The Host

My Rating: 2/5
Rotten Tomatoes: 9%
Kids-In-Mind: 4.5.3

Well. The most I can say for this movie was that it wasn't totally terrible. Yes, most of it was, but I was expecting that. I hoped for a bit more since I heard that the movie was good from a few people, but I have to admit that I wasn't expecting much from a movie based on a book by Stephanie Meyer. There were a few good things in it. For instance, the moral was a good one if delivered rather heavy-handedly. The story itself was interesting if painfully predictable. My favorite part was probably the cave setting where the humans hide out. If nothing else, the visuals were kind of cool. And now for the bad parts. It was predictable, the dialogue was often cheesy, the character's motivations were very confusing, and everything was just plain too easy. The alien antagonists were never very threatening to me, even the supposedly evil Seeker (who was one of the characters with wildly confusing motivations) so there was never much warranted tension beyond that trumped up by the overly dramatic characters. Maybe this movie would make more sense if I read the book, but I really don't think I'm going to.

New Ratings System

I've decided to spice up my blog a bit by adding ratings to the reviews that I write. I'm going to add my personal rating on a one to five star scale, the Rotten Tomatoes rating, and the Kids-In-Mind rating for movies, and for books I'll include the Goodreads rating along with my own. For the ratings off other sites, I'll include a link to that site so you can see how their ratings work or a more detailed review. For my own ratings, one means it was horrible and I wish I hadn't wasted my time, two means it was pretty bad but had at least one redeeming quality, three means it wasn't anything special but was still interesting, four means it was really good and I would watch or read it again, five means it was exceptional, possibly life-changing, and I will watch or read it over and over again. Hopefully the new ratings system will make this blog a bit more user-friendly. Feedback would be much appreciated!

Culture and Entertainment

This is a very English-majory post, but I find it interesting, so hopefully some other people do too. Anyway, in one of my classes a couple semesters ago, I wrote a paper comparing the original Sherlock Holmes stories to the BBC show Sherlock and explaining how the differences between the two relate to changes that have occurred in society since the Victorian period. It was actually quite fascinating (the topic, not necessarily my paper). Since then, I've applied that thinking to other kinds of entertainment. I mean, think about it. What does our entertainment say about our society? I think it's a great window into the way we think as a culture. What makes certain things popular at certain times? Pacing, explosions, characters, plot twists? One thing that I've already commented on a few times (see "Iron Man 3" and "Superheroes") is the number of people who prefer Iron Man over Captain America. As a staunch Captain America fan, I have to wonder why. One of my college professors actually talked about this briefly before class and suggested it was a generational thing. Maybe so. Captain America is definitely an old-fashioned sort of hero, while Iron Man is very much the sarcastic darker hero that is so popular in a lot of entertainment today. So what does that say about us as a culture? It could be because of events such as 9-11, the Iraqi War, or recent economical problems. Maybe we as a people have become more cynical and therefore prefer more cynical characters. This seems especially likely if you look back on entertainment as it was basically anytime in the 20th century. I went to a symposium discussion that touched on this. The presenter was specifically talking about children's literature and how it has changed over the years in response to historical and current events. She compared children's entertainment that was popular in the 90's, such as Pokemon and Power Rangers, to what's popular now, like Hunger Games. She put Harry Potter in the 90's category as well, but I think it works for both, since it was started in 1997 and ended in 2007 and the overall tone of the series changes dramatically as it goes on. The happy, adventurous world of the first book changes into a practically post-apocalyptic world by the end of the series. It's definitely something to think about.

TV Shows

I didn't really watch that much TV until about a year ago, which was probably a very good thing. It's so addicting! It's so easy to get attached to the characters, and then it takes hours and hours to finish the story or get to the latest episode. I find it interesting to see how TV and movies are such different genres, each with their own advantages and disadvantages. Movies have the advantage of being viewed in one sitting, so that the story naturally flows better and has a wider audience since those without the time or attention span to  watch an entire TV show can generally handle a 2 hour movie. TV shows, however, have the advantage of the time to really get to know the characters. Most shows I've watched often have episodes which focus on a certain character, so over time you can get to know all the main characters very well. The plots of TV shows generally aren't the most original, but they get away with it because people get so attached to the characters. The better shows have both good plots and characters, but I think those are definitely the minority. Another advantage of TV shows is that if you don't like it, you can just stop watching after one episode, whereas with movies you have to sit through the whole thing to get your money's worth. When it comes down to it, however, it seems like TV shows are given much more leeway with regards to quality in comparison to movies. Bad TV shows seem to be more popular than bad movies, especially in children's TV shows (watch Disney Channel and you'll see what I mean). However, when a TV show is good, it's good for much longer than a good movie and provides a lot more quality entertainment time. I've come to like both of these genres, although I definitely understand why people try to avoid wasting time watching TV.

Percy Jackson :)

Today I would like to dedicate a post to Percy Jackson. The cover for The House of Hades was released recently, and so I am in the mood for some demigod discussion. I just want to outline some of the defining aspects of Percy that make him such an amazing character. The first characteristic I want to talk about is his fatal flaw. While a lot of people have fatal flaws that are clearly a bad thing, Percy's flaw is that he simply cares too much. I suppose that some could argue that this is a definite weakness because it can expose him and make him vulnerable, but I think that it makes him stronger because his decisions are so morally grounded. Another reason that I love Percy so much is that he is pretty much accepting of everyone. Unless they have done something to harm his friends, he is willing to give them a chance to prove themselves. In The Mark of Athena, at one point Piper mentions that Percy is the first to notice her when she comes into the room and he gives her a smile. This alone just says a lot about his character because although he hasn't known Piper for very long, he still acknowledges her and wants to make sure she knows that she is welcome. I just love this aspect of Percy because he truly values all his friends. Another thing about him that I have admired since the first book is how much he respects and values his mother. He never gets in fights with her, and he would do anything to make her happy, and I think that that says a lot about the kind of person he is. Every time I read the part in Son of Neptune when he calls her and leaves a message I just tear up because you can tell that he loves her so much. The last aspect of Percy Jackson that I want to highlight is his  lighthearted approach to everything. He is very positive, and although his personality grates on some characters at first, his bright and happy demeanor truly benefits all of them in the long run. It is for this reason that I love the original Percy Jackson and the Olympians series so much, because his narrative is witty and humorous, and just plain fun to read. Anyway, that is my ramble dedicated to Percy Jackson, hopefully you can agree that he is just an all around amazing character.

Fantasy vs. Science Fiction

I haven't posted a "musing" in a while, so I thought I would today. Something I've always wondered is what specifically makes something "science fiction" and makes something else "fantasy". The genres are often combined, probably because they're both so rooted in imagination. Science fiction is often somewhat realistic, but not always. Often the "science" of the story wouldn't even come close to working, but it sounds smart enough that the readers/viewers buy into it. Fantasy, on the other hand, doesn't even bother seeming realistic. That would rather defeat the point. In my mind, the purpose of fantasy is to explore impossible ideas  and stretch imagination to the limit. Science fiction retains a tenuous hold on reality, while fantasy is pure make-believe. But both clearly have their place in fan's hearts, and both can be legitimate literature. I believe that despite their imaginary elements, fantasy and science fiction can be used quite effectively to inspire people and even cause change. Science fiction, especially science fiction based in a future twisted by current events, can be a very good tool for social criticism. This kind of science fiction is the one usually accepted as literature, and it can be very powerful. I still think of certain science fiction short stories I read in middle school when contemplating or discussing certain political or environmental issues. Science fiction, therefore, has a clear role in literature. Fantasy, however, is often dismissed as mere escapism. I don't believe that, however. Fantasy's role in literature may not be as clearly defined, but it is there nonetheless. Even the most unbelievable fantasy stories have subtle messages that matter in the real world. And sometimes the unrealistic nature of fantasy allows these messages to have a more profound impact on the reader simply because they are more immersed in the story (see my post "The Power of Fantasy" for further discussion of this topic). Science fiction often critiques and reflects the outer elements of our society, while fantasy does so much more for the inner lives of individuals. Either way, both are a force to be reckoned with.

After Earth

So as my first official post on this blog, I thought I would review a movie I saw today in the theater, After Earth. I went in to the movie theater with low expectations, and I wasn't really surpised at the results. I think that the concept of the story is fairly interesting, and it could have been a good movie except for two things. First, the acting. Will Smith wasn't bad, but I felt like his character showed no development and he had a very small emotional range. He literally didn't change his facial expression throughout the whole movie, which I found boring. Jaden Smith's acting was honestly pretty bad, and I feel like he still has a lot to learn about showing emotions. It seemed like the only emotions he ever portrayed were anger and fear, and he portrayed neither very well. The second thing that bothered me about the movie was the effects. From what I've heard, alot of money was spent on this movie, so I am disappointed with the quality of the animation. One last thing that wasn't necessarily bad was the character's accents. Both Will Smith and Jaden Smith are American, but everyone in the movie spoke in what sounded like a cross between a British and Polynesian accent which was very odd. I'm not entirely sure what the purpose of that was, but it consistently bothered me throughout the movie. A redeeming feature of the movie, in my opinion, was the score. The music was done by James Newton Howard, and I thought it was very good. I enjoy a movie soundtrack when it really adds to the movie's mood, and I thought that the way James Newton Howard contributed to that was very well done. Overall, I thought it was an okay movie, but certainly not anything to get excited about.

Platypusluvver says hello!

Hello there, this is the new co-author of this blog. I'm probably going to post reviews of movies. I definitely have different views from bluejwrtr. I tend to think of myself as slightly less cynical. So if you're looking for contrasting views this is a good place to find them! I'm trying to practice my writing so I encourage any feedback you have, even if it's mean. I am very opinionated, and so I am always up for a good argument. You will definitely hear from me soon!

Comments Welcome

After my rather negative review last time, I thought I'd invite anyone who would like to offer their own opinion or constructive criticism to comment on whatever they'd like. I'll post anything that is polite and decently well written, even if I don't necessarily agree with it. I know I can get tunnel vision sometimes when I'm reviewing something, so it's nice to get other points of view.

Pitch Perfect

My Ratings: 2/5
Rotten Tomatoes: 81%
Kids-In-Mind: 5.3.4

I watched this movie recently after hearing for months about how great and funny it was. Maybe that just set my expectations too high, but this movie was pretty much a flop for me. Sure, it had some funny parts and the ending was kind of cute in a chick-flicky way, but overall Pitch Perfect wasn't that impressive. I supposed what bothered me most was that the characters were all stereotypes, from the girl who pushes everyone away to the controlling cheerleader type who leads the a capella group and the sweet boy who's just trying to get the girl's attention. All the characters were depressingly flat, predictable, and cliche. It's kind of amazing really that they could have so many characters without a truly unique one among them. And then there's the plot. I find it strange that they would actually make fun of cliche endings of movies and then go and have a perfectly standard chick flick/underdog story ending, complete with (spoilers!) a win and a kiss. I've been told this movie is mostly about the music, and it really is. The music was by far the best part of the movie, and I didn't even find it that impressive. Admittedly their music isn't really my kind of stuff anyway, so I can't really be one to judge. But I think I am decently qualified to judge movies, and this the kind I recommend to either watch once for kicks and forget about or just not bother with at all.

Star Trek: Into Darkness

My Rating: 5/5
Rotten Tomatoes: 87%
Kids-In-Mind: 3.5.4

This movie can be summed up in one word: epic. Honestly, the only movie that comes close to this one in sheer epicness (not a word, but it should be) is the Avengers. And I loved the Avengers. I've seen a lot of reviews of this movie criticizing it for reusing plot points from the actual second Star Trek movie, the Wrath of Khan, but I thought it was more of a tribute to the Wrath of Khan than a copy. I've seen The Wrath of Khan and while Into Darkness does borrow several things from it, it is still an original, interesting and, of course, epic story. It's amazing to me how they can take these characters which were used so extensively in the original Star Trek show as well as several movies and create a new story around them that manages to take them to new heights of character development and exploration. Basically, there are several things that make this movie epic. First, the characters. As I already said, they manage to be so similar to the original characters yet different enough to keep the story riveting. The characters and their relationships with one another are very much the heart of the movie, but everything else does contribute beautifully. The music, as in the 2009 film, is amazing and deepens the emotions of the characters so well from the intense battle scenes to the quiet moments of sorrow and contemplation. The dialogue is alternately witty and tear-jerking, and the pacing was balanced well between the intense moments and the slower ones. And then there was the visuals. This is what took Into Darkness beyond the Avengers in my opinion. The Avengers had some awesome visuals too, but not quite at this level. J. J. Abrams just seems to have such a good feel for when stunning visuals accentuate the plot perfectly. Honestly, the only things I didn't like about this movie were a couple of totally unnecessary raunchy scenes (though nothing too bad). Even the violence, which generally does bother me (see my review for Iron Man 3) was used well so that it contributed to the plot without overwhelming it. If you're squeamish, I would recommend watching this when it comes out on DVD so you can skip parts, but it is definitely worth watching for both Trekkies and non-Trekkies alike.

Iron Man 3

My Rating: 3/5
Rotten Tomatoes: 78%
Kids-In-Mind: 3.7.4

I'm a bit conflicted about this movie. There were several things I liked and several things I didn't. It was definitely very exciting, but therein lies it's downfall (in my opinion). To me it seemed like the action sequences often overwhelmed the plot. There were some good slow introspective moments, but I would have liked to see more. One problem I have with Iron Man is that I simply don't understand his character's motivations. It's one thing to have a complicated character, but it's nice to at least to know where they're coming from. I've understood a lot of villains more than I do Tony Stark. I think the distance this creates between character and viewer detracts from the movie. Granted, this one did show Tony as more vulnerable than the other two, with him frequently left in danger without a working suit, but I think they should have taken this even farther and showed better what was going through his head. The beginning of the movie actually did a pretty good job of showing Tony's state of mind, but as the movie progressed it got more and more confusing. The end bothered me most of all, and not just because I don't get what's going on in Tony's head. Mostly it just seemed too easy to me. (Spoilers here.) Both Pepper getting miraculously cured and Tony getting the shrapnel taken out of his chest seemed rather improbable. It was also rather unclear to me where his character is headed now. It seems that, by blowing up his suits and getting the shrapnel taken out of his chest, he is moving away from his identity as Iron Man, but the last line of the movie is "I am Iron Man." Obviously this is supposed to be ambiguous and interesting, but I just didn't get it. People who understand Iron Man better than me will (and apparently do) love this movie, but honestly it sailed right over my head.

The Beyonders

My Rating: 3/5

Goodreads: 4.34

I just finished this series a couple days ago. Overall, I was pretty impressed. I liked it a lot better than the Fablehaven series, mostly because it was a lot more original. The world of Lyrian and the different creatures were quite fascinating. The characters could use a little more depth, but even though I couldn't relate to them as much as I like to, they were likeable enough that I could get into their story. I was a bit surprised that I didn't mind the shift between points of view in the last book, because I usually don't like that when I'm attached to the main characters. In this case, however, it worked, since the lack of attachment I had to the main characters allowed me to care more about the other characters. This did turn out to be a bit of a bad thing due to the number of characters that died in the end, but at least I cared that they died (if that makes sense.) If you like children's fantasy, this might be a little intense for you. I'd say this is more of a teen series, despite the young age of the two main characters. It's pretty epic, but not quite as epic as a lot of adult fantasy novels (particularly Brandon Sanderson's). I'd say it's worth a read, even though it's not necessarily on my favorites list.

The Power of Fantasy

I once did a research paper on the Lord of the Rings trilogy, and I realized then how fantasy can easily be underestimated. It is often dismissed as fluff or escapism by those who read more "serious" fiction. But I believe fantasy can be incredibly applicable to real life and influential for those who read it. While the "classics" are all well and good, their influence is somewhat limited because they are targeted towards a specific audience (often academics). Most fantasy, on the other hand, is directed towards anyone with a long enough attention span to read it. The best fantasy, therefore, is both entertaining for most people and applicable. With the original worlds and cultures of fantasy books, the characters need to be more human in order to give the reader something to relate to. And the more relatable the characters, the easier it is (for me at least) to really delve into the story and find something personally relevant in it. My problem with many of the classics is that the characters are so alien even if the setting and plot are more realistic. So fantasy really has an advantage because the characters have to be "real" enough to hold the reader's interest. And simply because it's more interesting. Simply put, good fantasy is powerful because it can engage the reader's mind with the new worlds and magic systems but still feel real with realistic characters, even if they are facing unrealistic problems.

Children's Books: My Favorites

After my rant about how awesome children's books are (see the post "On the Virtues of Children's Books"), I thought I might give a list of my favorite series/books. I'll try to keep them in the order of most favorite to least favorite, but it does tend to change a lot. These are either books I've loved since childhood or that I've discovered more recently and really enjoyed.

1. Septimus Heap by Angie Sage
2. Ella Enchanted by Gail Carson Levine
3. Artemis Fowl by Eoin Colfer
4. Alcatraz Smedry by Brandon Sanderson
5. The Chronicles of Chrestomanci by Diana Wynne Jones
6. The Magic Thief by Sarah Prineas
7. Harry Potter by J.K. Rowling 
8. Percy Jackson and the Olympians by Rick Riordan
9. The Enchanted Forest Chronicles by Patricia C. Wrede
10. Dragon Slippers by Jessica Day George

I could go on, but these are all great books if you like children's fantasy. I've obsessively reread most of these, and I will probably go on obsessively reading them as I get older.

Clara

So I've finally decided what I think of the new Doctor Who companion, Clara. It took me a while because at first (in "The Asylum of the Daleks") she reminded me way too much of Amy, who I was never very fond of. But after watching up to "The Journey to the Centre of the TARDIS," I think she's a much more interesting character than Amy. And not just because of the whole dying-over-and-over again thing either. Unlike most of the Doctor Who companions, she actually seems to understand that being with the Doctor is more than just an adventure, it's dangerous. In the episode "Hide" her willingness to wait instead of following the Doctor into danger and causing more problems (as Amy would) shows that she is a more mature character who looks before she leaps. I find this an admirable trait. While recklessness and courage are fun in the right time and place, too much of it gets annoying. Clara's hesitation to throw herself into danger shows intelligence which is balanced out by her curiosity. As seen in "The Journey to the Centre of the TARDIS" (spoilers ahead), Clara has enough intelligence and curiosity to do something none of the other companions have done: look for and find the Doctor's name. Even though she does not remember it, the fact that she was able to find it in the first place shows that she is unique among the Doctor's companions. I look forward to seeing what happens with her. She may soon be my second favorite companion after Donna.

Prince of Persia

My Rating: 3/5
Rotten Tomatoes: 35%
Kids-In-Mind: 3.7.2

So this movie came out a few years ago, but I just re-watched it and thought I'd review it. I've seen it twice, and I actually liked it a lot better the second time. As a fantasy fan, it's nice to see a decent fantasy film that has nothing to do with superheroes (although it does have a lot of action.) I feel like this is an overlooked genre in film, at least when it's separated from science fiction. I like science fiction, but fantasy has a certain feel to it that is common in books but not in movies. Magic for the sake of magic is a lot of fun, but all to often it becomes science fiction when you try explaining it too much. Perhaps it's just the kid in me, but I like a little mystique in my magic (or time-traveling, in this case.) Besides the fantasy elements, I also enjoyed the romance. It's rather cliche (boy and girl go on adventure and then fall in love) but I thought the characters had some fun chemistry. The first time I watched the movie, I didn't like the ending, but now I appreciate the ambiguity at the end, especially with the relationship. The themes of brotherhood and destiny did feel kind of forced, but they did make it feel  more meaningful. Overall, the movie was decent, perhaps not exceptional, but worth watching at least once. The visuals and music were amazing, and even if the story doesn't quite match them, they're still entertaining.

Review of Warm Bodies

My Rating: 4/5

Rotten Tomatoes: 81%

Kids-In-Mind: 2.7.5

I have to say, first off, this isn't the kind of movie I generally watch. I've never seen a real horror movie in my life, and I'm not really a zombie fan. But I really enjoyed this movie. It was an interesting mix of genres and a cool twist on the girl-falls-in-love-with-supernatural-creature thing that's become so popular with Twilight. Instead of a Twilight rip-off, it was more of a Beauty and the Beast story. The romance was cheesy, but that seemed to be on purpose, since the whole zombie thing made it so humorous. For instance, when the zombie main character first sees the girl, we get the slow motion and cheesy music, but it's funny because of how out-of-place it is in the middle of a zombie attack. The satire throughout the movie is also funny but it gives the movie a good message that makes it more than just a dark comedy. It makes the good point that in our age of technology, we can't lose sight of the importance of the simple joys that come from relationships. There's a part at the beginning when the main character imagines what the airport (home base of the zombies) was like before the zombie apocalypse. And just like the zombies, no one is interacting with each other. They're all on phones, not realizing what they're missing out on. While this is used for humor, it brings up a serious point. And that, more than the cheesy romance or the humor, is what makes this a good movie.

Superheroes

I didn't get into superhero movies much until last year, but since then I've become quite fond of them. I still haven't seen much of the DC heroes, so most of my experience is with the Marvel ones, especially the Avengers. I suppose the main attraction of superhero movies is the action, but my favorite part is the character development. In the Avenger movies, at least, there seems to be a big focus on how each character learns what it means to be a hero. Some of them are better at it than others, so some of them are necessarily more interesting than others. My favorite Avenger, Captain America, seems to be a very instinctive hero. Even before he became Captain America he would save people instinctively. Some people (you know who you are) say that this makes him less interesting as a hero because he didn't have to grow into it like the others. I disagree. I think it makes him that much more interesting as a character because his story has to go beyond merely becoming a hero and find other things to focus on, like him learning how to cope with the way people see him and the way he sees himself and eventually with being dumped 70 years into the future. What bugs me about other superheroes, specifically Iron Man, is that he seems to have the same storyline over and over again because unlike Captain America, being a true hero is totally alien to him. It was interesting in the first movie, but by this point it's starting to get a little tiresome. I do think as a team, Iron Man and Captain America are fun to watch because they are such different characters. But I still think Iron Man has a lot to learn, which apparently translates into a lot of problems for him in Iron Man 3. So, moral of the story, be an awesome person from the beginning like Captain America and at least the problems you have won't be your fault.

Elantris

My Rating: 5/5
Goodreads: 4.13

Yay! I'm finally writing about a book that's not a children's book. At all. But it's still pretty awesome. Every time I read this book I wish they would make it into a movie because there are so many great visuals that look great in my mind but would probably look even greater in a movie. Also, the three main characters are each so well rounded. Each of them seem like they could be a stereotype at first glance (the perfect prince, the stubbornly independent princess and the conflicted bad guy) but when you get deeper into their character you find that each of them is very human and as such is very complicated. And then there's the magic system. I can't say too much about that without giving away spoilers, but let's just say it's brilliant. It takes a while for it to be explained (although there are enough clues that a smart reader could start figuring it out earlier), but when it is explained it's rather epic. In fact, that's a great word to describe the entire novel. Epic. I also found its message(s) very inspiring, which all and all makes it totally unforgettable.

Alcatraz (Not the Prison)

This series, although it is totally different from the other books that Brandon Sanderson has written, is extremely funny and captivating as long as you don't mind the seemingly random tangents. If you are a Brandon Sanderson fan, I think they're definitely worth checking out because they still have a lot of the same things that make his other books great, such as an awesome magic system and of course the wacky sense of humor. My favorite thing about the series, however, is how many rules it breaks for your standard children's book. Some people might find it annoying that the plot is often secondary to the tangents with random things being thrown in at every turn, but I find it refreshingly different. I think the important thing to do while reading these books is to never take them too seriously, because I don't think it's meant to be taken seriously. Sure, there's plenty of messages about life in them, but you can't read them just for that, because of the near-constant contradictions. So I recommend reading the book primarily for fun, and perhaps you'll be pleasantly surprised by what you get out of it.

How To Train Your Dragon

My Rating: 5/5
Rotten Tomatoes: 98%
Kids-In-Mind: 2.3.1

I love this movie way too much for a lot of reasons. First of all, even though it has a fairly archetypal storyline, it manages to feel original. In my opinion, this is because it takes a standard plot for a kid's movie and makes it more intense and meaningful. Sure, kids can probably enjoy it too (although it is too scary for really little kids) but like the best children's books, it has depth that you have to be older to fully appreciate. From a literary standpoint, this movie has enough depth that it can be thoroughly analyzed. Trust me, I've thought a lot about this. I haven't actually written a paper about it yet, but I've always been tempted because I know I totally could. While I was watching this recently I actually went through all the different critical lenses that I learned in my English class, and to my surprise I could find something for each of them. Marxism, feminism, post-colonialism, new historicism, it's all there. If that's not your cup of tea, then you can appreciate the animation. I don't know much about animation, but from what I can tell, it's pretty impressive. One of my favorite things about the animation is how it plays with light and dark. The scene where Stoic disowns Hiccup and then slams the door on him, leaving only a sliver of light behind always makes me shiver a little just because it's so awesome. And then there's all the dragon fire. For you types that like explosions, there's an abundance of that. And, of course, the clouds. The scene with Astrid and Hiccup flying through the clouds is absolutely breathtaking. Finally, I have to talk about the music. It adds so much emotional depth to the scenes. Without it, the movie would be decent. But the music is what really makes it hit you emotionally. So, basically, if you haven't seen this movie, you're missing out on a great experience. If you want to watch it cynically, go ahead. But I recommend just diving head in and enjoying it for all it's worth.

British TV vs. American TV

Admittedly, I haven't watched that many American television shows (if you don't count ones that are decades old). But from what I have seen, British television tends to be much better quality. Also, it seems to me that a lot of American shows are never-ending (cough Psych cough). Granted, my favorite TV show right now is Doctor Who, which has been going on for almost 50 years, but at least they have a good excuse to keep going. In my opinion, a lot of American shows just keep going because they're making money, not because the story demands it, which is a horrible reason. In general, I've found that the British shows that I've watched have a lot more depth to them, even if (or perhaps because) they're written for younger audiences. Let's take two shows that I've watched most of: Psych and Doctor Who. I actually got into Psych long before Doctor Who, and it is (or was) a pretty decent show. It's very funny, has interesting characters, and cool mysteries. However, it's just gotten way too drawn out, and it feels like the characters have been stuck in a rut for the past couple seasons, forcing the writers to do drastic things like (spoilers) finally allowing Shawn and Juliet to get back together and shooting Henry at the end of the season. It's good that they're finally getting on with the overall plot, but what happened to the energy of the first few seasons? It feels like its slowly draining away, and I'm losing interest. It looks like they're trying to fix this in the seventh season by actually adding some more overall plot, but I think it might be too late. They should really end it before it loses all of its appeal.
Doctor Who, on the other hand, keeps going strong. By changing the characters and the show itself so often it stays fresh even when they're using old monsters from decades ago. It has a really good balance between the stories of the individual episodes and the overall plot, which helps it stay unified and exciting through each season. Doctor Who also has a depth to it that comes out strongly in some episodes and is more subtle in others. The writers aren't scared to have a slower episode every once in a while to focus on character development, which in my opinion is essential for the audience to feel like the show is going somewhere. I'm someone who only really likes something when I can relate to the characters, so the characters have to be progressing in order for me to feel like the show is progressing.
While Psych and Doctor Who are only examples of British and American TV, I think they are fairly good representations of typical British and American shows and they reflect their respective cultures well. Not to say British culture is better than American culture, but it does look better on television. Perhaps its just the appeal of the exotic, but  British TV is just so much more interesting and it feels more like you're actually learning something about life instead of just wasting your time with TV (but that's a whole other discussion).

Reactions to Fyre

My Rating: 3/5
Goodreads: 4.24

So my childhood is officially at an end. The three series I read over and over and over while growing up, Harry Potter, Artemis Fowl, and Septimus Heap have all come to an end. I'm going to wait for a while to decide which end I liked the best (to get my initial reactions out of the way) but I think Fyre stood up to the others decently well.
The one complain I have about Fyre is that the ending was a bit too happy and neatly tied up. Yes, this can be a very good thing, but I've found that a little bittersweetness can go a long way in the ending of the book. In my opinion, the climax of Darke was really the most epic climax of the series, and Fyre acted more as the denouement to that climax. It also bothered me (slight spoiler here) that Septimus wasn't the one to save the day, since it is his series and all. In fact, I feel like Septimus probably shone the least in this book out of all of them. I'm hoping he gets more action in the next series because he really is a spectacular character. Besides all that, the book was very satisfying. I felt like it showed very well how the characters have grown up and how the Castle has been changed with them. There were several scenes that wrapped up the emotional bits of the series that really just needed to be shown (especially all the Heaps getting together).
Overall, this book makes a wonderful end to a fascinating series, and I feel like I will only continue to appreciate it more as I reread it.

On the Virtues of Children's Books

As a college student who still reads (and wants to write) children's books, I often run across the idea that adults shouldn't read children's books. I personally see nothing wrong with this. Just because I read children's books doesn't mean I'm not capable of reading more "mature" fiction, it just means that I can still appreciate things which children's books have that a lot of books for older people are missing. For instance:

• An optimistic view of the world. Seriously, we have enough depressing stuff in reality. It doesn't hurt to think about the good things in life every once in a while.
• Innocence. Don't you ever wish you could approach things with a childlike view without all the junk in your head?
• Simplicty. A lot of good stuff can be lost when things get too complicated.
• Fun. Sure, good quality children's books have their dark moments too, but the best ones also have parts where the characters just enjoy their lives. Other books might have this, but I think children's books do it the best.

For those of you who are missing out on this, I suggest exploring the children's book section of your library sometime (or check out some of the books in the pictures). You might actually find something really good. Good children's books (in my opinion) have depth to them that kids can't appreciate as well as adults, so it gets overlooked unless adults pitch in. Plus, if you have kids, you can enjoy reading the same books and talking about them. My parents did this when I was a kid and I loved it. It can be a great bonding experience. 

Doctor Who?

Time to move on to another passion/obsession! One that more people (thankfully) actually care about. Doctor Who! There are so many reasons why this is an awesome show, one of them being the number of quotes and things that fans can throw at each other and giggle about. Another is the way it manages to stay fresh after nearly fifty years. Granted, I've only watched a few of the classic Doctor Who episodes, but from what I've seen and heard from others, it does a pretty good job of paying homage to the earlier series while staying interesting. I think the whole history of the show itself adds a very unique flavor to it. Other reasons to like it include: scary monsters, time travel that doesn't quite make sense, awesome jokes, and David Tennant. I mean really, who doesn't like David Tennant? Even those who prefer other Doctors have to admit that he just captures the spirit of Doctor Who so well and that he's a great actor (I may have to expand on this later). I also enjoy how the show can be very poignant at times and be surprisingly meaningful. There haven't been as many of these episodes in the Matt Smith era (in my opinion), but there have still been a few lovely surprises. One theory I have as to why the show is so popular is that people can really connect with it because of the Doctor's companions. They change often enough that everyone can find someone who they really understand and place themselves in that companion's shoes. For me that companion was Donna. Even though I'm nothing like her, I could relate to her feelings of worthlessness and insecurity and cheer as she overcame them (although I'm still a bit upset at the way her story ended). The other companions are cool too, but I find some of the others extremely annoying at time because I just don't understand their motivations (mostly Amy and Martha). I still haven't decided about Clara, the new companion, but so far she seems to have a lot of potential.

Spit Fyre vs. Appa

I just couldn't resist doing this one. Sure, Appa is a lot more well-behaved than Spit Fyre and not quite as dangerous, but both of them make fun animal companions that you just have to love. They are also both invaluable to their respective humans even if others don't understand why they matter so much. 

Marcia vs. Toph

Yes, this one is a huge stretch. But you have to admit, even though their relationships with the other characters are totally different, their personalities are extremely similar. They are both stubborn, bossy, and don't care (much) about what people think of them. They are also both softies underneath all that and very good to have in a fight. And if Toph were 20 years older than Aang, she'd probably be his surrogate mother too.

Alther vs. Iroh

Of course, every fantasy story has to have a wise old man. In Septimus Heap that wise old man just happens to be a ghost. I think Iroh's relationship with Zuko is very similar to Alther's relationship with Marcia in that no matter how stubborn the younger one can be, Iroh and Alther always stick around and help. Even when Marcia accidentally banished Alther and Zuko betrayed Iroh, they still were willing to forgive them and come back. And both of them are incredibly proud of their charges when they finally do something right.

Nicko vs. Sokka

While Beetle also sometimes fills this older brother role, I think Nicko just works better (possibly because he's actually the protagonist's older brother). First of all, like Sokka, he's great for comic relief but still gets his awesome moments. Both are protective of their friends/family and go along with whatever scheme the younger ones come up with, if only to keep them safe. Also, both of their love interests are strong, confident young women who can hold their own. They are reliable during hard times and are very hard on themselves when they fail to protect the ones they love. Although Sokka never goes through such a life-changing experience as Nicko getting stuck in the past, I bet he would probably react in a similar way (finding a way out even though it's supposed to be impossible). They also get along with their respective protagonists very well because all of them know when to have fun and when it's time to go save the world.

Simon vs. Zuko

Yay for awesomely conflicted characters! Although Simon is the black sheep of the family and Zuko's the good guy of his family, both mess up epically and then come back to the good side and eventually live happily ever after (I'm speculating on this in Simon's case). Their respective love interests love them in spite of their tendency to try and kidnap/kill good people and help them on their journeys to becoming good guys. Both of them also have great difficulty in convincing people that they have in fact turned good and want to help and must prove it by saving people's lives and using their knowledge to help the protagonist save the world. And, of course, they are both rather popular with the ladies (I suspect if a Septimus Heap movie ever gets made, Simon will be one of the most attractive characters, or at least he should be).

Jenna vs. Katara

This one is admittedly more of a stretch, but I think it still works. I've always thought that the relationship between Aang and Katara was more of a brother/sister relationship (which is one reason I find their romance so weird) so in that way she's a sister to Aang like Jenna's a sister to Septimus. They both accompany their respective protagonist on whatever saving-the-world adventure he goes on despite the danger involved and contribute in their own way. While Jenna doesn't have any Magykal powers, as Princess of the Castle she does have several unique privileges that she makes use of throughout the books. Both of these girls can also be incredibly bossy if they want to be, with a variety of results. Also, both of them have to confront their darker sides at one point, Katara with bloodbending and Jenna with the witches in Darke, and both come out stronger in the end. 

Septimus vs. Aang

When I first tried to think of a good way to describe Septimus, I thought, "He's kind of like a quiet Aang." They do have a surprising amount of things in common. Both are young and incredibly powerful although they don't always seem like it. Despite tragic pasts, they act like normal boys and enjoy playing around with their friends. However, when things get serious they rise to the challenge and risk their lives in order to save the world (with the help of their friends, of course). Even though Septimus doesn't have an Avatar State, he does seem to instinctively know how to save the day when it comes down to it, and that's when he uses his most impressive powers. Also, they can both fly with the help of either objects (glider or Flyte charm) or their handy flying animal (dragon or sky bison). In the later Septimus Heap books, Septimus does become a lot more confident in his Magykal abilities but often he doubts himself like Aang. In Darke he becomes more aware of the destructive side of Magyk like Aang realizes how dangerous he is in the Avatar State. I could go on and on with this, but basically they're both awesome protagonists who, although they have their flaws, always have their heart in the right place.

Septimus Heap

So first up is my current obsession (it changes often) Septimus Heap. I started reading this series when I was 12 or 13 and only the first two books were out. All these years later, the last book is coming out NEXT WEEK! I'm way too excited about this and have been ranting about it for about a month, when I started rereading the series in preparation. I've been amazed to find myself enjoying the series even more than I have in the past, although I've reread the first few books many, many times. The complex web of three-dimensional characters never ceases to boggle my mind, especially when I was rereading the first book, Magyk. I mean seriously, there's a scene where six characters (one of them a dog) are falling down a garbage chute, and each one of them gets a description of their emotions at that moment.  It tells you so much about each character and their motivations in just their reactions. So awesome! It makes me so sad that more people haven't read this series. Sure, they're definitely written for children, but so's Harry Potter! I often think that Septimus Heap is better written than Harry Potter, if only because of the depth of its characters. In thinking about how to describe Septimus Heap to non-readers, I decided to compare it to something else awesome: the TV show Avatar: The Last Airbender. I noticed a lot of similarities between the characters, particularly Septimus and Aang. I think I'm going to go in depth with the comparisons (just for fun) so I'm going to put them in separate posts and rant on them at length.

Welcome

Welcome to my blog! I am a college student and aspiring writer, and I thought I'd try out this blog for some writing practice. I've realized recently that I love to rant about books, movies, TV shows, etc. that I read or watch and that my friends hear way too much of it. So I'm going to start doing that on this blog, basically giving my opinions on things I read or watch and comparing things, since my brain has this weird tendency to connect things that aren't obviously connectable. This may not be entertaining to anyone but me, but hey, hopefully it will give my friends a break from hearing me rant on and on.