Review 4: Breaking Dawn Part 2 (Homage and All the Rest)

As four reviews is way too many, I’m going to attempt to wrap up all the other thoughts I have into this final review. Those thoughts can be divided into two categories: Homage to the books and Billy Burke as Charlie.

Back to front — Billy Burke is a brilliant actor. Period. This is all I really need to say. He’s funny, he’s heartwarming, he’s just so human, that I want to hug him. A lot. Who knew I’d love Charlie with a mustache? For those also now in Billy Burke withdrawal, you can watch him every week in the new NBC show Revolution, where he brilliantly plays a very different but also awesome character.

Now for the thing I love most about Breaking Dawn Part 2… the tributes to the book series.

I have yet to begin my usual post-movie reread of the books, but I have it from a very good source that a great deal of the movie dialogue is taken straight from the book.

I knew the film would appropriately honor the books when the opening credits began and the names changed from red (life, human, red pawn) to white (stone, vampire, white queen) The hints at pumping blood and crystallization tie Part 2 to Part 1 and also remind me eerily of the scene in Twilight when Bella is bitten and then Edward sucks the venom out of her. For the sake of proving I’m not crazy, you can watch that Twilight scene on YouTube.

Bella opens her eyes and sees the world exactly as I imagined it from Meyer’s descriptions in the book. Her attention jumps from water droplets to paper fibers to Edward, her new vampire focus allowing her to zoom in on things humans can only hope to see with special cameras or microscopes. This continues as she’s running. Oh, have I mentioned that the super-speed running finally looks real?

The majority of the scenes that readers would want to see are in the film: Bella’s first hunt and refusal of the human, her fight with Jake when she finds out that he’s imprinted on her daughter, the cottage, the arm-wrestle, etc. Even J. Jenks makes an appearance, though he didn’t seem nearly as frightened of Jasper as he should have been.

The purists need not be concerned with the added scenes. They cover things that are mentioned in the books but not really seen.  The vision, discussed in the last post, is well done, the nomad-gathering adds a bit of humor and more screen time for the Cullen family actors and the Volturi. A Japanese vampire is even included, just to make sure Carlisle’s friends come from ALL over the world.  The visuals in the immortal child history provide one of the cooler bonus scenes.

The end scene is just as it appears in the novel, where Bella removes her shield to show Edward the memories she has of him. Filmmakers chose to shoot this scene in the famous meadow, I’m assuming as a tie-in to other pivotal moments in the films and because it is “Bella and Edward’s spot.” In an act of love, the camera then zooms onto the word “forever” in the book, Breaking Dawn.

The reverence of those involved can really be seen in the credits. They go through every major character, starting with the first film. Both Victoria’s are included, Bree Tanner, Riley Bears, the humans. Each gets a moment on screen one final time. Once we reach the trio, the tribute goes further. A book opens and focuses on a quote for that character.

A tie in to the novels that spawned the movies… could the film have a better ending?

Review 3: Breaking Dawn Part 2 (That Twist!)

The Twist is probably the most talked about part of Breaking Dawn Part 2. So we’re going to discuss it here. If you haven’t seen the film yet, and you don’t want to be spoiled–STOP READING. You have been warned.

If you are both a book and movie fan, you probably had that “surprise ending” figured out from the moment you saw a trailer with the fight scene. Because the whole point of Breaking Dawn is that the fight is mental, paralleling the big Act IV courtroom scene in The Merchant of Venice, the Shakespearean play that Alice uses to leave messages for Bella. (Hello-foreshadowing, anyone?)

Time for a plug–you can read Merchant for free here. I’ve always quietly maintained that those who were outraged at the lack of a physical fight in the final Twilight book didn’t understand Meyer’s world and, having now reread Merchant several times, are either unfamiliar with the Shakespeare or don’t understand it. Second plug–in 2004, Al Pacino headlined a brilliant movie adaptation of the play.

Ehem. Now that that’s out of the way… I also understood that the filmmakers would need to put some action in the film to communicate the level of tension and to hook the non-book-reading moviegoer like my hairstylist, who goes to the films with his wife and daughter. Knowing Meyer approved the “twist,” I immediately decided that the fight only made sense in the form of a vision via Alice.

And what a vision it is. Much of the beloved vampire family is destroyed, including Carlisle, who is beheaded within the first fifteen seconds of the fight. Then all hell breaks loose as the Cullen’s witnesses and Volturi guard go at it. Jasper, trying to get to Alice, is incapacitated with Jane’s pain talent after Alec attacks Bella to remove her shield. Alice’s scream is the first we hear as Jasper dies. Seth is also crushed and Leah’s howl follows. This death almost keeps Jacob and Renesmee from escaping.

Seeing his comrades fall around him, Benjamin of the Egyptian clan uses his elemental talents to literally crack the earth, and wolves and vampires fall into the boiling magma river below. As a member of the guard claws at Esme and tries to pull her into the abyss, Leah sacrifices herself to both avenge her brother and save Esme. Edward nearly dies, but manages to keep from burning. Marcus and Caius aren’t as lucky. Geek moment–Marcus says “finally” before he dies.  My favorite moment is when Alice goes after Jane to avenge Jasper, dragging the suddenly scared guard to Sam to finish the job. (There’s either been cheers or applause at this scene each time I’ve seen the movie.)

Aro observes the chaos, Bella and superman-like just-shot-out-of-the-earth Edward turn to the offensive. Using a trick they practice when training (this will be a deleted scene on the DVD/Blu-ray), the two manage to trap the powerful Aro: Edward holds him as Bella uses newborn strength to rip off his head. It’s okay, you can cheer. We zoom in on his lifeless (is that appropriate since he technically wasn’t considered alive in the first place…?) eye and there’s a pan out and….

dun duh don… the whole battle is revealed to be a vision Alice had of the future. She then basically tells Aro, “Change your mind or die, bitch.” It’s a brilliant maneuver to include the necessary action while staying true to the books. I wasn’t surprised by it at all–I had pieced it together from the previews and knew as soon as I saw Carlisle’s dangling head that I was definitely watching a vision. That didn’t mean that I didn’t feel all of the deaths, as graphic as any vampire’s can be. I was half sick to my stomach while watching, even though I knew everything would turn out well in the end. That is great movie-making.

Just because I have Alice-Cullen like future knowledge doesn’t mean that everyone else does. There were quite a few rather strong, notable reactions in the theatre when the vision was revealed, my favorite (I’ll have to censor it for you) was a very real, very loud, “Are you effing kidding me!?! I cried!”

Using a mix of close up and wide shots, the filmmakers manage to connect the audience with its favorite characters while showing the absolute insanity of a supernatural creature battle. The characters who we love are properly avenged by the still living, and the audience is given ample opportunity to savor the deaths of the baddies. Meanwhile, all the characters are actually safe for the happy ending.

This is the first deviation from a book series to movie translation that I have stepped behind 100%, though technically the vision is in the book in some way, the reader just doesn’t see it because the focus is on Bella. Which makes me wonder… how much did Stephenie Meyer contribute to the ideas in this scene? Did she choose the dead or give the kill order, having considered it before, or was this idea of giving all the characters a chance to avenge their mates proposed by screenwriter Melissa Rosenberg?

Review 2: Breaking Dawn Part 2 (The Vampires)

Some of the best parts of Breaking Dawn Part 2 were brought about by the supporting characters.

One word: Emmett. The idea that Kellan Lutz auditioned to be Edward is almost unbelievable because he is just so perfect as the lovable clown Emmett. The scene where Emmett arm wrestles Bella was probably the one I was most looking forward to in Breaking Dawn. While I mentioned in Review 1 that I don’t think that he was properly taken advantage of in terms of lines, Lutz offered much of the welcome comic relief from the mushy love and intense drama. Along with the arm-wrestling, Lutz was given the opportunity to make fun of Bella and Edward’s sex life as well as a great line about The Beatles.

This line is in reference to a disparaging comment on the British Invasion made by Garrett when Emmett and Rosalie are gathering nomads. Garrett, who fought in the revolutionary war is all too happy to join the Cullen’s cause. He is my favorite character in both the books and the films, and is given the most screen time out of all the nomads. We see him test Kate’s electricity talent as well as hold her back from the Volturi after she witnesses her sister’s death.  I’m sure fans will be happy to know that his “I’ll follow you anywhere, woman” comment is included. Lee Pace (Pushing Daisies!) both looked and acted like the Garrett I imagined from the books.

Another standout nomad is Benjamin, played by Rami Malek. Benjamin, a part of the Egyptian coven, defies his maker and stays to stand with the Cullens. It’s a good thing, too, because he has these awesome Avatar-like (the Last Airbender–not those blue guys) elemental powers. The actor has this twinkle of mischief in his eyes which I remember from the book.

The Cullen clan pretty much is its usual awesome self. Rosalie’s softer side comes out even more since she’s constantly around Renesmee, Esme is all heart-warmingly mother-hen, and Carlisle is the kind leader. Jasper exists pretty much to play off of Alice, but even when he’s not saying anything, Rathbone is very expressive and communicates Jasper’s character.

Then there’s Alice–In Breaking Dawn Part 2, Alice disappears after having a vision of the Volturi coming for the Cullen coven. I love that, as in the book, Alice writes her farewell note on a page from The Merchant of Venice. (Soapbox warning: This link in the book excited me to no end, & have long felt that the people who were surprised or angry with the book ending not only didn’t understand the canon Meyer set up, but also either never read or didn’t understand the Shakespeare.)

Alice, more than any other character, caused my theatre audience to applaud and cheer. And even though she has few lines, her delivery in the confrontation scene is perfect (more on that in the next review). Here I reveal my bias–despite her height, Ashley Greene is an excellent Alice, and I am sad that I will never get to see her play the part again. I thank her for being a positive role-model for girls and wish her all the best in her career. Is that enough fan-girling for you?

As for fashion savvy, bubbly Alice, the audience gets some of that when Alice gives Bella her birthday present of the cottage, telling her they are going to celebrate Bella’s birthday, even though Bella is now frozen, so she’d better suck it up.

The other clans were interesting. Of the Denali cousins, Kate, her talent, and her growing relationship with Garrett is paid the most attention. The Amazons look fabulous. I wish the Irish coven would have had more lines. (Though I think one of the spoken lines didn’t sound Irish at all. And before you ask, yes, I lived in Ireland for a period of time. I’m not an expert, but I was fortunate enough to experience several dialects of Ireland and Northern Ireland.) The Romanians didn’t look anything like I imagined–for one, their haircuts  appeared much too modern–but they served their purpose.

Speaking of hair, Charlotte (mate to Peter and friends of Jasper) lacked an appropriate haircut for her time period of creation. Maybe the pixie cut was meant to link her with Alice to show that the nomads were friends with and sent by Alice and Jasper. Maybe she was in an asylum too. I don’t know. Goodness knows there’s been a lot of hair controversy around the Twilight films. While not really important, this little detail bothered me enough to distract me from the film’s story. I suppose it’s possible that her hair looked like that. Possible, but highly improbable. Side note–Valorie Curry (Charlotte) is beautiful.

On that note, the costume department did a fabulous job adding the cultural details to the nomads’ clothing to make each easily identifiable. For example, the Irish coven wears wools and knits and tams. At one point, a close up of Benjamin reveals he wears an ankh around his neck and a striped vest.

The only nomad that I didn’t understand was Alistair. I didn’t understand his brooding function in the majority of the scenes he appeared in, unless it was to contrast with the friendlier vampires like Benjamin and Garrett.

What did you think of the portrayal of the “good” Vampires in Breaking Dawn Part 2? Who was your favorite?

Review 1: Breaking Dawn Part 2 – The Trio

I just can’t stop thinking about it. The it being Breaking Dawn Part 2, naturally. And the majority of stuff that I want to write about has some sort of detail-oriented SPOILING going on. That was your warning.  I’m guessing the majority of people reading this will be fans and have seen the film already.  Because there’s just so much that I want to discuss, I’ve decided to break this review into a few parts. So here is, my gush/review of Breaking Dawn Part 2, the final installment of the Twilight Saga.

This first will focus on the trio (Bella-Jacob-Edward).

As with every Twilight film, the acting of all three main actors (as well as the rest of the cast) has improved. I don’t know if you noticed it, but Taylor Lautner had a tendency of putting too much force behind the serious lines. Not something he does with the comedic cheesy lines–those were delivered with the “I’m only taking this half-seriously” attitude, which worked. In this film, Condon either directed him differently or Lautner learned from his colleagues on other films. The serious lines are said with sincerity, but not with the force of a  high-school student trying too hard. I wanted to cheer for him. Lautner is one actor that I’ve never shook my head at because, even when his line delivery stunk, he was always trying so hard–think about his bulking up to keep the part in New Moon. This improvement helped the film immensely because the audience is not distracted or taken out of the film due to soap-opera line delivery moments.

Edward is–wait for it–allowed to smile in this film because in the beginning of Bella’s life as a vampire, the couple is actually happy and it shows. Robert Pattinson is never more charming than when he’s smiling at his vampire bride and beaming over her strength. I’m still waiting for someone to cast him in a comedy (please???).

Bella–well, K stew is K Stew, but I also believe that her acting has improved in this one…. she’s never been my idea of Bella though, so I tend to largely ignore her. I’ll give her this–I actually believed her as a mother. Which was very bizarre. If I were a mother myself, I might feel differently, but as it is, I am not. The standout example of this is the incredibly sweet moment when she reads Renesmee to sleep.

Renesmee–The trio has become a quartet. I just can’t express the level of my love for Mackenzie Foy. She’s just so beautiful and adorable, I wanted to hug her all the time. As  irresistible charm is a quality of Renesmee frequently mentioned in the books, bravo to the casting department. The special effects on the baby… eh.

The treatment of Renesmee and the lack of development in her relationship with Jacob is the biggest disappointment in the film. Renesmee just isn’t in enough of it. The focus remained on the Bella-Edward story and neglected the focus shift to the daughter.  Yes, her story still provides the catalyst of the plot, but I thought that Bella and Edward spent too much time away from their daughter given that they suspected that they might die in a short time.

As for the treatment of the Jacob-Renesmee storyline, I can only assume that the powers that be feared a negative audience reaction if they showed the imprint-bond as it’s described in the books. Yes, Jacob spends a lot of time sitting near Renesmee, but I don’t even remember him hugging or holding her. That’s not to say it doesn’t happen (if you remember it–please correct me in the comments); my memory could just be boggled by joy and excitement, but I don’t think so. I remember one instance where Jake gives Nessie her Christmas present–a homemade bracelet–and Bella puts it on for her. Then Renesmee tells Bella and Edward how beautiful it is without even looking at Jake.

In the scene where Bella finds out Jake has imprinted on her daughter–more on that magic in a minute–Jacob uses the defense that Renesmee needs to be near him because she is a part of the imprint too, and Bella felt this pull when Renesmee was in the womb. This defense works, but we never really see it acknowledged in Renesmee’s actions toward Jake.

Some of the best scenes include:

~The confrontation following Bella’s discovery of the imprint.  It’s awesome to see Bella essentially beating up Jacob as he tries to explain the bond between taking blows. The true fun comes from the witty dialogue of the observers. Edward is allowed to be funny, making snarky comments when Esme implores Edward to hold Bella back.

~Edward and Bella exploring their cottage–which is incredible, by the way. I want to live there. Bella is excited and Edward clearly enjoys watching her excitement. The cottage itself is packed full of cozy decor. I’m not an interior decorator, so I can’t place any particular style other than simple, which keeps the whole lot of stuff from being too much. Books line the walls and the fireplace mantle, and Renesmee’s room is like a fluffy white cloud.

~Bella’s shield training. Edward is used as incentive for Bella to learn to project her mind-shield, depicted as an elastic haze. Kate’s electric current brings Edward to his knees until Bella is able to project. Pattinson plays the reluctance to be zapped warring with wanting to encourage his wife well, and some funny line exchanges with Kellan Lutz’s Emmett happen here. Kate’s very physical talent is presented in the least… ridiculous way. We can see the current, but it’s white and realistic as compared to other things like Alec’s black mist of blindness. Yes, I realize I’m discussing very fictional vampire talents. It’s all good. On the topic of talents, the other vampires’ skills weave in with the plot seamlessly, so that the audience gets the information it needs without having it shoved down its throat.

~The Jacob-Bella relationship stays intact, but changes, as it should. There is clearly still a connection between the two, seen most in their car trip to Charlie’s  house when Jacob basically tells Bella that he knows she is keeping something from him, but the connection has changed to definite friendship. I put most of that on Lautner’s acting, as Bella’s feelings were set long ago and she hasn’t shown a romantic connection with him since the end of Eclipse, two movies ago.

Did I miss something? My next post will be on the treatment of the Cullens and the Nomads. Then I’ll handle the credits and the “surprise” scene. Comment below to let me know!

Fun Family Halloween

I just love Halloween. Is it allowed to be my favorite holiday? Anyway, I pretty much have an addiction to anything Halloween, so I thought I may as well review a few of the Halloween books and movies (for kids) that I’ve seen this year.

So if you’re looking for something to do with the family this weekend or need something to read because Trick-or-Treat is postponed due to, say, a Hurricane, check out my quick list below.

Films:

Frankenweenie

Classic Tim Burton, this movie twists the story of Frankenstein into young, talented nerd Victor just wants his dog, Sparky to come back to life. Kids will like it, but adults with literature and cult film knowledge may like it more. There were a lot of references to Creature from the black lagoon, Godzilla, and Frankenstein, naturally all tied together and mixed.

The biggest problem was the time–I thought that it was taking place in the early 60’s, but a few modern references don’t mesh with that atmosphere. Other than that, it was a fun movie, though not Burton’s best.  Also, there were more older children , teens and adults in my theatre than young kids, if that’s worth anything.

Hotel Transylvania

Unlike the previously mentioned movie, this theatre was filled with families with kids, young and through maybe early middle school. According to their laughter and what I call the “No He Didn’t” comments (you know the ones–where the child repeats what the character just did. This sometimes follows “Did you see that?!”), the target audience was well-pleased. However, there are just as many, if not more adult laughs, including a jab at Twilight, and many ‘my child is growing-up’ parent empathy moments.

At Hotel Transylvania, proprietor Count Dracula tries to protect his 118 year old daughter, Mavis, from her ambition to see the world and the horrible, bloodthirsty humans in it. Drac hosts a huge party for her, inviting all of his monster friends, including Frankenstein, the Mummy, and the Wolfman.

A stunt the count pulls to trick Mavis into giving up her world exploration plans attracts the attention of Johnny, a human.  Dracula must then balance passing Johnny off as Frankenstein’s right arm’s cousin so that his guests don’t realize that the human-free security has been breached and keeping Johnny away from starry-eyes Mavis. This obviously opens the door for a lot of situational humor. The low point is the crap music, though some of it is supposed to be bad for the sake of the plot.

If you can’t already tell, for a family Halloween outing, Hotel Transylvania is my pick.

Now for the books:

There are a lot of good Halloween picture books this year. I’m going to name three that I enjoyed.

1. Vampirina Ballerina written by Anne Marie Pace and illustrated by LeUyen Pham

Ages 2-6

This is less a Halloween book and more a quirky book about a girl who want to be a ballerina. The fact that she is a vampire adds a fun element to assurances that it’s okay if class is a little scary or hard–with a lot of hard work, you can be a ballerina. The artwork is beautiful and just dark enough to be different but not scary. I love it and was prepared to read it to all of my ballet classes.

2. Nightsong by Ari Berk and illustrated by Loren Long

Ages 4+

Nightsong is a story about Chiro the bat, who is sent off into the night to learn to use his good sense, which is the unnamed echolocation. Thinking of the read aloud, this seemed a bit much on some pages, but it would be a good exercise to have children close their eyes and picture the scenes describes in the book–or even go back later and draw them. In the end, Chrio must learn to navigate the night, find food, and safely make it back to his mother’s waiting wings.

The illustrations in this are absolutely beautiful the focus remains on the cute Chrio, and the scenery flows around him and seems to lead the story rather than the other way around.

3. Halloween Night written by Marjoire Dennis Murray and illustrated by Brandon Dorman

Ages 4-8

This clever rhyming story takes “The Night Before Christmas” and twists it for Halloween. The rhythm will be familiar to children, and the silly rhymes will have them laughing. None of the rhyme feels forced, which is something that adults will appreciate. The illustrations are bright, loud, and busy, with plenty of things for children to discover in their reading. This isn’t really a new book, but it’s a Halloween must-read.

Did I miss something? Tell me about it!

Happy Halloween!

The Casual Vacancy – not a defense, per se, but a sort-of review

WARNING: This review, as it also includes responses to criticism, is a bit long. I’ve sectioned things off (headings are bold)  so if you want to read about a certain aspect of the book or skip to the end for a brief assessment, you may do so.

You know I’m a Harry Potter fan, but I’m also a huge J.K. Rowling fan. She’s the kind of writer I’d want my hypothetical children to study in school. She’s also rich but from a humble background and hugely philanthropic. So naturally I pre-ordered her first book since the Harry Potter series, an adult novel entitled The Casual Vacancy.

Before actually holding the book in my hands, I’d heard it described as a political thriller. I’m not sure that description is accurate, but the book is certainly political and could be thrilling, in its own way.

Since its release, the descriptions have been quite different. I’ve heard lewd, boring, grim, predictable, preachy, and many other not so favorable reviews of the book, the kindest consensus being the admission that Rowling remains a master literary craftsman in terms of plot weaving.

Honestly? I think the majority of the criticism is fueled by the fact that the book follows a seven-part fantasy series that revitalized reading, touched children and adults alike, and created an entire new world that spawned a subculture and drove internet creativity into overdrive. I mean, how do you top that? You just can’t. The best you can do is write something honest, and write it well. And when you’re J.K. Rowling, well, who cares whether people actually like it.

I did like it. Is it my favorite book of the year? Well, no. Probably not. Will I recommend it to all my Harry Potter loving friends? No. But it is still a great book and a thought-provoking read.

The Story

The Casual Vacancy opens with the death of Barry Fairbrother (Yes, Rowling is just as conscious of the meaning of names as she is in Potter). Fairbrother, well known and well-liked in the small, middle-class town of Pagford, leaves a casual vacancy on the Parish council upon his death. As we meet the characters, we discover that a civil (in both senses) war divides the town.

You see, the nearby slummy Fields and addiction clinic is blotting the reputation of Pagford and giving degenerates too much access to the town. As a result, many would try to excise the slums from the respectable Pagford through redistricting.  Barry, on the other hand, came from the Fields, and as a (once) living success story, wanted to keep the opportunities of Pagford available so that the families of the Fields could better themselves.

After his death, friends, enemies, and strangers come forward to try to take his place for a variety of personal and political reasons. The candidates are announced and skeletons begin rattling ferociously from all of the town closets.

My first reaction was to take out a piece of paper to keep track of all the characters. (In fact, hypable did just that. Click here for a spoiler free list.) Much like The Westing Game, a series of seemingly banal characters are introduced in a short space of time. Eventually, I was able to tell the difference. The book switches point of view rather seamlessly, weaving thoughts of characters as if it was playing that game with the songs–you know, the lyric one where you have to pick up the last word and start another song from there. No? Oh well. Let’s just go with the transitions are smooth, helped by the third person omniscient narrator, who happily and frequently jumps from head to head, from teen to adult.

Back to those skeletons–the town has a lot of them, and no family or person in Pagford is exempt from some sort of secret. The book is very adult in terms of its free use of profanity and frank portrayals of abuse and bullying, drug use and rape, sex and death. Some may call that depressing.

Me? I’ll go with honest. I’ve known people like each of the citizens of Pagford, and maybe that is why I did end up liking the book as much as I did. I grew up in a town like this: seemingly quiet and idyllic, but full of secrets and hypocrites, some of which I only discovered after I left. I can tell you exactly where our Fields are and which sections of the main town get to go to the better school, much to the chagrin of the the well-off families. Yes, the book is very British, but the humanity surpasses that–which is something this book has in common with Harry Potter.

The other commonality being of course the inter-woven plot. Not that it’s as intricate as Potter, but Rowling had seven books to work with then. Having experienced the magic of Charles Dickens and the magic of Harry Potter, it still amazes me how each little action affects the life and informs the actions of a seemingly unrelated family in The Casual Vacancy. Mad Props to Rowling on that one.

The Characters

I’ve also heard that the characters in this latest book are unlikable. Well, many of them are, but that does not mean they’re without any likeable characteristics. After all, they are human. My favorite characters are primarily the teens, especially pockmarked Andrew  Price who has a volatile home life, Krystal Weedon from the Fields (need I say more), and Sukhvinder Jawanda, who deals with more than just middle-child syndrome.

Side note–I cant wait until Rowling officially breaks into the YA genre. Some critics are saying that this is actually a YA novel, just with a ton of swear words and sex, but I disagree, because many of the adults are just as fleshed out–more on my favorite grown-ups in a minute. I need to step up on my soap box: I have felt for a while that the adult literature marked has been substandard, when compared with the rich YA novels, that often have more to say on life and say it better. The Adult fictioners had better snap up The Casual Vacancy, because it is the best adult novel I’ve read in a long while. :steps down:

Speaking of adults, favorite (yet still human) grown-ups of Pagford include social worker Kay Bawden, who recently moved from London in pursuit of a man and has been temporarily assigned the Weedon case; Parminder Jawanda, member of the Parish Council and best friends with the deceased; and the rarely mentioned but awesome Pat Mollison. And that list isn’t half of the complex characters included in the 503 page print edition.

Plot takes a backseat here because the book is character-driven. The characters do things because of who they are and the things that happen as a result cause other characters to react according to who they are, which causes… well, you get the idea.

The Politics

It’s clear where Rowling’s politics lie, especially when it comes to social issues. There is some element of corruption and futility of local politics, but that comes mostly from the views of the townspeople rather than their realities. The book speaks more on social responsibility and why we should care about all people, including the poor, dirty ones and why we should treat people with respect than it does about the horrible corruption in politics.

Do I think that she deliberately decided to say ‘hey, I’m going to write a book that advocates social responsibility to ensure that people care.’ no, not really. I think that she cares so passionately about certain things, and believes so ardently in certain things (as evinced by her charitable works) that that couldn’t help but blindingly shine through in a book about normal people. It never came across as preachy to me, but it definitely made me feel like I should do something to better the world.

I’m going to stop there, because I don’t want to spoil it for anyone. I cried toward the end. On that–I don’t feel it lacks hope, as one review complained–I feel that viewpoint shows that the reader failed to pick up on the subtleties. It is very dark and disturbing, primarily because it is too real.

Assessment:

This book is not for everyone. I love to read, period, so the book is easier to like, but I wouldn’t recommend reading The Casual Vacancy just because you like Harry Potter and especially not if you’re not a reader of anything other than fantasy. The book is slow to warm up, taking us about halfway through to really get in the thick of things. The pacing of the final third is more reminiscent of what we’ve come to expect from Rowling.  The Casual Vacancy is a  vivid,  brutal, fly-on-the-wall (or fly-in-the-mind, if you will) portrait of a small town. It is brilliantly written and the characters are both painted in your mind and deliberately under described physically, so it is easier to associate them with people you know.

This book is not like Harry Potter, but aside from the author, my mind drew a connection to who is arguably Rowling’s most complex character in HP: This book is about the family of Severus Snape and the town that he lives in and near, if Snape were a muggle. If I were grading, I’d give an A-, just because of the slow start.

Pitch Perfect – Movie Review

Let’s face it, with the success of TV sitcom Glee and reality shows like the X Factor and The Voice (and does anybody else know what The Sing Off is?), it was only a matter of time before a movie like Pitch Perfect came along. (Trailer Here) The question is–did they do it right?

Well, I believe they did.

Here’s why it works–Pitch Perfect never takes itself seriously. Edgy, emotionally stunted young woman is forced into college by her professor father when all she wants is to move to LA and become a DJ/music producer. Okay, cool. There she is asked to join the Bellas, the campus’ all girls a-capella singing group that failed at last year’s Nationals because their lead singer got so nervous that she projectile (yes, projectile) vomited into the crowd. Needless to say, this year Aubrey (Anna Camp, The Help) is determined to win.

Second in command Chloe (Brittany Snow, Hairspray) accosts the anti-social Beca (Anna Kendrick, Up in The Air) in the shower and convinces her to audition. Surprise! She’s a great singer and she joins a rather rag-tag group of student singers, including Fat Amy, played brilliantly by Rebel Wilson of Bridesmaids fame and Lilly (Hana Mae Lee), who talks too quietly to hear but always has something interesting to say.

There are actually four a capella groups on Baden College’s campus, but the group of stoners who forget lyrics and guys who only sing Madonna songs aren’t important at all. But the Bella’s main rival, all male-group The Treblemakers, is a serious threat. So much so that Aubrey threatens the Bellas with expulsion from the group if they have “relations” with any of the rival’s members.

Too bad the male group’s new featured vocalist, wholesome, movie-loving freshman Jesse (Skylar Astin, Broadway’s Spring Awakening–that just feels like another nod to Glee, even though I know it’s not logical) has a never-ending thing for Beca, who does her best to avoid becoming emotionally attached to anything, including her group mates. The one thing she does fight for is changing up the group’s tired set list. If only she had an incredible talent for mixing classic and contemporary music–oh, wait.

The jokes range from witty to low-brow to sexual (a lot of sexual) and are often outrageous. At times, the plot is completely ridiculous. But the entire thing is fun–and very funny–and the music arrangements are awesome. I’m still singing the final mash-up. The writers clearly love Rebel Wilson, who really stood out with both her physical and verbal comedic timing. And Anna Kendrick is her usual brilliant self, somehow managing to convey a bit of complexity while portraying her angsty character.

With good timing, self-deprecation, an a-camazing cast, and glorious music, Pitch Perfect is a laid-back, fluffy addition to the fall line-up, perfect for the Glee fan who is off to college like Rachel.

Movie Review–The Apparition

You know I love scary movies, especially those with a paranormal base, so when I saw the previews for Ashley Green in The Apparition, I was there.  This may not be the right time to mention this, but a preview from the next and supposedly last Paranormal Activity played, and they’ve once again looked for the creep factor by featuring a young girl as the protagonist.

Anyway, The Apparition begins with a narration of a group of college students attempting to replicate an experiment and call forth an apparition. But predictably, things go wrong. Several years later, Kelly (Ashley Green, Twilight) and Ben (Sebastian Stan, Captain America, Gossip Girl) are house sitting for Kelly’s Parents when the usual strange stuff begins to happen–doors creak open, things move.

Green and Stan as the happy couple

Then some not so usual things happen. The neighbors’ dog drops dead in their laundry room, after which the couple discovers mold under the floor. Their closet ties itself into knots and the mold spreads to a beehive filled with remnants of that long-ago mentioned experiment. Kelly proposes that the house is haunted while Ben denies it and installs more security cameras.

Finally, after avoiding the phone calls of his ex college buddy, Ben listens, and watches the e-mails he’s also ignored only to discover that his college friends  tried to redo the experiment  hoping to trap and contain the entity. Ben was a part of that first experiment but ran away after (mild SPOILER! ) something swallowed his then girlfriend.

The best part of the film was that–nope, never mind. I won’t ruin it for you. Oh, and the music was pretty awesome for all its simplicity. There’s the typical horror film hot guy and gorgeous girl who walks around half naked. However, I must say, though I’m partial to Ashley Green, she makes a very good scared girl. Her scared was not amateur actress hysterical. It was subtly losing my mind hysterical.

For a horror film, actually, the acting was pretty good. Draco Malfoy–I mean, Tom Felton plays Ben’s old college buddy, hipsterly obsessed with perfecting his old experiment and correcting his mistakes. The plot, however, could not stand, even with the decent acting.

Tom Felton

It actually was an interesting premise, one full of potential. Unfortunately the presentation came off a little slow, and when the cool visuals weren’t happening, the rest was a little boring. Unfortunately,  slow wasn’t the only pacing problem; once the plot picked up, it flew by, barely giving the audience enough time to connect and make the idea work like it should have.  Oh, and the scare factor was a 1 out of 5… with 5 being the scariest.

Just in case you decide to go see it (I suppose it could be fun with an easily scared friend or a significant other so that one of you can pretend to be scared and cling to the other one.) I won’t spoil the end or the idea. But overall, The Apparition won’t make it on anyone’s must-see list.

Kristen Stewart Scandal

I know I’ve been absent for a bit. I’ve read some great and not so great books, and seen a bunch of movies, but the thing that has pulled me out of my silence is the recent Scandal that Never Ends surrounding Kristen Stewart, the Bella Swan of Twilight and the (past?) girlfriend of Robert Pattinson who plays Edward Cullen in the Twilight films.

Okay, so here’s the if-you’ve been living under a rock deal. While starring in the film Snow White and the Huntsman, Kristen Stewart was caught on camera in an intimate embrace with her director, Rupert Sanders. Sanders is married (incidentally to the woman who plays Kristen’s mother–not stepmother– in Snow White and the couple have two children together).  To save you the trouble of Googling, here’s the big photo, this one taken from US Weekly:

Yes, the tabloids went crazy, as did Twilight fans, and the majority of the uproar has been about Kristen’s behavior. The only logical explanation that I can find for such a drawn out name crushing, angry reaction is that people view Kristen as Isabella Swan, the girl with extreme morals who marries Robert–I mean, Edward Cullen.  I’m in no way saying the girl wasn’t wrong in what she did. I’m not saying it wasn’t stupid. …

But she’s a young actress in Hollywood. I can’t even begin to speculate on the sheer number of times that this has happened and will happen–just not everybody gets caught. Then there’s the fact that she is held up to a standard of a fictional character. Not that I’m excusing what she did. I’ve known the cheaters and cheated on and it only hurts people in the end, but she’s twenty-two. Not the wisest time of life, and we’ve already seen her… habit of falling in love with those she works with. She made a stupid, stupid mistake.

That does not mean that there needs to be a witch hunt. Because I feel like that’s what’s happening. There are rumors that K-Stew–the star of a successful movie is kicked off of it’s sequel. Stewart, who never loved the press spotlight to begin with, has withdrawn. Videos appeared on youTube, because, really, how COULD she do that to Robert! Then a few days ago, this appeared from Skreened:

This is ridiculous and uncalled for and unfair. She made a private life-mistake in a public life profession. This t-shirt jumped over the line, because really? It’s not a joke. It’s mean. If teens were to do this to their ex’s new girlfriend, it would be bullying.

The girl has made a mistake. It’s really none of our business. It is the business of these people:

The family–wife and children of the director. The director who, incidentally, also took part in the cheating. There’s been so much poor Rob’s broken heart, but not nearly as much about the poor children of the director who’ve had their father’s betrayal plastered all over the tabloids. I could say it’s because the media is being respectful of the family, but I don’t believe that.

While Kristen Stewart is being vilified, the director is quietly issuing apologies, and that’s it. Why? Why is she, a young woman with no husband or children, getting the majority of the blame for this?  Well, she is the actor and therefore more famous in common gossip circles than a director would be. That’s a given. Then there’s the fact that she plays a very popular book character in a giant movie franchise… and dates/dated the person who plays her on screen love interest.  Okay, but unfair. Is it because she’s the woman, and there’s still a sexist double standard when it comes to affairs–which are wrong regardless? I hope not.

I don’t even particularly like Kristen Stewart as Bella Swan–I think the first time she showed true promise as the character was in Breaking Dawn Part 1. I think she plays certain characters well–antisocial, druggie, quirky, depressed– though she did a better job playing Snow White than I’d like to admit. I think she is unusually large-group socially awkward for an actress, and I have never felt a great love or loyalty toward her. Until now. Unless you’re going to burn Sanders alive as well, how about showing some… humanity and leaving her alone for a while.

Persuasion the Movie – 1995 vs 2007

I recently read Persuasion by Jane Austen and then allowed myself to watch the movie. I was fortunate enough to find the movie for $5 at Target, but I’m generally a believer in books first (though sometimes that ruins the movie…). The book–I loved which led to research to find the best film adaptation. While doing this research, I discovered a war.  So naturally I had to find the film I did not own and watch it. Below are my notes on the good and the bad for each version, and my opinion as to which one is better.

This was created by someone and for those who have actually seen the movies… or someone who knows the book and is looking to find a movie version to watch. (aka SPOILER and Occasional Vagueness alert)

1995

This is the version I found at Target and simply could not leave on the shelf. I was pleased to discover that this is generally viewed as the better of the two. I watched it first. So here we go:

GOOD:

1. Much of the dialogue is preserved.

2. The middle-class appear middle class.

3. The constancy speech and letter scene is well-done. Save the echo in the letter reading.

BAD:

1. Zero chemistry between Anne and Wentworth. I just don’t see it. Sometimes actors just don’t connect. This is, sadly, one of those times. And I like Cieran Hines and was excited to see him as Wentworth. Shame.

2. This lacks… charm and humor. Which doesn’t make sense to me, as it is a BBC version, but I have found this to be true of  their Emma as well (their P&P is of course the best adaptation of an Austen novel). People are mistaken if they think Persuasion the book is not funny. Yes, it is very serious. But it is often laugh-aloud funny, and to remove the humor from the movie adaptation is to get Austen wrong.

3. Please explain to me why Anne virtually chases after Wentworth at the concert hall. For an Anne who stays in character for the majority of the film, this is so jarring–not to mention inappropriate in social order of the time. Did not happen and would not happen. Book Anne feels scandalous for moving down a seat. (In a way, this exaggeration happens in both. Does this mean they cancel each other out?)

4. Kiss in the middle of a carnival. Why these characters kiss in the middle of the very Regency street is beyond me. It doesn’t help that the kiss is stiff and awkward, lacking all affection. No, I don’t want them to make out. I didn’t even want them to kiss is public, especially given that Anne’s father hasn’t even been notified. But if you’re going to commit that kind of error, at least make it worthwhile. I could kiss my teddy bear with more passion. See #1.

Speaking of teddy bears… the random monkey carnival and then deserted street of Bath is both creepy and absurd. Unless it’s supposed to be a great symbol, I just don’t get it. And if it’s supposed to be a great symbol… epic fail.

5.  And since I mentioned character, Anne is blatantly disrespectful to her father in reference to Mrs. Clay. But this happens in both versions and, though it would not happen in real  life, I suppose they cancel each other out.

6. Mrs. Russell is alternately wicked and nice, She is nasty about Wentworth, but without any confidence to explain her change, she is reasonable about him toward Anne. After her harsh encounter earlier, this seems odd.

2007

I wanted to like this one more. It is clear that everything is more advanced, so whether it actually did or not, it appears to have a greater budget. I watched this second and after hearing of the faults of it and the debate surrounding it. But having just finished the book and bumped it above Sense and Sensibility to become my favorite Austen, I was going to watch with a discerning eye anyway.

Here’s where it succeeds.

GOOD:

1. The chemistry between Anne and Wentworth is much better is this version, for whatever reason.

2.(SPOILER) They show Wentworth when he realizes that he has given everyone the impression that he intends to marry Louisa Musgrove. This was a nice addition and well-acted.

3. Color schemes and outdoor scenery are beautiful.

4. I shouldn’t love it, but the moment in the shop when Anne introduces Wentworth to Mr. Elliot makes my night. Elliot’s face and reactions are hilarious. I love them.

5. While I’m on the topic, the scene immediately before the introduction is lovely. It shows some of the former ease in attachment between Anne and Wentworth and serves as a good contrast with the later scene at the concert when Wentworth is again unsure. This is good chemistry between actors.

6. The in-betweens are properly filled in. The audience gets the information that Anne receives in the books through third-parties by seeing it communicated through characters that we are familiar with. This is much better played off than in the 1995 version, which sometimes leaves pieces out and hopes the audience has read the book, or inserts it awkwardly and directly to the main characters.

7. After the epic-fail running through Bath scene (haha–the twelve-year-old in me just appreciated that sentence structure), the scene where Anne accepts Wentworth’s proposal was lovely (see gaping fish comment below). This scene captured the feeling of the book scene where Anne meets and walks home with Wentworth (therefore accepting him) for a cinematic audience. Clearly one look would be too little. But most-importantly, this scene makes me feel the way the book did, and that’s why it’s a winner.

BAD:

1. Anne has the constancy discussion with Benwick in Lyme. Wentworth does not overhear it, it is too short and much too early  for it to be a logical result of Anne’s reflection or a logical contribution the to the plot. When this happened, I  just shouted “why!” at my computer.

2. Anne is much too active. I hate to describe Anne as a passive character, but the 2007 Anne seems much more like Austen’s other heroines in her position in the house and her doing and saying much–things that she does not do or say in the novel and that, are in fact, out of character for her. This is naturally the result of the 2007 liberated women and films wanting to make women appear stronger to fend of the feminists (I consider myself a feminist. I’m just commenting on what I believe to be a reaction to misunderstandings of what feminism is, but that’s another post), but this is a completely gross  misinterpretation of Anne’s character. Book Anne does not lack strength just because she is an ideal regency woman in manner and behavior, but possesses quiet strength.

3. Mary is mean. Mary in this version is mean to the point of me wanting to off her. In the novel she is ridiculous and selfish and silly, but not deliberately nasty, which is the way she comes off in the film. The same could be said for Anne’s father. Sir Walter comes off as mean rather than haughty and selfish–yes, there is a clear difference.

4. (SPOILER) Louisa Musgrove runs to the top of the wall and shouts “Catch me.” then immediately adds “I am quite determined!” before anyone actually protests her jumping down. This is a silly little complaint, but it struck me as absurd and pulled me out of the film.

5. Again, this is nitpicky, but why do all the men look like they gelled their hair with the hope of joining a boy band?

6. Anne cries too much. May be a personal thing, but I like her quiet suffering and quiet strength. Crying is unattractive and not something I pictured her doing this much.

7. Everyone pays Anne way too much attention. They’re supposed to ignore her.

8. Until they meet in Bath, I fail to see the bloom that returns to Anne and the suspicion of returned attraction of the high regard Wentworth holds her in.

9. Really? Anne runs after Wentworth at the concert in this version too? Why doesn’t she just strip off her clothes. It’s supposed to  make for good drama, I suppose,  but it is so wrong that I have a hard time moving past it.

10. Running running, Anne just keep running. If you’ve seen the movie, you will understand.

11. Captain Wentworth leaves Anne at a walking pace, somehow manages to beat a running Anne and write her a note and leaves again, giving the note to someone else to deliver… okay. So, he could have written it beforehand. But, he’s going to trust his future hopes to chance? To someone else? After everything else that has happened? And after leaving Anne and possibly writing her a note, he goes immediately back to meet Anne… whose to say his letter has even been delivered. Absurd. Not to mention confusing.

12.  A little too much gaping fish mouth by Anne. It ruined the kiss, which came after a lovely scene.

In the end, I doubt that I would choose to own either, if I didn’t already have the one version. And I believe, despite it having more flaws, I would choose to watch the 2007 version if I owned both, because the spirit of the novel is occasionally captured. Also, Wentworth is very nice to look at. In the end? Just read the book.

If you’re a television or film producer, read the book and build a team to produce a new movie version… then cast me as Anne. I’ll be waiting for that call. Seriously.