Tuesday Movie Review Day! SPOILERS!

November 18th was by far the greatest day EVER! Like every year after Twilight's release, the bestie and I patiently wait in line for five or six hours for the midnight showing of the next installment. This year our theater did things a little differently. Instead of lining up hours before, they started it at 10pm, opening theaters one or two at a time which led to a ton of shuffling from theater to theater trying to find a good seat. 

When we finally found the right place to park it - the perfect distance from the screen, directly in the middle with minimal head-blockage in front of us, it began...

The beginning dragged of wedding and honeymoon stuff. Not that these weren't great parts but if you've read the books, maybe you were starting to feel like I did, "Get pregnant already!!" The whole time Bella was walking down the aisle, I was waiting for her to throw up or pull a runaway bride stunt. Kristen Stewarts portrayal of Bella's nervousness made her look as though she was nauseous and if I didn't already know what was going to happen, I would have been real nervous that she wasn't going to go through with it. There was very little introduction to the Denali Clan at the wedding and as a result no mention of their importance or connection to Laurent or the Cullens. It makes me wonder how they will treat the clans and their significance in the second half of the two-part film.

I should mention Jacob removes his shirt within the first ten seconds in the very beginning of the movie, so it wasn't all bad.

The honeymoon scene had everything, all the distractions, the sexual tension building up, the scenery. Everything but the eggs. Edward mentions making breakfast one time but we never see him make any eggs. When Bella finally realizes she's pregnant, the scene plays out exactly the way it did when I read the book. She begins her painful descent into sickness as the baby begins to kill her from the inside and man, Bella looks like HELL!!!! I have never seen Kristen Stewart look so awful - not even when she chopped all her hair off for that stupid rock movie. I really believed she was dying and I was scared for her! The acting truly improved in this film. I felt Bella's love for the baby the moment she called Rosalie for help to protect it. The way she spoke about doing anything she had to, holding on until her heart gave out, whatever it took to make sure the baby survived felt sincere. Robert Pattinson improved as well. When Edward asked her if she really thought he could love the thing that caused her death, I felt his pain and impending loss.

Of course, any scene with Jacob is perfection. Taylor Lautner knew his character and portrayed him better than anyone else throughout the entire saga. It's amazing how he consumed his role and laid it out there for all the world to see. I believe, Stephenie Meyer kidnapped Taylor Lautner and held him hostage in her house while she wrote his character because he IS Jacob. What I did miss were the exchanges between Jacob and Rosalie, the jabs at each other. You remember, the doggy jokes and bloodsucker insults. It would've been nice to see. If you thought the wolves made an impression in New Moon, think again. Seeing the woods through Jacob's eyes as he ran, hearing the voices of the pack was amazing. Something we had hoped for from their first appearance. There was no better part in any of the films, was when Jacob broke away from Sam's pack. Watching him put Sam in his place, he seemed to grow in size and power. The whole thing was intense! Amazing!

Another little thing that would have been fun to see was when Jacob ventures out to find someone, anyone, to imprint on. But when he finally looks into Renesmee's eyes, imprints and envisions their future together was very cool! Renesmee's birth leads to a confrontation between the Cullens and the wolf pack. They fight and intense yet short-lived battle when Jacob intervenes and puts an end to the brawl with the knowledge of his imprinting on Renesmee.



Finally, Bella's transformation. I felt it was true to the description in the book, though I would have liked to see more of her inner struggle. However, I also felt that if you didn't read the books, you would not have been able to fully understand exactly what she was going through. There were many bridges omitted in this film but I think there was a good reason for it. First, let me say that Bill Condon, the director, should have been directing the saga from the start. Each year we keeping that the current director is better than the last, which they are, but Condon really did book-to-movie the way it should be done. So far, Breaking Dawn is the best adaptation of all the films. I'm beginning to believe that Condon made the movie strictly with the people who read the book in mind. He showed us the scenes we wanted to see and skimmed over the stuff we already knew, and if you didn't read the book and you couldn't fill in the gaps then that was your problem! At times when you thought the movie was dragging, I think that was Condon's way of embracing the scene and the emotions that went along with the moments being played out.

The end of the movie was disappointing but only because it was the end. I totally predicted what scene they were going to end it at - mainly because it seemed the only logical moment to break. Overall, I was very please with this movie and have already begun counting down to Part II!!

What was your favorite/least favorite part?

Tuesday Review Day! Spolier Free!

Since my latest class is Tuesday (6-9pm), it interferes with getting my reviews in before midnight. Especially if I have to finish the last two chapters before I can't post a review. And no, I am not going to change it to 'Wednesday Review Day' because that just sounds stupid ;)

 

The Power of Six (Lorien Legacies #2)

Written by: Pittacus Lore, James Frey, Jobie Hughes

Publication date: August 23, 2011 HarperCollins

Released in Hardcover, 406 pages

5 stars

Synopsis: I've seen him on the news. Followed the stories about what happened in Ohio. John Smith, out there, on the run. To the world, he's a mystery. But to me . . . he's one of us.

Nine of us came here, but sometimes I wonder if time has changed us—if we all still believe in our mission. How can I know? There are six of us left. We're hiding, blending in, avoiding contact with one another . . . but our Legacies are developing, and soon we'll be equipped to fight. Is John Number Four, and is his appearance the sign I've been waiting for? And what about Number Five and Six? Could one of them be the raven-haired girl with the stormy eyes from my dreams? The girl with powers that are beyond anything I could ever imagine? The girl who may be strong enough to bring the six of us together?

They caught Number One in Malaysia.
Number Two in England.
And Number Three in Kenya.
They tried to catch Number Four in Ohio—and failed.

I am Number Seven. One of six still alive.

And I'm ready to fight.

My Review: From the above, we know this time we are following Number Seven, Marina. She lives on a mountain top in Spain in a convent with her Cepan, Adelina. Which reminds me...there are great names in this book! All except John Smith. Bleh. Why can't the hot guy have a name that fits him? Anyway...

Marina is 17 and has her basic Legacies; telekinesis, speed and one other I won't spoil for you! She's also very bright but I don't that's a Legacy. She doesn't sound seventeen either, starting sentences with "ostensibly". Doesn't sound like something a 17yr old girl would say. Not even one from a different planet, raised in a convent. I think that reflects more on the author than the character.

It was a surprise for me that the book alternates narrators between Marina and John Smith! Since John is still with Six, we get to see lots of her too! Before reading this, I wasn't sure how we were going to see John. I thought it would just be through Number Seven's eyes. Sam is still there along with Bernie Kosar. The whole gang! Because of everything that happened in Paradise, Ohio, um, like the destruction of the high school - they're all on the run and trying to stay hidden from the police and Mogodorians! The only good thing about them being on the run, is that while they're driving from state to state, there's plenty of time to catch up on the mysterious Number Six and her raven hair - unlike the blond they cast to play her in the movie. I still like the movie, I'm just saying. DETAILS PEOPLE! (my review of the movie)

As we meet Marina, we get to see the kind of life she has been forced to live in order to remain safe from the Mogodorians. Living in a convent, or at least this one in particular, isn't easy when all your instincts are telling you that you need to get out into the world and fight this war - but everyone around you, even your Cepan who has begun to believe in a different cause, is telling you that prayer is the best way to fight your battles. I'm all for prayer, but I don't think it's quite what this situation calls for. Then one day a little girl joins the convent. She's a little bit of a mystery, as she seems to get around the huge convent so quietly not even Marina can hear her. She also disappears for long periods of time and returns as if from nowhere.

John is still learning about the contents on his Chest and dealing with the grief of losing Henri, his Cepan. He misses Sarah too, and fights everyday not to call her.  He and Sam are training with Six while trying to figure out their next move. How do they find the others? How do they get there without getting caught by Mogs or police first? And don't forget Six's Chest. She's pretty sure she knows where it is but getting there and out alive will be next to impossible. But when she finally learns the location of another Garde member and sees they are in trouble, they all have a decision to make - stay together or split up? What Marina doesn't have, is training. She doesn't know how to fight and she's never seen inside her Chest. She doesn't even know where it is. She thinks the Mogodorian's are following her now, a strange man watching her through windows, and she's completely unprepared.

The Garde have the most awesome powers! Between Four, Six and Seven they are every superhero/superhuman I've ever heard of, and more. They're all looking for each other; Numbers Four and Six are searching for Marina, even though they don't her yet, or what number she is. It was very exciting bouncing back and forth between Four and Seven, yet equally frustrating because you want them to hurry up and find each other already!

Overall: The suspense is killer. There are some major twists and surprises and an unbelievable ending. There are serious battles throughout almost the whole book. What can I say? Never a dull moment.

Tuesday (Movie) Review Day!

3 stars

Usually I review my latest read on Tuesday Review Day yet, my weekend was so busy I didn't get to finish in time. However, I did get to the movie theater over the weekend with my BFF to see Beastly! In case the rock you live under does not have cable, Beastly is a modern-day adaptation of Beauty and the Beast based on the book written by Alex Flinn (which I did not get to read before watching the movie).

Premise: Kyle, played by Alex Pettyfer, is not your average stuck-up, good-looking rich kid that knows he's hot and has it all. No, he's much worse. And because of his narcissism, Kendra (Mary-Kate Olsen) the school witch, curses him to be as ugly on the outside as he is on the inside. Long story short, Lindy (Vanessa Hudgens) ends up living with Kyle and falling in love yadda yadda.

My Review: I thought the movie was corny. Cheesy. As in, trying to be romantic but failing -horribly. Since I Am Number Four, I am now a huge fan of Alex Pettyfer and therefore can do no wrong in my eyes, so I blame it on bad dialogue. The script called for him to say lines that took away from how good an actor he can be and from how hot he is! It was a little hard to watch. The other downfall of this film? Vanessa Hudgens. I was never a fan of her to begin with but this movie just confirmed it. She never seemed passionate about anything she said, her facial expression never seemed to match the mood she was supposed to be in or even the words she was speaking.

You might be wondering if there was anything about the movie I did like. I actually really enjoyed Mary-Kate Olsen's character even though she wasn't in it as much as I would have hoped. She looked the part wonderfully and came off as a really creepy witch-girl that I would not want to mess with! And of course, Neil Patrick Harris is hilarious. He is the perfect comic relief in this otherwise bland movie. Maybe it would have been better if these two characters were more prominent.

The only other thing I liked was the little bits of wit with the names (this I assume comes from the book and therefore not really accredited to the movie version). Once Kyle is cursed by the witch, he changes his name to Hunter so Lindy won't recognize him from school. Now, I'm guessing "Hunter" was as close as the author could get to a beast of a name, which isn't too bad. I also think Lindy is another play on words: Linda in Spanish means pretty or beautiful, so he named her Lindy - Belle means beauty - get it?

Overall: I'm hoping the book was better than the movie because I would not tell my friends to rush out and see this movie. I would tell them to wait until it came on TV for free!

Oh, and this pic of Alex Pettyfer half-naked? It's not really for any purpose other than another chance to drool over him! He is delicious!

I Am Number Four Movie Review

5 stars - Finally, someone did it right! Okay, so it wasn't perfect but it was damn close! 

Please note that I'm reviewing this movie in comparison to the book so if you don't know the story, I'll try not to lose you! Okay, moving on.

I was absolutely satisfied with this book-to-movie transition. They didn't overdo it with the special effects or the acting and they kept it so close to the book that you almost don't even notice the difference. Almost. 

I don't want to spoil anything for you so I won't give details but what I will say is this: a few key points were left out in addition to a few major details. Some parts I believe were important enough to the story that it should have been put in and others were just things I would like to have seen. I don't have many complaints so let me get to the good stuff!

Alex Pettyfer as John Smith or Number Four, was not exactly what I had in mind when I read the book, although I am quite pleased with him nonetheless! I pictured more of the actor who played Sam; smaller, younger looking. However, Pettyfer plays John Smith just right. Bordering being on the verge of breaking out with all these new powers and trying to conceal them and blend in. Sam played by Callan McAuliff wasn't as dorky as I expected but everything else was on. I do wish there was more of Bernie Kosar in the movie. He's such a unique character and I don't think he had his fair share of screen time!

Sarah and Mark (Dianna Agron and Jake Abel), were pretty much like their characters in the book but I think Mark was a little nicer in the movie. Henry (Timothy Olyphant) is probably a little younger than I imagined yet still a great character. The Mogodorians were a lot funnier on screen than on paper yet it didn't feel out of place. They were scary and huge and ugly - perfect.

Number Six is awesome. Watching the two of them fight together was way better on the big screen! The special effects for their powers were seamless. There is nothing worse than bad effects. Don't you hate it when an actor makes a big gesture but the effect that follows doesn't seem to have as much *umph* as you expected? Well there is none of that in this movie.

Overall: A must-see. Even if you haven't read the book, who cares. Hopefully you know someone who did and can fill you in on what you're missing. If not, it's still a great movie.

Don't miss the next book of the Lorien Legacies, 

The Power of Six 

coming August 23, 2011!!

They caught Number One in Malaysia.

Number Two in England. 

And Number Three in Kenya.

They tried to catch Number Four in Ohio and failed.

I am Number Seven. One of six still alive.

And I'm ready to fight.

Tangled Movie Review

4 1/2 stars - Great for the little ones and the little girl in all of us!

Minor spoiler alert - but I'd hate to ruin it for anyone else.

My daughter and I were so excited to see this movie, I knew I wanted to write a review about it. I have to be honest, I missed the first couple of minutes running out to get popcorn for my daughter, who made sure I noticed that everyone else already had theirs!


Rapunzel is taken from her parents, a King and Queen by an evil woman who wishes to use Rapunzel's magical hair to remain forever young and beautiful! To do so,she locks Rapunzel in a tower and raises her as her own. She tells Rapunzel stories of a terrifying world outside the tower to scare into never leaving.

The songs were fun and bouncy though I didn't feel like any of them had any catchy chorus' that would be easy for kids to remember and sing along to.

I thought most of the characters were well developed. Rapunzel was beautiful with big green doe eyes. She was creative and artistic; painting, cooking, playing guitar, etc. Although she was naive to the outside world, as her "mother" wanted her to be, she adapted quickly and improvised well for someone who's never interacted with other people or ever had to do anything unexpected! Even more, she was brave and strong  and feisty with a frying pan! Rapunzel was also responsible for a lot of the funny moments in this movie. After fleeing from her tower, she has hilarious moments of happiness at finally being free and worrying about what her "mother" will say. Flynn Rider, the 'smoldering' cute guy, is also very funny in a drier kind of way. As much as the story revolves around both him and Rapunzel, I think he was more of a supporting character next to her. Rapunzel's "mother" was a great villain. She was definitely a character you loved to hate. One who uses backhanded kindness to be evil.

The other two great characters were Maximus, the palace horse and Pascal, the chameleon. These two were not in the movie enough. Maximus was potentially a great addition and hilarious character in the movie but he honestly did not get enough air time. Same for Pascal. I think children connect to a movie more with a strong animal character or two. From the previews, I was really excited to see Maximus and Pascal and the antics they were going to get into and the hilarious things they would do, and it just did not deliver.

I loved the rich colors of the film right from the start. I did not see this movie in 3D because my daughter is only three and will not wear the glasses. Obviously I cannot say for sure, but I doubt 3D did much to enhance this movie.

Towards the end of the movie, much like every other kids movie, comes that pivotal moment where things look like they're going to take a turn for the worst right before they live happily ever after. Well, at this moment, a little girl in the movie theater started bawling her little eyes out! Between that little girl and the tear-jerking scene playing out in front of me, my eyes were definitely wetter than they were a moment before!

The end of the movie is so heart-warming and sweet it just makes you feel all gushy inside! I'm so happy Disney came out with a new princess and a new movie to love! You have to understand, with my daughter being three, our lives revolve around the Disney princesses and introducing Rapunzel gave us a fresh place to start again!

I think every little girl (or older girl....or grown a** woman) should see this movie. It was just too cute to miss!