Tangled

Maybe it is because I am one of those stupid 90's kids who think that nothing is ever going to be as good as my childhood was, but I had low expectations for Tangled when I went to see it in theaters. I'll admit that I had lost a little faith in the magic of Disney movies, but this movie soon destroyed all expectations I had in it and made me believe in animated movies once again. How could you make Rapunzel interesting to someone who has seen it a thousand different times a thousand different ways? Yet Disney used humor, a wonderful cast of characters, and a dash of good old Disney charm to make this one of the best children's movies I have seen in a very long time. Going back and rewatching it has only added, in my eyes, to how good it is because I still love it. 

I love Flynn Rider as well. Maybe it is because he reminds me of an old friend of mine or because he is the type of guy that I would probably date, but I seriously love him. Even though he doesn't want to take Rapunzel to see the lanterns he is still rather sweet to her even as he tried to trick her back to the tower. Then when he actually starts to like her *sigh* so cute! It might be the same old song and dance, but something about it makes me all warm and fuzzy inside. Also the end when he cuts her hair, I don't know but I really wasn't expecting that the first time I watched it. I need a man like Flynn Rider in my life. He is a mix between Aladdin and d'artagnan from the three musketeers.

Something that I thought was done extremely well was making the wicked witch, that is what I am going to call her, at the beginning of the movie like how every teenage girl sees her mother. She knows she loves her, but no teenage girl thinks that their mother ever lets them do anything fun. Now I could use my Russian Fairy Tales course and go into the whole psychological thing about why this is in fairy tales, but I will save you the lecture and just tell you that it was well done by Disney, and usually is.  

Pascal is the best! I never thought I would love a reptile as much as I love that little chameleon. Now I know he isn't really original, every Disney princess has an adorable animal sidekick, but there was something about him that I adored. Maybe it was because he didn't talk like the others, I don't know, but he was easily my favorite character in the movie. He is just such a bad ass and always looking out for Rapunzel. Also I loved Maximum. Again Disney is known for its animal sidekicks, but there was something about Max that was different. Maybe it was the fact that he was a horse that acted like a dog, I really don't know. 

Overall I thought the movie was beautiful. The animation was absolutely breathtaking, especially the lantern scene. The frying pans throughout the movie was amazing and I loved the thugs as well. The songs weren't as strong as other Disney movies, at least I thought so, but they were still nice. The flower song to make her hair glow I find extremely catchy. It will be stuck in my head for days. I liked that Disney added its own twist to the Rapunzel tale, though I admit I don't really know the original fairy tale all that well. I give the movie a 4.4 out of 5 mostly because of the lack of memorable songs. 

Ouran High Host Club

Ouran High Host Club is one or the weirdest, childish, ridiculous, and absolutely amazing animes and mangas I have watched and or read. If you want something serious this is not for you. It is also aimed towards girls, but I think guys could watch it just for the amazing ridiculousness of it. I love the heroine Haruhi Fujioka because she isn't your typical heroine. She is strong and smart, but she also has strong opinions and a strong love for fancy tuna. She also says what's on her mind even if it isn't exactly what goes with what the "rich kids" think. Now Haruhi is mistaken for a male the first time she meets the club and Tamaki Suoh, the club king, makes her join the club as its dog. The club after the first episode finds out she is a female, but want her to stay with the club. Haruhi hides the fact that she is a female from everyone because if she is found out she would no longer be able to be a host. Of course many members of the club fall head over heels for her as well as a few students who find out the truth. 

 

The Hitachiin twins have to be the most ridiculous, but also I have to say my favorites. It might just be me personally because I usually have a special place for twins. The Weasley twins were my favorite characters in the Harry Potter books and movies (And I got to meet them!) Hikaru and Kaoru aren't just your average mischievous twins however, their characters are actually developed, more so in the manga, but the anime does an alright job as well. They become two separate characters and you fall in love with them.

I especially love Honey and Mori sempi. They are the wisest as well as the most entertaining of the group. Honey with his stuffed bunny Usa-chan instantly became my brother's girlfriend and my brother from the first episode. He is just too adorable not to love as well as Usa-chan. If they were all real characters however I would either date Mori or Kyouya. Mori takes care of Honey and is the strong and silent type while, Kyouya is the brains of the operation and unlike the rest of the characters is serious and mature. And then there is Tamaki...you can't really sum him up, but you will either love him or hate him.

You fall in love with all the the hosts and the weird people that enter their club. You learn about why each member acts the way they do and how being rich does not mean that you have a happy ever after. Though it is cute and sweet, but it also deals with deeper issues. Now the manga is a lot better and deeper then the anime and the ending is a lot better. You can tell that the anime needed a way to tie up the series, but the ending of the anime was not what I wanted it to be.

Overall I would give it four out of five stars and recommend it :) I don't know if they can make a live action version, but they should defiantly try.

Snow White: A Tale of Terror

Alright so I really wanted to watch the movie again and let me tell you, so much better when you can clearly see and hear everything that is going on. Now it is a made for TV movie, so it isn't the highest class of film, but I think it is pretty well done. There are some rather big name actors in it as well. Sam Neill, the hero in Jurassic Park, is Lord Hoffman, Lilliana (or Snow White's) father. Sigourney Weaver, the heroine from Alien, plays the evil stepmother, and does a damn good job of it. David Conrad, the husband in ghost whisperer (and born in Pittsburgh :) plays Doctor Gutenburgh who during most of the movie is the Prince Charming character, but there is a twist in this tale.

The first thing that I love about this story is that it follows the Grimm brothers' version of the tale, which is much more violent then the tale we all know and love by Walt Disney. You understand this with in the first couple moments of the film where we see a man torn to shreds by wolves and Lord Hoffman kill his wife to save his child. After the first couple of minutes I was hooked just to see what else they were going to do to the characters that would make little kids cry if they watched it.

We also get to see the development of the wicked stepmother Claudia as Lilli grows up. Now I have to admit that if little Lilli acted like that to me I would beat the little brat, but Lilli's actions as a child are somewhat understandable. She feels as if her father is replacing her mother with this new woman, as I am sure many young children do. My parent's are still together so I can't give any personal knowledge, but it is what I have heard and seen. Also I would never marry a noble man or prince for the simple reason that everyone watches you have sex for the first time. Most people don't even want to see themselves have sex let alone have a whole crowd. I mean how did they think this was a good idea? Hello, stage fright anyone?

Next thing you know it is nine years later and Lilli is all grown up into a whinny little teenager who still dislikes her step mom, but has a major crush on Peter Gutenburgh (don't blame her). Claudia is also about to give birth and we get the first hint that she is a little off kilter. Well that and she owns a mirror that kills Lilli's nanny, but hey we all have one of those stashed somewhere. Claudia talks about casting runes and such waiting for her baby to be born and Lord Hoffman, who is very religious, prays to have a boy. Anyway Claudia and Lilli have a bit of a verbal battle over the dress Lilli is going to wear to the ball being thrown. Lilli basically tells Claudia to shove it, wears one of her mothers dresses, makes Claudia extremely jealous and Claudia goes into labor. her baby boy is stillborn and this is where Claudia jumps off the deep end, in her grief she blames Lilli for her baby's death.

As anyone who knows the tale should guess the next thing to happen is someone tries to kill Lilli. In this version it is Claudia's brother after Peter proposes to Lilli. Lilli kicks her would be assassin where the sun don't shine and high tales it into the woods where she stumbles into an abandoned house and falls asleep. And here appears our "seven dwarfs" though they are far from the cute little guys we have come to love. All are grown men who are hiding from the world either because they are hunted or because they are deformed. They do not treat Lilli kindly, except one, Will. Lilli almost gets rapped by one of the dwarfs, but Will stops him and then we get into the whole witch tries to kill Snow White twice and fails routine. After all that (Will saves Lilli every time, though two of his friends die in the process) Lilli and Will are in love, which makes you wonder, what is going to happen to the good doctor. Oh just wait. 

While Lilli is trying not to get crushed, rapped or a bunch of other unpleasant things Claudia seduces Peter, though I have to say she didn't have to try very hard. Now I can't really blame Claudia for making out with Doctor Gutenburgh. Any woman who turns down David Conrad obviously is blind as well as insane, and Claudia is only one of those things, but I can say something about his taste. Now I am not saying Claudia is not pretty, but she is married and her daughter is hot and single. Really doctor?

Any who I am not going to tell you the rest, if I have gotten your attention you can go and watch the full movie on youtube. There are a few different people who have is posted. I am just going to make one or two more comments. The first on is *drum roll* the only part of the movie that I found overly dramatic is the scene where Claudia "steals the father's seed". Like really is that whole thing needed? She couldn't just go in there and have it implied we had to see that whole awkward scene (imagine that with a room full of college kids). Another is that there is a lot of things I did not pick up on the first time I watched the movie, like Claudia wrecking the saint statues, so keep an open eye and you will get a lot more out of it.

I wasn't really a giant fan of the ending because Lilli and Will don't have this huge romantic moment (they really didn't the whole movie) and you don't find out what happens.Oh and David Conrad gets pushed out of a window! I mean I knew he wasn't going to be Prince Charming, but what a waste! And then there are the lingering questions. Do Lilli and Will get married and bring the other "dwarfs" to live with them? Does her father even live? I need answers people! This is the reason that I adore Disney movies. You always know it is going to be a happily ever after with the princess marrying the prince and living together at their castle. None of this symbolism crap that you are just supposed to pick up on.

Jane Eyre - looks aren't everything

I had to read Jane Eyre for Women and Literature. Now this is the second time that I have read this novel and I have to say that it is much better the second time around. I don't think that ninth grade students can really understand and appreciate all that this novel has to offer other then the romance story.

Since most people have read or at least heard of the book before so I am not going to bore you with description of the plot and go right to my thoughts. I can not stand St. John Rivers. I think he is boring, obnoxious, and a prick. I am not against religion and I think that clergy should have a strong sense of duty, but to take a young girl (Jane is only nineteen) to India so she can die too young in life is just heartless. Not only that but to tell this same girl that you do not love her, but wish to marry her and think that this will be okay is just...naive. There is no faster way to a girls heart then tell her that you want her to come die with you in India because she is smart not because you love her. Maybe it is because he didn't speak with her unless he was teaching her, but it was obvious that he has no idea about what her personality is like. Though I have to admit (and agree with my professor) that he sounds hott with two t's.

*Jamie Bell is supposed to be playing St.John in a new movie coming out in 2011*

What got me even more upset than St. John is the fact that Jane was about to go with him! I knew how the book ends and I still was almost ripping my hair out during the scene where she almost said yes to his marriage proposal. She said that he suppressed her nature, character, and soul, but she thought that going to India because she couldn't be with Mr. Rochester that was cool. She already said marrying St. John would basically be killing herself before she even got to India and that she could not hold up to the climate well, I just didn't understand her logic. However maybe if I had born in the time and in her position it would make more sense, but as it is I can't get into the Victorian England mindset on this point. 

Second thought is that I always forget Mr. Rochester as well as Jane herself are supposed to be unattractive. Maybe because he is so interesting and entertaining or maybe because Jane loves him and it is her eyes we see him through, but I always see someone who is relatively attractive. I like him so much more the St. John because he cares about Jane's nature as well as her personality. Mr. Rochester could have had the beautiful Miss Blanch, but he chose someone who suited his mind. I also picture Mr. Rochester almost as attractive as St. John and even in the movie adaptions he isn't ugly or even unattractive. Now I know Hollywood has to make everyone pretty, but they could find someone who fits into the first picture that Bronte gave us.

This read through also showed me how much more the novel was then a romance. Bronte comments on the decline in literature (mostly poetry) in her time and many other wide reaching comments. Religion is also a giant part of this novel that I brushed off before as filler. I think I related a lot more to Jane this time because I feel like I am like her in a lot of ways. I am plain, smart but not extremely so, love to read and learn, and also very passionate when occasion calls for it. And damn it I am going to admit it I want the fairy tale romance with a personal Mr. Rochester! Jane follows her heart and her reason through out the novel and even though it causes her pain it also makes her happy in the end. Not only that she isn't pretty and she marries the ugly, blind, crippled man because she loves him and not the young, hot one because she thinks its her duty to God. YOU GO GIRL!

Dracula - sometimes the movies are better then the book

So I am taking a class this semester called Vampire: Blood and Empire. Naturally we are not just focusing on the new found obsession with vampires, but their historical context and the original stories. Of course Bram Stoker's Dracula was the first full length novel. I just finished it and here are some of my thoughts...

Now I really enjoyed the novel to begin with because I liked all the different points of view as well as the two different story lines converging into one. It was full of action and suspense all the way up until the scene we see Mina being forced to drink Dracula's blood. After that the book went down hill. Even the death of the Count, which was so anticlimactic that it made me want to cry, and Quincy Morris could help it. Not only that but by the end of the novel all of the most interesting characters had either been killed or turned so annoying that I couldn't bring myself to care what really happened.

I loved Mina Harker at the beginning of the novel, even though I thought she was a bit dead when she thought the marks on Lucy's neck were from a pin. I think you would notice if you rammed a pin threw someone’s skin no matter who worried you were about being discovered. By the end of the novel however she was whiny and I wanted her to become a vampire so she would at least be interesting again. The Mina portrayed in The League of Extraordinary Gentleman is so much better. Thank you creative license.

Dr. Van Helsing was annoying as all hell and I am very very VERY happy that in the movie Van Helsing he does not at all resemble Stoker's model. Though with Huge Jackman I really don't know how you can go wrong. *yum* Dr. Van Helsing in the book was sooooooo long winded and refused to tell anyone anything until something horrible happened. If he wouldn't have been so damn secretive maybe the book could have been 200 pages and not 300 hundred.

And then their is Quincy Morris who I didn't even know was a character in the Dracula book until I started to read it for myself. Let me just say that he is straight up shady. He is always disappearing and then reappearing with weak alibis and then he almost kills Jonathan shooting at a 'bat' at the window. Shady to say the least. Then he just kinda dies, no fan fair and not really a lot of drama or grief. He just dies.

I can not forget Renfield because he was the person I felt most sorry for and the saddest at his death. He was a lunatic who saw a way to get what he wanted, but at the last minute had a change of heart and died trying to protect Mina. Though I am not going to lie the whole spiders and flies was weird, but hey he was in a mental asylum.

Which leads me to my biggest problem with the novel. You know that Renfield loves Dracula and calls him master and you know that he needs to be invited into your home. So what do our brave heroes do? Leave the female home, alone and defenseless, and go out and about looking to Dracula which is only going to piss him off. Really this seemed like a good idea? I literally rolled my eyes at the book when this happened. And then it took them forever to figure out he was even feeding on Mina. Stupid males! Mina wasn't much better.

Overall I think that anyone interested in vampires or gothic novels should read this book because it is a good read. You do need to battle through some sections, but the staking of Lucy really is worth it. Also I had to read a lot of secondary literature about Dracula and now it's hard not to see everything as a sexual innuendo. Really you should read some of the stuff written about this book.

Also in the way of Dracula movies I recommend Dracula: Dead and Loving it if you are looking for a laugh. As a matter of fact I am going to go see if it is an instant watch :)