Book:Drake's Quest

I would like to start off this review by jumping head first in to what it was I liked about the book.
I liked the feel of the book. I really liked Charlie and I felt that by the end of the book he had changed and grown- up in every really ways.At times the book was fun to read and I found my self liking it.
I liked how it worked history in there so it felt again very real. and there was good mix of pirate slang. it had a good cast. reading the words I could see that everyone in the book was different. and I thought that was somthing you don't see alot. and this is book older boys will love. its rich with history. it had lots of book points. but sadly in this case I feel like the bad out weighed the good.
what I did not like first off was the way the book was made. the pages fell out which could be a problem for library or if you are traveling with the book.And the pictures. that was a pain. This book should not be read by ten year olds. it should be 15 year olds. They are trying to sell the book to kids that can not handle this. no kid over the age of ten will read this book.
And there are somethings in here that should have then been cut out if they are trying to sell it to that age group. the Writers or the editor someone should have done something. this book could have been great and there are a lot of people I wanted to read it but after finshing it I know that either the kids will not like it or the parents will be very up set over them reading it.
This book does have many good points and I think that kids 12 and up would like it. but with the pages trying to look like maps and old paper it feels like a they are trying to sell you something to much and not letting the book speak for its self. if they were to rerelease the book and sell it to the older kids I would give it much better reviews.
would I still be unhappy by one of the parts and want that cut out of the story. yes but other things I would not have a problem with.
So if you are 12 and up and don't mind the pictures all that much I say this is great read.
(YA- 12 and up)

Stars: * * * 3.0




Fun Fact:Brighter Books plants one tree for every book soled.

And Thanks to Brighter books and Adam Slutsky for sending me a copy of this book.

Movie: Midnight's Childern

I was very happy to see this movie. it looked like it would really be a good movie. and I was very happy about it.
but half an hour in to the film I just sat there going " what? that is silly" or " what?! what is the point of these film again?". which is not a great thing. I found my self checking the my clock almost 15 minutes in to the film.
The acting and the direction was just breathtaking and it was great when you think about those things. But as for a script , well it was first of all very long. and at many times I felt like I did not really know what was going on. what was the focus of the film. what was it over all trying to tell me, trying to teach me. And over all it was very unhappy I just sat there waiting to everyone to die and for things just to get as bad as they could. I know that this was a beloved book one I have not read. I think that fans of the book will love the movie. but as for people who have never read the book might be spending most of their time waiting for the movie to end or walking out.
what could have been done to the script? well first of all for all you future screenwriters note that you have to find a way with out being cheep to get everyone to watch the movie and stay to the end.
this film could not do that to save its life. Had I not wanted to review the film I would have out right left. and to tell the truth lots of people did.
and another thing that was off was that they spoke english then the spoke what I believe was Hindi. Which i thought was poor choice my self.
Over all if you have not read the book I would not be racing to this one as I would some of the other film from the Telluride Film Festival.

(PG-13 to R)
Running time : 2 hours and around 45 minutes
Stars:  * * 2.8

( Poster Note: no posters have of now been released)

Movie: Rust And Bone

As always I saw this at the telluride film festival. and note that I love Marion Cotillard  and want to see this film because of her. 

This film is not what people lead you to think. Marion Cotillard lead.  This guy Alain is. Who to tell the truth I did not like all that much. He was all over the place and that was not the actor but the Writers fault.  I do not believe in the endless rewrites but he needed work. He was full of him self. And it seems that he did not true not love Marion. and he did not love his son. and to tell the truth watching the movie for me the only thing that could fix this guy was a nice kick in the butt. and at many points in the film the people around me were sighing and saying some very nasty works I will not say but you can guess. And my self and many others were hoping that Marion would find some one new.

Marion did a beautiful job brining Stephanie to life. showing you that as sad as she was she could get up again.

If you wanted to see this movie for Marion then i say yes because bottom line you will come out of it thinking to your self " Marion really is a breathtaking actress. her eyes tell the story". 

and as for the story its self I say that its more work. it needed to know what story it was trying to tell. a good script knows what its trying to make the moviegoers thinking about and get out of it. or getting them to see what you as the filmmaker see in the story and at many times it felt like it was not there. that the film made up of scenes and ideas that were just throw together as they went along. 

but as for everything other then the screenplay it was very well made film. And at points I liked it. over all I had very mixed feelings. But if you want to see it I say its worth a try. 

( R ) 

Stars: * * 2.9

And for those of you who wanted to know how they did the work with Marion's legs heres a quick look at how. 

Movie: A Royal Affair

I got to see this film at the Telluride Film Festival. And At first I thought I was going to see another bad Historical film that was hollywooded up.
But what I found in this film was very different. This film was strong. Im not a fan of movies about affairs.But this is a movie I walked thinking " I want to see that again. I want to relive their love".
that does not mean I did not find small parts with the film I did not like but who could? so I shall start with the few things I did not like " at some points I felt the king was just a little over the top. but other then that I really liked him.
now on to the things I did like which is long. fist off the lead actor Mads Mikkelsen ( who most of you know from James Bond:Casino Royale and After The wedding.) I my self do not find him sexy but slowly I started to fall in love with him. His acting was breathtaking. and I think I liked him much better in this as the leading man then as the bad guy in bond. after this film I can see my self being a fan.
Also i never found my self getting mad or upset about the subtitles. I found them easy to read and to watch the movie at the same time. and yes I have seen many subtitled movies before this.

but back to the film. One thing that was great about this movie was that I saw things from everyones point of view. I saw the queens side. I saw the kings. I saw the peoples point of view. and I think that is a huge thing for a film maker to have done. its very hard to do that.and they did it in the best way they could. and from what I have read online it sounds like the film was very true to what really happened. which I really liked.
Really this film was one of the High lights of the films at the festival for me. its a film that has stayed with me long after I saw it.

( Rated R )
Stars: * * * * 4.0