review: The Newflesh trilogy (books)

These books got passed around so quick between my friends and I. Seriously, it seems like almost everyone read these within the span of a few months. The sad part was that we never really talked about them and that I haven't thought about these books since I finished them. And that's a shame because they were good and cool.

Mira Grant is the pen name of Seanan McGuire who is known for her science fiction books, and The Newsflesh trilogy is no exception  and in fact won her a Hugo Award and has been nominated for a total of five Hugo awards.

These books take place in a post-zombie apocalypse America - decades after the initial infection has spread. It happened with the creation of a cure for cancer and a cure for the common cold. Some fanatics release both virus and tit quickly spread to all mammalian life. Alone, these two viruses are beneficial, but together they can cause their host to "amplify" and convert any mammal over 40 lbs into a zombie.

Life in America has change drastically. Humanity has kinda won. People are still here. They live in closed safe zones controlled by frequent blood tests. Meat is really no longer an option and houses are concrete brick, since windows are a safety risk. Alaska is lost to the zombies and its reclaiming is a political cluster. News has changed too. Papers are non-existent, people preferring to get their news via online, in particular, blogs.

Georgia is our heroine. She and her brother, Shaun, are the adopted children of Stacy and Michael who were present at the Rising (of Zombies.... duh). They gained fame fighting for the outlawing of pets near 40 lbs after Stacy had to shoot her young son due to his amplification after being bitten by a neighbor's pet. Georgia, like many of her generation, is named after the godfather of zombie - George A. Romero. She, along with her brother and closest friends Steve and Georgette (aka Buffy), are newies - professional bloggers. Their lives change when their crew get accepted to join the a politician on his campaign for President. Needless to say, this makes things get even more complicated.

There's zombies, betrayal, politics, medical craziness, love - what's not to like? I wish that this series was read by more people who would then talk about it. I found it memorable and amazing but due to the lack of chatter I've knocked off half a star. I give the Newsflesh Trilogy 4.5 out of 5 starts.

review: Mother Mother, Blondfire, AWOLnation (music)

poster for concert

Yes, I'm still playing catch up with my reviews but I'm really excited to write this one.

My concert buddy and I try to hit at least four concerts a year and I was incredibly excited to score tickets to this one has I love the headliner and the opening act. I have, in fact, written about both bands before on this blog: Mother Mother and AWOLnation so check out those reviews if you want some background info.

Mother Mother was the opening band, minus some weird dude playing guitar and singing country/blues which was an odd opening choice in my opinion, so we're skipping him (namely because I can't remember his name). But Mother Mother was still awesome. This is second time I've seen therm perform live and man, do they light up the stage and energize their audience. Their most recent album "The Sticks" came out in 2012 but hasn't been as widely accepted as their past three albums. They do have another album coming out called "Very Good Bad Thing" which doesn't yet have a release date, but I'm still excited. The best part about going to this concert for me was since I was already a fan (and in the front 3 rows again) I could sing along with the lyrics and even got noticed! It's so cool when a band appreciates that you know their music. Being that their Canadian, Mother Mother doesn't often make it to the US - this is only the second time in 4 years that I've seen them touring outside Canada. So if you're a fan of high energy music and cheeky lyrics keep your eyes peeled! I give Mother Mother 5 out of 5 stars (again).

Now Blondfire was a new band for me and I was highly skeptical. I had never heard of them and was a little annoyed that Mother Mother didn't get more air time because they were being hustled off to make way for these nobodies. And then I heard them play. I had heard their hit "Where the kids are" on the radio and promptly re-evaluated my opinion of them.

Blindfire is an LA based band lead by sibling Bruce and Erica Discoll. "Young Fire" is their second album with their hit ("Where the kids are") being their first big nation-wide hit. My favorite song off their album is "Waves" which if you live near me, you have heard me sing, hum, whistle, and play this song on repeat since I had it stuck in my head for at least 3 weeks. I don't apologize - you should thank me. With both siblings excellent vocals (when Bruce sings) and their kinda dreamy sound, Blondfire makes an excellent addition to anyone's itunes library. I give Blondfire 4 out of 5 stars. Minus one for not finding more than 5 songs I loved on their album.

The last time I went to an AWOLnation concert it was disappointing and I didn't think it was the band's fault. Normally the Roseland Theater in Portland is awesome but the base was reverberating oddly and sounded just awful. So, when I noticed they were coming to town again, I made sure to grab tickets. Especially when they were playing in Eugene's McDonald Theater and I do love their sound.

Aaron Bruno is AWOL and he is a hoot to watch. Not only is here super energetic and fun but he loves to crowd surf which really gets the crowd pumped. And their sound, particularly the base, was excellent at MsDonald's Theater. I give AWOLnation 5 out of 5 stars!

The coolest thing about this entire concert were the people. Concert buddy and I met a bunch of nice people in the crowd including a girl who I've run into at concert in Portland. When my glasses got knocked off by Aaron Bruno and I was freaking out, everyone near me stopped dancing to help me look. People are rarely that cool.

review: Ready Player One (book)

Although this book is a little outside my usual reading genre, it's well within my interests. I ended up reading this at the same time as a few friends although we were not in sync with our completion times.

Ready Player One is set in 2044 where the consumption of fossil fuels (and the fall out there of) has thrown the world into chaos and violence. People have retreated to online virtual realities for work, school and entertainment. The creator of this online virtual reality system, James Halliday, died and left the virtual keys to the kingdom scattered in easter eggs (hidden cache for all you non-nerds out there). Now the kicker is that all the clues are in 1980's inspired scenes requiring huge depths of obscure, nerd knowledge.

Our here is Wade Watts, a technologically savvy if naive boy and a total nerd and devotee of James Halliday. Needless to say, he already in the process of searching for the keys. Stumbling around, trying to understand the clues he bumbles into the first one and wins! Thus the race begins to find the keys and gain control of the net and stop Sorrento and his mercenary minions from getting all the keys.

Ready Player One is a great read for a lot of ages. It is a story about overcoming adversity, growing up and figuring out what is important. I give Erest Cline's Ready Player One 4 out of 5 stars!

review: Now You See Me (movie)

Now You See Me was such ride. It's about four magic performers, two stage magicians (Jesse Eisenberg and Isla Fisher) one street con-artist/illusionist (Dave Franco), and a mentalist (Woody Harrelson), who are chosen by a mysterious benefactor to perform together as "The Four Horsemen" in Vegas. We know they have an ulterior motive for performing together as the four really don't get along and two of them have.... history. 

Flash forward to their first show in Vegas where they decide to... rob a bank, much to the audience's delight. However when the money actually goes missing from the bank, in France no less, the FBI and Interpol (due to the international location of the poor poor victimized back) get involved (Mark Ruffalo and Melanie Laurent). 

Off the agents go, chasing the magicians before they can complete their plans and steal more money. We also run into Micheal Cane as the public backer of the magicians and Morgan Freeman, as a greedy former magician out to expose the tricks of others. 

There's magic, humor, car chase, and revenge. Seriously, what's not to like? I give Now You See Me 5 out of 5 stars for convoluted plot, magic, and surprise. You can watch the trailer here!

Now You See Me was confirmed for a sequel in February and I'm super excited to see what they have in store both for these characters and the world that they live in!

review: His Majesty's Dragon (book)

Hello all! Sorry for the long absence. Graduate school is keeping me on my toes. And when I'm not working, doing homework or at one of my internships, I'm reading... or watching movies.... or drowning myself in apple cider with cinnamon whiskey *shivers* keeps me toasty.

So here I am, once again playing catch up with my reviews. This is another recommendation from Excuse the Quality and boy, does he know the kind of books I like (even though I keep failing spectacularly to recommend him books.... and tv.... and music). Even though he recommended it to me many times, the main reason I picked up this book was due to one of my favorite authors, Jim Butcher, talking her up as one of his favorite and under-the-radar authors. And I must say, I should have listened to EtQ  earlier.

Naomi Novik is the author of the Temeraire series which is a re-imagining of the Napoleonic Wars. The biggest difference between these books and history? DRAGONS! How can this not be AWESOME!? The main character is William Laurence, mostly referred to as Laurence, who is captain in His Majesty's Royal Navy. They are at war with France and when Laurence defeats and captures a French ship in battle, they raid the hold only to find a dragon egg.

Unfortunately the egg is close to hatching and so there's no way that Laurence and his crew are going to get it to the Dragon Riders in time. The dragon is likely going to have to bond with one of the sailors. Awesome, right? Nope - apparently, the dragon corps and their partnered dragons are not well regarded at all. And surprise - the dragon decides on Laurence who promptly dubs him Temeraire (which according to about.com means reckless).

His Majesty's Dragon is the first book in the Temeraire series. There are nine books in total. I've read the first four so far and it's been an fantastic ride. Going all over the UK to China and back a-dragonback with Laurence and Temeraire. If you love heartwarming fantasy, historical fiction, dragons, battles and intrigue - this is a great series for you. I give Naomi Novik's His Majesty's Dragon 5 out of 5 stars and the Temeraire series 4.5 out of 5 stars. d

review: The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey (movie)

Again, I know this review is really late and that The Hobbit has been out for a long time. You'll just have to stick with me until I get these older reviews out of my system and off my to-do list so I can focus on important things. Like the new Veronica Mars movie trailer from Sand Diego Comic Con... or, you know, grad school. Whichever ones grabs my attention.

So, like all LOTR fans (lord of the rings for those of you who don't speak geek), I was of course super excited to hear the Peter Jackson had signed on to make a "Hobbit" movie. What I was not excited about was that they (the producers and other money grubbing folks) had decided to split it into three movies... why you ask? For no logical reason. One of my, and many other people's main complaint, is that The Hobbit is a smaller story than The Lord of the Rings trilogy: it's Tolkien's first story, the world is much smaller, and the book much much slimmer... and only one book. From a narrative stand point, it seems like the only reason that it would be split into three parts is to gain more money.

Despite my personal reservations about how it would be split up, I was still enormously excited to see this movie. I knew that with all the returnees, be it actors, writers, directors, or composers, this movie was going to be a treat for the eyes.

Now, I'm going to try not to give away any plot, but c'mon on!!!! The Hobbit has been around for freaking decades, people! Bah! Go read you illiterate peons! But, quick lesson for all of you who haven't read it - this is J.R.R. Tolkien's first book and the prequel to Lord of the Rings. It tells the story of how Bilbo Baggins, Frodo's... uncle (?), left the Shire to have an adventure and finds the One Ring and meets Gollum. There's dwarves, elves, wizards (and not just Gandalf), and even a dragon (if we ever get to see it). 

So Gandalf, being the crazy wizard that he is, is going on a journey to help some dwarves reclaim their long lost kingdom under the Lonely Mountain where a dragon, Smaug, has taken up residence and expelled the former occupants, the dwarves. They need one more member to round out their group and for some reason Gandalf decides to recruit Bilbo, citing his non-existent skills as a "sneak". The dwarves are of course skeptical and so is Bilbo, but everyone gets over it and off they go on an adventure!

Now there are many obstacles that get thrown in their way from weather, trolls, lightning elemental, and even a peak at *gasp* Sauron! The filming is spectacular with breathtaking vistas and seamless CGI paired with sweeping, grad music. All good. The acting is well done and the characters are real... for dwarves, wizards, and hobbits. I give The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey 4.5 out of 5 stars. You can check out the preview here!

review: Wreck It Ralph (movie)

I loved this movie. And yes, I know it's a kids movie, but for some reason I almost find kids movies to be more pure in their motives... minus the product placement. This is the second of Disney's new CGI animated films, Tangled being the first and thank god it's not a musical. I kinda am enjoying the new, more positive, liberal, direction Disney seems to be going in. It's fun to see how far we've come since Snow White and the majority of the other Disney princesses who typically wait for their prince to come and save them and then marry and live happily ever after.

Wreak it Ralph stars John C. Riley as Ralph and Sarah Silverman as Vanelope von Schweetz. Ralph is a bad guy with a heart of gold who doesn't want to be a bad guy anymore. In fact, he attends the bad guy equivalent of AA (kids won't get it but you will - that makes it even better). Vanelope is a racer in the candy equivalent of Mario Kart who gets kicked out because she's a glitch. Their worlds collide when Ralph leaves his game in search of a medal to prove he's really not a bad guy. Cue adorableness, humor and a heart-warming moral lesson. Too cute. And yes, a little cheesy.

This movie reminds me a lot of Shrek - it has a heart-warming plot, big named actors, and all the humor that children won't understand (which for some reason makes it more funny). And of course, the all important lesson, that it doesn't matter how you look, but it's what's inside that matters. *tear* Isn't it just lovely?

Anyways, I know this review is really late but, grad school. Whatcha gonna do? I give Wreck-It Ralph 5 out of 5 stars. If you haven't seen it already in theaters, I know it's out on DVD. Don't feel awkward if you're over 12.

You can check out the trailer here!

review: Pitch Perfect (movie)

Alright, so I know that this movie really isn't going to win any awards, but is it bad if I say this was one of my favorite movies of last year? Now most people know that comedy really isn't my thing, especially the awkward comedy that seem to dominate every TV line-up... at least stateside. And yes, I will admit that this is riding on the coattails of the musical TV hits Glee and SMASH but still, I can love the whole song and dance combo... when it's done well and not ridiculously like both Glee and SMASH have become with their odd moments belting their hearts out on a stage with no one around just so you can truly understand the pain that is in their hearts. *single emo-tear*

This... this isn't that. There's no emotional solo singing in the rain and in fact the only time they sing are times when they are supposed to be singing like: rehearsals, competitions, performances, and the only stretch - the sing-off but even then it's like an in-house competition so it works. There is only one moment that doesn't fit in which is the girls singing on the bus on the way to a competition, but even that's understandable if you've ever been in a car with friends and an awesome song comes on the radio.

So, on to plot, yes? Beca, played by Anna Kendrick (you might recognize her as Jessica from the Twilight series), is an "alt. girl" with awesome piercings and plugs who can't seem to shake her scowl and headphones. And truth be told, she'd rather not be at college but she's there because she get a free ride since her father is a professor at Barden University. Beca would rather be in LA paying her dues and on her way to producing music. So her father makes a deal with her - spend one year really trying college (make some friends, join a club, do well in her classes, etc.) and if she hates it she can move to LA next year and he'll even help.

So Beca strikes out to prove to her father that school is not the place for her. She obviously wants to do something with music so she joins the the campus radio and then gets strong armed into auditioning for the "Barden Bella's" - the all female acapella group. Joining the cast at this point is Rebel Wilson, a tremendously talented comedian known for her roles in Bridesmaids in the US and a bunch of TV shows in her native Australia. In this movie Wilson plays "Fat Amy" a very eccentric, confident, vocal powerhouse that kept me laughing through out the entire movie. I love her for her quick, biting one liners and her sassy confidence (as a big girl - I can appreciate that since the majority of big women just seem to lack confidence or are portrayed as un-sexy by the majority of media sources). Now the Bellas got pwned in the nationals last year by their rivals the Barden Treble-Makers and this year's captain, Aubury (Anna Camp who has appeared in GLEE, Mad Men, and True Blood) is determined to get back to the nationals and beat the Treble-Makers. She also is a control freak, zealously "protecting" the Bella's image. Needless to say, things don't go according to Aubrey's design and she clashes with Beca throughout the entire flick. Beca also has a love interest named Jesse (Skylar Astin who has been in some big name broadway hit hits: Spring Awakening and Rent). And since he becomes a Treblem-Maker, Aubrey gives Beca no small amount of grief for their implied relationship.

Pitch Perfect was a fantastic movie - ridiculous in the face of the more serious releases. Rotten Tomatoes gave it "81% Fresh" and I must agree - despite the musical trend Pitch Perfect sticks out for it's fantastic comedy, singing routines and Rebel Wilson, I give Pitch Perfect 5 out of 5 stars.

You can check out the trailer here!

review: Grouplove (music)

I can honestly say that when my cousin offered me tickets to go see Young the Giant back in April, I had no idea who the opening act was. Grouplove didn't ring any bells. Although I had heard their hit "Tongue Tied" I always seemed to miss the band name whenever it came on. But my cousin said they were awesome and I wanted to see Young the Giant and I had an afternoon to kill. So, with no preconceived notions about who they were and if I would like their sound- I went to the concert anyways.

In 2009, five more or less random strangers met on a retreat in Crete. Liking each others' sound they remained friends for a year before forming a band together. And though only newly formed they needed that first year to earn the money to a recording studio in LA. They played their first show in May of 2010 and then later that year toured with Florence + the Machine and Joy Formidible!!! Talk about a quick rise!

They have excellent stage presence - being very carefree and kinda wild but still incredibly engaging. They're also perfect for the Portland scene as they have a quirky/nerdy/hip image. Their sound is upbeat and incredibly catch. When asked to describe their music, they said "It's like best friends skydiving." Their ballad "Slow" is incredible. Their album - Never Trust a Happy Song - is an excellent and one can easily listen to the whole thing. I give Grouplove 4.5 out of 5 stars!

review: Band Updates

I've been very, very lazy.  For some reason, despite more free time than ever due to unemployment, I am more lazy than I was when I was working 50 hours a week. This is a review of the concerts that I went to over the summer and I'm just gonna roll these into one giant review. In this review I'll be covering bands I've previously done reviews about: Foster the People, Young the Giant, and Gotye.

 The oldest concerts that I went to was for Young the Giant. You can find my initial review for them here. I first gave them 3 out of 5 stars which, in my now reformed former opinion of them, was generous. They really didn't deserve that review but that song "My Body" was just so freaking catching - I had to. However, due to my awesome cousin who works on their lighting crew, I was able to see them again when they came back to Portland in April. Not only had a had more of a chance to listen to their album but they also had time to enhance their live performance -which was lacking the first time around. They were better able to engage the audience - and maybe that because they're much more well known now - and they in turn were more reved up. I also got to meet their bassist  Payam Dootzadah, when my cousin took me and a friend backstage. They still have a great sound and even played a song off the new album they're working on. But for me, it mostly took time to get used to the remainder of their album and for them to up their stage presence. Having done that, for their revised rating I give 3.5 out of 5 stars to a more confident Young the Giant.


I saw Foster the People (initial review here!) with my mother at the Edgefield Summer Concert Series in June. Concerts take place on the Edgefield lawn - this huge open space out in Troutdale, Oregon. Edgefield is owned by McMenamins which owns a variety historical venues, hotels, brew pubs and restaurants all around the Portland metro area and extending beyond. Edgefield is actually a vineyard and hotel but they also host summer concerts on the lawn where they served food and alcohol - guaranteeing a fun evening. Concerts are for all ages and typically people throw down a blanket and chill out with the openers and then get up and dance for the headliners. Now, I've always liked the music from Foster the People and the concert didn't change my mind about that. But what it did reveal to me was that front man, Mike Foster, is kinda a dick. Most bands have at least the common courtesy of introducing their other members. Foster did none of that. Not only that but everyone was in grey or black but he wore white... yup - I stand by my assessment... kinda a douche. But they had a great backdrop, excellent energy and an awesome remix as their encore. So I had a great time. I maintain the original 4.5 out of 5 that I gave them for excellent music, stage presence, and overall fun but a douche for a lead singer.

Gotye (first impressions here) was the third concert I went to over the summer and another of the Edgefield Summer Concert Series - although I  did not attend this one with my mom. I still stand by initial assessment that his album is rather mismatched with his singles released from his Making Mirrors album being so vastly different but I do love his album in its entirety. Gotye is also a really cool dude. He introduced his entire band which definitely earns him points in my book. But by far the coolest thing about his concert were the amazing videos. Each one was different and so very interesting and odd. From trains in space to unzipping one's body to find out what's inside. The other really awesome thing was his song "Bronte". Before he started he asked the audience for quiet as it is an intense emotional song. Most of us complied - minus the assholes to our right who were talking about dogs pooping on their yard. Loudly. Throughout the entire song... Needless to say he was pissed off but instead of being an asshole about it he spoke about how going to a concert is like entering into an understood contract - he agrees to play and we agree to be the audience. For the concert to be awesome we need to listen and to respect each other. When that doesn't happen the concert experience fails one or both parties. Way to keep your cool, Gotye. If I could I would give Gotye 6 out of 5 stars for awesome energy, music, being an overall cool person. Kudos.

I highly recommend checking out all three bands!

review: Sherlock (tv)

I have the theme song stuck in my head as I write this. Just FYI. That's how much I love this series. It's rather addicting despite the fact that there are not a lot of episodes out.

Sherlock is an awesome show on BBC (or more illegal places if you refuse to pay for cable -- like me). It is a crime drama show based on a more contemporary version of Sir. Arthur Conan Doyle's Sherlock Holmes. It stars Benedict Cumberbatch as Sherlock Holmes and Martin Freeman as Dr. John Watson. Now, Martin Freeman has been in all sorts of awesome movies and TV shows (The Office, Love Actually, and numerous cameos including Simon Pegg and Nick Frost's Shaun of the Dead and Hot Fuzz) and definitely has some chops and although Cumberbatch has only been around for the last 10ish years and had his big break in 2004 by portraying Stephen Hawking in a TV movie and ever since then he's taken off - acting in huge movies and even rumored to have a part in the next J. J. Abrams Star Trek movie and Peter Jackson's new Hobbit trilogy.

Sherlock, if you've never read any of the books or seen any of the movies, is... well, a dick. He's arrogant, brusque to the point of rudeness, doesn't listen to anyone's opinion, is highly controlling and performs experiments on people without their consent or regardless of time of day or anyone's opinion. And this Sherlock is no exception to this rule. And like the other renditions of him out there, somehow his amazing powers of deduction seem to win over most people around him. Well, at least they respect his skills even if they can't stand him on a more personal level.

The series ends up taking very traditional and popular Sherlock Holmes tales, for example: A Study in Pink (well scarlet for the books), The Hound of Baskerville, and A Scandal in Belgravia (based on Scandal in Bohemia), and giving them an excellent modern update.

I have two problems with this series. One, like in the books, you can't solve the mystery before Sherlock explains it to you - there are no clues for you to follow, no facial expressions to catalog, no a-ha! moments. You just have to watch him solve it. And two, there are only three episodes out per season. And only two seasons!!!!! I must have more so step on it, BBC!

I give Sherlock 4.5 out of 5 stars for snarkiness, mystery and humor. You can watch a trailer for it here!

review: Magic Mike (movie)

I didn't see this movie in theaters namely because 1- I couldn't convince anyone to go with me and 2- I couldn't talk myself into going to go see it alone. And I’m kind of glad it turned out this way. Instead of attempting to listen to Channing Tatum, apparently the world’s sexiest man (obviously they didn't seek my opinion), talk to people over really bad and loud remixes (almost like you’re in a real strip club!) which would cause my ears to bleed in the theaters, I got to watch it at home pausing to rewind the awkward and hard to hear dialogue.

I have to say after having seen this movie I have no idea why it was so phenomenally popular. When the plot finally appears it’s not original: a slightly messed up stripper boy with an unrealistic dream meets (apparently) hot sister of stripper friend and needs her disapproval of his stripping ways to save him from his messy life. Another thing: it takes the plot forever to emerge. I ended up stopping the movie about 15 minutes in so a friend could answer the phone and that’s when I noticed – there had been no plot yet. We had no idea what was going on in the movie. And while it was funny at the time, 45 minutes into the movie it really wasn't anymore. I guess they were trying to make it so subtle it was almost invisible. They try to portray the plot as his midlife crisis but it doesn't occur until about 30 minutes from the end. Instead most of the movie is about the fun a young stripper boy can have: girls, drinks, drugs, in general - a good time.

Now don’t get me wrong, there were some good points within the movie. What straight female/gay male doesn't like to ogle some pretty pretty men. And there were pretty men. Matt Bomer... yummy (and so gay). But that was probably the best part of the movie. That and the stripping routines were funny and interesting (see aforementioned pretty men). And is it just me or is the salvaged furniture that he makes really unattractive? And he dream of turning it into a business an unrealistic expectation, especially in Tampa, FL? *sigh*

So, basically the only redeemable thing about this movie is the pretty men and the main one isn't all that pretty. So, in short, don't go see Magic Mike. I give it 1.5 starts out of 5. 

You can watch the trailer here if you really want to subject yourself to it. It's at least shorter than the movie.

review: The Dark Knight Rises (movies)

First off I must speak my peace pertaining to the tragic shooting in Aurora, Colorado. I don't want to talk about the shooter whose name I will not speak, for it is always the serial killers who get famous when it's the victims who deserve our focus, but I think George Takei said it best:

"Many victims of today's tragedy were fans of science fiction/fantasy. 

They stood in line to be the first to see, to be inspired and to escape. 

As a community of dreamers, we mourn this terrible tragedy 

and this senseless taking of innocent life."

As a fan of fantasy/science fiction, there is nothing that hurts me more than to see someone take something as innovative and far reaching as "Batman" and pervert the feeling that this character and this movie give us. At least the shooter didn't claim to be Batman, who everyone knows disparages the use of guns - as the movie and comic both show. Alright - enough of that. On to the review:

*** I'll try not to have tons of spoilers for this or the previous two movies 

(Batman Begins, The Dark Knight) but seriously - if you haven't seen these movies - GET WITH THE TIMES!***

Like everyone else who has seen the previous two installments of Nolan's Batman saga (I refuse to call it a trilogy in hope he'll make more), I was so excited to see The Dark Knight Rises. I had some concerns - namely if it would live up to the hype of being the supposed final installment, who the new love interest would be (yes, I knew it was Catwoman but that didn't mean that Bruce would like her) and if Anne Hathaway would actually make a good Catwoman because, let's face it, Michelle Phifer and Halle Berry most definitely did not.

The movie opens eight years in the future where Harvey Dent has been made into the white knight that Batman and Commissioner Gordon ensured that he would be at the end of The Dark Knight (so much for limited spoilers... oh well) by Batman by taking the blame for Dent's attacks and also for killing Dent. Wayne, although absent, is holding a party on the eighth anniversary of "Harvey Dent Day" where the city remembers its fallen white knight and how the city turned around and threw most of the organized crime members in jail without the possibility of parole. Wayne hasn't left his mansion since the Joker's defeat and Rachel's death. Alfred accuses him of running away from life. And he's right but Wayne won't admit it. Instead it take another woman to snap him out of his mundane existence. Could it be 1) Miranda Tate - sexy, smart business woman who wants to save the world via clean energy or 2) Selina Kyle - sexy, flexible, thief who breaks into Wayne Manor to steal Bruce Wayne's fingerprints.... and his mother's pearl necklace?

It's Selina Kyle - aka Catwoman - and boy, does she just sizzle. This was one of my biggest concerns going into the movie. Anne Hathaway was the lucky lady who received the role and I don't know if you've been following her career but she really hasn't had a lot of experience playing the vixen/bombshell or even the "bad guy". In fact every major movie she's been in she's been the victim or hapless princess or prissy receptionist (The Devil Wears Prada, The Princess Diaries, Ella Enchanted - see my worry?). Not that I don't love her work - I do, but I had doubt she would be able to pull of Catwoman who is the very antithesis of her previous works. Catwoman is suave, sexy without being objectified because God help you if you do, incredibly limber and seriously jaded (at least in Nolan interpretation). Gone is cartoon and comic Selina Kyle, wealthy philanthropist heiress with serious cat-lady issues. Hello pissed, rough and tough, Catwoman who will eat you alive.

So Catwoman escapes Wayne Manor with a pearl necklace and Bruce's fingerprint which she attempts to sell to his competitor Daggett, who is funding a take down of Wayne Enterprises - well, he really just wants to control it. Now, Wayne Enterprises is almost broke due to funding a very ambitious joint project between Wayne Enterprises and Miranda Tate for self-sustained renewable energy. This renewable energy source is a fusion reactor which could actually be used as a nuclear weapon. Thus Wayne locks it away until mankind can be trusted with this amount of power.

While this is happening Bane, a hugely powerful mercenary with a fanatical following, is building an army in the sewers.To what goals, we have no idea - but let's be honest - I doubt he's goiong to hand out hot chocolate and kittens to everyone. The only reason Batman even knows about Bane is due to Commissioner Gordon who ran into Bane in the sewers during a kidnapping/shootout with Catwoman. And Bane is the real danger here - his plan is to destroy Gotham - finishing Ra's Al Ghul's work that he and the League of Shadows started in Batman Begins.

The remainder of the movie finds Batman figuring out all the plot twists and tying up loose ends. Nolan does an amazing job keeping his audience entertain and invested in both the plot and the characters, both old and new, good and bad. I really can't go into more detail without giving away major plot lines, revelations and end game spoilers - I will say that this is a stunning conclusion to the story of Bruce Wayne and Batman. I give The Dark Knight Rises 5 out of 5 stars. It's a movie that makes you think about your own world and how you want it to go. It makes you feel for the characters, whether you liked them or not. And like all good legends - it inspires us. May your heroes never die.

You can check out the trailer here!

review: The Amazing Spider-man

Although I have seen all the old Spider-man movies starring Toby Maguire and Kirsten Dunst, I was (somehow) not jaded enough to avoid seeing the new The Amazing Spider-man starring Andrew Garfield, Emma Stone, and (re-starring, as he also appeared in the previous franchise) Dennis Leary. And I must say, I enjoyed this re-boot.

It was billed as "the untold story" of Spider-man but how many untold stories are there? The origin story for Spider-man always center on Peter Parker's absent parent (dead? undercover? who knows!) so he has lived with his aunt (Mae) and uncle (Ben) since he was young. Now, according to the comic, teen Parker gets bitten by a radioactive spider (thank you 1960's nuclear war paranoia) however in the movies it's a genetically engineered spider -- poTAYto, poTAto to me. In the 2002 Spider-man, the spider comes from Oscorp (same as the 2012 one) where Parker works in college but tours as a highschooler. In the new one, Parker sneaks into Oscorp (as a highschooler) to see what his father, an Oscorp employee who disappeared over 10 years ago, was working on. Now, although the base plots are very similar, the implications are worlds apart. In the 2012 movie - things are personal. Either way, Parker get bitten by spider which imparts him with awesome powers and super reflexes and stuff.

While Parker is running around enjoying his newly attained powers,  he still retains his  shy/geeky persona when he's not wearing his Spider-man mask and hormones, girls and responsibility are the bane of his existence. And it's the last item which leads to the death of Uncle Ben. Parker is shaken by his death and vows to use his powers to make things better - vigilante style. In this movie, quite a bit of the classic origin story is left out - namely Parker's stint as a professional wrestler... but that's kinda it. They both start in high school and are true to the comics in different ways. In this new one, that means Gwen Stacy (Emma Stone). I had no idea who she was until I did a little research. Gwen is Parker's first college girlfriend. She was also a science major and more serious than Mary-Jane (the girls were good friends). Now, I don't want to give anything away, especially since there are going to be more movies - but something happens and Parker ends up with Mary-Jane.

I felt like this movie was much more lighthearted than the 2002 movie which took itself way to seriously. I also like how Spider-man was more glib and witty than Parker - being his alter-ego, it's important that Spider-man offers Parker the chance to do and say things that he can't as Peter Parker. I also thought the villain, The Lizard, was much more interesting than the Hob Goblin, despite being a much more minor character in the comic series. I have a feeling that The Lizard will be much more integral to this series seeming as he is Parker's link to his parents' disappearance and his father's work.

I give The Amazing Spider-man 4 out of 5 stars for an excellent cast, wit and excellent effects.

You can check out the trailer here!

review: Brave (movie)

According to many people, this movie was only okay. Most claimed the source of the meh-ness was that the movie was too Disney for a Pixar (which is owned by Disney...) movie. And I can kinda see where they're coming from looking at Pixar's previous films (here are some of the best): Toy Story, Finding Nemo, The Incredibles, WALL-E, Up, and Monsters Inc. All of these movies are so innovative in comparison to Brave which is kinda the new classic princess plot - i.e. a headstrong princess who wants to escape her fate so she takes it upon herself to find a way.... with the help of a witch and some magic (not the whole waiting on Prince Charming to sweep her off her feet). Nothing entirely original about that plot, but then again, what's original anymore? The thing that makes this movie seem to be a standout is the Celtic angle which is different from other classic Disney movies -- although Disney loves to come in and put their own spin on certain cultures as seen in Aladin (Middle Eastern culture but was originally Chinese) or Beauty & the Beast (which is supposed to be in France hence the opening song: "Bonjour").

Our story focuses on Merida, a spunky, headstrong, arrow-shooting princess of Scotland. As a child she was encouraged to be herself by her father, King Fergus, who gifted her with a bow. After misfiring an arrow the wee bonnie princess skips into the dark forest to collect the lost arrow. Some will-o'-the-wisp (same as a hinkypunk for all you Harry Potter fans!) lead her to her arrow but alas, as she leaves a giant bear attacks her and her father looses his leg in the process of saving her and Queen Elinor. Now, if this were a classic Disney movie Queen Elinor would hate the young princess and do everything to thwart her likelihood to make it to adulthood. Instead her mother does indeed love her and wants what she thinks is best for her daughter. Unfortunately, it's not in line with what Merida wants, namely her freedom. But Queen Elinor goes ahead and sets up a competition for Merida's hand in marriage inviting the three subordinate clans: Dingwall,  MacGuffin, and Macintosh. The eldest sons of each clan are presented to Merida and Queen Elinor proclaims: "In the traditions of our clans, the eldest child of the clans are invited to compete for the Princess' hand." When Merida hears this she knows what to make her suitors compete in: archery. After watching all the suitors go - and behold a forth suitor appears! And it's Merida. Using the loop hole that her mother exposed earlier Merida claims as the eldest child she should also get the right to compete for her own hand and with three shots she quickly defeats her suitors.

Now this tosses the entire kingdom into chaos. Traditions have been broken, relationships strained, and the clans are on the edge of war. Merida and her mother's relationship is now nearly broken what with Merida embarrassing  her in front of what seemed like the entire kingdom and Queen Elinor throwing Merida's bow (the symbol of her freedom and independence) onto the fire. Merida flees to the surrounding woods where will-o'-the-wisp lead her to a crazy old woodcarver... or at least a witch who also loves carving bears.... Merida convinces the witch to give her a potion that will change her fate by making her mother change (change what? ah, yes, absent specificity - the downfall of all magical spells). So Merida takes the spell, in the shape of a tart/pastry, and feeds it to her mother hoping to make her mother changer her opinion of her engagement. Instead she changes into a bear!

What follows is a journey of reconnecting and self-discovery. Merida is among the new Disney princesses (most recently Rapunzel and Tiana) who are more independent. There was a push in the late 90's for more modern women: Mulan and Pocahontas, both of whom were much stronger women. Pocahontas followed her own path which led to her saving her people and brokering peace with the white man. Mulan impersonated a man to join the army and spare her wounded father from being drafted - she ended up saving her people as well. Merida is the second (Pixar) princess to wield a weapon (Rapunzel being the first with her frying pan). She's also the first to NOT end up with a prince. The trend of more independence and not waiting to be rescued by one's prince charming - is a positive one that ought to be encouraged. I like the new Disney role model. Bravo Disney! I give Brave 4 out of 5 stars for positive role modeling, not making the princess sing or interact with adorable fuzzy creatures (minus the horse... and bears), having awesome accents, and convincing Billy Connolly to be King Fergus.

Check out the trailer here!

Review: The Avengers (movie)

Once again I have been super busy so my reviews have slipped (in quantity but never quality). I will try to be better folks but working 60+ hours a week makes even things like typing and seeing movies difficult.

I have already written one review about a Joss Whedon film once this year which got high marks (Cabin in the Woods) and I seem to be on a Whedon kick (I'm watching Buffy the Vampire Slayer.) That said I was a bit ambivalent about seeing The Avengers. Not that it looked bad or that the reviews were bad (quite to the contrary actually), but more because I'm not a huge fan of Marvel's Avengers.... although I do love me some Tony Stark/Iron Man *drool*. But the Hulk, Captain America and Thor or the other two (Black Widow and Hawkeye) were never heroes that I grew up with or truly cared for (neither was Iron Man until Robert Downy Jr.). I was a Batman, Wolverine, and Spider-man fan. So when my mom came to visit me in late June and offered to take me to a movie I figured The Avengers would be an excellent choice - mainly to see the big blockbuster on the big screen for free (thanks mom). And I was thrilled with it. The Avengers ended up being incredibly witty, well written, and surprisingly true to the characters' history and personalities. I'll break this down by character and then plot:

Mark Ruffalo as Dr. Bruce Banner/The Hulk: I was really worried about this actor/character pairing. The Hulk has gone through numerous interpretations starting with Eric Bana then progressing to Edward Norton but neither of whom got it quite right. Bana being way too bland and Norton being well, just an odd choice. Mark Ruffalo combines the perfect amount of brainy, compassionate doctor with the knee-jerk reaction to go from calm, civil, and withdrawn to angry and green and busting out of pants, jacket and shirt. Dr. Bruce Banner, a super smart scientist (physicist to be specific) who had an "accident" resulting in him being... well, hulking, green, and very angry. Ruffalo present his version of the Hulk as more Jeckyll and Hyde like in The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen where they can hear each other in the other's dominant state, although it's not seen much in the movie. Ruffalo also plays an excellent reserved, but suffering man with anger-management issues. He is often paired up with Tony Stark/Iron Man due to their common backgrounds in science and genius statuses. The Hulk's opposites are Captain America and Black Widow who are driven by loyalty and duty which is what he runs from. 

Robert Downy Jr as Tony Stark/Iron Man: Ah the perfect pairing. Sarcastic, aloof, arrogant but somehow charming. Unlike the Hulk, Stark retains his whole personality in or out of his Iron Man suit. Stark has already been redeemed in his own movies Iron Man & Iron Man 2 so this movie isn't really about him. He is however one of the brains that drives this movie. He helps Dr. Banner accept the Hulk but doesn't get along well with Thor and most notably Captain America although he will (obviously) have to depend on them sometime in the movie. 

Chris Evans as Steve Rogers/Capt. America: Steve Rogers was an unlikely hero being too small to actually enlist in the military - which was his desire. Instead he was allowed to enlist and participate in an experiment which would turn him into a super solider. It buffs him up and gives him better endurance and better healing.... I don't know. I really could care less about Captain (sorry Cap't.). Anyways, he got trapped in a nuclear submarine in one of the World Wars and was recovered only recently. His stint in the Avengers Initiative is his first real foray back into the real world. His gets along with Black Widow due to their mutual commitment but due to his dedication he is estranged from the Hulk/Banner and Iron Man/Stark.

Chris Hemsworth as Thor: Chris Hemsworth is a very pretty man. Well, alien.. from a planet where the Norse gods live.... kinda. Don't ask me I'm not a Thor expert. He was expelled from his home planet and crash-landed on earth and fell for Natalie Portman while saving the Earth from his evil brother Loki (who - coincidentally is the bad guy again this time around). He, like Captain America, Black Widow, and Hawkeye are all motivated by duty - yes, to different things but it gives them the same goals. Thor feels guilty that again it is his brother (well, adoptive brother) who has put in the world in jeopardy and he has to balance the inner turmoil of the pity and pain he feels for his little brother and having to save the world again - whereas it's just professional for everyone else.

Scarlett Johansson as Natasha Romanoff/Black Widow & Jermey Renner as Clint Barton/Hawkeye: Scarlett Johansson is carrying over her role as Black Widow from Iron Man 2 and although I think she and her alter-ego are well paired... I guess I'm just not sure she was entirely necessary for the movie (although they did try and her essential). I get the same feeling about Hawkeye... maybe it's because they seem like such second class heroes without real powers (don't shot me if I get this wrong - as I said, I don't really know much about these two). Regardless, I think that although they could have been written out easily, I like their plot lines and chemistry. 

Alright, on to plot! Loki, Thor's evil "brother", has new allies in this movie and decides that he's going to throw a major tantrum on Earth to piss off Thor. So Loki steals some alien technology which is supposed to be able to make a bridge across universes and be able to transfer matter - in this case an alien invasion. Next comes the gathering of the heroes - some of which is easy, most of which is not. From the difficulties in recruiting to the conflicting personalities and ideologies - the team fails in their original objective and must somehow pull together to actually kick some alien ass. After about 10 minutes in, I could not stop laughing. Seriously, I was the only one in the theater who would chuckle, bark out laughter, and just chortle with mirth and glee. And some of my favorite moments were with the Hulk. They took the traditional catch phrase of the Hulk: "Hulk smash!" and gave it to Captain America - making it an order. I know it sounds stupid but was hilarious. I give 5 out of 5 stars to The Avengers. 

Check out the trailer here!

review: Snow White & the Huntsman (movie)

I was on the fence about this movie. I mean sure - it looks with amazing, gorgeous, expensive special effects. Hell, even the actors are pretty (minus Kristen Stewart - ironic since she's supposed to be the fairest of them all). But, I'm not a huge fan of the Snow White story either - it was always my second least favorite of  the Disney movies (with Alice in Wonderland being my least favorite). I guess I was hopping that the awesomeness of the special effects would balance out my dislike for Kristen Stewart and my preconceived notions of the Snow White story.

So the hotness quotient is there: Chris Hemsworth plays the Huntman - a total hunk; he played Thor in both the self-titled movie Thor and The Avengers. And then there's Charlize Theron, GORGEOUS, who plays the queen, Ravenna and she's been in so many movies I'm not going to bother listing more than her two of her recent ones: Prometheus and Hancock. You already know my opinion on Kristen Stewart and, needless to say although I'll say it anyways, Kristen Stewart makes me want to hurl, particularly for her involvement in The Twilight Saga, although her performance wasn't all that inspired in Snow White and the Huntsman. She's no the fairest of them all in any stretch of the imagination. Actually this comic describes my feeling perfectly. Kristen Stewart is perfect playing a frozen, sickly, depressed, prisoner princess but hopeful or inspiring or even happy isn't exactly her cup-o-tea. 

And while Chris Hemsworth is a very pretty man, his dialogue with Stewart is less than stellar. In fact it's so jilted and awkward, it makes me wish for the silent parts where there's just pretty special effects. Stewart's mouth hangs open almost the entire movie (no covering her buck teeth for that would ruin the "fairest" bit) and there are so many shots of face and over-acting eyebrows it's a little disturbing. There's also no depth to either of them. Theron's Ravenna has a lot of depth but then she just kinda goes off the deep end which means that there are no relateable main characters - the closest of which is William, Snow White's childhood friend and other love interest.

There were things I liked in this movie: the effects, the costumes, the music, the explanation for the step-mom evilness and the Disney nods that were included. The music was great and fit well with the film's composition. James Newton Howard was the composer and he's done some great soundtrack (Treasure Planet, I Am Legend, both of Nolan's Batman movies [with Hans Zimmer], and The Hunger Games). The Disney nods within the movie included Snow White's puffy sleeves with red inserts and then the run through the dark forest with the trees with creepy faces  - although in this version it's the fault of some "magic" mushrooms. The biggest draw for this flick were the special effects. No matter how stupid the rest of the movie is, the effects were amazing. It's like Avatar, plot wasn't great but you saw it for the amazing effects or the first movie with a wide-spread 3D release. Ravenna was one of the saving graces of this film. She had Charlize Theron playing her, kick-ass costumes, and an interesting twist from the classic "evil step-mother" Disney vibe.

The thing that really bothered me was the Christian prayer that Snow White says in the tower. It sets the theme for the entire movie. Any good magic is then considered righteous and probably one of God's miracles while Ravenna is seen as evil (well, to be fair she is) but her magic is a perversion. The only exception is the weird, Mononoke-esque deer in the forest which is obviously a good portent. That and the weird fairies... So, basically only Christian miracles are good magic. Ug, pissed me off so much.

Anyways, I give Snow White & the Huntsman 2 out of 5 stars for beautiful special effects but crappy plot, bad acting, and stupid, unnecessary Christian overtones.

Check out the trailer here!

review: The Hunger Games (books)

So I've already talked about Hunger Games the movie  - this is the book the movie was based on. And although this book (and movie) were classified as a young adult (or PG-13) there are many adult themes and it is intensely violent. So if you've got young ones and aren't sure if this is the book for them, here's my rule: if you can't enter the games (age 12) you can't read about them either. Although a lot of parent obviously ignored this warning for the movie (stupid crying children). I will also trying to be more plot/character heavy on this review, rather than film/acting/musically focused.

This is my second read through of this trilogy by Suzanne Collins. It consists of: The Hunger Games, Catching Fire, and Mockingjay. All three are written in first person point of view which is, upon the second reading, actually quite refreshing. Instead of feeling like someone is a telling you a story, Collins uses the first person which makes you feel more like you're there despite the out-of-this-world situation.

The Hunger Games takes place in the distant but not unbelievable post-apocalyptic future in what was once the United States. Now called Panem, and ruled by the high-tech and fashion obsessed and bored populace of the Capitol, is comprised as twelve districts (well, once thirteen, but the thirteenth rebelled and was quickly put down), each one responsible for different goods/services (coal, agriculture, tech, etc). Each year to remember the day of the uprising, the Capitol requires two tributes from each district, one male and one female. These tributes chosen in "The Reaping", are forced to compete in a battle to the death in "The Hunger Games".

Katniss Everdeen is a 16 year-old girl from district twelve. She lives with her mother and younger sister - her father died in the coal mining accident when she was eleven. She is well....  stubborn, quiet, rebellious but all without drawing attention to herself (or so she believes). She spends her time taking care of her sister, mother (who spiraled into a deep depression after her husband's death) and hunting with her best friend Gale (male - not female). Anyways, due to some horrible luck, her little sister Prim gets chosen as tribute and instead of letting her go to her death, Katniss volunteers as tribute. The other tribute is Peeta Mellark, the baker's son. They are whisked away to the Capitol where they are beautified and judged as they prepare for the 74th annual Hunger Games.

In the Capitol the tributes are subjected to the whims of the populace and their odd fashions. The games and its contestants are constantly scrutinized and judge both by the populace, game masters, and politicians. These perverted games are Collins' way of reflecting her disgust of reality television and intense scrutiny of the media.Collins' said she was inspired by the Japanese movie Battle Royale, footage from the Iraq invasion and a reality tv show she saw while flipping channels. The use of media through the movie is twisted - from needing sponsors for the games, televised interviews of the champions and the publicly mandated viewing of the intense violence of the games.

One of the things I really liked about this movie was Katniss' insistence on finding herself and doing what feels or is right for her. And although she allows herself to be swayed on a few issues - she does not adamantly deny or refuse them. More focus on establishing self. Doing what's best for herself, figuring out what she wants and who she wants. She doesn't want to be pushed or pulled by people (slight problem seeing as how the Capitol runs their lives). Whether this be how she trains, who she falls for, or how she wins - Katniss wants to do it on her own terms.

In comparison to movie there's a lot more development of Katniss' feelings for Peeta. the movie makes it kinda seem like she's just playing a long but in the book there are real moments where she feels connected to him and where she even starts having feelings about him right back. There's more time spent with Prim and her mother and more history there (which is nice sense the absence of this background was one of my pet peeves in the movie).

In the movie there also only one or two moments of joy or laughter. The book offers many more examples, adding levity and charm to what could have been such a dour book. Many of these moments are with Peeta (granted she is with him for the majority of the book....) where they tease and joke with each other even in the face of the looming games. These moments made Katniss feel more real and highlighted her youth which could be lost at moments in the movie.

I did really like this book - in fact it's my favorite out of the trilogy. I give The Hunger Games (the book) 4 out of 5 stars! How did you think it compared to the movie?

review: Cabin in the Woods (movie)

Cabin in the Woods is the newest creation from the team of Drew Goddard and Joss Whedon. Whedon is hugely popular in the nerd circles as he is responsible for a lot of TV cult classics including: Firefly, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, and Dollhouse. And such movies as: Dr. Horrible's Sing-Along Blog, Toy Story and one of my personal favorites: Titan A.E. Needless to say, Whedon's got movie/TV cred.

First scene is not exactly terrifying. Two technicians (Richard Jenkins and Steve Hadley - both acting veterans and so great for their sarcastic humor) are walking down in all white corridor in some office/factory building prepping for the night's special operation. Suddenly - flash! - evil music and dark red words: THE CABIN IN THE WOODS appears on screen. Bum bum ba!!!!! If the quick switch doesn't make you laugh, this is not the movie for you.

We switch focus now to out young heroes. They are walking cliches, well - modern versions of them. "The athlete" has become a jock; "the fool", a stoner; "the scholar", a nerd; and "the virgin".... whatever passes for virginity in this day and age. "The whore" doesn't really change - after all, it is the world's oldest profession. These five head into the woods - a cabin in the woods - for a long weekend away from school. Along the way they are warned about the woods by a creepy gas station attendant. If this sound cliche - it is. But don't worry, the clicheness it awesome. And the cliche continues: once they get to the house they notice some creepy things - a 2-way mirror in the bedroom, disturbing paintings, weird feelings but they commence with the drinking and of course: the get-to-know-you game, truth or dare. However, midway through the game a cellar door opens abruptly and in true horror movie form, they file on down. Each person is drawn to a different object: a diary, a locket, a picture, a toy, or a globe. Each object triggers a different monster.

Now this is really where the two technicians shine. They are watching everything - even triggering the cellar door to open. And when the virgin, Dana, reads some Latin our of an old diary, the technicians release "[their] zombified, pain worshiping, backwards, idiot, rednecks". Needless to say, there's lots of pain and death with lots of surprises thrown in. The twists and turns between the college kids trying to escape and the technicians trying to have the zombies kill them are hilarious and cliche. But worry not! Almost everything gets explained as the story ends but it doesn't get wrapped in a neat little bow. Which is perfect!

To make this really short - I loved everything about this movie. I don't think I've laughed this hard and so much in a movie in.... well, ever. 5 out of 5 stars. Easily. Go see it.

Check out the trailer here!

review: The Fall & Eternal Night (The Strain Trilogy vol. 2 &3) (books)

  

So this is a combined review because I read these two in such quick succession. I'll try not to give away many spoilers however - seeing as it is the last 2/3 of a trilogy and it was awesome... well, I'll try. No guarantees thou. 

A refresher - these books are volumes 2 and 3 of The Strain trilogy by Guillermo Del Toro and Chuck Hogan. It is a modern day vampire/horror story. 

Let's start with vol 2 - The Fall (as I deem this the most logical course). This is my favorite out of the three. There's less of a OMG-are-those-vampires? and more of a OMG-vampires-how-do-we-kill-them? attitude. The characters are also really well developed at this stage so you can easily see which ones you'll like and which ones you won't by the time the series ends. 

And although there's a lot of character and plot development, my FAVORITE PART OF THIS ENTIRE SERIES is the mythology that was developed. As mentioned in the end of vol 1. The Strain there is a book of great importance to both the humans and Ancient vampires call The Lumen (literally: the light) in which there's a detailed history of the creation of the vampire species and possibly a key to how they can be defeated. Much of the book is spent trying to achieve The Lumen either through duplicity, alliances or strength of arms. The mythology within The Lumen is what makes this story amazing... arg! I really want to share all of this with you but I don't want to give you spoilers! GO READ IT and then we can talk about it!

Another thing I like about The Fall is the non-traditional hero arc for almost all the characters. Well, on some accounts it's very traditional - mainly in the death department (I'll let you discover who and how for yourself.) But the journey of self-discovery that has to be made is a little different from most other characters in fiction primarily due to the huge role religion ends up playing through the last two books. It's not a preachy book but more of a spiritual and physical importance in the series.

Anyways, book 2 The Fall ends excellently, with the Master (and evil) pulling ahead of Eph (and good). Book 3, The Night Eternal, begins 2 years after the events of The Fall. Eph is rather estranged from his companions through his self medication (*SPOILERS* to blunt the absence of his son who gets kidnapped by the Master at the end of book 2 *END SPOILERS*) and alcoholism. Fet and Nora have grown closer but have yet to really move any closer physically due to Fet and Nora's guilt over "betraying" Eph for each other. 

I really can't tell you much about The Night Eternal without giving away major spoilers.... so I guess the second half of this review is kinda bust. I will say that I go back and forth between liking and really disliking the ending. On one hand I understand why they did it, on the other I think it's a total cop-out. 

I give Guillermo del Toro and Chuck Hogan's The Strain Trilogy (on the whole) 4 out of 5 stars for an excellent interpretation of vampires. Now - go read it so I can talk to you about it!