[First Sighting] Shutter Island

I've heard about this movie since last year, but I thought it was just a simple horror movie. But when I saw its trailer for the first time when I watched the Lightning Thief movie, my jaw dropped.

It was so . . . thrilling.

The year is 1954 (so in a way it's historical, my type), U.S. Marshal Teddy Daniels and his new partner, Chuck Aule, (cop partners! Sweet! And this also means action! Gun action! Yay!) have come to Shutter Island, (people in a secluded/isolated area for crime-related reasons have their own cultural and behavioral pucularities . . . interesting) home of Ashecliffe Hospital for the Criminally Insane (I am highly interested in stories about criminals and psychiatry stuff~ Yaaay!), to investigate the disappearance of a patient (detective investigation!!! Oh how much more is this gonna please me?). Multiple murderess Rachel Solando (a female murderer! You don't encounter that often in movies) is loose somewhere on this remote and barren island, despite having been kept in a locked cell under constant surveillance (That's so mysterious~). As a killer hurricane bears relentlessly down on them, a strange case takes on even darker (darker . . . I love that), more sinister shades(I love creepy stuff!)—with hints of radical experimentation, horrifying surgeries, (I love creepy stuff! Though tortures and medical experiments horrify me the most . . . then this means good horror material for me then. Sweet~) and lethal countermoves made in the cause of a covert shadow war. No one is going to escape Shutter Island unscathed (now it's some sort of an escape adventure and a survival game! Awesome!), because nothing at Ashecliffe Hospital is remotely what it seems (I'm curious of what that phrase meant~).

I fell in love with the trailer! I want to see this so badly!!!! I think some people have already seen it, and the earliest official release date that I've seen is later this month. Sadly, in my country it won't be released in theaters until April . . . guuuuhh . . . this wait is horrifying. And no, I don't want to watch an awesome movie through streaming or through those cheap DVD's. It has to be seen on full screen. But that wait . . .what torture . . .

But recently I found out that it's actually based on a novel! And I see it being successful and highly praised by critics. Oh goodie! Makes me want to read the book soon! I'm so hunting for it on Friday.

[Movie Review] Percy Jackson and the Olympians - The Lightning Thief

I had enjoyed the first book of the Percy Jackson & the Olympians series. Naturally, the movie was something I would look forward to. I was supposed to be watching it with some of my college friends on its showing date, but I wasn't sure if our plans would push through. It did, but I didn't know. So I only managed to watch it after making my mother accompany me the following day.

The movie turned out to be . . . quite a disappointment.

STUDIO: 20th Century Fox
DIRECTOR: Chris Columbus
STARRING: Logan Lerman, Pierce Brosnan, Uma Thurman, Sean Bean, Catherine Keener, Rosario Dawson, Steve Coogan, Kevin McKidd
It's the 21st century, but the gods of Mount Olympus and assorted monsters have walked out of the pages of high school student Percy Jackson's Greek mythology texts and into his life. And they're not happy: Zeus' lightning bolt has been stolen, and Percy is the prime suspect. Even more troubling is the sudden disappearance of Percy's mother. As Percy adapts to his newly discovered status as a demi-god (his father is Poseidon), he finds himself caught between the battling titans of Mt. Olympus. He and his friends embark on a cross-country adventure to catch the true lightning thief, save Percy's mom, and unravel a mystery more powerful than the gods themselves.

It didn't meet my expectations. Okay, let me make this clear: I'm not the "book-versions-are-always-better-than-movie-adaptations" type of person; but in this case, the book was a hell lot better, story-wise.

I don't mind if the movie writers don't include some events from the book, or if they add or change things that happened. I find it necessary because books are movies are really very different materials. But to ruin the story is just . . . unforgivable.

The movie's story overall has become your typical fantasy adventure story with the overused cliches and stereotypes . . . not to mention the plotholes and some events that are just there to waste screentime. Let me specify several of my complains:

• Why do they love to encourage the youth to break the rules? Yes, Harry Potter does that; but please don't force to include that on Percy's story as well. What is so difficult in making Percy be placed on a quest/mission instead (like what was done in the book)? His reason on wanting to go to the Underworld in the movie was hell pathetic compare to the actual reason he had in the original material.
• What's with the adventure of collecting pearls to go to a certain location? It was more dangerous and interesting on how things went in the original material: They were on the run and Percy was a wanted criminal. Doing the mission had been more challenging, since they also have to go through the traps and fight monsters along the way.
• I can understand if they want to make Percy so perfect for having the main character position but that scene . . . oh come on. The part wherein they have to bribe Charon to take them to the Underworld . . . how come Grover was the one who mistakes that mortal money would work on the guy while Percy had the drachma idea? Grover was the one who should know better since Percy is just new to this type of world. Yes, making it Grover to be mistaken is funnier, but if it doesn't match his character background is just so wrong.
• I don't mind if the characters in the movie are different from what I've imagined they'll be . . . but drastic character changes just ain't goof. How come I don't feel Chiron and Annabeth as intelligent individuals? (Or maybe it's just me) Yes, Percy does the thinking at times, but not all the times. And with Percy, why wasn't he as hilarious as in the book (Or maybe he made me laugh more of because of his narration)? Is there difficulty to make the main character as funny as the comic relief sidekick??? And Poseidon . . . he doesn't act like one of the main gods . . . and the humanity thing added in his character just makes me think that the movie just wants to exaggerate the family drama. *facepalm*
• Oh please, the mastermind in this movie is so "threatening". It's honestly so vague for a mere character to be such a big threat in the story. In the book he was actually caught, but he had a powerful boss. That's a more convincing villain.
• How things ended in the movie had been too easy. Things worked out way too simply. The one who had given proof in the original material was from one of the higher gods . . . that is something I find more acceptable for Zeus to see as more convincing than the one from the words of a mere demigod.
• Zeus' lightning bolt was mentioned as the strongest weapon ever, right? But there was no mention in the movie that how a powerful weapon had been easily stolen by a mere individual from a powerful god (the book gave such. It was simple, but makes sense). Moreover, if it is indeed the most powerful weapon, then the one who's using it should be invincible and its destrutove force is really great (the book mentioned that it's more destructive than an atomic/nuclear bomb), right? But well, Percy and his opponent both had used it in the movie, and it was just like a normal shotgun or something. Most powerful weapon indeed.

Oh there's a lot more to tell, but basically my point is, many of the characterizations seemed so wrong, and the story changes ruined the brilliance of the story in the original material. If the movie writers couldn't come up with something better, they should have just sticked to the book's main plot. I don't see how difficult it would have been . . . Harry Potter had managed that, why can't this one? The main plot was already so good, so why the stupid change?

With how the story went, it doesn't seem like we could be getting a sequel (mastermind revealed, most mysteries "explained", what else to look forward to?). But if there ever will be and the writers will be doing the same horrible job on it, I'd rather not want to have the sequel created. My dreams of seeing the third book (my favorite one) have now shattered.

On the bright side, if you're just after the visuals; I say it was really awesome! The special effects were really cool and the fight scene was awesome. I think they're the scenes really worth watching in the movie. They had been so fantastic!

And despite my complains on many of the story/character changes, I did like some changes. Persephone made an appearance in the movie, and she was a pretty fun character. Grover was the one I had been most proud of. In the book, I see him as useless and pretty lame. I only see him as useful for a couple of times and I only find him excellent when it comes to reading emotions. But other than that, he sucked. But the Grover in the movie was different. He was COOL and HILARIOUS. He's the comic relief sidekick and he did a good job on that in the movie. In other words, I find Grover much mroe likable in the movie.

Another awesome part in the movie is the one with Medusa. I'm not being biased on Uma Thurman . . . but she's really done a good job as Medusa. It had been really fun to watch. And haha, and the comedy scenes that involve her head had been very amusing~

Overall, the movie could have actually been great if it weren't for the horrible work on the story and the characterizations. I'm not saying I know better than those writers . . . but if how things went in the original material had been so much times better than the movie adaptation, then I see the movie adaptation as a FAILURE. I don't recommend this movie if you're after the story, because it's something too typical. Not much is new from it. If I hadn't read the book, I would've labeled it as a "Desperate Harry Potter Wannabe". But since I know that it hasn't been like that in the original material, than I'm not doing so. However, if you're just after the cool visuals and you ahve time to waste, this movie is certainly something enjoyable to watch.

C- (SO-SO! Very average and typical whatever!)
The story and characterizations were horrible and disappointing but the other stuff ain't so bad. It just became an average movie though.
3 Hearts ---> LIKE
Despite my disappointments, I had enjoyed it. And perhaps my love for the original material had avoided me to completely dislike the movie.

Review: The Thirteenth Tale

The word "thirteen" in a title often grabs my attention. There's a popular superstition of it being an unlucky number, and I love going against superstition.

Anyway, what got me more attracted to this is the pile of books in the cover. It hints that it will involve about the love for books. Now who else will understand that more other than an actual book lover? Hehe.

I read the plot at the back, and it promised me an interesting story with good gothic mystery. I've heard that it's a good book so I didn't think twice on buying it when I first saw it.

I only had time to read it during the holidays. I had been busy in visiting relatives and going to tourist spots during those days. But on times when I was just lazing around, I read this novel. To my surprise, I've managed to finish it earlier than I had planned. It was really good!


The Thirteenth Tale
by Diane Setterfield

Vida Winter, the most famous novelist in England and quite possibly the world, has never been forthcoming when it comes to her past. Her entire life is a secret, and for fifty years reporters and biographers have attempted to discover the truth. With her health quickly fading, Ms. Winter enlists a bookish amateur biographer named Margaret Lea to bear witness to the tragic story of the Angelfield family, their eccentric beginnings as well as their demise. Margaret, who has family secrets of her own, must unravel the mysteries of the past in order to reconcile not only Miss Winter with her ghosts, but also Margaret with her own.

==== What I Liked:

• There had been several stories in just one novel. I love how they have been put together. You don't only get to read the stories of the actual characters, but even portions of those the novelist character has written or made up.
• I'm happy that we also get to know what happens on the minor characters. Some may not have such a huge role in the main plot, but it still feels like there's something missing if what happened to them afterwards hadn't been mentioned. It will suck if they just come and go.
  
• I like the twists in this story. I like it when things I don't expect happen (fine, some were expected, but most honestly weren't). I also really love it when a novel makes me confused and lost for a while because of some things that don't make sense but will later things will be so crystal clear. I love mystery but I don't like it when most parts will remain a mystery until the end.
• I really like the narration style and the switch in points of view. They are in-character (how they narrated events had been different. There is also development or changes in narration style even if it's by the same character); and you get a different perspective of certain events but they're not exactly repetitive (but if it had been, that only shows confirmation that the first narration was accurate because of the risk of it being a lie).
• I like the idea on what "ghost" the story had been referring to. You don't always have to take it so literally.
  

==== What I Did Not Like:

• Though I did love the narration style, the part of the giant recalling what was narrated to him seems to unnatural. I mean, to be able to recall all those words in such detail and style? Like he's impersonating the original narrator? That's just too awkward . . .
• I think most of the main cast have mental problems. I know these problems are inheritable, but I don't think there's a problem in having some main characters that aren't delusional, right?
  
• I understand the love for books in this novel but I don't think it has to go to such extremes. *sigh* I don't want book lovers to follow such an example and have delusions like those.

==== Fangurling:

• I love the cast but I find it difficult to pick a favorite character. I don't hate a particular character either (but hhhmm . . . Margaret's becoming a close candidate. I want her to get over it already.)
• I don't have a favorite pairing but I'm fond of the Charlie and Isabelle relationship. The obsession is pretty creepy, but that's what got me so intrigued~ Fortunately, the incest here appears to be one-sided, so I wasn't disturbed. Hehe.
• The part with Ambrose and the writer had been pretty romantic . . . but for their short romance to break just like that. It got me pretty frustrated.
• I think this novel had shown different types of sibling/cousin love in their extremes. The "extreme" part got me a little disturbed, but I adore sibling love and can sympathize with them since I have a sibling myself~

==== Comparing to Other Books:

I can't compare it to the books it's using as basis (specifically the likes of Jane Eyre, Woman in White, etc.). Apparently, they're even the favorite novels of the main characters (I would choose the Sherlock Holmes novel over their favorites anytime though, unlike what the main character did). I don't like the implication of those classics being the best because they're the favorites of our book loving characters.

Anyway, back to what I'm trying to say: I can't compare this novel to those popular classics because I haven't really read those in the first place (I only have an idea of the overall events thanks to book reports done by my schoolmates).

Except for Wuthering Heights, because it has been the one assigned to me. Hhhmm . . . okay, between the two novels (WH and TTT) . . . I can't say which is better but I like the story in Wuthering Heights more. The Thirteenth Tale may be more complex but Wuthering Heights was just more charming to me. Hehe.

==== Overall Thoughts:

This has been an enchanting yet eerie novel. For some reason its words had some magic that draws me in and makes me keep on reading. It had managed to give me some chills too, because I had troubles in reading it alone in a room at night, hehe.

Of course it's not without flaws, but overall it has been beautifully presented that it had been easy for me to ignore most of them. This book had me so thrilled~

This may not be one of my top favorite books, but I do love it very much and consider it as one of the greatest novels I've ever read~ I'm definitely checking out the author's next novel once it's out~

==== Verdict:
Rating: A- (OH MY GOD! Amazing, fantastic, oh really wonderful!)
Favoritism: 3 out of 5 Hearts ---> LIKE