Spidey...again?

I stumbled across a post on Tumblr talking about another Spider-Man reboot.

And I freaked out. I loved Andrew Garfield as Spider-Man, because I felt like he really captured the character from the comics. He was awkward and adorable as Peter Parker—yet a sarcastic smartass as your friendly neighborhood Spidey. While I wasn’t as familiar with the “Amazing Spider-Man” series as I was with Tobey Maguire’s rendition, I enjoyed the movies greatly and even went to say I liked Garfield’s portrayal more than Maguire’s.

So another reboot was a big no-no in my eyes, until I read a little further.

Apparently, Sony and Disney’s Marvel are talking about some sort of deal to get a Spider-Man cameo in the upcoming Captain America: Civil War. Which means Spider-Man working with the Avengers! Those of you who have visited my blog before know how much I want that to happen in the movies—I talked about it in a previous post. So this is basically great news for me, and I was starting to get on board with this new Spidey reboot.

The only problem? Garfield would no longer be Spider-Man, which would be disappointing.

The upside? MY FAVORITE ACTOR EVER IS MARVEL’S NUMBER ONE CHOICE TO PLAY PETER PARKER.

Logan Lerman, who I have also mentioned quite a few times previously, is the “heavy favorite” for the role. Lerman, who was rumored to play Spidey when The Amazing Spider-Man was introduced, has already stated his interest in being the masked vigilante by saying that Spidey is one of his favorite comic book characters. He’s fantastic at acting in the hero role (see The Three Muskateers or Percy Jackson. While the PJ movies were TERRIBLE, Lerman was always the highlight of them, playing Percy exactly how I pictured him in the books). He’s got talent, and can get into those emotional roles very well, like in The Perks of Being a Wallflower and Fury. I feel like he would nail Peter’s awkwardness perfectly as well as his humorous side. Basically, I really want to see him as Spider-Man and I always have.

I’m so excited for this to happen, actually. Like, I freaked out extensively last night—ahem, and by that I mean jumped up and down multiple times while I screamed, squealed, and called my best friend. Marvel makes fantastic movies, like the most recent Captain America, the three Iron Mans, and The Avengers. I feel like if a reboot is going to happen again, Marvel will do it right.

So what do you think?

Want to know more? Here’s a few links: (x) (x) (x)

The Hobbit

As many of you are aware, The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies premiered in the U.S. on this past Tuesday. I just so happened to preorder tickets for the 7 o’clock showing in my hometown, because I’ve been waiting forever for this final installment of the book adaption.

I am a huge fan of the series, and I’ve read The Hobbit multiple times. Bilbo is a fantastic character that I really relate to. Instead of being the normal male protagonist, who usually is deadly handsome and largely muscular, Bilbo is sensitive and smart. He takes time to think things through before charging into a situation blindly. He also evolves a lot throughout the story, turning away from the soft, scared hobbit to one who is brave and saved his friends on multiple occasions. Martin Freeman plays him spectacularly, and brings out the sassier parts of Bilbo’s personality. I absolutely adore Freeman as this character. He really makes Bilbo the person that you want to survive the epic adventure; he’s the heart of the story.

In contrast, Thorin is definitely the soul of the franchise. He’s bull-headed and stubborn, and also comes off quite grumpy unless he’s sharing an emotional moment with the rest of the company. Richard Armitage was perfect; he held Thorin with that regality, power, and sense of pride that you would expect a king to possess. It’s his story that we’re following; it’s his homeland that they are attempting to reclaim. And as you slowly see his decline into madness over the treasure in the mountain, you feel sympathy and pity for the once great king who is losing his dignity over a large pile of gold. Bilbo balances that out, and acts as Thorin’s anchor throughout that time period, becoming really the only person Thorin can trust in his insanity, even over his own kin. It’s that dynamic in their friendship that keeps you wondering how two completely different people can come together to save their little world.

The movie itself was fairly good, though I would say probably the least so of all Peter Jackson’s adaptions in the Tolkien universe. There was too much “comedic relief” in a movie that should have been dark and serious. The whole thing feels drawn out and rushed at the same time. Some parts focus too much on little petty details, while other scenes could have been greatly elaborated on. There simply was not enough book to be made into three movies, but Jackson did well with the little material that he had.

                The story was still inspiring as a whole, and the ending was almost perfect. The only thing that really irks me is the character of Tauriel. While I am all for an empowered woman being inserted into the male-dominated Tolkien culture, her insertion was done horribly wrong. Instead of being placed as a badass ally, she’s demoted to love interest, who happens to have a few fight scenes. She could have been a huge step towards female involvement in the science fiction genre, but instead she’s used for male motivation in Kili’s character. It’s very disappointing, and also messes with the ending of the battle in a negative way. All in all, however, the ending was still very well done, and I bawled like a baby because it broke my heart more than I was expecting it to. Still, Bilbo’s return to Bag End was absolutely wonderful, and led into the Lord of the Rings perfectly. 

Bane, Magnus

 I feel like every teenager and their mother has read The Mortal Instruments, to be honest.

And if you are part of the small population that hasn’t, then you’ve probably seen the god-awful movie that I will not speak of ever again, because it was truly abysmal and a disgrace to the glory that the books hold.

The series itself had a great set of life lessons that are taught throughout the books. They address things like racial discrimination, prejudice, genocide, sexual orientation, sexism, what it means to be in love, and a lot of other things that teenagers of this generation can relate to. And it does so in a way that is entirely not offensive.

The same goes for The Infernal Devices, Cassandra Clare’s prequel series, but not as much because it is set in the Victorian Era, where things like sexism and sexuality were not openly addressed and opinions on the subjects were looked down upon extremely. And I’m sure each and every problem will be addressed again in her upcoming series, The Dark Artifices.

                But what I want to focus on right now is her recently released collection of short stories titled, The Bane Chronicles. The shorts had been published as ebooks originally, one at a time, and for a few dollars per download. Now, however, they are included in a large book, and available to anyone with access to a bookstore.

                When I stumbled upon the book at Barnes and Noble, I squealed quite loudly in delight. Magnus Bane, the esteemed warlock featured in both The Mortal Instruments and The Infernal Devices is one of my favorites—possibly THE favorite—fictional character that I’ve read about in my short lifespan filled with hundreds of books.

                He’s freaking fabulous, and bisexual, which is great representation for the LBGTQIA community, and it dismisses the popular opinion that bisexuality does not exist.

                The book is about his many adventures and misadventures and frankly is wonderful, because while his is an important character in Clare’s series, he is considered a background character by some. These stories allow a look into his past that we haven’t gotten to see before, and it provides a better sense of his personality, how immortality could wear on a person, and what has shaped his life. It’s great insight to get to know Magnus better, and now I love him even more.

                I think what the most impressive part of the book is that it’s not only written by Clare, but also Sarah Rees Brennan, and Maureen Johnson. You can’t really tell, however. They’re styles of writing and the tone they take throughout the stories flow together seamlessly, creating a wonderful world which revolves around the great and powerful High Warlock of Brooklyn. 

Fandom

I recently found a book by the title of Fangirl at my local book store, and I finished it earlier this week. I haven’t come across a really good book in a while that captured my attention right off the bat, but this one did, because it perfectly explains how important “fandoms” can be to the people who are in them.

                A big stereotype that I’ve heard a lot lately is that a fandom is supposed to be for children that have nothing better to do than fantasize about fictional worlds because they don’t do anything with their lives.

                Why is it portrayed as such a bad thing to be passionate about something? Who gives a crap about what it is, as long as it makes you happy, seriously.

                You want to spend your days reading fanfiction (FYI, that’s not necessarily a bad thing either. Sometimes you don’t want that fictional world to end, so you create your own stories to continue the adventures. There is literally nothing wrong with that. If you don’t agree, it doesn’t mean you have to hate on something that other people enjoy doing. It can be a creative outlet for people who love to write but can’t create their own story), then read some fanfiction. You want to curl up in bed and marathon all six—well, very nearly six—Peter Jackson’s Middle Earth films, go ahead.

                Loving something, even if it’s fictional, is the best thing in the world. You connect with the worlds that you watch and/or read about, and that’s the whole point of them existing. Authors and producers make these things for you to enjoy, and some people may like them more than others. Obsessions happen when you connect with something on an extremely personal level, and you’re supposed to. Authors write characters to be personable, so that you can see yourself or someone you love in those characters. There’s nothing wrong with that.

                Shipping” characters bring fans together, and you connect over seeing—or imagining—two characters in love (p.s. that’s the whole point of a love triangle).

                For example, Supernatural’s 200^th episode (titled, fittingly enough, Fan Fiction) was all about the fans, and what they wanted to see. The show addressed the fandom’s favorite ships, as well as a great line about Dean supporting fans that are into writing their own versions of his life because it might be important to them.

                Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell has a great message in its pages as well. “I don’t want to write my own fiction,” Cath Avery says in the novel. “I don’t want to write my own characters or my own worlds—I don’t care about them. I care about Simon Snow [her obsession]. And I know he’s not mine, but that doesn’t matter to me. I’d rather pour myself into a world I love and understand than try and make something up out of nothing.”

                I’m just fed up with labelling people as nerds or geeks when they happen to like something that isn’t Starbucks or football. 

Buy More Books!

If you’re a book lover like me, you’ll know what I am talking about when I say I have a library in my basement. And there’s no possible way I will read every single book on those shelves in my lifetime. Hell, I’ve got at least ten books sitting on my desk alone that I have yet to read, and every time I walk by them I think, soon. Soon I will find the time to sit down and scour your pages, little book, and then I will know your secrets. And I’m forced to push back that date to another day, even though all I want to do is read another book.

            The real kicker is, is that I keep buying new books that I want to read, even though my collection is far larger than it should be as it is. They keep luring me in like a fish on a hook; I drive by Half-Priced Books or Barnes and Noble and I can’t help but stop. I love the smell of freshly printed books, and I get a little sentimental when I walk into one of the shops and see rows and rows of potential literature.

            In fact, just today I visited both of those stores, and I walked away with two brand new books, forty five dollars poorer, and a wide grin on my face. My two purchases just happen to be Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell and The Bane Chronicles by Cassandra Clare, and I am so excited to read them, when and if I ever find the free time. They joined other titles on my desk such as Silver Shadows by Richelle Mead, Sherlock Holmes by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, and The Perilous Sea by Sherry Thomas.

            And I wonder: why am I so drawn to a book, even if I’m fully aware that I’ll never even open its cover? Maybe I just like it as decoration; after all, having more books makes you look, like, so damn smart, right? Or maybe it’s the smell, like I previously stated I love. Even now, after thinking about it for a while, I’m not entirely sure. Maybe it’s the possibility that someday I will read them all, and it’s a goal I strive to keep.

Harry Potter: More Than Just The Magic

            There are some movies that just stick with us, for reasons that are obvious and reasons that are unknown. Have you ever sat down to a movie you’ve seen a million times and realized you knew every single line before it’s even spoken? It’s that ingrained into your memory; you know it like the back of your hand, and if you’re like me, that’s exactly why you watch and re-watch and re-watch all of your favorite movies: so that you don’t forget a second.

            The current movie in question for me is Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s (Philosopher’s) Stone. I can remember watching it as a small child and immediately thinking, I want to be a wizard more than anything else. I wanted so desperately to be a part of that world; on my eleventh birthday I waited with an impossible hope that my Hogwarts letter would arrive via owl at my window, and I’d be whisked away to London. Unfortunately, that was obviously not the case, and much to my disappointment I continued to be educated on mathematics and English rather than charms and potions.

            As I grew older, however, the allure never dissipated. I still find myself as enraptured with the story as I had been as a child, and now I’m questioning why. Why is it so intriguing? Why do I squeal when I see a picture of my childhood hero (Daniel Radcliffe—or Dan Rad, as I love to call him) speaking out for homosexual or feminist rights? So I popped in the DVD…and practically revisited my entire childhood within one hundred and fifty two minutes. Throughout the entire film I found myself knowing each and every spell, as well as mouthing along with the lines: “You have dirt on your nose, by the way, did you know? Just there.” “She needs to sort out her priorities.” “You LIAR.” Etc.

            It is because I grew up around the movies as well as the books, so it’s familiar like an old friend? Maybe because I simply like the characters, or the fantasy universe? But the more I inspect the movie, it’s got quite a bit of underlying elements included in the plot as well. For one, it deals with child abuse, and how very rarely is it ever recognized or dealt with. Harry is repeatedly abused and neglected by his aunt and uncle after becoming an orphan, and nothing is ever said by any other characters, and he ends up dealing with it until he is seventeen years old. Hogwarts is like a safe haven to Harry, and you can’t help but empathize with the struggles that he deals with.

            The movie also addresses how it feels to stand out from your peers. Harry is an outsider, famous because of something he doesn’t remember, and he also grew up outside of the wizard community. This makes him ignorant of many wizard customs, causing him to stand out even more. The movies deal with bullying— Neville is constantly bullied by Professor Snape, Harry because of his fame, Ron because of his lack of wealth, and Hermione because of her Muggle upbringing. Great prejudice is evident towards Muggle-borns (hating known to racists as “Mudbloods”), which motivates Lord Voldemort’s systematic and ruthless attempts at their extinction, as well as dominating non-magic folk. The series deals with a number of dark themes, that are explored and elaborated on throughout their adventures, and they contribute greatly towards the characters’ developments.

            There are many good themes throughout the stories as well, however. The eternal struggle between good and evil, and how good always prevails. Friendship, bravery, and love are dominant themes in the movies as well as the books, and is often inspires people to rebel against Voldemort’s rise to power. Ultimately, love and loyalty are the reason Harry Potter survives, and the reason his story is so compelling.

Harry is a great role model for kids to look up to—including my younger self. And now seeing articles and quotes about the actors standing up for basic human rights adds to that. Not only do they play inspiring characters, but they are inspiring people in real life as well. Statements like, “Realizing that other people have a problem with [homosexuality] was the weirdest thing for me. As a kid it wasn't even something that was mentioned. It was never something that was even explained to me. It was just, ‘That's Mark and he's gay.’ Mark was just another friend of my dad's who would talk about his boyfriend instead of his girlfriend. I was 5. I didn't care. It seemed perfectly normal, and still does..."(x) from Daniel are amazing. Emma Watson’s UN speech was equally marvelous, as well as the #heforshe tag on twitter that arose because of it.

I just adore the work that the actors have put into the movies; the fact that they have changed lives, and continue to change lives, astounds me, and I no longer wonder why I am so obsessed with the stories. The adventures are bigger than the antagonist and the protagonist; they point out the horrible and the wonderful events of life in a way that is also entertaining. I am proud to be a fan of something that is so phenomenal, and everlasting.

For Halloweenies Like ME

                 Let me start off by stating that I am in no way a fan of horror movies. I severely dislike the feelings they cause the viewer to have, and the plot as well as the acting is nearly always abysmal. That being said, I greatly enjoy haunted houses because I feel as though the experience is completely different. Because during houses I laugh, while during movies I freak out; I jump and scream at every little noise or sudden movement; I flinch away from any suspenseful moment; I’m overall just a huge chicken when it comes to watching them. I know, I’m quite odd about the whole “scary situation”, but I do indulge in a horror film annually on Halloween, as long as I’m in a group of close friends who won’t judge me for my reactions.

                This past Halloween I was at a friend’s house with a group of people, and they all decided to watch Insidious. I agreed, because I didn’t want to run the mood, but I was extremely nervous as the opening credits started. Scary movies trigger my anxiety. Anyways, I pushed aside my hesitations, clutched a pillow to my chest, and snuggled up to one of my best friends.

                Just as I suspected, I shrieked quite often. One of my more annoying habits is that I have to talk myself through the movie in order to keep somewhat calm. This movie started off relatively interesting, and full of potential. It was creepy, but the acting was still not the best, and as the plot progressed it became downright stupid. It touched base more with the sci-fi genre than horror, and wasn’t even frightening in the slightest by the conclusion of the film. The only part that actually made me scream at was when a face appeared by the baby’s nursery window, and that was only because my other friend squeaked first.

                I was disappointed, and coming from someone who can barely tolerate scary movies, that’s saying something. At the end I found myself wishing there had been more opportunities for us all to jump or scream, simply so we could laugh about it later. That element was missing from the movie, and does not encourage me to watch the sequel at all. For future reference, any of you that are looking for a true thriller for the holiday spirit, I would go with something more “traditional”, like The Grudge or The Ring.

                

Taken

                Liam Neeson is a badass, and I think that anyone who has seen his movies can testify to that. Way back in 2012, a friend convinced me to go see Taken 2 with her in the movie theater. I explained that I hadn’t even seen the first one, but she assured me the plot wasn’t hard to follow: Brian’s daughter had been kidnapped, but he tracked her down and saved her. Since it seemed simply enough, I agreed, and we went and saw the sequel.

                I was hooked from the beginning. It seemed that the relationship between the father and daughter was genuine, and understandably so from the little I knew from the original movie. It didn’t take long for the plot to kick in—within the first few minutes the mother was taken and Brian was at it again. The fight choreography in this movie was almost beautiful; every move was precise and intricate, yet easy to follow, and extremely impressive. There was a perfect balance between the emotional ties to the story and the action, which kept me interested throughout. All in all, it was a pretty epic movie, and I wanted to watch the first one right away.

                I didn’t own the first one, however, and somehow never managed to make it to Family Video to rent it. It wasn’t until this past Friday night that I got to actually watch it. Luckily for me, it did meet my high expectations. Normally, in the majority of the movies that I watch, there is always a time where I get a little bored and think, “When is this going to be over?” Not with this movie. It had me anticipating every next scene, and had me going “ooh” and “ahh” at all of his butt-kicking. His “I will find you” speech was iconic. I even flinched a couple times at the sheer brutality that he possessed. I found that I definitely didn’t want the movie to end, and I was shocked when it did. I thought there must have been at least another hour left! I was surprised the two hours had passed so quickly. At the end of it all, I had one main thought bouncing around inside my head: Liam Neeson is undeniably a badass.

Paper Moon

Gosh, let me start out by saying I enjoyed this episode so much.

                Supernatural went back to its roots!

                Season nine had a lot of the old “hunting” missing from the show, which was what Supernatural was all about way back in 2005. It used to be just the two boys saving people and hunting things (you know, the family business), and looking for their dad. Then we got some pretty heavy plot twists involved, and along the way that almost detective-like sense to the show went missing.

                But this episode brought it all back.

                I hadn’t realized how much I missed it. The sense of nostalgia was almost overpowering throughout the episode. From sassy comments and jokes to morality issues and brotherly “chick flick” moments, it brought back what the show had originally been about. Of course, there were mentions of Dean’s recent trauma, but it was mainly sidelined while the boys took down some werewolves. Nothing we haven’t seen before, but entertaining all the same.

                It was really enjoyable how the writers brought back a minor character from a previous season: the werewolf Kate, who we saw turned and in turn killed her boyfriend because he went psycho. Anyways, Kate was one of the few empowered females on the show, and while they don’t come around as often as they should, it doesn’t make them any less awesome. Kate is no exception. Despite her curse, she maintains her views of right and wrong, and does what she feels necessary to keep it that way. She goes so far as to kill her own sister, something we’ve seen the Winchesters be unable to do, even in the most hopeless situations. In the end, she managed to stay alive once again, something almost unheard of in the show. Way to go Kate!

                I laughed out loud when Dean told to get on his knees, and he responded with “Well, I’m awfully flattered but--” That’s the Dean we know and love: sexual innuendos and sarcasm. I also giggled a bit when Dean and Sam exchanged “I/You were a demon!” “Oh really I hadn’t noticed” multiple times throughout the episode. Despite the laughs, there were darker elements as well, like Dean discussing his depression or Sam reminding Dean of watching his death. This show plays on so many emotions, its hard NOT to get invested in the characters.

One thing I would’ve liked to see more during the episode was some hand-to-hand combat. I know Jared can’t do anything serious due to his shoulder injury, but Dean kicking some werewolf ass would’ve been awesome.

Missed last night’s episode? No worries! Check it out here.

Age of Ultron

THIS IS NOT A DRILL! AGE OF ULTRON TRAILER RELEASED. I REPEAT: THIS IS NOT A DRILL.

So, I may be a teensy bit excited about that.

But, come on. The movie doesn’t debut until May of 2015, so any little tidbits we may get along the way are precious. After the explosive first Avenger movie, Marvel fans are craving the next installment. IT LOOKS SO PROMISING.

I honestly love the idea of the Avengers just chilling at Stark Tower, getting to know one another and being besties all around. What could be better that Tony sassing Steve while Sam and Rhodey call out their BS, Natasha and Clint taking turns shooting various objects around the tower,  Bruce and Tony getting together and inventing crazy things, and Fury cussing them all out for their childish behavior when petty competitions sometimes cross the line. To be honest, I’d watch a movie solely about the Avengers domestic life…just because I love the characters. But anyway, the sneak peak released at Comicon this year hinted at the Avengers taking turns lifting Thor’s hammer…I’m so excited!

But, Tony’s inventions obviously turn sour. Or, more specifically, one in particular: Ultron. When he stumbled into the living room to the shock off all the Avengers, I literally got goose bumps. He creeps me the hell out; his line “Let me show you something beautiful” honestly made me shiver. The fact that he has “no strings attached” doesn’t help anything. It just makes him all the more deadly, and definitely an interesting adversary for the team.

 The trailer also raised a few (MANY) important questions: Why are the Hulk and Iron Man fighting? Where’s the Winter Soldier? How do the Scarlet Witch and Quicksilver fit into the plot? Is there a romantic relationship between the Hulk and Black Widow? Why is Thor shirtless in every movie he’s in? Hopefully the movie answers all of these. The ominous view of the Avengers symbols shattered at the end of the trailer has me wondering what will happen. Hopefully it’s as epic as the trailer promises. Seven months is too long of a wait!

If you haven't seen the trailer yet, watch the awesomeness here!

Just as a last little note on the subject, I will forever be bitter that Spider-man is not a part of the Avengers movies. In the comics, Peter views Captain America as an idol, and I’d love to see that dynamic played out in the movies. Not to mention Tony and Peter creating scientific things and trading snarky comments in the process. Yeah…Marvel missed a big opportunity there. It’d be the best thing ever. I just really enjoy Spider-man, is all. 

Soul Survivor

Supernatural

This week’s episode…whew!

I was quite excited for this episode to come about, if I’m honest. The two before didn’t really have much Sam-Dean interaction due to them being separated at the time. I missed that brotherly dynamic between them, since that’s basically what the show’s all about. When you take that away, it’s like a crucial point in the story is missing. They bring out the best and worst in each other, and that’s what I like to see: them being emotionally compromised by each other, because they’re all they have left. It’s always been Sam-and-Dean, and that’s how it’s supposed to be.

But with Dean being a demon, that all changes; I missed the snarky comments, the fights, the bro-hugs. So when Sam captured Dean and took him back to the bunker in the last episode, well, I was looking forward to their interactions. I wasn’t disappointed. Jared Padalecki portrayed Sam’s weariness and soul-aching sadness perfectly. His entire body sags with the weight of the last few weeks he’s endured. His determination and raw hope are almost heartbreaking to see when they peek through. Dean, on the other hand, is angry and malicious. The malicious growls he lets out throughout the whole ordeal were kind of disturbing, because they are so unlike the Dean we’re used to; he was throwing insults and comments deliberately to throw Sam off his game, to crush the little hope he has left. It’s horrible to watch, because you can tell how badly his words eat at Sam, and you know he’ll regret saying them when he’s regained his humanity.

The scene where Cas restrains Dean from killing Sam gave me chills, not only because of Dean’s brutality but because of the comparison between Dean and Cas; Cas’ eyes light up with heavenly grace while Dean’s blacken with the depths of Hell. It was great visual effects that added the right tone to the moment, made all the better because it was Jensen Ackles directing the whole episode! He's so talented on so many levels.

And later, when the real Dean finally returns, and you can see his remorse plain as day on his face when he realizes all he’s done and it physically hurt my chest. The revelation, so clear in his expression, was perfectly played by Ackles. You knew exactly what Dean was thinking, despite his joking “Fellas, you look worried” comment. My only regret in this episode was that while there was a one-on-one moment between Dean and Cas after Dean’s return, we didn’t see one between the brothers. Did they fight? Did they hug it out? Hopefully we’ll get to see more of that in the next episode, tomorrow night. But now there’s no “Deanmon”, so what’s the plot for the rest of the season. I suppose, with Cas’ stolen grace…and there’s still the Mark of Cain to deal with…hmm…

Gone Girl

For weeks, my mom had been gushing to me about the latest book she’s been reading, one among many on her never-ending booklist. “Gone Girl” was a phrase I became accustomed to. Of course, I’d heard of the book, and not just from her. There were movie trailers on TV, the novel on the best seller list, reviews on the internet, choose your pick. However, no matter how many times the name came about in my daily life, I still didn’t know what exactly the book—or movie—was about. Therefore, I wasn’t really interested, and brushed off the information as not important.

Then, at work, my best friend’s mother mentioned that she wanted to see it as well. My mother, as you can imagine, was ecstatic, but we couldn’t find a time that all of us could go together. That is, until this last Friday night when we rushed to the theater last minute, at 10:20 at night, to catch the last showing of the day. I went into the movie pretty skeptical—Ben Affleck was recently cast as the next Batman, which I do not agree with—and I left thoroughly impressed.

Not only was there little exposition, but the story jumped straight into the plot. There were no boring parts, at least, not in my opinion, because it was a murder mystery. And boy was there mystery. You had no idea what had happened, where this “Gone Girl” was, until near the middle of the movie. When it was revealed, I gasped and exclaimed, “What?! How!?” It just got more messed up from that point. There were many plot twists that left me gaping, and the psychological aspect of the characters was intriguing. I can’t say too much about it due spoilers, and I recommend everyone go watch it straight away. It is rated “R” for sexual content, violence, and language, but it is well worth it if you are mature enough to handle it.

We left the theater bewildered and a little bit in shock due to the events of the film. Some of the stuff that happened was crazy! And I mean literally crazy. It was almost scary, at parts, because it shows that you can never really know someone as well as you think you do. There’s always something they could be hiding, and that’s frightening to think about. Who do you choose to trust? How do you deal with the consequences when you’re wrong? What if one mistake completely changes your life forever? Would you be ready to deal with the disastrous consequences? Gone Girl addresses all of those questions in a unique and suspenseful way. The movie dealt with real life stuff, although perhaps in a more fantastical way than most are used to. It was one of the best movies I’ve seen in a long time.

Fury

For some reason, I’m drawn to movies that tug on my heartstrings.

And Fury was definitely one of them.

If I’m being honest, the main reason I was drawn to the movie was because it features the talented Logan Lerman, who is without a doubt my favorite actor. Therefore, I see every movie that he’s in (and I do mean EVERY movie).

                But I was surprised to say that the movie was not just another cliché war movie.

                It was brutal, as in so brutal that some scenes I physically could not watch. There was more than one instance that I turned my face away from the violence. While I do admit to being extremely emotionally invested in the movies that I watch, I take pride in the fact that gore and war do not usually bother me. But this movie approaches the front lines of WW2 so bluntly that I was gaping at the scene many times, as well as flinching and cringing in my seat from the sudden shots that were constantly being fired.

                It definitely earns its “R” rating.

                I was pleasantly surprised to find that Lerman played the main character alongside Brad Pitt throughout the film, giving him the opportunity to display his talents as an actor, which he provided. He showed the innocence and harsh conditions that drafted men had to go through, and how his view and opinion of the war changed the longer he fought in it. There was no censoring throughout the movie, because no doubt that was actually how it was on the battlefields.

                I felt like it truly depicted the setting of war at that time period. I would even go so far as to say that it earns its place next to Schindler’s list for portrayals of Hitler’s rein. I highly recommend to everyone that they see this movie, although keep in mind it is graphic and violent, and depressing. It’s also an enlightening experience, however, and can change your perceptions on the world of war.

Dean Winchester as "The Deanmon"

Unlike last week’s, this week’s episode of Supernatural, titled Reichenbach was action-packed, engaging, and completely did not disappoint! You can’t know how relieved I am that this season seems to have a nice plot as well as a great character arc for Dean. I felt like season nine was all over the place in terms of characterizations, as well as staying consistently with one plot. Luckily, the writers seem to have remedied this in season ten. Then again, it’s only the second season, so while I have high hopes, they could be crushed later on. We’ll just have to see.

                My favorite part of the latest installment was Dean! Finally, we get to see the true effects of what the Mark of Cain has inflicted on Dean. He’s completely changed, and not for the better, although I do enjoy this darker, more ruthless side of him because it’s interesting. Throughout all of the seasons that we’ve followed the Winchester’s story, Dean’s always took all of the responsibility, blame, and guilt upon himself for the job that they do. But now, he doesn’t have a care in the world, and it gives off this sense of wrong throughout the episode because it’s different than what we’re used to seeing from him. He’s no longer the bleeding heart; he’s dangerously out of touch with his humanity.

                When he grins, it’s honestly chilling. There’s a sort of mirth in his eyes as he looks at his next victim, smiling cruelly and genuinely enjoying the feel of death beneath his fingertips. Granted, this has been seen before, as he takes out a particularly troublesome monster or supernatural being, but these are regular human beings that Dean’s tormenting, and he likes it. It’s disturbing and wrong, and exactly what I had been hoping for this season. There’s more depth to the character when he has a personal hell to crawl out of. The backlash of Dean’s transformation will certainly be heartbreaking and hard to watch, as his conscious and his morality come trickling back in and he realizes all of the horrible things he’s done.

                The best scene of the whole episode is the fight between Dean and Cole. Cole, who is avenging his father’s death, believes himself ready to kill his father’s murderer. He finds out just how wrong he is, and you can see Dean’s happiness when he deliberately embarrasses and taunts Cole about his skills. The sassy, snarky, sarcastic comments are scathingly funny, and I smirked despite knowing how cruel they were meant to be.

                Next episode hints of a vicious brotherly faceoff, as well as the cure to Dean’s disease. Hopefully, it won’t disappoint, and to be honest, I wouldn’t mind a little more of the “Deanmon” throughout the rest of the season. 

X-Men: Days of Future Past

Not going to lie, I saw this movie four times in the movie theaters. Yep, I loved it that much, and I rushed to the store on Tuesday to buy the DVD, as well as watched it as soon as I got home. Superhero movies are a favorite of mine, and although the X-Men movies aren’t connected with The Avengers, I’ve always enjoyed the characters in the original movies. The origin movie, First Class, is still one of my favorite movies, and I was anxious for the sequel. To say the least, I was impressed with the result.

                The plot was thrilling. There was an appropriate balance of action, dialogue, and politics to keep the movie from seeming overbearingly action-based, or boring. The timeline is easy to follow, which doesn’t always happen in movies that deal with the space-time continuum. The mix between the original X-Men characters and the new ones flowed nicely, and the actors all had great chemistry throughout the film.

                Speaking of the actors, the reappearance of Hugh Jackman was an absolute delight. I adore his portrayal of Wolverine, and he never fails to make me laugh with his wry tone or his adorable facial expressions. (And his naked scene; am I right?) Anyways, his role in this movie kept the tone familiar, but added a little change due to the change in actors around him. I’ve forever been a fan of James McAvoy ever since his role as the satyr in Narnia, and I really appreciated his performance in First Class; I felt like he did the younger-version of Charles Xavier justice. But he totally blew me away in Days of Future Past. He brought such a range of emotions to the screen, and makes the viewer feel them as well. McAvoy threw himself wholly into the character, and it’s amazing. He’s so in tune with the tone of the scenes that he’s acting in, and he’s intense in every action he performs. McAvoy captivated me with his transformation of Charles. It was unquestionably brilliant.

                There were a few things throughout the film that I was a bit skeptical on. For one, how was Charles Xavier resurrected in the future timeline? We see his death/partial reemergence in The Last Stand, but his reappearance is never really explained. Secondly, why does Kitty Pride suddenly have the power to send people back in time? How does Magneto still have his powers in the future timeline? How does Wolverine attain his adamantium claws after the events of The Wolverine? All unanswered questions that the movie raised. Also: Quicksilver; Peter was one of the highlights of the movie (kudos to Evan Peters), it irks me that he will not be similarly cast in the Avengers 2.

                Other than those few flaws, the movie was epic. I will be re-watching it over and over and over again in the future. 

Percy Jackson

It’s always melancholy when a brilliant book series comes to an end. It was no different with Percy Jackson and the Olympians, and it was the same with the follow up series, The Heroes of Olympus. The final book of The Heroes of Olympus was released on Tuesday, and I was so excited, yet dreaded, the end to a series I had followed for years.

                Percy Jackson and the Olympians was one of my favorite book series, and still is. The language Riordan uses throughout the book is targeted towards younger kids, but the mythology and the plot are meant for all ages. The books are entertaining, and the characters are endearing, and I fell in love as soon as I started The Lightning Thief. And as I grew up, so did Percy, and I read each book within a few hours because I simply could not put it down. I had always been interested in the Greek gods, and Riordan made the series more modern and interesting to my sixth grade mind. And when The Last Olympian was published, I was devastated despite it being the best book out of the series. I simply didn’t want it to end.

                Then I discovered that another series was in the works, about the same gods and goddesses I had learned and read about. And Percy would be a main character in them! I was ecstatic. I read all four books as soon as they came out, and I rushed to Barnes and Noble on Tuesday to get the final installment.

                To say the least, I was a bit disappointed. The whole series had led to the awakening of Gaea, but then her rising was downplayed a lot. They defeated her quickly and fairly easily, which left me wondering, really? That’s it?! I suppose I wasn’t as attached to The Heroes of Olympus series as I was Percy Jackson, mainly because Percy was in his series more, but there were a few characters in HOH that I really enjoyed, but there wasn’t any real closure to their stories. Nico, for one, had a hinted at future, but nothing set in stone. Reyna left for the Roman camp alone, after everything that she went through. I mean, I was hoping for more of a BANG! THAT’S THE ENDING, and instead I got Eh. It’s over. There were too many “secret backstory” subplots that bounced back and forth between the characters, and there was too much of a buildup to the end, in my opinion. Three hundred pages in, and I was like, alright, get to the end already, stop fighting random monsters. I do recommend the series to anyone interested, however, just know that the ending is a bit of a buzzkill.

Supernatural Season 10 Premiere

As I mentioned in a previous post, season ten of Supernatural premiered Tuesday night on the CW. Like all of the other fans anxiously awaiting the first glimpses that this episode would reveal, I was huddled up on my bed, eyes fixed on the screen in a near obsession not to miss a moment. As the scene opened to a tortured demon, and a wild-eyed Sammy, I was not disappointed.

The only thing that was a bit of a letdown was the fact that nothing of importance really happened in the episode other than Sam discovering his brother’s transformation, and an introduction to a new character that we still know nothing about. The episode held potential for the rest of the season, however, so I have hope that in future weeks the episodes will hold more suspense and a darker theme than the first.

Perhaps the most interesting part of Tuesday’s premiere was Dean. Granted, the known arc of the season is focused on Dean’s loss of humanity, as well as how he will manage to recover it. But I immediately wanted to know more about his new characterization; the drunken bar fights as well as the terrible karaoke were good teases, but I had been looking forward to more of a focus on his dark side because I thought it would add a new depth that the show had been missing for a few seasons now. After season five, the show lost a lot of its deeper meaning, as well as some of its more disturbing subplots. That’s what made the show scary! Without it, the show is focused on the story aspect; Dean’s inner demons (ha, get it?) and him being overprotective of Sam. I was hoping that season ten would bring back more of the action, the suspense, the foreboding undertones that I have so missed.

Instead, the episode was more Sam central, and normally I’d be all for that. But what I’ve been waiting months of hiatus to see was Dean; I wanted to be horrified and sad by all of the evil things he would be doing. Instead, he’s hole up in a small town bar, non-stop drinking and taking women back to his hotel room.

The last few minutes were the episode’s redemption. The teaser that Dean still cares about Sam in a way, as well as hinting that he couldn’t care less, left me wondering. Will Sam be able to save Dean’s soul? Or is he so irreparably damaged that he’ll have to be put down? I don’t know, but I can’t wait to find out!

The Fault in Our Stars

                The Fault in Our Stars is a popular young adult novel, and for good reason. It’s the most recent of John Green’s brilliant books to hit the shelves, and even more recently to be made into a movie adaption. The plot is touching and heartfelt, and mixes in humor with the seriousness that cancer brings to a victim’s life. But it’s how the cancer patient handles the impact of illness that really matters, and John Green captures that perfectly.

                Throughout the novel, the big problem (other than cancer) that Hazel faces is trying to change the way Gus thinks about life, and what it means to be remembered. Gus believes that in order to matter you have to be a legend; Hazel reiterates that it’s the people who love you and will remember you that should matter the most. There’s this beautiful quote in the book (I actually have it painted on my bedroom wall) that says, “My thoughts are stars that I cannot fathom into constellations.” That’s where the title comes from: Hazel points out the faults that Gus percieves about dying. It’s the big lesson that the book teaches, and that’s that being loved is enough for a lifetime, and after.

                Now, a close friend of mine recently expressed that the book “isn’t original” and “isn’t as sad because the concept has been done before”. Yes, there are many books that follow a plot that includes a character dying from cancer, but that doesn’t make it any less sad, in my opinion. As for being unoriginal, the book may be fictional but it’s main purpose is to display the horrors of the disease and that love is what gets you through it. There’s not anything “original” about that because it happens everyday in some people’s lives. Cancer is a real struggle.

                I also feel like this book is different from others similar to it because it involves two cancer patients at a young age. A lot of the books I’ve read that deal with cancer (like A Walk to Remember, for example), its usually only one person in the relationship that is infected. But TFIOS follows the struggle of both people, and how it changes the dynamics of the relationship. They both know what they have to lose, and find it difficult to handle the other one dying even though it’s a very real possibility. It’s also set in a younger mind frame, one where the main characters have barely lived long enough to experience life truly, but they find their way along together in the small time that they have left. There’s this part where Hazel talks about how she saved her ten on the pain scale for when something really terrible happens that she can barely live with, and that her ten is when Gus dies. This speaks to me on a deep level because it shows that even though you’re expecting something to happen, it doesn’t make the pain any easier to deal with. I personal find the story beautiful, heartbreaking, and inspiring, and I’m not afraid to admit that I cry every time I read the book or watch the movie, because just imagining going through something like that is horrible. I admire the pain that cancer patients and survivors suffer on a daily basis. It’s incredible, and I find that the book portrays that.

The Truth Behind Star Trek

Just a warning, this post is going to be a bit of a rant.

                I’m not going to lie; I am a huge fangirl when it comes to the shows and movies and books that I enjoy. So sue me, I like to talk about the things that I see or read about that influence my life. And yes, I get a teensy bit (okay, A LOT) obsessed with them because they are so addictive to me, like my own personal, harmless drug. Maybe that’s not necessarily normal, but do I care? Nope. So what irritates me the most is when I mention I like something, like Star Trek, and people make that face at me (you know the one, the slightly narrowed eyes, the crinkled nose, and you can practically feel them judging you because they think they know about the thing that you like, even though they don’t have a clue).

                I’ve gotten that look every single time I bring up the fact that I like nerdy stuff. And yeah, I’ll admit, it’s pretty nerdy. But who cares, honestly? How does me liking a certain thing influence your life at all?

                Got a little bit off topic up there, but I felt like it had to be said. Now, this post is actually about the misconceptions of Star Trek. Yep, you read that correctly, and if you’re one of those people who turn your nose up at that kind of thing, I highly suggest you KEEP READING, because it’s not just about aliens or space.

                It’s about exploring the unknown. It’s about discovering amazing things that people can only dream of nowadays. It’s about humanity's faults, and how we can overcome the bad instincts and primal urges inside of us and become a better race together.

                Granted, the show was made in the sixties, and it had silly special effects and dumb costumes and aliens that are almost always humanoid but that’s just because of the era and budgeting factors. And it’s not important.

                What is important, however, is the underlying issues that Star Trek addresses, and people don’t even realize it because their stuck on the aliens aspect. Come on people, look a little deeper. A lot of times, Gene Roddenberry (the creator) focused the episodes to be analogies of problems that were actually happening in the world at the time.

                The episode Let That Be Your Last Battlefield is about two races of aliens that are almost identical, but discriminate because of the coloring on their faces. Sound familiar? It should, because it was relaying the importance of equality for African American people in the sixties. Kirk gives an inspiring speech about the ridiculousness of prejudice, and settles the conflict between the races, symbolizing the hope that America could overcome the unfairness of the time period. There was an episode that simulated the effects of Hitler’s rein, and how absolute power corrupts absolutely. It made references to the ongoing war in Vietnam. Star Trek featured an important and intelligent African American woman as a crucial role on the ship, for the first time, as well as the first interracial kiss on television. ST featured Chekov, a Russian navigator who worked alongside Americans, even though this aired during the Cold War. Women had equal roles aboard the Enterprise, and they played an important part as part of the crew (even if their outfits were revealing). It also implied sexual relations between unmarried people—which happened often but was frowned upon in society—as something that wasn’t a big deal and should be accepted. In the episode Plato’s Stepchildren, Kirk emphasizes the importance of equality, stating, “Where I come from, size, shape or color makes no difference.” It deals with Mr. Spock, who is a child of two worlds and doesn’t belong anywhere, constantly facing bigotry towards his heritage. 

               The show’s not just about the sci-fi element. Star Trek deals with friendship, love, loyalty, responsibility, courage, overcoming obstacles, the thirst for knowledge, advancing to be better than who you are, and not believing in no-win scenarios. Its about exploring strange new worlds, seeking out new civilizations, boldy going where no one has gone before. And if that isn’t considered a great show for this era, then I don’t know what would be.

The Perks of Being a Wallflower

The Perks of Being a Wallflower is a touching story about the pressure and troubles associated with high school and growing up. While the story can be a little far-fetched at times, the heart of the movie is on point: getting older is hard. Some people handle it differently than others, especially those who tend to stick out or don’t have many friends. Sometimes trauma can influence how your life turns out and how you let it affect you. The book and later movie adaption explains this perfectly through Charlie’s life.

                Logan Lerman plays Charlie, the outcast boy with a troubled past, who just wants to make it through high school in one piece. Lerman, I feel, really captures the essence of the character and brings him to life on the screen. What I love most about Lerman’s characterization of Charlie is his fidgeting; it’s not something you necessarily get wind of within the actual book because of the letter-style format the book is written in. But in the movie Charlie is constantly fidgeting: while he’s standing, when he’s sitting, and especially when his friends make him the center of attention. There’s a nervous quality to him that hints to the problems he’s had in the past, and that really shines through Logan’s acting skills. It’s interesting to watch how he takes Charlie’s personality into consideration past the script. It doesn’t specifically state that he should talk faster because he’s scared no one will listen to him if he doesn’t spit the words out, but Lerman plays Charlie that way because it fits the plot of the story, and does the character justice, which I really enjoy.

                The entire story has a sense of truth to it that teenagers can’t ignore.  The plot deals with depression, social anxiety, stress, peer pressure, sexual orientation, and abuse, which a lot of young people deal with, even if in a small way. There is at least one scene in that movie that speaks to everyone, whether it be the happiness Charlie experiences with his friends or the sense of depression and low self-worth that Sam deals with throughout the film. Whatever you connect with in the story, it’s a must read-and-see for everybody out there. Trust me, you won’t regret it.

Supernatural

               In a sort of celebration for the tenth season of Supernatural coming out tomorrow (I CAN’T WAIT), I figured why not write about the episode that started it all: the pilot. Now, the pilot of any show has its faults since it’s the show’s “testing the waters” stage, but the beginning of Supernatural hooked me from the get-go. Granted, the acting in the first five minutes is a little sketchy, but as the episode progresses, you can see the acting chemistry between Jensen Ackles—who plays the older brother Dean Winchester—and Jared Padalecki—Dean’s younger brother Sam. As soon as Dean first walks back into Sam’s life, through a window in the middle of the night of course, the plot unravels.

                There’s Dean, the snarky, deliberately overconfident guy with a five o’clock shadow and that carefree look in his eyes; you immediately know he’s that kind of troublemaker that you’re going to love. And then there’s Sam, the accomplished one who just wants to have a normal life. The dynamic between the two brothers at first is tense and almost uncertain, like neither one of them knows where the other one stands. You can tell, however, that as the story progresses they fall back into familiar patterns. Beneath all the sarcastic jibes, there’s an underlying current of protectiveness flowing between them both. Its apparent Dean is always looking out for Sam, almost like he’s his responsibility. Sam, likewise, can’t really let Dean go into danger alone. They make the perfect team; Sam’s analytical skills to go with Dean’s razor sharp instincts.  And the way they're drawn to their lifestyle of hunting monsters makes them the perfect men for the job.

Image Source

                Not only does the show have great main characters, but the actual fright factor that the show carries does a pretty good job at frying your nerves. Especially if you started the show like I did, in a deadly silent room late at night with all the lights turned off.  Considering the show’s airing date, in 2005, and the likely low budget for the first season, the special effects are relatively good. The beginning and end scenes are a little cheesy, with the fire that engulfs the scene looking more than a little artificial, but hey, it’s only the first episode. I promise personally that it does get better. Eventually.

                The show itself has a refreshing humor element to it that contrasts the dark undertones. For someone like me who despised anything that would make me jump, this was the key to keeping me interested. The great one-liners kept me laughing. For example, Dean has a run in with the county sheriff because he impersonates a marshal in order to get information on the case.

                Sheriff: Do you have anything that’s real?

                Dean: My boobs.

                (View the scene here!)

                Things like this diffuse the tension but keep the episode interesting to watch. As the seasons go on, sometimes the plot becomes a little flinty, but the connection that you form with the characters makes it nearly impossible to stop watching in spite of this. Not to mention it helps that the main guys are pretty attractive and kicking ass at the same time. It’s no wonder the show has accumulated such a wide fan base over the years, and the addition of the show to Netflix has widened it even further. Which leads to tomorrow being another season premiere, and hopefully there will be many more to come.

                 

Jane Austen

As someone who really enjoys classical novels, I'll be the first to say that Emma is one of my favorites. It’s easy to understand then that when I discovered there was a movie detailing Jane Austen’s life, starring Anne Hathaway as well, I was ecstatic. I’d been waiting to watch the movie for ages before I finally came across it at Family Video, and I snatched it up to rent in a heartbeat.

I have to admit, I was fairly ignorant on the life of Austen, and I still am no doubt after the movie. A lot of times movies either insert or omit a lot of facts in order to make the movie more interesting, and Becoming Jane is probably not an exception. But the movie did a wonderful job of showing how oppressed the woman really was during those times, and how Austen really hit the stereotypes out of the ballpark by becoming a successful writer. I appreciated the reality of the struggle Austen went through to follow her passions, and that despite everyone telling her she couldn’t, she followed her dreams and became arguably one of the best writers in history.

The movie also kept a sense of relatability to Jane that you otherwise probably wouldn’t have thought about. The storyline of romance between Austen and Lefroy was amusing and touching, and really shed light on her inspirations as a writer. I especially loved the scene between Jane and her sister, when Jane explains that in her novel the two sisters will live happily ever after, because in real life they wouldn’t be able to. It communicates the wishful thinking of authors and the relief of being able to spin your own world and make your own choices in the words that you write.

The character development really showed throughout the progression of the movie as well. At the beginning, Jane was almost timid in her rebellion, although admittedly still sharp-tongued. But as she finds herself through her romance with Lefroy, she grows more as a person. She learns what she wants and what she must do to acquire it. She’s also bolder, as well as more assured in herself as a person, and she supports what she believes in. The film really portrayed her in a light that is easy to relate to, as a growing young adult rather than a famous 19^th Century author.

The Maze Runner

            The Maze Runner is a post-apocalyptic story about a group of boys chosen to survive in a dangerous maze in order to create a new breed of surviving humans. James Dashner’s novel is gripping and a nice contrast to the many young adult novels out there that revolve around a teenage girl that starts a rebellion. Instead, this story follows Thomas, a boy immune to the virus causing zombie-like symptoms in the rest of the world. Hope seems lost for a cure, which is why WCKD starts a program to study those who are immune, and record what makes them different. They gather a large group of young boys who are immune and put them through harsh conditions to see how they would react. It’s brutal, but real, and follows their struggles similarly. The movie does an adequate job of keeping the integrity of the book, while adding that visual element that gets your heart racing and makes you sit on the edge of your seat until the suspense has momentarily passed.

            The best part of the movie, however, isn’t the plot; at times I found myself waiting for more action to build up, and then the crescendo of the moment would fall utterly short. There were points in the movie that I wasn’t necessarily bored, but I was waiting for more to happen. I suppose I felt this during the book as well, but the book follows the characters’ emotions so closely that it’s difficult to get bored. The movie isn’t that way as you can’t hear their inner monologues throughout the film.

            Dylan O’brien performed brilliantly as Thomas. The initial scene shows Thomas rising into the Glade in a crate-like elevator, and you can plainly see the panic and raw emotion in O’brien’s portrayal of the moment. There’s nothing better than an actor really capturing and understanding the character in a certain moment, and O’brien did that part perfectly. I was riveted by his acting abilities throughout the story, and a lot of the time he was the person carrying the entire movie, and not just because he was the main character.

Due to the anticlimactic sequences the movie sometimes took, the viewer turned to the actors for entertainment, which they delivered. Besides O’brien, Thomas Brodie-Sangster played the role of Newt well, and as a favorite character of mine. Ki Hong Lee, who acted as Minho also performed spectacularly. But the most impressive performance for me was by Blake Cooper, who played little Chuck in the film. Chuck is the little brother of the group; sometimes annoying and ignorant, but everyone can’t help but care for him. He just tugs at my heartstrings. And he’s the one that makes you feel the most strongly throughout the movie, and the book. Cooper’s delivered that perfectly, adding just the right amount of innocence and cuteness to force the viewer to love Chuck. The big part that Chuck plays at the end of the plot really emphasized Cooper’s ability to capture the scene. As Cooper’s first big-time performance, this will lead to other roles that will define his career.

In other words, I would consider this book-to-movie adaption a success.

Book-to-Movie Adaptions

Have you ever read a book, and it’s a fantastic story with paramount characters, and a gripping plot? Of course you have; everyone has. So imagine that your favorite book (you know, the one you’ve read so many times that the back cover is falling off and you’ve taped the spine at least half a dozen times) is finally hitting the big screens. That’s right; it’s being made into a movie.

            If you’re like me, you’d simultaneous pump your fist and groan, because your favorite novel is being brought to life; all of your characters finally have a face, and everything feels more real because you can actually see it instead of just imagining all of the small details. But then again, it also can turn into a nightmare, because there’s the potential for every part of the movie to go sour. What if they pick the wrong actor to play your favorite character? What if the special effects are cheesy and unrealistic? What if they don’t follow the book? Everything’s a possibility, and the unknown will drive you crazy for the months it takes for the movie to be released.

            On the spectrum, there are always the brilliant movie adaptions like The Hunger Games or the Harry Potter series. There are also the terrible ones like Beautiful Creatures and The Mortal Instruments. Either way, the movies are highly anticipated by the book-lovers and new additions to the fandoms as well. And it’s so disappointing when the adaption isn’t up to standards. My biggest pet peeve is when the movie doesn’t follow the written out plot sequence of the book; if the movies going to be of the book, then it should be of the book, not based on the book. Why would you change something that the readers already love? The big changes to the plot or the characters are what upset fans the most and you’d think after the first bad book-adapted movie was released and got bad reviews, other producers and the like would realize that revising the already written and loved book is a mistake.

            The Maze Runner came out in theaters last weekend, and I am psyched to see it. I’ve read the entire series by James Dashner, as well as the prequel, and I loved every page of it. I’m desperately hoping that the movie is an accurate representation of the book, and so far, the trailers look promising. Dylan O’Brien is a favorite actor of mine as well, and since I generally enjoy his performances, I know he’ll do justice to the character Thomas, and I’ll have a review up as soon as I am able to see it.

Cinematography

Something really interesting about movie is not only that they entertain you, but the cinematography can also alter your perception of the plot and the characters in ways you might not even recognize. For example, the lighting in a scene may not come to your attention while you’re watching it, but it does change the tone of the entire scene. If the lighting is in a lower light it can make the moment seem more dramatic, either intensely mysterious or romantic. But say the lighting is bright and shows all of the beautiful colors present; this makes the scene more open and inviting to the watchers’ eye, creating a happier mood.

                Take the movie Captain America: The First Avenger. A lot of the movie takes place in low lighting do to the burgeoning war that looms over the plotline. Many of the scenes also occur in dismal weather, either a cloudy, dreary atmosphere or sometimes even raining. Until, that is, Captain America is manufactured from the Super Soldier serum and then America seems to have something to applaud. At this point in the plot, there’s merriment and singing because Cap symbolizes hope for the future of America. Without even realizing it, the cinematography has changed how you view the scene just by a few altercations to the background.

                The special effects are also something that can make you see things in a different way. In Captain America: The First Avenger, Steve Rodger’s fighting style is almost comedic. It features Steve jumping into the air dramatically, and punching the villain in slow motion while an explosion sets off in the background. It’s also fitting to the story, however. If Steve were to immediately have spectacular fighting skills, it wouldn’t appeal to the audience’s perception of his struggle to be Captain America. Instead, the cheesiness of the fighting style and special effects surround that make it seem like he’s still learning, still easing into his role as the hero. It also highlights the fact that the movie takes place in 1944, and that mankind has grown and learned since then.

                Captain America: The Winter Soldier does the exact opposite. The sequel takes place in the present or near future, after the events of The Avengers. Since then, Steve’s learned how the new world works, and he’s done multiple missions as the countries hero. He knows how to handle the challenges being thrown at him, and it shows in the cinematography of the movie. Everything is sleeker, flows easier, and the choreography for the fight scenes has improved exponentially. It reflects Steve’s growth as a character as well as the direction that the future has developed compared to the past.

Beloved Characters

When I read a book, I get so emotionally attached to the characters, as though they are real people that I’ve come to know. I know other people must feel this way too, which is why it baffles me when people say they don’t enjoy reading. How can you not?! You’re introduced to these characters that make you laugh and cry, and you experience this adventure with them that will stick with you for the rest of your life. I cannot be the only one who snorts in amusement at something a character says, or clenches the edges of the cover in exasperation when they do something particularly stupid. The people in the stories you read are what make the stories. Without a strong sense of the narrator, there’s something missing from the book. When you have a monotone, boring main character (cough, Twilight, cough), it makes the whole plot seem to be lacking. You don’t spend your free time voluntarily with someone you dislike, so why would you want to read a book with a dislikable main character?

Sometimes, you run across a character that just speaks to you. I have, certainly, and it makes a goofy smile spread across my face whenever they have a particular scene specifically oriented around them. Whether it’s because the character is so alike yourself, or the person you want to be, or maybe one of your loved ones that they remind you of, or just because they’re quirky, some characters you get attached to more than others. And when something terrible happens to them in the story, it’s like your world falls apart alongside theirs.

One character I will never forget goes by the name Taylor Barclay, who is not the main character but plays an important role in Elizabeth Norris’ Unraveling series. He’s incredibly smart, quick-thinking, protective, and the biggest smart-ass I’ve ever read about. He immediately captured my attention with his wit, and quickly became one of my all-time favorite fictional characters.

***MAJOR SPOILERS BELOW***

And then he died, and I bawled like a baby. I still cannot get over the fact that his death happened in the last book, and it makes me so angry because I was so attached to his character, and because his death was completely and totally unnecessary. In my previous blog post, I talked about how endings can sometimes seem like they fit the story perfectly, and other times they leave the reader disappointed. This was the latter. The ending could have been exponentially improved had Barclay survived, and the fact that he didn’t just ruined the rest of the story for me. I may be biased, but I was so heartbroken over the fact that he died. Granted, this was a darker tale theme underlying both books in the series, but I couldn’t fathom at all that he was the one to take the brunt of the problems. It completely took me off guards, which I must give kudos to Elizabeth Norris, because an unexpected ending is not something I come across often, as well as how attached she managed to make me to Barclay. That is a sign of a brilliant writer, as well as a brilliant novel. I recommend it fully to anyone interested in the sci-fi genre.

Disappointing Endings

One of the most irritating things when you read a book is an unsatisfying ending. Especially when the entire plot leading up to the home stretch, those precious last thirty pages, is so addicting and marvelous, and then the ending falls utterly short of your expectations. Of course, how to end a novel is completely up to the discretion of the author, but there’s always at least one thing that you want to happen before the end, and it is so disappointing when it doesn’t turn out the way you had hoped. There are some things that feel justified at the end of the book or series, and sometimes the ending feels unfinished when they don’t occur.

                Or sometimes things happen that you are absolutely against, like maybe the main character ends up with the “wrong” person in the love triangle. No matter what your dissatisfaction is with the ending, there’s no denying that it just feels wrong. For me, it’s especially apparent when the whole novel is packed full with action, and then the ending sort of tapers off without a super engaging fight scene. My biggest pet peeve is when the book is filled with heartache and devastating consequences, but then the story ends with a perfect “Hollywood” ending. That always seems to me like a little unrealistic, despite it being a sci-fi or action-based novel. There has to be some sort of suffering after an epic adventure due to the choices and sacrifices made along the journey. Without it, the ending is sort of one-dimensional, and an overall let down when finishing a great story.

                Insufficient endings also seem like sort of a betrayal of the characters. After all they went through throughout the adventure, they deserve the right kind of closure. And as the reader, I feel like I’m entitled to it as well. I spend my time reading something that I end up loving, and I’m engulfed in the story and what happens to each individual character, and then the ending is inadequate for what happens after. This is especially true when there isn’t going to be a sequel. I just finished reading Girl of Nightmares, the sequel to Anna Dressed in Blood, and I was thoroughly impressed with the plot—up until the ending when nobody died. I mean, it was just one of those novels where so many horrible things are happening, and the characters are in constant danger so it would have seemed fitting for one to die a gruesome death. But it wasn’t meant to be, obviously, and I was disappointed with the overly-happy happy ending.