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
In the third book in the Across the Universe trilogy, more than half of the inhabitants of Godspeed finally reach their destination that has taken five centuries to get to: Centauri-Earth. There, Amy and Elder hope to succeed with two things: Amy hopes to finally wake the other Sol-Earth beings--including her parents--from their frozen slumber and prove to everyone that they are not there to harm them, while Elder is hoping his people will settle the new world, and find it to be better than living on the doomed Godspeed. But from the moment they land, danger and trouble plague the young leader and his girlfriend. Carnivorous monsters lurk in the woods, waiting to make a meal out of the humans, and the newly awakened military and scientists are only focused on their mission, and not the frightened civilians around them. Secrets abound between these two sides that further complicates the settling, and when Amy and Elder suspect they're not alone on the planet, they have to uncover what is being hidden in order to ever have the chance of calling this foreign world home.
As her first sci-fi series, Beth Revis does a fantastic job of creating an entire new world filled with plants and creatures that can be easily imagined by her descriptions. She also makes the scientific side of this book comprehensible and enjoyable, adding to the advancement that has taken place in this futuristic story.
One thing that Revis has never been shy about using is shock factors; in each of her books, she is not hesitant to add something that will blind-side the reader and make them flabbergasted. She continues this tradition in Shades of Earth, adding cringe-worthy moments and revelations causing the characters and readers much pain and discomfort. Concerning her characters, Revis is unafraid to have them meet an unfortunate end, and also have them act certain ways that does not put them in the best light. Though some might see these negative characteristics as a turn off, it adds to Amy, Elder, and the rest showing that even in the future they face challenges like we do today.
Shades of Earth was a wonderful read, and a great way to end the series. Perhaps the only problem about it is the ending: it doesn't go into enough detail about the colonists and what ever happens with them, or about the future of Amy and Elder's relationship. It almost feels like a cliff hanger, however it definitely isn't, though it does beg the question, "What happens next?" Although a fourth book is unnecessary, what Revis might consider doing is writing a novella about Amy and Elder a few years after this book. However, Revis has set the end of the book in such a way that if she decided to do a fourth book or a spin-off series, it would work out very well and hopefully squelch our curiosity.
Beth Revis has certainly created a fan base for her work, and Shades of Earth is a terrific way to finish her debut series.
Sincerely,
The Night Owl
We can never escape history. It's presence in our lives will never vanish, whether it be from the past few centuries or the past few millennia, in our country or in another. Thus we return to Camp Half-Blood, an ancient Greek hero training camp set in modern day New York, for the next installment in the Percy Jackson series:The Sea of Monsters. Percy returns to camp with the rest of his demigod comrades, feeling the success of his first quest diminish as he continuously fails at camp activities against Clarisse, daughter of Ares. Believing that he accomplished his first quest on beginner's luck, he attempts to contact his father Poseidon for guidance, and when his father still seems absent Percy begins to lose faith. When the camp is attacked by monsters, however, Percy must fight his doubt to help save Camp Half-Blood from the son of Hermes, Luke, who is bent on taking over Olympus. Now teamed up with his friends Annabeth and Grover and also with his newly discovered Cyclops half-brother Tyson, Percy must journey into the Sea of Monsters in order to find a way to save his home, and face his most challenging opponent yet.
While the books are very popular to consumers, the first film The Lightning Thief did not have an impressive US run at the box office. In fact, the only reason a sequel was made was because the first movie did very well overseas. Though many were unimpressed by The Lightning Thief, it did possess one thing that this film sorely lacks: Greek mythology.What's brilliant about this story, created by author Rick Riordan, is that it is the myths that are still studied and discussed today set in our modern times with characters and situations that allow today's generation to understand and appreciate Greek myths. The first movie incorporated this with the presence of Medusa in a statue store, the presence of a hydra at the Parthenon in Tennessee, the lair of the lotus eaters in a Vegas hotel, and the entrance to the Underworld located in Hollywood. These myth tie-ins, along with many others, kept the film grounded in the mythological theme.
Now we turn to Sea of Monsters. Due to the extreme lack of Greek references, and the few that are present being seriously doused out with the modern world, it's extremely difficult to remember that this isn't just some sci-fi, but is actually supposed to be Greek myths. Only one god ever makes an appearance (if you count Mr. D then it's two, however, since it's never mentioned clearly enough who he is, those who have not read the books are going to be lost), and the one god who is present mirrors nothing of his Greek self, and just seems to be a very talented magician.
The Sea of Monsters itself is very under whelming also. While the book describes monster after monster, only two ever make an appearance. One being Polyphemus the cyclops who lives on his island, which is completely opposite of what the book describes that one must wonder who came up with the idea to add so many unnecessary features, and take away from what was depicted in the greatest Greek legend of all, The Odyssey.
If an audience member has not read the book, then there are many references that they are going to miss in the movie, many of which would help clear things up in the plot. For those audience members who have read the books, they're jaws are going to drop in horrid shock and wonder "What in hades happened?!"
What's probably the saddest part of all, is that the opening scene was the best part in the movie. Filled with amazing demigod action, emotion, and hilarity, it gives the false hope that the film will surpass it's predecessor and make a successful film series based off the books. By the end, however, it appears as if the creators decided to chuck the rest of the series into this one movie and quickly finish it off . . . but then they don't, as if they changed their minds.
If Fox dares to make The Titan's Curse into a movie, then gods help them, because Zeus will fry them with a lightning bolt if they cough out another one like this.
Sincerely,
The Night Owl
Not many authors possess the bragging rights of having a book series that just gets better and better with each book; Meg Cabot is one of those authors. In the final book of her Abandon series, Pierce Oliviera is getting used to her new life in the Underworld with its ruler (and her boyfriend) John. Things begin to calm down, and she attempts to help rule the Underworld as John's consort, all while keeping an eye on her recently deceased then revived cousin Alex, and all too adaptable best friend Kayla, while also watching out for attacking Furies bent on not only punishing John but also killing her. Her and John's relationship seem to be improving, but a horrific tragedy turns Pierce's world upside down, forcing her to go once again to the surface in order to save what's most important to her. But she's on a deadline. If she is unable to bring balance to the Underworld, the souls of those departed will over flow and spill out into Isla Huesos and out into the rest of the world. Pierce must now take on her duties as queen and not only save her family and friends, but also repair her dark kingdom. Who said dating the lord of the dead was going to be easy?
Cabot possesses the unique ability to create one-of-a-kind stories, and continue to build them up--story, character, theme--and bring it to the ultimate climax and ending. For Awaken, the story is well paced, and she forgets nothing as she brings the story to a close. Awaken is definitely the best book of the trilogy, including all the characters Cabot first introduced in the previous two books, and also introduces new characters, easily tying them into the storyline in a way that they're not thrust onto the reader, but instead feel as if they have always been there.
Another uncanny gift Cabot takes advantage of is her ability to add comedy to even the most stark situations; what other book that focuses on death can make your sides hurt from laughter. Wit has always been a constant style of Meg Cabot, and even with a book that takes place in the Underworld, she is still able to incorporate it in a tasteful manner.
Loaded with action, humor, romance, and suspense, Awaken is not only a fantastic end to the Abandon trilogy (which in itself was a wonderful modern, retelling of the Persephone myth) , but possibly one of Meg Cabot's finest pieces of work.
Sincerely,
The Night Owl
As a one dollar birthday card once read, "just like fine wine, you grow better with the years." Just like that wine, CIA operatives are the same way as can be seen in the recently released film Red 2. The Retired Extremely Dangerous crew is back with extreme action and hilarity all mixed into a two hour movie. Frank (Bruce Willis) is attempting a mission that not one of his fellow ex-CIA agents have ever accomplished: living a "normal" life with his girlfriend Sarah (Mary-Louise Parker). This dream is short lived, however, when an agent from a top secret branch of the FBI, MI6, and the Russian military all set their eyes on Frank and a missing advanced nuclear bomb they believe he was involved with hiding during the Cold War. Now he is forced back into the game (much to the delight of Sarah) along with his ever suspicious friend Marvin (John Malkovich) and weapon wheeling specialist Victoria (Helen Mirren). Between running from the FBI and MI6, dodging bullets from the world's top hit man (Byung-hun Lee) with a personnel score to settle, and an ex from the Russian government (Catherine Zeta-Jones), will Frank be able to save millions of people, improve his relationship with Sarah, and still aim towards a normal life? Perhaps this agent has finally met his match.
What was interesting about the first Red movie, was that it was not expected for there to be any realistic matches between retired agents and current trained operatives. And when it came to chase scenes (yeah it was cool when Frank easily stepped out of a speeding car shooting his gun perfectly, but realistically?) the audience was willing to bend their beliefs if for a short time. The same view is expected when going to see Red 2. The fight scenes are more impossible, the car scenes more ridiculous, and the amount of laws broken yet there being no consequences? Yep. It's definitely all doubled for this one. But there are a few movies that it's alright to do those things. Due to the comedic aspect of this film, it is okay to see Victoria shooting two guns out of different windows and hitting her targets all while the speeding car she is in skids sideways. If that was not in the movie, along with other similar improbable scenes, Red 2 would never have been able to be called an excellent sequel to the first one, which it certainly is.
This laughter driven action flick is a wonderful continuation of the Red franchise, bringing a once popular comic book story line out of obscurity and putting it back in the lime-light where it belongs.
Sincerely,
The Night Owl
He's back. One of Marvel's all time favorite heroes returns in his new film, The Wolverine. Based off of the 1980s comic arc by Chris Claremont and Frank Miller, Wolverine is in seclusion in the Canadian wilderness, struggling with the pain of killing the woman he loved, Jean Grey (at the end of X-Men: The Last Stand), in order to stop the Pheonix from destroying the world. When a figure from his past makes a sudden reappearance in his life, Logan is whisked off to Japan to say good-bye to the dying man. There, the man offers him a gift Wolverine never believed he could have: mortality. When the man's granddaughter, Mariko, becomes a target by Yakuza assassins, Wolverine does everything he can to protect her, growing close to her in the process. Now he must face his fears of immortality in order to save the woman he is starting to love, but can he knowing that the world continues to spin yet he stays static?
This movie, directed by James Mangold, has many positive aspects going for it. The story is well paced, not feeling rushed and very minimal scenes seemed like they took too long to be played out. Also, the multiple flashbacks were portrayed in such way that it was clear when it is the 1940s, and when it is present day making tag lines on the bottom of the screen unnecessary. It was a little daunting when they announced the film to take place in Japan, and that ninjas were going to be used as adversaries to Wolverine, almost guaranteeing recollections from multiple 80s ninja flicks where the fighting was almost satire worthy. However, the fighting in The Wolverine is not completely unbelievable (fighting on top of a bullet train withstanding) allowing the audience to appreciate the fights and not laugh at the ridiculousness of it. The focus of Wolverine and his growth is very well done thanks to the talents of Hugh Jackman, who has always performed the role excellently.
You've probably been searching for the "but", well here it is:
BUT . . .
While this film is definitely entertaining and one of the better movies of the summer, by the end it feels as if something is missing.
Perhaps it is the lack of mutants? When you go to the movie theatre to see the mutant of all mutants, it's almost expected for there to be . . . well . . . mutants. By the end of the movie, only three mutants are every shown, one being the title character. That's it. While the storyline does stick close with the comics, and the whole movie is about Wolverine, it most likely would have been beneficial to include more mutants (on a side note, it probably would have been amazing to have Deadpool-you know, a cool version unlike the one in X-Men Origins-to be in that crowd of ninjas. Can you say, "Hello, Deadpool movie"?).
Perhaps it's because the way the movie was portrayed in the trailers? In the trailers, it was consistently shown that Wolverine was given the option to lose his immortality, which we then assume he took because he could no longer heal himself. Doing this made it seem that Wolverine has been struggling with the fact that he can live forever while everyone else dies around him. That is never stated in the movie. In fact, the only thing that is shown and ever discussed is that he feels guilt over killing Jean, and the only time his immortality is ever brought up is by the man who offers him mortality.
What is sad about The Wolverine, is that during the movie you sit in your seat enraptured with the story, action, and quality graphics, yet all of that is overshadowed when the in-credits scene appears. By the time the audience leaves, they're not talking about the movie, they're talking about that one scene. That is what they leave with. The entire two hour movie loses to a five minute or less scene.
The Wolverine is a very well done piece, definitely one of the top action movies of the 2013 summer. But it is safe to say, concerning the final scene, that the creators saved the best for last.
Sincerely,
The Night Owl
It's the end of the third act, everything in Metropolis is broken and shattered, why not just add the general public's view of Superman to the casualty list? The shocking death of General Zod by the hands of Superman sent comic purist heads and pretty much the majority opinion of society in a whirlwind; Superman had broken his code of seventy five years and actually killed his enemy. This one act, this one shot that took less than a minute to play out, has many debating that this modern Superman is not the hero the world is annoyed with yet secretly loves, and that the Superman that first made us believe that man can fly and can be a source of good, is gone.
Is he really though? Those who disagree with this sentiment have an answer for the question, "Why did the Man of Steel creators do this?" Superman is not only the most mocked superhero that everyone doesn't like (and still has the highest rate in sold products) because of his great power, but has also historically been hounded for what many consider his greatest stance, that death is not the answer and that he believes in peaceful results. This is often thwarted by the same villains breaking out of whatever prison the Kryptonian puts them in, resulting in more chaos and death. This has long been a source of those questioning his supposedly advanced intellect. Wouldn't you prevent more chaos and death if you just eliminate the source of it? Yes, you have to sacrifice your moral code, but hey, capitol punishment, right? The creators then, says those who support the deadly move, make Superman do what fans have been chanting for decades: "off with his head!"
Yet even as Superman does the act, the audience who called for him to do it for years, who criticized him for continuing the never ending parade of escape, destruction, defeat, locked up, repeat, even as he kills Zod, we are all stupefied. We can't be satisfied, can we? We thirst for blood, yet when it's spilled, we look on in horror and disbelief; what kind of barbarian kills a living being with his bare hands? So what if he killed thousands, destroyed one of the most successful cities in America, threatened a family with small children, and attempted to destroy Earth to recreate his alien home world? Zod still shouldn't have been killed. Why does the word hypocrite come to mind . . .?
But perhaps hypocrisy is not the right word to akin to this situation. Perhaps it should be called expectation. No matter how hard we yell at the movie screen, or how loud we're shouting in our heads for Superman to just "finish him off!" we can--or could--always count on Superman to not be a killer. For the past seventy five years (yeah he's that old) we as an audience, our parents, and even (for some) our grandparents have been drilled with the knowledge that Superman will--would--never stoop to the level of his adversaries, for fear of becoming just like them. We have always held on to this high expectation of Superman, that no matter the circumstance he will never sway from his no killing policy. We always expect him to show us that he does not have to kill to stop evil, since to kill is the way of a true villain.
So . . . what does that say for Man of Steel? Is Superman, the man who stands (stood?) for "truth and justice" really gone?
There is something that has not been mentioned yet in this debate, an important aspect of Superman that has been present since the first issue from 1938: his role as a Christ figure. A Christ figure, in literary terms, means somebody who embodies the characteristic and sacrificial nature of Jesus Christ, and Superman is the ultimate Christ figure. It is stated most popularly in the original 1978 Superman film and is even mentioned in the new installment by Jor-El: he is sending his only son to Earth in order to save the human race, to be a light to them, and to lead them in the way of goodness. Russell Crowe's Jor-El says that they will "stumble and fall" but that one day "they will join [him] in the sun." Heck, even in the nineties Superman dies and resurrects in order to save mankind from Doomsday in the Death of Superman series. And the Fortress of Solitude? Where he goes and speaks to his omnipotent father from the great beyond? Someone going to church and praying? Lots of parallels there.
According to Christian belief, when Jesus died on the cross He took the whole world's sin upon Himself, so that no one would have to suffer the consequences. When Superman is faced with the decision of allowing Zod (whom he has finally captured) to murder an innocent family or to compromise his moral belief in not ending a life, instead of allowing the people to suffer he kills Zod. His emotions about it are made explicitly clear in the film with his dismayed face as he looks at the still form of the evil Kryptonian. Instead of allowing more suffering to happen to the innocent, which would have happened had he allowed Zod to kill the family or let him go from the choke hold, Superman put the pain of doing something horrible on himself, so that he would be the only one affected. Yes, thousands of people had already been affected by Zod's rampage, but Superman realized that it would never stop unless he put the pain on himself.
What many are saying about this new, red brief-less Superman is that it has killed their inner child. As they watched their longtime hero end a life with his own hands, it's as if there is no more hope for humanity. Time is an important factor here. The Superman that enchanted us was from a time where keeping the hopes of children and teens alive was essential. It was a time of war, protests, and many other things that could plague a child should they be aware of it. Thank goodness for those comics to distract them. Zack Snyder and Christopher Nolan set out to recreate Superman, to make him fit in our modern world. A world where police now have to be present at movie theatres in case some nutcase who calls himself the Joker decides to barge in and kill the movie goers, a world where children have to attend school always looking over their shoulders for fear a madman will burst in the door and gun them all down. A world where a child who has been taught to not allow adults touch them, must go against what they learned when they go to the airports, for fear someone might be carrying a bomb. That is our world now. Is it too much to say that Superman has changed with it? That when forced to make a difficult decision, you have to choose the lesser of two evils? That in order to be safe we must be groped at airports, allow police to roam school campuses, and (the forefront of the controversial world) use drones to spy on Americans. The only thing Superman has that these other "lesser evils" don't have? His choice only affected him, put all the blame on him, ruining only his image, while the rest of the world benefited from it.
Was allowing Superman to kill a smart move by the creators? Probably not. If their goal was to create discussion, then they succeeded (hence this long piece). To avoid all this controversy, they should not have backed Superman in a corner, forcing him to make that decision. They have already stated that the death of Zod will be addressed in the second Man of Steel movie, showing the affects it had on Clark Kent. Unitl then, the world will continue to debate about Zod's death. However, there is something else to be concerned with; if they dared to put in Superman killing his enemy in order to reflect the severe changes our world is going through today, one must wonder as we the human race continues to head south (after the Boston bombing, National Security debates, more chaos in the Middle East, and who knows what else) what will Zach Snyder and Christopher Nolan have this modern Superman do in the sequel?
She lived when she should have died. She passed when she should have failed. She fought when she should have ran. In The Cadet of Tildor, Cadet Renee de Winter enters her last year of training at the Academy, where she will then be given the honor of serving the Crown in the elite military squad called Servants. But before she can graduate and serve her country, she has a list of challenges to conquer: the physical test she must pass in order to graduate, the belief of everyone around her that she will fail because she is not as big or strong as the boys in her class, the mysterious actions of her best friend Alec, and the new brutal combat instructor, Korish Savoy. As if school wasn't enough to worry about, her country is on the brink of civil war between two warring crime gangs--the Family and the Vipers--and the new, young king,. But when the conflicts of those three enter her school, Renee must decide whether to act on the law, or to act on her instincts.
This new fantasy novel by Alex Lidell is an exciting ride full of twists and turns, with bits of magic thrown in here and there. Each character possesses an amazing back story, that not only ties in with many events that are occurring throughout the book, but also aids in explaining how the characters came to be who they are today.
The presence of a female protagonist such as Renee is a healthy break from the more severe "girl power" characters that have been produced previously. Her weaknesses are evident when compared with the male characters, yet her strength is evident in that she will not let her short comings impede her from doing all she can to help her friends and her kingdom. And isn't that, the strength in one's character, the best strength of all? The story has a healthy balance when it comes to Renee, showing not only her positive aspects, but also her faults. Situations in the story also cause her to rethink her stance in that the law must be followed at all cost; that maybe the world isn't black and white, but that there might be areas of gray.
While there is very little "magic" in the book to really be called a fantasy, Tildor is a wonderful kingdom to read about, and the people inside of it more so, making The Cadet of Tildor a very enjoyable story.
"No one is as proud as a Tudor." D.L Bogdan introduces, what could possibly be, one of the most extreme feminists from the 16th century, Margaret Tudor Queen of Scots, in her new book The Forgotten Queen. In this fictionalized history novel, Margaret struggles through the life of a Royal and the limitations she has as a female in a traditional man's world. Being married at the early age of twelve and moved to the "barbaric" country of Scotland, she strives to accomplish the goal of bringing peace between England and Scotland set by her father, and her personnel goal of living out a pampered, satisfied existence. But when continuous tragedies plague her, and she is taken advantage of by those who claim to love her, Margaret discovers that she can bring the peace and she can live a happy life, but can she accomplish them together?
In many historical fiction novels, if the author intends to write about the entire life of the character it can become tedious, like an extremely long and detailed history lesson proving that the author did not just make up the events, but that they actually did research on this time in history. While occasionally some of the details are unneccessary, Bogdan does an excellent job of not making this book into an elaborate, speculative research paper. And considering that she has written three other books on the Tudors, and has studied history in college, it is safe to assume that this book is pretty accurate concerning what occured in the life of Margaret Tudor.
If this was a traditional novel, the character would be seen as a static character; never changing, not experiencing that epiphany before the climax that if she changes her ways, then maybe things will end up differently. Instead, Margaret is consistently shown as being selfish, materialistic, and blonde throughout the whole of her life. Even when she has moments of resolve to change her ways, she never does. Normally, this kind of main character would make the story uninteresting, however since it is based off of a real person and real events, it can only be suspected to be how Margaret Tudor actually was in real life. Still, at times it can be quite annoying reading from her egotistic point of view.
Bogdan's book does a remarkable job of bringing the story of a true forgotten queen (due to the infamy of her brother Henry VIII) to light, and showing the trials of Regal women from the past in a way that can be enjoyed by modern audiences.
Are you ready for the most frightastic experience a monster can have? Welcome to college. In Pixar's new film and first ever prequel Monsters University, Mike Wazowski begins his freshmen year at the college of his dreams, and is now able to pursue his goal that was set when he was a monster tike: to become the all time around best scarer. But when fellow scare major James P. Sullivan comes into the picture, and his scaring abilities are questioned, Mike will have to do everything in his power to prove that there is more to this little monster than what they all see, and that you can find friends in the most unlikely places.
Following the success of the first movie Monsters Inc., Pixar made a gamble on making their first prequel based off that film. While Pixar is known for their achievement in sequels like the Toy Story franchise and films for the world of Cars (which will now include the upcoming movie Planes) many speculated on whether they would triumph in the art of prequels. Monsters University proves that they can.
This movie, while may not be as admirable as the first film, is still a delight to watch. While children will laugh at the slapstick comedy, adults will find the tie in to the college atmosphere recognizable and true making it even more hilarious. Pixar ingeniously incorporates all that makes college what it is into the monster equivalent from the preppy SGA members to the fraternities and sororities ROR (Roar Omega Roar), HSS (Eta Hiss Hiss), JOX (Jaws Theta Chi), PNK (Python Nu Kappa), and the fraternity of Mike and Sully OK (Oozma Kappa).
This film not only expands more on the monster world and on how Mike and Sully first became friends, but also does a remarkable job of referencing back to the first movie, revealing things that may not appear important, but then is shown that there is more to the simple things than the audience realizes. It also manages to bring back to focus that this is definitely not a sequel; screams are the only power source, there is no laugh floor, and children are still the deadliest things in the universe. The presence of the closet doors and the scream tanks also aids in bringing back the first movie, showing that it is still the monster world, only a different part of it.
They may have not broken the all time scare record, but Pixar has succeeded in making a wonderful prequel to one of their most popular movies.
A lot can change in one summer, especially when you're not expecting it. In her new book, The Moon and More, bestselling author Sarah Dessen introduces Emaline, a native of the small, beach town Colby who has been doing the same thing her whole life, and who's future didn't look any better. Then the summer before her freshmen year of college, the arrival of a documentary film crew and sudden split from her longtime boyfriend begins a whirlwind of change for Emaline. As the summer winds down, Emaline must learn the value of not only where she's been, but also where she's going; of when to hold on and when to let go. It all can only happen in the summer.
Sarah Dessen has become famous with her works about different struggles that girls face in their adolescent years, creating memorable characters who go through trials like image issues, rape, divorce, abuse, and identity problems to name a few, and who all grow stronger through them. Although Dessen has included in this new book the conflicts of divorce and the repercussions of them, the main struggle--Emaline's fear of new things versus what she is familiar with--appears as a new course for the author, while still staying with her theme of issues teenage girls face. While many girls do unfortunately face those mentioned above, Dessen takes a detour from extreme scenarios, and creates one that is probably the most familiar to her audience; change is inevitable, and how a person takes the change can affect how the person will grow.
Along with this new addition to her theme, what other Dessen fans may notice is that she has also changed the way Emaline interacts with her ex and new boyfriend. Dessen uses a very familiar formula when it comes to the relationships in her books, however this book reveals a different kind of result by the end of the story, that may appear minor, but varies greatly from her other works.
While she does deviate from her usual story telling style, The Moon and More is an excellent read, the change added allows it to stand out from her other works. This is the perfect book to read for summer, making the reader question just like Emaline did: what changes will this summer bring?
They said it couldn't be done, then again they also said man couldn't fly. DC has achieved a goal that when first announced, made audiences cringe at the habitualness of it all: they managed to reintroduce Superman as a new movie franchise. Man of Steel, directed by Zach Snyder and produced by the Dark Knight's director Christopher Nolan, retells the forever popular tale of Clark Kent, the last son of Krypton, and his journey of discovering who he is and who he will become: the red caped Superman.
What this movie does, which 2006's Superman Returns failed to do, is establish a modern version of the famed hero. While the first film attempted to be a somewhat fifth sequel to the first four from the late seventies and eighties, Warner Brothers dared to start from the very beginning, with Kal-El's origin. This was a major risk for the company to do, especially after many complaints from fans about ANOTHER origin story, and it being about the hero of all heroes. However, just like there was an outcry then acceptance over The Amazing Spider-Man, Man of Steel has gained the general approval rapidly within its opening weekend.
The success of this movie lies in many aspects; you can't just choose anyone to be a part of something as massive as the United States' most popular myth. Choosing a new face to don the cape (Henry Cavill) was a wise choice, and mixing him in with movie pros (Russell Crowe, Amy Adams, Laurence Fishburne, Diane Lane . . . just to name a few) was an even better choice; combining the old with the new. This strategy, likewise, works miraculously with the story almost everyone in the world knows. While the expectation of the average Man of Steel attendee is to fall asleep during the first thirty or so minutes of the movie where they explain how Clark came to Earth, that said attendee will be very surprised as they're proven completely wrong. From details about Krypton (in this film it is more of a dessert landscape than a white tundra as shown in the '78 movie) to new facts about Clark's early work (who knew he was a fisherman?), these new bits of information that though seem minuscule, add up to give more of an explanation as to why Superman is the way he is.
Even though Christopher Nolan was not the director, his presence was very evident in the Man of Steel. The use of a non-linear timeline, much like what is seen in Batman Begins, causes the feeling of being on a roller coaster, one which you do not recover from until the first hour of the movie is done. After this confusing backward and forward motion, drawn-out scenes of extreme destruction (ten times worse than all three Transformers movies combined) to Smallville and Metropolis becomes tedious and wearisome. The time that was used to show this could have been used in a more beneficial way, for example, establishing the adult Clark Kent better.
Even with the changes to the story and the unnecessary excess of violence, the traditional tale stays true to what we all are so familiar with while also answering a few questions that have plagued fans for years. This healthy balance makes the film enjoyable, while also bringing a fresh take to the Superman mythos.
Magic has returned to the silver screen, and it comes in the form of the original (NOT based off of a book; when was the last time that happened?) movie Now You See Me. In this new thriller, four former street magicians (Jesse Eisenberg, Woody Harrelson, Isla Fisher, Dave Franco) are brought together to pull off the heist of a lifetime, all while putting on a performance that no one will ever forget. When a level-headed woman from Interpol (Mélanie Laurent), a frazzled FBI agent (Mark Ruffalo), and a former entertainer turned magic buster (Morgan Freeman) start to hunt them down, the Four Horsemen must pull out all their tricks in order to elude them, and to be able to perform their greatest spectacle of all.
Not only is this film extremely entertaining, it keeps you on the edge of your seat. What is amazing about this movie, is that it perfectly reflects the feelings experienced at a true magic show; the feeling of awe, the questioning of how it is done, the expectation of what will happen next, and the thrill of not being denied the enjoyment of a good, quality, show.
There are multiple twists in this movie, yet none of them cause the audience to despise the surprises (unlike the recent disappointment of a good number of movie goers when they met Trevor from Iron Man 3). The story line has an impeccable balance of thrill and comedy, where one moment the atmosphere will be tense during an interrogation, and the next the mind reading member of the group (Harrelson) will start giving a therapy session to the two agents about their relationship, although they just met.
There have been many complaints about unanswered questions left by the movie, though perhaps that is the point. Who hasn't left a magic show with a question or two buzzing around in their mind? And can we say . . . sequel?
Taking a break from wizards and spells (looking at you, Harry) Now You See Me reintroduces the art of the true magician, and their amazing ability to enchant us with their clever tricks and performances. With a spellbinding cast and mesmerizing storyline, Now You See Me will make you believe in magic once again.
From the coauthor of Beautiful Creatures, Icons is the first of a series about four teens growing up in a world where the Lords, a mysterious group of aliens, has taken over Earth and has decimated a majority of the population. The four come to discover that they are the only people on the planet who may have a chance of fighting back; if only they could learn to work together.
While the story concept is interesting, the book itself is a complete disaster. For the plot, think The Hunger Games meets I Am Number Four; it's what would have happened if Ender hadn't won the game. The world is utterly demolished, people are either being used as slaves to build a mysterious structure for the Lords, starving on the streets, or working for the Lords to keep the other two groups in line. The writing is confusing, making it difficult to follow who is speaking and what is occurring. For where the characters are located, there is barely any description, so it is challenging to picture what their surroundings are like.
What is clear, however, is that Stohle is attempting to write in the style and to create a book that is equivalent to the works of past great dystopian writers, as is evident by the name of the Jarvis-like, omnipresent, computer doctor: Dr. Orwell Bradbury Huxley-Clarke.
This book had the potential to be a thrilling, futuristic sci-fi novel, introducing a new exciting series to the market. However, because of the choppy writing, the rushed tempo, and the lack of character development, Icons falls short of the high expectations set before it.
There are many qualities that the new animated feature Epic exhibits, that allows this movie to be as enjoyable and entertaining as it is. At its most basic, the plot concept for this film is impeccable yet simple; who hasn't tromped through the woods and experienced a random branch falling from a tree, or the rustle of one bush yet all the others stay still? Epic is here to reveal that these occurrences are caused by the microscopic actions of the Leafmen, the protectors of the forest, making sense of the goings on of the woods.
It is also refreshing to see a film about wildlife where the antagonist is not an evil, corporate, money grubbing human who's only desire is to tear down every leaf and twig to build a condominium or strip mall as is the case in most other movies of Epic's nature. Yes, humans are evil, we're responsible for deforestation, global warming, and the extinction of the dinosaurs-we get it. For once, however, a movie does not follow other nature based flicks, and in fact creates a villain who is actually from the tiny world in which the audience visits. Boggans are evil, disgusting, nasty creatures who are responsible for killing the forest, which the Leafmen fight to protect. As the beloved character Nod (Josh Hutcherson) says at the discovery that his new friend MK (Amanda Seyfried) has never witnessed these beings: "You've never seen a Boggan? Someone had a happy childhood."
While I enjoyed the movie and thought it to be good, I am not the intended audience. So, to get a perspective from those in the targeted demographic for this film, I turned to my movie companion: my eleven year old cousin. She, being a fan of animated movies, said this to me: "I really liked it, but I wish that MK had stayed small, and that she and Nod had gotten together in the end."
I was in complete agreement.
Though the end of the film is sufficient enough-it is not a sad ending and MK does not lose complete touch with her small friends- it still lacks the connectedness between the characters that movie goers yearn for. During the film, an obvious spark grows between MK and Nod (how can one not after their ride together on the antlers of a deer?) and before MK becomes big again they share a kiss. So the question remains, how does this relationship work out? Are they a couple, or just going to remain friends? It certainly would be complicated with one person being as big as the other's thumb, and needing gaudy headgear in order to communicate.
Who knows? Maybe Blue Sky Studios will address this in a sequel, maybe they will let it be. In the end, the movie was entertaining and is sure to be a hit with young audiences.
The creators of Ice Age's new release, Epic, invites the viewer to experience a new world hidden within our own. Blue Sky Studios delves in and expands on a rather simple topic-what happens in the forest that we cannot see-and creates an enchanting story of the minuscule warrior race called the Leafmen, and the teenage MK (Amanda Seyfried) who becomes part of their world and is charged to take care of the Pod, which will determine the future of the Leafmen and the entire forest. The animation and camera angles are exquisite, making everything appear to be new and not just your typical back yard woods. The characters are entertaining and varied from Nod (Josh Hutcherson) the wayward warrior to Mub (Aziz Ansari) and Grub (Chris O'Dowd), the joking care takers of the Pod.
Though overall the movie is unique, it lacks an important plot element that makes the hero story: the fall of the hero. MK follows the role of the hero in this story, she faces troubling times, she is offered the chance of a quest which will change her circumstances, she takes it, and things change the way she wants them to. What usually follows the acceptance of the quest, however, is the fall of the hero into disgrace with those around her, which she will then overcome and rise again, this time stronger; MK does not experience this. Although the plot is enjoyable, the lack of the fall cannot put Epic into the same level as past animated hits have done, such as the recent success Rise of the Guardians.
Although this is missing from the film, Epic is an enjoyable picture filled with action, beauty, friendship, and bravery that is sure to enchant children and families alike.
