September 4, 2008

I really didn’t like the novel, Nick & Norah’s Infinite Playlist which I read for a class.  It had too many sexual antics for my taste, and it really bugs me that approximately 50% (I’m pulling this statistic out of thin air) of YA books are set in New York City – it seems really disproportionate.

But I have a great love for Michael Cera, and this trailer is well done, so I’ll probably see the movie anyway.  Who knows, if they leave out one particular scene in a hotel by the ice machine, I might really like it.

[OFFICIAL] Nick and Norah’s Infinite Playlist movie trailer

Two movies I really liked March 1, 2008

I’m not really as up-to-date with movies as I used to be, but I recently got both Sydney White and Bridge to Terabithia from Netflix and I was surprised to find how much I loved them both!
Sydney White is a Snow White retelling starring Amanda Bynes which puts it right up my alley, but it was only in theaters for about a day, so I assumed it was terrible. Still, I had to see it, right? And I have to say, it was very funny. I don’t know what Samm Levine did to become the eternal smarmy, girl-crazy nerd, but he certainly does it well. I thought the whole thing was pretty well done; quite cute and some laughs to boot.

As for Bridge to Terabithia, I was appalled by the trailers for this movie, as it looked like a realistic little story about two friends making up a world of their imagination in the backwoods had been turned into a fantasy CGI nightmare. Turns out the showed every bit of the CGI in the trailer, and the majority of the movie was exactly what I would have hoped. I read that Dakota Fanning turned down the part of Leslie Burke, and while I like her fine, I’m quite glad the AnnaSophia Robb who is growing on my at an alarming rate.

one night in December December 18, 2007

Ok, I’ve been remiss in my Dark Materials obsession duties. For anyone that doubts for a second that I went to the midnight (12:01am) screening Thursday night (technically Friday morning Dec. 7), oh ye of little faith.  Of course I was there.  I actually went to an 8pm showing of Juno while I waited, and loved it, but darn it all, that movie is only 98 minutes.  I wandered the movie theatre, made a few calls, then went to the bathroom before the long haul of staking my claim for The Golden Compass.  In the bathroom I saw a hand dryer so amazing, I felt the need to share it with you.  It makes me wonder if I have an unhealthy interest in hand dryers, but this one was seriously cool and very effective.  I figure I’ll wait and see, if I feel compelled to take a picture of a third hand dryer, I’ll ditch the whole librarian thing and start working on my coffee table book of Hand Dryers Across America.
As for the movie, I don’t really have too much to say.  The movie’s beautiful, I definitely want to see it again. I think the casting was great and yet, somehow the movie didn’t capture “it.”  I’m not sure if no movie could, or if this movie couldn’t, but for whatever reason, the greatness of the book doesn’t translate.  And something I will blame completely on Chris Weitz is the ending. It stinks.  Royally.  It’s a total let-down, and it’s BORING.  And it came after only two hours – I know my audience at least could have easily, even happily stayed for another half hour, and if they were hell-bent on not giving us the real ending (which is the OPPOSITE of boring), they could have at least added some more fun stuff in the middle.  Anyhoo, this review pretty much sums it up to me.  Like I said, I enjoyed the movie, I’ll mostly likely see it again, even own it, but I won’t be that sad if they don’t make the other two movies, and I’m sure as shootin’ glad the movie wasn’t my first exposure to this story.

all I want for Christmas is an alethiometer November 23, 2007

Among the other toys and keepsakes coming out for The Golden Compass, they are making an alethiometer.  I must have one.

 With the movie opening in two weeks, I trust everyone’s getting excited for it.  Here’s an interview with Chris Weitz to whet your appetite.

all things GC October 15, 2007

Let’s see, things are speeding up for the 12/7 release of The Golden Compass. Click on the picture to see the latest trailer. There’s talk of cutting off the book ending as it’d be too upsetting a way to end the movie. They say they’d put the ending on as the beginning of the second movie, which is ok, I suppose. I just remember the ending of the book being so shocking and thrilling, making me go directly to the bookstore to get the next book upon finishing the first. A safe ending could be a boring ending. I guess we’ll see.

As expected, the Catholic church is complaining about the movie, even though efforts were made to make it less religiously controversial than the books.  The Catholic League is worried that children seeing the movie may want to go on to read the books.  Let’s hope so!

a trailer for a musical with no music? October 4, 2007

The first Sweeney Todd trailer is available for viewing online (Click poster for the link).  I’m worried.  I understand that having a trailer with virtually no singing might seem a better way to draw non-musical theatre crowds to the movie, but it also makes me think that perhaps the actors don’t sound so good.  I don’t even know how they got so much footage without singing in it – am I crazy in thinking of Sweeney Todd as 90% sung?
 I am devoted to Tim Burton, but he has let me down before.  I hope he doesn’t fail me this time.  I would love to love this movie.

things I thought about stuff October 4, 2007

• THE RITZ @ Studio 54.  I am apparently alone in my opinion, but I say it is a terrible play.  Perhaps when it came out it was funny in a very fluffy, purely entertainment way, but today, I’m sorry, having the only truly emotional note in your play being the possibility of a friendship between a gay and a straight guy just doesn’t cut it.
• AUSTENLANDby Shannon Hale.  It was ok.  I’d much rather read her YA stuff.  Much rather.
• ONCE.  Here’s the thing.  It’s a very nice movie.  But then people liked it, and hyped it to high heaven which is the opposite of what this kind of movie needs.  If you see it, you’ll enjoy it.  If you don’t see it, that’s fine too.  No need to see on the big screen, it’s the music and relationship that the movie’s about.
• THE LOVE CURSE OF THE RUMBAUGHSby Jack Gantos.  Really different from his other books, and other peoples’ books for that matter, very creepy; a good read for October.
• A CERTAIN SLANT OF LIGHTby Laura Whitcomb.  Couldn’t stop reading it (stayed up ’til 3am).  This is what I wanted from The Lovely Bones, glad I finally got it.
• THE GREEN GLASS SEA by Ellen Klages.  I just started reading this book, so I can’t share an opinion of it.  But I am mystified as to why I’m reading it.  Let me explain.  I, like many bibliophiles, have many scraps of papers with book titles on them.  Things I’ve seen or heard about that I want to read.  The scraps of paper float through drawers, over piles, fall out of notebooks, etc.  Some of them I eventually request from the library having completely forgotten why I was interested in them in the first place, which is really part of the fun.  But I really didn’t think this was the case with The Green Glass Sea.  I knew in my head that it was a book by the lady that wrote Life As We Knew It (really good, I recommend it to you all – but it will scare you).  But guess what, y’all?  It’s not.  Because Susan Beth Pfeffer wrote Life as We Knew It, and she’s not Ellen Klages now, is she?  So anyway, I don’t know why I’m reading Green Glass Sea exactly, but I liked to first chapter, so I’m very happy to continue.

October 1, 2007

Defining Daemons | The Golden Compass

all things Austen September 7, 2007

Austen-mania, as you know, has it’s peaks and valley’s. The last peak wasn’t too long ago, but we’re gearing up for another. 2008 may possibly be named The Year of Austen, if only by me.

Shannon Hale’s getting us off to an early start with her new (non-YA)novel, Austenland. I haven’t read it yet, but I will soon. And of course there’s the current feature film, Becoming Jane which I still need to see to make sure they applied my ample suggestions.

As many of you surely know, Austen will be the theme of Masterpiece Theatre this season (be sure to click on the link to watch a preview). They will feature a brand new version of Sense and Sensibility as well as never before seen in the US, Mansfield Park, Northanger Abby, and Persuasion. (editorial note, I really don’t know how they’re going to top the most recent feature film versions of S&S and Persuasion, but I’ll try to keep an open mind). They’ll also air a new biopic about the authoress herself, and the already seen Emma (yuck!) and Pride and Prejudice (yum!) mini-series from the ’90s.

Brooklyn Arden has been kind enough to suggest a reading calendar for us all to follow to read the 6 novels throughout 2008, something that would do me good as I haven’t read any of them in a while.

I started prepping myself for 2008 Austen-mania last night by attending a screening of the upcoming movie, The Jane Austen Book Club. One of the producers apparently used to be on the NYPL board, and decided to treat us poor library staff to a sneak-peek. You know I would have attended almost any free movie, but I was delighted to see this one. I read the book when it came out and found it mildly entertaining, but not nearly elitist enough for me (I wanted more obscure Austen references so I could feel smug in my brilliance). I actually quite enjoyed the movie, moreso than the book which is a rare phenomena of a film adaptation. Of course, casting Hugh Dancy as the romantic lead never hurts. And I was particularly delighted by Emily Blunt’s performance as the Austen know-it-all.

*Biggest problem with the movie – There’s a scene where Blunt (playing a teacher) eats yogurt in the library.  The library!  That is not allowed.

Perfect way to end your summer August 22, 2007

Erin and I went to see Stardust last night.  I was a little worried because I decided to read the book first, and it was fresh in my mind, but I had a great time.  I didn’t mind most of the changes at all.  There were some things that were very reminiscent of Princess Bride. Here are the three things I minded:

1) All of the actors seemed to feel that they needed a British accent even if their character wasn’t British (Claire Danes and Michelle Pfeiffer) and I didn’t.  Neither did Robert De Niro, so for once, he and I agreed about his performance in a comedy.

2) The movie was a little too long with an extended montage on De Niro’s boat.  Very unneccesary. 

3) Claire Dane’s (second) dress wasn’t nearly pretty enough.

Overall, a really fun movie, and the lead, Charlie Cox, was very dreamy-looking; especially by the end of the movie.  I recommend it to everyone. 

Movie News: His Dark Materials May 22, 2007

Click on the picture for a Guardian article about the Cannes screening of His Dark Materials.

HDM daemon generator May 1, 2007

Ok, everyone else is putting theirs on their blog, so I will too. I have to say, I don’t like the thought of having a bird daemon, it would be handy that they could fly, but I hate the thought of their claws sinking into my shoulder.
On a related note, The Golden Compass trailer will be played before Pirates of the Caribbean. Now I have to see it. Oh fine, I was going to anyway – I’m just saying, don’t be late to the movie theater.