The Lizy Reviews: Wrath of the Storm by Jennifer A. Nielsen

I have done the thing--I just finished reading another wicked awesome fantasy series. Wrath of the Storm was an interesting conclusion to the Mark of the Thief trilogy.

I must admit, this story feels a little anti-climactic after the first two action-packed volumes. Probably because, ironically, there is so much happening. Or probably because the main characters are trying their hardest to get the heck out of Rome and keep thinking that everything is resolved. But, as Nic's experience shows, it's not over until its over. Caela and Callistus both return but they are both woefully underused. Most of the animal action (Key word: most) comes from the terrifying dragon known as the Mistress and, occasionally, a creepy spectral deer.

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Nic is trying to do everything in his power to NOT create a Jupiter stone, but inevitably, he realizes he has to attempt it in order to complete his escape. Also spoiler, Nic's brush with death was a little too cliche. We pay one last trip to the arena and that scene is very satisfying, and we even spend a day or two in the Roman courts. The gods themselves never come out to reveal themselves or work out their issues in person--I really would've liked to see Nielsen's take on them--and the final action is left up to humans. But the final scene is still very epic.

The new characters in Wrath of the Storm, if any, aren't worthy of note--except for the fact that the Roman Emperor is actually involved this time. Nic, of course, has a hard time trusting ANYBODY, including his friends. Especially his friends. Every time someone who is not Nic tries to fix something, it almost never goes as planned. He doesn't trust the people in power who are watching his case, because, at least according to Nic's perspective, they all have ulterior motives, which is true, but in some cases it doesn't make so-and-so a bad person. And Nic doesn't want anyone else to sacrifice themselves for him even though they gladly would, and do. The stakes being as high as they are, I don't blame him for wanting to do everything himself. Grandpa Radulf, for instance, has finally moved past the antagonist stage, in fact the only opposition he creates is repeatedly telling Nic to PLEASE JUST STOP. Everyone's goal is for Nic to walk away from this mess alive, while Nic insists that he has to make sure everyone else is okay even if it means paying the ultimate price. What else is new?

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This book has a lot going for it. We have some interesting demonstrations of Nic testing the limits of his power, and using his abilities to full effect so that he can get back up and keep fighting, so the action scenes can keep going in a believable way. Nic and Aurelia finally sort out their issues--yes, it does draw the attention of the enemy but I think Nic's insistence on having to protect Aurelia was the only real issue. Aurelia, as we well know, can take care of herself. So yay for having Nicelia confirmed. Crispivia is hinted at but not really a central part of the story. I can live with that. Crispus continues to be the real MVP of the squad. What really sold the book for me, though, was the unexpected redemption story, but if I said anything else then it would be giving away too much. The Mark of the Thief trilogy is definitely up there with my other favorite fantasy series.

Mark of the Thief

Rise of the Wolf

The Lizy Reviews: The Scourge by Jennifer A. Nielsen

Well, the bad news is, The Scourge did not turn out to be my new favorite book. The good news is, there were still some parts worth reading. Overall, the story didn't do much to catch my interest or create suspense. I guess part of the problem here is I'm a jaded twenty-something amateur critic and this book was intended for middle-grade audiences.

Tweens Read Too

There is not a lot of description for the setting of this story--we have a few mentions of guns and ships so I would guess the late seventeenth/early eighteenth century. The protagonists Ani and Weevil are from a minority group called the River people but there isn't a lot of explanation as to why they don't get along with the town folk. This world simply isn't developed enough to be satisfying.

The heroine, Ani, tests positive for a disease called the Scourge and she is sent to a colony for other Scourge victims. Ani is a stereotypical "tough" girl, and I couldn't really relate to her, but the feisty heroine has a loyal-to-death best friend named Weevil follows her to the colony.  I could understand Ani's point of view on the town girl she meets, Della, but Ani takes a while to make up her mind whether or not to trust Della. At the colony, the Wardens enforce strict rules and make everyone work, even though they are "sick". Though she is weakened by the sickness, Ani fights back against the Wardens every step of the way. There is a particularly stirring scene when Ani has to climb the treadmill as the other colonists watch and rally around her. Ani also defies the odds to uncover the truth and make her escape, including (my favorite part) climb out of a pit of venomous snakes. 

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The symptoms of the Scourge made more sense through Ani's observations of the other colonists, especially Della, whereas Ani had no time to sit around and feel sick. The symptoms were mostly internal pain and fatigue, not a fever or cough or something you would expect from a real pandemic disease. It's kind of not hard for the reader to guess what's really going on, but you have to give Ani and Weevil the benefit of a doubt for not having a lot of information about the disease in a world without internet and mass media news outlets. The Governor's evil scheme being revealed is kind of anticlimactic, and at first it doesn't seem to fit with the theme of contagious disease--but then you have to remember, spoiler alert, that this disease isn't real. And I think carries less of a punch because in the scene right before that, we have Ani and company commandeering a ship and it's amazing.

The Scourge is an improvement over Nielsen's last stand-alone book, A Night Divided. But I have yet to see a first-person female narrator in one of her books who actually catches my interest.

The Lizy Reviews: Beauty and the Beast 2017

Moviefone

I’m not going to sugarcoat it. This movie had so much potential. And it didn’t even come close.

I had my doubts from the beginning. But I chose to hope for the best because the Cinderella reboot and Maleficent were both beyond amazing. Now, bear in mind, it’s no use comparing anything to the masterpiece that was Cinderella directed by SIR KENNETH BRANAGH. But here’s what Maleficent and Cinderella did that Beauty and the Beast didn’t do: they took two already great Disney animated classics and did not merely re-tell the original story but gave us two new breathtaking adventures.

Beauty and the Beast, on the other hand, did not do enough to tell an original story. In parts it was directly pulling from the original cartoon and just embellishing. Like they literally took parts from the cartoon and said, “hm, I wonder how we could do this in live-action with crazy special effects?” It didn’t do enough to make it feel like a good enough film on its own merits. There were definitely parts/scenes/elements that showed that they were trying, but those few elements were not sufficient.

This film also has a lack of thematic cohesion. What I mean by that is, I try to get my head around how the different parts of the plot and the themes tie together, and I can’t get them to connect. There isn’t really a running theme like “True Love” or “Courage and Kindness.” We get several different themes, like Belle having to resist conforming to the village, or Beauty is found within, or the objects trying to hold on to their humanity. But, at least from this first viewing, there isn’t anything that really ties those themes together. In some scenes, I feel like there was material cut out that would have helped the story to flow better.

Disclaimer: I am extremely salty/critical about movies on the first viewing. There were things I definitely liked about this film, but at the same time things I felt were too directly tied to the original movie and things that I didn’t think were executed that well.

Some Brief Character Analysis

Gaston and LaFou: Does Gaston own the tavern? It would make sense in this version. Why do you think it’s decorated with all of his hunting trophies? Why is he so popular with the townspeople? He’s not just there for his good looks. He’s there because he runs an important local institution. He’s their entertainer.

Teen.com

The film does try to give him a little bit of backstory, he fought in a war, he’s a womanizer. But he’s not different from the cartoon version in any way that’s compelling.

I thought Josh Gad’s LaFou was more sympathetic than the cartoon version. He had a little more depth and he definitely had development. He tries hard to help Gaston be happy and we are understandably frustrated when Gaston ignores him.

The Beast: I actually like him better than the cartoon version. I think the filmmakers may have rushed his development too quickly, like they didn’t show how much Belle changed him or made him a better person. He’s not vain and arrogant like he was as a Prince, and he doesn’t really throw huge temper tantrums, and he's not even bitter about everything like the animated version is. He definitely has some dress sense and he’s sober and scholarly, so I can see why he's likeable. I think the backstory they did give him was a good start but not enough. They don’t do enough to connect him with the Prince he was before, which would have been a nice change. I also thought the song “Evermore” was kind of emo. What the live-action version here doesn’t do as well as the cartoon is show the beast’s feelings of inadequacy and self-loathing. But it’s cool to watch how he warms up as he falls in love with Belle.

HelloGiggles

Small thing I noticed: he likes Shakespeare but not Romeo and Juliet--I think that’s a great touch. Romeo and Juliet is kind of an overrated play, but that’s another issue in itself. The writers reference Romeo and Juliet because 1) everyone knows it and 2) it’s a “love” story, so it would show just how “bitter” the Beast is about finding love, but that is the only instance of the Beast really expressing how the curse has affected his view of life. Yes, this story is set in France, but I think there’s reason to believe that A) enough educated people know how to read English or B) they have access to good French translations of Shakespeare.

I liked the scene where the objects get him ready for the dance with Belle. They put him in the same wig and makeup that he wore as a prince, and it looks hideous. But the Beast just grins at his reflection in the mirror and it’s hilarious. I think that moment kind of shows that he’s moved on from being a party boy. I mean, this was their first party since the night they were all cursed, so it’s kind of a big deal. But the Beast wants to do things differently.

Belle: Honestly, at first it’s really hard to not think of Emma Watson’s Belle as Hermione. But after a while I get used to it. We get a little bit of development for her character but not a lot, not enough for me to empathize with her. There is a better sense of how she is different from the people in the village and why they don’t like her. On the other hand, Belle kind of acts like she’s better than everybody else--she is, but she’s kind of a snob. I kind of miss the animated Belle’s playful exasperation. The fact that the Beast in this version is educated makes their romance look of inevitable--he’s the only other intellectual she can talk to.

Sometimes I liked her singing voice, and sometimes I didn’t. It was either a disaster or a revelation. There wasn’t really an in-between. It was like she was just singing to be heard but not really performing.

E! Online

I’m not really a huge fan of the dress. It is beautiful, but I was expecting something more 18th-century to fit with the rest of the film. But maybe the dress we get is supposed to be simpler on purpose. We know that Beast is trying to get away from that style himself. And we know from a scene that I actually wanted to see more of that Madame Garderobe put it together with magic. It just doesn't really fit with what they're creating.

With Belle’s other outfits, I didn’t really like how they were mostly the same. And I don’t really like

the patterned bodice and layered skirt style--it is a little too detailed with everything else going on in this film. I get the feeling she sews the pieces herself.

One thing that I think this live-action remake actually did better than the original was the library scene. It was more realistic in size and also in how the Beast doesn’t show it to her to give her a “present” but as something to demonstrate their common interest in learning. And I think it drove home a part of Belle’s character. In the village, she was borrowing books from the village priest, and he had only like half a shelf of books that she would just borrow to reread over and over again. When Beast shows Belle his library, she starts CRYING because she now has access to all the books she could possibly want.

The Objects: Ewan McGregor’s performance as Lumiere was the single best thing about this movie. He is awesome. He takes initiative. He is upbeat and outgoing. He is the new “you can do it!” meme. I’d really love to see him do the “JUST DO IT” speech. That would be so motivating. And he’s so sweet with Plumette.

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Cogsworth is actually a lot less salty than his cartoon counterpart. And he and Lumiere are a lot less savage to each other. That’s kind of a nice difference.

I feel like Mrs. Potts was trying too hard to be a British nanny: her accent was overdone. But I actually liked Chip better than I thought I would. I liked how his dad was still in the village the entire time and he just had amnesia like everyone else. And while we’re on the subject, I think the amnesia was a great touch to the curse.

And also, “I AM NOT HIS GRANDMOTHER!”

Audra McDonald has an amazing singing voice and she was woefully underused both as a character and a singer.

More of this, please!
(BuzzFeed)

Overall, I think it was a good thing that they filmmakers decided to focus more on the objects and tell their stories. The filmmakers did well to show their relationships with Belle and the Beast. But I did not like the scene where the petal fell and they all complained about being less human. That time could have been better spent showing something meaningful about them rather than merely entertaining the audience. It was saddening to watch them all “die” at the end but was that really necessary? Because it didn’t really fit the rest of the story.

And yet, the opening narration makes the point that the Prince loved to fill his castle with beautiful objects and beautiful people. The curse turned the people who cared about him into objects that gradually became soulless. Material possessions are soulless. There’s kind of a poetic justice to that. But this arc was neither fully carried out nor tied in with the other themes in the story (well, except maybe Beauty is found within, but that feels like a stretch). And I loved seeing them all become human again. I like that that was elaborated. And then seeing their Master again when he’s human. That was a great scene.

Other: Maurice is probably the most different from his animated version. I don’t like how they changed his reaction to the enchanted objects. What I do like, though, is that he grew a freaking spine. He stood up to Gaston, and his conflict with Gaston drove the plot forward and it was amazing. I love his relationship with Belle and that we finally got a backstory for Belle’s mom.

Entertainment Weekly

The character that I definitely feel was underdone was the Enchantress. The opening scene, I think that part should have been dramatized instead of re-told. That was lame. But I like how (spoiler alert) she’s the village beggar that nobody likes, and a spinster, and Gaston warns Belle that that’s how she’ll turn out. And she totally stirs the pot by rescuing Maurice.

What was she thinking by cursing the Prince in the first place? Did she have some kind of foresight to know that she was setting events in motion to purge the village of idiocy? And why did she just stand there in the background when the Beast changed back? They could have done so much more with her character arc. Disney really wasted a big opportunity.

Music and Miscellany

I sort of like the new songs “How Does a Moment Last Forever” and “Days in the Sun.” “Be Our Guest” was a well-done sequence. But there was a part where the CGI fireworks fade away and it’s just Belle eating some chicken with Lumiere and Cogsworth for company. I never realized this before but “Be Our Guest” isn’t just a big musical number, it’s Belle eating dinner and the objects getting to know her. And while “Be Our Guest” was performed wonderfully in the film, it would have been more original to see Belle just eating a normal dinner and talking to the objects.It’s not the same, I know, but there are ways to make it interesting and fun without doing the exact same thing as the cartoon. Ewan McGregor still does a great job singing it. Maybe put it in the credits or something?

Honestly the songs don’t fit in very well with the film overall. They’re still great performances, but they took away opportunities for Disney to tell a more meaningful story. The soundtrack is fun, I'll admit to listening to it. But on a certain level I can't help being offended that Disney tried to re-create something that was ALREADY so amazing and the rest of the movie didn't meet my expectations.

Well, maybe I can help it, actually.

But talk to me about the ending scene, however: I love the dancing, I love the music, I LOVE BELLE’S WEDDING DRESS, I love how it contrasts with the ball we saw at the opening, I love everything about it...except the Prince trying to tease Belle with a creepy beast growl.

The verdict: Beauty and the Beast is still Beauty and the Beast. If we were looking for Disney to do something new and spectacular, then this was a disappointment--which is a shame, because Beauty and the Beast is my favorite Disney movie period. I still walked away liking this film because it's more Beauty and the Beast--more of the same.

Radical idea: maybe Disney should consider NOT remaking its animated classics. I know people only buy what they know, but is a little more originality too much to ask for?

The Lizy Reviews: The Lego Batman Movie

Bet you were starting to wonder when I was going to do reviews again, didn't you?

Last Tuesday, after weeks and weeks of waiting, I went to see The Lego Batman Movie. And I went by myself. I had tried and tried again to get together a group of friends to go and see it with me and it never worked out.

Fandango

It’s interesting that I ended up taking myself to see this movie in particular, because one of the major themes it deals with is loneliness and the importance of family. It’s not like I don’t believe in that. It’s just that, like Bruce Wayne/Batman, sometimes I don’t have any choice about whether or not I have people with me when I go do things. But that’s okay. It’s not for a lack of trying.

The Lego Batman movie is, well, my first real Batman movie. I haven’t seen the Dark Knight trilogy (shame on me), and I’ve seen bits and pieces of the Tim Burton movies (I actually kind of liked Batman Forever). But I liked Lego Batman in The Lego Movie. So I can only critique Lego Batman’s solo film based on what I saw in The Lego Movie and what I know from Batman in pop culture and fandom. The Lego Batman Movie, of course, plays fast and loose with Batman’s comic book and movie history, and it even pushes the limits of the combined DC and Lego universes--at least the fairly large corner owned by Warner Bros. And Lego Batman is still the same loveable jerk--but with an extremely weighty internal conflict.

Apple Trailers

The opening of the film starts out with a classic high-stakes Batman versus Joker showdown, poking fun all the while with the predictability of the superhero genre. It ends with Batman and Joker both having to up their game. To a point, the Joker’s new strategy is kind of predictable, and Batman is so caught up in his own ego that he takes the bait without even thinking. It’s after the Joker’s plot has played out, and Batman fails to take out the Joker on his own the way he insisted, is when the movie goes from “meh” to “spectacular”.

The Lego Batman Movie is a lot more serious than The Lego Movie--in fact, it’s more of a Batman movie than a Lego movie. Between his accidental adoption of Dick Grayson/Robin and Barbara Gordon demanding that Batman work with her to try and stop the Joker, Batman is under pressure from people forcing their way into his life when he only wants to keep everybody out. Even refusing to acknowledge the Joker as his primary nemesis is a driving issue in the plot. There are still small homages to The Lego Movie, like Batman training Robin to be a MasterBuilder and a flashback to Emmet falling into the Void.

Empire

And of course it wouldn’t be a Lego movie without Warner Bros. integrating its other properties (except where did they get the permissions for Voldemort and Sauron?). The DC universe itself is well-represented, with a host of colorful and obsucre villains helping out the Joker in addition to the more well-known characters. The award for best supporting villain goes to Harley Quinn, who was apparently the only one that Joker had in on his plan the whole time. Lego Superman also plays a minor role as Lego Batman’s foil, and we catch him throwing a party for the Justice League at the Fortress of Solitude...that Batman was apparently not invited to (although, how did they not make a fuss about Batman stealing the Phantom Zone ray gun thingy? And why didn’t they come and help when Gotham was under attack? Bunch of snobs.)

I had high expectations for Barbara Gordon/Batgirl, but she ended up being more of a party pooper and didn’t really do much besides play Batman’s conscience. That’s not saying, however, I don’t want to cosplay her casual outfits. Dick Grayson/Robin was cute, of course. But the best supporting character was Alfred. He was both a rock of good sense and comic relief. I about lost it when he (spoiler alert) almost died.

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So I’m glad that I’m into online fandom and watching Supergirl as much as I am, since that’s helped me to not go into this movie totally ignorant of the DC references. But even without having anything to do with DC, I found The Lego Batman Movie thought-provoking, heartwarming and entertaining. It’s a great movie if you like superheroes and a little bit of parody on the side. I feel like watching the trailers kind of spoiled most of the film’s best humor, but there are some moments that weren’t advertised that are definitely worth watching. The brick animation, of course, is spectacular, but the film is so heavy-handed at times that you forget which universe this is happening in. Overall, The Lego Batman Movie doesn’t quite fit in with its predecessor or live up to it. But it is a fun ride.

(Also, if Lego Batman has the one-up on anything from The Lego Movie, it's the music mix)

The Lizy Reviews--'Five Kingdoms: Death Weavers' by Brandon Mull

Spoiler alert: everybody dies but not really.

No, seriously. That’s the plot. In the land of Necronum inside the Five Kingdoms, you can visit the afterlife without actually dying. The dead, known as echoes, can go back and forth from Necronum as well. That’s a gross oversimplification of how the magic of Necronum works, but it’s interesting.

We will be delving into spoilers for this post so if you don’t want spoilers, come back later. Cole Randolph arrives in Necronum with Mira, Dalton, Jace, Joe, and his brother Hunter (I think that’s everyone--his crowd of companions is getting bigger) to find Mira’s sister Destiny. Cole makes a deal with an echo named Sando who turns them over to the followers of the arch-villain Nazeem. (I was totally going to write something about the plot being motivated by the hero doing something stupid but it’s been a few weeks since I finished reading). Cole escapes and then enters the afterlife, known as the Echolands, to save those who crossed over. Most of Death Weavers actually takes place in the Echolands, which is a little disappointing since I wanted or rather expected to see more of Necronum. I expected the Echolands to be dark and creepy, but then I guess everybody did, Cole most of all. It is a paradise, in some ways, but a perilous one. If the series has been about finding and saving Mira’s sisters, then I imagine most of the actual revolution will be in book 5, which comes out next year. So for Death Weavers, sit back and enjoy the ride through the Echolands.

Kernel's Corner

Typical of Brandon Mull, there are lots of random characters that are supposed to be cool. The weavers and magicians on both sides of Necronum are appropriately mystical and mysterious. The horse Thunder is amazing. I am also a huge fan of She Who Stands at the Summit. I wanted more Nandavi--why waste a villain with such an awesome name? Sando wasn’t terribly convincing as a villain, since the way he deceived Cole at the beginning I still expected him to not pan out. Nazeem up close and personal? Definitely worth the anticipation. As for the main characters, we get a little bit of development for Mira but I’m still not terribly attached to her. But Cole is getting more interesting, especially as he deals with his broken shaping powers and with his internal conflict.

But my favorite thing about the Echolands is that Mull wrote it to cross over beyond the Five Kingdoms, even to other worlds that he’s created. In other words, he finally delivered on that Beyonders crossover, but that’s all I’m going to say for now. While I regret not going to see Brandon Mull at Comic Con, I was worried about spoilers and I’m glad I avoided those, if any.

Yes, I know the first book in the Fablehaven follow-up Dragonwatch is coming in Marc h, but it could be a while before I get my hands on that. I the meantime I will see if I can squeeze in the time to reread Fablehaven, and of course I am ready for the conclusion to the Five Kingdoms series..

Note: the post originally stated that Dragonwatch had already come out but the author was unaware of the real release date at the time.

The Lizy Reviews on Witherwood: Lost and Found

Obviously, the title is a signal to pay attention. Perhaps announcing what was lost would be venturing into spoiler territory, minus Charlotte being separated from Tobias at the very beginning while both of them are still brainwashed. But a few things that were found bear mentioning. Tobias found a note that he wrote to himself to wake himself up, and he woke himself up (so just FYI, notes you write to yourself work). More importantly, he found out shortly thereafter that he wasn’t the only one fighting against the regime at Witherwood. It is kind of hard to keep our new characters Megan, Keith and Patrick straight, but they are resourceful allies for Charlotte and Tobias. They call themselves “the Resistance,” which as they point out isn’t terribly original. But these are some pretty determined kids (cue 'March of the Resistance' from The Force Awakens soundtrack ;) ).

Tobias also finds more evidence of what is really going on at Witherwood. We don’t know everything about what the bad guys are doing or what their motivations are, so a lot of it I can still only guess at this point. But we are finally starting to peel back some of the layers.

Amazon

Tobias and Charlotte’s dad, Ralph Eggers, is getting closer to finding his memories, but he has more hindrance than help at this point. His main companion right now is the generous taxi cab driver, Sam. While he is trying to be realistic about Ralph’s prospects, I wouldn’t put him in the same category as Sam Wilson or Samwise Gamgee--Sam the Cab Driver is not really the ideal wingman. We also find some character development for Fiddle hinted at towards the end--and maybe a way to find some answers when book three comes out (hope that wasn't spoiling it too much).

The opening commentaries for each of the chapters are a bit annoying but I’m just going along with it at this point. I haven’t read A Series of Unfortunate Events so I couldn’t tell you how original Skye is being with his tone or how much he’s borrowing. A lot of it is typical Obert Skye.  The villains are as grotesque and terrifying as they are in book 1. Witherwood head honcho Marvin Withers doesn’t make as many appearances in Lost and Found, but if you ask me the less anyone sees Marvin Withers the better because he is bad news. The ending isn’t as satisfying as you’d like it to be, but if it had been then that would defeat the point of a cliffhanger. The genre for Witherwood is kind of hard to place. It does have fantasy elements but it’s more of a psych thriller or horror series. As the series continues, of course, and the missing pieces come together, Witherwood may turn out to be something altogether unexpected.