Rudyard Kipling's book still lives on

As an author, I'd love to think my books are timeless and will live on long after I'm gone.  I'm also a realist and recognize that probably won't happen!  ha ha

Rudyard Kipling has definitely achieved immortality in the sense that his children's story has been loved by many generations.  

Below is my review of the newest remake of his story, which I shared on my movie review blog.



Movie Title:      The Jungle Book

Grade:   A

Rating:   PG, 1 hour 51 minutes

In a Nutshell:    What do you get when you mix 90% CGI with a Rudyard Kipling remake?  Surprisingly, a beautiful family friendly film.  

Director Jon Favreau gives a respectful nod to the 1967 Disney original, while crafting a new one that is fresh and full of heart.  See it in 3D if you can.

Uplifting theme: 

•  Baloo says, “Everyone’s got a song.” A strong message that comes out in the film is to be yourself, your best self.  We all have our unique strengths and others around us will be blessed when we are true to ourselves and use our talents.
• Another wise thing Baloo says is, “You say you want to go the man village.  I say you can be a man right here.”  We need to stop waiting for something to happen before we live up to our potential.
• Friendship, courage, love.

Things I liked:

• Neel Sethi plays Mowgli, the only human in the movie, yet there is great humanity in the film.  He does an excellent job and is completely adorable.  I love the realistic detail of some scars on his shoulder and chest.  
• Even if we don’t get to see the talented Ben Kingsley, it’s a pleasure to hear his voice as the protective teacher Bagheera.
• Who doesn’t love the carefree Baloo?  Bill Murray’s voice fits perfectly and provides plenty of comic relief, making the audience I sat with laugh almost every time the lovable bear was on the screen.  This ain’t no bear from The Revenant!
• Casting Christopher Walken as the creepy, funny King Louie was perfect. Walken has that reputation in Hollywood.
• Idris Elba voices the scary Shere Khan and provides a villain who is frightening, yet not so much that young children won’t be able to watch the movie.
• Scarlett Johansson’s soothing, tempting voice was also a great choice for Kaa.
• The wolf oath has been borrowed by the Boy Scouts of America, because it teaches some important principles still today!  The 8 year old boys in Cub Scouts repeat a somewhat different version each week in their gatherings.
• Adorable, yet realistic creatures in the jungle.  The porcupine was an especially popular character for the audience.   
• Pay close attention to this fascinating detail…there is a water scene where you actually see water splashes on the camera…but is there really a camera there or was it all CGI?
• Honey IS actually good for scratches and bee stings!

Things I didn’t like:

• There is nothing at the end of credits, so feel free to leave the theater after the last scene.  I was disappointed, because they could have easily added any number of fun nuggets to surprise and delight audiences.
• Some of the CGI looks a little fake, but most of it is actually stunning.

Funny lines:

•  “Bears don’t hibernate in the jungle.” – Bagheera 

“Not full hibernation, but I nap…a lot.” – Baloo

• “I realize you weren’t born a wolf, but couldn’t you just act like one?” - Bagheera
• “If you can’t learn to run with the pack, one of these days, you’ll be someone’s dinner.” – Bagheera
• “He’s walking on two legs!” – animal child at Peace Rock

“Don’t stare!” – animal’s shocked mother

• “What did I tell you?  He’s special.” – Baloo talking about Mowgli

“I know.  I raised him.” - Bagheera

Interesting lines:

• “If it’s meant to be, it will be.” – Raksha (Lupita Nyong’o)
• “You have never been a more endangered species than you are in this moment.” - Baloo 

Tips for parents:   

• There are some animal fight scenes that might frighten very young children.
• Shere Khan has a scarred eye that makes him look scary.
• No profanity.

Other great versions I loved of The Jungle Book :

    

When a movie messes with a book

Here's a great example of when a movie really messes with a book and overstays its welcome...


Movie Title:      The Divergent Series: Allegiant

Grade:   D

Rating:   PG-13, 2 hours 19 minutes

In a Nutshell:    Filled with TONS of CGI and special effects, this third installment in the Divergent franchise stretches out the story probably more than it should.

You definitely need to have seen the first two movies in the series in order to understand what the heck is going on in this one.  This isn’t really a stand-alone movie.

Click here to read my movie reviews  for Divergent and Insurgent and be sure to watch the movies in the correct order so they make more sense. 

Uplifting theme: 

•  “Great leaders don’t seek power.  They’re called out of necessity.” – Johanna (Octavia Spencer)
• What do we do when we lose our humanity?
• ‘I don’t know who told you that being different was a bad thing…” –  David (Jeff Daniels)
• “Maybe it’s time to start embracing everyone instead of dividing them into groups.” - Tris Prior (Shailene Woodley)

Things I liked:

• Shaleilene Woodley looks more grown up and beautiful.  Super cute hair cut.
• I liked the concept of the cool bubble things that surround people and allow them to float, although it definitely looked CGI and fake.

Things I didn’t like:

• Everything looks fake.  While “Star Wars Awakens” used a lot of CGI, they were successfully able to create enough real sets that made the scenes truly believable.
• Characters are paper thin.  
• Lots of crowds of extras yelling and shaking their fists halfheartedly.
• “Purify the human genome” sounds a lot like what Hitler was trying to do…
• That’s hilarious that the other side of the wall has such advanced technology, yet a lot of their areas still look like beat up warehouses.
• The chase scene towards the end was super fake and lame.
• Some of the actors seemed as bored as the audience.

Funny lines:

•  “This is fun.  I’m glad we did this.” – Peter (Miles Teller) 

Interesting lines:

• “You are the only one worth saving.” - David
• “Hello.  I come from outside the wall, where we have all but destroyed each other.” – narrator
• "We created factions to create peace.” - narrator    (What kind of logic is that?)
• “Sometimes walls are designed to protect us.” – announcement lady on screen
• “It’s impossible.” – Tori (Maggie Q)       “So.” – Tris

• “People are sheep and they need a shepherd to guide them…and when they resist, they are slaughtered.” – Max (Mekhi Phifer)
• “Why did you go to war with Janine if you were just going to become her?” – Four (Theo James) 

Tips for parents:   

• Point blank shooting in the head.
• You see Shalene’s naked body (silhouette)  in the dark.
• Lots of shooting, explosions, fighting
• Dead bodies on the ground
• No profanity.

What's your favorite book about true love?

Happy Valentine's Day!
I wanted to feature a romantic movie on this special day.  Unfortunately, there are 2 mediocre chick flicks in theaters right now, nothing I can highly recommend.

One of them is based on the newest Nicholas Sparks books, and because this blog is all about reading and writing, I thought I'd feature this one below from my movie review blog.

One of my all-time favorite movies about true love is "The Princess Bride."  What is yours?


Movie Title:      The Choice

Grade:   C-

Rating:   PG-13, 1 hour 49 minutes

In a Nutshell:    My husband says that the definition of a Chick Flick is when two good-looking guys fall all over themselves for one spoiled girl.  If that’s true, then this is definitely a Chick Flick, although not a very good one.

One of the obvious choices in this formulaic movie isn’t just which guy to choose, but there are several others.  

Uplifting theme: 

• “Life just keeps unfolding.  If you sit still, it’ll pass you by altogether.” – Gabby (Teresa Palmer)
• “Life is held together by choices – all sizes.” – Gabby
• “Opportunity is missed by most people, because it’s dressed up in overalls and looks a lot like work.” – Thomas Edison, as quoted by Shep (Tom Wilkinson)
• “Every path you take leads to another choice.” – Travis (Benjamin Walker)

Things I liked:

• Most of the movie takes place lakeside with beautiful views.
• Cute puppies!
• Teresa Palmer looks like the All-American girl next door.
• Nicholas Sparks tries to add depth to his romantic stories.  His most recent tale-turned-Chick-Flick was “The Longest Ride.”  You can see my movie review of that film here.  That film did it much better than this one.
• If you’re thinking about cheating on your boyfriend, you’ll see what a two-timer feels like.
• There’s a funny proposal scene.

Things I didn’t like:

• Everything about this movie is clichéd, even the clothing.  For example, he wears a tank top to show off his muscles and she wears a white t-shirt in the rain.
• A lot of movie critics are begging Nicholas Sparks to stop writing such cheesy love stories that then get turned into sappy movies.
• Benjamin Walker drinks bottles of beer in a weird way.  I know that seems nit-picky, but it bugged me.
• They try to have clever chit-chat, but it comes out forced and predictable.  The actors look like they’re acting.
• SPOILER ALERT:  A happy ending is an easy out.  The harder ending would have been to write something more interesting.
• Both Travis and Gabby are too cocky for my taste.  They fight and bicker from the very first moment they meet, which is a clichéd, although not appealing, form of flirtation.
• What kind of character does a girl have who jumps in bed with another guy when her boyfriend has only been gone a few days on a business trip?  Does true love excuse lack of integrity or morality? Um...nope.

Funny lines:

•  “What are you doing?” – Gabby

“Walking towards you real slow.” – Travis

“Why?” - Gabby

“Cause if I ran, I’d scare you.”  - Travis

• “Mama, he’s a walking cautionary tale.” - Gabby

Interesting lines:

• “Has anyone ever said no to you?” – Gabby

“No.” – Travis

“Then, I’m making history.” - Gabby

• “Your friends, family…that’s all you can count on in this world.  That’s what I believe.” – Travis
• “I kind of fell into the Bible.  He wanted to burn it.” – Shep
• “If you see a man sleeping on the cold floor, there’s sure to be a pretty woman nearby.” – Shep
• “There’s no shame in being a broken man.  I should know. You just pick up the pieces and start rebuilding.” – Shep
• “That’s all any woman wants…a man who’s going to fight.”   (for her)  - Monica (Alexandra Daddario)

Tips for parents:   

• Girls falling out of their bikini tops.
• One girl flips the bird.
• Some profanity.
• Two people jump in bed together on their very first date.
• Take the opportunity to talk to your family about “Do Not Resuscitate” orders.  

Pride and Prejudice mixes Zombies with British humor

As an author, I admit I'd love to achieve the legendary status as Jane Austin, not to mention her loyal fan base.  

Many versions of "Pride and Prejudice" have been written and turned into film over the years.  Adding zombies to the tale may have never crossed our mind, but writer and director Burr Steers thought "why not?"

Below is my movie review from my other blog.


Movie Title:     Pride and Prejudice and Zombies

Grade:   B-

Rating:   PG-13, 1 hour 40 minutes

In a Nutshell:    Why?  I guess writer and director Burr Steers thought “why not?”

Who exactly is the target market for this film: fans of Jane Austin or “The Walking Dead”?  Is there a third category of people who love both?  If so, this movie is their dream come true.

It’s an odd mash-up, for sure, kind of like “Abraham Lincoln, the Vampire Slayer”.   Like that movie, real history is mingled with fiction in flirty fashion.  In the beginning of the movie, we are given a quasi-history lesson which tries to make the rest of the movie make sense.  

We’ve seen many different kinds of zombies in movies and TV shows before, and this movie brings us another version: one that can talk, run fast, and act human…with a British accent.

Uplifting theme: 

•  “My courage always rises at every attempt to intimidate me.” – Elizabeth
• “Keep your swords as sharp as your wits.” – narrator
• True love always wins the day.

Things I liked:

• I adore Lily James.  I first fell in love with her in Cinderella. She is a lovely Elizabeth Bennet.
• Matt Smith plays a delightful Mr. Collins, who has some of the best lines in the movie.  He is a hilarious dancer too.
• There is a scene where Elizabeth Bennet catches flies with her fingers as they fly by.  I actually knew a man who could do that.  It was fascinating to watch.
• There’s a funny proposal scene involving punches and a wrestling match.
• SPOILER ALERT:  The zombies gather in St. Lazarus church, which is an appropriate name if you’ve read the Bible.  In fact, there is quite a bit of mention of the Book of Revelations and the Anti-Christ with the attempt to make the story appear more credible.
• I first noticed the delightful Sally Phillips on the British comedy “Miranda”.  She is an equally enjoyable Mrs. Bennet.
• Did you know that Natalie Portman is one of the producers?
• Jack Huston is the perfect Mr. Wickham, as well as the most changed Jane Austin character.  Did you know that he comes from Hollywood royalty on his father’s side of the family (his grandfather was the famous John Huston) and British aristocracy on his mother’s side of the family?  He is currently working on his starring role as Ben Hur in the remake to be released later this year.
• Who doesn’t like proper ladies with swords and pistols?
• One of the tidbits of information we’re given in the history lesson at the beginning includes something true that I only learned last summer when I visited London: there actually was a wall that surrounded the city of London.  Here are a few pictures of London I took on my recent trip there.

Things I didn’t like:

• Men will like watching a cat fight.
• It’s just odd…
• Zombie lovers will be disappointed that there is more Jane Austin than zombie action.
• Jane Austin fans will keep asking “why?”

Funny lines:

• “I was unaware that zombies possessed such acuity so as to set such traps.  Before we know it, they’ll be running for Parliament.” – Mr. Collins (Matt Smith)
• “Daughters do not dance well with masticated brains.” – Mr. Bennet
• “Lady, may I take a moment to compliment you on your pantaloons.  Function or fashion?” – Mrs. Bennet

“Function.” – Lady Catherine

• “Flattery will get you everywhere, Miss Bennet.” – Mr. Collins
• “You have a very small estate here.” – The cocky Lady Catherine  (Lena Headey)

“And yet we endure it.” – Elizabeth

• “May I inquire as to the measure of this discomfort?” – Giardana

“I would much rather show you.” – Elizabeth, getting ready to punch her

• “Mr. Darcy, you’re as unfeeling as the undead.” – Elizabeth 

Interesting lines:

• “Anything is preferred than to be married without affection.” – Elizabeth
• “I’d risk a cold before I’d risk Darcy’s blade.” – Elizabeth
• “My daughters were trained for battle, not the kitchen.” – Mr. Bennet (Charles Dance)
• “Of all the weapons in the world, I now know love to be the most powerful.” –
• “I shall never relinquish my sword for a ring. – Elizabeth

“For the right man, you will.” – Jane Bennet

“The right man wouldn’t ask me to.” – Elizabeth

• “Their hubris will be their downfall.” – captain guy
• “I don’t know which I admire more, Miss Bennet: your skill as a warrior or your resolve as a woman.” – Lady Catherine

Tips for parents:   

• You will hear wonderful types of profanity like “Oh fuddle!” and “Bugger!”
• Homosexual innuendo.
• There’s not as much blood and gore as there is in “The Walking Dead”, but there is still plenty of shootings, stabbings, smashed skulls, and other forms of violence.

Writing Tips

Moby-Dick meets Hollywood: In the Heart of the Sea

I write several different blogs, but this one is supposed to be all about writing.

Moby-Dick is one of the greatest novels of all time and now we have a retelling of the epic story through the movie   In the Heart of the Sea!

Here is my movie review for it, shared from my movie review blog called "Movie Review Maven."

Grade:  A-

Rating:  PG-13, 2 hours 1 minute

In a Nutshell:     1820. A giant, vengeful whale.  A ship.  A determined captain.  Man vs. beast.  Imagine Entertainment and Director Ron Howard create a visual masterpiece with unbelievable cinematography, sailing you to the “edge of insanity.”

This seafaring yarn graphically illustrates how Herman Melville’s famous novel Moby-Dick came to be.  While the screen definitely captures your attention, the storytelling has movie critics disappointed.  I was entertained and intrigued, as well as disgusted and exhausted. 

As always, the book is better than the movie, but these special effects are innovative and effective.

Uplifting theme: 

• “Can man bend nature to our will? – Captain Pollard  (Benjamin Walker)
• Persistence and tenacity will see you through.
• Integrity is worth more than reputation or money.

Things I liked:

·         THOR!  If you’re not in awe of the giant whale, then you have handsome and studly Chris Hemsworth to stare at.

·         Believe it or not, I actually like it when there are water spots on the camera lens.  That tells me there was real water in the scene and not just CGI.  Then again, some of the scenes made me wonder if the water spots were CGI!  If so, nice detail!  The water scenes are so well done that sometimes you even feel like you’re going to get splashed on.

·         The scene with the blood raining from above was disgusting and extremely powerful.

·         I liked learning more about Melville, the author of Moby-Dick, and played by Ben Whishaw.

·         How did they get some of those amazing scenes?  Drones? 

·         Interesting camera angles.  I also love how the camera goes under the water and back above the water seamlessly.  Great underwater scenes.  You might feel like holding your breath.

·         I thought the whale pins were cool.  In order to earn one, young Tom Nickerson (Tom Holland) is told that “you have to thrust a killing lance into one of the largest beasts to grace this earth.”

·         I love the mention of Nathaniel Hawthorne.  Tom Nickerson asks “Have you read Hawthorne, Mr. Melville?  There’s a writer, great writer.”  Apparently, Herman Melville was quite taken with Hawthorne and even dedicated Moby-Dick to Hawthorne whom he compared to Shakespeare and called a genius.

·         Great sound effects, although sometimes a bit too loud.

·         I’ve always liked Charlotte Riley and wonder why we don’t see her more often.  She was really great in Ridley Scott’s medieval drama “World Without End.”

·         I’m always impressed with characters who rise above their temptations, like Cillian Murphy’s character, Matthew Joy. His resolve to not drink alcohol, even when things got tough, was inspiring and not seen often enough in movies.

·         I love that they included a quick shot of the words “Call me Ishmael” on the screen, which is the first sentence in the book Moby-Dick.

Things I didn’t like:

·         See it in 3D if you can, unless you get motion sickness.  You might get sea sick watching some of the scenes.  Just close your eyes for a few seconds and you’ll be fine.

·         Some scenes have so many loud noises between people yelling and waves crashing and boats creaking that you can’t quite understand what anyone is saying.

·         Animal activists will find many of the scenes unnerving.

·         I’ve never understood how all those sails and ropes work, but it’s always fascinating to watch sailors work it.

·         The scene that shows the ocean view from Owen’s house looks terribly artificial, but all of the other CGI scenes were very believable.

Interesting lines:

·         “Sometimes, the fewer questions one asks, the better.”   - Matthew

·         “I’ll come back as quick as a summer’s eve.” – Owen

“Just come back.” – Peggy

·         “Without you, the world plunges into darkness.” – Pollard senior

·         “Monsters, are they real or do the stories exist to respect the sea’s dark secrets?  The question both vexes and excites me.” – Herman Melville

·         “The whale?  So, it’s true?” – Melville

“Yes.  Too much is true.” – Nickerson

·         “The devil loves unspoken secrets.” –  Melville

·         “No right-minded sailor discards what might save him.” – Owen Chase
*    "We will surely perish out there." - Captain Pollard
       "We might also survive."  - Mr. Chase

Tips for parents:   

• The sailors draw a picture of a topless woman.
• Some profanity.
• Several intense scenes with lots of blood and guts. 
• Skeletons of dead guys might frighten young children.
• Explain to your kids that a “greenhorn” is the old-fashioned way of saying “newbie”.

Sailing definitions:

Doldrums: an equatorial region of the Atlantic Ocean with unpredictable and often no winds

Port side:  left-hand side of a ship

Squall:  a sudden violent storm

I always do all the “talking” in these reviews, but I want to hear what YOU liked and didn’t like!  Please comment below!

What authors can learn from R.L. Stine and his Goosebump books

I don't always post my movie reviews here on my author blog, except when they talk about books, so this one is perfect!


Movie:    Goosebumps

Rating:    PG, 1 hour 43 minutes

Grade:   A

In a Nutshell:   If you grew up reading R.L. Stine's Goosebumps books or were a parent who read them to your kids like I did, you’re going to get a kick out of this homage to comedy horror stories and the author who gave them to us.

Sony Pictures Animation does a great job at blending reality with fantasy, mixed with sarcasm and romance.  Thanks for releasing it in time for Halloween!   “It gives me…oh what’s the word…goosebumps.”

Uplifting Theme:

·         “It’s time to face your demons…” – R.L. Stine

·         Connecting with real people.

Things I liked:

·         As an author, I love how the ink literally comes to life off the pages of the book.

·         I love how Slappy actually looks like Jack Black/R.L. Stine.

·         You gotta admire the way the real R.L. Stine is bringing new life and sales back to his books!  Brilliant!

·         Good for Amy Ryan for starring in 2 movies in theaters at the same time!  (Bridge of Spies )  I’ve always adored her ever since I first saw her do a Yoda impression on The Office: Season 5 .

·         See if you can spot the real R.L. Stine in his cameo at the school.  This is what he looks like in real life:

Things I didn’t like:

·         It was a little bit scawy…
-    It would have been fun to see more of the other characters R.L. Stine created in the movie.
-    Jack Black didn't have a mole on his forehead like the real R.L. Stine does.

Funny lines:  

·         “Dude, we should call the cops!” – Champ

“Have you met the cops in this town?” – Zach

·         “Is that your scream?” – Zach

“Don’t judge me.” – Champ

·         “What is that?” -    Aunt Lorraine   (played by Jillian Bell)

“I rub myself in cilantro every morning.” – R.L. Stine

·         “I don’t remember writing about a giant preying mantis!   (it then spews s sticky ick from its mouth)  “Right, now I remember.” – R.L. Stine

·         “Let’s split up!”  - R.L.

“No!  Haven’t you read any of your books?  We’re never supposed to split up!”  - Champ

·         “Look at this kitchen!” – Gale

“We don’t cook.” – Zach

“Well, look at all this counter space to put take-out on!” – Gale

·         “I’m going to get a start on decorating my room…knock it off my Bucket List.” – Zach

·         “I know I speak for the entire administration when I say how excited we are about this weekend’s dance.  We  can’t stop twerking about it.” – Gale

·         “Shut your mouth!” – Cop

“Ok, but that’s not going to help.”  - Slappy  (the ventriloquist dummy)

Things you learn about writing from R.L. Stine:

·         “Every story ever told can be broken down into 3 distinct parts: the beginning, the middle, and the twist.”

·         R.L. Stine wrote”THE GHOST NEXT DOOR book.  I guess he wrote about it twice.  Think about it.

·         “The night was cold.  Cold was the night.”  Word order is powerful.

·         “No, it doesn’t work unless it’s a real R.L. story with twists, turns and frights…and personal growth for the main character.”

·         Champ asks R.L. “Why did you have to come up with something so freaky?”  The author simply replies “I just have a knack for it.”    In other words, write what you know.

·         “Steve King wishes he could be me!  I sell way more books than him, but no one ever talks about that.”

·         “Why couldn’t you have written stories about rainbows and unicorns?”   - Champ

“Because that doesn’t sell 400 million copies.”   R.L. Stine

“Domestic?” – Champ

“No, international, but it’s still a very impressive number.  Shut up!”   R.L. Stine

·         “That typewriter is special.  It has a soul of its own.” – R.L.

Tips for Parents:

·         Some of the monsters can be pretty scary.  There are plenty of creepy things too, like clowns, ghouls/zombies, drooling werewolf with frightening teeth and claws, evil garden gnomes, dolls, bugs, aliens, etc.  R.L. Stine said in a recent interview with Plugged In that he didn't want to traumatize children who see the film, so you won't see any blood.

·         Explosions, violence, suspenseful chase scenes.
-    Topics addressed include evil, revenge, and love.

Can't get enough of R.L. Stine's Goosebumps? Check these out!