A talking snowman who dreams of summer, a powerful snow queen, and an abundance of musical numbers; sounds like a new Disney princess movie has been released. Princess sisters Elsa and Anna are your everyday young women . . . except that Elsa has ice powers. Growing up together, the sisters never feared Elsa's gift, until a horrible accident occurs. Afraid that she is a danger to Anna and everyone else around her, Elsa shuts herself away causing a rift to appear between the two. Her efforts to remain hidden are destroyed though, when the entire kingdom is thrown into a permanent winter. In order to save her sister and her people, Anna must journey into the wilderness to find Elsa and bring back summer. But what if her sister doesn't want to be saved?
There are many positive aspects of Frozen, the simple fact that Disney focuses on two sisters who are princesses instead of only focusing on one as has happened in the past with royal siblings is special in itself. The young women themselves are also unique to the other princesses; Elsa is afraid of herself to the point where she hides away from everyone, and Anna is extremely clumsy with her body movements, footing, and speech, making them both different from your standard brave, elegant princesses. Every princess has a companion of some sort, traditionally it is an animal though there have been times where a dragon or enchanted objects are used instead. So to include Olaf, the comical talking snowman, is a great addition to these cast of characters, especially since he has such a strong significance in the lives of the sisters.
Although Frozen contains several enchanting songs that only Disney can create, such as "Let it Go" and "For the First Time in Forever", many of the songs sound awkward and can be drawn out. And though Anna and Elsa grow as characters throughout the movie, the main male characters have no growth whatsoever. In fact Kristoff, the male character present the most, has very little growth though his conflict is greatly present from the beginning.
Frozen is a delightful movie filled with lovable characters, but falls short of some of the most recent Disney princess films.
Sincerely,
The Night Owl
The fire is back, and it is hotter than ever. Based off the worldwide best selling series, The Hunger Games: Catching Fire returns the audience to the dystopian country of Panem, where Katniss Everdeen is dealing with the after affects of the 74th Hunger Games while preparing to go on the Victory Tour with Peeta Mellark, who after discovering Katniss was pretending to love him for the cameras has become distant.When President Snow alerts Katniss to the trouble she has caused the Capitol and issues a threat on the lives of her and Peeta's families, the stakes are higher for them to convince the world they are in love and silence the desire of revolution in the districts. Their chance to escape the Capitol's wrath is destroyed, however, when the announcement for the 75th Hunger Games, the Quarter Quell, is given; that the tributes will be reaped from the existing pool of victors. Facing the arena a second time, Katniss's perspectives shift and she must decide if she is going to focus on only saving her family, or if she will become Panem's Mockingjay.
Within the recent decade, it has become the norm to have most movies made to be based off books. It is a way for Hollywood to see what does and does not work for the audience. So when these popular stories make it the big screen it is a wonder why so many tank in theaters. The creators of Catching Fire appear to have discovered the problem that many fans of these books have known all along, which is that they must follow the source material. There is a reason why the books are world renown, so the fact that movie adaptations deviate from it will be problematic for the fans who attend these movies and who make up a good portion of the audience. Catching Fire is a brilliant example of an adaptation honoring the source, following so close to it that those who are very familiar with the book will notice that most of the script is directly pulled from it. And so far with the positive response, it appears that's how fans want it.
The parts that are added to the film do not distract a lot from the original story, and the things that were taken out for time were very wise choices. Possibly the greatest thing missing is Peeta and Katniss's attempt at being friends. For those who have not read the books, they are deprived from seeing the strong attempt these two make to forming a good relationship while on the Victory Tour, while those who are familiar with the books know how much time Peeta and Katniss spent together and how much their relationship did change. But considering that the movie is already two and a half hours long, they probably didn't have a choice to include it.
Catching Fire is a thrill to watch and lays a beautiful transition into the final films. Hopefully, other movie companies who will be doing book to screen adaptations will follow this movie's example, because this is how it is done.
Sincerely,
The Night Owl
Returning in all his long hair, cape flying, lightning striking glory, Thor takes over the silver screen once more in Thor: The Dark World. The nine realms are once more at peace thanks to Thor who made it his mission to repair the damage his brother Loki had caused, and since Loki is condemned to remain imprisoned for the rest of his life, it makes Thor's job a little easier. Once his mission is complete, however, an incident on Earth causes him and Jane Foster to once more come together and save the universe before a new and darker force takes over. To save so many worlds and the woman he loves, Thor is going to need some help, and Loki just might be the help he needs. But can he trust his brother? And what will be the repercussions if he's wrong?
It was a general consensus with the first Thor movie that although not horrible, it also was not the best; it was just there. The true reason for its presence was no secret, however. That summer of 2011 was filled with hurried made Marvel films about the origins of Thor and Captain America in order to prepare the world for the masterpiece that was The Avengers in 2012. In order to make-up for the not-really-a-disaster-but-kind-of-out-of-place film, the Thor sequel had to make up for it.
And it does.
What is amazing about The Dark World, is that the characters and setting are solid, everything is grounded. When a giant rock alien challenges Thor, of course he will beat him to a pulp. Planet hopping? Just take the Bifrost Bridge. It's perfectly natural. All of it appears that way, and gives the audience a sense of it belonging in this universe. The creators also took advantage of using multiple worlds without having it seemed jumbled, rushed, or out of place, making it unique and also opening a way for the Marvel Universe to expand.
Perhaps the greatest aspect about this film is how the infamous Loki is included. Arguments are already being formed on who is really the star in this movie: Thor or Loki. Though the it focuses around Thor and his struggles (just check out the title) a good portion of the movie focuses on Loki and the consequences he must face due to his actions. There are many instances that depict Loki as a sympathetic character, and the audience must deal with that while he continues being the god of mischief and all that implies.
Whether it be Thor's or Loki's movie, Thor: The Dark World is an enjoyment to watch, and has set the stage for possibly an even greater third film.
Sincerely,
The Night Owl
Almost thirty years after its publication, the acclaimed sci-fi novel Ender's Game makes its big screen debut. Young Ender Wiggin is burdened with many things: he has lived with the guilt of being an illegal third child, suffered from bullies in the form of classmates and his big brother Peter, and the fear of what he will become when he grows up. When he is approached by Colonel Graff of the International Fleet to attend Battle School, he discovers that his greatest burden is the hope that the IF has for him, that he will save the world. As training commences and he moves up in the ranks, he becomes unsure of the hope his teachers have for him, and doubt that he will succeed. Will he defeat his enemies? Can he defeat his enemies? Who are his enemies? It's all about the game. The problem is, it's not a game.
Fans of this book series have waited many years for this movie, and it was definitely best that it was held off for so long. Orson Scott Card made a good call in holding back, because this film would not have been as impressive without the quality graphics that it has. The Battle Room, the most familiar setting in the book, is brought to life in a spectacular way, making it more impressive than what is described in the story. The battle scenes also possess amazing quality, and the futuristic aspects are even greater than the book (considering that Card had predicted things like the iPad in 1985, the creators had to add some other form of future technology that is not present in the novel, but fits in very well).
Although the movie does not include the great political struggle that is spoken of in the book (due to time), the film makes up for it in the characters and the actors that play them. Summit could not have chosen a better actor than Asa Butterfield to play Ender Wiggin, who works very well with Harrison Ford's Colonel Graff. Every character was casted well, and because of their performances the story retains the emotion and questions that it had in the book concerning guilt, the cost of winning, and the role that childhood plays in the lives of young people just to name a few.
Even with the good casting, graphics, and well chosen plot cuts (again for the sake of time) the film is not perfect. The film is very rushed from the get go, and even those who have read the book and know the intricate workings of the story will feel as if they went from zero to sixty in two seconds. The important aspects of the story, for example Peter's long time cruelness to Ender, is not missed and is assuredly grounded, but the characters never seem to have a moment to breathe for how fast it goes. However, it does in a way reflect the strategy of the book. Card is famous for jumping from one year to the next within one paragraph in Ender's Game that gives the reader whiplash, and it is the same way in the movie.
It has been a very long wait, but it was definitely worth it. Ender's Game does a phenomenal job of staying very close and true to the original source, and although it may not be better than the novel, it is one of those rare films where fans can say that is not worse than the book. In the better/worse game, they are tied.
Sincerely,
The Night Owl
One choice can--and will-- change everything. In the conclusion of the Divergent series, the place that Tris, Tobias, and the rest of their people have called home for decades is now keeping them prisoner, locked away from the outside world that the Divergent are apparently supposed to save. Kept from the truth for so long, Tris and her friends are determined to discover what is really out there, and what their purpose is. But the truth is bigger than they realize, and they must decide what they are going to do with the dangerous and life changing information given to them. With pain, loss, heartbreak, and sacrifice clogging their past and present, who will they trust and what truth will they believe to help them journey into their future?
Allegiant possesses many positive qualities that are very similar to the previous two books: tension between people groups that have differing views of how their city should operate, relationship issues and improvements between Tris and Tobias, and personnel journeys that each character goes through just to name a few. The growth of the characters are wonderful, and Roth does a great job of not making "perfect" characters, but ones that have flaws and issues and must discover what they are and how to work through them.
Although this book has these good aspects, there are many problems with the story. Roth changes the focus of the story, redirecting it to a place beyond the ruined city of the factions. She incorporates an entirely new plot that not only causes the book to turn away from the city that is supposed to be the main focus, but also seriously complicates the plot with a government that also has some big issues. By adding another broken government, it completely takes away the goal of the entire book series, and that is to heal the city.
By including another government, this also adds to another problem this book has and that is all the unanswered questions: who rules the government? What shape is the country in? Why is Tris the only Divergent to ever have been tested and have three factions? Does her brother Caleb ever get why it was wrong to help the woman who tried to kill his sister, or is he still completely oblivious?
Probably the biggest issue with Allegiant is the ending. Allegiant does something that the other books do not do, and that is have both Tris and Tobias' point of views. The inclusion of Tobias is great at first, but by the end the true reason of its presence is realized, and it is not what readers are expecting. The general response for the ending is going to be split among the readers; part of the readers will become extremely angry over what happens, and the other part will be happy that Roth ended differently than other mainstream books and praise its uniqueness. The last part of the book is going to be controversial among fans, and since the movie company for the series, Red Wagon Entertainment, is already slotted to film Insurgent, the second book in the series, it will be interesting to see how it will play out.
Though parts of the book were entertaining, attention grabbing, and thought provoking, the crowded and complicated plot, the unanswered questions, and the questionable ending, causes Allegiant to fall short of a climatic finale to the series.
Sincerely,
The Night Owl
The mission is finally coming to its end in the conclusion of the New York Times hit The Gallagher Girls series, United We Spy. It's senior year, and Cammie is still trying to get back in motion after experiencing memory loss last summer at the hands of the Circle of Cavan, an organization who is bent on gaining power over the world. While her friends, classmates, and fellow operatives prepare for their future, Cammie only has one plan for hers: live to see graduation. But that becomes difficult when the Circle begins to initiate their final plans on bringing the planet to its knees, and Cammie and her friends become fugitives, trying to capture the remaining Circle leaders. They're put to the final test, having to use everything the Gallagher Academy taught them in order to save the world. Failure is not an option. No pressure, right?
Ally Carter has grown her characters with each book, having them start out using their spy skills in order to learn about Cammie's first boyfriend, to now having to go up against international terrorists, situations have elevated substantially as their training has intensified. Carter has now left her characters in a place where it is evident that they are prepared to face bigger oppositions in the field.
Though the last few books have grown rather serious compared to the original book (I mean come on, what happened to Evapopaper?), Carter's wit and perfectly timed humor are still present. What Carter was also wise to include, is showing how the young spies perform outside the ivy covered walls of the Gallagher Academy, and making apparent that things don't always go according to plan.
Perhaps the only thing that would've made this book even better (which would be difficult since it's already pretty great) would have been to include some things or some characters from the original book to bring the entire series full circle. Still, the book is great without them.
United We Spy is a fantastic book to finish off this beloved series, showing that even when school is over, once a Gallagher Girl, always a Gallagher Girl.
Sincerely,
The Night Owl
Move over Ariel, Emma is taking the spotlight in this fish-out-of-water tale. In the sequel to Of Poseidon, Emma has a lot to deal with, between the revelation that her mother is the long thought dead princess of the Poseidon kingdom who is fighting to not go back, and the fact that her being a Half-Breed is preventing her and Galen, a Triton prince, from being together, she has a busy Senior year ahead of her. Her problems escalate, however, when a fake Poseidon heir takes the throne, and a group of Syrenas start plotting to overthrow the Royals. It looks like everyone Emma cares about may be taken away from her, while she is forbidden from the water for fear of her life. Emma must now decide who she is--a do nothing Half-Breed or a Syrena Royal-- which will determine the fate of the underwater civilizations forever.
Between the recent vampire and zombie fads, it is extremely refreshing to have a series about another major part of mythology that has been in existence longer than either of the aforementioned combined. Between the popularity of The Little Mermaid and the not so positive stories of the sirens from The Odyssey, there appears at first glance that there is not much left to discuss about merpeople. Banks comes out of the blue, however, with a wonderful story about the Syrena and what occurs when a half human half Syrena is born.
The original book, Of Poseidon, did a fantastic job of setting up the story, of explaining the differences between it and other mermaid tales, while this sequel focuses on what happens when the underwater government starts to lose power . . . and how a merman and a human will ever work out romantic wise.
With it being told from sassy Emma and brave Galen's point of views, Of Triton is a great second book to the retelling of the mermaid story that audiences will come to love.
Sincerely,
The Night Owl
