Amy C. Shaw

Mini Movie Reviews: Frozen and The Book Thief

March 31, 2014 • 23 Comments

I’m still catching up on some movies from 2013, so recently I FINALLY saw Frozen and The Book Thief!

Frozen

I’ll tell you, I only became interested in Frozen because everyone was raving about it. The trailer for the movie really did not do it justice. My husband and I thought it was a movie that centered on a silly snowman, but that turned out to not be the case at all. It’s a story about family and love and sacrifice, and Olaf the snowman was sweet and funny, not ridiculous as the trailer made him out to be. And the big twist in the story surprised me!

I thought overall, the characters were pretty good. And I love that Disney is able to poke fun at itself and its usual formula when it comes to love at first sight and all that. Though the relationship in this story doesn’t have the chance to develop as well as Rapunzel and Flynn in Tangled, in my opinion, I still really liked what we got of it.

I will admit I was also a little concerned going into this movie about the hype over the music. I had heard “Let It Go” several times before watching the movie, and I honestly didn’t get what the fuss was about and why it was “the song” of the movie. In the context of the movie, I did enjoy it more, and I liked the other songs as well. For some reason, overall, the music felt less forced than it did in Tangled, but maybe it was because I was expecting it from this movie. I think “Let It Go” could have been a bit grander, but still, it’s a nice song. I also really like the ice song at the beginning.

It was a fun, well-done film, but I would have liked it more if it could have been just a little longer to develop the story just a little more. I rate it four stars.

The Book Thief

With The Book Thief, I was curious to see how everything would be adapted. I had heard pretty positive things so I was optimistic, but also aware that there is no way it could meet all my expectations. But overall, The Book Thief did a good job of hitting the highlights of the story and capturing the spirit of it. Though Death does not speak up much, he does narrate the film, and the movie ends with the same words as the book.

All the actors did a great job in their role: Sophie Nélisse as Liesel, Geoffrey Rush as Hans Hubermann, Emily Watson as Rosa Hubermann, Ben Schnetzer as Max, and Nico Liersch as Rudy… they were all pitch-perfect! Sophie and Nico especially, as Liesel and Rudy, respectively… well, just look at them!

They were completely adorable, and I absolutely fell in love with little Rudy all over again. While watching the movie I didn’t think of it because they were doing so well that I was just completely into everything, but in hindsight, it’s amazing that these child actors were able to display the complexity of their characters and of emotions that they needed to, and I believe they truly held their own against the adult actors. And Geoffrey Rush? Just so perfect.

I only have a couple of small complaints. Obviously, it’s not a perfect adaptation because they couldn’t fit everything in, but I so wish they could have! But mostly, that they *SPOILER* changed Rudy’s death so that he survived the bombing for a short period of time before he died in front of Liesel (after he starts to say “I love you”) was not a good change in my opinion. First off, that meant he suffered a lot, and secondly, how traumatizing for Liesel! I mean, more so than already with everything she experiences. I just wish they hadn’t done that. *END SPOILER* My husband, who has not read the book, liked the movie, so I think it was a success in appealing to fans of the book as well as others.

What are your thoughts on Frozen and The Book Thief?

A Tale of Two Fails

March 27, 2014 • 16 Comments

Have you ever written a post you were so excited to share, only for something from it to end up becoming irrelevant just weeks later?

Yep, that happened to me just now. Twice.

Remember how excited I was to discover how I could download audiobooks to my phone (or Nook) without worrying about my data plan? I had a couple of free audiobooks I had acquired late last summer and finally figured how super easy it was to transfer them to a device with an Overdrive app, and that I could listen to them without an Internet connection! I transferred Sherlock Holmes over to my Nook successfully, but after that, NOTHING ELSE WORKED. I tried my other free audiobook as well as a library audiobook, and I tried transferring to both my phone and my Nook, but nothing happened. It seems Overdrive simply stopped transferring my stuff over after doing so ONE TIME.

I assume that this has something to do with the update Overdrive keeps telling me I need. But the problem is, anytime I try to update it, I can never get the update to come up! Just a browser window set on the default home screen comes up. I tried doing a search on their website about getting the update, but to no avail. I thought about downloading it all over again but chickened out, afraid it might mess something up. So alas, while I enjoyed listening to The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes (particularly because it’s basically just short stories, so you could listen to like one 30 minute story a day and feel satisfied), it seems that’s my only audiobook option until I can figure this mess out! If anyone has any ideas, please share!

Fail #1 goes to Overdrive.

Fail #2 goes to Camp NaNoWriMo.

Remember how I was excited for this “camp” in April where I can set my own word goal and I was going to start working on a new story and I asked all my blogging friends who are also participating to let me know their username so I could request for them to be in my “cabin” and we could all cheer each other on as we wrote throughout the month?!

I requested whatever the max amount of friends was, like five or six, and I know some of them requested me too.

BUT NOT A SINGLE ONE OF THEM ENDED UP IN MY CABIN.

Seriously NaNoWriMo?! What was even the point if you were just going to assign me to whoever the heck you felt like anyway?!

I considered, briefly, staying with these strangers. Maybe it would be a good experience for me, yadda yadda yadda. But you know, it’s going to be stressful enough without feeling like I have to be accountable to people I don’t know. I only wanted to do a cabin so I could cheer on blogger friends. So I opted out of that cabin, and all cabins, completely. And I decided to take matters into my own hands.

So, if you’re a blogger friend who is participating in Camp NaNoWriMo next month and are interested in being a part of a “group,” regardless of whether or not you’re in a cabin, I have set up a Google + Community for the occasion. I set it as private because I didn’t want random people finding it and joining it, so either leave me a comment below or send me a Twitter DM with your e-mail address so I can send the invite to you directly. And as long as you’ve “spoken” to me at least one other time and are a blogger, I’ll send one to you. And we can cheer each other on our way, thankyouverymuchCampNaNo!

Have you experienced any “fails” lately?

The Top 10 Things on my Bookish Bucket List

March 25, 2014 • 36 Comments

Top Ten Tuesday is a meme hosted by The Broke and the Bookish. Today’s topic is Top Ten Things On My Bookish Bucket List. According to the ladies of The Broke and the Bookish, this may include things like meeting authors, reading x many books per year, finishing a daunting book, etc. This week’s list is in no particular order.

1. Meet Marissa Meyer

There are several authors I like and would enjoy meeting. But since Marissa Meyer is really becoming my favorite “current” author, I’d have to say she’s the author I’d definitely geek out/fangirl over the most if I had the chance to meet her, and I really hope to have the opportunity some day!

2. Visit a Hunger Games filming location

When my husband and I went to Asheville last year, I looked into tours that took you around the District 12 village that was set up for The Hunger Games movie. Unfortunately, it just wasn’t going to work out for that trip, but since both the Asheville area (where they shot the first movie) and Atlanta (where they shot a lot of Catching Fire) are both very attainable drives for us, I hope I can visit some of these set locations sometime.

3. Finish Les Miserables… preferably this year

I started reading Les Miserables at the beginning of the year with the intention of reading small snippets at a time, hopefully finishing it by the end of the year. Well, I am reading it, and I do think it’s very good, but it’s hard to for me to read too many chapters in one sitting because of the way it’s written. And let’s just say at my current pace I am not set to finish by the end of the year. But maybe I can pick things up. Or maybe I’ll finish next year…

4. Read Harry Potter

Yes, I know. Let’s move on.

5. Read Lord of the Rings

I’m crazy intimidated by this classic trilogy, but I want to read it.

6. Become a Published Author

My ULTIMATE bookish goal!

7. Take an archery lesson so I can feel like Katniss for a day

I think this is self-explanatory.

8. Read ALL of C.S. Lewis’ books

So I’d like to consider C.S. Lewis my favorite author of all time, but can I do that without having read all his books? So far I’ve read all of The Chronicles of Narnia and Till We Have Faces cover to cover, and I’ve read snippets of The Screwtape Letters and several of his nonfiction books. I own The Screwtape Letters and Mere Christianity, and let’s not forget that Lewis also wrote a space trilogy. Needless to say, I have a long way to go, but everything I’ve read by him so far I have enjoyed.

9. Read to my future children

This seems like a really simplistic thing to say, but I’m sure it’s harder to put into action. I would like to tuck my kids into bed every night possible, and again, whenever possible, I want to carve out the time to read to them/with them. I think instilling books into a child’s life is important, and of course it is a great way to spend quality time with your child. I hope I will put this into practice one day.

10. Read all 6 of Jane Austen’s novels

I’m already halfway through with this item, and plan to continue reading one Austen novel a year until I’m finished.

What’s on your bookish bucket list?

Re-watch Review: Star Wars, Episodes I-VI

March 20, 2014 • 20 Comments

My husband and I took a few weekends to re-watch all the Star Wars movies, and it was quite overdue for us to do so. The last time I remember re-watching any of the Star Wars films was when they re-released Episode I in 3D for the theater a couple of years ago. Yikes! I had kept putting it off when my husband suggested it because he wanted to watch them in story order, not filmed order, and I wasn’t exactly excited to see Jar Jar Binks. But I decided it had to be done and we finally got through them all.

darth-vader-and-son-toy-crop — By Jeffrey Brown

This re-watch really renewed my love for the original trilogy. I grew up watching the first three movies but couldn’t keep much of it straight as far as what happened when, except I could remember the Ewoks made their appearance in the last movie. When Episode I released I was 12 years old, which was the perfect time for it to be released and for me to love it. I didn’t even hate Jar Jar. And that epic light saber battle with Qui-Gon, Obi-Wan, and Darth Maul! I was so into it. Episode II: Attack of the ~~Whiny Anakin~~ Clones came out three years later, and then I was a senior in high school when they released Episode III, and I went to the midnight showing with my then-boyfriend-now-husband and a couple of others. By that point, I think my original love for Episode I had diminished some as my taste refined, but I just had to see what could very well be the last Star Wars movie ever at midnight.

There are some things I still like about the prequels, but overall, they definitely lack the charm of the original trilogy. The prequels often times get overshadowed by flashy effects (that aren’t really all that better than the original effects), lame dialogue, and stiff acting. And no one in the prequels has the charm of Han Solo.

I’ve always liked Han Solo, but this re-watch made me like him a lot more. I think Carswell Thorne from Cress has something to do with this… but his quips! His expressions! Spot on every time! I liked Luke and Leia a lot more than I remembered as well.

In story order, my rating and mini review of each film… (BTW, there are spoilers, but if you haven’t watched Star Wars yet, what are you waiting for?!)

Episode I: The Phantom Menace: 3 stars

I still have a bit of affinity for this one, I think because it was the first one that I got to see released to the theater (for its first time anyway) and I was just the right age when it released. I think Amidela is a strong and interesting character, and I also like Obi-Wan quite a bit.

Episode II: Attack of the Clones: 2.5 stars

I fell asleep during our rewatch of this one, and I didn’t care, because it’s my least favorite. The love story between Anakin and Padme is just so BLEH. Actually, it’s kind of icky. And Anakin is so annoying in it. The other story line with Obi-Wan was fine but yeah, this one just doesn’t offer much to me. Unfortunatley, I was asleep during the best part, when Yoda has his awesome light saber dual with Count Dooku.

Episode III: The Return of the Sith: 3.5 stars

Episode III is definitely the strongest of the prequels, and I would have given it four stars if the acting in this one wasn’t so wooden. Seriously, it’s like they suddenly forgot how to. But this installment is a pretty powerful one. Just as Anakin starts becoming likable, he gets mixed in with Palpatine and he turns to the dark side. It’s heart-breaking. But Padme dying due to a lack of will to live… really? Having twins isn’t good enough of a reason to live?

Episode IV: A New Hope: 4 stars

A New Hope is a lot of fun, but it’s serious too. Luke loses the only family he has ever known, and this is what moves him to learn the ways of the Force and become a Jedi. The movie has its flaws, but I think it’s really, really good it is for its time. And there are so many great lines in this one, especially from Han!

Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back: 3.5 stars

I do enjoy The Empire Strikes Back quite a bit, but it does feel just slightly transitional as the second movie in a trilogy. Still though, I can’t complain about much here. It’s still fun but serious and a good story all in one!

Episode VI: The Return of the Jedi: 4.5 stars

The Return of the Jedi is my long-time and all-time favorite. I’m not sure if it’s the Ewoks or the fact that it’s the happy conclusion or what, but I’ve always enjoyed this one the most. This time around I came to appreciate Luke’s overall story arc and how he stands up to Darth Vader in this one, but he also still recognizes the fact that he’s his father. I really wish he had chopped off Darth Sidious’ head, though watching Darth Vader throw him down was also pretty satisfying. Did I mention the Ewoks?

Now some of you might be thinking, Aren’t you this big self-proclaimed Trekkie?! Why yes I am, and who says you can’t love Star Trek and Star Wars? They’re very different. To me, Star Trek is a TV series that had some OK movies (I say OK to average out the range from truly awful to pretty awesome movies they have) that focuses on questions of humanity in our ever-changing times. Star Wars is a film franchise that tells the story of a family, of Jedis, of good versus evil. They are different and they are both good at what they do. Star Trek is my favorite, if I have to choose, because of the incredibly rich story arcs the shows offer me. I think the Star Wars films tell an overall great story, and I do think they are better movies than the Star Trek movies. And now, I’m really excited about Episode VII coming next year! I do hope J.J. does a better job with Star Wars than he did with Star Trek, but I think he will. He’s more of a Star Wars fanboy anyway. And I doubt he’ll do worse than Episode II.

patrick-stewart — Funny if you’re a geek. 🙂

What are your thoughts on Star Wars? Which movie is your favorite? Who’s your favorite character?

The Top Ten Books On My Spring 2014 TBR List

March 18, 2014 • 18 Comments

Top Ten Tuesday is a meme hosted by The Broke and the Bookish. Today’s topic is Top Ten Books On My Spring 2014 TBR List. Is it just me, or is spring the shortest season ever? It technically starts in March and ends in June, but in Tennessee spring is basically a few random days in March, all of April, and the beginning of May. Then the summer heat comes and stays until usually October. Which believe me, I am not complaining about. I’ll take the heat over the cold any day. Anyhow, all that to say, I doubt I’ll read ten books this spring, and I doubt I’ll read all of these, as everything is always subject to change. But here are the next ten books I am at least aiming to read (list in order of when I will hypothetically read these books)…

1. Ready Player One by Ernest Cline

Does it count if it’s my current read? Well, I just started it. And it’s easier for me if I do, OK?

2. The Distant Hours by Kate Morton

This was loaned to me a couple of months ago and I have no interest in it, but I feel I just need to read it and return it. Who knows, maybe I’ll be pleasantly surprised. I hope so.

3. Steelheart by Brandon Sanderson

Because I seriously need to read Brandon Sanderson and this has been patiently waiting in my Nook.

4. The Statistical Probability of Love at First Sight by Jennifer E. Smith

I won this one almost a year ago and still haven’t read it. But I will read it this spring.

5. The 5th Wave by Rick Yancey

I got this one for my birthday last year and still haven’t read it. And no, I didn’t make it #5 just to be funny.

6. Split Second by Kasie West

I don’t have this one in my possession yet, but I want to get it and read it soon!

7. The Screwtape Letters by C.S. Lewis

Because after a long kick of YA it’ll be good to delve into something completely different, and though I just got it for Christmas (thanks husband!), I’ve been meaning to read it FOREVER.

8. The Partials by Dan Wells

I got this one for my birthday last year, and since the whole series is out now, there’s really no reason to wait any longer to read it!

9. & 10. Wildcard Possibilities…

This is a total cheat, but there are a number of books that I have been thinking about checking out from the library, and these are among them, so it’s very possible I might read two of any of these books. Or something completely different, you know.

What’s on your spring TBR list?

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