The Hunger Games Movie Review

 The much anticipated movie adaptation of The Hunger Games came out this past Friday, which of course you know unless you've been living under a rock and staying away from all social media, TV and news outlets.  I saw it Friday night, along with about six million other people, many who were wearing Hunger Games themed t-shirts.  I did not see anyone totally dressed up as you might for Harry Potter or Lord of the Rings, but maybe they were at the midnight showing.  Do tell if you were there.

I was very excited about seeing The Hunger Games.  I was also really nervous.  I'd been hearing only positive things about the movie, and I was so hopeful that it was going to be a good adaptation.  I was also half expecting my hopes to be bitterly, bitterly crushed, as, alas, so often happens with books you love that get made in to movies.  But not always!

Over all, I was really happy with the movie. In terms of plot, it was surprisingly true to the book.  I don't know if I've ever seen a book-to-movie adaptation that was closer.  The things they did change I could absolutely see and understand why they were changed.  It was emotional and action-packed and I thought the acting was excellent.

Spoilers ahead!

Breaking Dawn, part 1

Gather 'round children, for I have a tale to tell.

Once upon a time, there was a love like no other love that had ever been loved before.  Ever.  Alas, problems arose, for the boy, aside from looking like he was in constant pain, was an unchanging, undying vampire with mind-reading abilities.  The girl didn’t care, for she loved him so, and also had a tendency to crash in to things and needed someone to help her up.  Thus, the two decided to marry, after working out a deal that first comes love, then comes marriage, then comes sex, then comes vampifying, in that order.  So they shook hands to seal it and then the movie started.

Young Jacob Black, of the turning-in-to-wolves Blacks, is upset with his wedding invite, and therefore does what he always does when he’s angry – takes off his shirt.  Within the first ten seconds of the movie.  Jacob shrugs and says, “Things are going to get pretty boring pretty quickly, so let’s start things off right.”  He then turns into a wolf and runs away.  Poor Bella’s father, Billy Burke, who everyone loves, looks very sad and makes everyone want to snuggle him until he feels better, and Bella’s mom is still a flake.

The Help: Movie Review

Last night, a gaggle of fellow librarians (and one non-librarian roommate) and I went off to see The Help, which is of course based on Kathryn Stockett's novel of the same name.  We had all read (or in Jamie, Anna and my case, listened to it on a particular very long car ride to Washington, D.C.) the book and were interested to see how it would be translated into a movie.

I will say that overall I was quite happy.  I thought the essence of the book was there on the screen.  The Help is a long book, so of course the movie got distilled down to the main plot: Skeeter trying to get the maids of Jackson to give her interviews so she can write her book.  We saw some of the side plots, like Skeeter's relationship with Stuart, and Hilly's bathroom initiative, but they weren't as fleshed out.

The casting was excellent.  When I first heard Emma Stone was going to play Skeeter, my initial reaction was, "Oh no!  All wrong!"  But it turns out I really liked her in the role, and all the other characters were well cast too, especially Minny and Aibileen.  Aibileen was played by Viola Davis and Minny was played by Octavia Spencer and they were both just perfect.  Spencer especially I just loved as Minny.  She gave her all her spunk and humor from the book and she was hysterical.

The reaction from the audience last night was very positive as well, and I haven't been to a whole lot of movies where you can really tell how the audience was feeling.  For whatever reason, there was a very vocal audience last night.  Especially in terms of gasping.  There was a whole lot of audible gasping going on!  I started laughing every time it happened.  Clearly some people had NOT read the books.  There was also plenty of heartfelt laughter and a good bit of sniffling.

Spoilers ahead for those you haven't read the book and/or seen the movie.

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: THE FINAL CHAPTER

Once again I'm butting in to Arianna's review in purple. Much like our previous review.

I can't believe it's over! Over! It's the end of an era! The end of a generation's fantastical focus and an industry's livelihood. Many of us grew up with Harry, and now both books and movies have reached their dramatic ends. Sob. Loud weeping. I thought the movie was pretty good, but as usual thought that if you hadn't read the books it must have been awfully confusing. I was doing a lot of filling in the holes as the movie went along.

I watched a couple of the earlier movies with my family before I went to see the final epic chapter with Alana and Anna. Harry, Ron, Hermione and company were so tiny! SO TINY AND WEE! Every time a new character game on screen I would squeal over how little they once were. Sigh. How time flies. And now Daniel Radcliffe is on Broadway taking off his clothes and singing and dancing about woodchucks and Emma Watson is a model and getting bullied at Brown and Rupert Grint is being in independent movies and Matthew Lewis, who plays Neville, turned out to be a total fox. Stone cold fox. Amazing.

To the movie! As usual, lots of spoilers ahead!

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Part 1

Or, Get a Plan, Harry Potter.

Anna, Alana and I sallied forth to see the latest and second to last installment of Harry Potter. For the most part, I was fine with this one. I wasn't left with the WTF feeling I had after The Half-Blood Prince. There was still plenty for me to be all shirty about, of course, but really it still comes down to what I've thought about all of them: If you haven't read the books, you're probably kind of confused. Now, it's probably safe to assume that most people have read the books (although I know people who have never read the books and are very fond of the movies) so they can do a fair bit of filling in the holes. And there are plenty of holes.
Hello, it's Anna. I'm going to be adding a few thoughts, which will be in purple (obviously).

P.S. Arianna doesn't warn you but there are a crap ton spoilers here, so now you are warned. Proceed.

Review of The Twilight Saga: Eclipse

In case you're just joining us: Bella and Edward have a love like no other love that has every been loved before. They are so in love (how in love are they?), they're so in love that Bella has been begging Edward to vampify her since the first book, er, movie. That way they can be 2gether 4eva 4L. When we last left our heroes, Edward had just returned to Forks after Bella saved him from sparkling himself to death after Edward had left Bella for her own good which sent her into deep depression for like six months. Ahh, young love.