Upside Down: Movie Review

I recently had the pleasure of watching this movie, and I have to say, I was pleasantly surprised. The film boils down to two things: a forbidden love story and some truly breathtaking visuals. Also, the premise of Upside Down is fresh and original, and it's unlike anything I've ever seen before. 

The film begins with Adam telling the story of his planet, unique from others in that it is the only one that has dual gravity. Two planets exist next to each other. He meets someone from the world above his own at a young age, and for several years, they continue to meet at the same place, at the top of a mountain. Adam and Eden soon develop a strong love for each other, but like in all movies, complications arise. After a tragic event that separates them, Adam spends the rest of the movie trying to get back to her. 

You really do need to see this on Blu-ray to fully experience this movie in all of its visual splendor. There were many parts where I was completely amazed by the lighting and the environments of the movie, and I am disappointed that it didn't get the attention it deserved. This really is an amazing film, both in its visuals and the overall premise.This has easily become one of my favorite movies. It certainly is different, but once you realize that, you will lose yourself in the worlds that are created here. 

But what did you think of Upside Down? Did you like it? Did you hate it? And wherever you are, I hope you're having a great day. :)

My Idea for a Spiderman Movie

I highly doubt Sony Pictures would even consider this, because of their tendency to only release Spiderman movies that appeal to everyone, but what about an R-rated Spiderman film, with Carnage as the villain? With me so far? Okay. Let me explain: 

In my honest opinion, I believe that the next Spiderman movie in a series should completely discard the origin story. We've already seen it done two times so far in cinemas, so people basically know what to expect by now. It may not be as well known as, say, Batman's origin, but I would like to see Hollywood try something new with the character; something radical and completely risky. 

I think it would be very interesting to see a story-line involving a Spiderman that has already established himself as a superhero; someone who has been fighting crime in NYC for six, maybe seven years. But when Carnage comes along, all hell breaks loose, and Spidey meets his first true enemy. At last, he encounters a villain who he truly cannot fight on his own. 

Now, I realize that in the comics, Spiderman turns to Venom in desperation and seeks a truce from him, in an effort to end Carnage's killing spree. They will somehow need to explain Spidey and Venom's history though some kind of storytelling device, such as flashbacks or a monologue at the beginning of the film. In any case, this will be very tricky for anyone to pull off, if this ever does come to fruition. 

In fact, I am even planning to pitch this very idea to Sony Pictures, sometime in my writing career. It really would be a shame if this kind of movie was rejected. Personally, I would love to see a film like this. It would be amazing. There would even be a chance to get Venom right, after the atrocious portrayal of Eddie Brock by Topher Grace, in Spiderman 3. 

This is just my own rough opinion, though. Let me know what you guys think. Do you like this idea? Do you hate it? 

Ah, Yes: The City of New York

Ever since I was a little kid, living in a small town in Washington, I’ve wanted to visit New York City, and eventually live there. I’ve only seen pictures of the place, and of the Statue of Liberty. I have a deep yearning to walk among the people living there, just to get a sense of how big the city really is. This is one of my many goals in life: to take a trip to New York. I’m so intrigued by the mere idea of arriving in the city. The very thought of it makes me all giddy and excited.   :D

oh, Nickeback, how i love thee :)

You know, ever since I was eleven, when I heard the song Far Away for the first time, I fell in love with this band. A couple years later, I was exposed to more songs from their album All the Right Reasons, and I began to really understand why Nickelback is so successful. Almost every one of their songs are hard-hitting in many different ways. They truly give it their all with every track on their albums. 

Nowadays, I have all of the albums they have released so far. It seems that all of those trips to the public library benefited me in the long run. Now all I need to do is try to make it to one of their future concerts, before they retire from making music. (Because they will sooner or later, no doubt about that. Chad Kroeger, the lead singer, is already in his mid-forties.) 

Although I dread the day of their inevitable retirement from the music industry, I am still very glad to have them on my iPod. They are, in my opinion, the best band ever, and they deserve all of the critical success that they have gained over the years.

Snow White and the Huntsman: My Review

I enjoy a movie with a captivating plot, believable characters, and great visuals. I went into this movie expecting nothing less than a typical story of good versus evil. It is so much more than that. It has all of the aforementioned elements, yet it also boasts some very impressive dialogue. Just like The Fifth Element and The Matrix, this is a movie that I can easily see myself coming back to again and again, without it ever gathering dust on my shelf.

First and foremost, I must address the visuals. All throughout this film, I found myself in awe as I witnessed various areas of the kingdom, such as the Dark Forest and the Sanctuary, which is the home of the fairies. I cannot fully emphasize my appreciation for the cinematography of this movie. Kudos to Rupert Sanders for making this truly a sight to behold.

Any story is incomplete without a strong antagonist, but fortunately, Charlize Theron steps into the role of the evil queen Ravenna, and is quite menacing in several scenes. Given, she sometimes is over-the-top, but I chose to overlook that for one simple reason: she is a near-perfect villain. I was really surprised how fully Chris Hemsworth dove into the role of the Huntsman. This character is an interesting one, to say the least. He came back from the war, presumably against the phantom army, to find his wife dead. Now a grieving widower, he is pulled into a desperate search for a missing girl, a girl he later discovers is Snow White. This is by far the best role he has played so far, in my honest opinion. Quick little note: I found the Seven Dwarves to be really convincing as supporting characters. Bob Hoskins was a pleasant surprise.

Now, most people would scoff at the very idea of Kristen Stewart playing a savior to a lost kingdom, had they heard of this movie before the previews hit. There were many who hated the Twilight films that came before this movie, including me. However, I loved what she brought to this character. Her angst-ridden take on Snow White was understandable, mainly because she had lived in the western tower of the castle ever since she was a young girl. She brings an innocence and purity to a character who lives in a world ruled by corruption and death, and even though this is the only good film she has been in, I’m definitely looking forward to her future endeavors.

The plot of Snow White and the Huntsman consists of a darker version of the classic fairy tale, and much of it revolves around Snow White attempting to make it to the Duke’s castle, in hopes of overthrowing the Queen. All in all, though, this is a highly enjoyable gem, and it has easily joined the ranks of my favorite films.

My Creative Writing Tips

So earlier, I was sitting at this same desk, pondering the many different steps that come with writing a book. There are several things you need to consider when going through this whole process. For some, this can be quite a difficult task, but for others, it can be as easy as slicing bread. (Forgive me for the terrible comparison). Anyway, my point is, if you forget about even one of these crucial elements, I can promise you that your novel will not have the reader's full attention, and by the end, they will close the book feeling a little disappointed. 

One major mistake writers tend to make is making the antagonist purely evil, which makes for a dull and boring central villain. My advice, however, is to add some depth and back-story to the antagonist. Give him / her a reason for why they are the way they are. No one likes a villain we can't sympathize with. Most importantly, though, (in my opinion) give the villain some character flaws, so that the main character in the story can learn his weaknesses and eventually gain the upper hand. Give the hero a few "moments of awesome" against the antagonist. It will prove to the reader that he has been thoroughly tested through-out the book by his nemesis, and honestly, it makes for a more compelling reading experience. 

Secondly, you need to include the five-part structure when writing your story. Let me explain what this means, for those of you who don't know. (Full credit goes to Kelly Martin, who told me this great tip on Google Plus). 

The first act is set-up and introduction of the main characters and hints of the driving conflicts. The second act is the escalation of events. The third act is where key choices of characters lead to eventual outcomes. The fourth act is where all of the choices made in the third act come home to roost as it were. The main event's conclude in the fourth act. The fifth act is the denouement. This is where we allow the reader to see the residual after effects of the metaphorical explosion of choices in the fourth act.

It is key to remember that each act is not necessarily of uniform length. It is quite usual for the structure of the first and fifth acts to be shorter than the rest. You should be aware this structure is overall vastly familiar to readers (even if only subconsciously through TV and movies), and if you can consciously incorporate it in your work, then your readers will relate to the structure better.

Relating back to characters, it is very important that their choices have outcomes, and the "fourth act" is where these major outcomes manifest themselves. This is where romance is found or lost, where people live or die, where the point of no return is passed, and a different changed result from the beginning of the story is made manifest for the reader. 

The last thing I absolutely must discuss is developing your characters. My motto for my dark fantasy novel is characters first, action second. This is simply because if you don't flesh out your characters before the major action set-pieces, then the reader will not care about the actual battle scenes that take place. One huge inspiration for me that allowed me to become better at character development was the show Firefly. In fact, most of that show focuses on scenes that delve deep into the characters themselves, which is one of the many things I appreciated about it. 

Now, what I just explained is incredibly important, because if done right, it will give you the opportunity to sell a very well-written book. Be passionate about your craft, and perhaps the most important thing of all is to be in love with what you're writing about. If you're not, there's a good chance no-one else will be either. 

My Thoughts on The Wolverine

First of all, let me say that I absolutely hated X-Men 3: The Last Stand, and I hated X-Men Origins: Wolverine even more. Those are two movies that deserved every bit of negativity they received. The second solo Wolverine movie, however, aims to right the wrongs created by the two aforementioned X-Men films.

For the most part, it succeeds in being the Wolverine movie I've always wanted. There is one minor flaw that took me away from the experience, but I'll get to that later. There are several things I loved about this movie, one of them being the actress who played Yukio, his "bodyguard". She was definitely one of the best parts in this film. She kicked major ass, as well as delivering a great performance in one scene in particular. This scene was when she was pleading with Logan not to dig into himself to remove the bug that had stolen his healing powers. Almost directly after that, there came a tense fight scene between Yukio and Mariko's father, which, I might add, was incredibly well crafted.

This brings me to the fight scenes in The Wolverine. In my opinion, all of them are superb, and so much better than the dull fights in the previous Wolverine movie. The bullet train sequence is one of the best action scenes in recent memory.

It  also has a plot that actually seems like it has meaning, unlike the two atrocities I previously mentioned. Logan is trying to move on from his guilt, in terms of killing Jean Grey in X-Men 3, and in the beginning of the film, he is living in the Canadian wilderness, still grieving over the death of his love. Soon, he is called to Japan to meet someone whose life he saved during the Nagasaki bombing, so many years ago. But all is not as it seems. He offers Logan a chance to grow old and die, as a way to repay him for saving his life. What comes after is a somber Wolverine movie that delves deep into the psyche of the famous comic book superhero and delivers on almost every note.

The only thing that I didn't like is the Viper. She was easily the weakest part of the entire thing. In the final act, when she was talking to Logan, I was extremely disappointed by her cheesy dialogue. Actually, any time she spoke, I was waiting for her screen time to be over. She really reminded me of Poison Ivy from Batman and Robin.

But in terms of the script, I loved it. One thing I tend to look for in a movie is good dialogue, and that's exactly what I got.

Many people have been complaining about the final act, in that it strays from the serious tone of the movie. I don't agree with that at all. I felt that The Wolverine's tone stayed consistent until the very end. Without giving anything away, I understand why some people might have been disappointed by the "big reveal" towards the end of the movie, (Who the Silver Samurai really is) but his motivation for doing what he did made sense to me, and I wasn't let down by it.

Overall, I thought this was a solid Wolverine solo film, and I eagerly anticipate the next one. Oh, and you'll want to stay after the credits for an extra scene. It perfectly sets up the next X-Men movie, Days of Future Past.

What did you guys think of it, though? Did you like it? Did you hate it? Let me know in the comments below. :)