Ravin Tija Maurice's Blog, page 9
October 22, 2012
The Newly Discovered World of Warhammer
My fiance decided recently that he wanted to start playing the game Warhammer, a strategy game that involves very tiny figures as your playing pieces. I'm sure you've all seen it, it comes from a company called Games Workshop but is often sold at other locations.
I was slightly familiar with the game, my older brother had played when we were young and had also spent many years painting the figures with an airbrush. My fiance decided that he wanted to play the fantasy branch of the game, using Dark Elves as his primary army, and I thought from observing I may pick up some ideas for new characters and creatures in my own writing.
We went into the local retail shop and I was surprised when I saw that there was a vampire army in the fantasy branch. Warhammer has vampires? Since when? And, and, they had a figure that looked like my Gigi!
So I started looking into the Warhammer vampires, how long they'd been around and what their stories are, and I was pleasantly surprised.
Now, from reading my fiance's Dark Elves book I had a taste of just how elaborate and detailed the background for these characters really was, and I was amazed at just how elaborate the vampire world was. And this was just the stories that came in the rule books for the specific armies. I didn't discover until our second trip that there were novels set in the same universe.
The first vampire book I looked at was Bloodborn by Nathan Long, the first in his Ulrika the Vampire trilogy. Reading the back I was intrigued, but it wasn't until I returned home and began reading reviews online that I was sold. This specific vampire novel was a return to what made vampire novels great; violent, blood thirsty creatures who still had some human personality traits left in them, but they were real, honest to God vampires. None of this sparkly nonsense that has come up in vampire novels lately, which I am just saying to the world that is not really a vampire, and they were apparently very well written.
So, the next time my fiance went to the local shop without me he picked up Bloodborn and the third in the series, Bloodsworn, and we would look for the second later. I couldn't wait until I could crack it open, and when I did I was once again surprised.
I am still reading it, I will post a review when I am finished, but I am thoroughly enjoying it. When I really got into it I really wanted to jump up and cheer! A real vampire novel with guts, I wasn't sure they existed anymore. And not just guts, but a story. An honest to God story, with character's that aren't animals or too tame. My faith has been renewed, and I am excited for the vampire genre again.
So, dear readers, those of you who are looking for a real, honest to God vampire book, check out the Ulrika the Vampire series, and the Black Library site, which is the publishing arm of Games Workshop. I'd love to hear if you had the same feelings I did!
I was slightly familiar with the game, my older brother had played when we were young and had also spent many years painting the figures with an airbrush. My fiance decided that he wanted to play the fantasy branch of the game, using Dark Elves as his primary army, and I thought from observing I may pick up some ideas for new characters and creatures in my own writing.
We went into the local retail shop and I was surprised when I saw that there was a vampire army in the fantasy branch. Warhammer has vampires? Since when? And, and, they had a figure that looked like my Gigi!
So I started looking into the Warhammer vampires, how long they'd been around and what their stories are, and I was pleasantly surprised.
Now, from reading my fiance's Dark Elves book I had a taste of just how elaborate and detailed the background for these characters really was, and I was amazed at just how elaborate the vampire world was. And this was just the stories that came in the rule books for the specific armies. I didn't discover until our second trip that there were novels set in the same universe.
The first vampire book I looked at was Bloodborn by Nathan Long, the first in his Ulrika the Vampire trilogy. Reading the back I was intrigued, but it wasn't until I returned home and began reading reviews online that I was sold. This specific vampire novel was a return to what made vampire novels great; violent, blood thirsty creatures who still had some human personality traits left in them, but they were real, honest to God vampires. None of this sparkly nonsense that has come up in vampire novels lately, which I am just saying to the world that is not really a vampire, and they were apparently very well written.
So, the next time my fiance went to the local shop without me he picked up Bloodborn and the third in the series, Bloodsworn, and we would look for the second later. I couldn't wait until I could crack it open, and when I did I was once again surprised.
I am still reading it, I will post a review when I am finished, but I am thoroughly enjoying it. When I really got into it I really wanted to jump up and cheer! A real vampire novel with guts, I wasn't sure they existed anymore. And not just guts, but a story. An honest to God story, with character's that aren't animals or too tame. My faith has been renewed, and I am excited for the vampire genre again.
So, dear readers, those of you who are looking for a real, honest to God vampire book, check out the Ulrika the Vampire series, and the Black Library site, which is the publishing arm of Games Workshop. I'd love to hear if you had the same feelings I did!
September 17, 2012
Neglected.....
Hi Everyone!
I apologize for being M.I.A for so long! But, things went from slightly chaotic to super chaotic really fast. Don't worry, I am okay! And all is well in my world again. I know that people probably have a lot of questions, but I can't answer them! They will answer themselves, eventually, but I can't actually answer them. It sucks, I know, but it is what it is.
So, let's talk about something else!
I finally saw the new Sherlock Holmes movie, which I will write a full review for soon. I loved it, but I am not as enamored with it as I was with the first one. That's all I will say about it for now.
I'm trying to read as many books as I can. but I'm having trouble getting into anything. I saw an interview with E.L James today, the writer behind 50 Shades of Grey, and that was interesting and inspiring. She said something at the end, which are really words that I live by, 'write what you love'. And that is what I have been trying to do for some time, and I feel good as a writer when I do that.
Because, really, I am not writing for anyone other than me. Yes, I'd like other people to read it and love it but that's not what I am thinking about when I am diving into a book. I am thinking about me and how I feel during this process, because it is really food for the soul for me. Writing is what keeps me going, and what keeps me sane. And I write the type of book that I would want to read.
Right now what I am doing is trying to expand my horizons. Prove to myself that I can write whatever I set my mind to, and just sitting and writing whatever comes into my head as an exercise to keep my mind moving. I am looking at books that I would not normally look at (50 Shades of Grey, hello!), and trying to think outside the box. I've been reading a lot of Donald Maass and his Breakout Novel books, and thinking about the ideas that he presents in his book for making you a better writer. About upping the ante, about what my breakout novel would be, could be, should be.
I am taking time to learn, grow, and work on my craft right now and that's what I'll be writing about. I promise I won't neglect you as much anymore, dear blog readers! I appreciate your support and the fact that you keep coming back to read, big and wonderful things are on the horizon!
I apologize for being M.I.A for so long! But, things went from slightly chaotic to super chaotic really fast. Don't worry, I am okay! And all is well in my world again. I know that people probably have a lot of questions, but I can't answer them! They will answer themselves, eventually, but I can't actually answer them. It sucks, I know, but it is what it is.
So, let's talk about something else!
I finally saw the new Sherlock Holmes movie, which I will write a full review for soon. I loved it, but I am not as enamored with it as I was with the first one. That's all I will say about it for now.
I'm trying to read as many books as I can. but I'm having trouble getting into anything. I saw an interview with E.L James today, the writer behind 50 Shades of Grey, and that was interesting and inspiring. She said something at the end, which are really words that I live by, 'write what you love'. And that is what I have been trying to do for some time, and I feel good as a writer when I do that.
Because, really, I am not writing for anyone other than me. Yes, I'd like other people to read it and love it but that's not what I am thinking about when I am diving into a book. I am thinking about me and how I feel during this process, because it is really food for the soul for me. Writing is what keeps me going, and what keeps me sane. And I write the type of book that I would want to read.
Right now what I am doing is trying to expand my horizons. Prove to myself that I can write whatever I set my mind to, and just sitting and writing whatever comes into my head as an exercise to keep my mind moving. I am looking at books that I would not normally look at (50 Shades of Grey, hello!), and trying to think outside the box. I've been reading a lot of Donald Maass and his Breakout Novel books, and thinking about the ideas that he presents in his book for making you a better writer. About upping the ante, about what my breakout novel would be, could be, should be.
I am taking time to learn, grow, and work on my craft right now and that's what I'll be writing about. I promise I won't neglect you as much anymore, dear blog readers! I appreciate your support and the fact that you keep coming back to read, big and wonderful things are on the horizon!
August 29, 2012
New Name
Hello all!
I bet your wondering about the new name for this blog.
The name needed a change (can't elaborate, sorry!), and for Valentines Day last year my boyfriend bought be pieces of bamboo twisted into a heart that I am totally obsessed with so I thought it made sense. I've attached a photo, just so you all can see.
So welcome to Heart Shaped Bamboo!
August 5, 2012
Movie Review: The Dark Knight Rises
What can I say about a Christopher Nolan movie? He first hit my radar after The Dark Knight, one of the best written movies I have seen in a very long time, and when I found out that David S Goyer of Blade fame was involved with his projects and vice versa I knew I wanted to see everything the man put his hands on. (As I have tried to do with Goyer, I am an enormous Blade fan!)
The thing about The Dark Knight rises is that it had one major thing in it that, depending on how it was handled, would sway me into either loving or hating the movie. That thing would be Catwoman.
I have been a huge Catwoman fan for as long as I can remember, even leading back to the Adam West Batman tv series, and Michelle Pfieffer in Batman Returns was incredible. To a 10 year old she was beyond incredible, but I have to say that watching that movie again recently it hasn't lost any of its magic.
So, when I heard that Catwoman was going to be in The Dark Knight Rises I knew that I wanted to see it, but I was concerned. I knew that she would be handled in regards to Nolan's writing, but in terms of the actress to play her I was not sure who could pull it off. But, I had also been unsure of Heath Ledger as the Joker and...well...I don't think I need to explain, if you've seen it you understand. That's why I didn't get bent out of shape when I heard it was going to be Anne Hathaway.
Now, let me get into talking about the movie.
In a lot of ways, it was what we had all come to expect from a Nolan Batman movie. Killer script, a villain to really get excited about (yes, Handsome Bob from Rocknrolla is Bane. Can you tell? They did a good job of making Tom Hardy not look like Tom Hardy), some interesting twists for Batman fans that I won't give away. (When I found out that Marion Cotillard was in the movie I was confused, why didn't she play Catwoman? But she's perfect where she is.) I don't know the Batman universe too well in terms of the comic storylines but I have been told that they didn't follow certain things, and my comment to that is - have you seen any of the Xmen movies?
And now we get to Catwoman. I was a bit disappointed because I did not feel that the script did as much with her character as it could've. There were some scenes, specifically the first scene that Hathaway and Bale are in together, where Hathaway is phenomenal but in other parts she feel short. I was not impressed with the costume at first, but when I saw how the weird ears were really glasses (you have to see the movie to understand what I mean) I really liked that, I thought it was an interesting touch. I did not hear her referred to as Catwoman once in the movie, it was only referenced when Bruce Wayne was looking at her police file.
Did I like Hathaway? She did the best she could. I'd be interested to hear what other Catwoman fans thought of her performance.
But the movie as a whole was pretty good. I think that anyone who liked the other movies will enjoy it, and may feel at the end that they should write some letters to Nolan to try to get him to do another. I would personally love to see David S Goyer pick up the reigns and see what he can do with it.
I would recommend this to fans, but I have to say to you now, its not The Dark Knight so don't walk into the movie expecting that. It is a great movie, but it's just not the same.
The thing about The Dark Knight rises is that it had one major thing in it that, depending on how it was handled, would sway me into either loving or hating the movie. That thing would be Catwoman.
I have been a huge Catwoman fan for as long as I can remember, even leading back to the Adam West Batman tv series, and Michelle Pfieffer in Batman Returns was incredible. To a 10 year old she was beyond incredible, but I have to say that watching that movie again recently it hasn't lost any of its magic.
So, when I heard that Catwoman was going to be in The Dark Knight Rises I knew that I wanted to see it, but I was concerned. I knew that she would be handled in regards to Nolan's writing, but in terms of the actress to play her I was not sure who could pull it off. But, I had also been unsure of Heath Ledger as the Joker and...well...I don't think I need to explain, if you've seen it you understand. That's why I didn't get bent out of shape when I heard it was going to be Anne Hathaway.
Now, let me get into talking about the movie.
In a lot of ways, it was what we had all come to expect from a Nolan Batman movie. Killer script, a villain to really get excited about (yes, Handsome Bob from Rocknrolla is Bane. Can you tell? They did a good job of making Tom Hardy not look like Tom Hardy), some interesting twists for Batman fans that I won't give away. (When I found out that Marion Cotillard was in the movie I was confused, why didn't she play Catwoman? But she's perfect where she is.) I don't know the Batman universe too well in terms of the comic storylines but I have been told that they didn't follow certain things, and my comment to that is - have you seen any of the Xmen movies?
And now we get to Catwoman. I was a bit disappointed because I did not feel that the script did as much with her character as it could've. There were some scenes, specifically the first scene that Hathaway and Bale are in together, where Hathaway is phenomenal but in other parts she feel short. I was not impressed with the costume at first, but when I saw how the weird ears were really glasses (you have to see the movie to understand what I mean) I really liked that, I thought it was an interesting touch. I did not hear her referred to as Catwoman once in the movie, it was only referenced when Bruce Wayne was looking at her police file.
Did I like Hathaway? She did the best she could. I'd be interested to hear what other Catwoman fans thought of her performance.
But the movie as a whole was pretty good. I think that anyone who liked the other movies will enjoy it, and may feel at the end that they should write some letters to Nolan to try to get him to do another. I would personally love to see David S Goyer pick up the reigns and see what he can do with it.
I would recommend this to fans, but I have to say to you now, its not The Dark Knight so don't walk into the movie expecting that. It is a great movie, but it's just not the same.
July 17, 2012
I'm smiling at the counter, which now reads 992
I have to say, I am always amazed when I come to my blog. Not only that people are reading it, but by the numbers. I know, why would it seem so odd that someone would want to read my words?
Well, its not really about that. I am a writer, of course I want people to read my words. But a blog is so much more than words, its more thoughts and opinions. And I guess I never thought I would ever have anything interesting enough to say.
But, wow! Seeing the counter on the blog every time I pop over is very encouraging, and to me shows that I'm not rambling on too much. I am so happy that people are stopping by, and it seems that some are coming back too....horray!
It reminds me in a very immediate way that I have readers and really keeps me going. Because, really, anyone who tells you that the novel writing is easy is....well....either I missed something or they're on another planet, and I'm inclined to go with the other planet theory.
Not that I am complaining, because I love it. I love the work...hell, I even love the editing and revising. And right now its keeping me balanced and sane while in the throws of recovery from a personal tragedy, as only art could. That was one thing that my Mother taught me from a very young age, to feed this compulsion and it will give you purpose and strength, as her sculpture did for her. And its there for you in a way that a human being cannot be, and its a place for you to seek personal refuge if need be. Knowing all that, I think, was what gave me the courage and pig headed ambition to keep at this no matter what, giving up is never an option. It still isn't now, and never will be.
As I write this I wonder, in a funny way I hope, that someone like me is reading this, someone who has a passion for something that they want to explore but don't have the courage, or have people in their world that don't quite 'get it', or they hide it under their bed or outside in a shed somewhere where no one would ever look. If this is a part of what you are as a person then you need to express it and damn what anyone else says!
That's why I smile at 992, because now that for the first time in, probably, my whole life I am being who I really am, my thoughts are acknowledged. Thank you all for that. Its a beautiful gift, but also humbling at the same time.
Well, its not really about that. I am a writer, of course I want people to read my words. But a blog is so much more than words, its more thoughts and opinions. And I guess I never thought I would ever have anything interesting enough to say.
But, wow! Seeing the counter on the blog every time I pop over is very encouraging, and to me shows that I'm not rambling on too much. I am so happy that people are stopping by, and it seems that some are coming back too....horray!
It reminds me in a very immediate way that I have readers and really keeps me going. Because, really, anyone who tells you that the novel writing is easy is....well....either I missed something or they're on another planet, and I'm inclined to go with the other planet theory.
Not that I am complaining, because I love it. I love the work...hell, I even love the editing and revising. And right now its keeping me balanced and sane while in the throws of recovery from a personal tragedy, as only art could. That was one thing that my Mother taught me from a very young age, to feed this compulsion and it will give you purpose and strength, as her sculpture did for her. And its there for you in a way that a human being cannot be, and its a place for you to seek personal refuge if need be. Knowing all that, I think, was what gave me the courage and pig headed ambition to keep at this no matter what, giving up is never an option. It still isn't now, and never will be.
As I write this I wonder, in a funny way I hope, that someone like me is reading this, someone who has a passion for something that they want to explore but don't have the courage, or have people in their world that don't quite 'get it', or they hide it under their bed or outside in a shed somewhere where no one would ever look. If this is a part of what you are as a person then you need to express it and damn what anyone else says!
That's why I smile at 992, because now that for the first time in, probably, my whole life I am being who I really am, my thoughts are acknowledged. Thank you all for that. Its a beautiful gift, but also humbling at the same time.
July 12, 2012
Movie Review: Brave
The plot summary from IMDb is:
Determined to make her own path in life, Princess Merida defies a custom that brings chaos to her kingdom. Granted one wish, Merida must rely on her bravery and her archery skills to undo a beastly curse.
I had wanted to see this movie anyways, but it was an added bonus to be able to take my father to see his first 3D movie since Epcot in the 80's. And I have to say, if you going to experience the 'new 3D' for the first time, cartoons are really the way to do it.
The overall scope of this movie is impressive. The visuals, not just the scenery but the attention to detail is impeccable. The tiny fine details are beautiful, creating an amazing visual experience as Pixar seemed to do incredibly well.
The mentioned Princess Merida has the most amazing head of red hair that I guarantee that you will leave the theatre wanting to do a drastic color change. And, she's a butt kicking princess. She's actually the sort of princess I've been waiting for Disney to turn out for years - they started a bit with Tangled, but truly hit the nail on the head in that regard with Merida.
The story really centers around Merida's relationship with her mother, and the expectations that are put on her as she grows up, and how the dynamic of that relationship needs to change and evolve.
The storyline is great, keeps you interested through the whole movie, and is really fun for the whole family. (Did I just say that? That's so cheesy, I'm sorry). All of the characters are great, including the three little brothers who are up to no good and never speak a word. The mother character, Queen Eleanor, did tug at my heart strings on a variety of levels.
I left this movie thinking about Scotland, and about the Scottish characters in my own work, and with how great Brave is constantly on my lips. If you are only going to take your kids to one movie this year, especially girls, Brave is it.
Determined to make her own path in life, Princess Merida defies a custom that brings chaos to her kingdom. Granted one wish, Merida must rely on her bravery and her archery skills to undo a beastly curse.
I had wanted to see this movie anyways, but it was an added bonus to be able to take my father to see his first 3D movie since Epcot in the 80's. And I have to say, if you going to experience the 'new 3D' for the first time, cartoons are really the way to do it.
The overall scope of this movie is impressive. The visuals, not just the scenery but the attention to detail is impeccable. The tiny fine details are beautiful, creating an amazing visual experience as Pixar seemed to do incredibly well.
The mentioned Princess Merida has the most amazing head of red hair that I guarantee that you will leave the theatre wanting to do a drastic color change. And, she's a butt kicking princess. She's actually the sort of princess I've been waiting for Disney to turn out for years - they started a bit with Tangled, but truly hit the nail on the head in that regard with Merida.
The story really centers around Merida's relationship with her mother, and the expectations that are put on her as she grows up, and how the dynamic of that relationship needs to change and evolve.
The storyline is great, keeps you interested through the whole movie, and is really fun for the whole family. (Did I just say that? That's so cheesy, I'm sorry). All of the characters are great, including the three little brothers who are up to no good and never speak a word. The mother character, Queen Eleanor, did tug at my heart strings on a variety of levels.
I left this movie thinking about Scotland, and about the Scottish characters in my own work, and with how great Brave is constantly on my lips. If you are only going to take your kids to one movie this year, especially girls, Brave is it.
July 7, 2012
Beauty in the Small Things, and a little about Brave
Hello readers!
I wanted to take a little bit of time to talk about the movie Brave. I'll do a full review soon, but I'm so excited to talk about it I thought I'd say something first.
I have to start by saying, thank goodness for Pixar! Its quite an amazing achievement. Its stunning to look at, the animation is beautiful and they've done a wonderful job of creating a fictional Scotland. It was awe inspiring.
And the characters were well developed - Princess Merida is the princess we've all been waiting for! She's a butt-kicking-arrow-shooting-while-riding-a-horse sort of girl, which is right up my alley, and just what I needed while working on my edits and rewrites for Book 2. I am always on the search for inspiring women and Pixar gave me a young woman that really gave me hope for cartoons. The Disney Princesses were starting to make me sad.
And having that visual of Scotland in my head is a beautiful thing, it makes me dream of beautiful Scottish landscapes and want to write something set in that magical land. There is so much beauty and rich history in Scotland I think it would be amazing to write about, and I've really felt that way since I read Susan Fraser King's book called Lady Macbeth, a must read for historical fiction fans I might add.
Also, happy past 900 views! I can't believe it! Thank you to all of you for reading, and for coming back! I appreciate all the support. I'll have lots more content for you soon!
I wanted to take a little bit of time to talk about the movie Brave. I'll do a full review soon, but I'm so excited to talk about it I thought I'd say something first.
I have to start by saying, thank goodness for Pixar! Its quite an amazing achievement. Its stunning to look at, the animation is beautiful and they've done a wonderful job of creating a fictional Scotland. It was awe inspiring.
And the characters were well developed - Princess Merida is the princess we've all been waiting for! She's a butt-kicking-arrow-shooting-while-riding-a-horse sort of girl, which is right up my alley, and just what I needed while working on my edits and rewrites for Book 2. I am always on the search for inspiring women and Pixar gave me a young woman that really gave me hope for cartoons. The Disney Princesses were starting to make me sad.
And having that visual of Scotland in my head is a beautiful thing, it makes me dream of beautiful Scottish landscapes and want to write something set in that magical land. There is so much beauty and rich history in Scotland I think it would be amazing to write about, and I've really felt that way since I read Susan Fraser King's book called Lady Macbeth, a must read for historical fiction fans I might add.
Also, happy past 900 views! I can't believe it! Thank you to all of you for reading, and for coming back! I appreciate all the support. I'll have lots more content for you soon!
June 5, 2012
Movie Review: Snow White and the Huntsman
Let me start by saying I have not been this excited to see a movie in a while.
I love the Snow White story, not just because of its connection to Countess Bathory, but because of how genuine it is. How you could take the general plot and put it in any time, any place, and it'll still work well and make sense.
This particular retelling was exceptional on a variety of levels.
Before I get into it, a bit about the plot from imdb: In a twist to the fairy tale, the Huntsman ordered to take Snow White into the woods to be killed winds up becoming her protector and mentor in a quest to vanquish the Evil Queen.
Ok, first off, visually this movie was stunning. Colleen Atwood, visionary costume designer behind Tim Burton's Alice in Wonderland, Memoirs of Geisha, Sleepy Hollow and many others, really outdid herself. Charlize Theron, who is already one of the most beautiful women in the world in my opinion, was transformed into the Evil Queen Raveena in the most stunning way by these gowns and crowns. The costumes only highlighted her performance, which was incredible and at times really scary!
Theron was really the highlight for me, but I have to mention Kristen Stewart and Chris Hemsworth as Snow White and the Hunstman. Both did incredibly well, and I thought Stewart would be overshadowed by the force that is Charlize Theron but she held her own, and it gave me a new respect for her as an actor.
The plot did not sway far from the Snow White story, with the exception of Snow White coming back in the end as a sort of warrior princess to defeat the Queen, and Stewart really delivered in that regard.
The visual effects were stunning, to the point where I wondered sometimes why the movie was not in 3D. It was a feast for the eyes in so many ways.
How do I feel about the movie overall? I thought it was great. Really well done on so many levels. The writing was nothing ground breaking but still good, and I think this movie could be enjoyed by lots of different people. (I went with an 8 year old boy and he seemed to enjoy it).
I love the Snow White story, not just because of its connection to Countess Bathory, but because of how genuine it is. How you could take the general plot and put it in any time, any place, and it'll still work well and make sense.
This particular retelling was exceptional on a variety of levels.
Before I get into it, a bit about the plot from imdb: In a twist to the fairy tale, the Huntsman ordered to take Snow White into the woods to be killed winds up becoming her protector and mentor in a quest to vanquish the Evil Queen.
Ok, first off, visually this movie was stunning. Colleen Atwood, visionary costume designer behind Tim Burton's Alice in Wonderland, Memoirs of Geisha, Sleepy Hollow and many others, really outdid herself. Charlize Theron, who is already one of the most beautiful women in the world in my opinion, was transformed into the Evil Queen Raveena in the most stunning way by these gowns and crowns. The costumes only highlighted her performance, which was incredible and at times really scary!
Theron was really the highlight for me, but I have to mention Kristen Stewart and Chris Hemsworth as Snow White and the Hunstman. Both did incredibly well, and I thought Stewart would be overshadowed by the force that is Charlize Theron but she held her own, and it gave me a new respect for her as an actor.
The plot did not sway far from the Snow White story, with the exception of Snow White coming back in the end as a sort of warrior princess to defeat the Queen, and Stewart really delivered in that regard.
The visual effects were stunning, to the point where I wondered sometimes why the movie was not in 3D. It was a feast for the eyes in so many ways.
How do I feel about the movie overall? I thought it was great. Really well done on so many levels. The writing was nothing ground breaking but still good, and I think this movie could be enjoyed by lots of different people. (I went with an 8 year old boy and he seemed to enjoy it).
May 24, 2012
Me and Abraham Lincoln
A few months ago, I finally gave in and bought a copy of Abraham Lincoln, Vampire Hunter.
I'd been hearing good things about this book since it first came out, and loved the premise behind Pride and Prejudice and Zombies, the first of the mash up genre and by the same author, Seth Grahame Smith, so I figured that it would be alright. It has vampires, and its a twist on alternate history, so I thought it would be right up my alley.
And I'm not writing this because its not, or because I hate it. I'm writing this because I've had to stop reading it. Because of recent events in my life, that book is just not something I can dedicate my time to right now. I"m a little over half way through the book and its started to get more violent and I can't stomach it.
So I guess for all the vampire loving uber violent folk it'll be right up your alley, but I can't give a real review of this book right now. Hopefully no one was waiting for my review, and I'm hoping I'll be able write a full review at some point, but for now I'll just give my initial impressions.
I don't know anything about Abraham Lincoln other then that he was a U.S President. I've seen images of him, the iconic ones of him in the big hat with the beard that most people are aware of. So I went into this book knowing little to nothing about the details of the subject matter.
Do I think that matters? No, not really. I don't think these sorts of books are written for people who don't know anything about the real story, and most of the reviews I'd read are from people who know Lincoln's story rather well.
What I will say is that the format that the author decided to write the book in, at some points, tended to drag. The concept behind how the book came to pass is very creative and well thought out, but because of the format it was slow at times and didn't always keep my interest.
And when I had to stop was where it started to get more violent, and I suppose where the book picked up. Its sad that it was the point that I had to put it down.
If you're in to these sorts of books, I suggest picking up The Secret Diary of Elizabeth Tudor, Vampire Slayer by Lucy Weston. The concept of the book and how it was put together was brilliant, and Ms Weston's is a character herself and following her online makes it that more interesting.
I'd been hearing good things about this book since it first came out, and loved the premise behind Pride and Prejudice and Zombies, the first of the mash up genre and by the same author, Seth Grahame Smith, so I figured that it would be alright. It has vampires, and its a twist on alternate history, so I thought it would be right up my alley.
And I'm not writing this because its not, or because I hate it. I'm writing this because I've had to stop reading it. Because of recent events in my life, that book is just not something I can dedicate my time to right now. I"m a little over half way through the book and its started to get more violent and I can't stomach it.
So I guess for all the vampire loving uber violent folk it'll be right up your alley, but I can't give a real review of this book right now. Hopefully no one was waiting for my review, and I'm hoping I'll be able write a full review at some point, but for now I'll just give my initial impressions.
I don't know anything about Abraham Lincoln other then that he was a U.S President. I've seen images of him, the iconic ones of him in the big hat with the beard that most people are aware of. So I went into this book knowing little to nothing about the details of the subject matter.
Do I think that matters? No, not really. I don't think these sorts of books are written for people who don't know anything about the real story, and most of the reviews I'd read are from people who know Lincoln's story rather well.
What I will say is that the format that the author decided to write the book in, at some points, tended to drag. The concept behind how the book came to pass is very creative and well thought out, but because of the format it was slow at times and didn't always keep my interest.
And when I had to stop was where it started to get more violent, and I suppose where the book picked up. Its sad that it was the point that I had to put it down.
If you're in to these sorts of books, I suggest picking up The Secret Diary of Elizabeth Tudor, Vampire Slayer by Lucy Weston. The concept of the book and how it was put together was brilliant, and Ms Weston's is a character herself and following her online makes it that more interesting.
May 20, 2012
Movie Review: Dark Shadows
It shouldn't come as a huge surprise that I'd want to see Dark Shadows.
Tim Burton and vampires? I'm in!
I walked into the movie having a slight idea what I was getting into, knowing a little bit about the soap opera from the 70's that the movie was based on.
So, let me give you the set up:
Dark Shadows centers around Barnabas Collins, a man who pissed off the wrong woman in the 17th century and was cursed to become a vampire and locked in a coffin for 200 years. In 1972 the coffin is discovered by accident and opened, and Collins returns to his ancestral home to find the world a very different place and his descendants in need of his help.
I thought this movie would be funny from the way it was advertised. The trailer spins this movie like its a comedy, and I can assure you that it is not. It is very much a drama, and does not have any of the camp that the original tv show had (it least that's how I remember the show).
The casting is good, Johnny Deep does well with what he's got and the amazing Eva Green really turns it out as the 'pissed off wrong woman', who is in fact a witch and the one who created the vampire curse.
Visually its an attractive movie, typical for Burton and will be appealing to his long term fans. The script was done by Seth Grahame Smith, the writer behind some of the most popular monster mash-ups Pride and Prejudice and Zombies and Abraham Lincoln, Vampire Hunter (which I am currently trying to read), and I found it a bit dull and dragged in some spots. I'm not sure if this was Smith's first movie script, but it needed some pizazz that just wasn't there.
Overall the movie itself is a bit dull and drags in some spots. The visual effects are really well done, and the 'big fight scene' between Depp and Green was amazing, but it was only one of several glowing parts of a movie that feels like its missing something.
So, all you Burton fans out there, you'll probably see it anyways, so let me know what you think. Everyone else, if you're interested in this as a drama, not a comedy, its worthwhile watching.
Tim Burton and vampires? I'm in!
I walked into the movie having a slight idea what I was getting into, knowing a little bit about the soap opera from the 70's that the movie was based on.
So, let me give you the set up:
Dark Shadows centers around Barnabas Collins, a man who pissed off the wrong woman in the 17th century and was cursed to become a vampire and locked in a coffin for 200 years. In 1972 the coffin is discovered by accident and opened, and Collins returns to his ancestral home to find the world a very different place and his descendants in need of his help.
I thought this movie would be funny from the way it was advertised. The trailer spins this movie like its a comedy, and I can assure you that it is not. It is very much a drama, and does not have any of the camp that the original tv show had (it least that's how I remember the show).
The casting is good, Johnny Deep does well with what he's got and the amazing Eva Green really turns it out as the 'pissed off wrong woman', who is in fact a witch and the one who created the vampire curse.
Visually its an attractive movie, typical for Burton and will be appealing to his long term fans. The script was done by Seth Grahame Smith, the writer behind some of the most popular monster mash-ups Pride and Prejudice and Zombies and Abraham Lincoln, Vampire Hunter (which I am currently trying to read), and I found it a bit dull and dragged in some spots. I'm not sure if this was Smith's first movie script, but it needed some pizazz that just wasn't there.
Overall the movie itself is a bit dull and drags in some spots. The visual effects are really well done, and the 'big fight scene' between Depp and Green was amazing, but it was only one of several glowing parts of a movie that feels like its missing something.
So, all you Burton fans out there, you'll probably see it anyways, so let me know what you think. Everyone else, if you're interested in this as a drama, not a comedy, its worthwhile watching.
