In this new series, I'm doing something a little different than my usual reviews. Rather than just talking about the good and bad in a story, I'll be going a step further to present possible ways to fix a story that's lacking. My goal? To help us practise how to pinpoint issues in a story … Continue reading Fixing the Story: The Nutcracker and the Four Realms
movies
Disenchanted: As Lifeless as It Sounds, or Just “Different?”
Who else has been awaiting this Enchanted sequel for years? Disney is usually hit or miss with its sequels (mostly miss, let's be honest), but it was impossible not to be excited about this one. Enchanted is such a unique Disney movie, yet grossly underrated. The average person doesn't talk or think about it too … Continue reading Disenchanted: As Lifeless as It Sounds, or Just “Different?”
I Think I’ve Grown Out of Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides
I still remember watching the Pirates of the Caribbean films as a kid and being absolutely enthralled. I went through stages of loving things as my younger brother and our friends all got into different genres/movies/books or whatever at the same time. I can't remember exactly when my pirate obsession started, but it was probably … Continue reading I Think I’ve Grown Out of Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides
Has the Magic of Star Wars Been Lost?
*the Force Theme plays distantly in the background* Some of my earliest memories are of Obi-Wan and Anakin chasing a bounty hunter through Coruscant, Yoda riding on Luke's back, and Darth Maul wielding his dual-bladed lightsaber. With my older sister becoming thoroughly obsessed with Star Wars just after I was born, I grew up with … Continue reading Has the Magic of Star Wars Been Lost?
Luca: A True Disney/Pixar Movie
Stories nowadays are complicated—and I mean that quite literally. If you think of the Disney movies of old, the ones I grew up with as a 90’s kid, they’re all painfully straightforward. Ariel wants to become human, she makes a deal with a sea witch, she and Eric fall in love, said sea witch pops … Continue reading Luca: A True Disney/Pixar Movie
I just rewatched Sky High and…it’s actually pretty good?
It's the summer of 2005. Everyone is wearing oddly layered tops, jeans, and clunky hats. The superhero craze is just starting to boom with films like X-Men, Fantastic 4, Spider-Man, and even Disney's first foray into the genre, The Incredibles taking hold of ages young and old. And in the midst of it all: Sky … Continue reading I just rewatched Sky High and…it’s actually pretty good?
The Reasons Why Everyone Freaks Out Over Pride and Prejudice (2005)
It is a truth universally acknowledged that every Pride and Prejudice fan has their favourite screen adaptation of the beloved book. Maybe it's the web series The Lizzie Bennet Diaries, the new spin on the tale in the form of Pride and Prejudice and Zombies, or perhaps it's one of the two most popular adaptations … Continue reading The Reasons Why Everyone Freaks Out Over Pride and Prejudice (2005)
The Stories that Matter
Let’s stop writing half-hearted stories. I recently rewatched the Lord of the Rings trilogy and I’m currently rereading the books as well. It struck me towards the end of Return of the King: Why don’t people tell stories like this anymore? Obviously, Tolkien was a genius and poured his life and soul into Middle Earth. … Continue reading The Stories that Matter
Little Women (2019)
When I was in middle school and high school, I had a surge of interest in the classics of literature. I blazed through Charles Dickens, Jane Austen, the Brontës, and all those other lovely British authors like nobody's business. I never found too much interest in the American classics--until Little Women. To a girl who … Continue reading Little Women (2019)
A Merrier World
I watched a bit of The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey the other day and was reminded of a quote from the end of the book (that only sort of made it into the last movie). The first time I read The Hobbit this quote touched me so much that I immediately wrote it down. I … Continue reading A Merrier World