Inside Out

Why do Pixar movies make me cry? Wall-E, Up and especially Toy Story 3. Now Inside Out. Thank you Netflix for making this available. As soon as I saw it, I knew that it was the perfect movie for my daughter and her friend to watch on their sleepover. We all watched it. Inside Out was so good! I have to watch it again. There's just so much going on, but it's not complicated. It's a children's movie, but is so full of emotion and amazing storytelling, that everyone will love it. Seriously, if you watch this movie and don't feel at least a little something... I don't know. 

This guy.

I love the learning, that Joy and Sadness often go together. Emotion can be complex. Growing up is hard. I love that the emotions learn and it is reflected in the way Riley learns. Getting a peak inside the parents' minds were fantastic too. All the minds. You learn about emotional development, but it's such a part of the story that you don't even notice.

The imaginary friend, Bing Bong, did me it. I actually thought I was going to get through the movie okay. I was thinking, what were people talking about. My friend said that she teared up. It was emotional, but I wasn't feeling the sadness. Until Bing Bong, specifically, the end of his arch in the movie. I'm watching this movie with children, so I had to hold it together, but definitely dabbing at my eyes. Inside Out has definitely joined the ranks of Disney Pixar tear jerkers.

It's a team effort.

There are definitely tense moments for younger or more sensitive children. My little ones needed some parent cuddles to get through some parts, but in the end, the loved the story. I've been wondering if they could watch some of the sadder Pixar choices and I think if Inside Out is any indication, I should be picking up a copy of Wall-E. Inside Out definitely lived up to the Pixar standard.

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles

So, I decided to watch Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles this weekend while doing work in the kitchen. I don't know why. Maybe because I knew I wouldn't need to pay serious attention. That sounds kind of bad, but I wanted something that I could have on while wiping and chopping and washing. Yay for Netflix on the iPad! It makes housework a little less boring.

As for the movie, it was better than I expected. The original Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles was on TV when I was a kid. I remember getting the April O'Neil action figure one year (though I had wanted a Michelangelo or Raphael - but I was a girl, so whatever). With every movie, every remake, they've changed something from that original cartoon series, though pizza seems to always play a part, no matter the decade. This version has been updated, the Turtles don't yell "cowabunga", though they sneak it in. Shredder looks pretty wicked in this movie, that's not just armour, it has an "Iron Man" quality. I like the bad guy's nefarious plot against the city. I like that April fights against type-casting in the news world, wanting to be a serious journalist. I wouldn't mind sitting down, relaxing and watching it on my TV instead of the little tablet. The movie was fun and entertaining.

Ebooks and Emily

The Poems of Emily Dickinson – Three Series Complete....

It just ends. Bam, it’s over. So much time invested and there was no preamble, just the last poem, then the index of first lines. That’s it.  The index takes up the last 15% of the ebook. So I thought I had 15% more poems… or at least 10%. I’ve come to realize that the last few “pages” of ebooks are often ads for other books (by the author or similar authors) or acknowledgements or something. I knew there was an index at the end, but I didn’t think it would be so big.  I guess I should have checked. That’s been my one consistent complaint about ebooks, sudden, expected endings. It was just so abrupt, I feel thrown.

So, if anyone decides to read the complete works of Emily Dickinson, remember that any ebook edition potentially (and the Kindle edition specifically) ends at 85%.

Captain Marvel: Down

Down was thrilling, the second volume in Captain Marvel (Marvel NOW!). It gave me more of the ending I was expecting in In Pursuit of Flight, but did I like it better? I don't know. It was pretty cliffhanger-ish. It was so good!

So, there might be something wrong with Earth's Mightiest Hero. Maybe it's her health, maybe it's her ego, maybe it's an enemy. Or all those things. Carol Danvers wants to hold on to a little bit of normal, but she has a neighbour that makes a good point. When a "superhero type" moves into a building to try and "be normal", they put that entire building in danger. The first example that comes to mind is the Baxter Building. How many times has the Fantastic Four been attacked? What about Stark Tower? Tony better be paying his employees a lot to work there. Of course, this is why so many heroes have secret identities. Peter Parker wants to protect Aunt May, Superman wants to protect Lois Lane (this is the only DC example that has come to mind). But everyone KNOWS Carol Danvers is Captain Marvel. Boom! Target right there on that nice little building you live in. At least Stark Tower has security.

The ending though, was just so exciting. I was surprised, happy and hooked. The more I read of Captain Marvel, the more I want to read about Captain Marvel. The other doctor coming in at the end and name dropping, the missed calls, Captain America visiting, Tony Stark calling, Wendy, I loved every bit of it. The same thing that happened with the art in In Pursuit of Flight happened again here, but sooner. I'm deciding to get over it. Different is fine as long as it's still good and it was. I loved the characters' expressions, the choices in angle and colors. Captain Marvel: Down was another hit for me.

Please note, that the conclusion to this trilogy is actually Avengers: The Enemy Within, not a Captain Marvel title. Just so anyone interested knows what they're looking for, and if In Pursuit of Flight and Down are any indication, it is worth the look.

Throne of Glass

The main character of Throne of Glass, Celaena, is an assassin, an 18-year-old, female assassin, who has been living in a death camp! How could I resist that? I liked Celaena a lot. I like Dorian too. Choal was the character for me though. I loved Captain Choal Westfall. Something about him, I don't know. He won my heart. I enjoyed reading, as he slowly changed his mind. I liked that all the characters went through a journey. They started as seemingly one thing, thinking one way and by the end they were something else. I liked the growth and learning. I liked the unexpected moments. Though I totally knew who was drawing under the bed. 

One thing I thought there would be more of was Celaena fighting and maybe....assassinations? She's supposed to be the most feared assassin in the land, but she doesn't spend as much time as I expected fighting. It happens, but it seems like it happens when we're not looking. Though she has some pretty kickass moments...and she does spend time recovering from her year in a death camp, I just thought there'd be more. 

I wondering what is going to happen next. Not just to Celaena and the relationships with those around her, but to the continent. What is the king going to do next? What about Elena? There's something happening in the land. 

There are 5 published books in Sarah J. Maas' series (as far as I know), 4 novels and 1 collection of the prequel novellas (which are all available individually as ebooks). I'm so excited to read them. Knowing how many books there are opens up the possibilities for life and death. I enjoy long series (though I'm not especially good at keeping up with them) and I am looking forward to reading more of the Throne of Glass. 

For those who want to make sure they're saying it right.

Captain Marvel: In Pursuit of Flight

I love Captain Marvel. She might be my favourite after reading In Pursuit of Flight. I am so happy that my Hubby bought this and several other Captain Marvel volumes for me. Sometimes I hesitate buying comics, as I know once you start, you might never stop. Some series go on forever, more so in the superhero world.

I love how real and wonderful Captain Marvel is. In Pursuit of Flight sees Captain Marvel in a state of transition and unsurity. It also finds her in an "Avenger" situation (but that's okay, it's just a Tuesday). Captain Marvel learns about herself and who she wants to be, while trying to solve a mystery. I loved the characters we get to meet, the Banshees and Helen Cobb.

So, here's my one problem. About 2/3 of the way through the graphic novel, the art changed. It was still good, but different. Also, though it was good, I preferred the art I started out with. It was the art that first struck me as Captain Marvel and Captain America were having their conversation about Mar-Vell. I don't know what it was exactly, but there was emotion in that art. In Pursuit of Flight collects #1-6 of Captain Marvel - Marvel NOW!, was there a reason the art was changed at issue 4? Was it for the story or did someone leave? Maybe I'd rather not know.

One thing I also appreciated was that this volume was contained. There are graphic novels that follow in this series, but In Pursuit of Flight was a complete story. I've read a few books lately that didn't conclude well. They left the ending with a set up for the next installment. I'm so happy that didn't happen with In Pursuit of Flight. Though I am very excited to read Down, there are no nagging questions. Completeness makes my happy.

The costume. She has pants! There is zero clevege. The colours are great. The headpiece is so great. I don't think I could be happier with Captian Marvel's look...  Honestly, I'm always excited when a female superhero gets pants. Because really, why are you fighting crime/aliens/Hydra/whatever, in a bathing suit? It's not realistic and though the fantasy is great, I connect with what is real about the characters. Captain Marvel's emotional questions are real and part of what makes her compelling and appealing. In one graphic novel, I think I am now fully invested in Carol Danvers and the choices she makes in the future.

Star Wars: The Force Awakens

I know most people have probably seen Star Wars: The Force Awakens by now. (I won't say all, I know there are a few people who haven't seen it yet.) I also saw it a while ago. So, I'll just throw down a smattering of thoughts, because I am so excited by this new revitalization of the Star Wars franchise.

I love Rey. I love Finn. I really liked General Hux. I liked what we learned about this generation of Stormtroopers. They totally made BB-8 the most adorable droid ever. Now, knowing who Kyli Ren is, I know who Rey is and I can't wait to see if my prediction is true. I loved Han and Leia. Han! I wouldn't have minded a little more Luke, but I understand the choice. I can't wait to find out more about what happened between Return of the Jedi and The Force Awakens, as I think there is so much more to learn.

I think J.J. Abrams took what was amazing about episodes 4, 5 & 6, and infused that into the new movie. I also feel like where the older characters are in their lives now is a believable progression from where they were left at the end of Return of the Jedi. I would have liked a little more at the end, but they have to make us excited to see the next film, right? I am so excited to see where Rey and Finn take us next.

Kinky Boots

Go see Kinky Boots. It is so much fun!! The music, the costumes, the BOOTS! I spent a lot of the show looking at the footwear. I want a lot of what they were wearing. 

There's also a great message about acceptance and being yourself. There's passion, excitement and sadness. There's humour, unexpected humour too, as an audience member took an extra second to get a joke made by Lola while talking to Charlie about her father. The rest of the theatre was quiet, waiting for the dialogue to continue. This person laughed and the actors were thrown off. Then the whole theatre starts laughing again. It was such a perfect moment. I loved when they broke the forth wall. I loved the actress who played Lauren, she was hilarious!  Also, the slightly shorter blonde Angel, for some reason stood out for me, though all the Angels were amazing. The factory workers, Pat and Lola doing the tango, Don! 

I'm going to stop gushing now. Just go see it. 

Happy New Year!!

Wishing everyone the best for 2016!