If I Would Be Like Someone Else...

30 DAYS OF NIGHT

2012-01-31T00:04:00.002-05:00

Okay, I know the word "vampires" has acquired a bad taste in everyone's mouth thanks to films such as the Twilight series making such a joke of the lore -- or at least it has to me. In my opinion, vampires have become another gimmick in the movie and television business rather than a classical (as in respected) horror creature/race.

But in 30 Days of Night? It's the real deal.

Based on the graphic novel by Steve Niles and Ben Templesmith, 30 Days of Night is the story of a small (and I do mean small) Alaskan town that is plunged into darkness for thirty days every year. Many of the citizens are in the habit of leaving town prior to the last sunset -- but this year, those that are left behind after the airport closes are left to face an unthinkable horror...
One that they're unable to escape from for thirty days.

Let me begin by saying that this film was genuinely and extensively creepy, and that's saying something because not only have horror flicks failed in actually scaring the general public lately, but vampires have been done to death (pun not intended).

David Slade's adaptation of the graphic novel left me burrowing into my seat, eyes wide open, and heart racing (witnesses can confirm) -- and it had everything to do with the direction and cinematography (shout-out to Director of Cinematography, Jo Willems. We'll get to him later). While the vampires' physiques in the film weren't completely unlike previous interpretations (pale, blood stains around their mouth, pointy teeth, black eyes), their movements and mannerisms were definitely worth the title "creatures." Each actor and actress portrayed their vampiric roles as if they were animals: primal, predatorial, and organized hunters. Seeing them moving through the shadows and rooftops, communicating in their own language, made me feel like I was watching a pack of wolves on a hunt. It was a very interesting choice and -- with the many talented men and women actors executing it perfectly -- it paid off.
Not to mention Slade and his writing crew (shout-out to Stuart Beattie and Brian Nelson, who co-wrote the screenplay with Steve Niles) were able to give us something that is getting increasingly difficult to pull off in this day and age: A twist ending that I truly didn't see coming. Kudos to you, boys. You did good.

Jo Willem's cinematography, as I said before, is what really made this film cringe-worthy. Nearly every shot sent a chill down my spine. The most impressive and effective shots were from above, looking down on the blood-stained streets and chaos as the vampires fed. It was heartbreaking.

Now that isn't to say that this film isn't without its flaws. As the unofficial requirement goes, a romantic connection was attempted between the two main characters, Eben and Stella Oleson (a separated married couple). While their relationship was, thankfully, downplayed, it still felt forced into the story and I didn't find it believable, nor did I care to see it delved into further. I was much too preoccupied with their struggles for survival. Also, I wasn't too impressed with Melissa George's performance as Stella Oleson. Throughout the film I kept trying to feel connected to or emotionally invested in her, but couldn't quite believe her to be someone I should care about. Every time her marriage to Eben (played by Josh Hartnett) was brought up in conversation I could feel myself rolling my eyes and hoping it would be brushed over.
I'll give them both the benefit of the doubt, though. Film adaptations of novels tend to rush or butcher at least one aspect of the story along the way so Stella's importance and the Oleson's relationship could have been one of them.

However, while George's performance wasn't spectacular, Josh Hartnett's was. Admittedly, he didn't look it at first, but Hartnett's character, Eben, quickly captured my attention and sympathy. I have to say his performance was by far the best in the film.

Overall 30 Days of Night was an incredible watch and I highly recommend it at your next late-night viewing. Just don't forget about the bowl of popcorn like I did. ;)

30 Days of Night 4 out of 5 stars.

A Looming Return

2012-01-23T00:36:00.000-05:00

Hey there! Remember me? Ah, it feels good to write in here again. Let me start with an apology: I'm deeply sorry for the neglect this place has suffered for...quite some time. ^^;; I just finished updating the links and profile photo on the side (pretty photo of Rei, isn't it?) so everything should be current. I deleted the link for my myspace page because I can't remember the last time I logged into that thing, and when I finally did I had a strong dislike for the new layout and controls there, SO I don't expect to use that place again, ever. :P I'm considering adding my Facebook on there, but don't know if that's necessary yet. Thoughts?
Also, in case ya'll haven't noticed, I also added a new "gadget" to the side: LABELS!! :P When I was cleaning the place up I realized there was no way to search for topics, so one would have to just wait until the next time I labeled something with that topic or manually go through all the pages here until they found one. There was an option to include a search bar, but it was my understanding that it would not only search my site, but google as well. I decided it'd be best to go with the "cloud" option instead. :) I think it works well. I made sure to select the "main" labels/subjects to include since most of my labels include names or titles.

Anyway, back to the apology. I'm so sorry I haven't taken care of this place the way I should. At the time I was buried under homework, finals, papers, etc. BUT I have some awesome news! :) I am now...A COLLEGE GRADUATE!! That's right! I graduated with my Bachelors last December so now -- other than my job and working on story/novel ideas -- I will no longer have anything tying me up from contributing to this place on a more regular basis. :) And... yes, you read right. I graduated last December. ^^;; So I guess there's another apology in order for not writing/updating until now. What can I say? I was enjoying being a couch potato. xD It HAS been so long...

SO. Here is my promise to you, my readers: I will bring this site back and submit something on a semi-regular basis. I may start with movie reviews again as a way to bring on habitual posting, but there will be more excerpts, character backgrounds, and other such writing fun. :) There'll also be more book reviews (once I finish reading one, lol) and manga reviews and... Well, you get the idea. ^^;;

So thank you, those of you who are reading this and are still with me. Thanks for taking the time to visit this place. I hope you all continue to do so and enjoy your visits. :) Oh, and do feel free to hound me if I take too long between posts again. ;D Ah, sounds good, yes?

Alright! I shall see you all again soon. For now, goodnight!

Journal

2010-06-05T20:51:00.004-04:00

I wish some things were different. Not all things, just a few. Like, I wish my mother hadn't moved to California, for instance. I miss her. I still need her from time to time. Dad tries, but... There's only so much a grown man can handle or understand of the mind of a teenaged woman. I don't blame him for that. It's just natural.

I wish Jason never went on his missionary trip for Haiti all those years ago. There was no way to know there was something wrong with the plane, I know, so it would have been selfish of me to ask him to stay. But if he hadn't gone... He'd still be with me.

He used to give me daisies every month, and laugh when the scent made me wiggle my nose. He used to take me to the park where my parents met and watch me dance in the sun. He would brush my hair out of my eyes and tell me something that he loved about me -- and each time it would be something different...

I used to trace his fingers with mine... Feeling amazed at how they could be calloused from work yet soft at the same time...
I used to lie beside him in the grass and listen to all the things he'd do someday...
I remember how the gold in his eyes would flicker with emotion when he talked about his ambitions...
It would also flicker every time he looked at me...

Not all of my wishes deal with me, though. I wish some things were different for my friends, too.

I wish Anna's fiance never cheated on her. She had gone through so much already... I'll never forget the way she looked at me when she found out. I'd never seen her so broken...

I wish Aaron could have found his mom before she died. He had wanted nothing but to meet the woman who loved him enough to give him a chance at life... despite the circumstances of his conception.

I don't want everything to be different, though. There are some things I'm glad are different. For instance, because Mom left, Dad quit drinking. He smiles more now, and laughs more now. I love our Thursday night card games... We never had that when Mom was here... There was only fighting.

I'm grateful Jason's sister found a way to cope through her paintings. The images and blends of colors that come from her have made her name famous throughout the world -- with every painting showing another piece of the love she had for her brother.

I'm happy that Aaron and Anna found each other. They were just what the other needed to go through their respective heartaches. It's like magic, seeing them together.

I'm grateful that not everything is different.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~
I intended to write a personal blog entry into my Xanga but wrote this instead. I guess someone else needed to vent more than I did. I hope I can flesh out her character and find out who she is someday...

Please comment :)

With the Coming of Summer

2010-04-15T13:04:00.001-04:00

Hello, again. Talk about a hiatus huh? I hope to bring this place back to normal, or semi-normal, posting again. But first I have to finish the first semester of my third year at college. Being a Creative Writing major means all my classes involve a heck of a lot of reading and writing.
It gets overwhelming writing for four classes at once. I think having a language class as my fifth course is the only thing that has kept me from spontaneously combusting on my laptop.
I just wanted to write something simple and give the glimmer of hope that this blog IS coming back -- as will my story ideas/excerpts. I'm currently working on getting the plot idea for a Inu/Kag fanfiction (one-shot) down but I'm also starting the process of developing ideas for a full fanfiction of the same pairing. If I manage to pull it off, let's just say, it'll be verrrryy interesting ;)

Also, I made a slight change in the side bar menu. I've seperated my pages from friends/pages I follow and added a link to my recently created formspring account. This will allow any and all of you to send me questions anonymously (or, if you have an account, you may choose to show who you are) and I will answer. It seemed like a fun way to kill boredom and stress and get to know my friends a little more intimately -- but then I realized it could mean the same to any and all readers I have here. :)
So if there's anything you'd like to know, feel free to ask: http://www.formspring.me/literarybug

I'm not sure if I'm going to continue posting my old writing assignments from my first Creative Writing class (refer to last couple of posts). So much time has already passed since then, and I was getting closer to the MUCH longer writings that I doubt I would have posted fully here anyway. Not to mention it would entail me digging through the travesty that is my room to find my old notebook xP
Yea I should really tidy things up a bit... But I digress.

OK! I think that's all the announcements I had to give. Oh, also (this just came to mind): Since I haven't been able to write out of pleasure for some time (thanks to my workload of term papers and reports) I might be a little rusty. If anyone happens to have a request for an excerpt--i.e. "Write about a cat that lost his yarn!" (weak example but just illustrating the process)--feel free to submit one here in the comments section. Remember that you don't HAVE to have a blogspot in order to comment on my page, simply choose the "anonymous" option and you will be able to submit a comment without having to log in or register--though feel free to leave your name somewhere in the comment so I can credit you when I write your story request :)

Alright. That's all she wrote, folks. See you soon.

Creative Writing Assignment 02

2009-10-28T18:59:00.003-04:00

Hello, one and all. Sorry for the long hiatus; my homework-load turned out to be twice as heavy as I thought it would be so I've had literally NO TIME to blog--personal or otherwise. Today I found myself with some down time so I'm going to post the second of my Creative Writing Assignments =)

For this assignment, Prof. Kesler asked us to write a two-to-three page scene where the majority of the story relied on dialogue. He explained that SOME narration obviously had to take place ((otherwise everyone would be lost)) but that more than half had to be dialogue. So here is my scene, again I won't give it a special title. I've had a lot of positive feedback from this piece but if anything seems off don't hesitate to say so ^_^ Enjoy and please share your thoughts!!

CRW Assignment 02 -- Emphasis on Dialogue

Amy took a cautious step forward and placed her hand on the car-door handle. "Are you sure I'm ready for this? I mean, I did run over a lot of cones during practice..."

Dismissing her comment with a wave of his hand, Amy's father, Noah, climbed into the passenger seat. "You'll be fine! We'll just avoid parallel parking today."

"Still," she said while climbing into the driver's seat, "you really think I'm ready to drive out on the road?"

"Well you've got to learn sometime," he said with a lighthearted chuckle. "Relax! I'll be right here if anything goes wrong. Now buckle up, and tell me, what's the first thing you do?"

"Check my mirrors." Amy examined the rearview mirrors and made the necessary adjustments for her height. She started the ignition and slowly pulled out of the driveway. Amy had never driven anywhere outside of her school's parking lot and the thought of driving onto the public roads (with real traffic) was, she will admit, a little frightening.

As they neared the exit of the complex, Amy gave her father a quick glance. "Did you want me to take Maple or Orange?"

"Take Maple, we'll stop by the supermarket and pick up some groceries. I thought you might enjoy a home-cooked meal tonight instead of frozen pizza again." The smile on his face eased Amy's nerves. "Merge left here, we're going to turn at the next light."

As she merged safely into the next lane, Amy returned to the original subject. "Yeah, we really are hopeless whenever Mom goes on her business trips." She let out a small laugh as one particular occasion came to mind. "Remember that time we tried to bake a chicken but forgot to defrost it first?"

Noah made a sound of disapproval. "It took hours to cook and still didn't taste right." He watched as Amy waved at another driver, signaling that they could merge in. The sound of her laugh made his next statement difficult to say. "Listen, Amy, about your mother--careful that car is turning."

Amy sighed as she adjusted her speed to let the car through. "I wish more people would use their signal, I mean it doesn't take a genius to figure it out."

"But you're doing great. See? I told you it'd be fine."

"Thanks, Dad," she sent him a quick smile before turning her attention back to the road. "What about Mom?"

He looked for a way to approach the subject. "She... She decided to extend her business trip a few more days."

"How come? I thought she was coming back Monday?"

He took a deep breath before answering. "She's been upset with me and needs the time away."

Amy sent her father a puzzled look. "What do you mean? You've had your arguments--a lot of them actually--but you always get through it."

"Amy... this time it's not the same..."

"What do you mean?"

There was a short pause. "We're getting a divorce."

"You're WHAT?" In her shock Amy spun the wheel and the car swerved into the next lane. She screamed as the cars honked and swerved to avoid her, only half noticing her father reach over and grab the wheel.

"Jesus, Amy!" Noah swerved the car away from traffic and into the grass where Amy slammed the brakes. "Amy! You can't just--"

"You and Mom are doing what?" She yelled. Her heart was beating at a painful rate, her body was shaking from fear, and her face had turned sickly pale--but it had nothing to do with the car accident she almost caused. "A divor--A divorce?"

He held out a hand, motioning her to calm down. "We tried to make this work, we did. We even went to counseling if you remember. It's just not working."

"What do you mean it's not working? Everything was fine! Everybody fights, Dad, it doesn't mean you just quit! You work it out! You and Mom are supposed to work it out!"

"I'm sorry, Amy, but it's just not happening. We're tired of kidding ourselves--"

"Kidding yourselves?" Amy noticed her father's wince, but didn't lower her voice. "What is that supposed to mean?"

"Amy, your mother and I grew apart long ago, but we stayed together for your sake. But it's time we both moved on with our lives and now that you're old enough--"

"I don't believe this!" Amy ran her hands over her face, wiping away the tears that were streaming down her cheeks. "I can't believe this is happening!"

Noah reached into the glove compartment and pulled out a box of tissues. "I'm sorry, Amy..." He sighed as he watched the tissue box fumble in his daughter's trembling hands. He tried again, "Your mother and I just can't do this anymore."

"I can't believe this," Amy repeated quietly over and over. "I can't--"

"It'll be alright, sweetheart," Noah said as he pulled his daughter into an awkward embrace.

"No it won't, Dad. It won't be all right."

Thanks for reading, I hope you all enjoyed it. Please review and comment.

Creative Writing Assignment 01

2009-09-04T22:54:00.005-04:00

**EDITED: OCTOBER 28TH 2009!! Thanks everyone for your feedback!! Since the main issue everyone found with this was the overwhelming amount of times I wrote "Janira" [[which I didn't even realize I did until I reread it afterward]] I finally got around to editing it and fixing it. It SHOULD be better now... Thanks again!!**

As some of you may know, I'm currently attending college with the intent of earning a BA in Creative Writing. Right now I'm only in my Sophomore year but I've finally made it past the general credit classes: Now comes the fun stuff. Currently I'm taking a course specifically for English Majors.

Creative Writing ^__^ Yes.

In this class we're given writing assignments due weekly. It's two weeks into the school year, thus two writing assignments have gone by.

This is the first. We were assigned to write a non-fiction scene were we included ourselves as the main character. The scene had to be in third person -- which was awkward because I hate saying my own name -- and it had to be at a length where we could read it aloud in under two minutes.

I'm going to be posting every assignment we're given, but I won't assign any special titles to them other than what the assignment was. So this one will be titled after it's time limit.

Please comment your thoughts =) And I hope you enjoy.

CRW Assignment 01 -- Two Minute Scene

Janira looked over her note cards again for what must have been the seventh time in the past ten minutes. It was the day of her first speech presentation and her nerves were getting the better of her. She looked around the room and spotted the other five students that would also be presenting that day, identifying them by their formal attire. She couldn't help but notice that none of them looked as nervous as she was. Turning back to her note cards, she noticed her hands were shaking slightly so she slowed her breathing in an effort to calm her nerves.

Three students came and went, but their gracious and impressive performances only intensified her fears. It would be her turn next. As the previous presenter took her seat, Janira stood on shaky knees and walked to the front of the room. There were only twenty students in the classroom but there may as well have been a hundred. She could feel the weight of her fellow classmates' stares as she plugged in her flash drive and opened her Power Point file.

Once everything was prepared, Janira directed her eyes to the back of the room where the instructor, Mrs. Bledsoe, was writing down her comments of the previous speaker. She took this opportunity to take a few deep breaths, trying not to focus on the forty eyes that were staring right at her. "You can do this," she mentally coached herself, "it's just for five minutes then it'll be over." At the instructor's nod, she took one last breath before beginning her presentation--the small beep of the stopwatch not going unnoticed.

The slow breathing failed to help as she felt her anxiety grow. She began to shift her weight from one foot to the other in attempt to keep them from knocking. She grasped the note cards with both hands hoping that no one would notice them shaking, and she cleared her throat after every other sentence in hopes that her voice would stay even. The sympathetic looks from her classmates only horrified her more. It was at that point Janira realized she had lost her place; with a mumbled apology she consulted her note cards, her face growing hot. When she finally resumed her speech she couldn't hide the quiver in her voice. There was no kidding herself now; this was a disaster.

When her presentation was finally done, she thanked the audience quietly before collecting her things and returning to her seat. She exhaled sharply, feeling her heart pound against her ribs. Someone gently touched her shoulder and she looked up. The girl that sat directly beside her smiled gently and said, "You did great."

All Janira could do was nod and smile graciously before turning back to the front of the room. This was going to be a long semester.

There you have it. My first writing assignment. It's not as descriptive as I wanted it to be but that's because of the time limit I had so if it seems a lacking in that aspect, that's why.

Thanks, share your thoughts.

the Beauty of Ink and the Love of Words...

2009-07-21T13:50:00.002-04:00

Last night I saw the film, Doubt. It affected me so strongly I wrote a Xanga entry, but this is something I want to share with more than just the audience that reads my journal. The following is what I wrote into Xanga at 12:26AM this morning...

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

I just saw the film, Doubt, and my thoughts are rambling out of me faster than I can type them.
It is nothing short of incredible what writing does to me.
The film was magnificent. Powerful. Beautiful. Provoking.

I hardly know how to describe it.

My heart was pounding so loud I could hear it in my ears.
My hand kept falling to my stomach because it was literally in knots.
My shoulders tensed and I felt genuinely uncomfortable at the conversations.
My hands covered my mouth and nose, frightened at the intensity much like a child would be at a murder film.

It's such an incredible feeling...

The excitement and fear sets my veins afire with inspiration and awe.
I'm left with my mind reeling at the possibilities, the accusations, the explanations, and the consequences of the lives of complete (and fictional) strangers.

This is why I want to be a writer.

This is what I want to be able to do.

Writing moves me in ways I cannot describe.
It sends my heart fluttering much like it would a crush to a schoolgirl.
I can see her now sitting in the playground playing with her braids, eyeing the boy who has so fascinated her.

That is what writing does to me.

It paralyzes me and makes me study it, fascinated by it's effect on me.

Oh, and the weather...

Plays do the most beautiful thing with weather...

With every emotion, every word, every moment the character experiences -- the weather mirrors.
It isn't done with the cliche way movies do it. It doesn't start to rain just because the heroine is sad. It doesn't suddenly become sunny and blissful when the boy wins his love.

No.

Plays do it much differently.

They use sound...
Electricity...
Wind...
Lights...
Water...

They use it all and mold them like clay into the story itself.

So when it happens you don't take notice of it, because it doesn't stand out on it's own.
It blends with the characters themselves so that you feel you are experiencing them in more ways than you thought possible.

It's overwhelming...

It's an art...

And I am in love with that art.

When I see something so perfectly written I can't help but become obsessed.
I imagine it must be what pilots feel when they first take flight...
How musicians feel when they hear that one chord that has been missing from their song...
How artists feel when they find that one last stroke of the brush that sets their masterpiece to completion...

It overwhelms me...

Thrills me...

It even changes how I speak...

This is why I want to be a writer.

I want to learn how to wield this craft.

How to turn letters, symbols, ink, and paper into something so extraordinary that the reader, viewer, and listener cannot disconnect from it.

I want to learn how make changes to how a person thinks, feels, and speaks...

I want to know how to make people fall in love with a world not their own...

I want to know how to perform this art that has stood the test of Time...

I want to know how to connect everyone...

To one common emotion..

I want to be a writer...

Because I want the world to feel...

as I feel...

The Girl Who Leapt Through Time

2009-06-08T16:37:00.007-04:00

The Girl Who Leapt Through Time tells the story of Makoto Konno, an ordinary high school girl having a really bad day. Her luck, however, takes a most grateful turn for the better as Makoto suddenly discovers she has the ability to jump back in time.

I was a little nervous about watching this anime because anything with time travel usually leaves me with a huge headache and tangled questions. Fortunately that was not the case here. I wasn't confused once.

Writers Yasutaka Tsutsui (novel) and Satoko Okudera (screenplay) developed the story so that none of the time travel was confusing, but it was always fun. In their version of time travel, Makoto literally leaps back in time arriving in a not-so-graceful body roll. It never failed to pull a chuckle out of me as I started to wonder how Makoto never got a head injury from all the times she would roll into things.

The pace of the story itself never felt rushed, which can be a difficult thing to do with time travel. It can be all too easy to rush into the climax of the story, the "Everything has gone wrong" moments, but Tsutsui and Okudera kept their control and developed the story as it would happen realistically. We see Makoto's confusion and denial of her ability progress into excitement and confidence and then slowly creep into desperation and anxiety. None of it felt slow, fast, or out of place; and that not only enhanced the experience of watching the film, but it also helps the viewer develop a connection to the characters.

Because the focus of the story lies in Makoto's time traveling, there is ironically not a lot of time to develop the backgrounds of the characters to the audience. The writers and director (Mamoru Hosoda) can only show a peek into Makoto's ordinary life before focusing on how it changes into anything but. This can pose as a problem because the main goal of any writer to get their audience to believe in the characters and care for them. After all, if the audience doesn't care for the characters, it doesn't matter what the adventure is, it will always fall flat.

Watching the film it didn't feel like I've known the characters all my life, but Tsutsui and Okudera did make me care for them. They are just ordinary kids and so when things start to go wrong, you feel it. I found myself yelling at the screen as things went from bad to worse. To top it off in a nice fantasy bow, Tsutsui and Okudera gave us a surprising twist! Honestly I didn't see it coming.

The Girl Who Leapt Through Time was a great watch. The only flaw in the film were a few shots, such as close-ups for example, that lasted much longer than they needed to; but the story and the characters saved it. It's definitely a film I'd want in my anime collection.

The Girl Who Leapt Through Time 4 out of 5 stars.

The Record of a Fallen Vampire Vol. 1

2009-05-22T14:46:00.010-04:00

Title: The Record of a Fallen Vampire (Vol. 1)

Story By: Kyo Shirodaira

Art By: Yuri Kimura

Publisher: Viz Media

Rating: T for Teen [Due to themes of Death and Violence]

Manga Synopsis: Thousands of years ago, Vampire King Akabara "Red Rose" Strauss lost both his kingdom and his queen. Since humans were unable to kill the queen, they sealed her away, erecting thousands of fake seals so that the king would never find her true location. Despite being pursued by relentless dhampires, Akabara continues to search for his queen to this day...

Volume One Plot: Akabara's quest takes a sinister turn when an entity called the Black Swan appears. The Black Swan inhabits the body of a young human girl every 50 years, giving her the power to destroy the Vampire King and his queen. With each incarnation the Black Swan grows stronger-- will the 49th Black Swan mean the end of Akabara?

To prevent confusion, let me clear up two main points.
As you read this manga, please note that this story does not center around the 49th Black Swan, but rather it focuses on the vampire king Akabara.

As I started reading Vol. 1 for the first time I was noticing how rushed the story seemed to be and so I couldn't really develop a connection to every character. At first I wrote it off as a flaw in Shirodaira's writing, but soon realized my mistake. Shirodaira rushed this segment of the story because the reader isn't supposed to focus on the 49th Black Swan, but on the Vampire King instead. This is his story, the Black Swan is just another character.

Also, these are not your conventional vampires. They are confined to only travel by night, yes, but they do not feed off humans, and they cannot be killed with a steak to the chest. These are magical beings whose powers are the real threat. To kill them you have to fatally wound them with magic and/or weapons.

Keep those two points in mind, and it'll be an easy read.

Record of a Fallen Vampire tells the story of vampire king Akabara who lost his kingdom and queen in one night. The Vampire Queen's magic had gone out of control and nearly destroyed the Earth and so a group of humans sealed her away forever. On top of that, they erected thousands of fake seals so that Akabara would never know the queen's true location -- In fact so many were created that the humans themselves have forgotten which is the real one. However, Akabara is determined to find her and so he searches for centuries, destroying thousands of seals, hoping the next will be the real one.

In an effort to stop him, both humans and dhampires alike hunt after Akabara -- hoping to kill him before the queen is released. Dhampires are humans with vampire blood and so they also have magical abilities, including the ability to heal severe wounds. But their forces combined have still not been enough to kill the King.

To help in the battle, a magical entity called the Black Swan possesses a human girl every 50 years. Each generation of the Black Swan inherits the skills, memories, and abilities of her predecessor. So, in turn, each generation is stronger than the last.

I picked up this manga a couple of weeks ago when the storyline caught my eye. I fount it all makes for a very interesting plot and as I learned more details about the story I grew to enjoy it more and more. The quick progression in the beginning was necessary to move the story along appropriately, and then from there it continues at a normal pace. And just when you think it all might get repetitive with Akabara fighting against a dhampire from seal to seal, Shirodaira throws in a surprising twist!

This is Shirodaira's first time writing a vampire story so I'm really impressed about how he made it his own. It's definitely different, but not necessarily bad. Some of the dialogue seems a bit... off by word choice but he was still able to establish a great foundation for all the characters. It allows the reader to be really stumped by the sudden twist in the story. Kudos to him because thanks to that cliffhanger I will definitely continue to read this series.

Just like graphic novels, not all manga writers do their own art. In Fallen Vampire's case, the art is done by Yuri Kimura. Kimura's style of drawing reminds me of DN Angel, where the bodies are lean but the hands are slightly larger than they should be. Usually the disproportion annoys me and distracts me from the story, but in this case her style actually helps the story. With stories that use magic as the main focus it can be hard to follow the battle scenes. Most of the panels are filled with "moving wind" and symbols and since mangas don't have the advantage of color that American comics have, it can get confusing sometimes. I know I've been lost dozens of times while reading Juvenile Orion.

However, in Fallen Vampire it's actually a lot easier to follow each magical blow because the source of all the magic is made easier to see. And with none of it being distracting I can safely say that Kimura's style is not a flaw. If that weren't enough, Kimura is very skilled at drawing expressive eyes and faces which brings the characters alive.

All in all this manga is definitely worth looking into. I've already started reading its second volume and I'm sure it wont be my last.

The Record of a Fallen Vampire 4 out of 5 stars.

Summer Begins, Blogspot Reborn

2009-05-03T22:52:00.006-04:00

Alright. It is Summer my dear friends and I have made a self-promise to bring this place back. I'll be posting reviews of films and books again, starting with the book I'm currently reading, Pledged by Alexandra Robbins. There's a huge controversy going around about that book so it'll be fun to review and share that information with you guys.

As for movies that will come as I'm able to see them. Money is tight at the moment so I don't know how often that will be, but I do have some anime DVDs I haven't seen yet and Netflix always allows for cheap renting. So hopefully I'll be able to get reviews out to you guys even if it's not on new titles per se.

Concerning Faellynn, I would love to write more Quest Logs for her -- in fact i think I have enough notes for two more entries, I just have to find them ^^;; -- but because of my monetary concerns I had to cancell my WoW account temporarily. Hopefully I can make enough to play for another month or two this Summer but I don't think I'll be able to reactive my account permanently. *crosses fingers* Here's hoping I'm wrong and WoW becomes available again ^-^

So to launch off my homecoming to the blogspot I gave the place a new look =) I haven't decided on my profile picture yet, I might keep this one or I might switch it out with the Ah! My Goddess image I used in this entry. So far I'm thinking of doing the switch =P

So, my few but valued readers, I have some special news. My brother, known online as The A-Train, has his Pullbox for his reviews and articles over comics, movies, and shows. One subject he's never touched, however, was anime/manga. So guess what kiddies? I've been asked to write possibly-weekly articles on anime or mangas because, while he himself isn't a huge fan, the subjects still belong on the site. Afterall, anime geeks are one helluva crowd ;)

So, yes, very exciting ^_^ I, of course, will post the articles here as well but still feel free to visit the Pullbox and enjoy the articles.

Oh, speaking of the Pullbox, The A-Train has just launched the pilot episode to his new Pullbox Podcast. =D You may find it on iTunes soon, but for now you can download it (or live-stream it) from The Pullbox Podcast official website. =) In this pilot episode, A-Train and his co-host Adrian discuss the film, Batman Begins. Another fun feature about the Podcast is that on the main page of its official website the A-Train will post polls were YOU, the listeners, get to vote on which film will be discussed in the next episode!! =D So stop on by and watch them grow as they review film after film. And in the future I myself might make an "appearance" if ever/whenever we do a special treat to the anime fans ;D Good stuff all around!!

Well my friends, I do believe I'm done with my newsreel for tonight. =) Thanks for reading, it's much appreciated. I'll see you soon!!

Faellynn's Quest Log 48.4

2009-02-25T15:43:00.013-05:00

Faellynn's Profile

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QUEST LOG 48.4

My stay here in Stranglethorn Vale is coming close to an end. I have fought countless of trolls who have sided with the Alliance and have taken many remains and stolen treasures back to Grom'gol camp. These poor trolls... to have their own kin betray them in such ways is heartbreaking. They tell me there is not much else I can do, and they thank me for giving so much. I pray they see better days after this.

Algar's training is troubling. He doesn't seem to really strive in his battles as Mayne does. After facing so many enemies, he still hasn't grown much in strength or skill; he is growing increasingly reluctant to do much of anything, really. I have been trying to push him a little harder because while I have always been there to save him whenever he was overpowered, I cannot guarentee I will always be able to. I need to be able to trust that he can stand on his own if things got too serious. His actions grow reckless to the point where he rushes after an enemy we never needed (or weren't ready to) face.

I love Algar, he has a strong spirit and is a very wise creature; but if he refuses to learn how to survive against the Alliance with me then I will be forced to return him to Thousand Needles and leave him in his old nesting grounds. At least there he would be safe and I would never have to worry about him. I hope it doesn't come to that... I would love for him to stay.

While on one of my quests, I came across a fascinating creature. It was a female Bangalash Tiger, a truly rare breed. Soon as I was able, I returned Algar to the stables at Grom'gol and returned to where I saw the feline prowling. I confronted her and tamed her, and now she seems willing to be my companion along with Mayne and Algar. I have decided to name her Rana, which means "eye catching." I find the name suits her perfectly because when she is stalking a target she has the ability fade into her sorroundings so well that you could swear she just disappeared before your eyes. She has such power in her claws that I suspect she may be even more powerful than Mayne. I trust she will do amazingly in any danger we face.

After my last task here, I will move on to a new area known as the Hinterlands. I have been told more trolls reside in a village there, and that they are in desperate need of assistance. It sounds like the perfect place to begin Rana's training.

---Faellynn

"Criticism Wanted"

2009-02-16T20:57:00.003-05:00

This is a piece I wrote back in 2006 and posted into my LiveJournal. I was skimming the old 'Journal recently and came across it. I never named it and the title of the entry was simply "Criticism Wanted", but the truth is: I don't think I've written anything that tops this yet. (Which is sad when you think about it. I'm supposed to get better with time)

I thought I'd repost it here since even I think it's awesome. Might skim old entries of my Xanga to find stories there and do the same.

Enjoy.

= = = = = =

I kept my eyes open for her. The hall was flooded with people but I knew she was here somewhere.
There. She was sitting at the table alone, everyone else must've gone to dance.
I headed for her, but someone else stood in my way. It was the brunette from my sixth period.
"C'mon let's dance! I love this song!"
"Actually I was--" but I was already being dragged to the dance floor. The song was fast enough so I decided to humor her.
Wasn't long until I regretted it.
She was dancing way too close and 'wild' for my taste. It seemed pretty clear she wanted all my attention on her.
The song ended and I gratefully left the dance floor while she was placing in a request.
She was still sitting there. Her fork idly playing with the napkin. She looked up at me as I sat beside her. She quickly directed her gaze back at her fork. "Hey."
"Hey.." I had never seen her in a dress before. The black gown wrapped around her perfectly, her hair down well past her shoulders. She never wore any make-up, which I had always loved since it left her face unmasked, allowing her natural beauty to shine through. Her skin was smooth and clear, and her full lips were a little rosy, she must've been bitting them recently. I could see the flames from the center-piece candles reflected in her dark eyes. "You look beautiful."
She rolled her eyes, her grip on her fork tightening.
"You do."
Her eyes narrowed at me. "Stop it."
I sighed. She never believed any compliment I gave her. She had started playing with her fork again. "We need to talk--"
"Here comes your little friend."
I turn my head to see the brunette heading towards me. She latched onto my arm. "C'mon they're playing my favorite next!"
"Have fun." She dropped her fork and stood, quickly making her way outside to the balcony.
"Wait!" I shake the brunette off my arm, then rush after her.
She was leaning against the railing, her back turned to me. I stopped a few feet behind her.
"It's not what you think. She just asked me to dance, I'm not--"
"Oh I'm sure that's all it was."
"That is all it was! I got away as fast as I could."
"Oh, I'm sure you did. It's not like you ever had trouble turning away from attractive girls."
My shoulders fell with the weight of her words. I had to swallow hard before I could speak again. "I know I screwed up...but I promise I won't ever make that mistake again...."
She turned with a fierce look in her eyes."You promised never to make it in the first place! How can you be so sure you wouldn't make it again?"
"Do you really think I'd do that again after knowing how much it hurt to lose you?!"
"Oh, I'm sure it hurt alot, what with your ability to endure pain. If you dislocated a shoulder you'd just pop it back in without a single wince!"
"It's not the same thing and you know it!"
"Just do me a favor and spare me the stories." She walked passed me but I grabbed her wrist before she could get away.
"Would you just listen to me, I--" I must've pulled harder than I thought because she was suddenly against my chest and my arms were around her. She had stiffened, but didn't move. I could smell her shampoo in her hair, and I found myself pulling her closer. She was warm despite the slight chill outside. I hadn't held her in so long... Her soft voice broke through my thoughts.
"You..what?"
I realized I had forgotten what I was going to say. I tried to remember, but I couldn't concentrate on anything but the feeling of her body against mine, the feeling of my arms around her waist. "I don't remember..."
"Oh..." She was slowly relaxing, and soon I felt her arms wrap around me tightly. I felt relief flood my senses as I tightened my hold on her. God how I've missed her touch...
"I love you..." I hugged her as tight as I could. "I love you so much.." I felt my shirt grow wet and I reluctantly pulled back a little. I placed a hand under her chin and gently lifted her face. Her cheeks and nose were pink, and wet from her tears. I wiped her eyes with my thumb as she bit her lip, most likely to fight back more tears.
"I love you too..." Her voice was so quiet I almost didn't hear it. Before I could stop myself I lowered my head and kissed her. It was quick, but it was enough to send my mind spiraling through every moment I had with her... Everything I had lost.
I felt her pull me close and I kissed her again, and this time she responded.
God I had forgotten how soft her lips were.
She held me tight as we stood there, our lips meeting again and again. I couldn't believe this was happening. That she was here with me after so long.
We pulled away, and I was drawn to those dark eyes I had always lost myself in. She seemed to be as lost in the past as I was.
Suddenly, something sparked in those dark pupils, and she stiffened.
No...No not now.. Please don't remember...
She pulled away, her gaze turned away from mine. Please, no..
"I have to go."
"Wait-" I reached for her hand but missed, and she rushed back through the doors. I went after her, but the doors had closed, blocking my view of her. I threw them open, the noise of thundering music and laughter ripped through the once quiet balcony. No one has had their fill of the night and the hall was filled with hundreds of bodies.
I looked around frantically trying to catch a glipse of her among the masses. I hadn't seen which direction she had gone and felt a sense of panic. I had to find her before--
There! She was closing in on the exit doors at the far end of the hall. I called out to her but my voice was drawn out by the music. My blood ran cold as she opened the doors and ran out.
I pushed and shoved my way through the crowd, trying to get to her as fast as I could. Then finally I bolted through the doors, my eyes frantically searching the parking lot for her car. She had to have reached it by now.
I kept calling for her, hoping, praying that she'd wait.
To my far right I heard a car roar to life. I ran towards the row of cars where the sound originated, I could see her blue Toyota pulling out of a spot. "Stop!!"
She was accelerating, I called out her name again but she was soon out of my reach. I stood there, breathing hard, as she drove out of the lot.
My chest clenched. I let out a yell and punched the trunk of the nearest car. The car alarm went off, its loud whines ringing through the air, making my heart pound against my ribs. I ran both my hands over my face.
I lost her... I lost her all over again...

The Currents

2009-01-29T18:14:00.003-05:00

I have been doing a pretty bad job of keeping up with this place, I know. So here's a few News Reels to clarify:

1. School is crazy. It's been hard keeping up with life, school work, the BlogSpot, and my reading.

2. Yes, I am still reading This is All, but the before-mentioned reasons keep me from reading at my normal, quick pace.
3. Yes, I still watch movies and I have seen a few recently. I'm sorry I haven't reviewed any in a long while. The realization that the only 2-3 people that read this I know in real life has given me the "Well they can just ASK me if I liked it" attitude. I plan to resume reviews again, but time is always being crunched these days. Stay tuned.

4. I will continue to write Quest Logs for Faellynn and I will continue to write story excerpts of my characters. It's just a matter of time, inspiration, and literary mechanics.

For those who read this, Thank You for doing so. I only wish more would do the same.

Faellynn's Quest Log 46.3

2009-01-29T18:13:00.001-05:00

Faellynn's Profile

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QUEST LOG 46.3

Stranglethorn Vale is such a beautiful place! It looks as if I've stepped onto a forgotten island. Mayne loves the area, but when we arrived she was clearly in need of rest. After accompanying me on quest after quest with barely any rest, then to take a zeppelin such a long way down to Stranglethorn, she was exhausted. The ride itself was peaceful enough for me, but Mayne is very anxious of heights. It's strange that a misbat of all creatures would be afraid, but she has never been more than a few feet off the ground so the altitude frightens her a bit.

   So I spoke with the local Stable Master and fortunately he had enough room for her and little Noah, an orphan blizzard bear cub I found in Undercity. I decided to take him with me, as he didn't seem to enjoy the company of the Undead. I decided to keep him stabled with Mayne, as he is still much too young to accompany me on quests. In a stable he will at least stay safe from any harm, and every moment I can I shall take him out to exercise.
   Mayne was grateful for a rest, and she seemed amused by the small cub's antics. They've grown quite fond of each other through these past few weeks. Meanwhile, I took Algar with me on my adventures in order to train and hone his skills further.
   The trolls here had asked for my assistance against certain groups of their kin that have sided with the Alliance (a fact that they, understandably, seemed very upset to share). The battles have proven to be most profitable for Algar and I. He's grown in strength, not as fast as Mayne, but at his own pace. However, he still has much to learn before he can handle the opponents Mayne can.

---Faellynn

Faellynn's Quest Log 43.2

2009-01-26T15:31:00.007-05:00

Faellynn's Profile

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QUEST LOG 43.2

Today was a fine day. Mayne and I have grown stronger over the past few nights, and so I led us into Stromgarde to find Prince Galen Trollbane and retrieve the last Sigil we needed. The prince was well protected as I imagined, but they could no longer intimidate us. I sent Mayne after the soldiers and syndicates while I took on Galen. It wasn't long at all before they fell before us, and the Sigil was ours.

We returned to Hammerfall and delivered our prize to Zengu, who then fused all four sigils into one. He told us we were now ready to open the tomb. Mayne and I hurried back to where the Prince once stood, and followed the path to the tomb. More soldiers stood guard, but they were weaker than the Prince and so our battles did not last long.

I am happy to report that Mayne and I did indeed enter the tomb, and we retrieved the sword Trol'Kalar successfully. Zengu was overjoyed that the weapon that once slew so many of his kin, would know be the means to avenge them. I was honored that Mayne and I were of aid.

I'm also pleased to announce that I have finally heard back from Holku. He has decided to come and stay here at Hammerfall and do what he can to help the trolls as well. Once he arrived I took him about the Highlands so that he may be more familiarized with Arathi. His pet, Doomsday, has grown much stronger since the last time I'd seen him and I believe he will be a fine companion to Holku as Mayne is to me.

It feels strange to leave, but I said my goodbyes to all of the trolls here. Tonight Mayne and I will travel back to Undercity, and tomorrow we shall board the zeppelin and travel to a new land called Stranglethorn Vale. I have been told I would find Ogres, Trolls, and other Blood Elves there that could use my assistance, and now that Holku can aid those in Hammerfall, I must continue my journey to help all that I can against the Alliance.

---Faellynn

Faellynn, level 43 Blood Elf Hunter

2009-01-13T18:14:00.002-05:00

Faellynn has reached level 43 :) And she's kick-butt awesome. She can now wear "Mail" armor, which means instead of having a chest plate of "54 Armor" she now has one that is "213 Armor" :) Hellz yea! I mean, yea, she looks weird since she's now multi-colored or mostly red but WHO CARES?! No one can touch her now :) So go ahead, I dare you to cross blades with her!! :D

Faellynn's Quest Log 38.1

2008-12-05T21:31:00.004-05:00

* * * For each Quest Log I will post this link to Faellynn's background so that in the off-chance of a new reader, or if you habitual readers forget, it's there for a guide in case of any questions or confusion.

Faellynn's Profile

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QUEST LOG 38.1

Goodness. I haven't had the time to record any events since I've arrived here at Hammerfall. I have been doing all I can to help the Trolls and Orcs here; They have been under attack by the Syndicate for quite some time. At first all I could do was slay nearby creatures to prove the strength Mayne and I possess. Once the Trolls believed we could be of use, I was given one quest after another with barely any rest. In fact, this is the first time in several days that Mayne and I have had enough time to rest and regain our energy like this. I haven't heard from Holku for weeks, but I trust he's doing well in Undercity.
So much has happened during my short stay here at Hammerfall, but I suppose the only quests worth mentioning are the ones I've done most recently. A troll by the name of Zengu told me of an old adversary of his race, a Thoras Trollbane. Thoras is dead now, but when alive he wielded a sword which he named Trol'Kalar. I don't quite remember, but I believe Zengu said the name meant something along the lines of 'Troll Killer' or something like that. Anyway, the sword is kept with Thoras in his tomb, but Zengu would rather have the weapon so it may be used in the Troll's favor, rather than against them. What he needs me to do is gather up the four Sigils that are required to open the tomb. The Sigil of Stromgarde, the Sigil of Thoradin, the Sigil of Arathor, and the last: the Sigil of Trollbane.

Mayne and I have managed to get the first three sigils from Stromgarde Syndicate and Ogres alike, but I fear we are not yet strong enough to aquire the fourth on our own. Prince Galen Trollbane, the son of Thoras, is the bearer of the last sigil and I hear his strength is formitable. He would be a difficult advisary even before his men were made aware of the missing Sigils they no longer carry; and I won't risk Mayne's life unless I am sure we could handle it.

Mayne has really grown in strength. She is truly a worthy companion. While acquiring the Sigil of Arathor from Lieutenant Valorcall, who leads the Syndicate Cavalry, we were outnumbered. After fighting off a few men I was out of mana, and with three men still standing, including Valorcall, I was beginning to worry. Mayne then distracted all three men with an ear-piercing screech, taking all the focus off of me and giving me time to drink a small potion to restore my mana. Soon as I was able, I pulled two of the men off of her with my arrows. While I fought them, Mayne kept attacking Valorcall on her own. I tried to slay the men as fast as I could; I knew that as strong as Mayne was, Valorcall was much stronger.

But she held her own. By the time my opponents were slain, so was Valorcall. I quickly looted the Sigil from him, a shining pink stone, then led Mayne to a safe area where she could rest. She was wounded, but not nearly as much as I worried she would be. I healed her wounds and fed her some moss, her favorite. It was not the first time Mayne has saved me, I am truly grateful to her. Her skills in combat continue to impress me.

--Faellynn

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* * * Please Comment

Introducing... FAELLYNN !!!

2008-12-04T22:40:00.015-05:00

Game: World of Warcraft

Realm: Bonechewer
Loyalty: Horde

Name: Faellynn

Race: Blood Elf

Sex: Female
Class: Hunter
Profession(s): Enchanting, Skinning

Pet(s): Misbat named Mayne ; Sharpjaw named Algar; Bangalash tiger named Rana

Companion(s): Baby Blizzard Bear named Noah

Mount(s): Red Hawkstrider named Ita

Guild: The OTHERS

Family: Brother: Holku ; Cousin: Gellandria
Extra(s): Romantic Interest: Whitekong

So this is my WoW world. ^_^ Isn't it great? Mayne is a kickass fighter, Algar is pretty good at defence but still needs to level up his fighting skills. And Ita? She gets me from A to B with style! ;D

Faellynn will be sharing her adventures in her Quest Log SOON!! :) I hope to get it out sometime this weekend but I've got two huge finals this coming week so if it's not up this weekend, it'll definitely be up Friday the 12th! :) So stay tuned!!

School, WoW, and Writing

2008-11-21T15:06:00.002-05:00

I'm supposed to be doing my History Writing assignment but I find myself procrastinating and distracting myself a LOT. ^^;; I'll get to it eventually. I've come to find that no one really reads this place other than maybe Jaunae and Dafne. Based on his reaction to Eagle Eye it seemed pretty clear that Yancy may have never read my review on here. Oh well. It was discouraging at first but I've decided that even if I am the only one reading this thing I'll still keep up with it. If anything it's a way to help me flex my creative writing muscles. I mean, sure, it would be great if I had a fraction of Yancy's traffic and feedback so that I could improve but that's alright. I'll just have to keep at it and self teach myself... or something.

Most of my procrastination was thanks to World of Warcraft. I've leveled up my Blood Elf, Faellynn, up to level 37-almost-38 with her pet Mayne following suit. And I'm happy to say that I think I'll be ready to write her first Quest Log in here very soon. ^_^ I've decided to title it Faellynn's Quest Log appropriately and then number it depending on her

level. So the very first log I'll write will be numbered like this: Faellynn's Quest Log 37.1 where the first number is her level and the number after the decimal point will be the number of the entry. What I haven't decided on yet is that as she levels should I keep the second number increasing [[37.1, 37.2, 38.3]] or if I should start over [[37.1, 37.2, 38.1]]. So if anyone reads this just give me a heads up as to what will be less confusing and easier to follow. Keep in mind that I will always, of course, attach the appropriate labels to each post listing the game and character name.

I hope to get those WoW Logs up and running soon and on a semi-regular basis. Another thing I hope to be writing soon is the re-write for Mina; I'm starting to have doubts about whether she should discover her powers through a traumatic experience. Discovering powers will be hard enough but to have her deal with something that would scar anyone for life may be too much. Plus, since it might turn out to be my fist story, I don't want to bite off more than I can chew. So her discovery-story may be changing. I haven't decided yet. I'm also in the works of creating a new character to that series. I'm most excited to find a discovery-story for her because, so far, her power is my favorite. ^___^ Her name shall be Seraiah. But sadly, I have to get back to my school work. Classes end early December, so I can't slack off now.

Full Moon (O Sagashite) Vol. 1

2008-11-18T16:25:00.002-05:00

Title: Full Moon (O Sagashite)

Story & Art by: Arina Tanemura

Company: Shojo Beat Manga

Rating: T for Teen [Due to Themes of Death]

Manga Synopsis: A bitter-sweet tale of puppy love, tragedy, and aspirations of pop star fame. A spark of hope ignites to a blaze in twelve-year-old Mitsuki Koyama when a comical pair of magical beings appear to prove to her that dreams really do come true.

Volume One Plot: Young Mitsuki loves singing and dreams of becoming a pop star. Unfortunately, a malignant tumor in her throat prevents her from pursuing her passion. However, her life turns around when two surprisingly fun-loving harbingers of death appear to grant Mitsuki a temporary reprieve from her illness and give her singing career a magical push start.

Now I know the main plots sound a little stale, but I have read many other bad synopsis that turned out to be interesting mangas. So I figured I'd give Full Moon a fair chance; Death, tumors, magical beings? Sounds good to me.

Yea. Not so much.

The story tells of Mitsuki's dream of singing. Her tumor causes pain for her whenever she speaks--let alone sings--too loudly. She then meets two Shikigami (same idea as Grim Reapers only they are crossed with animals **like they get wings or cat ears etc** for some reason) who inform her that she only has a year to live. Upon hearing this, Mitsuki feels more determined than ever to accomplish her dream before her time is done. Her new "friends" enchant her to have the appearance--and health--of a sixteen-year-old so that she can go out into a singing competition to be the next up and coming pop star.

For a story that centers around the fact that the main character is going to DIE in a year.... it's pretty goofy O_o.
There's really no real drama or seriousness in the story. I'm all for humor but you have GOT to have a balance. ESPECIALLY if the main character is facing death.

The characters are almost always laughing about something (again, odd due to the theme) and our so-called Harbingers of Death are not the least bit intimidating. I realize it's a manga, so the cross over of human with animal ears/tails is common, but Tanemura didn't give them any depth, any essense.

Ironic of me to say, I know.

The story had all the makings for some potential but Tanemura didn't take it seriously at all.

I'm pretty sure Full Moon Vol. 1 will be the first and last volume I'll pick up.

Full Moon (O Sagashite) 0 out of 5 stars.

Incantation

2008-11-18T15:30:00.001-05:00

Title: Incantation

Author: Alice Hoffman

Genre: Teen/Historical Fiction

Synopsis: Estrella de Madrigal thought she knew herself: daughter, granddaughter, dearest friend. But truth is rare in this cruel and unforgiving century in Spain, when Jews who refused conversion to Christianity risked everything--love, life, family, faith.
Then: a startling discovery shakes Estrella's world to the core. Emerging from a cocoon of secrets, new love burns brightly, but betrayal unleashes a monstrous evil upon her. Estrella must find the strength--despite grave consequences--to become the person she is destined to be. Remember the story she is about to tell you.

This book was Fan-Tastic. It was really unique from anything else I've read. A pure example of the phrase "short but sweet".

The story is told from Estrella's point of view, a teenage girl in Old Spain facing a horror that isn't actually well-known. I think this is the first historical fiction I've ever read, and I have to tell you, I'm deeply considering picking up more by this author.

The author, Alice Hoffman, wrote exquisitely. She was descriptive, questioning, emotional, secretive, and honest. She brought all her characters, especially Estrella, to life. I never wanted to put the book down.

Estrella

Poor Estrella. I fell in love with this character. I just think she was written beautifully... Her thoughts were always honest and graceful in a way. You really come to care for her and her family's safety as you read the story.

Catalina

Catalina is Estrella's best friend since childhood, but all that comes to change as Estrella sees more and more into Catalina's true nature.

I believe everyone knows someone like Catalina. A great friend at first but then her true values and questionable motivations are revealed.

Her character is really impressive. A revived example that villains don't have to have powers to do great damage.

Incantation was an extremely enjoyable read. Recommended (and rated) for anyone and everyone.

Incantation, 4 out of 5 stars.

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Next Reading Choice: This is All: The Pillow Book of Cordelia Kenn

Comings...

2008-11-07T21:50:00.004-05:00

I finished up reading Incantation and will be reviewing it soon as I can. Not this weekend though because my man's birthday is tomorrow and I'm taking him somewhere awesome to celebrate ^_^ ((Yes I'M taking HIM, although it took FOREVER to convince him)). Then Sunday is our Ninth Month Anniversary ^_____________^

So, yes, busy weekend for me -^^-

Before I pick up my next novel choice, which I haven't picked yet, I'm catching up on my Chibi Vampire mangas. I had picked up Volumes 9 & 10 months ago and never got a chance to read them and by now have forgotten where I left off.

So I read Vol. 1 today and started Vol. 2.

I'll catch up soon enough, they're quick reads ^_^ I had a thought to review each volume on here but then realized that since I breeze through mangas so quickly I would have to post like every two hours or so.

However I picked up the first volume to a manga I never read before but sells well where I work, Full Moon.

Maybe I'll review that one.

Also, I'm starting to create a new character in the "Powers" Series. I still have to rewrite Mina but I can't help but think up of new ideas ^_^

I HOPE to be writing a Quest Log for my World of Warcraft character Faellynn soon.

It sucks.

My writer's block is finally ending and I have no time to enjoy it. ^^;;

Broken

2008-10-10T22:02:00.001-04:00

Title: Broken

Author: Daniel Clay

Genre: Adult Fiction

Synopsis: Until that fateful afternoon, Skunk Cunningham had been a normal little girl, playing on the curb in front of her house. Rick Buckley had been a normal geeky teenager, hosing off his brand-new car. Bob Oswald had been a normal sociopathic single father of five slutty daughters, charging furiously down the sidewalk. Then Bob was beating Rick to a bloody pulp, right there in the Buckleys' driveway, and life on Drummond Square was never the same again.

This book was amazing. I loved it from the very beginning and to the very end.

Daniel Clay grabs your attention from the very first page when he reveals that the main character, Skunk Cunningham, is in a coma! Clay pulls a Quentin Tarantino as he jumps back to the beginning and the reader is left to wonder, "How is the brutal beating of one teenage boy eventually leave an eleven-year-old girl in a coma?"

It was such an amazing and unique style to read along and find how everything was connected, leading to Skunk's unfortunate state. It's a style I've only seen before in the TV show Seinfeld where several seemingly random events actually build off each other.

It made the reading highly enjoyable and exciting. So much so that it actually ties with Ghostgirl as my number one favorite... And it's his first novel!!

Skunk Cunningham

Strangely named after her mother's favorite English Rockband, Skunk Anansie, Skunk is the opening narrator by way of her thoughts. As we skip back to the beginning the point-of-view switches to the third person, with the exception of a few thoughts and elaborations by Skunk.

She may be fictional, but I love little Skunk Cunningham. She is so cute and innocent, with crushes, short-term thoughts, and a blunt view of the world. In just a matter of pages, you're hooked by the heartstrings.

Clay does a fantastic job sharing this little girl's mind with the world. There's no way the reader won't care about Skunk, which makes her condition hit you hard.

Rick Buckley

Oh my God. Poor "Broken" Rick Buckley. His story has to be the saddest one I have read since Go Ask Alice. Clay takes you on a terrifying and heartbreaking journey through Rick's mind as he slowly loses his mind after Bob Oswald's brutal attack.

It's really tricky to write a character that has gone through a trauma, especially if they develop a mental illness afterwards. Clay, despite this being his very first novel, does it flawlessly. He'll help you understand what Rick is thinking or imagining, while at the same time never explaining what is wrong with him. While a thought process may be revealed to the reader, we're still left at a loss trying to understand him.

Kind of like trying to understand the Joker. You may get the fact he thinks in chaos, and wants to "break" the Batman but you never fully understand him at all.

That is exactly what it's like reading about Rick Buckley.

This was such a fantastic novel, and to think it's a debut of Clay's work makes it all the better. Broken is my new favorite novel of all time, while Ghostgirl remains my favorite humorous/light-hearted novel.

I highly recomend everyone to pick the book up. It will blow you away. The only warning I can give as far as reading it is to take note of the genre: Adult Fiction. So be ready for heavy language (mostly from the Oswalds) and sexual content.

Pick this book up online at Barnes and Noble or (for all you Floridians) at your local Virgin Megastore!

I happily award Broken a perfect 5 out of 5 stars!!

= = = = = = = = = = =

Next chosen read: INCANTATION by Alice Hoffman

Lakeview Terrace

2008-10-10T12:59:00.006-04:00

Lakeview Terrace tells the story of an interracial couple who moves in next door to a police officer. It soon becomes clear that they are unwanted, and that Officer Abel Turner will do anything to drive them out.

When I saw the trailer it seemed that Lakeview Terrace had the potential to be an at least "OK" movie.

Just a few minutes into the film I was quickly made aware that I was wrong.

The writing and directing of this film were terrible.

None of the characters were believable, or well developed, and the dialogue was down-right painful at times. It felt as if the film was shot and produced out of the first-draft of the story.

It wasn't perfected. It didn't even give the feeling that the writers cared for it or really tried.

The plot lacked so much depth and substance it actually hurt me to think about it; because this story did have potential. The writer's could have escalated things much smoother and much more violent. I never felt that this couple was really being terrorized from their home.

They tried to use a forest fire as a symbol for how the conflict between the two neighbors went from contained, to out of control... But failed miserably. They didn't connect the two in a sufficient enough way to spark the audience's attention. All I could think of was: "Who cares about the fire?"

There were too many mediocre arguments, too many drawn out scenes that would have been most effective if short, and a too poor of an attempt to connect the audience with the story behind Turner's past.

The story itself may not have been enough for a full-length movie, but it could have had enough to be enjoyable: with the potential of earning at least three "stars" from its viewers.

But the production team seemed to give up and not put their best foot forward. They could have done so much more with the story than they did. It was very disappointing.

What might be even worse than the writing, were the actors.

Samuel L. Jackson, who played Officer Abel Turner, did not impress me in the slightest. The dialogue didn't seem to fit him at all through the entire film. His character was much too flat for me to care about anything he did.

You'd think the role of a terrorizing police officer would be fun to portray, but Jackson seemed to sluggishly move along in the role. If the actor can't show that he cares for the character, how can the audience feel anything differently?

I'm going to try to give Partick Wilson the benefit of the doubt, because he did fantastically in both Hard Candy and The Phantom of the Opera, so maybe his complete disaster-of-a-performance in Lakeview Terrace was the fault of a bad Director.

Wilson plays the role of Chris Mattson who moves into the house next door to Turner with his wife, Lisa (played by Kerry Washington). Wilson seemed to struggle with this role more than with his troublesome neighbor. Chris is supposed to be a white man who smokes and loves rap music.

I didn't believe him on either point. [[And since when is a mint and hand sanitizer enough to cover the smell of smoke?!]]

As the actions of his neighbor "escalated" he failed to show me that he was growing increasingly angry or frustrated. He reminded me more of a child pouting in his corner than a grown man fighting against a "terrifying" neighbor.

Kerry Washington, who is well known for her role in Fantastic Four as Alicia, did little to improve on the rest of the film.

She seemed much too casual throughout the entire film. It always seemed she was talking to a friend of hers, even when she was supposed to be angry. She just didn't convince me to be a woman tormented by her neighbor and her struggling marriage.

It was a shame because I expected more from her.

Overall this movie was not ready to be made. It desperately needed to go through two or more drafts before reaching a final script, let alone the big screen. I wasn't expecting this movie to be fantastic, but I didn't expect it to be such a disaster either.

((Barely)) 1 out of 5 stars.

EAGLE EYE

2008-10-10T11:27:00.005-04:00

Last weekend I had the pleasure to catch Eagle Eye with a good friend of mine. The next day I was able to catch Lakeview Terrace which I will review after this. If things go well there will be THREE reviews today because I finished reading Broken Wednesday. ((Yes I could review them all in one long post but I'd like to keep them separate so I don't have like 20 Labels.))

EAGLE EYE

The film tells the story of Jerry Shaw (played by Shia Labeouf) who, after attending his brother's funeral, walks into his apartment to find boxes upon boxes of weapons and chemicals. His world is turned upside-down as he is hunted by the police, and receives a series of mysterious phonecalls that direct him to his next location or task. Along the way he meets Rachel Holloman (played by Michelle Monaghan), who has also received the mysterious calls. Who is this woman who calls and threatens them? How does she know so much about them? How does he see their every move? And how far will they have to go before she releases her hold on their life?

Any doubts I had with the story were gone the second the first call came in. The movie starts out a little slow, showing you what a regular-Joe Jerry Shaw really is. It's supposed to be boring because then, when the story takes off, you are as shocked, confused, and afraid as he is.

You're kept at the edge of your seat as one thing after another continues to go wrong for Shaw, and you find that the truth behind the mysterious caller is more terrifying-- and possible --than you ever imagined.

Shia Labeouf gets a lot of bad publicity from movie-goers and the like. These are the people who can't get past his role in the Disney Channel Original Series Even Stevens where Labeouf plays a wacky, not-too-bright younger sibling who is always causing mayhem.

What they fail to see is how much he has grown as an actor. To me, he doesn't even look like the old Disney character anymore; He's completely different.

One strengh I see in him that I never saw in the television series, is his ability to perform emotional scenes. In Disturbia, he showed the world with one look how devastating the blow of losing a father is. In Transformers, when Megatron has him trapped on a rooftop, he shows us how someone could be completely terrified, yet determined all at the same time. In Constantine, when his character is beaten to death, he shows the innocence of a teen who just wanted to aid in something greater than himself.

And then, in Eagle Eye, he expresses his sorrow over losing his brother, and his guilt in not being there more all in one look over the casket.

So no one can say he can't act.

His performance in Eagle Eye was just as impressive as his performance in Disturbia. What starts as fear and awkwardness turns into strengh and determination as he fights for his, and Rachel's, lives.

Michelle Monaghan seems to be a new up-and-coming actress. I never really heard of her until this year with her leading role in Made of Honor-- which I have not seen. However, I will definitely be looking her up from now on based on her performance in this film. Monaghan plays the role of Rachel Holloman, a mother whose son's life is threatened unless she, along with Labeouf, obeys the commands of this mysterious caller.

Monaghan effortlessly convinced me she was a mother worried sick for the safety of her child. It was in her eyes, her face, her very stance. She isn't an amazing person, she's just a single mother working to make ends meet. But when her own is threatened she will do anything, even if she's almost paralyzed with fear while doing it.

At one point in the film she really steps it up and holds two men at gun point. Rachel doesn't care what happens to her anymore. She just wants to get things done and keep her son safe.

This film had a fantastic cast, with the one exception of Billy Bob Thornton.

Thornton played the role of Agent Thomas Morgan. He wasn't terrible, but he never convinced me he was an agent. His performance seemed to lack confidence and control. Even an agent who has made mistakes in the past always come through in the end with flying colors. But Thornton didn't.

As the story neared the end I saw no growth with his character. Sure, I saw what was supposed to be there: knowledge, trust, determination-- But Thornton failed to perform them convincingly. He never seemed like an officer to me. Just a man staying close by putting his two-cents in on how to figure things out.

Fortunately, his performance did nothing to hinder the film overall. I was completely overwhelmed with stress and anxiety as I followed Jerry and Rachel's story all over the country.

It's definitely a movie you don't want to miss.

4.8 out of 5 stars.

= What's to Come =

2008-10-06T16:35:00.005-04:00

Just to run a few Post-It Notes by you:

Upcoming Movie Reviews:

Eagle Eye

Lakeview Terrace

Currently Reading:

I'm almost done with "BROKEN"

NEXT Reading Choice (So Far):

"INCANTATION" by Alice Hoffman

'POWERS' Series - Mina:

Will re-write soon and re-post.

Hopefully will be much better w/ mistakes fixed

Comments:

THANKS TO THOSE WHO COMMENTED ON "MINA"!!!

I love learning from the feedback

NOW:

Cram for my Astronomy Exam

WISH ME LUCK!!

'Powers' Series - Mina

2008-10-01T17:17:00.002-04:00

Mina gathered her things and made her way out of her History class. As she reached the door her books slipped through her hands, sending various sheets of paper to flutter around her. Sighing, she tucked the strands of her thick brown hair behind her ear and knelt to gather the mess.

The other students walked by her-- none offering to help her, none even acknowledging her. Mina brushed it off and continued to place the papers back in their respective notebooks and folders; she hadn't expected anything different. She had only been at this school for a month, and so hadn't gathered the nerve to speak to anyone yet let alone make friends.

Her father had passed away two months before, she and her mother still haven't recovered from it. Unable to afford the house without him, Mina's aunt, Karen, invited them both to live with her. Karen owned her own bookstore and had plenty of room for them in her apartment upstairs. Mina's mother gratefully accepted.

While her mother was able to land a job as a waitress at a local Cafe, Mina was unfortunate in her attempts to find a job. Karen then offered her a position in her bookstore, where she could work everyday after school if she liked. Relieved that she can now help her mother with the finances, Mina accepted.

As Mina walked out of the classroom building she glanced at her watch. She had missed the bus but if she took the shortcut home she could still make it in time for work. Walking along the sidewalk leading off campus, Mina found herself behind two girls she recognized as cheerleaders. She slowed her pace, not daring to get too close and risk being spotted. The girls carried on, the Sun's rays shinning in the gold of their hair, their pom-poms bouncing lightly on their waists, with their voices dancing around each sentence.

They seemed to be talking excitedly about something, but she was too far behind them to understand it all. From what she could make out, something had happened during last night's Ballet Recital.

Before she could hear more, Mina spotted the dirt road that cut through the woods: her fastest way home. Suddenly remembering where she was supposed to be, she drew away from the girls and quickly made her way down the path.

Her mother never liked it when Mina took this path-- partly because she feared over the possibility of snakes lurking in the bushes --but mainly because once Mina was inside the woods, no one would be able to see her, nor barely hear her.

But Mina was used to neither being seen or heard.

She walked quickly, but carefully. She had seen rabbits make their homes nearby and didn't wish to frighten them. She heard a rustle, and her gaze landed on a squirrel darting across the path. Mina smiled for the first time that day as a memory of her father reached her. They had always taken a weekly walk through the woods, just the two of them. Her father had always loved to study the animals with her.

She looked to her wrist on her right hand, and admired her mood bracelet. It was the last gift he ever gave her.

Mina heard another rustle, one too heavy to be the weight of a squirrel or rabbit. She tensed and studied her surroundings. When nothing moved she started on the path again. It wouldn't be long until she reached the end.

She heard the rustle again, louder this time, but before Mina could turn a hand was pressed firmly against her mouth and waist, her books falling around her as she reached up and attempted to free herself from the hold.

She was spun and pinned against a tree. It was a man who was attacking her-- Mina's blood ran cold as she realized what was happening. The man leaned in and began kissing her neck, his body holding her firm against the tree. Tears filled her eyes as she tried desperately to get the man off of her. She could see her bracelet turning an ugly black as he struggled to keep her still. Then, deciding on a better tactic, he pushed her to the ground and pinned her, one hand holding both of hers above her head, the other trying to rip through her jeans. She was crying heavily now, her body struggling under his weight.

"Please don't! No! Please! Let me go!"

He landed a punch on her right cheek, knocking the fight out of her. Pain seared across Mina's face, causing her to cry harder.

"Please.... please..."

He was pulling her jeans down, trying to reposition himself without taking his weight off of her.

"No..."

His face was wild and ugly, his eyes dark with hunger. Mina's heart raced as she felt her jeans pass her ankles. She sobbed harder as he went over her body... kissing... biting.

"P-Please...."

She was struggling, but the weight of his body was too much.

"No..."

She felt the world grow dark around her. She looked passed the trees to the sky and realized it had gone black, the Sun completely covered.

"No."

It was starting to thunder.

"No!"

He was reaching for her underwear.

"NO!"

Her eyes snap shut as a blinding light passed her, forcing the man off of her. He flew through the air and landed several yards away. Smoke emitted from his body.

He lay still.

Breathing heavily, Mina lay there a few seconds before slowly sitting up. What had happened? Her legs weak, she crawled toward her jeans and gripped them firmly. Her hands were shaking. Using a tree as a base, she slowly stood, leaning heavily against it. Standing, she had a better view of the man.

His skin was turned white, incredibly so, and emitted smoke as if it were burned.

Mina slowly pulled her jeans back on, the button had been popped off so she had to hold it up herself.

Keeping a hand on her jeans, she used her other hand to lean against the trees as she slowly walked closer. Why hadn't he moved? Why was there smoke?

It wasn't until she was about twenty feet away that she understood.

Lightning. The man was struck dead by lightning.

But wait... He had been on top of her. Wouldn't she have been struck too? Mina lifted her gaze back to the sky. The thunder had subsided but it was still dark. She closed her eyes and forced herself to think back to what happened:

He was on top of her, pinning her... She cried, pleaded... He ripped off her jeans, and the sky went black--

Wait. Black? Her eyes opened wide and studied the sky again. When she left campus it was sunny, so sunny in fact that the hair on those cheerleaders heads shined. How had the weather changed so suddenly?

She looked down at her bracelet, it was slowly returning to the shade of blue it had been before the attack. It had been black during the struggle.

Then she remembered.

When the man attacked her, Mina grew increasingly stressed, angry, and terrified. Her bracelet changed colors to reflect that.

Had the weather...?

Mina looked upwards and saw that just as her bracelet changed back, the clouds dispersed and the Sun shined brightly again.

It couldn't be... Could it?

When she screamed she remembered feeling something rush past her. She remembered moving the object away from her and toward the attacker.

Was the thing she moved the... the lightning?

Quickly gathering her things, Mina ran out of the woods in the direction of home.

What was she?

A Quick Note

2008-09-26T13:53:00.005-04:00

Since I'll be posting my new installment of That-Story-I'm-Working-On-Where-The-Teens-Discover-They-Have-Powers soon, I figured I would not put "untitled" as the title since I tend to write story excerpts and title them the same, this one for example: (untitled)

So instead, since I still don't have a REAL title created for this story, I will label the posts as:

'Powers' Series - ((character name))

I will also add a "powers" label at the bottom accompanying "story excerpts".

That way when you see a story excerpt titled "untitled" you'll know it is stand-alone.

So the past entry I made is now titled: 'Powers' Series - Genn; and soon I will create: 'Powers' Series - Mina.

So keep your eye out for that!!

That is all. :)

HEROES: Villains - Episode 1 & 2

2008-09-24T11:28:00.010-04:00

Monday night was the world premiere of HEROES: Villains. I've been looking forward to the first episdoes since I knew the writers would be back full-force. Last season had GREATLY suffered thanks to the Strike ((I am in no way blaming the Guild)) and the Companies' stubborness. But I digress.

After the first episode alone, fans around the world were cheering for the confirmation that the show we all fell in love with is back.

HEROES IS BACK!!

!!! NOTE: Remember that all my reviews (unless otherwise notified) are SPOILER-FREE and so if you haven't been able to see the episodes yet, read on without fear.

HEROES

Season Three: Villains

Episodes: One - "The Second Coming"; and Two - "The Butterfly Effect"

Just a few minutes into the first episode I felt the same... essensce? spirit? on the show that I felt during the first season. It was that feeling that drew me to the show in the first place, so I welcomed the return of it happily.

The episode picks up right where it left off in the last season. And I mean that literally. Peter is running after the man he believes shot his brother, Nathan, as seen in the last episode of Season Two.

Milo Ventimiglia, known as Peter Patrelli in the show, is truly impressing the more I see him. The first episode blew me away right off the bat. The expressions on his face at various moments always show such intense emotion. He, like Ali Larter ((who played Niki/Jessica last season)), can change his whole appearance by simply changing his eyes or stance. He was my favorite character to watch in these episodes. He stole every scene.

Ali Larter, known as Niki/Jessica Sanders in Season Two, is definitely another favorite. I never truly appreciated her talent until this show. It's incredibly hard to pull off a split personality, and Larter did it with ease. She would sometimes not even change her facial expression, yet you knew when it was Niki and when it was Jessica standing before you.

That is one talented actress.

I was happy to see her return to the show despite her character, Niki's, death last Season. This review is spoiler-free so I will not explain how she is back, just be happy she is.

Especially since now her character is a dominant, strong woman who is clearly in control.

Like Milo, her character was one of my favorites to watch.

Another actress I never fully appreciated until this show, is Hayden Panettiere; also known as Claire Bennet. Like Milo, Hayden impresses me the more I see her. Whatever emotion is required of her, she can deliver. From being the most confident, to being a broken spirit. She can do it all.

And I love every scene of it.

Masi Oka, our time-traveling friend Hiro, is as quirky and comical as ever. He is just such a fun character, always good for a laugh. Can't wait to see more of him.

Cristine Rose, the Patrelli mother, is as suspicious as ever. Some of her true nature is finally revealed and it is shoking. This is a woman who you do NOT want to mess with. She may not be able to physically fight you, but she has her ways to bring you down to size. A truly evil mother, even by teen angst standards.

Ah, but who could forget the real villain? Zachary Quinto, our very own Sylar, is back. As seen in the last episode in Season Two, he is cured of the virus that inhibited his powers; and so has retaken the mission to find Claire and take her power of healing.

Quinto is at his best in this show. Whenever he's stalking a victim he is always the creepiest thing you've ever seen. The man's a monster, one that loves to terrorize...

One that we all live to watch.

If you haven't been watching the show, now is the time to jump in. It's a thrilling ride that will blow you away again and again.

Go Ask Alice

2008-09-19T12:04:00.006-04:00

Title: Go Ask Alice

Author: Anonymous

Genre: Teen Fiction

Synopsis: A fifteen-year-old drug user chronicles her daily struggle to escape the pull of the drug world.

Wow. I repeat, Wow.

This book was.... incredible. Anonymous does an amazing job pulling me into Alice's world. Each diary entry shows so much about what happens to drug users that it was actually quite frightening at times. There was no censorship to what this girl went through.

So many times I would find myself jaw-dropped.

Alice.

Alice is someone everyone could relate to, and I was no exception. I found my own emotions being pulled alongside hers. She tries to be strong, tries to make her own way and find a way to define herself.... but so many things go wrong. Alice is dragged through Hell and back in her attempts to overcome her addictions.

It's easy to admire her drive to be better and mourn her mistakes.

She could be some of my own friends; and just as easily be thousands of others.

This story is as gripping as Anne Frank's diary. One that I will never forget.

4.5 stars.

A/N = My next choice of book to read is titled Broken by Daniel Clay. Like the writer of Speak Softly She Can Hear, Broken is Clay's first novel.

Charlie Bartlett

2008-09-17T12:11:00.000-04:00

A couple of nights ago my brother rented a movie for the whole family to watch. It's been a while since we've done that; the renting and the family thing.

Anyway, the film was Charlie Bartlett, and let me tell you-- this will be a tricky one to review.

The film revolves around a teenage boy, Charlie, going to a new school-- a PUBLIC school --after being kicked out of yet another private school. He doesn't get along so great on the first day, as the swirly gift clearly shows, but eventually changes his luck when he begins to give psychiatric help to the students. He would listen to their problems or "symptoms" and then reenact them to his family's psychiatrist who then assigns some prescriptions... which Charlie then sells to the students!!

After watching the film, I knew right off the bat not everyone would enjoy it. It seems to be targeted to viewers with a specific taste. I myself enjoyed it, but wouldn't call it fantastic. Only way I can maybe give you all a hint as to whether you'll like it or not is this: If you liked or loved JUNO, then you'll at least enjoy this movie. I LOVED Juno, it's one of my favorites now, and enjoyed Charlie Bartlett, but didn't go crazy for it.

That's all I got.

Charlie was played by Anton Yelchin. He's done movies and shows before, but the only recognizable title I found was the movie Along Came A Spider, although I can't remember his face in it. I'll have to re-watch that at some point.

But, boy, Yelchin must have had a BLAST doing this role. The character is so bizarre and unlike any character I've seen before. It made for a really enjoyable watch, and provided lots of laughs.

Awesome job, Yelchin, hope you do another fun character soon.

Charlie's love interest and close friend is Susan Gardner played by Kat Dennings. She also stars in the new film Nick and Norah's Infinite Playlist. The two most well-known films she's done work in the past are The 40 Year Old Virgin and, for all you Hilary Duff fans ((which to be honest I am NOT)), Raise Your Voice.

Dennings' character was really sweet. Susan is just a normal teenager who's struggling to handle losing her mother at the same time as her father loses himself. She quickly befriends Charlie and grows a liking to him as well. They attempt to help each other in their struggles to move along.

My favorite character, however, is definitely Principal Nathan Gardner played by our very own Iron Man, Robert Downey Jr.

Principal Gardner was my favorite character to watch because he was the one going through the most, in my opinion. He hates his job, lost his wife, is losing the respect of his only daughter, has none of the respect of his student body, and now has to deal with the "new kid" who the whole school listens to after just a few days.

Downey gives an incredible performance as his character's whole life falls apart around him. It was really something else to watch Downey, who I've always seen playing characters in full control of their life, portray someone who is the complete opposite.

If he was missing from the film I don't think I would have enjoyed it as much as I did.

Really incredible.

So if you liked JUNO then I recommend you pick this film up as well. Maybe you'll absolutely love it, maybe not. But I know it's worth at least 3.9 stars out of five.

Speak Softly, She Can Hear

2008-09-12T10:57:00.004-04:00

Title: Speak Softly, She Can Hear

Author: Pam Lewis

Genre: Thriller

Synopsis:

New York City, 1965: Two Manhattan prep school students, Carole and Naomi, make a pact to lose their virginity before graduation. Eddie, a slick Upper East Side dropout, is handsome, fatally charming, and more than willing to help the girls accomplish their goal. But on one bitterly cold holiday weekend in an isolated cabin deep in the Vermont woods, a horrifying twist develops in the plan. Before the night is over, a stomach-turning secret is sealed between friends, setting in motion a series of events that will have dire and far-reaching consequences.

Sweeping across decades, moving from New York to Vermont to California and back again, Lewis tells an utterly gripping, psychologically nuanced tale of friendship between two very different women, of the life-changing burden of a secret, the lies we tell others to save ourselves, and the lies we tell ourselves when the truth is too painful to accept.

When I first started reading this book I wasn't too interested. The writing had kept throwing me off with that I thought would be simple mistakes to catch. The main thing that bothered me was the way Lewis failed to show when time had passed.

I would be reading about Carole panicking in one paragraph and in the next she's having an argument with her mother. Confusion sets in, "Wait! Since when was her mother in the room?!" only to find out at the END of that paragraph or in the middle of the NEXT paragraph that three months had passed and she was back home.

There should really be an extra space in-between the paragraphs to show that there is a time and/or scene change. ((Like I put an extra space before starting my review so that the reader would know that the summery about the book was over)).

I quickly found out that the reason for these mistakes were due to the fact that Speak Softly is Pam Lewis' first novel. Before this book she has done a few short stories that were published in newspapers, but no paperback books.

Now knowing that this was her first go, I cut her some slack because, obviously, no one is perfect when first starting out.

That aside, the book was really well-written. I was quickly sucked into Carole's mindset and understood her grief-- although sometimes I had to yell at her for making stupid decisions ((which is always a good sign if an author can make you interact with the characters)).

Lewis would sometimes write things out of order; first showing Carole and Naomi carrying out their plans, then later showing how they met. It made for some confusing reading at times, due to how she didn't always show time passing, but as the book went along she got better at showing just what happened when and the confusion was gone.

The effect of the out-of-order-writing made for a very interesting read. Just when you question why Carole would do such a thing, Lewis shows you a flashback that explains the whole reasoning behind it.

Made it very entertaining.

The dialogue felt real for their respective characters and the time periods, so there was nothing to throw me off there. In fact, the dialogue is what saved a lot of 'scenes' where I was originally confused-- engrossing me so far into what was happening I didn't care that she forgot to tell us time had passed.

The climax and resolution to the story were fan-tastically done. I was actually blown away. All of a sudden this really powerful writer appeared, as if she had written the begining of the story timidly, doubtful, only to have it replaced with pure confidence at the end.

I was so excited during the later half of the book that I couldn't put it down. Particularly during the last 4 or so chapters.

She actually had my heart pounding for Carole, panicking or angering along side her.

If only she had written like that from the begining then this book would get five stars!

As it stands now, I can only offer 3.8 stars. Yes, that is a very specific number but what can I say? I know what I like.

Carole.

Carole was a very complex character. She's goes through so much yet has the strengh to move on. Yes, her "moving on" was actually her running away to another state, but I still see courage in her. Courage to go someplace new, reinvent herself, and support herself during the hard times.

I admire how she carried herself. How she always managed to find a way to support herself.

Naomi.

Naomi had my heart. I was angry at her throughout the whole book because of her actions, but she never lost my sympathy. Her childhood had to be one of the worst in psychological abuse. There was no way she was going to "come out right" with the parents she had.

But that's why I loved her.

Because she was completely screwed up, always making mistakes, always drinking, and always making things worse and worse for Carole.

But she was human.

More human than a lot of characters I've read in past books.

And Lewis wrote her perfectly.

Eddie.

Talk about one scary-as-all-hell dude! This novel shows clearly how girls could be sucked in with a pretty face and then terrorized for the remainder of their relationships-- and sometimes longer.

Many always wonder why guys like him always get girls, and Lewis shares the secret. No one had a chance against Eddie in Speaking Softly. You did what Eddie said, and you did it pronto, or else.

I truly hated his character, but had I known someone like this in real life I know I'd be scared out of my mind.

As I said, Speak Softly is Pam Lewis' first novel, however her second novel is already out in hardcover. It's titled Perfect Family, and the plot also sorrounds the power of secrets can wield, although it's a different circumstance. I haven't decided whether I'm going to read it yet or not, If I ever do I'll review it here I assure you.

What I HAVE decided to read next-- as you can see with the new side module "Currently Reading" --is a book titled Go Ask Alice by Anonymous.

Catch you next review!!

Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles

2008-09-10T19:49:00.006-04:00

Yes, I was sucked in. When I first heard of this show I wasn't interested at all. When my brother bought the first season and started watching it with me and the family, sure I enjoyed it, but still didn't really feel like following the show.

And then there was the Season Two Premiere.

Oh. My. God.

Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles

Season Two

Episode One

"Samson and Delilah"

The opening alone was so... beautiful. It was done in slow motion with a song about Samson and Delilah ((which I have to find now and buy or download because it was fantastic!!)) playing, being the only thing heard other than an occasional crash.

It starts out with Cameron, played by Summer Glau, climbing out of the exploded car and making her way to the house, limping. Now I know Terminators have no expressions... but she still looked amazing. A type of strengh I can't even begin to describe, and she doesn't let up throughout the whole episode.

This is one talented-as-all-hell actresses. And she's quickly becoming one of my favorites.

Oh, and Thomas Dekker? The guy who plays John Connor? WOW. The man is really impressing me with his acting. There is a shot in the opening scene when his mother, Sarah, is being choked by someone and the camera cuts over to him and the look.... the look on his face.... it's such rage. Pure rage. NOTHING like the John Connor in the first season. The man looked like he was ready to kill.

And it's not the only scene where his character is like that, it carries out through the show.

John is not a kid anymore.

He's done running.

He's done hiding.

He's going to fight back.

Lena Headey, who plays the show's name sake Sarah Connor-- and also played "Queen Gorgo" in 300 --has never had a problem convincing me she's a mother.

She's a B.A. fighter, a protector, but she's also a mother who worries for her son-- not only for his physical state but for his mental state as well.

There is a scene in the episode where she is talking to John through a door, explaining that she loves him no matter what and that she is still proud of him.

She pauses and says: "I know you need more from me today, but... it's going to have to be enough."

Her eyes tear and her voice goes unsteady as she says this. She tries to be there for her son, tries to do all she can...

But she can't do everything.

She can't give him everything.

And it hurts her.

And it shows.

I'm really looking forward to watching this show now. The cast is fantastic, not of them lacking in anyway, and the story has gotten me hooked.

When my brother first saw the episode ((he saw it before me)) he called me up when it was over, out-of-his-mind excited about the whole thing. My boyfriend text me the exact same emotions when he first saw it as well.

I didn't think it would be as big a deal as they said.

I was wrong.

It really is an increasingly fantastic show and I am definitely going to follow it.

Skipping to the New

2008-09-05T12:03:00.006-04:00

Alright so many-- well not many... actually how many people actually READ this thing? --are probably wondering why there hasn't been an update in oh so long.

Well I really don't have any good excuses for it. Sure there was lack of time, but not always. Sure there were other things going on making things hectic, but not always. Sure there was work, but not always too much.

So really, I've got nothing to give. OH WELL!

I have seen movies lately, it is true I haven't gone under a rock or anything, but unfortunately they're too far back for me to give detailed reviews.

Tropic Thunder was funny, not AS funny as I was expecting, but still good.

Pineapple Express was actually pretty hilarious and I had been expecting it to tank.

Hancock was alright. B- of a movie.

Indiana Jones was fantastic.

WALL-E was the BEST Disney movie I've seen so far. So cute, so funny, so deep.

THE DARK KNIGHT yea, you didn't think I'd forget did you? FAN-FLIPPING-TASTIC of a film. I love it. Go see it. Now.

I've also read a few books I'd like to highlight:

Perfect Match turned out to be really good actually. Had a twist I never saw coming which made everything much more intense and nerve-wracking.

ghostgirl is a book by Tonya Hurley and it is FAN-TAS-TIC. It is actually my new favorite book altogether, beating Speak and One of those Hideous Books Where the Mother Dies to tie for second.

It's about a girl named Charlotte who dies on her first day back at school. She stays optimistic, however, when she finds that her soul can't pass on until she solves any unfinished business on Earth. She believes her mission is simple: BECOME POPULAR.

It sounds corny, I know, but trust me this authoress has the BEST sense of humor in writing. The characters are all portrayed very realistically and you can't help but root for some, boo others, and just get so darn frustrated with Charlotte who just can't get a hint.

^_^

I love it. Definitely something I'm going to be reading again and again.

inexcusable is an alright book. Not bad, but not great. It's a great story, really well organized and realistic.... but I was terribly aware that these were FICTIONAL characters and that none of these events were REALLY happening.

I never got sucked into their world.

I don't remember the guy's first name, but the author's last name is Lynch.

Read if you like, like I said it's not bad.... Just not for my taste.

In up-and-coming news, I'm going to try my best to bring this place back. Also, I'm going to start writing "Journal" entries for my World of Warcraft character: Faellynn. I'm thinking of posting them up here for now. My brother, the A-Train ((the link to his pullbox is under "My World" on the side panel-->)), is thinking of starting up a type of forum community for Geeky Discussions and he believes a "WoW Journal" would be fun to include if he ever decides to make the place.

So, if he does, then I will move the entries over there. Until then, you'll find them here. I'll even put the label under it as "WoW" or "World of Warcraft". Don't look for it yet! I haven't written any ;P

But, yes, COMING SOON!!!

Another thing that I hope to be coming soon is more Story Excerpts like the one I wrote about Genn. They'll be featuring the OTHER characters I've created that have also found themselves with a strange ability for no apparent reason.

Man. Can't wait to get a story plot straight for these characters... I'm itching to write their book down.

So be ready to read about Genn's soon-to-be friends and their abilities SOON.

Until then, TTFN-- Tat Ta For Now!!

The Fountain and Chicken Little

2008-05-01T11:37:00.008-04:00

I've seen these movies too far back to review them in detail, but that doesn't mean they can't get some honorable mentions ;)
In short, both The Fountain and Chicken Little are great-- for very different reasons of course.

THE FOUNTAIN

The Fountain tells three seperate stories that overlap each other. It's not an easy movie to describe. Much of it depends on the viewer's personal interpretation.

The writing is fantastic. It has to be one of the most creative scripts I've ever seen. Darren Aronofsky is a genius. Enough said.

While the casting was flawless, I don't really have the memory to go into every actor's performance.

So I'll only highlight one:

Hugh Jackman.
Jackman had to play a variety of roles in this film, each of them completely different from the others. Actually, they're all completely different from any role he's played before.

Truly a gifted actor, and one of my top favorites.

CHICKEN LITTLE

Everyone knows the story of Chicken Little and his claim that the sky is falling; but no one has ever seen it told quite like this before.

I found this film very enjoyable actually. I had heard mixed reviews about it so I wasn't too excited to see, but I'm glad I did. The film is packed with humor from beginning to end, and Zach Braff's performance as Chicken Little's voice only added to that effect. With every line spoken I could imagine the facial expression on Braff's face, which you could find perfectly reflected onto the face of Chicken Little.

This is a film literally anyone could enjoy, no matter what age.

Definitely worth looking into ;)

Tid Bit

2008-04-10T15:56:00.003-04:00

Alright so this isn't a review or a story idea, just a little mini update. Or just a mini post really.

So there is a new look to the place, AGAIN. I kept getting frustrated with all the templates before this one because I couldn't change anything about them except the link color. I finally picked this template and was happy to see that I have much more control over the look in this case.

So, yes, this look is staying.

I've been currently reading Perfect Match by Jodi Picoult. Since I heard so many good things about her, I bought My Sister's Keeper and Perfect Match to see if this was an author to add to my list.

As I reviewed earlier, I LOVED My Sister's Keeper and so I looked forward to reading the second book since I was starting to get excited for Picoult's work.

However, this book is written in a different style and while it's a strong story-- it hasn't really grabbed me yet. Which really sucks since I was hoping all her books would be as great as the that first that I read. I guess it's hit-and-miss when you come to her.

Then again I have not FINISHED this book yet so my opinions aren't final yet. Once I finish I'll post a review of it here to let anyone who's actually reading this know how it was.

I still have a lot of character ideas but I'm still in a writer's funk. -_- I'm still worried about whether I'm cut out for this...

Catch you next review.

21 and Vantage Point

2008-04-05T14:23:00.017-04:00

I went to the theaters last night and caught the flick, 21, which I'm ready to review; but as I was preparing to do so I remembered that I had never reviewed the film Vantage Point which I saw a while ago. So, while it will not be the usual detailed review, I shall review it in this post as well. It's a two-fer, folks!! Enjoy!!

Based on a true story, 21 tells the story of six MIT students who are trained to be expert card counters and take Vegas casinos for millions.

Overall, I thought the movie was...."Alright." Worth watching at least once but maybe not for the 8 buck ticket price.

However, the movie was fantastically made, the characters were all different and equally enjoyable, and the story is one that surprises and entertains you-- while at the same time never jumping the shark.

The reason why I didn't enjoy it as much as the next guy is because it just isn't my style of film. As the plotline obviously shows, the movie is heavy on the math side. I was completely lost through the whole "counting cards" explanations and training. I just don't understand what it means for a deck to be "+16". However, if you enjoy mathematics, or you don't mind a more intellectual film, then you'll probably enjoy this film more than I did.

My puny mind just couldn't get past the fact that all the fuss was being made around a deck of cards, hahha.

The movie had this very interesting style to it. I can't quiet explain it, there was something with how all the scenes were handled, how the flashbacks where done, how the settings and colors were used. It was a very "attractive" film in the sense that I really enjoyed watching the screen.
All credit of that goes to the director, Robert Luketic. Thumbs up, Luketic.

The casting was fantastic. While I felt there were no "WOW" performances, I did enjoy watching all of them.

I am happy to say Jim Sturgess, who played the lead role of Ben Campbell, did just as well in this film as he did in The Other Boleyn Girl. He had to play a COMPLETELY different character and pulled it off just as easily. While I enjoyed his performance in Boleyn more than his performance in 21, he still did fantastic.

A familiar face that Superman Returns fans might recognize is the face of Kate Bosworth, a.k.a. Lois Lane. In this film, she played the role of Jill Taylor; a fellow card-couting team member and Jim's love interest. Bosworth is clearly in command of every emotion, and holds the ability to express any which one at the drop of a hat. Very impressive.

And guess what, Superman fans? There's yet another familiar, but not at all friendly, face you'll see in this film. Kevin Spacey, who will be most often recognized as the man who played Lex Luthor, also stars in this film playing the role of the self-appointed leader of the card-counting students, Micky Rosa. His performance was especially enjoyable to watch due to the many faces the character displays. Never a dull moment with Rosa.

Overall the movie was fantastic... It's just not my cup of tea. Although, I'd have to admit, I would love to have that movie poster. Just look at it! That is one spankin' image to have on your wall ;)

VANTAGE POINT

Vantage Point tells the story of an attempted assasination of the US President told from eight different perspectives.

This film blew me away. The only reason I had not reviewed on this sooner is due to heavy schoolwork at the time.

The director, Pete Travis, is a genius. No way could this film be done any better. Every time they switched to a new point of view, they gave you a huge cliffhanger to stress about.

I was at the edge of my seat throughout the whole film. It was amazing.

Fantastic job, Travis, amazing.

One actor I have to mention is Dennis Quaid. In this film he played the role of Thomas Barnes, the man trying to piece all the witnesses' stories together to find the man behind the shooting.

His performance was spectacular!! That role was not and easy role to do by a long shot. The fact that he was able to pull this role off so perfectly has really installed new respect from me.
Fantastic actor, I'll have to see more of his stuff soon.

'Powers' Series - Genn

2008-04-02T16:23:00.006-04:00

Genn carefully placed the last flower in her hair, pinning it down gently with the hair clip. A smile lit her face as she placed her hand on her stomach, butterflies. It was the night of the big recital, the one she had been preparing for all year. She took a breath, taking in every detail of the moment.

Her wavy blond hair was up in a tight bun, with a few loose curls framing her cheeks, flowers and glitter adorned her hair, her hazel-green eyes were shining. She was dressed and ready for her solo, her small pink tutu flowing around her waist. Her piece was not for another ten minutes, but her excitement had gotten the better of her.

A solo.

Since she was seven, Genn had dreamed of nothing but becoming a ballerina. For years she studied under Madame Miel's care, giving it her all in hopes of earning the solo-role in Madame's annual ballet recital.

Now, finally, she had grown enough in strength, body, and skill to earn the role. This was her night.

As the sound of an audience applauding reached her ears, she knew the previous dancers had finished their piece. The curtain would fall, there would be a few quick changes in scenery and props, and then it would be her turn.

Genn takes another breath, her smile growing, before turning to face where she would make her entrance from Stage Left.

Madame was standing by the curtain, out of sight of the audience, waving her over.
Wings fluttered in her stomach as Genn walked over, her steps not making a sound on the floor. Madame Miel rests a hand on Genn's shoulder, and plants a soft kiss on her cheek-- her traditional way of wishing each performer good luck.

Genn walks to Center Stage and takes her stance. The curtain rises and the music is cued.
Moving with a grace surely no one suspected she had, Genn went through the movements with the ease she would have writing her name. She knew every beat, every note, every pose, and every jump. She had prepared for this moment her whole life.

When she heard a gasp from the audience she believed it was from the precision of her landing, the movement of her arms; she continued to dance.

But there were more, and voices dripping with concern were growing out from the darkness of the aundience. She heard Madame call her name, there was fear in her voice.

The music stopped, and so did Genn. The lights were flipped on, revealing close to 400 people staring at her, terrified.

What was wrong? She had done everything as taught. She turns to see Madame walking toward her cautiously.
"Genn?...Genn?"
"What is it?" She asked. "What did I do wr--" but she could not finish her sentence. She had looked passed Madame to the mirror that was resting against the wall Backstage.
A gasp escapes Genn's lips as she tried hard not to faint.

Inside that mirror: she saw her beautiful tutu, the shining white flowers, and her pink slippers...
but Genn, herself, was not in the reflection.

---------

This is another character I'm working on. She will be a part of a fantasy story I am trying to develop where teenagers discover themselves to have unusual powers with no apparent cause. This is my idea so far as to how Genn discovers her power-- invisibility.
While I would like feedback on this I have to explain that this excerpt does need some work. I am not familiar with ballet and so do not know the appropriate terms. I plan to research this and learn more-- so as to properly write this character and this scene-- during the summer when I have more time.

The Other Boleyn Girl

2008-03-26T20:30:00.010-04:00

Alright, I forgot to write this after I saw it Saturday and have been busy with school since then so this review might not be as long or detailed as I'd like, but I hope it gets the point across.The point? The movie is fantastic!

Based on the bestselling book by Philippa Gregory, The Other Boleyn Girl tells the story of the Boleyn sisters who fight for the heart of a king in hopes to please their father and raise the family's status in society.

This may sound like your typical chick-flick and, sure, you could see it that way, but the reality is that anyone can enjoy this film. To watch how everyone is manipulated for the betterment of another, then having every single plot slowly fall apart is something no one gets tired of.
It's a powerful story.

The entire cast was perfect in their performance. Not a single weak link in the bunch.

The role of the younger sister, Mary Boleyn, was played by Scarlett Johansson-- who you all might recognize from The Black Dahlia or The Prestige-- and the eldest son, George Boleyn, was played by Jim Sturgess-- 21 and Across the Universe.

Both were flawless in their performance. Every line, every expression, every emotion-- give them anything and they can do it, all the while tugging at your heart.

Awesome.

However, the actress who impressed me most was Natalie Portman, hands down. She played the role of the eldest daughter, Anne Boleyn, who fought to find her own way to make her name in society.

WOW!

That's all I can say for her performance: WOW!

This film revealed to me that Natalie Potman doesn't get anywhere near the amount of credit and respect as she should for her talent. My jaw dropped as I saw her on that screen. Every emotion was so raw, and her face showed such a wild variety of emotion with the slightest of change-- a talent I have only seen matched by Cillian Murphy.

And if you've seen Murphy in action before, and know what I'm talking about, then you know what I mean when I say she's phenominal.

She's the real deal, folks. We are definitely going to see a lot more from her, and I bet all my money she will never dissapoint.

I can not wait to see her in another film soon. She is now my favorite actress, no contest.

I strongly suggest you catch this flick in the theaters, it's well worth the money for food and tickets.

The Boondock Saints

2008-03-24T18:07:00.004-04:00

Although I've been told of the film, The Boondock Saints, it wasn't until recently that I had the chance to watch it. I have to say, I'm really glad I did.

Boondock Saints tells the story of two brothers who, after defending each other in a fight, decide to rid the world of all crime-- By killing all who they deem evil.

The story was fantastic. Kudos to Troy Duffy on an amazing script.
With every line and every event you see just how strong the bond is between the brothers Murphy and Connor MacManus. Watching them fight together, and defend each other, was really amazing.
Not only that, but the "mission" they go on is one that doesn't leave your mind. The subject Duffy portrays for us on-screen is an extreemely controversial one: Crimelords, murderers, rapists-- they all get walk out of court, grinning from behind their untouchable shields. If someone decided to take them off the streets, permanently, do we praise them for it? Or do we treat them no different than the ones they hunt?
This isn't just an action movie, it is a film worthy of thought and consideration.
Terrific job, Troy Duffy. Thumbs up!

The two brothers, "Murphy and Connor", were portrayed beautifully.
They were played by Sean Patrick Flanery ("Connor") and Norman Reedus ("Murphy").

Sean Patrick Flanery has played a lot of roles when you list them, however the only other film I've seen him in is Powder; which was tricky character to pull.
Norman Reedus has also had various roles but I have only seen him in Blade II in which he played the role of "Scud."
I was blown away by both actors in their performance in Boondock. There were many scenes that called for some intense emotions and, trust me, when these men screamed-- you feel the pain in their voice.

One performance that I must point out is Willem Dafoe's role of Officer Paul Smecker. Most would know Dafoe from his role in Spider-man as both the "Green Goblin" and "Norman Osborn," but I find his role in Boondock much more memorable.
The role of Paul Smecker could not have been easy to portray, he is one of the most complex and eccentric characters I have ever come across. I was really impressed with Dafoe's performance in this film, it takes a really gifted actor to pull off a character like this.
Congrats Willem Dafoe, you just earned a lot of respect in my book.

The movie is enjoyable from start to finish; wether it be for the performances, the script, the subject, or the witty humor throughout, The Boondock Saints is a film I highly recommend to anyone.

My Sister's Keeper

2008-03-21T20:22:00.007-04:00

Today I just finished a book titled My Sister's Keeper by the authoress Jodi Picoult. I have never read anything by Picoult, but have heard many good things of her work from the guests at work. So one day when I was passing through Wallmart I spotted the book section and found her name. I read the description on the back and was reeled in.

And I'm glad I was. The book was fantastic.

It tells the story of the Fitzgerald family, whose eldest daughter, Kate, suffers with leukemia since age two. When her parents, Sara and Brian, find that their son Jesse is not a genetic match for blood transplants and other treatments, they make the unique decision to turn to Stem-cell research to create the perfect match for Kate-- to save her.
Anna always knew her role in the family was defined by Kate's condition, and continued to save Kate time and time again. But when it is decided for her to perform yet another, more invasive procedure for the sake of her sister, Anna makes a choice that will not only shock her family...but might also break it.

Jodi Picoult has a reputation of writing with controversial issues-- in this case, stem-cell research.
This causes the reader to not only enjoy the story, but to also consider what he or she might do or feel in a similar situation. This allows for a deeper level of appreciation that is growing hard to find in most stories today.
Well done, Picoult, I respect and admire your talent as a writer.

The story is told from each character's point of view, switching at each "chapter."
This is a hard style to pull off due to the fact that not everyone can write in different personalities, and still hold the reader's attention.
It is far to easy to down-play one character by not making them three-dimentional, and too easy to make another character seem flawless in their mind, they also have to give each character equal attention throughout the book.
It is an extreemely difficult thing to convince a reader that they are reading from a completely different mind-set, especially if you are writing out the mind of the opposite sex.

Jodi Picoult is able to do this flawlessly.

I was blown away by how complex every character was. Everyone had their secrets, their regrets, their fears, their joys... None of the "main cast" was two dimentional, they all had a story, and Jodi made you know them.

And even more amazing than that,

she makes you care.

The story is one of many twists and turns, each more surprising than the last.
I was completely sucked in to the point where my eyes even widened and I stared at the page in shock.

Now THAT is good writin'!!

The ending is one I never expected, and still surprises me.
That is another amazing thing about this book; it keeps you hooked even when it's over.

My Sister's Keeper is definitely a fantastic read. Highly recomended to anyone.

(untitled)

2008-02-01T11:09:00.001-05:00

She stared at the foam cup in her hands, the milkshake had long since melted, the whipped cream sinking into the mix. She had been sitting there for about an hour, her eyes unfocused.
She had ran what she was going to say over and over in her mind all last night, but now could not remember a word of it.
She had felt scared, nervous, and restless all last night, but now felt nothing.
The waiter had asked her earlier if anything was wrong with her order, as she had sat for so long without touching it, but now left her to her thoughts as the day was slow and so there was no real need for the table.
Her eyes finally left the melted beverage and landed on her wrist.
Ten minutes until he would arrive.
She looked through the window towards the light traffic.
It had been ten years since she had seen him last.
Would he really have changed during that time?

He was violent, posessive, and quick-tempered. Nothing her mother ever did would satisfy him.
He drank.
Yes, he drank too much. And every night he came home with that look in his eyes she was struck with the fear of whether that night was her mother's last.

They had escaped from his hold.
Had left and started new lives.
But the damage to her mother was done.
She had suffered too many wounds, too many scars, that her body physically and mentally shut down.
No doctor, no therapist, could save her.
That was three years ago.

And now he had found her again.
A changed man, so he said.
He had his share of rough times when she and her mother left.
But he fixed himself up.
Made a good man out of himself.
A man worthy to be her father, so he said.

She somehow agreed to meet him.
Meet him at this dinner, on this day, in just a few minutes.

She didn't know what to hope for, if she should hope for anything.
She closed her eyes and bowed her head, breathing deeply.

A small bell rang through the silence as the door of the dinner opened.
As footsteps approached, she opened her eyes.

Right on time.

--------------
Please comment.

CLOVERFIELD

2008-01-20T22:18:00.002-05:00

Story:
A group of friends throw a going-away party for Rob who landed a vice-presidential job overseas in Japan. However their party is cut short as the city suffers what seemed to be an earthquake.
Unfortunately it is soon revealed to be something much more unimaginable - and much more terrifying...

CLOVERFIELD has to be the most incredible film I have ever seen. Watching this film made Danny Boyle's films (28 days later, Sunshine) look like characters facing the stess of a broken nail.
Never have I been so emotionally tied to a film to the point where my stomach was literally in knots from the stress.

The story is... surreal. A nightmare come to life.
Drew Goddard wrote a story of unimaginable circumstances. While the idea of a large creature attacking a city is not new in the movie business, Goddard creates an original twist in his personal adaptation of the idea. The entire attack is told from the point of view of the victims themselves.
A single camera binds you to the screen as it shows the only live-witness account of the events.

The things these friends have to go through is unbelievable...
Phenominal story, Goddard. Fantastic.

Mat Reeves, the director of CLOVERFIELD, also deserves recognition. Everything was perfect to the smallest detail.
I have never been more stressed out while viewing a film.
There are no words, Reeves. Unbelievable work.

The film had perfect casting. Not one weak link in the bunch. Every actor and actress gave it their all and it showed in their performance.
Flawless.

However the actor that captured my most was T.J. Miller, who played "Hud" - the man holding the camera throughout the film.

Because he is behind a camera lens for almost the entire film, his role depended heavily on him to be able to portray his emotions through his voice.

And he delivered.

You feel a pounding in your chest as he screams for everyone to run.
It is his performance that pulled me into the story the most.

This is actually his first role in a major motion picture, his only past work has been his role in the TV series Carpoolers.

I sincerely hope we see more from him. He proves to be very promising.

CLOVERFIELD is a movie no one will soon forget. It will shake you to your very core and leave you stunned.
It definitely has made major shoes to fill.

Sweeney Todd - The Demon Barber of Fleet Street

2008-01-18T20:06:00.001-05:00

Story:
After hard years in exile for a crime he didn't commit, Benjamin Barker now Sweeney Todd, returns to London to find his wife dead and his daughter in the hands of the evil Judge Turpin. In his anger, Sweeney goes on a murderous rampage on all of London, with the help of Mrs. Lovett, he opens a barber shop in which he lures his victims in with a charming smile before casually ending their life with a flick of his razor across their neck. But not one man killed, nor ten thousand men can satisfy Sweeney's lust for revenge on those who've caused his years of pain.

I have always had a soft spot for musicals, and I proudly add this one to my list.

The story was a wickedly twisted one that was fun to watch and lovely to hear. It quickly pulls you in and before you know it you're cheering for Todd and Mrs. Lovett, despite the horrible deeds they commit.

Johny Depp was amazing as usual. I was already aware of how well he sang from his performance in Crybaby, but it was a whole new experience to hear him sing in Todd. The songs were, obviously, a whole new style and it was great to hear him sing them in a much more "serious" role.

Helena Bonham Carter was my favorite in the film. Her character was absolutely adorable. Mrs. Lovett is someone who wins your heart, she was so much fun to watch during the films and her songs always made me laugh. She may be more twisted than Sweeney Todd, but she somehow still carries on a sense of innocence.

Phenominal work, Carter.

Many will recognize Alan Rickman from his role as Proffesor Snape in the Harry Potter films. In Todd he plays the role of the evil Judge Turpin. His role was one you quickly learn to hate, which (to plainly state it) means that he did a fantastic job.
Kudos.

There were a lot of younger actors that had amazing voices in this film. Jamie Campbell Bower, who played the role of Anthony Hope, is only twenty. He had a shockingly pure voice that took my breath away. He has only performed in two other films, The Dinner Party (2007) and RocknRolla (completed).
I hope he continues doing well.

Jayne Wisener, who played Johanna, has never recorded her voice, nor has she acted before Todd. Her's was a voice that was sweet, gentle, child-like. It was a sweet sound that you miss when the song ends.

However, the award for the most impressive voice in the film goes to Ed Sanders (IX) hands down. Playing the role of a young boy named Toby, Sanders steals all the scenes he's in. His voice carries on strong for someone his age, and I was completely blown away by it.

And he wasn't too shabby of an actor either. *wink*
I hope to see his work again soon.

My only complaint on the film is the absense of Danny Elfman's music. I understand that it is based on an original Broadway play but I was really hoping Tim Burton's usual partner in crime, Danny Elfman, would redo the music. Keeping to the basic idea, but adding a dash of his own flare.
Danny Elfman and Tim Burton work so well together, that I was actually a little saddened to hear his absense. I couldn't help but wonder throughout the whole film what it would have been like if I was hearing Elfman's music instead.

Overall, the movie was fantastic. Thumbs up, Burton.

Sunshine

2008-01-13T22:47:00.002-05:00

Last thursday, I believe, I was finally able to see the movie "Sweeney Todd" but didn't have the chance to review it. But it will have to wait, because I just finished seeing a film that left me breathless.
"Sunshine."

The Story:
The Sun is dieing. If it dies then so does all human and animal existance. All hope lies on a bomb created by physicist Robert Capa. Equalling the size of Manhattan in mass, the bomb is designed so that, when released into the sun, it will automatically thrust itself into the center then explode. The result would be a blast so massive it would create a star within a star.

The story was phenominal. The idea of this suicide mission **as I viewed it** was enough to send me through a whirwind of emotions. I found myself literally at the end of my seat, experiencing all emotions along with the characters.
But writer Alex Garland doesn't stop there.
The store becomes more intense as it goes along, the situations become more dire and the race against time becomes more and more frightening.
The story is one that engulfs you completely in the first couple of scenes when it is made uncomfortably clear the reality of the situation at hand.
I was unable to detach myself from this world the whole way through.
Fantastic writing.
Beautiful, Garland.

The director, Danny Boyle, is the same man who directed "28 Days Later".
I don't believe anyone could have handled this movie better than him. With a story this delicate, every detail had to be perfect.
The casting.
The visual effects.
The presentations of lines.
Setting.
Everything.
It all had to be flawless in order to pull off a film of this magnitude.
And he did it.
Boyle has a gift for doing stories where it seems everything is going wrong until you believe it couldn't possibly get worse,
and then it does.
This is the man you go to for thrills, excitement, and the most stressful viewing of a movie ever.
Definitely a man who owns his craft.

Out of the main cast I recognized three.
The physicist who invented the bomb was played by Cillian Murphey. He is the man who also starred in "28 days later", "Red Eye", and portrayed the Scarecrow in "Batman Begins."
I always enjoy Murphey's work. He has the ability to display different emotions without changing his actions too much. And when he does do drastic changes you are always faced with such raw emotion that makes you drop your jaw in astonishment.

None of the characters were easy to pull off. Every character demanded nothing but the best from the actors and all of them delivered 110%

The hardest role, I believe, was that of Chris Evans who played "Mace," one of the scientists aboard the ship.
Mace is someone you want to hate, but can't. Evan's character is clearly established as the 'jerk' of the group. Very blunt, very rude, very serious. And while many of his lines cause you to argue with the screen, you cannot hate him because while he may be hard to deal with, he ALWAYS does the right thing.
The result was a very difficult personality to adapt to. Having seen Chris Evans in the role of "The Human Torch" in the "Fantastic 4" films, it's hard to notice what an amazing actor he is.
This film DEFINITELY makes you notice.
Watching Evans play this character opened my eyes and created newfound respect for him.
I felt the same as I did the first time I saw Will Smith play a serious role after watching him play "comic relief" characters such as in "The Fresh Prince of Bel Air" and "Men in Black."
It left me speechless as I was watching him through this journey, becoming more and more convinced of the danger lurking around them all.
I cannot wait until his next film.

Some of you may recognize Rose Byrne from the film "Troy" in which she played the role of Briseis.
In "Sunshine", she plays the role of "Cassie".
Cassie is one of the only two women on board the ship "Icarus II", and probably the one seen as more feminine.
Byrne has some difficult scenes to handle as well. Most of her scenes required her to display emotionally-draining situations that are extremely difficult to pull off without going "too over the top" or "not strong enough."
It is quickly proven, however, that Byrne is in full controll of her talent and is fully capable of handling any scenario handed to her.
It was refreshing to see someone handle a role so well that it looked as if it was all done casually, almost second-nature.

The visual effects and images were amazing. It is no easy task to design a world mere miles away from the sun. There are so many details and unanswered questions that we cannot begin to comprehend the answers to, that creating an entire film with the main focus being the small distance from the sun was a HUGE risk to take.
I'm glad to say that this, too, was done spectacularly.
I cannot imagine how it could have been any better.
It was breath-taking.

"Sunshine" is a fantastic film that I HIGHLY recommend everyone to see. I don't think there is a film out there at this time that can match it.

Wheels are Turning

2008-01-09T20:10:00.002-05:00

While I haven't been able to work on any of my story ideas yet, my mind has started making some new characters. For instance this girl "Genn" ((pronounced 'Jen')) will prove to be interesting I believe ^_^

What's frustrating is that I actually have this whole cast of characters for a fantasy story. I know their names, their looks, their personalities, their age, some of their background **as far as family and home life**, and what powers each of them have.

The problem? No story line for it all yet ><

But I thought up of "Genn" today so if I have more muse-full days like this I might pop out a story snippet soon ^_^

Here's hoping my writer's block finally ends!!

Brother Bear 2

2007-12-28T13:11:00.010-05:00

I've seen the sequel to Disney's Brother Bear and it was.....meh.

I absolutely loved the first movie. The music was fantastic, Phil Collins is a genius, and the story was one I would read if it were novelized. The art and color were fantastic, especially the scenes with the "Great Spirits".

However, the sequel did not live up to the first. The drawing lacked, and there were no more fantastic colors or effects. The music was not Phil Collins and so it was not even done in the same style as the first, which makes no sense to me since sequels should demand continuity. The music was fine but it didn't seem to fit with the style of the film, the previous movie's music matched every mood down to the expressions of the character's faces.

I'm dissappointed to see yet another sequel by Disney be unsuccessful. What is it with them? Why can't they make a good sequel? They make great movies, but as soon as they try to continue them it all goes downhill.

Toy Story2 was great, but it's more PIXAR than them so it doesn't really count, but Mulan 2 bombed, so did Hunchback 2 and Cinderella 2.
The only Lion King sequel that was great was Lion King 1 1/2, and probably because it was the same story, AND animators, as the first only from a different point-of-view.
I haven't seen "The Return of Jafar" in years but the other sequels I remember were horrible as well.

I will never understand why if they create such beautiful stories and movies the first time around, they can't repeat that.

Brother Bear 2, thumbs down. C'mon Disney...

I Am Legend

2007-12-18T23:11:00.003-05:00

"I Am Legend" inspires many different emotions from its viewers. I was deeply amazed at the high quality of the film, but also deeply upset from the story.

I cannot recall any flaws in this film.

Will Smith once again proves to me to be a gifted actor. All events are made real through his facial features and voice alone.

Will Smith is the man.

The script was, WOW. I was glued to the screen in suspense, anxiety, excitement, and sorrow all the way through. It even made me cry. Yes, tears actually formed and fell. The story is one that connects you to each character, main and secondary, in a very intimate way very quickly. You are pulled into the story and quickly find yourself caring for each character and wishing for their safety, gasping and moving to the end of your seat whenever they are in danger.

The story was phenominal.

Francis Lawrence, the director, knows what he's doing. I cannot find a single complaint about the film other than it made me cry.

I highly recomend it to anyone. And if you have the chance to see it in Imax, please do. You will not regret it.

My Favorite, OLD Review

2007-12-15T23:17:00.001-05:00

I was going through my old messages on myspace and found feedback on reviews I've long ago written. Included in the feedback would be the review, so I decided to post what I think is my best one.

--------------------

300 is not a movie in the hollywood sense of the word. It is a legend. A story of honor and bravery that leaves all audiences in awe of true warriors.

"No Retreat. No Surrender.That is Spartan Law."

300 is the legend of King Leonidas and his army of Spartans facing unimaginable odds against the army of Xerxes for the honor and freedom of Sparta.

"Our arrows will block out the sun.""Then we will fight in the shade."

Zack Snyder takes Frank Miller's graphic novel to the big screen, panel for panel, in beautiful screen shots that look like paintings themselves. There is literally no frame in the film that won't leave your eyes scavenging over the screen in admiration.

This is no ordinary "movie."

This film is much more graphic, much more surreal, and has so much more depth than any other film created thus far, it will leave you breathless.

"Only Spartan Women give birth to perfect men."

The cast to this 2007 film is flawless.

I have seen the training the actors went through to transform their bodies and to enhance their strength. And it pays off.The Spartans are perfect soldiers in every way. And it is clearly shown that the cast threw their whole heart and sweat into their performance.

Gerard Butler plays the memorable role of King Leonidas, a man who would die not only for his homeland, but for every one of his soldiers as well. You find yourself respecting his character more than you would any other leader. There are no words for his performance; but I cannot imagine anyone else doing a better job portraying a king, a husband, a father, a friend, and a fellow soldier all in one.

No one else could have done this role better than him.

Rodrigo Santoro, who plays the self-proclaimed God-King Xerxes, had few lines in the movie, but that is all that he needed. He was able to convey a look alone that showed power, dominance, and all control.His mere appearance was formidable.

Lena Headey is Queen Gorgo. Hers is a role that shouts wisdom, nobility, and justice. Her performance impressed me most because female roles such as these always seem to leave something to be desired. But not here. Although she may not be a soldier and could never do the things her husband does, Queen Gorgo fights for what is right at all costs. Headey did a wondrous job in performing this role. Her strength, wisdom, and prowess radiates off her very stance.

"Do not ask what a Spartan citizen should do, nor a king.Ask what a free man should do."

The story leaves nothing to be desired. I commend the writers for their spectacular job well done.They not only brought the story alive, but they filled and extended it in a way that only intensified the message of the film.
It took my breath away.

"Earthquake.""No. Spartans, battle positions!"

There were many special effects in the film. Whether they were the armies or beasts, they never failed to have the same artistic beauty as the rest of the screen shots.Zack Snyder's work was nothing short of genius as he directed the film to have the very look of a graphic novel.The armies and horses themselves looked just as much as beasts as the wild wolf. All of which just add to the film's excellence.

The film had this very interesting style where there would be slow motion shots throughout the battle scenes.This was a risky choice because slow-motion shots, if not handled carefully, could put off many viewers and hinder the film's effect on the audience.Snyder must have been aware of this because he handled the slow-motion scenes with great care and presicion that none of them seemed out of place. The very thing that could have hurt the film, made it extraordinary in a whole new way.

Overall this film is indescribably amazing. Anyone who is foolish to think that comics are "just for kids" should either watch this film or read the graphic novel it's based on.

It will leave you breathless.

Rescue Dawn

2007-12-13T23:23:00.004-05:00

Now war movies aren't always my favorite. They just don't always catch me. I didn't like "Braveheart" until the second half, I liked "Tristan & Isolde" more for the story line rather than the fight scenes, and I loved "Troy" and "300". So it all depends on the movie.

I am happy to say that I enjoyed "Rescue Dawn." It felt slow for me at first but it picked up for me half way through. I think the only reason it didn't catch me earlier than that is because it was all soldier life which I have never been exposed to. Things that were supposed to be funny or common knowledge went right over my head, and even after the torture scenes didn't hit. If I recall correctly there was complete silence during those scenes and a good soundtrack/score is very important when it comes to sucking me in.

"Rescue Dawn" is the story of Lt. Dieter Dengler's capture, escape, and rescue.

The story really doesn't need more description. You are there for it all. I always enjoyed stories like this, where nothing out of the ordinary happens, just what did happen. That's right, this is based on a true story.

Christian Bale was magnificent as usual. He never fails to impress me. With one scene you are convinced you're watching his struggles live.

Now, Steve Zahn BLEW MY MIND AWAY! I have never before seen him in a serious role and so for what might be the first time I was finally able to see his acting talent shine. His character, Duane, broke my heart over and over again. He threw his whole heart, soul, and body into his character, and it clearly shows.

I was really impressed with his performance.

Whether or not movies like this are your cup of tea, I recomend it. It has a fantastic story, based on a true one at that, with characters that will not only pull your heart strings,

they become a part of you as well.

Rumbling Hearts Kiminozo

2007-12-11T22:53:00.002-05:00

I just finished watching "Rumbling Hearts," an anime I had come across at work but soon found the whole box set online.

Kudos to Amazon.

The anime is about a group of friends who were a real close set.

Mitsuki, the swimmer

Haruka, the shy and innocent bookworm

Shinji and Takayuki, the best buds who were close friends with the tom-boyish Mitsuki.

Plot:

Haruka develops a crush on Takayuki but is too shy to say anything. Mitsuki decides to help by introducing them, things go well and they start to date. However, as Haruka and Takayuki grow closer Mitsuki realizes that she is also developing feelings for Takayuki.
One day Haruka is in a terrible accident and falls into a coma.

Takayuki and Mitsuki grow closer through their mourning and start dating, eventually living together.

Life went on...
until Haruka wakes up three years later with no knowledge of the passage of time.

Although this sounds like a typical soap opera, and could probably be called as such, I really enjoyed it.

This anime is completely free of fantasy in all forms. It shows life in all it's harsh glory, equipt with plenty "What the hell!?" moments.

The story was great, and realistic down to the real-life ending everyone hates.

If anyone is interested in an anime that could very well happen in the real world, I strongly recomend this one. You can find more information on the anime, including previews of the episodes, at http://rumblinghearts.com/

How will you know? ((review of ENCHANTED))

2007-12-05T18:59:00.003-05:00

Last saturday, I believe, I went to the movie theater for the first time in months with my friends. Due to show times, we decided to watch Enchanted. I haven't reviewed anything in a while, plus the memory isn't raw in my mind, so I'm going to be rusty, but here goes.

Giselle's life was perfect. A beautiful voice, animal friends, and she is now to marry the prince of her dreams. However, things take a very surprising turn when an old woman leads Giselle away from her wedding to a magical "wishing" well. The woman's true intentions show when she is revealed to be the prince's step-mother, determined to keep her throne she sends Giselle to another world unlike anything Giselle could have ever imagined...

New York.

When I first heard of this movie I wasn't interested in seeing it, but as I saw the trailers I started to get curious. It seemed like it was going to be funny.

It was. Every joke I made in my mind when watching Disney movies in the past, they thought of it too. Which made the film very enjoyable to watch.

I loved the storyline, if I had any complaints they weren't serious because I can no longer remember any. The film had one more twist aside from the obvious reality switch, and I was pleased to see that it fit perfectly.

It was refreshing to see something different, yet so familiar, all at once. I think it's a fantastic modernization of the stories I used to love as a child (and still do).

James Marsden was my favorite in the film. A lot of the laughs from the movie came from the antics of his character, Prince Edward. I really enjoyed watching him and would watch the movie all over again if only for his scenes.

Amy Adams, who played Giselle, was my second favorite. It was great to see her character grow as the story progressed. I haven't seen her in anything else she's done but I hope to see her again if the story fits.

The cinematography was fantastic in my opinion. And there were some shots that left me thinking, "WOW. Now THAT was awesome."

Overall I recomend the film to anyone who ever enjoyed Disney in the past or if they still enjoy them in the present.

All Things New - -

2007-11-29T00:13:00.001-05:00

I now have a new email and a new blog. I'm thinking of doing what my brother is doing and keep one blog for reviews and the other for personal entries.
For the personal entries I'm staying with Xanga. Been using it for too long to just end it.
For the reviews and/or story ideas I'll use this one.
I think that would work out nicely.

Well it's been an exhausting day and this post was really just a test run so off to the crickets. Night.