My Thoughts on Netflix's Cursed

I thought I’d share my thoughts and feels about season one of the Cursed Netflix show. In case you haven’t seen it, I’ve posted the trailer below:

I’ve seen a lot of hate for this show since its release a few weeks ago, and while I can understand the criticisms, I truly think people expected way more of this show than what was promised. Some people seem to think it should’ve been on the level of Game of Thrones or The Witcher, and that baffles me. So, just so we’re all on the same page, this show falls somewhere between The Swords of Shannara show and The Witcher. It’s not fantastic, but it’s not bad either.

Okay, now that I’ve said that, I’ll get into my own personal thoughts. First of all, there’s a lot of action. Which is cool. Swords are always a good thing in fantasy shows; however, sometimes this action was off put by the mediocre CGI. The fake blood sprays and CGI wolves were cringey. I did love the transition scenes, though. They were pretty.

My major complaint with Cursed is how it butchered the typical Arthurian story. Some parts were fine, like Merlin, Percival, and Lancelot’s journeys, but others, like Uther, Gawain, and Arthur mostly had me scratching my head at the writing choices. Uther is supposed to be Arthur’s father in the myth, so why is Arthur a cutthroat in this show? Morgana’s storyline had me conflicted. I liked some aspects, such as her romantic relationship and her dark origins, but the Igraine bit is confusing. Igraine is supposed to be Uther’s wife in the myth, so why is Morgana being called Igraine, supposedly her grandmother’s name? Does that mean Morgana and her brother, Arthur, are actually Pendragons in Cursed? Will they find out at some point? Like I said, head-scratching.

Moving on from the mythology, I will say that Nimue is an enjoyable main character once you get past the first couple of episodes. She makes many mistakes, but she’s consistent in her goal of saving her people, the Fey. The Fey are actually a really cool addition to this storyline. Sometimes it seems like Arthurian retellings skip over the fairy aspect of the myth, so it was interesting to see that twist, in addition to just have a retelling that focuses on a female character. Also, the sword of power (Excalibur? It’s never called that, so maybe it’s not actually Excalibur? But it probably is.) plotline is fun. Instead of focusing on Arthur finding the sword and freeing it from stone, this retelling focuses on its origins and its “curse.” A cool twist, in my opinion.

I did enjoy the ending to this first season. There was a cliffhanger, but it’s one that I hope really delves into the Lady of the Lake myth. Like the fairies, the Lady of the Lake is another element that rarely gets screen time. Instead, most television and film retellings focus on the male protagonists, Merlin and Arthur. I will mention, though, that there’s criticism going around about how there have been other, better female-centered stories written by female authors that could’ve been adapted instead of Cursed. I can’t say too much because I haven’t read Cursed or the other books, but I will mention that the author probably wrote Cursed as a partnership with Netflix, so it wasn’t a true adaptation; it seems like more of a “fleshing out of the screenplay to make a full-length book” situation.

Overall, it’s a fun show that takes many liberties with the myth. If you don’t take it too seriously, you’ll enjoy it for what it is.

My Thoughts on the How to Train Your Dragon 3 Trailer

I thought I’d share my thoughts and feels about the new How to Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World trailer. In case you haven’t seen it, I’ve posted it below.

GAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHH! I don’t think that properly expresses how excited I am for this movie. It’s been so long since the second film came out, and even longer since the first one. I just recently re-watched both films, and I gotta say, they kept to the feeling of those films with this new trailer.

Now, I’m super enthusiastic for pretty much everything that was shown on screen here, but we have to talk about the one thing that seems to be on everyone’s minds: the female dragon, aka Toothless’s new girlfriend. A lot of people were upset that she had curves to emphasize her femininity. After all, Meatlug and Stormfly don’t have curves, and they’re female dragons. 

Toothless and the fake, fan-made female dragon.

And, I can see where they’re coming from. It is kind of stupid, especially when, instead of making her all shiny and such, they could have used this awesome fan-made version. However, I’m also interested in seeing how her appearance works with the new world Hiccup and Astrid discover. Can she blend into her surroundings with her sparkly scales? Does her disappearing act have something to do with her whiteness? I’m very intrigued.

As for everything else, holy cow! That one shot (can it be called a shot if it’s not a live-action movie?) with Hiccup and Toothless walking through the flames was awesome! Same with Toothless being all lightning-powered! I’m iffy on the beard, though. I’m hoping Astrid made Hiccup shave, and that’s why it’s not in the rest of the trailer. Or, it can be an ending/epilogue beard.

Oh, and did anyone else feel like bawling in the beginning intro? God, I don’t know how I’m going to live my life without Toothless in it. He’s just so freakin’ adorable! As shown not only by the replay of the first film scene, but also how clueless he is with his mating dances. Those weird, bird-like mating dances. Poor Toothless.

What I am curious about, though, is why there’s no Snotlout, Ruffnut, Tuffnut, or Fishlegs in the trailer. They’re in the Netflix show, so why weren’t they in the trailer? And, for that matter, where’s Hiccup’s mom? Curious… I’m not sure how the villain is going to play into everything, but he doesn’t seem as evil as the second movie’s bad guy. Honestly, I was hoping a little for a female villain, but like I mentioned, everything about this trailer is still absolutely amazing!

I know I’m going to be sobbing at the end of this film. Especially because I’ve heard the finale is going to reflect the ending the books’ author had in mind for her series. I just want my poor babies to be safe! Dreamworks, you better not hurt them! March 2019 cannot get here soon enough. In fact, I’m just going to take a ten-month-long nap. Wake me up when it’s release day.

My Thoughts on The 100 Season Five Trailer

I thought I’d share my thoughts and feels about The 100 season five trailer. In case you haven’t seen it, I’ve posted it below. Please don’t watch it if you haven’t seen the previous seasons. There are lots of spoilers in the video.

First off, I’m wary about the time jump. I don’t like it when TV shows jump five or six years into the future. It just throws off the timeline of the story. There’s also a loss of some of the tension that was carried over from previous seasons. And, on the note of the time jump, I don’t think I like how Clarke has an adopted daughter in this season. It just feels off to me.

Now, moving past the time jump, I’m also a little sad that we’re seeing the dynamics of previous seasons being reversed here. The Skaikru have been merged with Trikru, but now a new set of space outsiders have come to take over, exactly like Skaikru originally set out to do. I just feel that this plotline is too similar to what’s already been done. Thus, it makes the storyline for the season seem dull.

However, I don’t want to pass too many judgments. There have been seasons the of The 100 that I’ve thought would mega suck, but they didn’t. Season two and three’s arcs had me very disappointed at first, but once I was watching, I was hooked. I’m hoping that’s how this season plays out as well.

As for the characters, I’m glad we get to see some new faces. It increases the pressure. I’m also super happy to see Octavia still kicking butt. Whoop! Whoop! I seriously hope she and Bellamy work out their squabbling. I just want them to be a family again, gosh darnit!

All in all, this was a super long trailer, and it showed some exciting scenes. However, I’m conserving any verdicts until I’ve watched the first episode of the season.

My Thoughts on The Crimes of Grindelwald Trailer

I thought I’d share my thoughts and feels about the newly released Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald trailer. In case you haven’t seen it, I’ve posted it below:

Oh gosh. I waited four days to watch this trailer, just because I thought I’d be disappointed. And, while there are some disappointing elements, I’m still super pumped about this film.

I guess I’ll start this off with the negative stuff. One, as most people have pointed out already, you can't apparate onto Hogwarts’ grounds, so that’s really weird. Two, Johnny Depp is undeserving of the Harry Potter franchise and should have been replaced immediately. And three, there will be no mention of Dumbledore’s sexuality or relationship with Grindelwald in this movie, and that’s just sad.

Okay. So, other than those three things, this trailer was everything I didn’t know I wanted in the Fantastic Beasts sequel. To be honest, I thought FB was just okay. It didn’t particularly wow me or have that nostalgic quality that the original HP films do. However, this trailer did manage to give me some of that nostalgia. Maybe it’s because Hogwarts and Dumbledore are actually in this one? And they used the original HP music?

Speaking of Dumbledore, it’s weird seeing him in regular-people clothes. Shouldn’t he be in robes? I’m a little confused about the costume design in this one. Why would Dumbledore be wearing a suit when in every headmaster picture in Hogwarts the witch or wizard has robes on? It’s not a super huge thing, but it’s a little baffling to me.

Anywho, I don’t know where the plot for this particular film is going, so it’ll be exciting to see what adventures Newt and co. get into this time around. I’m also interested in seeing Newt and his brother’s family drama play out.

All in all, this film is going to have its rough patches, but I’m definitely going to be watching it. It actually releases two weeks after I’ll be seeing Cursed Child on Broadway. So, yay for a month of awesome Harry Potter times!

Oh, and just a warning, be prepared for a lot of trailer thoughts over the next week. There have been some big ones that have just been revealed, and I want to talk about them all!

My Thoughts on The Death Cure Trailer

I thought I’d share my thoughts and feels on The Death Cure trailer. In case you haven’t seen it, I’ve posted it below. Just remember that this is the third movie in the franchise, so stay away from the video if you haven’t seen the other films, unless you just want to be spoiled.

Okay, so I feel like I’ve been waiting for this movie for a loooooooong time. Honestly, if I hadn’t written movie reviews for The Maze Runner back in 2014 and its sequel The Scorch Trials in 2015, I would have forgotten how much I thoroughly enjoyed these films.

Now, I’ve only read the first book, The Maze Runner, and I didn’t really like it. It was just an okay read. Maybe if I’d read it in sixth grade instead of college I would have loved it more, but I didn’t… HOWEVER, I feel like the films present a more “grown up” feeling. Yes, adults can read YA and watch kids’ movies (I do all the time), but these films present a perfect balance of complicated storyline and young, yet intelligent and thoughtful characters. The book versions didn’t quite have that thoughtfulness.

It’s been two years, but the actors still look relatively the same. I’m glad Dylan O’Brien, aka Thomas, is doing well after his on-set accident. I’m also glad that what looks like a majority of the main cast is back for this one. There’s only one person who is maybe missing…? Not sure.

I do think that with all the action-packed trailer scenes, what’s being left out is some info on what’s happened between the end of The Scorch Trials and the start of this film. Why are the characters stealing the cargo train thing? But I love the suspense with the idea that these kids can cure the world and, for some reason, they have to break back into the maze.

All in all, I think this trailer relied a lot on nostalgia from the first two films. Maybe it’s just me, but I missed these characters without even realizing it. And I hope Thomas and the gang make good decisions because I haven’t read the book. This means I don’t know what’s going to happen. I’m going in blind!

Upcoming and Desired Book to Movie and TV Adaptations

Let’s be honest, we book nerds love when our favorite books are made into television shows or even put on the big screen. Why? Well, not only do we get to see the world we invested so much time in come to life, but we also get to bring our fellow non-book nerds to the dark side. (Think Twilight, The Hunger Games, and Harry Potter. How many non-bookish people were converted because of those films?)

Thankfully, the entertainment-making gods have decided that this phenomenon of adapting books into visual form is an easy way to make a decent buck.

In just this year, we’ve got Everything, Everything; Before I Fall; Fifty Shades Darker; among many others. As for TV, the recently-ended Vampire Diaries has been a pretty big hit. And, of course, Game of Thrones is a worldwide phenomenon. (I’m currently obsessed with GoT, and I seriously need season seven to get here ASAP!) We won’t talk about some of the less successful shows. *cough* Shadowhunters and Delirium *cough*

Oh, and Kendare Blake recently released the news that Three Dark Crowns has a movie deal. The same has happened with Alexandra Bracken’s The Darkest Minds, Sophie Jordan’s Firelight, T.A. Barron’s Lost Years of Merlin series, Taherah’s Mafi’s Shatter Me, Pierce Brown’s Red Rising, Victoria Aveyard’s Red Queen (#TeamCalftw), Sarah J. Maas’s Throne of Glass, and Simon vs the Homo Sapiens Agenda. There’s still a ton more I’m forgetting right now.

However, even though there are quite a few adaptations being made, there’s always more author fodder out there. For example, The Chronicles of Prydain from Lloyd Alexander have great odds to be adapted into a movie or TV series.

Some books that I personally would love to see make it to the big screen include:

The Wrath and the Dawn by Renee Ahdieh

I think this one could be a huge hit. It’s a 1001 Arabian Nights retelling, so it’d be a little bit like Aladdin mixed with the attitude of Daenerys from Game of Thrones (minus the dragons, of course).

To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before by Jenny Han

This would be a cute contemporary movie as long as they didn’t make the sequel. I’m not sure if I’d go see it in theaters, but I’d definitely watch it on Netflix.

**

As for the small screen, I think these series would work:

Black Dagger Brotherhood by J.R. Ward

Ward has so many awesome, gritty and raw characters in this series. I would love if something like a cross between True Blood and Netflix’s Daredevil could happen to these characters. I’d love a movie version too, but there are just too many characters and plots for this to really do well as a film.

Alice in Zombieland by Gena Showalter

Heck yes! A TV show with teenagers fighting zombies that no one else can see all while taking on an evil, underground organization? I’m in. Plus, seeing Cole on the small screen wouldn’t hurt either. ;)

Obsidian OR White Hot Kiss by Jennifer L. Armentrout

Honestly, any of JLA’s books could be put on the small screen and I’d be ridiculously happy. I just love these two series more than her others. Although, I think Obsidian was optioned for a movie deal once upon a time, and Half-Blood was supposed to be a TV show. I hope that happens…

Avalon by Mindee Arnett

This would make a great Syfy TV show. It’d be a cross between Firefly and Dark Matter.

**

Alright, there you have it. Those are some of the books that I think would make great TV or film adaptations, along with some news about which books have already been put on the list of adaptations to come.

If you have any additions to make to either of these categories, let me know in the comments below!

*Note: This post was sponsored by Z5 Media.

My Thoughts on Mockingjay Part 2

I just finished watching Mockingjay Part 2, so I decided I should write my review. I usually don’t do write reviews right after I watch the film, which usually makes remembering details a lot harder. I should do this more often. We’ll see…

In case you haven’t seen the movie and/or read the book yet, I suggest leaving now. Please. This is for your own sanity. Spoilers are evil.

Mockingjay Part 2 (MP2) starts out right where Part 1 (MP1) left off. However, something’s changed a little with Katniss. She isn’t as “Woe is me,” as she was in the first part. Not to say she was always this way in MP1, I just noticed it a lot as I was watching. In MP2, Katniss sucks it up and starts moving. Or at least, moving more. I think it had to do with the reintroduction of Peeta to the storyline. This helped move the plot along. I know all of this happened in the book, as well, and I hated Katniss’ pity party as I was reading, too, but watching it happen was more painful. I guess because in a movie you expect things to go pretty fast. But, like I said, things picked up in this one.

Jennifer Lawrence did a better job playing Katniss in MP2 than in MP1. I don’t think JLaw was used to Katniss being so pity-party-esque, either, so her acting felt off to me in MP1. In this one, she’s less of a pawn and more of a knight. As for the other actors, Josh Hutcherson—who I love as an actor and a person—is simply not how I picture Peeta. I think I say this every time I review any of the HG movies, but it’s true. I picture someone broader and taller. Someone who can actually pick up heavy weights and throw them around. However, he’s a good actor and he plays his part—crazy mutt/lover—well. Liam Hemsworth did a good job at making me dislike Gale, despite his attractive appearance. I wanted to shake the trigger-happy attitude right out of him.

Oh, and how many people couldn’t separate the MP2 actresses from their Game of Thrones’ roles? I was able to with Cressida/Natalie Dormor, but Commander Lyme/Gwendoline Christie? I could only think of as Brienne of Tarth. It didn’t help that I could hear her accent coming through. I was still happy to see her make her very small appearance, nonetheless.

The other characters, like Haymitch, President Snow, Coin, etc. were about the same as they were in the other movies. I didn’t see a lot of growth or anything, but I was glad they were there, especially Effie.

Moving on to the pace of the movie, I must say that it went a lot faster than MP1 (I’ve already given my suspicions as to why this is). And while 95% of the movie followed the book to the letter, I still don’t like how every time something major happens, Katniss really has no direct role in it. For instance, the actual takedown of Snow. Katniss passes out and BAM! the rebels are in. After all of her friends’ and teammates’ deaths, the rebels just get the job done. It really makes her entire plotline in the Capitol seem pointless. Again, that’s more of a book issue than a movie issue.

The only other thing I can think to talk about is the special effects. The pods, traps, and bombs were all done really well. Nothing was overly BOOMed, if that makes sense. The mutts in the sewers? Those things were freakin’ freaky. I did not picture them so… zombie-like. I pictured the mutts from the first Games. Maybe I missed something in my previous read-through of Mockingjay, but I really don’t remember them being so humanoid. Does anyone else?

So I’ve voiced a few of my complaints, but I must say that this movie is a very good rendition of a good book. Mockingjay isn’t my favorite book of the trilogy (obviously), but MP2 was done very well. I didn’t think I’d get as emotional as I did throughout the movie, so kudos to you, filmmakers and cast, you made me tear up a little. And curse you, Buttercup. Your scene caused me so much mental anguish.

All in all, there’s no reason for you to not go and watch this great finale to a great franchise.

Quick Thoughts on The Maze Runner

I just finished The Maze Runner. You know, that book that’s by James Dashner? The one that has the movie coming out soon? With the hot cuteness that is Dylan O’Brien? Yeah. I read the book. And to tell you the truth, I think the movie is going to be ten times better than the book.

While the book did entertain me, it just took too long to get into. I felt like I had to wade through a bunch of blah to get to the good stuff. And then, once I got pretty far in, there were some cliffhanger chapters that had me wanting to flip to the next page in a speed that would make Superman jealous.

But I just wanted to say, that the movie definitely looks better. However, I encourage everyone to read the book, otherwise I feel like people will be totally lost on what the heck is going on in the weird land of the Glade.

And for your viewing enjoyment, here’s the trailer for the movie, starring my Teen Wolf boyfriend, Stiles Stilinski, err… I mean Dylan.

Vampire Academy Movie Review

Vampire Academy

Rose Hathaway is a Dhampir, half human/vampire, guardians of the Moroi, peaceful, mortal vampires living discretely within our world. Her legacy is to protect the Moroi from bloodthirsty, immortal Vampires, the Strigoi. This is her story.

My Review

So I was pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoyed this movie. I seriously thought that it was just going to be a Mean Girls repeat with more blood and fangs, but it wasn't like that at all. 

The publicity team for this film did a HORRENDOUS job. I think if they would have laid off trying to make fun of the movie's subject matter in the previews, that it would have gained a bigger audience for its release.

Zoey Deutch was not who I would have originally picked to be Rose. But, her character spin is such a kick-ass, wise-ass lead, that I actually enjoyed it. Plus, she was pretty hilarious, especially at the end with Dimitri. Hee... I actually really enjoyed the actors who played Lissa and Christian as well. Christian's was pretty yummy looking. Helllllooooo Dominic Sherwood. The only problem I had with Dimitri's actor was that I couldn't understand him about 1/4 of the time. My friend, who was with me when we saw the film, said that she understood him just fine, however.

There were some weird little shots that made me want to scratch my head, and the tone of the movie felt lighter than it should have, but all in all, I'd recommend this to any fan of the books. Trust me, it's not as bad as you may think its going to be. You actually might enjoy yourself.

4/5 stars