're going for fantasy... why not go all the way?
Of course it's Ms. James and it's her prerogative.

      So, will I see the movie?  Oh, probably.  Eventually.  Again though; I'll probably check it out at my library.

I have commitment issues.



*Picasso's Reclining Woman Playing With A Cat, 1964