Not Really a Movie Review: Vampire Academy

Hi, guys. As you can tell from the title of this post, this is not really a movie review. I wanted to write about the Vampire Academy movie, but I kind of suck at writing movie reviews and it would take forever. I wanted to share with you my feelings while it was still fresh in my mind, so with inspiration from this Buzzfeed list, I am going to list for you the reasons that I recommend seeing the VA movie. I'll preface this by saying that I am a big fan of Richelle Mead and the series, but I really tried to keep my expectations pretty low for the movie since Hollywood has a pretty good track record of producing some really bad YA/MG book to movie adaptations (Percy Jackson, anyone?).  Like many, the marketing for this movie worried me. Glad to say though that I was pleasantly surprised by the film and would definitely watch it again.

Alright, here are my my reasons why you should see the Vampire Academy movie.

1. It is true to the books. 
It's been quite a while since I've read the first Vampire Academy book but I didn't notice any huge omissions or changes. I was a little bit sad that Adrian didn't make an appearance though. Pretty sure he doesn't really show up until book 2 in the series as well, but I would have loved to have had an Adrian cameo.

2. Zoey Deutch as Rose
I was a little skeptical when Deutch was cast as Rose. I think in my head, there was no one who was going to be able to play and be good enough. But Detuch really throws herself into the role (literally at times) and I think she really captured the fierce, badass Rose that we all love and still manages to act like a teenager. I may have a girl crush on Zoey (just a small one).

3. The fight scenes
There were a few instances where the fighting was a bit over the top (my friend could not stop laughing at the head butting scene) but, for the most part, I really enjoyed the fighting choreography. I loved the brief glimpse we got of the training ground with the obstacle course and wish we could have seen more of it. (Note that I would love to see a training montage in the next film, if there is one. There's just something about training montages that are just so entertaining and make you feel like you should go out and run  a mile. Not that I do.) It's also clear that Deutch is doing a lot of the actual fighting herself and I give her props for doing it.

4. The friendship between Lissa and Rose.
I am so glad that the movie got this part right. The friendship is a huge part of the VA books and I am glad that they didn't throw it over for the popular romance angle. Yes, there are boys, but Rose and Lissa's friendship is the main focus here, not romance. They fight, like teenagers girls will do, but in the end their loyalty to each other always wins out.

5. It's funny.
Yes, the trailers made it look like this movie was going to be just a big one-liner. However, I think the film has a nice mix of humor and drama. I loved the pop culture references (like when Rose calls Mason "Ducky") and I definitely laughed out loud a few times.

6. World building that isn't painfully awkward.
I get it. It's hard to set up a world in a 2 hour film. What's done in hundreds of pages in a book has to be done quickly in a movie in order to snare the audience. Movies will often resort to bad voice over or a quickly constructed history lesson at the beginning of the film to get readers up to speed, which always feels slightly pandering to me. I think VA does a pretty good job of laying out the world without being too overt or cheesy. The flash backs were a little choppy at times but overall the film did a good job of explaining the world in a way that wasn't eye-roll inducing.

7. Good looking cast
Yes, I am shallow. I like looking at pretty people. VA boasts an attractive cast, though not unbelievably so. I personally hate it when every person looks like a supermodel in a movie (blasphemy, I know). They also had great chemistry together and were believable as friends on-screen.

8. Rose & Dimitri
YES. One of my favorite couples is finally on the big screen. I think Zoey Deutch and Danila Kozlovsky make a pretty adorable Rose and Dimitri.

9. It's fun.
Yes, I said the F word. Not every movie has to be an Oscar contender. I like that Vampire Academy doesn't take itself too seriously and isn't afraid to poke fun at itself. It's a movie about vampires in high school, for goodness sake. Let's have some fun with it.

There you have it - my reasons for seeing the VA movie. I know it's not going to be everyone's cup of tea but I think it's worth a try and you may be surprised. Personally I had a good time watching it and would love to see a sequel.

Agree, disagree? I'd loved to hear your opinions, so let me know what you thought of the movie in the comments below. :)

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Movie Review: Austenland

So, yeah, I went to see Austenland. I really wasn't planning to. I am not a huge fan of the Shannon Hale book on which this is based (see my review here). However, my friend really wanted to go and I have a hard time saying no to a movie. So off we went in search of Austen in what I was hoping would be a version of the book without all of the things that annoyed me in the book.

Title: Austenland
Release Date: August 16, 2013 (limited release)
Rating: PG-13

Austenland is the story of Jane, a single thirty-something (Keri Russell) who is obsessed with all things Austen. The obsession goes back to a young age and has only grown over time. She has a life-size Colin Firth Darcy cutout (which I was kind of jealous of), collects teacups and teapots and has a collection of Austen memorabilia that would rival an Austen museum.  Needing a change in her life, Jane cashes in her savings for a trip to Austenland, a full immersion Jane Austen camp if you will. She expects history and romance and what she gets is something very different.

I enjoyed Austenland more than I thought I would.  While there were still some things about it that I didn't love, overall, it was a fun, if forgettable film. One of the problems I had with the book was that I really didn't like any of the characters, Jane included. However, I found that I liked them much more in the film. Jane's friend, Miss Charming (played by Jennifer Coolidge), while still sex crazed and ridiculous, is also very sweet and earnest. Brett McKenzie was suitably roguish and charming. I don't watch Flight of the Concords so I had no idea that McKenzie was so cute.  And JJ Feild played the Darcy role perfectly and was both taciturn and endearingly awkward.

I wish we could have gone a little deeper into Jane's life and the reasons for her Austen addiction. Jane's obsession with fictional characters has kept her from forming real relationships. But the story never delves beyond her obsession and we never learn why Austen has become such a crutch for her. But I think that's one of the biggest problems with the movie. It doesn't delve very deep and most of the characters are exactly who you expect them to be. Also, for a film about Austen, you don't learn very much about her or her books. You do see how boring life during Austen's time might have been. Needlework and archery can only keep you busy for so long until you start to go stir crazy. Complaints aside, I still had a good time watching Austenland. Kerri Russell is hard not to like and there are plenty of good looking men in breeches to look at. Be sure to stick it out through the credits, as there is a scene at the end that might be my favorite part of the entire movie.

Anyone else see this yet? Did you love it or hate it? Let me know in the comments below!

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Movie Review: The Mortal Instruments

So this was originally supposed to be a mini movie review but it ended up super long so I turned it onto a full review. Warning - I ramble. Enjoy!

Title: The Mortal Instruments: City of Bones
Release Date: August 21, 2013
Rating: PG-13

The Mortal Instruments: City of Bones, as most of you may know, if based on the hugely popular YA series by Cassandra Clare. I read the first two books in this series ages ago but admit to remembering very little about it. I went years between reading book 1 and 2 and had difficulty remembering what had happened in the first book.

My first impressions of this movie were that I enjoyed it. The world building was good, though there definitely could have been some more detail provided in certain spots. But I did not have any difficulty following along and things made sense for the most part. The visuals were great. I especially liked the City of Bones and wish we could have seen a little bit more of it, especially since it's part of the title of the book/movie. That scene was quite short and I wish we had learned more about it.

Lily Collins was convincing as Clary and was the right mix of vulnerable and tough. She also had some great hair throughout, which I was insanely jealous of. People seem to love Jace but I didn't have much of an opinion of him going in. Jamie Campbell Bower was good though and I totally believed his chemistry with Clary. One of my favorite characters was Simon, played by Robert Sheehan. He was great as Clary's slightly nerdy, super dependable best friend who also happens to be in love with her. I was a little disappointed in Isabelle and Alec however. The actors were fine but their characters were not very developed (esp Isabelle) and I would have liked to have seen more of their family and team dynamic. Alec and Jace are supposed to be really close but you just don't see it in the movie. I wish they had given both of them more screen time. Also, wasn't Isabelle a super bitch in the books? That's what I remember but she seemed pretty tame in the movie.  I am also on the fence about the actor who plays Magnus Bane. He looked great but his scenes were a bit wooden. He also didn't have much screen time so it's hard to judge.

The action sequences were really great. The fighting looked really well choreographed and I really liked the fight at the end between Jace and Valentine. The sword work and footwork in that scene were fantastic.

The romance between Jace and Clary was believable. The two definitely have chemistry, which I noticed when I saw the cast at Wonder Con this year. There are a few super cheesy moments (hello sprinklers and bad romance ballad) but, for the most part, I didn't have a problem with it. SPOILER (if you haven't read the series yet, skip down to the next paragraph). The film also veers from the book and decides to tell the audience straight away that the incest plot is all a lie. This is a big change from the book since I know that the are they or aren't they brother and sister plot goes at least into book 3 of the series. I understand why they did this though because the film had no idea if there would even be another movie and I don't think most movie audiences would really be into a possible incest romance. END SPOILER. Hardcore books fans may disagree with me on this but I did not have an issue with it.

Overall, the movie was really entertaining and had some great action sequences and good performances all around. It's not a movie I would buy but I would totally watch it if it was on cable and I would go see a sequel :)

Thanks for reading this rambling review of The Mortal Instruments. Have you seen it yet? What did you think?

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Movie Review: Wreck It Ralph

Wreck-It Ralph
Genre: Family/Children's Animated
Directed by: Rich Moore
Starring: John C. Reilly, Sarah Silverman, Jack McBrayer, Jane Lynch
Release date: November 2, 2012
IMDB, official site

Review:

Wreck-It Ralph is probably the best animated movie Disney has put out in a long time and really has that Pixar feel to it with fantastic animation, a great story, interesting characters, spot on voice acting, and a compelling and emotional story. Ralph is the bad guy in a video game who, after 30 years, is sick of being an outcast. He just wants to be accepted and liked but no one can see past his bad guy rep to the good guy underneath. Ralph leaves his game in order to prove to the townspeople that he can be a hero, too.

Ralph is a character that people will really relate to.  I think we've all felt like we didn't fit in or isolated at one point or another. Unfortunately Ralph's role has been set and it seems like there's no way out. Even his fellow villains at his support group (which is a hilarious scene) don't believe that Ralph can change his fate and urge him to just accept his role as a bad guy. But Ralph is determined to change his fate, no matter what it takes.

And that's how he ends up in Sugar Rush, a candy filled car racer game. It's also where he meets Vanellope von Schweetz (Sarah Silverman) an adorably exasperating young girl who is determined to win the big race. Vanellope is a glitch, which means she has a problem in her programming that the other characters fear and it makes her an outcast. The other racers try to keep her from competing but Ralph agrees to help her train for the competition in order to win his medal back. Ralph and Vanellope develop and unlikely friendship that is really sweet and heartwarming. I don't normally cry at movies (ever) but I did get misty eyed a couple of times during this movie. 

Like all great movies there is also an incredible supporting cast. Jack McBrayer (30 Rock) is perfect as the earnest fixer-upper Fix-It Felix, Jr. And how much do I love Jane Lynch as Calhoun, the ball busting military leader of a modern first person shooter game? She's brilliant! The movie is also filled with a lot of classic video game characters and references. It must have been a licensing nightmare but I am so glad that Disney did it right. Coming from the generation in which most of these games were really popular, it was really fun to see them all come to life.

Even though it looks like a fun popcorn movie on the surface, Wreck-It Ralph is much more. A heartwarming and smart story with clever dialogue and fantastic visuals, it's really one of the best films I've seen this year. I highly recommend it. 

 Wreck It Ralph is in theaters now.

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Thuy is probably consuming a gingerbread latte while she writes this. See more of her caffeinated musings on twitter @fishgirl182.

Movie Review: Magic Mike

Magic Mike
Genre: Drama

Directed by: Steven Soderbergh

Starring: Channing Tatum, Alex Pettyfer, Matthew McConaughey, Cody Horn

Release date: June 26, 2012

IMDB, official site

Synopsis:

A male stripper teaches a younger performer how to party, pick up women, and make easy money.

Review:

Oh yeah. I totally went to see Magic Mike. How could I resist that hotness that is every cast member of this movie? I am not really a huge Chaning Tatum fan normally. He's fine but I don't think I would ever go see a movie just for him. But he, along with the draw of a mostly naked Matt Bomer and Joe Manganiello was just too delicious to pass up.

Adam (Pettyfer), the new kid in town is taken under the wing of seasoned stripper and entrepreneur (Magic) Mike played by Channing Tatum. Of course, the party life of a successful stripper goes to the kid's head and he starts to go down a path of debauchery. It sounds dire but it really never gets quite that serious. The main character of the story is really Magic Mike, the stripper with a heart of gold. I've never been a huge Channing Tatum fan (nothing against him at all) but I have to admit that he's very charming and likable in the film. Matthew McConaughey is pitch perfect as the somewhat sleazy manager of the show. His character is oiled up and wears the most ridiculous outfits. But McConaughey really commits himself to the role I really can't imagine someone else playing it better. There is one scene where he is teaching Adam to dance while looking in a mirror that is hilarious.

The plot for this one is pretty predictable. It does feel like a Steven Soderbergh movie though, with lots of long conversations between Tatum and Adam's sister (played by the wonderfully sarcastic Cody Horn). The dance numbers were pretty awesome. They're so cheesy that I can imagine them being real strip numbers. Channing Tatum definitely knows how to dance, too. Sadly Matt Bomer and Joe Manganiello don't have very many lines in this. They are more man candy then anything else, but very pretty man candy.

If you're looking for a good time, Magic Mike is a fun flick to see with your girlfriends.

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Movie Review: Snow White & The Huntsman

Snow White & The Huntsman
Genre: Fantasy, action, drama

Directed by: Rupert Sanders

Starring: Charlize Theron, Kristen Stewart, Chris Hemsworth

Release date: June 1, 2012

IMDB, official site

Synopsis:

In a twist to the fairy tale, the Huntsman ordered to take Snow White into the woods to be killed winds up becoming her protector and mentor in a quest to vanquish the Evil Queen.

Review:

Yes, I went to see Snow White & The Huntsman this weekend. I am a sucker for any fairy tale retelling especially ones that are a little on the darker side. I was expecting a fun popcorn movie with lots of eye candy and that's exactly what I got.

The thing that first drew me to the film were the visuals and that part of the movie didn't disappoint. Both the dark forest and the fairy forest were done beautifully with strange plants and creatures inhabiting them. The costumes were great, especially those worn by the Queen. I also enjoyed the action in the film. There was lots of axe wielding and arrows flying about. The phantom army was especially cool looking with its soldiers made of shards of black glass. 

The acting pedigree in the film is also quite impressive. Of course you have Charlize Theron who plays evil bitch really well. Though she is undoubtedly the bad guy in this, you can't help feeling a little sorry for her. Her evil is born out of an instinct to survive that has become twisted over time. And, as my friend said, Charlize is a pro at giving you the evil eye. Chris Hemsworth is the man candy in this movie and he does a good job of playing the tortured Huntsman. No, he does not take his shirt off, ladies. Sorry to disappoint. But he's still nice to look at even clothed. There's a bit of a love triangle in the movie but it's really not a main plot point of the film, which I was alright with. I love a good romance as much as the next person but I am tired of love triangles and this movie didn't have time for it.  

And let's talk Kristen Stewart. She was surprisingly not terrible in this. I know it's not a ringing endorsement but I fully expected her to be terrible and I thought she was OK. Not good, but not cringe worthy either. I think it helped that she didn't have too many lines and instead just had to look scared or baffled most of the time.  And say what you will about her acting but the girl has got some seriously nice skin. Sitting in the first row during some close ups, I have to admit that she looked good.  But the best part of the film were the dwarves. Aren't the always the best part? The dwarves in this case were character actors of the non-dwarfish variety made into drarves via CG technology. They lent levity and heart to a story that might have taken itself too seriously otherwise.

While Snow White wasn't the most original movie, it did manage to entertain me for two hours. It definitely has its cheesy moments but if you're looking for a fun summer film, this might be the thing. If you're interested in seeing it, I would suggest seeing it in the theater. All of the lovely visual effects and design are best viewed on a big screen. So what do you think? Did anyone go see it or are you going to wait for DVD?

where the heck did we park the car?

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Find more YA and middle grade reviews by Thuy at Read Now Sleep Later

Movie Review: The Thing (2011)

The Thing (2011)
Genre: Sci Fi, Action, Thriller
Directed by: Matthijs van Heijningen Jr.
Written by: Eric Heisserer
Starring:  Mary Elizabeth Winstead, Joel Edgerton, Ulrich Thomsen, Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje and Eric Christian Olsen

Release date: October 14, 2011
IMDB

Synosis:

Paleontologist Kate Lloyd (Mary Elizabeth Winstead) has traveled to the desolate region for the expedition of her lifetime. Joining a Norwegian scientific team that has stumbled across an extraterrestrial ship buried in the ice, she discovers an organism that seems to have died in the crash eons ago. But it is about to wake up. When a simple experiment frees the alien from its frozen prison, Kate must join the crew's pilot, Carter (Joel Edgerton), to keep it from killing them off one at a time. And in this vast, intense land, a parasite that can mimic anything it touches will pit human against human as it tries to survive and flourish. The Thing serves as a prelude to John Carpenter's classic 1982 film of the same name.

Review:

By now you have guessed that I am a fan of horror films, thrillers, action flicks, and movies so bad they're funny. Even though The Thing didn't look particularly good, I decided to give it a try since a had a free Redbox coupon.  The Thing falls into the very specific but somewhat popular category of cult classics that probably shouldn't be remade but Hollywod has run out of ideas so let's do it. In case you didn't know, The Thing was originally made in 1982 and was directed by John Carpenter and starred a young Kurt Russell. To tell you the truth, I am not the biggest fan of the original. I mean, it's fun and creepy but it's not my favorite. It does have quite a large cult following though and an interesting story, which made it ripe for a remake. In this version, they've cast Mary Elizabeth Winstead (Scott Pilgrim vs. The World) as the scientist hired to unearth the alien body and Joel Edgerton (Warrior) as the crew's pilot.

The film starts off much the same as the original, with the discovery of a mysterious and possibly alien body frozen in Antarctica. A team of scientists is called out to the dig and they soon find that the alien isn't really dead and that it can replicate, or clone, the cells of the humans it touches. Suspicions arise as the team tries to figure out which one of them is the alien and to prevent it from escaping their compound and into a more populated area.

I really don't have anything profound to say about the film. It was entertaining and I enjoyed all of the actors. I think it would have been scarier if I had seen it in the theater. The vast emptiness of Antarctica and the feeling of isolation didn't translate as well sitting in my apt with all of its normal distractions. I think one of the noticeable differences in this film from the original (according to my memory) is the special effects. The original was made in the 80s when special effects technology was very different so you get a totally different look and feel for the gore of the film. In the the remake, the special effects are much more involved and pretty gross at times. There is some body/skin melding going on that was pretty cool looking and entrails, lots of entrails.

If you've seen the original, the plot won't really hold any surprises. There a twist (isn't there always now) that was a bit predictable. Mary Elizabeth Winstead is believable as the young scientist who figures out what the creature is up to. I've had a soft spot for her ever since she played Bruce Willis' daughter in Live Free or Die Hard. Ulrich Thomsen is perfect as the ambitious and slightly shady Dr. Halvorson. There was also a large cast of Norwegians playing the crew in the film. My favorite was Stig Henrik Hoff who played Peder, the quiet one with a flamethrower. :) And Joel Edgerton was perfectly fine as the American who helps Winstead fight the aliens.

I think that's my problem with the movie. It wasn't bad but it wasn't particularly good either. It's one of those films that I watched and now can't really remember much of. It didn't add anything to the original but it didn't really take anything away either. That's the thing with these remakes - they rarely add anything to what's already been made and often they're worse than the original. In this case, I don't think that happened. It's a fine movie if you're in the mood for a little bit of horror and thrills. Certainly it won't make my top ten of the year but I was entertained for a couple of hours. I know that's not a ringing endorsement but that's the only way to explain how I feel. If you're a huge fan of the original, I'd say skip it, because this will probably just annoy you. If however, you want something fun and gory for a night of mindless movie watching, you may enjoy this remake of The Thing. :)

Note: After finding the synopsis for this review I realized that this film is supposed to be a prequel to the original, not a remake. Yeah, I am not sure that comes across in the movie. Maybe it's just me, though. 

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Movie Review: Lockout

Lockout
Genre: Sci Fi, Action, Thriller

Directed by: James Mather and Stephen St. Leger
Starring: Guy Pearce, Maggie Grace, Peter Stormare

Release date: April 13, 2012

IMDB, official site

Synopsis:

A man wrongly convicted of conspiracy to commit espionage against the U.S. is offered his freedom if he can rescue the president's daughter from an outer space prison taken over by violent inmates.

Review:

We don't usually do movie reviews here on Nite Lite because, let's face it, I can barely keep up with book reviews and I see a lot of movies. However, I went out to a movie last night and thought it might be fun to do a quick review on it.

Lockout is exactly what it looks like - a ridiculously implausible and over the top sci-fi action movie. The basic premise is this. There's a space prison for society's worst convicts. At MS-One, inmates are but in what is called stasis for the duration of their sentence. Basically they're put to sleep but not everyone's mind comes out intact when they are taken out of stasis. Maggie Grace, the president's daughter, is there on a humanitarian visit when all hell breaks loose and the inmates are set free. Guy Peace, an ex-CIA agent accused of murder is sent to retrieve Maggie before they have to blow up the prison.

I knew what I was getting when I walked into this movie. I wanted something fun with lots of action and I was not disappointed. Pearce was hilarious as the super snarky Snow, with one liners being his main contribution to the film. That, and shooting things. He also wears a fantastic shirt through most of the movie that reads "Warning: Offensive" which is a pretty accurate summation of his character.

Maggie Grace does a good job as the plucky daughter of the President of the United States. Her character is likable if somewhat cliche. I think she does the best that she can in the role. There are no real surprises with her but holds she her own against Pearce. Peter Stormare also co-stars as a jerk government official who is just dying to throw Peace in jail and plays it well. I always remember him as Abruzzi on Prison Break though and he kind of creeps me out.

Unfortunately the movie is full of plot holes. I found myself talking to the screen and throwing up my hands in frustration more than once. There are events and plot devices that just make no sense at all. I won't spoil anything but I really felt at times that I could have written this movie and it probably would have made more sense. That said, I tried to go with the flow and just enjoy the movie for what it was. If you're looking for a fun movie with some good actors and lots of action, then I think you'll enjoy Lockout.

Will you be seeing Lockout or passing on it?

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