New Girl is amazing :)

Movie Review Marathon: Interstellar, Big Hero 6 and Book of Life

I saw some great movies this week. 

For someone who always looks at the stars, Interstellar was a visual treat. But the story was also an epic and interesting tale. 

Cooper is the ultimate pioneer, and his curiosity and persistence define him. He represents the dreamer, thinker and doer. His dream to be a pilot was replaced with the necessity of farming as Earth reaches its final days, but fate has something else in store for him. As the clues add up, and time passes, the lives of people on Earth hang in the balance. The story had many twists and turns, and the idea of the way time and space works is a core idea in the movie's plot. But what is the ultimate force? What can withstand all space and time? To find a solution, Cooper leaves his daughter Murph and his son Tom, and goes on a journey with the last explorers on Earth. As he learns to work with and help people who have lost all hope, Cooper must make the ultimate decision and learn about the most powerful force in the universe. 

This movie was amazing! From the scenes in space to the family dynamics that drive the ultimate conflict of the film. 

While Cooper leaves his family behind, trying to find a solution to save their lives, they struggle with feelings of resentment and abandonment. But as time passes, and the world continues to be a dangerous watseland, Murph steps up and decides to do her best to solve the problem that the world is facing. Our tiny planet that exists in the vast and mysterious universe. 

I'd give this film 4 out of 5 stars. 

Whenever time travel and black holes are involved in stories, things get tricky and uncontrollable. The story itself can become a little strange and it plays with the idea of a linear story, but this film did a good job balancing Cooper's tale with his daughter's, and it dove into what makes us human. The philosophy and psychology of the complex pioneers really make this movie four dimensional. 

Every kid wants to be a superhero with something to fight for, or to follow their dreams, Hiro, a bored and incredibly smart 14 year old, just cruised through his life and looked up to his brother, Tadashi. Tadashi, determined to help his brother use his brain to the best of his ability, invites Hiro to see the school where Tadashi is working to create an amazing invention and change the world for the better. Hiro finally gains motivation and starts to work on a powerful and incredible project. But once Hiro loses something very dear to him, he must carry on and find purpose and solace from friends and family. He finds a new friend in Baymax, a robotic nurse created by Tadashi, who becomes his counselor and guide through a difficult time. Hiro creates an adventure of his own through the invention of superhero suits for Baymax and his friends, giving them super (scientific) powers. As Baymax and Hiro go up against a super villian, (a man in a Kabuki mask) using Hiro's invention (the microbots) Hiro must learn how to cope with what life has given him, and make a difference of his own. 

This movie was charming, and it spoke to me about important times in life. 

When going through a difficult time, it can often seem hopeless, but with support and care, you can create your own purpose through the pain. 

I give this film 4 out of 5 hairy babies (cats). 

El Dia de los Muertos or The Day of the Dead is a special day in Mexico where people reflect on and remember loved ones who have passed away. It's a time to think about fond memories, and celebrate life as much as honor the people who have passed. 

The two deities La Muerte and Xibalba watch over mortals, and rule two sections of the underworld where mortals pass on. 

La Muerte rules the Land of the Remembered which houses those honored and respected by the next generation. She believes in humans, and admires their pure hearts and kind souls. 

Xibalba rules the Land of the Forgotten, which houses miserable souls, unremembered and lost to the wind of time. He doesn't believe that humans can succeed on their own, and that each  human is only out for themselves. 

The Book of Life begins as a story about three mortals. Manolo, a bullfighter with the heart of a musician, Joaquin, a prideful man who becomes a celebrity, and Maria, a bright and strong woman with a heart of gold. 

La Muerte and Xibalba make a wager, upon seeing Manolo, Maria and Joaquin playing as children, on which boy will win Maria's heart, as an opportunity for Xibalba to change his ways and for La Muerte to restore his faith in the human race. La Muerte chooses Manolo to be her champion, and she tells him to be brave and true. Xibalba picks Joaquin to be his champion, and he gives Joaquin the metal of enternal life to impress all with strength and power. 

Their wager may be a game for them, but it impacts the lives of Maria, Manolo and Joaquin as the town is threatened by Chakal, an evil menace looking for the metal of eternal life, and as the story plays out, things do not go as the deities had planned. 

I enjoyed this film, from the beautiful visuals and rich culture to the complex characters and great story. As Maria, Manolo and Joaquin make choices that determine the future of their town, they learn what it means to be heroes, and how powerful it is to be yourself. 

Five out of five roses. 

The Maze Runner: A Movie Review

Last year James Dashner visited the Tattered Cover Bookstore where I worked, and teens were buying his books from us in rushes. After the hype died down, and we were able to get more books in, I finally picked up this book series, and I finished it in three days. It was an epic story and a well written tale that echoed philosophy, archetypal symbolism, and an amazing thriller! 

The movie was a very impressive translation of the book!

The story begins with a boy. His last thoughts of drowning, who wakes in a box, underground, moving toward the surface. This boy doesn't know anything, not even his own name, but he is welcomed by the other boys, and nicknamed Greenie. As his confusing day begins, he panics, unable to remember anything, but he is told it will come back in time. The only thing he knows is the boys live next to the Maze, and they survive through a system where each boy is given a job. The maze is dangerous, and it works like clockwork. The boys organize themselves based on strength, endurance and intelligence. But this boy is different from the others. Where all the others took three days, he learns his name in one. Thomas. 

Thomas is curious, and his bravery, kindness and intelligence helps him survive, and discover the truth behind why he is there, and what he might be meant to do. One thing he is sure of is something else came with him when he arrived, change. As he tests his strength, intelligence and ability to survive, he sets off a series of events that changes the way everyone views the maze, and gives the others hope to discover why they were sent to this place. 

This movie was just as much of a thriller as the book. It had a good balance between the information that the audience needed to know, and the actual progress of events that lead to the truth behind the maze. I recommend it to fans of Dashner's books, The Hunger Games, Ender's Game and anyone who loves an exciting thriller. 

To put it simply, this film was A maze ing ^_^

Does everything happen for a reason?

People change, places change. Life goes through this crazy cycle of good and bad, peace and chaos. We make decisons. Some have good consequences. Others have bad consequences, but do these things happen for a reason?

As a lover of stories, I like to believe they do. That every bad decision in my life leads to a better one in the future. That every struggle I go through makes me stronger. Every push and pull I deal with teaches me something about myself. But does my attitude create the reason, or does reason create my attitude?

Thoughts matter. There is no doubt about that. Our thoughts shape our world, and the way we view it. Thinking negatively only brings bad things to our attention. Thinking positively usually does the reverse. But what about balance? We're human, and we can't always think on a positive note, and in turn there are days where we're on cloud 9. Are thoughts controlled by these feelings, or are they a simple product of the moment playing through our heads? 

Today, I've already decided it will be a good day, so even if bad things happen (if I trip, or I lose a pen, or a student is out of control) I'm focused on the positive, and in turn life seems positive. But if I falter, is that a bad thing? Or is it just human? Do things happen for a reason? Or do we create the reason things happen? 

Life

So this is life. 

It's ups and downs.

Laughter and tears. 

A combination of dizziness and stability. 

That moment when you look to the stars. 

That feeling that everything will be okay. 

The chaos before the order. 

The painful yet necessary process of growth.

The blessings and curses. 

All of it, in one package, always there, beckoning. 

Some days are easy. 

Some days are hard, but they are all worth it. 

But what's most important, at the end of the day, is love. 

Love for yourself. 

Love for your family. 

Love for your friends. 

Love in the form of smiling at strangers. 

Doing something nice for them. 

Going the extra mile. 

Sometimes you take a step back. 

Sometimes you leap into the unknown. 

It all depends on your attitude, your mindset. 

Your story begins with you. 

How you choose to view the world. 

How you choose to see it. 

Whether you are foolish to be wise.

Wise to be foolish. 

Life is all around you. 

It's not always what you want. 

It's what you need. 

Who you want to be. 

Who you are. 

Love . . .

“Everyone has a different definition of love. Love to one person is… letting go even if it hurts them. Another would give up love for someone in a better situation. It sometimes starts with imagination. It’s motivation to live for some… and it’s mystery to solve for others. Regardless, love is a blissful thought that makes heart flutter… and is a hope.” - Surplus Princess

The Fault In Our Stars: A Movie Review

I picked up a book called The Fault in Our Stars at the beginning of last year, because Ashley Clemments and Daniel Vincent Gordh read an excerpt from it, and they posted the video on The Lizzie Bennet Diaries channel. The scene they read was so powerful, and I knew teens were hyped up about this book, because I worked at a bookstore, and that book was the most requested. 

So I gave it a shot, and my eyes were opened. Life, it's not perfect, but it's beautiful and worth living. Hazel's voice was so intune with my own that I fell for Augustus, and his zest for life. The way he viewed the world, and the way that Hazel criticized it. 

The story was a breath of fresh air in the YA genre. John Green wrote a story about life, it's ups and downs, its blessings and curses. He wrote a story that rang true to the heart. So naturally, I had to see the movie. 

It was a wonderful adaption! Shailene Woodley made a great Hazel. She captured Hazel's bitterness and straightforwardness, and the occasional warmth that Hazel let herself show. Ansel Elgort was perfect for Augustus, from his quirk of the brow to the deep and meaningful statements he makes about life and oblivion. The movie followed the flow of the book, and it stayed true to the major events in the story. My only compliant is that one of my favorite quotes was skipped over, but it wasn't right for the pace of the film. This movie was incredible, and one of the best book to film adaptions I have seen recently. It did the story justice, brought Hazel and Augustus to life and conveyed the crazy mix of ups and downs in life. 

Five out of five stars, and an infinity inbetween!