Cho Chang is listed before Hermione Granger? Say what?!
So, I joined Pottermore. It’s not really what I expected. It threw me off so much that at first I didn’t like it. For instance:
Why couldn’t I make up my own user name? I was forced to pick from five dumb ones, so I picked the least dumb. How am I supposed to remember a name I didn’t come up with?
When do I get to get sorted?! That doesn’t happen immediately? I want to know what House I’m in!
Otherwise, it’s a pretty neat experience and I believe it’s growing on me. I’ve already learned where some of J.K.’s ideas came from and I can’t wait to learn more. Also, I can now download the Potter books for my Kindle! Yay! I still really want the hardcover box set that comes in a treasure chest, though. Really anything that comes in a treasure chest would be great right now.
It’s here: the InvadeNOLA LOVES issue of the popular magazine! It’s great. This issue is full of things that the InvadeNOLA staff love about NOLA. Also, the Fashion section was written by yours truly.
Speaking of InvadeNOLA, I’ve been promoted from “Contributing Writer” to “Assistant Blog Editor.” Fancy, huh?
[Note: I wrote this entry on Friday, March 23… and forgot to post it.]
Last night I did something I don’t usually do - I stayed out late on a work night. I disregarded my usual bedtime of 10:00 PM (don’t hate) to go see the midnight showing of The Hunger Games at the Prytania Theater. The pouring rain and large amounts of high school girls in attendance could have been a recipe for disaster, but even though I got soaked and had to listen to unrestrained giggling every time there was an on-screen kiss, I found the experience rather enjoyable.
Now, running on three hours of sleep, I will attempt to share my thoughts on the film.
As usual when I go see a film that is based on a novel I have read, I experience some apprehension as I enter the theater. Will the film live up to the book? I always want a film adaptation to deviate from the book just enough to make the film interesting, but not enough to make the story unrecognizable. I assume it’s very difficult to translate a story based on words into images, so I try not to be too harsh (but I usually am). Perhaps the best page to screen adaptation I’ve seen is the Lord of the Rings trilogy- though the filmmakers left out certain parts of the books and added new ones, none of the story, themes, or whimsical feel was lost in translation and the films are a perfect complement to the novels.
The Hunger Games film was really close to achieving this type of flawless transition. The movie was blissfully similar to the books - many actions and events were exactly as I remember. The film had to leave things out (it is a lengthy book) and there were some additions, but nothing fan-angering or plot-altering. Since the book is narrated by the protagonist, Katniss Everdeen, the readers of the book were presented with a very personal but limited perspective. The film, however, was not constrained by one person’s point of view, so we got to see some new things. For instance, in the book we only witness what is happening in the arena because that is where Katniss is, but the film was able to show us what is happening on the outside as well. We get to witness the commentary of the sporting event that is the Hunger Games as well as how what happens in the arena affects those watching at home. I rather enjoyed the commentary, but the scenes involving the Gamemakers were kinda silly and the film could have done without them (though I get they were trying to show the audience that Games are very controlled). I could go on about the differences, but instead you should read this -an excellent comparison on what changed from book to film and whether or not it was effective. Overall, The Hunger Games was a beautiful* and accurate visual representation of the book, yet there was something missing. I think, in fact, that it may be the personal connection we have with Katniss in the books. I didn’t feel nearly as emotionally connected to the characters in the film as I did in the book which left me feeling less satisfied that I wanted.
That’s not to say that I thought the acting was lacking. I’m sure you’re tired of hearing how great Academy Award nominee Jennifer Lawrence portrayed Katniss, but I thought her portrayal of Katniss was pretty great. In fact, she was very close to the Katniss I imagined. Stanley Tucci’s Caesar Flickerman was hilarious and thoroughly entertaining. And I don’t care that he’s a few years my junior, Josh Hutcherson is just so cute and he played Peeta like a boss (am I allowed to make a joke about him being as delicious as the bread he was named after?) Oh, almost forgot, Elizabeth Banks was an exquisite Effie Trinket. I mean, have you ever seen her like this!?
A few complaints: Donald Southerland didn’t scare me as President Snow. This is supposed to be the slimiest, most evil man in Panem and my reaction to this character in the film was barely memorable. Hopefully he will shine as the ultimate creeper in the sequel. That’s my only character complaint, actually!
Finally, I must mentioned how pleasantly surprised I was by The Hunger Games soundtrack. Holy shizzle, you guys, look at this lineup: The Decemberists, Maroon 5, Glen Hansard, Neko Case and the Arcade freaking Fire lended original songs to this film. I had no clue this was gonna happen until after I entered the theater and boy was I excited. Check out two of the songs below and may the odds be ever in your favor (I had to!)
*Except for the scene when Katniss and Peeta enter the opening ceremony of the Hunger Games on chariots clad in fiery tunics. I was looking forward to that scene, but the visual effect looked so stupid and fake.
This Kindle device has changed my life, you guys. I’m reading as often as I did when I had no social life in high school, if not more. On the bus, at home, at my boyfriend’s house while I ignore him - nowhere is safe. I’ve got a fever, and the only cure is more digital literature.
So far I’ve read six novels on my Kindle. The first I already reviewed, so here are some quick reviews on the most recent five.
The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo Steig Larsson
It may seem like I was discussing this title recently, but that was the 2011 film, people! I have now read the book as well. The movie did not deviate from the book enough for me to get thrown off or surprised (SPOILER - except Mikael Blomkvist totally bangs Cecelia Vanger in the books, what?!). The novel is basically just a more deatiled version of the film. However, I still enjoyed it! It was nice to get some insight into what the characters are thinking at particular moments, something hard to truly capture on film. The book also takes you deeper into the worlds of journalism and hacking, the fields of the two main characters.The only drawback to having watched the movie first wasn’t that I already knew the ending, but that “The Immigrant Song” was stuck in my head the entire time I was reading.
Blink Malcolm Gladwell
I read this book on behalf of the newly formed UNO staff book club (so far it’s me and, like, three people from Admissions). It’s all about what the author calls “snap judgements,” or the ability to make an accurate decision based on a very small amount of information. In fact, the book goes on to argue this is often the best way to go about decision-making. At first I hated the idea - I’m the type of person who asks questions and needs to see solid concrete proof of a thing and how it works in order to formulate an opinion. I have a background of study that involves and encourages heavy amounts of research, after all. So imagine how I felt when this guy had the audacity to say such methods are bogus! Yet, Malcolm Gladwell did his own research (lots of it, in fact) and I soon started to see the validity behind snap judgements. For example, sometimes having too much information can cloud your decision making skills because you have too many factors to worry about making it difficult to discern what’s important. Also, we’ve all had those moments where we see someone close to us and can instantly tell what they’re thinking. Or when we meet someone and immediately like or dislike them. Often it is for a reason you can’t describe with words, but you know how you feel and generally these first impressions last. The author also points out that snap judgements are not foolproof (he gives examples of failed first impressions) and also presents the idea that once someone is an expert in a field, they are well-suited to make snap judgments concerning things involving their area of expertise. I highly recommend it.
The Hunger Games Suzanne Colins
When I first heard of The Hunger Games and its sequels I assumed it was just a silly children’s book and yet another fad akin to Twilight that was of no interest to me. Why do I always do that?! I judged the Harry Potter series that way and held off reading it for years until I cracked and realized how amazing of a story it actually is. Thankfully, I didn’t wait too long to jump on The Hunger Games bandwagon. Katniss Everdeen is the main character and narrator of the trilogy. She volunteers to be a “tribute” in the Hunger Games in place of her little sister, Prim, whose name is picked from a lottery. The Hunger Games is an annual event that involves 24 tributes (one boy and girl from each of the 12 districts) between the ages of 12 and 18 to participate in a televised battle to the death in the capitol of Panem (a la Battle Royale and The Lottery). The story is a gritty, gory and honest take on the effect of war and poverty on children and young adults. There isn’t anything silly or childish about it.
Most of these happy, fresh faced looking children die.
I honestly did not want to put this book down. I burned through the novel faster than Katniss Everdeen’s headdress burns at the opening ceremony of the 74th Hunger Games. The novel is bleak, frightening and thrilling and makes the reader wonder if the fictional nation Panem could be a thing of the future. Yikes!
Catching Fire Suzanne Colins
Catching Fire is book two of The Hunger Games series. It’s almost as thrilling as the first. The novel takes an exciting turn when the main character, Katniss, discovers that she has inadvertently caused her nation to rebel against the ruthless Capitol after she publicly defied them during the Hunger Games. The ending felt a tad rushed, but I really enjoyed the characters introduced and the concept of the arena the 75th Hunger Games take place in.
Mockingjay Suzanne Colins
This is the third and final book of The Hunger Games. It has a very different feel from the first two - there are no actual Hunger Games, but the stakes are even higher. A full scale revolt is taking place and Katniss is asked to be the face of the rebellion. Shit goes down and a lot of your favorite characters will die (not cool). However, [SPOILER] I was glad when Katniss gets with the boy I wanted her to in the end. However, the ending of this book feels incredibly rushed, more so than the second. And don’t expect it to be happy. The author certainly got her point across - there is nothing positive about war and the psychological effects are always with those who live through it. The Hunger Games is a powerful series.
Next in my queue: The Girl Who Played With Fire, 2:46: Aftershocks: Stories from the Japan Earthquake and Sherlock Holmes: The Complete Novels and Stories.
This weekend I watched the 2011 film Attack the Block. What a ride! It is a delightful mix of horror, sci-fi, comedy and total bad-assery. Plus, it takes place in England so you get to listen to their lovely accents for and hour and a half. The film is set in South London when, on Bonfire Night, an alien invasion is pitted against a teenage gang and few other trouble-making characters in a battle for the tower block they call home. Criminals become heroes and the aliens are the ones getting assaulted in this action-packed thriller. If that doesn’t convince you, the trailer probably will:
Book Review - Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me? (And Other Concerns) by Mindy Kaling
Even though I revered Mindy Kaling before the release of this book for her work on The Office (actor, writer and producer, what?!), I didn’t pay much attention to the novel at first. Obviously I knew about it, but since I didn’t stop hearing about it I figured all the good things were just hype.
Well, I was wrong. This books deserves all the hype because it’s excellent.
Okay, I’m a girl and a comedian. I get it - this book totally caters to my demographic. I didn’t choose this life, you know! Anyway, I still believe that this book can also be enjoyed by women who are not comedians and men who are. Also, people who enjoy laughing in general will like it because her narratives are hysterical. Seriously. Rarely does a book make me laugh out loud, but this one did. Which, I might add, is a little embarrassing when in public. Mindy provides her readers with various antidotes about her childhood, working for The Office, and life as someone who is famous. So, not only is it funny, but it’s insightful as well.
I enjoyed her book so much that I barely put it down once I began. I consumed it in its entirety in less than three days. I even read it on the bus which is something I never do since I get motion sickness very easily. It’s a good thing this book is so portable. Which brings me to…
Product Review - Amazon Kindle
This sexy thing is what I used to read Mindy’s book (she and I are on a first name basis now since I know her so well). I love it. My boyfriend bought it for me as a sort-of-late Christmas present. Thank goodness he did, because he has no idea how close I was to breaking up with him before he gifted me this. That was a joke, guys. I’m not that shallow. Anyway, this is the most basic Kindle and it’s still amazing. Did you know you can store about 1,000 books on this tiny thing? Or that you can download hundreds of classic works for free?! I now posses the entirety of Edgar Allen Poe’s stories and poems as well as every Sherlock Holmes story ever written. It’s nice to be able to carry something that combines my love of books and technology on me at all times.
Last night I saw (you guessed it) The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo. The American version. I went into the theater having never laid eyes on the original Swedish films or novels (don’t hate) so I had few expectations. That’s a lie. I have talent crushes on a lot of the people who worked on this film so I kinda expected it to be awesome. The most notable crush is that of Mr. David Fincher, the director. I’m not a film buff, so I’m not familiar with many directors, but I am certainly family with him. He hasn’t done anything too big, you know, just The Social Network, Se7en, Zodiac, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, Panic Room and The Game. Oh, and my second favorite movie of all time Fight Club. So yeah, I was lying. He’s kind of a big deal.
To sum up how I felt about The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo here are two things you should know:
When the movie ended I looked at the time and exclaimed, “I can’t believe it’s that late!” I had not realized I’d been sitting in the theater for three hours.
I immediately decided I wanted to absorb everything related to the film including: the life and times of Rooney Mara, the entire Millennium series and the original movies.
In short, I loved it!
If you haven’t seen the film yet here’s what you need to know:
If you like: blizzards, mysteries, thrillers, car chases, goth chicks, rape, sex, piercings, archives, murder, tattoos, James Bond, foreign countries, accents, photography, Macbooks, hackers, Nine Inch Nails, The Immigrant Song, black ink, shotguns or journalism…
Go see this movie.
But if you like: cats, boredom, rapists, bad movies or sunny beaches…
