My Problem with Disney's Cinderella

Source: https://blogs.ancientfaith.com/roadsfromemmaus/2015/03/23/happily-ever-after-yes-really-movie-review-cinderella-2015/

I am going to preface this post by saying that I actually really liked Disney's new live-action remake of Cinderella. Although the story remained very much unchanged the costumes, music and acting made this film the wonder it is. Lily James played her role as the down-trodden yet kind Cinderella magnificently and Helena Bonham Carter yet again shone through her role as the Fairy God Mother and Narrator. My favourite actress of all in this was Cate Blanchett. While I may be biased as an Australian, her portrayal of the evil step-mother was done with such grace and subtlety. She was a vile woman, but you loved her for it. The music was one thing that really pulled this movie together. When Cinderella's mother died (not a spoiler, it happens in the first ten minutes) you really do feel for Cinderella even though you've only had a connection to her for less than ten minutes. This had to be owed to Patrick Doyle's moving score which, again, was a hero of this film. However, despite all this my gripe with this film has to do with the Prince (well portrayed by Richard Madden).

Source: http://www.comingsoon.net/movies/news/388635-ella-finds-her-prince-on-a-new-cinderella-poster#/slide/1

I will again preface this post by saying that this gripe with Cinderella's Prince extends to all versions of this text. My problem is the message the prince sends. To be perfectly honest, the prince is a bloody idiot. His whole plan on finding Cinderella relies on the fact that no one in the entire kingdom has the same shoe size as Cinderella. His plan is literally reliant on a glass slipper. Now the film does make somewhat of an effort to explain this by saying that the shoe is magical and will only fit Cinderella. That is all well and good for the audience to know but the prince doesn't! The Prince has no idea that the shoe is magical, in fact there is no evidence to even suggest that he even knows that magic exists. Even Cinderella had lost her belief in it until the eccentric Fairy God Mother appeared. Therefore the Prince is an idiot. There is no getting past the fact that the Prince's plan relied solely on Cinderella's shoe size being unique to her in the entire kingdom. The Prince had no idea that the shoe was magical and therefore only fitted Cinderella. The worse part comes when Cinderella, after seeing him try the shoe with everyone in the entire kingdom, decides to marry that man. What kind of message does that send? Not only is she marrying a complete fool, but she does so having only met him twice. Once was in the woods where she had only a few minutes with him and the second was at the actual ball. I'm starting to get an Anna and Hans (Frozen) vibe from this and we all know how that turned out. All I'm saying is that the Prince is an idiot and that Cinderella is an even bigger idiot for agreeing to marry him prematurely. That is my problem with Disney's 2015 live-action Cinderella.

This post is dedicated to my friend Malavika, you asked for one and here it is. See you all soon.

Highly Anticipated Films of 2014 (At the Movies with Daily Lukey)

Welcome back to another At the Movies with Daily Lukey post! We will continue our look through some of the highly anticipated films of 2014. Some of them may not seem as exciting as you might think but there is always something about them that makes the highly anticipated or else I would not add them in.

Dawn of the Planet of the Apes

This film is set fifteen years after the events of Rise of the Planet of the Apes (2011). This cult classic revamp continues the story of how ultra-intelligent simian Caesar presides over the fall of human civilisation. A growing nation of genetically evolved apes led by Caesar is threatened by a band of human survivors of the devastating virus unleashed a decade earlier. The reach a fragile peace, but it proves short-lived, as both sides are brought to the brink of a war that will determine who will emerge as Earth's dominant species.

Adapted from: http://www.movieinsider.com/m9411/dawn-of-the-planet-of-the-apes/

The Hobbit: There and Back Again

Source: http://www.watchinga.com/pages/the-hobbit-120013.html?stream=photos&view=title

While The Hobbit: Desolation of Smaug is still in theatres, fans are already looking forward to the conclusion of The Hobbit Trilogy which is based on the book of the same name by J.R.R. Tolkein. This prequel trilogy to The Lord of the Rings trilogy is set in Middle-earth 60 years before the events in The Lord of the Rings. This film concludes The Hobbit Trilogy.

Guardians of the Galaxy

Source: http://www.movieinsider.com/photos/97797/

Marvel has had great success in the past with it's comic-to-screen movies and so all eyes on this new movie Guardians of the Galaxy which is based on yet another Marvel comic book. The story features an unlikely cast of characters who must team up in order to defeat a cosmic force of epic proportions. An American pilot ends up in space in the middle of a universal conflict and goes on the run with futuristic ex-cons who have something everyone wants. This movie is expected in theaters in August.

Adapted from: http://www.movieinsider.com/m9398/guardians-of-the-galaxy/

22 Jump Street

This sequel to the surprisingly successful comedy 21 Jump Street sees Officers Schmidt (Jonah Hill) and Jenko (Channing Tatum) team up to go undercover at a local college. However, when Jenko meets a kindred spirit on the football team and Schmidt infiltrates the bohemian art major scene, they begin to question their partnership. *Fingers Crossed* the sequel does not ruin the original.

Adapted from: http://www.movieinsider.com/m10021/22-jump-street/

Divergent

Divergent is definitely a movie to look out for in 2014. It is based on the popular books by Veronica Roth and all fans are hoping that the movie performs well enough to turn the book sequels into movies. Divergent is an adventure set in a future world where people are divided into distinct factions based on their personalities. Tris Prior (played by Shailene Woodley) is warned she is Divergent and will never fit into any one group. When she discovers a conspiracy to destroy all Divergents, she must find out what makes being Divergent so dangerous before it is too late.

Adapted from: http://www.movieinsider.com/m8648/divergent/

Check back next week for more movies to look out for in 2014. See you tomorrow!

Highly Anticipated Films of 2014 (At the Movies with Daily Lukey)

Welcome to another new segment which is all about the movies. It is called "At the Movies with Daily Lukey" and will be a weekly post on a Thursday about anything movie related. Something I find myself doing from time to time is visiting the Village Cinemas' website and looking at the movies that are "coming soon". Today I went a little further for you all to find some of the most highly anticipated films of 2014. In no particular order, let us begin.

Transformers 4: Age of Extinction

Source: http://www.businessinsider.com.au/transformers-4-poster-dinobots-2013-9

Just when you thought that the franchise was over, a new movie appears. This one will not have Shia Lebouf in it and takes place after the conclusion of Transformers: Dark of the Moon. Autobots and Decepticons have all but vanished from the face of the planet. However, a group of powerful, ingenious businessmen and scientists attempt to learn from past Transformer incursions and push the boundaries of technology beyond what they can control - all while an ancient, powerful Transformer menace sets Earth in his crosshairs. The epic adventure and battle between good and evil, freedom and slavery ensues. The cast includes Mark Wahlberg, Nicola Peltz, Brenton Thwaites among many others.

Adapted From: http://www.movieinsider.com/m9598/transformers-4/

Captain America: The Winter Soldier

The highly-anticipated second-installment in the Captain America franchise takes place after the cataclysmic events in New York with The Avengers. The Winter Soldier finds Steve Rogers (Captain America) living quietly in Washington, D.C. and trying to adjust to the modern world. But when a S.H.I.E.L.D. colleague comes under attack, Steve becomes embroiled in a web of intrigue that threatens to put the world at risk. Joining forces with the Black Widow, Captain America struggles to expose the ever-widening conspiracy while fighting off professional assassins sent to silence him at every turn. When the full scope of the villainous plot is revealed, Captain America and the Black Widow enlist the help of a new ally, the Falcon. However, they soon find themselves up against an unexpected and formidable enemy - the Winter Soldier.

Adapted From: http://www.movieinsider.com/m8659/captain-america-2/

Maleficent

Maleficent, just like Wicked, is the untold story of Disney's most iconic villain from the 1959 classic Sleeping Beauty. A beautiful, pure-hearted young woman, Maleficant has an idyllic life growing up in a peaceable forest kingdom, until one day when an invading army threatens the harmony of the land. Maleficent rises to be the land's fiercest protector, but she ultimately suffers a ruthless betrayal that turns her pure heart to stone. Bent on revenge, Maleficent faces an epic battle with the invading king's successor and, as a result, places a curse upon his newborn infant Aurora. As the child grows, Maleficent realises that Aurora holds the key to peace in the kingdom - and perhaps to Maleficent's true happiness as well. This movie is set to be a big one with Angelina Jolie at the helm portraying the role of Maleficent.

Adapted From: http://www.movieinsider.com/m6876/maleficent/

Godzilla

The first remake of this iconic monster-movie for a while is set to draw a fear amount of attention when it is released. The film retells the origin of Godzilla in contemporary times as a "terrifying force of nature". The movie is also set to feature two new monsters alongside Godzilla and the plot is set to be more character-based than its predecessors. Godzilla is quite a risky movie venture and it will be interesting to see the iconic story set in modern times.

Adapted From: http://www.movieinsider.com/m7188/godzilla/

X-Men: Days of Future Past

The next installment in the seemingly unending X-Men franchise is set to be one of the big blockbusters of 2014. The story is partially set in an alternate future where surviving mutants have been penned in concentration camps, giant robots called Sentinels patrol America, and most of the X-Men have been hunted and killed. In the present day, the X-Men were forced to stop a key event from unfolding in order to keep that future from occurring. If the trailer is anything to go by (which sometimes it is not) then this next installment is set to be a great one.

Adapted From: http://www.movieinsider.com/m9168/x-men-days-of-future-past/

Come back next week for some more highly anticipated films of 2014. See you tomorrow!

Entertainment Wednesday: Frozen Review

Welcome to a new segment called Entertainment Wednesday. This segment is all about entertainment and content will range from reviews to discussions. Anything to do with entertainment is open for discussion in this segment. The first post in this new segment will be a review of the Disney animated film Frozen

Source: http://enmnetwork.com/disneys-frozen/

My Rating: 8/10

Trailer:



Synopsis: Walt Disney Animation Studios, the studio behind "Tangled" and "Wreck it Ralph", presents "Frozen", a stunning big-screen comedy adventure. Elsa (voiced by Idina Menzel) has a magical power to freeze things and create snow and icy creations. However, after she nearly kills her sister by accident she has to hide her powers from everyone including her sister, Anna (voiced by Kristen Bell), whose memory of Elsa's magic has been completely wiped from her mind to save her life. Her parents try to protect her but they die when their ship sinks and Elsa and Anna are left alone (see "Do You Want to Build a Snowman?" below). Elsa remains in control of her powers until her coronation ball where she accidentally lets some magic loose and shocks everyone. She then escapes to the mountains and creates an icy fortress for herself. In doing so, Elsa has unwittingly trapped the kingdom of Arandelle in an eternal Winter. Anna then sets off to find her sister and convince her to put an end to the winter. Along the way she receives help from an ice-seller named Kristoff (voiced by Jonathon Groff) and his trusty reindeer Sven. They also meet a snowman named Olaf (voiced by Josh Gad) who was brought to life through Elsa's magic. Together, this unlikely troupe must put an end to the eternal Winter, save Arandelle as well as Elsa.

Review: I went in to this film expecting nothing more than a Disney-animated "kid" film. However, I was surprised at the quality and the depth in story-telling that this movie presented. It had the right balance of heart, story and comedy which made for an enjoyable experience. It also had a wide repertoire of hard-hitting and catchy songs. The highlights being "Do You Want to Build a Snowman?" and "Let it Go" (a song being heralded as the new Defying Gravity and nominated for a Grammy for best original song). You can listen to both songs by scrolling down below. My favourite character would have to be Olaf, a snowman created by Elsa's magic who dreams of Summer and heat (blissfully unaware of what happens to snow under heat). He is also a big source of comedy and makes the movie so much more enjoyable. The story-telling is also very heart-felt and you do end up feeling for the character's of Elsa and Anna. If you are looking for a good movie to watch, this is one to seriously consider.

"Let it Go" sung by Idina Menzel as Elsa:



"Do You Want to Build a Snowman?" sung by Kristen Bell, Agatha Lee Mon and Katie Lopez as Anna (at various ages):




Frozen is one of Disney's best Christmas movies, see you tomorrow!

A Productive Day but a Short Post

Today was actually a really good day and despite going out with friends for most of the day I still got a lot done. Let us start at the beginning. I had to be at Footscray station by 10:30 to meet up with friends so I caught the 9:50 train from Werribee which was set to get me there with time to spare. However, as the train arrived at Newport they made everyone get off because the train was defective. This meant waiting a few minutes to get a replacement train so I only managed to get to Footscray just on time, if not a little late. After this we went to get Pho (vietnamese noodle soup) and I embarrassed myself with chopsticks, then spoons (yes, plural) before my amazing friend had enough entertainment and went to get me a fork. After this we rushed into Melbourne Central to see Catching Fire in Hoyts Xtreme Screen. Luckily we prebooked tickets so we had the best seats. After the movie we walked around a bit before going our separate ways. This is when I went christmas shopping and bought everything I needed for my family.

All in all, it was a great and productive day. See you tomorrow!

Villains

Where would our favourite shows or movies be without their villains? When you think about it, a lot is actually riding on how the audience feels towards the villain. A straight-cut bad person never makes for a good villain as they are too one-dimensional for the audience to connect with. A villain can be bad but they need to have one redeeming factor about them so that people can see the good that was once in them. This can make the job hard for some writers as they need to make a villain so that some people empathise with them while others are against them and still others are in the middle. Sometimes we do not even know who the real villain is until the final moments and that also makes for a great villain. Taking this into account I have made a list of some of my favourite Villains of all time. Oh yeah, it really has been a list weekend over the last three posts has it not?

1. Regina Mills/The Evil Queen from Once Upon a Time

Source: http://www.fanpop.com/clubs/villains/images/31394368/title/regina-mills-evil-queen-photo

Regina has been through a lot in her life. Before she was the evil queen she was just your ordinary girl in love with an overbearing mother who had different plans for her daughter. Through Once Upon a Time we see how and why Regina became the Evil Queen and her hatred for Snow White. We also see that there is still good in her and this is why the writers of Once Upon a Time should be commended for their work on creating such an in-depth and confusing villain.

2. The Tet from Oblivion (*SPOILER ALERT*)

Source: http://jaysanalysis.com/2013/04/26/oblivion-2013-esoteric-analysis/

*SPOILER ALERT* The following paragraph will contain spoilers regarding the ending of Oblivion so if you intend to watch the movie and have not yet then you might want to skip this bit and move on to number three. *SPOILER ALERT* Anyway, so the Tet is basically this big machine in the sky that, throughout the majority of the movie, we believe as Earth's final military base before everyone leaves Earth after a devastating war that destroyed the planet and its moon. It is not until the final minutes that we actually find out that the Tet is actually an alien space ship that goes from planet to planet taking all energy. It really is a great shock and the creators of Oblivion created such a hidden and unexpected villain that it is just marvelous. The Tet may be evil but it is still pretty awesome (and I do not use that word nearly enough).

3. "Big" Jim Rennie from Under the Dome

Source: http://www.smh.com.au/entertainment/box-seat/recap-no-place-like-dome-20130626-2owtq.html

Big Jim is a character that has his fans in a yo-yo. At one point we see a great person and feel some sympathy for him but then a second later he just morphs into a horrible human being. It really comes down to the writing of Stephen King and the other writers from the series. The actor himself, Dean Norris, is fantastic at portraying this character. As much as the character comes down to the writers the actor themselves also plays a big role in how the audience feels towards them. A single twitch in the face can reveal a lot about a character and it takes a skilled actor to pull something like this off.

I am sorry for all the lists this weekend if that has annoyed you, blame it all on Random Thought Friday which sort of spread throughout the whole weekend. Anyway, see you tomorrow!

You Know Something is Boring When...

So you know those movies or television shows you start to watch thinking they will be good and then ten minutes in you are bored as hell. Where did that phrase "bored as hell" actually come from anyway? So today I have compiled a list of things that I find I (and others) do when they are watching something and get bored. Sometimes you just have to sit through it though and fight through the boredom. Though if something is boring it probably means it is not that good so the best course of action is to stop watching it.

Source: http://omgtens.com/top-10-things-to-do-when-youre-bored-at-home/

Check Facebook every ten seconds. When I am bored I am constantly finding myself refreshing Facebook every ten seconds trying to find something to distract myself with. Sometimes I scroll through the same news feed ten times.

Play Candy Crush on your iPad/Phone. Okay, so this is something my Mum does a lot, personally I do not actually play Candy Crush (I used to but got out before I got addicted). In fact, Mum is actually on her iPad playing Candy Crush right now as we watch A Good Day to Die Hard. Yeah, it is a disappointing movie.

Write a blog post on your daily blog. Yeah, if this seems oddly specific it is because it is all about me. My boredom often equates to your reading. Imagine what I could have wasted hours of my life on over the past few months instead of writing for this blog. You got me, I am doing this right now.

Watch YouTube. That was actually something I was doing before I began writing this post. I was watching some old X-Factor performances on YouTube and the snippet of Lady Gaga's new song Venus set to be released with her new album Artpop.

Check Qooh.me or Ask.fm every two seconds to see if anyone has asked you a question. This way you will have something to distract you from the boredom that is your life at the moment. The amount of statuses I see of people asking others to ask them questions when they are "bored" is tremendous. Do not ask why I quoted that word in the previous sentence, even I do not know.

Read. One of the many things people do to avoid boredom is to read. I know a few people who do this a lot (myself included). Some people get more bored than others and so they read a book to keep themselves entertained.

Drawing is yet another of the major things that people do when they are bored. If you have a pen nearby and some paper your hands are going to be itching to do something. Drawing is going to be top of the agenda.

Remember, it is okay to be bored. Just be respectful of others when you are trying to fight your boredom. See you tomorrow!

Iconic Movies

We all have those movies that we never forget and that we watch year after year after year after year without regrets. I have compiled a list of these movies below that I watch repeatedly without regrets.

1. Love Actually

Source: http://www.israbox.com/2007/07/22/love_actually_ost_2003.html

Love actually  is such an iconic Christmas romantic-comedy movie. Filled with a star studded cast, a heart-touching story and hilarious scenes this movie is one my family shamelessly watches year after year. If you have not seen this British comedy, you really should because it is one of the best.

2. Pitch Perfect

Source: http://modsevprof.wordpress.com/2013/04/23/aw-yeah-djsdeaf-jews-the-dud-note-in-pitch-perfect/

This may be a recent film but within a week of receiving the DVD I had already watched it 3 times. Since then I have watched it a few more. It is one of those comedies you can come back to again and again and still not get bored with. I like it and so I put it on this list.

3. The Hunger Games

Source: http://www.superbwallpapers.com/movies/katniss-everdeen-the-hunger-games-12938/

Do not act surprised, you knew it was coming. I am talking about movies so of course this would come up. The Hunger Games is something I can watch over and over and over again. It is the dramatic representation of a world reeling from a dystopian world with a totalitarian dictator. Confused yet?

You guys should really check out all three of these movies, see you tomorrow!

Decisions, Decisions

You know how annoying it can be to make major decisions in a rush? Decisions like where to go, who to see and where to see Catching Fire are just impossible to make on limited time. The worst part is you can not stay silent and think about it first because then people just stare at each other in an awkward silence. Then this awkwardness just grows to an extent that by the time you have a decision it is too awkward to say anything and so the rest of the time is spent in silence. To avoid this you have to use filler words like "um", "er" or "uh" and after a while of doing this you just seem like a brain-dead idiot. It is just so hard to make decisions on the spot guys, do not put me under such pressure!

Source: http://9gag.com/gag/6866225

So think before you ask me these major decisions. How am I supposed to remember what my favourite movie is so that I can answer immediately after you ask? It just makes me look like an idiot when I go "Hunger Games... no! Catching Fire.... no! Hunger Games" and it gets worse once people realise that Catching Fire has not being released yet and they realise I am presuming this. When you ask me where I want to go do not expect a straight answer. Of the trillions of locations within our world how am I supposed to know where I want to go at that exact moment. Unless I need to go to the toilet really badly I will have no idea. Even then, when someone asks where you want to go "Toilet" is in no way a valid answer. It just leads to an awkward silence and a hasty change of subject. How should I know what I want from the store? I have literally milliseconds to come up with something and then I say something stupid that I will never need like tampons or a life. I mean, come on guys. If you ask me hastily you are going to get a hasty response. Now questions like what do you want to be when you are older, what are you going to study in VCE, do you want to be resuscitated should the need arise are ones that do not require as much thought. Just remember that where I want to watch Catching Fire is going to be a major decision and turning point in my life so do not expect me to answer you immediately, I need time.

So next time you ask any of these important questions, do not expect a responsible answer. See you tomorrow!

Gravity Review

Source: http://www.space.com/22603-gravity-movie-venice-film-festival.html

My Rating: 9/10

Trailer:


Synopsis (Click here for Source):
Gravity, directed by Oscar nominee Alfonso Cuaron, stars Oscar winners Sandra Bullock and George Clooney in a heart-pounding thriller that pulls you into the infinite and unforgiving realm of deep space. Bullock plays Dr Ryan Stone, a brilliant medical engineer on her first shuttle mission, with veteran astronaut Matt Kowalsky (Clooney). But on a seemingly routine spacewalk, disaster strikes. The shuttle is destroyed, leaving stone and Kowalsky completely alone.

My Review:
Wow, just wow. Gravity is a visually stunning and incredibly realistic masterpiece by director Alfonso Cuaron. It leaves you hooked from beginning to end with little rest in between. You will have your heart in your throat for the majority of the film and what happens in the movie will leave you breathless. Even the camera work adds another layer of depth to the film as you sometimes have a third person perspective and then you come twisting around to one of the characters' perspectives and are given a whole new level of immersion. I saw it in 2D and this had no impact on how I experienced the film. The acting is another thing, it would be really interesting to see how they actually filmed it. The back stories of the characters add yet another layer to a film and these are subtly dropped in every now and then to break up certain parts of the movie. The starting lines (shown in the trailer as well as the beginning of the movie) where it says "Life in Space is Impossible" is something you are constantly reminded of and thinking about throughout the course of the film.

Gravity really is a must-see thriller that will have you hooked from the silence at the beginning to the credits at the end. See you tomorrow!

Disappointing Sequels

You know how people say too much of a good thing is a bad thing? Well, this is proven exceptionally well in several of the movies coming out of Hollywood. Sometimes movie makers strike gold with their creations and other times they are just misses. Movie making is really a gamble in many ways and whether a movie will be a success or not is hard to tell with even the most anticipated movies being disappointments. However, when these hits are made producers want to make as much money as they possibly can before the buzz dies down and it becomes a classic sitting in the corner gathering dust.

Source: http://www.popmatters.com/column/126567-sequels-we-were-denied/

What is one of the most lucrative ways of milking a movie franchise for all it is worth? Sequels of course. These sequels can often turn a good series bad and leave a bad lasting memory. There are many instances of this occurring throughout history (yes, I am getting deep here. Prepare your mind) where a movie's sequel has ruined the franchise entirely. Today I went to see Grown Ups 2 and was very disappointed. The first movie was great and so I went to this one with the same expectations. Sure, there were funny moments but that was all and it seemed like they just wanted to put in random gags and it was cohesive. It just came together messily and I really wanted my time back. Other disappointments include Spider Man 3 which is widely considered as a disappointing ending to the trilogy. The latest installment of the Die Hard franchise was also a kick-in-the-face to Die Hard fans across the world. It just goes to show that some good things just need to be laid to rest after they have had their time.

Don't let too much of a good thing ruin your good thing, see you tomorrow!

Year 10 Formal

So last night, as you may well know if you read last night's scheduled post (I know, I was organised for once. Hooray!), was my Year 10 Formal. To put it simply, it was AWESOME! There was so much work that went into it and it all payed off in the end as everyone I spoke to had a great time. Even one of my friends who is always a bit on the Mr Negativity side of things and came to the night thinking it was a waste of time came up to me and said that he was wrong and this is fantastic. I guess fantastic really does describe it as the atmosphere itself was just fantastic. It was held at Waterfront Venus Docklands in Melbourne and it had the best view over the harbour and over past Etihad Stadium. It was wonderful and I would really like to thank the venue staff for making the night so memorable.

Source: http://thecontrolleronline.com/2012/10/007-legends-review/

As you may have worked out from the picture the theme was James Bond. This was more in the way of decorations rather than actual dress theme which made it even better as everyone looked different. There was a lot of work also that went into the night which included Year 10 class captain meetings and surveys to ensure we could cater to as wide an audience as possible. In the end we had 167 (out of 200) Year 10 Students come plus around ten or so teachers. There was also a free photo booth (photos printed on the spot and put on Facebook for free), a roaming photographer (photos free and on Facebook) and a set photo point with a backdrop with prints costing $10 but it was all worth it. People really got into the night and came dressed to impress and some people were very hard to recognise because they looked so different in such a good way. I was lucky enough to arrive early to help set up so I could see the sunset over the harbour as I was placing seating arrangements. We were expecting people to come a bit later than 7pm but at around ten to there was already a large crowd waiting outside to come in but they were not allowed until 7pm. However, many of us had already been there since 6pm setting up so we were all ready and basically we were waiting on both sides of the door. It was such a great opportunity and something to be a part of. We danced (by dancing I mean jumped up and down with the beat and everybody else), socialised, ate, drunk, took plenty of pictures and had a damn good time. When it was time to leave I just did not want to go.

This formal was definitely something I will remember for years to come, see you tomorrow!

The Way Way Back

So tonight I attended the screening of The Way Way Back (see below for trailer) which is such a good movie. Before I go on I would just like to thank Mix 101.1 for allowing me this opportunity and for selecting my entry as one of the winners of the competition. I attended the screening at Hoyts Melbourne Central which are great (large) cinemas. The Way Way Back stars Steve Carell, Toni Collette and Allison Jenney among others. It's a great story of a shy 14-year-old Duncan who goes on Summer vacation with is mother, her overbearing boyfriend, and her boyfriend's daughter. Duncan has a hard time fitting in but finds an unexpected friend in Owen, the manager of the local Water Park. Along the way he also meets a girl and grows in confidence. It is a touching and relatable story and is not superficial at all. I really recommend you see it and give it a 4/5 which is a very good score. Even my 17 year-old brother enjoyed it.

I believe all the actors played their role very role. If you are not thinking of going as you believe it will be an all-comedy movie with a very superficial story line I tell you to disregard your prior knowledge. It may have actors like Steve Carell but it is still a touching and relatable story that will leave you hooked until the end. Toni Collette plays the role of Duncan's mother very well and portrays the emotions the character is going through very well. It really is one of those movies you have to go see as it has both comedy and drama which complement each other. Liam James also plays the role of Duncan exceptionally well and really does remind me of someone very awkward. Duncan is still trying to find his way around the social world and does have some elements of a socially awkward teenager. However, when he gets a job at the local Water Park his confidence increases tremendously and he you see a definite change in his persona from the beginning. In short, which I am sure I have actually said a lot above, The Way Way Back is a success that I highly recommend you go and see.

Image Source: 

http://www.digitalspy.com.au/movies/news/a493373/the-way-way-back-sam-rockwell-steve-carell-in-new-poster.html

Thanks again to Mix 101.1 for the opportunity, see you tomorrow!

Way Too Much Information!

We all know someone who over shares everything. We may not always know them in person but we may know them via the internet through sites like Facebook, Twitter and YouTube. Sometimes this over-sharing can be annoying while sometimes it can just be plain interesting (for those of us who are sticky beaks). Don't try to deny it, you can hang on the words of an over-sharer. Sometimes we can even go through phases where we share so much and we look back at it later and think "Why did I post that?" Over-sharing can be unhealthy but it can also be a good thing as it can help people get to know you as well as see signs of potentially dangerous or antisocial behaviour. An over-sharer can either be their worst enemy or their greatest companion.

Image Source: http://performancing.com/oversharing-vs-undersharing-in-social-media/

Sometimes you just go on Facebook and want to shout at an over-sharer because you see a post you either a) have no idea what it means, or b) was so stupid you wish you had no idea what it means. Sometimes I get so frustrated I have to just quickly scroll or exit the tab so as not to act rashly. However, some people make a living out of over-sharing. Video bloggers (vloggers) on YouTube make a lot of money as their channels grow in popularity. They basically carry a camera around with them all day and record the more interesting parts of the day. Personally, I enjoy watching it but I would never be able to do it myself as I need my privacy people. Please, do not get in the way of me and my privacy time. I just could not do that as I would feel it is invading my privacy as well as the privacy of those who are with me. I do not want my life put up on YouTube for everyone to see and I am pretty sure none of my friends do either. Then you have the people you meet at parties or school who, before you even tell them your name, have given you a 'brief' run-down of their lives from conception (yes conception, not birth) to where they are at the present. Sometimes all I wanted to say was hello or just be polite. Also, it is not as if I am suddenly going to spill the beans on every little secret in my life (and I have a few) just because someone else did, that is not how I roll. How I roll? Did I seriously just type that? Anyway, as always I love to hear from you guys and ALWAYS reply to your messages which you can send via the contact form to the right or by commenting on this post.

Also, tomorrow I won two double passes (through Mix 101.1 [thank you so much to them by the way]) to the screening of The Way Way Back with Toni Collette and Steve Carell. It comes out August 1st and so tomorrow, after the screening, I will be posting my review of it. It looks really good and I thank Mix 101.1 for actually picking my entry to win. All I had to do was (in 50 words or less) say what my favourite holiday experience was and why. I did not expect to win it and only entered because I was bored. I was very surprised to receive the tickets in the mail yesterday but I guess now you guys get the low-down (wow, again with the weird words) on this awesome new movie.

You will never get anything or go anywhere if you do not even try, see you tomorrow!

The Hunger Games: Catching Fire

Can I just warn you guys that today's post is not going to be one of my sane-r ones (yeah, I made up that word, that's where we are at the moment). If you did not know the theatrical trailer for The Hunger Games: Catching Fire was released at San Diego Comic-Con yesterday (well, for us Australians it was really early this morning) and before I go on you guys just have to watch it. If the videos are not working for you, just click the hyperlink on "THE HUNGER GAMES: CATCHING FIRE" above.


I am actually pretty proud of myself that I worked out how to use this embed thing so I could legally post this video. Anyway, if you have not already just click play and you will not be disappointed. This trailer shows us a preview of all the good parts in the book we really wanted to see in the movie. You will even get to see Katniss' Wedding dress and it turning into the Mockingjay. In true Capitol Style everything is extravagant and over-the-top while the District 12 Victor's Village is portrayed as a place of sadness and emptiness which is basically what the place is as The Games do change you. Hopefully new Director Francis Lawrence creates something different to the previous movie which disappointed fans world-wide (myself not included). If this trailer is anything to go on then it should be a whole lot better. In this movie we get to see more of the Capitol and the other Districts which should provide for more interesting scenes and chances for the creative team to really "show-off" their skills and creative minds. I know it says the 22nd of November as the release date but as movies come out in Australia on a Thursday (compared to Fridays for America) we will be able to see it in our theatres on November 21st. The anticipation is really getting to me as there is only just over 120 days left. I do warn you though that as the date comes closer you may get sick of me going on about Catching Fire but after all the teaser posters and the teaser trailer I think this movie is going to be great. If you have watched the above trailer (which I am sure you have) then why not check out the earlier teaser trailer that was released in April of this year which includes some more scenes but, as teaser trailers generally do, does not give much away.




May the odds be ever in your favour, see you tomorrow!

Worst Cinema Experience

So yesterday, Sunday 17th of May, I went to the cinemas with my Mother to watch Despicable Me 2 which, by the way, is a fantastic and hilarious movie. Our experience at the cinema was certainly not the normal one you would expect and was certainly the worst I have ever encountered. It really made me feel sorry for some of the children who were there waiting to watch the film. Check the next paragraph for the full story. I have since sent in a complaint on behalf of my mother and I to Village Cinemas and have received a reply that they have being in contact with the Werribee Branch which are investigating further. A copy of my complaint can also be found below. So, let's get started!

Image Source: http://zonters.com/despicable-me-2-animation-movie-2013-hd-wallpapers-download-free/

So we arrived at the cinemas early to buy our tickets because we knew it would be busy since it was the preview screenings before the official release date of the 20th of June. Since we were early we went shopping while waiting for the session to begin. We came back and were in our seats in the cinema by 1:25 pm and the movie was not set to begin until 1:30. At 1:35 there was still no movie playing but we just put it down to the operators waiting for more people (the session was sold-out). At 1:40 we were beginning to wonder what was happening but then the cinema went dark and the screen started playing. But then it stopped and the lights went back on. About 5 minutes later a cinema employee comes in to tell us the projector is broken but the technician is there to fix it. "It should not be longer than 5 to 10 more minutes." 10 minutes later the movie finally starts playing (they skipped the advertisements at the start, thank God) but this time it is in 3D. So yes, some idiot in the projector room put the 3D version in instead of the 2D version. Luckily they stopped it quickly and spent another few minutes setting up the 2D version. Finally, the lights go down and the 2D version begins playing. Great, it's all over. BUT wait! Now the 2D version has no sound. But do they stop playing it? No, why would they do that? They left it running for 10 minutes before finally stopping to fix it. The poor cinema employee had to come in again and tell us that they were fixing it and that his manager had said that if anyone wanted to leave, they would be able to get a refund. A few parents actually did leave then, dragging sad children behind them. Finally at 2:20 (50 minutes after the movie was meant to start) we actually get to watch Despicable Me 2. The worst, and most horrible, thing that happened was that the manager not once came in and instead left a poor cinema worker, who appeared to be a student, face all the irate customers. Luckily there were kids there or things could have got a whole lot worse. It was horrible how the manager made the poor employee do that and never once were we offered any compensation except if we left. It is really good to see Village Cinemas Werribee get into the "Despicable" theme of the movie. I then left a complaint on their website when I got home as we were not going to wait in the long line just to complain to the manager at the end of the movie. A copy of the complaint I left can be found in the next paragraph.

Image Source: https://www.facebook.com/villagecinemas

Here is my complaint to Village Cinemas (there was a word limit on the online form):

Today I attended the 1:30 session of Despicable Me 2 at Werribee Cinemas with my mother and it was one disaster after another. First, they could not get the projector to work and brought in a technician. Finally they got it working but played the 3D movie instead which was then replaced with the 2D version without sound for 10 minutes. They finally did stop it and fixed it and the movie finally began 50 minutes after it was supposed to. Throughout this we had one poor cinema worker who appeared to be a student having to explain everything that was going on and having to put up with irate customers. It was horrible and the manager never once showed their face, instead the poor worker acted as the messenger. We were only offered a refund if we left. When the movie was over we were not offered any compensation and feel very disappointed. It seems you really got into the "despicable" theme.

So overall, not my best experience with Village Cinemas who are usually very good at what they do.

Image Source: http://www.mcdhappymealtoys.com/2013/05/despicable-me-2.html

In other unrelated, yet very exciting, news I was successful in my application to the Kokoda Leadership Program which I blogged about in April. The program called the "Leaders of the Future" is run by the Wyndham Police and this is the first year they have done this sort of thing in the Wyndham area. From my school it was another girl in Year 10 and I who were chosen to participate in the program (a total of 18 students are participating from the Wyndham area). As well as the Kokoda Expedition which will take place in April next year (concluding with the dawn service for ANZAC day in Papua New Guinea) members of the program will also engage with the other participants in structured community engagement initiatives, which includes fundraising and research projects. Of course, there will also be a lot of training involved to be able to cope with such a physically and mentally demanding challenge. I know I will come out of the program a better person and am very excited. Such a good way to lift my spirits after the events I just discussed above.

Don't forget the students of today are the leaders of tomorrow, see you then!

Fanfiction

Continuing on with the theme of writing I just want to point out fan fiction to you. Fan fiction is a story (often about well-known people like celebrities, books, movies or television shows) that is written by fans [just in case you did not get that from the prefix]. Some of them are really well-written and very descriptive. They can often give you an insight into someone else's interpretation of a book and may even shed light on something subtle you may have missed. Sometimes it even continues the story the way fans want it to. The best part about it is that these people who write it are doing it for free and so are writing what they are passionate about. It really is amazing.

Image Source: http://www.insomniverse.net/csifanfiction.html

Sometimes when I'm bored I might just Google Hunger Games fan fiction or something similar and thousands of results pop up. There are whole sites like http://www.fanfiction.net/ which are full of millions (literally millions) of stories written by fans. Sometimes they can continue a story you may have really loved. Sometimes they are good and sometimes they are really bad. Fan fiction is just one of many ways for people to get their writing out there and some of it is publishing quality. The best part about it, as I already said, is that these people are writing it purely because they want to and are passionate about it. It really brings out the true creativity of a person because it isn't a chore and they can stop whenever they want because it is their writing, their rules and what they want. Some people do not like writing blogs and so turn to the casual writing of fan fiction.

Image Source: 

http://www.fanpop.com/clubs/random/articles/200526/title/harry-potter-hunger-games-fanfiction-d

In the world of fan fiction anything goes. There are no publishers or editors telling you to change anything. It is purely what you want when you want it. It also allows people to express themselves in writing and enjoy writing stories about their favourite book characters. Stories like this would never otherwise be published because it would be copyright on the original author of the source series. Some fan fictions out-shine their original counterparts and can even create a mix of two different series others would not think of. A great example of this is "The Potter Games" (as pictured above) which is a mix of Harry Potter and  The Hunger Games. There is actually a site called The Potter Games (I'm not sure if it is the same thing as pictured above) where you read a paragraph and at the bottom there are choices you make and each choice continues on to a different story line so it is like one of those choose-your-own-adventure books. That is one of the advantages of the online world, you can easily do this just by creating a hyperlink to a new page. It is also one of the reasons I love fan fiction. If you have not ever read any fan fiction then I really recommend you should because they are fantastic!

Image Source: http://www.outpost-daria.com/fan_fiction.html

May the odds be ever in your favour, see you tomorrow!

Catching Fire and Clumsiness

So the official Teaser Trailer for Catching Fire was literally released just hours ago (well, 10 hours is still hours) and it is awesome! Click anywhere on this paragraph to watch it. It is really cool and I can't wait for more footage to come out. I love what Effie is wearing to President Snow's Banquet, it is just so Capitol Chic. I really love the trailer and cannot wait to see the movie. So go check it out!!

Also, I am sorry for not posting yesterday but those of you following me on Twitter would have seen I had technical issues and so was unable to post. You really should follow me on Twitter because I post a link to my blog post for every new one that comes out. Anyway, so because of these issues I missed out on yesterdays and I plan tomorrow to do two, one in the morning (which will show up as today) and then one at the normal time (probably a little earlier). That will make up for it I hope, feel better now Xavier?

Well, my family is very clumsy and what my dad did today epitomised this. While putting something out for my grandmother he comes back in and walks straight into the glass sliding door thinking it was open. It was like that robber who tried to escape but smashed through the window thinking it was the door. My dad does this a lot and so it was no rare occurrence but it was still hilarious, just thought you should know.

May the odds be ever in your favour, goodbye!

Oblivion Review

My Rating: 9/10

Synopsis (Click here for source): 
Tom Cruise starts in Oblivion, an original and groundbreaking cinematic event from the director of TRON: Legacy and the producer of Rise of the Planet of the Apes. On a spectacular future Earth that has evolved beyond recognition, one man's confrontation with the past will lead him on a journey of redemption and discovery as he battles to save mankind.

Jack Harper (Tom Cruise) is one of the last few drone repairmen stationed on Earth. Part of a massive operation to extract vital resources after decades of war with a terrifying threat known as the Scavs. Jack's mission is nearly complete.

Living in and patrolling the breathtaking skies from thousands of feet above, his soaring existence is brought crashing down when he rescues a beautiful stranger from a downed spacecraft. Her arrival triggers a chain of events that forces him to question everything he knows and puts the fate of humanity in his hands.

My Review:
Oblivion is a huge success and is one of the best action/sci-fi movies out to-date. The action in the movie is not in your face and the suspense just keeps you glued to the screen waiting to see what happens. An exemplary writing skill is shown in this movie as you are left questioning right to the very end and the writers make you believe something at the start and then they show that everything is not quite as it seems. It is a cinematic success and the dystopian landscapes with constant hints to well-known Earth landmarks, such as the Empire State Building and the Golden Gate Bridge, add another layer to an already multi-faceted movie experience.

The acting of Tom Cruise (as Jack Harper), Morgan Freeman (as Malcolm Beech, one of the 'rebels'), Olga Kurylenko (as the stranger from Jack's past, a past he has no memory of) and Andrea Riseborough (as Victoria, Jack's partner [in work and bed]) is exceptional and adds yet another layer to the movie. The characters at the start seem entirely different to what they do at the end and this is partly due to the acting because no matter how good a script, if you don't have good actors playing the parts then the story is just unbelievable.

So that is another thing that provides this movie with some intrigue, it is believable. Despite the sci-fi aspect it is still a realistic futuristic Earth, ravaged by war of the greatest scale ever witnessed, that can be related to because of the use of famous landmarks such as the Empire State Building and the Golden Gate Bridge and they explain how the Earth got to how it did.

Overall it is a great movie which is why I gave it 9/10. I am not usually a fan of action movies but there isn't a lot of in-your-face action like Batman, or Iron Man, or any movie really where the last three letters are M-A-N. I really recommend this for teenagers and older (do not take your kids) and even my grandmother loved it and she doesn't like action movies, or sci-fi for that matter. So I urge you to watch this movie.

In other news: Today I had an award ceremony for the Fellowship of Australian Writers because I had submitted a selection of 10 writing pieces to a competition and my work got Highly-Commended (the one under Won) and there were only 4 people (out of hundreds) who actually got any recognition for their work. (1 person got Commended, 2 got Highly Commended and 1 won). Plus, this was an Australian-wide competition so it is really cool that I won.

Also, check out my friend Xavier's Awesome blogs! They are great because Xavier has just a natural sense of humour so you'll definitely enjoy them! Check them out here: Daily Xavier (wonder where the idea of that name came from [he made his after I showed him mine by the way]) and Xavier's Thoughts on Current Affairs

May the odds be ever in your favour, see you tomorrow!

Innovation and The Croods

So today I went to Highpoint Shopping Centre to go see The Croods with my Mum. I don't care that it is a Kids movie, we wanted to see it. So the first thing I wanted to talk about was the new innovative Parking spaces at Highpoint, in the new car park near the entrance closest to Hoyts Cinemas. It is cool because there are sensors above each car spot so they can tell if there is a car in there or not. This is good as there are signs at the end of each row that say how many available car spaces there are in that row and there are also signs showing how many available car spaces there are on each level. This is great as it saves time going up and down each aisle looking for a car space. There are also little lights above each car space which are green (If available) or red (If full) so you can see immediately down the aisle which of the spaces are free. I loved it because it saved my Mum stressing about finding a car space (yeah, my Mum gets really angry when she stresses and you better not be in her firing line) and it cut down a lot of the searching time. On the other side it also means that they know as soon as you stay over the parking limit. I saw one car who had their tyres clamped and it would have been interesting to see when the person saw what happened to their car. Here is a photo of what the signs look like (not taken by me).

Now, to the movie. The Croods is actually a really funny movie with a great story line  It isn't like one of those token kids movies with a weak story line and horrible animations. I'm just saying that Adventures in Zambezia seems like a movie I wouldn't want to see even if I was 5 years old. Anyway, The Croods is about a family of Cavemen who live by the rule that anything new is bad and curiosity kills and when the cave they live in gets destroyed they go on a journey, guided by Guy (his name) and his Belt (some sort of animal with a sense of humour and timing), to get to safety as the World is ending (cue dramatic sounds). Along the way they form closer bonds and discover many new things (such as fire, a snapshot and pets). It is very funny and I really enjoyed it and the good thing was that there were many different age groups in the cinemas and everyone was laughing and came out with a smile. Plus, we watched it in 2D so it can only be better in 3D. So I really recommend this movie and you really should see it.

May the odds be ever in your favour, see you tomorrow.