The Winter Soldier Movie Review

This movie was amazing. Just peer, utter awesomeness. I've been wanting to go see it for a while now, but I never really got around to it until today.

And boy am I glad I did.

First off, just let me say that I've never been a huge Captain America fan. I mean, he's okay, but... he's never been very high on my list of favorites.

This movie has quickly zoomed to the top of my list of favorite movies. And my list of most feels-y movies, too.

But I'm sure you'd prefer it if I started discussing the specifics, instead of just ranting about how good it was.

The plot twists were absolutely amazing. Disturbing, but amazing. I love a good plot twist, and I certainly wasn't disappointed. I really wonder how they're going to handle the aftermath. I won't spoil it for you, though ;)

Secondly, there were some fabulous one-liners, as I would expect of a Marvel movie. And some very gif and meme worthy moments, too.

And then there were the Easter Eggs. Natasha's arrow necklace. The way names like "Stephen Strange" were casually dropped here and there... The little things all added up.

The plot was gorgeously executed, too. I never felt like it was moving too quickly or too slowly- it was just right. And then the fact that it didn't really end. HYDRA is still out there- cut one head off, and two grow back.

The stuntwork and CGI was excellent, too. The fight scenes were very nicely done. I especially liked the police chase with Nick Fury and SHIELD. It certainly kept me on the edge of my seat. And anything with Bucky was very well done, too.

And the feels. There were lots of feels.

So, in summary. Beautiful movie. Lots of feels. And maybe I can come up with something bad to say about it later so this is more of a review and less of a "ohmygosh this movie was so cool" rant.

But probably not.

And you've probably guessed by now that my rating is a 10/10.

Review: The Fault in Our Stars

The Fault in Our Stars by John Green

My rating: 5 of 5 stars



Wow. Just... wow.

This book blew me off the face of the earth. I mean, not literally, but... it was really good. Really, really good.

First off, there's the absolutely gorgeous, yet simplistic, cover. People are always telling me "don't judge a book by its cover!" But so far, it's seemed a pretty accurate rubric, with a few exceptions.

TFIOS has one of my favorite covers ever. It looks as though it's made of clipart, yet it has a nice artsy feel to it. I love it.

Secondly, this book is sad. If you're looking for a fun, easy read with no tears and very few metaphors, skip this book. Then come back to it when you're ready because it's not to be missed.

I MEAN, WHAT HAPPENED TO HAZEL AND GUS' HAPPILY EVER AFTER?

And then there were the metaphors.

This book is stuffed with so many metaphors, I was still picking up on new things during my second read of it, and I'm sure that if I decide to read it again I'll pick up on some more.

And then there were some absolutely beautiful quotes.

"I fell in love the way you fall asleep. Slowly, then all at once."

"Some infinities are bigger than other infinities."

"My thoughts are stars I can't fathom into constellations."

You get the picture.

And then there was John Green.

I want to write like John Green someday.

One of my favorite things about John Green is the way he writes books inside of books, then quotes these books in his books. If that makes any sense at all. An Imperial Affliction nested so nicely inside of TFIOS. It was amazing.

Actually, the whole book was amazing.

So, those are my thoughts on it... what did you think of TFIOS?



View all my reviews

TCWT Blog Chain

So, Teens Can Write, Too is back, along with their blog chain! Yay! So, anyway, this month's prompt looked like a lot of fun, and I figured... hey, why not?

What kinds of YA Fiction books would you like to see more of?

First of all, I'd like a bit more... variety in the romance department. More LGBTQ+ characters. Characters who don't fall in love. That kind of thing. YA seems cliche now, if only because of all the love triangles. I don't mind romance, but how about something without it for a change?

Also, I would enjoy some more fantasy. Vampire stories are not included. Quality fantasy is hard to find in the YA area; I really wish there was more.

On that subject: I also want more sci-fi. Dystopian novels are so overdone; it seems like most of them are just like The Giver ripoffs.

Fourth: More John Green. 'Nuff said.

I know there are quite a few of these, but I really enjoy retellings of fairy tales. So some more of those would be nice too.

Another: More historical fiction. I really enjoy good historical fiction, but it's hard to find in the YA genre.

And, finally: some smart, nerdy girls. There are tons of romances where nerdy guys fall in love with cool girls... why not the other way around?

Happy May the Fourth!

So, for those of you who didn't know already, May the Fourth is Star Wars Day. You know... May the Fourth Be With You? One of my favorite horrible puns.

Anyway. Here are five things to do for May the Fourth... Have fun!

1. A Star Wars marathon. Duh. What else would you do on Star Wars Day, if not a Star Wars movie marathon?

-Haven't seen them before and have limited time? Stick with the originals, Episodes IV, V, VI. They're much better, in my opinion.

-Seen them a billion times already? Watch them again. Or you can go with one of the other ideas. But whatever you do, don't watch Star Trek. Today is for Star Wars.



2. Cosplay. You don't need to go all out. Han Solo, for example, is a pretty simple one. Plus, the genderswapped versions look really nice.



3. Come up with some corny Star Wars puns of your own. Like Ham Solo.



Or Adobe Wan Kenobi.



Or any of these.









Sorry. I'll stop now.

4. Play the X-Wing Miniatures game. The ultimate of nerdiness? Combining your favorite sci-fi movie with an awesome strategy game. Plus, it's fun.



5. Check out the cast for the new movie, and predict what it'll be like.

Here's the list.

And here are a couple of ideas about it.








So, anyway. Happy Star Wars Day! Have fun :)

Elsa and Anna: Not the First

A note to my followers- A review of The Fault in Our Stars will be posted soon! I was just too busy crying my eyes out the first time around to review it properly, so I'm going to re-read it.

So. Anyway. You've probably heard the hype about "Frozen being the first Disney movie to show girls that you don't need a man to save you".

But honestly, I don't get it.

I love Frozen. Love, love, love it. It's one of my favorite Disney movies. Just clearing that up.

But... It certainly isn't the first of its kind. We're forgetting quite a few amazing Disney heroines here. How do you think they feel about it? So I'm going to list them here. Hopefully, that way, they'll get a bit of the appreciation they deserve.

Note: Please feel free to discuss your feelings on this in the comments! I'd be very happy to listen to your viewpoints, too.

Mulan. What the heck?! It's been a while since I last watched Mulan (Like, as in several years), but I'm pretty sure the whole message of the story is "you don't need a man to save you". Mulan enlists in the army, fights the Huns, and kicks some serious butt while doing so. It's even got some Twelfth Night- style romance in it, okay? So don't forget Mulan. Please.

Eilonwy. I suppose we can give poor Elionwy a pass, seeing as her movie isn't the most popular of Disney's (The Black Cauldron, in case you're wondering). But don't just totally toss her out the window. Please.

Megara. Okay. Megara isn't an official Disney princess. So what?! Megara saves Hercules. But what's more, she shows that it's okay if you need to be saved now and then. And another thing. She isn't very physically strong, but she is smart. She isn't the stereotypical wimpy-princess. But she also isn't the stereotypical femme fatale. Yet everyone seems to forget her.

Merida. My feelings on this are the same as my feelings on Mulan. Isn't the whole point of the movie that she doesn't need a man to save her? And it isn't like Merida is little known princess... This one is another what-the-heck worthy moment.



So. Those are my thoughts. Opinions, anyone?

A Writing Tag

Found this from Musings From Neville's Navel, and it looked like fun. So... here goes.

Magic Violinist's Questions

Fantasy or Sci Fi?
It depends. I prefer writing fantasy and reading sci-fi. The world building is so much fun! But sci-fi is a lot of fun to read too, especially if the author is talented.

Male or female protagonists?
I definitely prefer writing female characters. With writing, I'm a bit more flexible.

Epic Adventures or simple, small town life?
Epic adventures. I prefer reading about dragons and warlocks and such to... high school and friendships. After all, I get to experience those in real life. Reading transports me to a new world.

Which book would somebody have to pay you to read?
Twilight. Need I say more?

What book have you read the most?
The Harry Potter series wins by a landslide. I think I'm on my ninth re-reading now.

Do you buy used books? Why or why not?
It depends. Sometimes, old books tell a story, and not just with words. They have... history. But sometimes, I want a new book to record my own history.

That probably sounded a bit odd. Oh well.

What genre would be wildly outside of your comfort zone to write/read?
For writing- Romance. I can handle romantic subplots, but as a genre... just no. I don't understand how to weave a whole story out of it.
For reading- Horror. As a rule, I don't read horror- but I do enjoy writing it.

First drafts or editing?
First drafts. I enjoy watching my writing improve through editing, but the best part is the initial flow of words, and getting them onto paper. It makes me feel like I can do anything I want.

What is your biggest source of inspiration?
Science. I enjoy twisting the amazing world around us into something even more amazing.

Do you base stories on real life experiences?
No. I do pull emotion and character traits from real life, but not stories.

Nevillegirl's Questions

What kind of music do you like to listen to while writing?
Soundtracks. They affect the mood of my writing quite a bit.

What kind of music do you not like to listen to while writing?
Anything but soundtracks. It's too distracting, especially if it's a good song.

Who or what was the inspiration for the first character you ever wrote?
I don't even remember the first character I ever wrote, so I'll go back to the first one I remember. I believe she was inspired by one of my best friends.

Do you ever have romance in your stories?
Yes, as a subplot.

What authors do you think you write like?
I don't know myself, but I've been told that I write like Margaret Atwood and Chuck Palahniuk.

Are your stories usually funny or serious?
As Joss Whedon said, "Make it dark, make it grim, but then, for the love of God, tell a joke." I think that describes my writing pretty well.

What is the best thing someone has ever said about your writing?
My creative writing teacher made predictions for the future occupations of everyone in our class. She said I would be a writer, living in a flat in Soho. That was pretty cool.

What is the worst thing someone has ever said about your writing?
I honestly don't know. I don't really pay attention to negative comments.

Why are all these questions about writing?
You tell me.

Would you rather own a castle or all the chocolate in the world?
A castle. If I owned all the chocolate in the world, that would mean nobody else had any. I'd be like the Dictator of Chocolate, and that would be horrible.

On Lunar Eclipses

10:58 Nothing... Still nice outside, though. I like being outside in the dark.
10:59 There's a bit of a shadow on the corner of the moon!
11:01 The missing chunk is getting bigger.
11:03 This is going by so slowly, but it's worth it. The chunk is taking up about a sixth of the moon now, and there's a red haze around it.
11:04 Mars is quite visible too. Mars is fun to look aat- it's got a reddish tinge and is usually easy to spot.
11:05 If only we were somewhere quieter... The moon is still pretty, though.
11:08 We can also see the star Spica. Spica is a binary star, and the biggest and brightest star in the constellation Virgo.
11:09 Many ancient cultures were afraid of these types of eclipses. The Inca believed that a Blood Moon was caused by a jaguar swallowing the moon, and the Egyptians thought it to be a sow. Some Native Americans thought that it showed that the moon was sick, and they would sing to heal it. More recent beliefs think that this blood moon signifies the beginning of the end.
11:13 It's chilly, but I'm warm and it feels relaxing. I like the cold.
11:14 A bat flew in front of the moon just now.
11:15 Our cat is watching the moon, and I can hear birds in the distance.
11:16 A dark colored circle surrounds the moon, and a lighter line crosses through it.
11:19 I really should do this more often... It's nice out here.
11:20 Now the chunk covers a quarter of the moon. I'm craving hot chocolate.
11:21 Something is running around in the bushes...
11:23 The moon is almost half covered now! There's a blue line between the missing chunk and the moon.
11:25 Apparently a lunar eclipse is cause when the earth's orbit crosses between the sun and the moon. Sunlight can no longer reflect off the moon, so it goes dark.
11:27 The moon is halfway covered now.
11:28 I wish we could see more stars, but it's too cloudy.
11:30 I want to go camping and eat s'mores under the moon.
11:31 Eclipse- related book recommendation: Every Soul a Star, by Wendy Mass.
11:32 I can't believe I've been out here a whole half hour... It seems like it's going by much more quickly than that.
11:34 Our cat is still watching. She has a longer attention span than my brother.
11:37 The covered part of the moon is a weird brownish color now. You can hardly see the craters.
11:38 On a second thought, knee socks and shorts probably weren't the most practical of ideas. I'm cold.
11:41 The orange tinge is almost gone now.
11:46 The orange glow is back, and brighter than before.
11:47 Five sixths done!
11:48 Some more stars are visible... I can see the Big Dipper!
11:49 Now to watch and wait... I'm tired and can't keep my thoughts straight.
12:13 The eclipse is over now. Not as cool as I'd expected, but still fun. The moon is a lot darker than usual, and sort of brownish colored.