Movie Review: Avengers: Age of Ultron (2015)

Hello, movie fans!

Are any of you in the mood to talk about superhero movies? I always am, so today I am continuing my goal of reviewing as many Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) films as I can in 2021!

Time sure moves quickly. While I wasn’t part of the fandom for the MCU yet, I remember when this movie came out. Now that was 6 years ago!

My guarantee: On ALL of my reviews there are NO spoilers unless I give you warning. This review is completely spoiler free for this film and for all others in the franchise. Because it is such a complicated “universe” of films and so much happens, I will be more vague with each coming review. I want you to experience all the twists and turns for yourself without worry that I’m telling you too much!

I’m here to help you get the best experience, so do as I say and not as I do. With so many movies there has to be a way to organize them, right? Well, there is! There are two ways in fact of watching. They are:

In the order which they were made:

Iron Man (2008), The Incredible Hulk (2008), Iron Man 2 (2010), Thor (2011), Captain America: The First Avenger (2011), The Avengers (2012), Iron Man 3 (2013), Thor: Dark World (2013), Captain America: The Winter Solider (2014), Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 1 (2014), Avengers: The Age of Ultron (2015), Ant-Man (2015), Captain America: Civil War (2016), Dr. Strange (2016), Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 (2017), Spider-man: Homecoming (2017), Thor: Ragnarok (2017), Black Panther (2018), Avengers: Infinity War (2018), Ant-Man and the Wasp (2018), Captain Marvel (2019), Avengers: Endgame (2019), & Spider-man: Far From Home (2019).

Or chronological order:

Captain America: The First Avenger (2011), Captain Marvel (2019), Iron Man (2008), Iron Man 2 (2010), Thor (2011), The Incredible Hulk (2008), The Avengers (2012), Iron Man 3 (2013), Thor: Dark World (2013), Captain America: The Winter Solider (2014), Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 1 (2014), Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 (2017), Avengers: The Age of Ultron (2015), Ant-Man (2015), Captain America: Civil War (2016), Black Panther (2018), Spider-man: Homecoming (2017), Dr. Strange (2016), Thor: Ragnorok (2017), Avengers: Infinity War (2018), Ant-Man and the Wasp (2018), Avengers: Endgame (2019), & Spider-man: Far From Home (2019).

If you have never seen a Marvel movie, then this one probably isn’t the best to start with. At the very least it is best to see The Avengers (2012) first, as this is the second on in that series. It isn’t vital, but nice addition to that to know some backstory from characters that I listed above. Enjoy!

Avengers: Age of Ultron (2015):

Based on: The Avengers comics - by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby.

“No matter who wins or loses, trouble always comes around.”

The Avengers have stepped into a rhythm of keeping the earth save. On one mission they run into a strange duo: a boy breaking the possibilities of speed and a girl who’s strange power puts foreboding thoughts into ones mind. Or are they visions of the future? Scared, one of the Avengers decides to build peace keeping technology that would work as a shield around the entire world, named Ultron. With something of that big a magnitude, something is likely to go wrong. This protector revolts, becoming a weapon with a mind of its own. The Avengers face a never before seen threat: a robot that can replicate itself, move around the globe in seconds, and wants to destroy the world instead of saving it. Ultron joins up with the super siblings and each Avenger has nightmares put in their heads from the girl and are now afraid of losing everything. How will they beat this trio in addition to the hundreds of new robots Ultron created? Will making a new piece of technology strengthen their chances or only weaken them?

‘“No way we all get through this...”

“I got no plans tomorrow night.”’

Genres: Superhero, Action, Science-Fiction.

Length: approx. 141 minutes.

Script: 7. There is an amount of swearing and name calling. But, I am a lot like Captain America who is always telling everyone not to swear. It backfires a few times which is funny. I appreciate the effort of course!

“Whoa ho ho! You kiss your mother with that mouth?”

Crew: Directed by: Josh Whedon. Written by: Josh Whedon.

Starring:

I’m not going to tell you everyone who is starring in this movie because there are so many spoilers. I’ll only name a few and you’ll have to guess the rest by pictures and be surprised by others.

James Spader as Ultron. “It is fortunate because I am mighty.”

Aaron Taylor-Johnson as Pietro Maximoff.

Elizabeth Olsen as Wanda Maximoff.

Paul Bettany as J.A.R.V.I.S..

Linda Cardellini as Laura.

Claudia Kim as Helen Cho.

Andy Serkis as Ulysses Klaue.

Idris Elba as Heimdall.

Stellan Skarsgård as Erik Selvig.

Cobie Smulders as Maria Hill.

Costumes: 8. Average, I would say. Nothing bad and people have really cool costumes/suits that go with their capabilities as superheroes.

Cinematography: 8. I get a little annoyed with how much CGI there is, but that is a minor quibble when there are so many neat things! I especially like how the scenes with the Maximoffs are done.

Cinematography by: Ben Davis.

Music: 8. It has the classic Avengers theme, of course, which makes me very happy whenever I hear it. The rest seems more dramatic than dynamic, but that’s no a bad thing.

Music by: Brian Tyler and Danny Elfman.

Notes: A fun fact is that this is the second most expensive film ever made! The production cost clocked in around 365 million dollars.

Quotability: 9. No one can deny Marvel’s knack for amazing lines! There is so much I quote from this movie especially that I could write a whole post about everything that Clint ever says.

“You didn’t see that coming?”

Content: 7. There is violent fighting, with people getting hurt and killed. In addition to that there is one or two fairly suggestive lines. I didn’t appreciate one comment about “multiplying faster that a Catholic rabbit”, but that’s just me. Ultron feels like he is a “god” so there is a lot of discussion around that. It really depends on the day how I feel about that. Sometimes I feel that it’s well done when with others I think it’s overdone. It has great messages, I just want you guys to be aware of that stuff.

“You get hurt, hurt 'em back. You get killed... walk it off.”

Originality: 10. Fighting robots is classic sci-fi, but this took it up a level! I love the introduction of new characters as well as the simple camaraderie between the avengers. This movie is an excellent example of character driven stories! Everything is fueled by the characters. They make mistakes then try to fix them. It’s the human condition and it’s what I love to see!

Good For: Anyone who loves characters with fantastic arcs, anyone who likes superhero movies, anyone who likes found families, anyone who loves stories where characters sacrifice a lot.

Age Range: This is PG-13 and I agree with that. It is very intense with the fighting, but I would actually say it isn’t as extreme as others because it is fighting against robots and not humans. This could be fine for kids younger than that because of how it’s all handled, though the machines themselves are terrifying. It all depends on the tolerability of the person watching.

Overall Score: 8!

Worth watching?: Yes! These characters mean so much to me and this is a fabulous step in all of their arcs. It gives such a dark view of humanity from Ultron’s perspective but our brave heroes fight against it showing how much people matter. I love it! The first time I watched it I was recovering from having my wisdom teeth pulled and it was perfect to captivate me.

Will I watch again?: Yes, yes, yes! Watching Marvel movies is a big commitment because once you see one you want to watch all other 22, but regardless of knowing that I want to see this again soon. I always get something new out of it.

Bonus thoughts:

“Already tried the mind-control thing. Not a fan.”

This movie somehow takes something seemingly ridiculous and makes it a complex problem to solve. This is said to be one of the least liked films in the franchise, yet the majority of people I talk to about it love it. Why? Because you are so attached to the characters. Each has morals, goals, while fighting fears--even about themselves--and you want them to win so badly. Do they? You’ll have to find out for yourself. Granted, it took a twist with a character that no one was prepared for. Some people don't like it, and I don't blame them as I was surprised, but it's my favorite character so I can't bring myself to have any problems with it. In hindsight it was a brilliant addition!

I am a sucker for sacrifice for the sake of a cause or person, so this film has some of my favorite moments in the universe. It’s obviously not for everyone, but I would say it’s well worth a chance.

Thanks for reading, everyone! Tell me where you are on the spectrum of liking this movie? Let’s talk about all things Marvel! I have a lot of posts planned for the end of this month, participating in several blog parties, so stay tuned for that!

MovieCritic

Book Review: One Bad Apple - by Rachel Kovaciny

 Howdy, “pardners”!

February is sometimes agreed to be the gloomiest month of the year, but it is almost behind us. I didn’t think it was that boring (I mean, there’s snow, so that’s good in all ways!) but these early months are good for reading and I did a lot of that. Technically, I read the book that I’m reviewing now in October, but all the same I think it could be ideal for all of you in this kind of weather to brighten your mood.

This book is the third in the Once Upon a Western series. All of these books are fairy tales retold in a western setting without any magic! Well, that last part isn’t true as Ms. Kovaciny must use magic while writing to make these books so delightful. None of the books contain the same characters (expect for small cameos that please me tremendously) so you can read them in any order. All the same, if you want to read the books in the order that she wrote them, but want to know more, then here are my reviews for the other books in the series:
Book 1: Cloaked
Book 2: Dancing and Doughnuts

My guarantee: On ALL of my reviews there are NO spoilers unless I give you warning. This is spoiler free!


One Bad Apple - by Rachel Kovaciny:

Levi Dalton and his six siblings and cousins have been left all alone by their covered wagon train. They have all lost their parents and their only remaining guardian is an uncle they have never met but they have to get to him in Junction City. Soon they are found by a wagon train consisting of all Black pioneers. They let the children join their group, but only a few, like Hopeful Mallone and her father, trust them. Levi is soon fascinated by Hopeful’s stepmother who helps heal people and he wants to learn her ways. All seems to be going well, but is something sinister brewing on the horizon?
Genres: Western, Fairytale retelling, Young Adult.
Characters: 9, the characters were great! Ms. Kovaciny deals well with working with big casts of characters and making them unique. It could be quite hard to wrangle all of Levi’s relatives, but she does it with easy as well as have prominent members of the wagon train.
My favorites:
Levi: He is my precious child. This fourteen year old boy is so realistic! He is so sweet with just wanting to help people so there aren’t more deaths as he’s lost too many people already. He wants to be seen by his family but he hates too much attention.
Hopeful: Her name suits her 100%. She sees the good in people, but she isn’t naive and recognizes danger. Too few people listen to her, but she is still strong. Her love of God makes all others hopeful, too!
Jacob: He gets the role of being the oldest and trying to watch out for all the other kids. He is very distant, but not in a lazy way, very understandably. This sentence describes him perfectly: ‘The surest way of making him refuses to do something was by urging him to do it.’
Ness: Poor Ness goes through a lot, but I love him. He is patient and kind, which are the best things.
Words/Writing style: 9. No bad words at all. It is told in first person, past tense. The reason that I enjoy it so much is because it is told through Levi’s perspective! It is the perfect basis for the story. I wouldn’t have thought of it, but nothing could’ve fit it better. Grief has made him grow up quickly, but he is still very much a child.

‘The ache of missing them had become a tender throb and not the first sharp pain I’d thought would split me like kindling.’

World building/Setting: 8. This is a new category for me! It is set on a wagon train heading west which fits the story like a glove. I have done a lot of research about the Oregon Trail, but I still learned loads.
Quotability: N/A. As my reviews mature (at least, I think they’re maturing and getting better...) I’ve found that this doesn’t apply much to books. Mostly because I have no one to quote them too unless my sisters are familiar with them. Don’t doubt that this had good lines, though!
Content: 9. There is death and how to deal with grief which is very poignant. Other death is there with killing and plotting, but it is shown to be wrong. It also addresses racism and shows how judgement is a terrible thing, which I loved!
Originality: 10. I love the fairy tale of Snow White and therefore have read many versions. This was new in all ways! Ms. Kovaciny is not lacking creativity in any ways. There are tie-ins to a certain Shakespeare play which are well done. I’m only mildly acquainted with that play, but I’m sure others who know it more will notice things I didn’t catch.
Good For: Fairy tale lovers, western fans, families.
Age Range: Though this is Young Adult, it is perfectly fine for any age. In fact, I think it could be beneficial for younger readers especially, but older people will enjoy this, too.
Overall Score: 9!
Worth reading?: Indeed, as the day is long! Sorry, that might not make any sense but I’m trying to sound like I’m from the west. The Snow White factor brought me in, but Levi ensured that I stayed! It is a Christian book as Hopeful’s father is a Reverend and has messages of faith. If I had been in a different mood I might’ve found it “preachy” in one or two places, but it was just what I needed at the time.
Will I read again?: I went through all the trouble of getting a copy, so yes I will! I want my sisters to enjoy it, too, though they aren’t as into Snow White as I am.
Bonus thoughts:

“Don’t matter what you look like so much as what you do!”

There is a character I can’t forget to mention, Mrs. Mallone! She is a very complicated character, and while her relationship with one character felt rushed, I know that this is a short book so there isn’t a lot of time to delve into things.
American History month, and this book is rich in just that! This book is inspiring for what people went through way back when, but African Americans had even bigger troubles. This book takes a look at that and is eye-opening. Let’s not make that same mistake as history did.


By the way, after, and only after, you’ve read this then you should read Rachel’s short story, Run, Run! It takes another fairy tale and uses these characters to take a peek into their lives after the book has ended.



There you have it! Have any of you read this? What are your favorite Snow White retellings? Tell me some other African American books (or movies!) that I should try. Thanks for reading!

MovieCritic

Movie Series Review: Twitches

Hey, guys!

Usually I review movies singularly, but today Iʼm going to be reading two at a time today because they are in a series. I know that this seems a little strange for me as Iʼve never reviewed a Disney Channel Original Movie (DCOM), but I promise you that there is a method to my madness. Read on and find out why!

My guarantee: On ALL of my reviews there are NO spoilers unless I give you warning. These reviews are both spoiler free!

Twitches (2005):

Based on: The Twitches series - by H. B. Cilmour and Randi Reisfeld.

There is a darkness threatening to consume the land of Coventry. The king gives the last of his magic to his daughters in order to save them, and their guardians hide them away in the modern world. Both of them grow up separately until their guardians decided to bring them together on their 21st birthday, which is Halloween. At first they canʼt believe it, but through the day they spend time together and try to learn how to use their magic. They have had it their whole life, but never used it, with just a dayʼs training will it be strong enough to defeat the darkness? They get scared, so will one of them have to do it alone?

Genre: Fantasy, Family.

Length: approx. 86 minutes.

Script: 10, no bad words.

Crew: Directed by: Stuart Gillard. Written by: Melissa Gould, Dan Berendsen, H.B. Gilmour, & Randi Reisfeld.

Starring:

Tia Mowry as Alex Fielding.

Tamera Mowry as Camryn Barnes.

Kristen Wilson as Miranda.

Patrick Fabian as Thantos.

Jennifer Robertson as Illeana.

Pat Kelly as Karsh.

Jessica Greco as Lucinda.

Jackie Rosenbaum as Beth Fish.

Arnold Pinnock as David Barnes.

Karen Holness as Emily Barnes.

Jessica Feliz as Nicole.

Kathryn Haggis as Housekeeper.

Costumes: 9, nothing indecent. Iʼll talk more about them later...

Cinematography: 5, this movie was a ton of fun, but this is the one place where they couldʼve improved it. The CGI is so bad! Every time it was suspenseful because of the “darkness”, my sister and I would burst out laughing because it was so cringe-worthy.

Cinematography by: Manfred Guthe.

Music: 8, I couldnʼt remember what the score or soundtrack was so I had to look it up and listen to it, but it is pretty different from anything else that Iʼve heard.

Music by: John Van Tongeren.

Quotability: N/A as I just watched it, but I would give it a tentative 8.

Content: 10, there are really no content concerns. For those of you who are wondering, yes there are witches (as you can guess from the title), but this is how the magic system works. In Coventry everyone has magic and is born with it. You can sometimes give people part of your own magic to strengthen theirs, but it can never be forced and is only done willingly. There are darker parts of magic (the “darkness”), but the good characters donʼt use it.

Originality: 10, Iʼve read a lot of books or seen a lot of movies with magic, but this was so different and original!

Good For: DCOM fans and sisters.

Age Range: There are some scary and intense moments that might be a little much for tiny kids, but I think that 8 is a good guess for the age where it starts. Probably most people over 40 wouldnʼt be that interested. Of course, it depends on the person.

Overall Score: 8.5.

Thoughts:

I was surprised because I thought that this was going to be really cheesy (and the CGI was), but it was actually really fun! First of all, I love that Alex and Cam are actually played by twins! Iʼm so used to twins being played by the same person, and the characters never have the same connection that real siblings do. Both of the characters Alex and Camryn felt so real! Their characters were consistent the whole time and the struggles and fears really fit in. It made so much sense how one character was really cautious at first then became more confident, and another was really enthusiastic in the beginning and got afraid later on. Well done!

It was kind of neat to see a DCOM with main characters who were so much older than their usual crowd. Usually the movies are about teenagers and there is nothing wrong with that, but I really appreciated having them be 21 because it made so much more sense.

The side characters were a lot of fun, too! Camrynʼs relationship with her parents was the best, and all of it felt so natural with the playful teasing and jokes. Karsh and Illeana were comic relief, but such good comic relief. Lucinda was a really good friend for Alex. The story and messages were great, too! Overall a really fun time.

&

Twitches Too (2007):

Based on: The Twitches series - by H. B. Cilmour and Randi Reisfeld.

Camryn and Alex are getting used to how this whole sister thing works. Camryn wants to learn how to use her magic and take responsibility with what she can, while Alex feels that sheʼs missing something. She keeps writing strange stories, and she knows that all of her stories are true. Is someone calling to her? Who, and why?

(Iʼm sorry that Iʼm being super vague! Thatʼs how this whole second review will be because I donʼt want to give away spoilers for the first movie.)

Genre: Fantasy, Family.

Length: approx. 83 minutes.

Script: 10, once again, no bad words.

Crew: Directed by: Stuart Gillard. Written by: Dan Berendsen, H.B. Gilmour, & Randi Reisfeld.

Starring:

Tia Mowry as Alex Fielding.

Tamera Mowry as Camryn Barnes.

Kristen Wilson as Miranda.

Pat Kelly as Karsh.

Leslie Seiler as Illeana.

Karen Holness as Emily Barnes.

Arnold Pinnock as David Barnes.

Nathan Stephenson as Marcus.

Chris Gallinger as Demitri.

Jackie Rosenbaum as Beth.

David Ndaba as Felix.

Patrick Fabian as Thantos.

Jayne Eastwood as Mrs. Norseng.

Costumes: 9, all good, and Iʼll talk about it later.

Cinematography: 5, yeah, in two years the CGI didnʼt improve any.

Cinematography by: Manfred Guthe.

Music: 8, same as last time.

Music by: John Van Tongeren.

Quotability: N/A again, and I donʼt even have a guess for how quotable it would be. Content: 9, one or two crude jokes are added in, but same as last time. There is danger, which could be frightening to little kids.

Originality: 9, I wasnʼt as wowed with the creativity here, but it was still good.

Good For: DCOM fans, sisters.

Age Range: About 8-40, same as the first!

Overall Score: 7.5.

Thoughts:

Ah, sequels. It is rare that they are as good as the first, right? This was alright, but I just felt that the story was tacked on and so unnecessary. It was fun to spend more time with all of the characters, but some parts felt forced. I liked, though it was brief, to see the girls in college. It was weird that someone else was playing Illeana, but she did a fine job. I missed seeing some other characters that seemed to just be abandoned. Overall cute, but I wonʼt be watching it nearly as much as I plan to see the first one.

This is my entry in my Fifth Costume Blog Party! 

From now on, there will be SPOILERS. So don't read any further if you haven't seen both movies!

Now you must be wondering, “MC, why in the world did you pick this?”

Great question.

I forgot to take photos without our faces, so it's a little blurred.

When I announced this blog party, I had a completely different idea in mind for what I was going to do. I had no clue about what I was going to do this year, but I was going to talk about a costume I had a few years ago. Leading up to Halloween my sister and I were watching a lot of movies in the spirit of it. She has a goal to watch all of the DCOMs, and even though Iʼm not as into it as she is, I like watching them with her. We watched the first Twitches movie, which we had never seen before, and liked it. After that we couldnʼt stop calling each other Twitches! No, we arenʼt twins (Iʼm older), but we look a lot alike and are the closest that you imagine. On October 30th we watched the second one, and on the spot decided to dress up like them.

How Alex and Camryn look isnʼt super recognizable. If I were to just show you photos of their costumes, even if it was exactly on point, it is very doubtful that you would be able to recognize them. But, what they wear is important to each other. Being identical twins it can be hard to tell them apart and how you can do that is by their clothing!

Do we look like them?

For example, in the second movie a character talks to Alex for a few minutes, the whole time thinking that she is Camryn. When the character leaves, Camrynʼs best friend Beth comes over and thinks that is hilarious because she knows that it is Alex.

“I knew it was you, Camryn wouldnʼt be caught dead in those jeans. But, you look good in them!”

“Beth, weʼre identical twins, you basically said that I look bad.” (Paraphrase)

Another occasion they used their magic and temporarily changed how they look, so they switch places and look like each other. It is pretty funny because they are bad at being each other because they are so different.

Just because they look the same doesnʼt mean that they have the same interests. Alex loves to write, and Camryn loves drawing. One thing that quickly defines them is their necklaces. Camryn has a necklace with a sun on it, meaning that she works better during the day, and Alex has a moon pendant indicating that she is most creative and active during the night. 

"The powers of the sun and the forces of the moon..."

In addition to that their styles are very unique to them. Their different styles are shown right away when they meet each other, because Camryn is shopping and Alex is just looking for a job. Camryn also has curly hair while Alexʼs is straight.

Because my sister and I had this idea a day before doing it, we didnʼt have great materials. We ended up just dressing in anything orange or purple that we had. My younger sister is dressed more like Alex complete with a moon necklace, while Iʼm wearing a flowing dress which is something more like Camryn. I couldnʼt find a sun necklace of any kind, so I have a lightbulb charm (donʼt ask). But, in personality my sister is more like Cam and Iʼm like Alex.

Though we donʼt look that much like either of them, we had so much fun. The whole day we just hung out and would randomly yell, “Go twitches, go twitches!”

Thank you for reading! Were you surprised by my sisterʼs and my costumes? Have any of you seen these movies? Check out all of the other costumes for this party HERE!

MovieCritic

Movie Review: Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows (2011)

Hello, everyone!

It has been a while since I reviewed a mystery, so it is time for another Sherlock Holmes! I saw this movie for the first time just over two years ago and have watched it at least 30 times since. This is a sequel, so check out my review of the first movie HERE.

My guarantee: On ALL of my reviews there are NO spoilers unless I give you warning. This is spoiler free!


Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows (2011):

Based on: Sherlock Holmes - by Arthur Conan Doyle.
"It is our last adventure, Watson, I plan to make the most of it."
Sherlock Holmes is trying to convince his best friend John Watson to solve one last case with him. After fighting an assassin who was trying to kill a gypsy, he and Watson follow that same gypsy to France. The learn that her brother might be wrapped up in a plot. What is it, though? Lurking in the shadows is Professor Moriarty who is in control of all of these happenings. Both Holmes and Moriarty are geniuses, but who will win this final game?
"Trust me, I do this for a living."

Genre: Mystery, Action, Adventure.
Length: approx. 129 minutes
Costumes: 7, there are a few times when a character isn't wearing a shirt or any clothing.
Costumes by: Jenny Beavan.
Script: 8, there is some name calling and one or two bad words.

'"Isn't this a bit conspicuous?"

"It's so overt, it's covert."'

Crew:
Directed by: Guy Ritchie.
Written by: Michele Mulroney & Kieran Mulroney.
Starring:
Robert Downey Jr. as Sherlock Holmes.

Jude Law as Dr. John Watson.

Noomi Rapace as Madam Simza Heron.

Jared Harris as Professor James Moriarty.
Stephen Fry as Mycroft Holmes.

Paul Anderson as Colonel Sebastian Moran.

Kelly Reilly as Mary.
Geraldine James as Mrs. Hudson.
Eddie Marsan as Inspector Lestrade.
Rachel McAdams as Irene Adler.
William Houston as Constable Clark.
Wolf Kahler as Doctor Hoffmanstahl.
Jack Laskey as Carruthers.
Alexandre Carril as Twin.
Victor Carril as Twin.
Thorston Manderlay as Alfred Meinhard.
Afif Ben Badra as Tamas Morato.
Stanley Kaye as Stanley.
Thierry Neuvic as Claude Ravache.
Laurentiu Possa as Rene Heron.
Cinematography: 10, oh, this is so cool! All of the scenes are filmed in such an awesome way, I love it!

Cinematography by: Philippe Rousselot.
Music: 10! I love this score! It is in my top 10 favorites of all time.
Music by: Hans Zimmer.
Quotes: 9, my sister and I quote this movie often!

Watson: '"You seem--"

Holmes: "Excited?"

Watson: "Manic. Verging on--"

Holmes: "Ecstatic?"

Watson: "Psychotic."'

Content: 7, there is quite a bit of action meaning intense fighting scenes with death and killing, pain and torture. With that comes a few scenes with blood. There is also drinking, smoking, and a few suggestive things.
Originality: 10, the mystery is, how does Holmes say it?: "This is so deliciously complicated." I love including chess (because I love that game!) and all of the elements work so well together!

Good For: mystery lovers, Sherlock Holmes fans!
Age Range: Because there are so many intense scenes it is rated PG-13, but it depends on the person. My little sister refuses to watch this because she thought that the first movie Sherlock Holmes (2009) was really scary. I don't mind the action too much, though at times I do wince and look away.
Overall Score: 9!

Bonus thoughts:
Oh, I love this movie! I do think that the first one will always be my favorite, but this is a worthy sequel! The characters are so perfect as well as the actors who play them. The cinematography and music are A+! The twists will make you gasp and you are amazed at the brilliance! I saw the ending of this movie before I saw the beginning (Yeah, I don't know why), but even so, I was stumped by the mystery! It is also hilarious! My sister and I nearly die of laughter at a few parts. This is so awesome, just go watch it after you see the first one.


There you have it! Have any of you seen this? What are your thoughts? And, do you like this one or the first better?

Thanks for reading!

MovieCritic

Book Series Review: My Time in Amar, Books 1 & 2 - by Nicki Chapelway

Hello, everyone!

I have had the pleasure of recently reading the first two books in Nicki Chapelway's My Time in Amar series! Book 2 just released yesterday, actually! Though this is a book and movie review blog, I tend to focus on films more (With a title like Movies Meet Their Match, you probably guessed that), so I am super excited to be reviewing these for you today!

Note: I was give free copies of these books for my honest opinion, so that is what you'll be getting.

My guarantee: On ALL of my reviews there are NO spoilers unless I give you warning.

Book 1:

A Week of Werewolves, Faeries, and Fancy Dresses - by Nicki Chapelway:

Chelsea is perfectly fine with her life, except that she keeps getting sucked through a portal into the land of Amar, then after a bit she gets home again. After learning that her twin brother, and two friends have had the thing happen to them, they all are dropped in Amar where a spell is put on them until they complete their fathers's quest. The problem is that they don't know what the quest is! With help from Chelsea and Clint's uncle, they head to Hale Hall to find some answers, and encounter beings that are amazing, but are they dangerous, and possibly out to get them?
'Clint decides to go for the eloquent approach. "Excuse me but, what the freak are you talking about, buddy?"'
Genre: Fantasy, Young Adult.

Characters: 8, these characters were so awesome! I was loving them from the beginning.

My favorites:
Clint: he and I are kindred spirits. We have so many things in common! He's my favorite.
Phillip: I wasn't sure about him at first, but he is so sweet and caring. (This is the only place were Clint and I differ, because Clint doesn't like him).
Easton: 'I guess the responsibility lands on my shoulders then.' He has so much endurance, it is crazy! Also, his favorite color is blue which shows that he has great taste because blue is the best color ever.
Chelsea: Once again, we both think a lot alike. I loved how she one time thought 'Well, that's inconvenient.' right before passing out.
Margareta: She is hilarious! (I thought that it was cool that her name, Margareta Hale, is really close to the main character of North & South - by Elizabeth Gaskell, Margaret Hale!)
Wilhelm: Not really sure about him yet, but I am very impressed with his skills.
I know that you are all wondering, "Where's Bobby?" Well, I feel like she had the least amount of time so I don't feel like I know her. Maybe in the next books!

Words: 8, there are no bad words, which I loved! I love reading things in first person, present tense (it is my favorite!!), so I was really happy about that! The only thing is that there are some bits that dragged a little that I thought could be cut.
'He glowers at me with his lips pressed together in displeasure. “You should watch your language when in the presence of a lady.”'

Quotes: 10! 'I shake that thought out of my head the second it appears. Nope. Time for a new theory.' (This is pretty much my thought process.)

Storyline: 8, there are descriptions of blood, death, people going through a lot of pain (but it is actually pretty tame), and there are comments about kissing. The plot is so creative!

Good For: Fantasy lovers, adventure lovers.

Age Range: The four main characters are 15, and it is YA, but I think that many ages would enjoy it!

Overall Score: 8.5!

Bonus thoughts:

'I snort which causes the pain in my side to flair. Note to self: don't snort if you are experiencing abominable abdominal pain.'
This book was awesome! It is so funny! I had a really bad cough while reading this so every few pages I would burst out laughing which would turn into violent coughing. My sisters got really annoyed, but hey, laughter is the best medicine, right? I really loved it. Great job, Nicki!



Book 2:
A Time of Trepidation, Pirates, and Lost Princesses - by Nicki Chapelway:

'"Bad stuff happens to all of us okay?" Bobby says. "This is not a contest to see who has had the worst stuff happen to them."'
The adventure has just begun. And were it started as four companions, that number has now grown to nine! Chelsea, Clint, Bobby, and Easton are grateful to find friends in this world of Amar, but they still really want to go home. Their only clue is to go to the Bextain Sea, where they are supposed to find an amulet and a lost princess. Things only get more complicated when they get caught up with pirates! They also are learning that while their powers may be amazing and helpful, they can also hurt them. Will they find what they are looking for, or will they find this quest to be hopeless?
"Do yourself a favor, lad. Stay alive. I can tell that you have a bright future ahead of you."
Genre: Fantasy, YA.

Characters: 9! I loved getting to read more about them, and all of the new characters!

My favorites:
Clint: As I said before, he is the best! My only complaint is that I need more of him!
Fiona: I am really interested in her character, so I can't wait to read what happens! I loved the message that goes with her: 'I am who I am. And I'm done apologizing for it.'
Easton: 'always having to be dumb and selfless all the time.' He is one of the most amazing, selfless characters of all time. You can't not love him! I can't stand it when he touches his hair all. the. time. But that's a personal pet peeve of mine.
Jim: Another hilarious character! The book would not be the same without him. "What can I say? I'm an amazingly generous individual."
Bobby: I think that I'm starting to understand her more. I loved where to begin her thoughts in just said 'I want a sandwich'. That is so totally me! And this bit, too: 'Of course she would approve. It is very swashbuckling. And Bobby approves of swashbuckling.'
Chelsea: She is kind of the main character, so you have to like her, but I was frustrated with how indecisive she is! Just make up your mind already! 'If my conscience is starting to sound like Clint then I know that I'm in truly dark times.'
Atrium: I liked him, but another character who wouldn't make up his mind! But, I can understand all of what he did.

Words: 8, same as what I said for the first one.
"Not unless our goal is actually to die. Then that plan will work out really well."

Quotes: 10, '"I am going to miss you, my strange little friend. I sure hope you don't die." He flashes me a grin. "That would decrease our chances of seeing each other again."'

Storyline: 7, there is drinking, violence, suggestive things, and kissing. It is YA, but so many times I just felt like yelling at people, "You are so young! Don't worry about that!" I agree with this sentiment, though:
'We are a tragedy in the making. Someone needs to intervene here and make certain that everyone loves who they are supposed to or else there will be nothing left except for a good many broken hearts.'

Good For: People who are trying to find themselves, people who are struggling with difficult tasks.

Age Range: It is really clean, and the story is interesting for all ages, but I don't think anyone under 14 would be interested in the romance.

Overall Score: 8.5!

Bonus thoughts:
Once again, this book is hilarious! It is so much fun, I definitely recommend it. I couldn't put it down!


Thank you so much to Nicki for giving me the opportunity to review these, and congrats on publishing Book 2 yesterday!

Thanks for reading!

MovieCritic

Movie Review: STAR WARS VII: The Force Awakens (2015)

Greetings, everyone!

Today I'm doing a STAR WARS review, so you know what that means... it means that it must be an event of some kind! You are pretty close with that guess, it is a birthday! Yesterday was (sorry it's a day late! I was travelling) Harrison Ford's birthday, and he plays the iconic Han Solo in the STAR WARS series! I have reviewed the originals, and the prequels, but now onto the sequels!

Even though A New Hope is my second favorite movie of all time, I only saw it for the first time in 2015! My mom had us catch up on all of them so we could see episode VII in theaters. We did and it was awesome.

As always, I have to remind you that if you haven't watched them, you need to see them in this order:
IV: A New Hope (1977), V: The Empire Strikes Back (1980), VI: Return of the Jedi (1983), I: The Phantom Menace (1999), II: Attack of the Clones (2002), III: Revenge of the Sith (2005), VII: The Force Awakens (2015), and VIII: The Last Jedi (2017).
Because otherwise, it won't be as good.

Sorry, I'm finally getting to it!

"So, who talks first? You talk first? I talk first?"

My guarantee: On ALL of my reviews there are NO spoilers unless I give you warning.

STAR WARS VII: The Force Awakens (2015):

"A long time ago in a galaxy far, far away..."
A new threat is trying to rule the galaxy: the First Order. It is like the empire, complete with stormtroopers, a huge weapon, and a sith lord--the mysterious Kylo Ren. Luke Skywalker has vanished and the Rebels are looking for a map that could lead them to him. One little droid has it and is stuck on Jakku until he makes friends with a scavenger, Rey. With the help of Finn, a stormtrooper who is running away, they begin to bring BB-8 back to the Rebel base, but they are easily recognized. The First Order begins to use its weapon, will their next target extinguish the Rebellion?

'"What fight?"

"The only fight: against the Dark side."'

Genres: Sci-Fi, Fantasy.

Length: approx. 135 minutes.

Costumes: 8.

Script: 8, one or two bad words (thank you, Finn...not.)

'"Is that even possible?"

"I never ask that until after I've done it."'

Crew:

Directed by: J. J. Abrams.

Written by: Lawrence Kasdan, J. J. Abrams, Michael Arndt, & George Lucas

Starring:
Harrison Ford as Han Solo.
Carrie Fisher as General Leia Organa.

Mark Hamill as Luke Skywalker.
(Usually I list them in order of importance, but those three always have to be next to each other.)
Daisy Ridley as Rey.

Adam Driver as Kylo Ren.

John Boyega as Finn, FN2187. "Why does everyone want to go back to Jakku?"

Oscar Isaac as Poe Dameron.

Lupita Nyong'o as Maz Kanata. "If you live long enough you see the same eyes in different people."
Peter Mayhew as Chewbacca.
Andy Serkis as Snoke.
Domhnall Gleeson as General Hux.
Anthony Daniels as C-3PO.
Gwendoline Christie as Captain Phasma.

Cinematography: 9, ah!!! They did such a good job! A lot people complain about light speed being weird, but it is like that in the originals, too.

Cinematography by: Dan Mindel.

Music: 10! The STAR WARS soundtrack is my favorite of all time, so I always give it 10.

Music by: John Williams.

Quotes: 10! Poe and Maz are the most quotable. "I assume you need something, desperately."
Notes: There is one stormtrooper who has a very small part who is played by Daniel Craig and his name is JB-007 (Get it? Daniel Craig plays James Bond whose code number is 007!)

Storyline: 8, there is violence, gross things, killing, and death.
"The garbage will do."

Good For: STAR WARS fans, sci-fi fans, people who have lost others, everyone!

Age Range: The official rating is PG-13 for all of the violence, and I get that, but I think that most kids over 10 would be okay with it.

Overall Score: 8.5!

Bonus thoughts:

Why do I love this so much?

"A good question for another time."

I just do. A lot of fans say that it is too close to the original movie, but that is one of the reasons it is great! They are weaving such an interesting story, showing how the Force connects things, I love it! I haven't watched this one as much as I have watched some of the others, but I squeal happily every time I do. Also, R2-D2 will always be my favorite droid, but BB-8 is so adorable!

Happy late birthday, Mr. Ford! What do all of you think? Do you like this one? Thank you so much for reading!

MovieCritic