Now that 2013 is almost over, I have been thinking about all the movies I have seen in theaters this year. I think it is likely that I won't see any more until January, so this seems like a good time to do this update. If I do see any more, I'll try to update this post.
I have kept the tickets from every movie I saw this year. Here are all the ones I saw, and what I thought (or what I remember thinking). Of course, I've seen a lot more movies than this at home, but these are all the ones I bought tickets to see.
January 5: Lincoln. I remember liking this, though I think it was probably not one of my favorites, just because I don't find the topic as interesting as I do with some of these others.
May 12: The Great Gatsby. I wasn't sure what I was going to think of this, but I really liked it. In fact, I think I actually liked it better than the book. Plus, there was some great music. I saw this on my birthday.:)
May 30: Star Trek: Into Darkness. I enjoyed it. I'm not a huge Star Trek fan, but it was fun. There were some gimmicky moments, but I still did like it.
June 27: I saw Star Trek: Into Darkness again with different people. I felt the same way about it. :)
November 24: Catching Fire. I liked this movie a lot, a lot better than the first one. It stuck to the book well.
December 1: Ender's Game. Read my review here.
December 12: The Book Thief. Again, read my review here.
If I end up seeing any more movies this month, I will definitely add them to this list.
What movies have you seen this year? Which were the best? I didn't see any movies I didn't like, though some were better than others. Also, you can see that we're really getting into movie season. I've seen three movies in the last three weeks, and none for the six months before that.
Sunday, December 15, 2013
Saturday, December 14, 2013
What I've Been Listening To...
Here are some of the songs I've thumbed up on Pandora recently.
1. Boulevard of Broken Dreams by Green Day
2. Wonderwall by Oasis
3. Pinch Me by Barenaked Ladies
4. Follow You Down by Gin Blossoms
5. Otherside by Red Hot Chili Peppers
6. Here is Gone by Goo Goo Dolls
7. What It's Like by Everlast
8. Love Remains the Same by Gavin Rossdale
I don't have a lot of time today, so this will be it. What have you been listening to recently?
1. Boulevard of Broken Dreams by Green Day
2. Wonderwall by Oasis
3. Pinch Me by Barenaked Ladies
4. Follow You Down by Gin Blossoms
5. Otherside by Red Hot Chili Peppers
6. Here is Gone by Goo Goo Dolls
7. What It's Like by Everlast
8. Love Remains the Same by Gavin Rossdale
I don't have a lot of time today, so this will be it. What have you been listening to recently?
Friday, December 13, 2013
A Game of Thrones by George R. R. Martin {Book Review}
(This post contains affiliate links, and I may make a small commission if you purchase and item through them.)
12/20/13 Edit: After talking to some friends, I realized that Arya should really be added to the list of characters I liked the whole way through in addition to Jon, Ned, and Bran. The post has been duly updated.
Today I'm finally getting around to reviewing A Game of Thrones, a book I finished about two months ago. I just started book two (finally!), and I thought it was well past time I post my thoughts on this one. I think this pretty much goes without saying, but there will be spoilers. I'll avoid the ending, and that sort of thing, but if you haven't read the books (and intend to read them at some point), you should probably stop reading now.
Before I begin, if you've read the book, definitely go read this review by Forever Young Adult. It's hilarious. If you haven't read the book, and go read that review, just know that it is not at all representative of the book. It's just meant to be funny.
Summary from Amazon.com
Long ago, in a time forgotten, a preternatural event threw the seasons out of balance. In a land where summers can last decades and winters a lifetime, trouble is brewing. The cold is returning, and in the frozen wastes to the north of Winterfell, sinister and supernatural forces are massing beyond the kingdom’s protective Wall. At the center of the conflict lie the Starks of Winterfell, a family as harsh and unyielding as the land they were born to. Sweeping from a land of brutal cold to a distant summertime kingdom of epicurean plenty, here is a tale of lords and ladies, soldiers and sorcerers, assassins and bastards, who come together in a time of grim omens.
Here an enigmatic band of warriors bear swords of no human metal; a tribe of fierce wildlings carry men off into madness; a cruel young dragon prince barters his sister to win back his throne; and a determined woman undertakes the most treacherous of journeys. Amid plots and counterplots, tragedy and betrayal, victory and terror, the fate of the Starks, their allies, and their enemies hangs perilously in the balance, as each endeavors to win that deadliest of conflicts: the game of thrones.
My Review
As usual, I am going to start out by talking about the characters. This book has absolutely fantastic characters. There are many of them, and most of them felt very well developed. While there were some that were not as fleshed out, they also never narrated, which I think makes a difference. Despite having so many great characters, I think that there were very few that I truly liked. I liked Daenerys at times, but by the end of the book, I can't say I was too fond of her. The characters who I really did like, all the way through, were Ned Stark, Bran Stark, Arya Stark, and Jon Snow. All in the family there. :) There were characters I enjoyed reading, like Tyrion Lannister and Catelyn Stark, who I didn't really like that much.
I also really liked the writing. There were times when it felt like it was just going on and on describing one scene, but most of the time, I thought it was terrific. I was very impressed with how he switched the POV between chapters seamlessly. There were probably seven or eight characters who narrated, and they all felt unique and well developed. The writing was such that the 800 page book felt much shorter while I read it.
The plot was also good. It was complicated, with plots and sub plots galore, including several which I am sure were just a set up for upcoming books in the series. George R. R. Martin is obviously an author who cares deeply about the story, and is perfectly willing to sacrifice characters for it. He used surprise wonderfully, and there was a point at which I suddenly realized that no character was safe.
Who Should Read It?
This book is one I highly recommend, but there is quite a bit of sex and swearing, and this is (despite the FYA review) NOT a kids or YA book.
12/20/13 Edit: After talking to some friends, I realized that Arya should really be added to the list of characters I liked the whole way through in addition to Jon, Ned, and Bran. The post has been duly updated.
Today I'm finally getting around to reviewing A Game of Thrones, a book I finished about two months ago. I just started book two (finally!), and I thought it was well past time I post my thoughts on this one. I think this pretty much goes without saying, but there will be spoilers. I'll avoid the ending, and that sort of thing, but if you haven't read the books (and intend to read them at some point), you should probably stop reading now.
Before I begin, if you've read the book, definitely go read this review by Forever Young Adult. It's hilarious. If you haven't read the book, and go read that review, just know that it is not at all representative of the book. It's just meant to be funny.
Summary from Amazon.com
Long ago, in a time forgotten, a preternatural event threw the seasons out of balance. In a land where summers can last decades and winters a lifetime, trouble is brewing. The cold is returning, and in the frozen wastes to the north of Winterfell, sinister and supernatural forces are massing beyond the kingdom’s protective Wall. At the center of the conflict lie the Starks of Winterfell, a family as harsh and unyielding as the land they were born to. Sweeping from a land of brutal cold to a distant summertime kingdom of epicurean plenty, here is a tale of lords and ladies, soldiers and sorcerers, assassins and bastards, who come together in a time of grim omens.
Here an enigmatic band of warriors bear swords of no human metal; a tribe of fierce wildlings carry men off into madness; a cruel young dragon prince barters his sister to win back his throne; and a determined woman undertakes the most treacherous of journeys. Amid plots and counterplots, tragedy and betrayal, victory and terror, the fate of the Starks, their allies, and their enemies hangs perilously in the balance, as each endeavors to win that deadliest of conflicts: the game of thrones.
My Review
As usual, I am going to start out by talking about the characters. This book has absolutely fantastic characters. There are many of them, and most of them felt very well developed. While there were some that were not as fleshed out, they also never narrated, which I think makes a difference. Despite having so many great characters, I think that there were very few that I truly liked. I liked Daenerys at times, but by the end of the book, I can't say I was too fond of her. The characters who I really did like, all the way through, were Ned Stark, Bran Stark, Arya Stark, and Jon Snow. All in the family there. :) There were characters I enjoyed reading, like Tyrion Lannister and Catelyn Stark, who I didn't really like that much.
I also really liked the writing. There were times when it felt like it was just going on and on describing one scene, but most of the time, I thought it was terrific. I was very impressed with how he switched the POV between chapters seamlessly. There were probably seven or eight characters who narrated, and they all felt unique and well developed. The writing was such that the 800 page book felt much shorter while I read it.
The plot was also good. It was complicated, with plots and sub plots galore, including several which I am sure were just a set up for upcoming books in the series. George R. R. Martin is obviously an author who cares deeply about the story, and is perfectly willing to sacrifice characters for it. He used surprise wonderfully, and there was a point at which I suddenly realized that no character was safe.
Who Should Read It?
This book is one I highly recommend, but there is quite a bit of sex and swearing, and this is (despite the FYA review) NOT a kids or YA book.
Thursday, December 12, 2013
The Book Thief {Movie Review}
It's after three in the afternoon, and I haven't written anything today, so I think I'll write about the movie I just saw, The Book Thief. Now, I literally saw this movie less than an hour ago (it got our at 2:30), so it is very fresh in my mind. Normally with a post like this, I'd spend most of the time comparing it to the book, but since I haven't actually read the book (I know, I know, please don't be too mad), I won't do that.
Instead, I think this is going to be more just observations about the movie in general. Be warned, there will be spoilers.
First of all, I liked the German/English mix up thing they did. The accents all sounded pretty good (though what do I know? They could have been terrible), and I liked the way they did occasionally switch to German (Nien! Nein!). It felt German without being hard to understand.
I spent a lot of the movie trying to remember where I recognized Hans (Geoffry Rush) from. It wasn't until just now (after I googled it) that I realized it was from Pirates of the Caribbean. He looked (and acted!) quite differently here. The accent didn't help either.
Spoilers coming, so consider yourself warned.
The movie was very dark visually, which definitely set the tone well. While I expected the movie to be sad, and I knew people would die, I wasn't really expected so many people to die at once. This is I'm sure where the fact that I didn't read the book is becoming really obvious. I would have known that if I had.
Particularly sad was Rudy's death, mid sentence. Everybody in the theater (all seven of us, literally) sighed at the same time. At an earlier point in the movie, when it seemed like Rudy was about to kiss Liesel, but didn't, the older ladies behind us all went "Oh, come on! Kiss her!" It was pretty funny.
I'm not sure exactly how long this movie has been in theaters, but, including me and the friend I was with, there were seven of us in the theater, and we were the youngest by probably forty years. Of course, it was a day time movie on a week day, but it still seemed really empty to me. We sat almost in the exact middle of the theater, and there was no one in front of us, which was great.
I had a hard time telling how old Liesel was supposed to be, particularly considering how they jumped forward several times. I was guessing she was supposed to be about eleven or twelve at the beginning, thought she looked younger. I just looked up the actress (Sophie Nelisse) and I was surprised to see that she is only thirteen! I think she was really good, especially for being that young.
Okay, that's the end of my randomness for the day. I do intend to read the book as soon as possible, and when I do, I'll review it here right away!
Instead, I think this is going to be more just observations about the movie in general. Be warned, there will be spoilers.
First of all, I liked the German/English mix up thing they did. The accents all sounded pretty good (though what do I know? They could have been terrible), and I liked the way they did occasionally switch to German (Nien! Nein!). It felt German without being hard to understand.
I spent a lot of the movie trying to remember where I recognized Hans (Geoffry Rush) from. It wasn't until just now (after I googled it) that I realized it was from Pirates of the Caribbean. He looked (and acted!) quite differently here. The accent didn't help either.
Spoilers coming, so consider yourself warned.
The movie was very dark visually, which definitely set the tone well. While I expected the movie to be sad, and I knew people would die, I wasn't really expected so many people to die at once. This is I'm sure where the fact that I didn't read the book is becoming really obvious. I would have known that if I had.
Particularly sad was Rudy's death, mid sentence. Everybody in the theater (all seven of us, literally) sighed at the same time. At an earlier point in the movie, when it seemed like Rudy was about to kiss Liesel, but didn't, the older ladies behind us all went "Oh, come on! Kiss her!" It was pretty funny.
I'm not sure exactly how long this movie has been in theaters, but, including me and the friend I was with, there were seven of us in the theater, and we were the youngest by probably forty years. Of course, it was a day time movie on a week day, but it still seemed really empty to me. We sat almost in the exact middle of the theater, and there was no one in front of us, which was great.
I had a hard time telling how old Liesel was supposed to be, particularly considering how they jumped forward several times. I was guessing she was supposed to be about eleven or twelve at the beginning, thought she looked younger. I just looked up the actress (Sophie Nelisse) and I was surprised to see that she is only thirteen! I think she was really good, especially for being that young.
Okay, that's the end of my randomness for the day. I do intend to read the book as soon as possible, and when I do, I'll review it here right away!
Wednesday, December 11, 2013
Music in My Novels
I didn't get a post up yesterday. I'm sorry about that. I was busy with Current Events class all afternoon, then our final choir performance for the season that night at the Homeschool Christmas Show. Anyway, I'm back on for today.
Two of my three NaNoWriMo novels feature a particular song at the very end. This song also lends it's lyrics to the title. While I am quite sure that if I attempted to publish them I could not do that, it is fun now that I am not planning on publishing right now.
The first year I did NaNo, I used the lyric to this song to close out my story:
I love this song. It's a lot more country than most things I like, but Iris DeMent is someone we listened to a lot when I was little, and this one is definitely special to me. I felt like the lyrics really resonated with the story, and it felt like a good ending. I called the book "Nothing Good Ever Lasts."
This year (my third NaNo), I used this song at the end.
This song was so perfect, it was amazing. The song could have been written for my story, that's how well it fit with the characters and the plot. I like this song, and I think it is the perfect mood. I called my book "At the Edge of the Ocean."
While I'm sharing music, here is another song. This one has nothing to do with NaNoWriMo, but it is one of the songs our choir sung this year. This version is a little different than ours (the beat is a little different, and we sing a capella), but it has all the same parts and words.
That's all for today. I'll be back tomorrow.
Two of my three NaNoWriMo novels feature a particular song at the very end. This song also lends it's lyrics to the title. While I am quite sure that if I attempted to publish them I could not do that, it is fun now that I am not planning on publishing right now.
The first year I did NaNo, I used the lyric to this song to close out my story:
I love this song. It's a lot more country than most things I like, but Iris DeMent is someone we listened to a lot when I was little, and this one is definitely special to me. I felt like the lyrics really resonated with the story, and it felt like a good ending. I called the book "Nothing Good Ever Lasts."
This year (my third NaNo), I used this song at the end.
This song was so perfect, it was amazing. The song could have been written for my story, that's how well it fit with the characters and the plot. I like this song, and I think it is the perfect mood. I called my book "At the Edge of the Ocean."
While I'm sharing music, here is another song. This one has nothing to do with NaNoWriMo, but it is one of the songs our choir sung this year. This version is a little different than ours (the beat is a little different, and we sing a capella), but it has all the same parts and words.
That's all for today. I'll be back tomorrow.
Monday, December 9, 2013
Favorite YouTubers
So, it is nine thirty at night, and I just realized I did not have a post up today. Since I said I would try to post every day this month, I thought I would try to come up with something really quickly. Since lists are easy, I thought I would do a list of some of my favorite youtubers. I am subscribed to an embarrassingly large number of them, but these are the ones I watch regularly. My subscription box is usually full of unwatched videos, but there are always a few that I will always watch, no matter what. I used to watch a lot more, but I have less time for it now.
1. Vlogbrothers. This was the first YouTube channel I ever subscribed to, over a year ago, and I am pretty sure that I have watched every video they have released since then.
2. Wheezy Waiter. I love Wheezy Waiter, though he posts videos more often, and there are definitely some that I've missed, particularly recently. I am finally at the point now that I think that I actually get all the inside jokes, which is fun.
3. Pemberly Digital. This is where the Emma Approved videos go up. I am really loving it so far.
4. Charlieissocoollike. He isn't at all hard to keep up with, since he posts a video about once every three months or so.
There really aren't any others that I always watch.
There are, however, a lot more that I really like, but just don't have time to watch too often, though I try when I have the chance. Maybe I'll do another post with some other channels I like another day when I have more time.
I'll be back tomorrow, though I have no idea what with.
1. Vlogbrothers. This was the first YouTube channel I ever subscribed to, over a year ago, and I am pretty sure that I have watched every video they have released since then.
2. Wheezy Waiter. I love Wheezy Waiter, though he posts videos more often, and there are definitely some that I've missed, particularly recently. I am finally at the point now that I think that I actually get all the inside jokes, which is fun.
3. Pemberly Digital. This is where the Emma Approved videos go up. I am really loving it so far.
4. Charlieissocoollike. He isn't at all hard to keep up with, since he posts a video about once every three months or so.
There really aren't any others that I always watch.
There are, however, a lot more that I really like, but just don't have time to watch too often, though I try when I have the chance. Maybe I'll do another post with some other channels I like another day when I have more time.
I'll be back tomorrow, though I have no idea what with.
Sunday, December 8, 2013
Busy, Busy, Busy {Life Update}
Today, I don't actually have time to write up a fancy post, so this is all that is going up. Life has been insane lately, and it's not slowing down. On Friday, we had our first choir performance, which went fine. On Saturday, I also danced with the Scottish Highland Dancers at the holiday festival at the port, and I took part in an Irish dance as part of that.
The Irish dance we did was one that a friend and I put together ourselves, the night before. It went really well, considering, but I do wish we could have practiced it a few more times. Today, I have another choir performance, and then a Christmas party, which should be a lot of fun, and, hopefully, somewhat relaxing.
Last Tuesday, our World Lit group got together to read the play, A Doll's House outloud together. It was a lot of fun. We each took a character to play. It took us over three hours, but we made it. I'll post a book review (and more about our reading) soon. My upcoming week is just as busy, with something (or multiple things) happening every day. According to Google Calender, the first free day I have is Dec. 17th. That's one of just three empty days between now and Christmas, though I'm sure they'll fill up quickly.
Anyways, I don't need to just tell you how busy I am. This is just an update on what I'm up to, and now you at least know a little bit of it. School has been a little hard to fit in lately, but I'm planning on doing a comprehensive Homeschool Friday post this coming Friday. I'll talk a little about what's been going on and how things are going.
I've had a lot to do and think about lately, so this is all I have time to write at the moment. I'll be back tomorrow!
The Irish dance we did was one that a friend and I put together ourselves, the night before. It went really well, considering, but I do wish we could have practiced it a few more times. Today, I have another choir performance, and then a Christmas party, which should be a lot of fun, and, hopefully, somewhat relaxing.
Last Tuesday, our World Lit group got together to read the play, A Doll's House outloud together. It was a lot of fun. We each took a character to play. It took us over three hours, but we made it. I'll post a book review (and more about our reading) soon. My upcoming week is just as busy, with something (or multiple things) happening every day. According to Google Calender, the first free day I have is Dec. 17th. That's one of just three empty days between now and Christmas, though I'm sure they'll fill up quickly.
Anyways, I don't need to just tell you how busy I am. This is just an update on what I'm up to, and now you at least know a little bit of it. School has been a little hard to fit in lately, but I'm planning on doing a comprehensive Homeschool Friday post this coming Friday. I'll talk a little about what's been going on and how things are going.
I've had a lot to do and think about lately, so this is all I have time to write at the moment. I'll be back tomorrow!
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