Frozen But Still Moving

Here is one of my favorite aspects of the new Disney movie Frozen:

Elsa's statement on marriage is a step forward from most Disney princesses.

Olaf

I was also pleased with the act of true love. :) I could not blink back the tears like I did at the beginning. The act of true love reminded me of another cursed princess movie with a non-traditional resolution. I recommend the movie Penelope with Chritina Ricci and James McAvoy. <3

I love conflicts of emotion and powers. In the case of Elsa, I was both surprised and pleased by her knowledge of her powers.

Before Frozen came out, I feared that Olaf the snowman would have long tangent annoying moments that dominate the scene. Having seen it now, I don't think Olaf strayed or dominated the scene. He added to it. :) Props to the voice actor Josh Gad too.

Problems I Had

What did bother me about Frozen seem to be ways that the movie did not step forward.

Elsa on r and Anna on left.

Elsa wore too much makeup. I don't know if it was to differentiate Elsa from Tangled's Rapunzel or for more color because Elsa's face and hair is pale. If the first possibility is the reason, then maybe that is why Anna has a lot of freckles. Anna's freckles make her more adorable and are natural, but Elsa's makeup does not add to her character. You could argue that she is closer in age to becoming a woman, but both girls grow in the film.

I am fine with their faces looking similar to Rapunzel's face because they are princesses created in the same decade. I don't like that Elsa probably has more makeup than any other Disney princess.

I also questioned why both sisters were isolated. The best answer I could think of is for plot twists to occur. I thought the line "First time in forever" sounded like Rapunzel's first time outside the tower.

I liked Frozen and would watch it again because of warm adorable Anna, but I feel that more time should have been spent on the movie. Adding to the sisters' shared isolation, I also could not get over how both girls wore a similar colored outfit with a magenta cloak. My sister noticed that their mother wore a magenta cloak too so maybe royal women wear magenta cloaks in Frozen.

What are your thoughts on Frozen? :)

The Best Story Structure

One of my favorite teachers advised to make character development the structure instead of following structure formulas. By page blah blah blah have an explosion.

The class was for screen adaptation, but the advice applies to any story. =) I improved the beginning of a story by working on the characters' journeys and goals.

Another screenwriting teacher did not believe in writer's block. She suggested to check if you strayed from the story's path at one point. Perhaps you put in a scene for its own purpose instead of the whole story's purpose. Sometimes you have to let go moments or lines. Save the draft though because you could try using that scene in another story.

Screenwriter Nicholas Meyer wanted to express his dislike of punk rock music through the time-traveling hero in Time After Time. Meyer had to omit the scene, but he rewrote it in Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home. I found the well-known scene, but the song was changed:

I'm with the Mockingjay

I heard some readers felt emotionally-drained from Mockingjay, the 3rd book of The Hunger Games. I enjoyed it because it had concepts similar to Nineteen Eighty-Four. =) Catching Fire was the emotionally-draining book for me. I felt that Katniss was weighed down by her worries.

There's some spoilers in this post even though I indirectly talk about them.

In the drawing, I wrote vague terms for what I thought were Katniss' main worries in each book before the games. I added trees because nature is her relief. With each book, she is more cut off from it. Dystopic societies usually cut people off from nature or see it as too wild.

Also this series shows nature used as and altered into a weapon. However, nature continues to live as if independent from the story's events. Man suffers and struggles to survive because of man.

I have a drawing tablet now.
I'll try quick sketches to illustrate points.

 In The Hunger Games, Katniss was a survivor but she was numb. Her main focus and devotion was her family's survival.

At this point, she doesn't know that other districts suffer just as bad or worse. Her own district has had worse days, which the adults recall.

In Catching Fire, she should no longer have to worry about her family, but Snow proves that fact wrong and adds more worries to her list. Katniss fears even her own actions and the interpretations of her actions because of consequences.

For fans of the love story/love drama, the second book seems to be their favorite.

I feel that Katniss had the most spirit in Mockingjay. She rebelled at almost every moment. She wants to be more informed on situations. She acts more than fearing on acting. Because of this strong spirit, I was not shocked at her move during the peace ceremony.

I had hoped for that move because the leaders fit George Orwell's attitude in  Nineteen Eighty-Four  that all parties are the same. The people still had to trust a leader blindly. Some people still feared for their lives. Daily life was controlled by the leader. The rebel society still lacked humanity. In the final conference, Katniss states that things are still the same.

I could not think of a right replacement for Snow, but when author Suzanne Collins showed the final leader, I agreed strongly with the choice. That person had showed interest in the people and had suffered from the Capitol.

Mockingjay is perfect...if you expect a dystopia. The first book had the dystopic setup, but was told as an adventure thriller. The second book is the transition to dystopic. Mockingjay is the dystopia of the series. I felt that Collins held back themes and attitudes in the other books. Mockingjay explains the society such as the careers in the games. This book may be my favorite of the three because of these reasons. The first book is still a great example to me of constant conflicts and the audience's influence.

I say perfect, but the book is not flawless.

The reader may get confused when the pace is too fast for storytelling near the end, but you are put in Katniss' position. You feel the rushed moment as she does.

The ending is short and quick, but I am fine with that. Although I read the book over a week instead of a few days like some readers, I needed the story to end already. You feel burnt up by the events and need relief from the tension. I recommend stopping once in a while because of the numerous events and their impact.

If you have not read  Nineteen Eighty-Four, then I recommend doing so including the prologue or section about George Orwell. I was just told that the districts and Capitol in The Hunger Games are similar to Brave New World. I bought a copy, but I'm taking a break again from dystopias.

I Saw The Hunger Games

Last Friday, I saw The Hunger Games movie. I liked it, but I worry if people will understand some scenes. My friends who did not read the books missed the new situation at the end of the movie. Although characters smile at that point, listen to what is said in private!

I am glad that I read the first two books before the movie so that I knew the details and connections. It is hard for me to picture how much of the story I would have grasped without the book. Thankfully, some game explanations from Katniss' thoughts in the book were given in another manner.

I will be vague in further discussion of the movie to avoid spoiling it. However, I will first discuss my disappointment in The Watchmen adaptation for comparison. The trailer is down below.

Reaction to The Watchmen Adaptation First

I read The Watchmen comic shortly before the movie release. Here is the trailer for it.

During the movie, I laughed and was entertained, but afterwards I felt disappointed in the adaptation for these reasons:

• The state of the world was not depicted enough. In the comic the second Silk Spectra helped portray the society at least through her addiction.
• There is no distinction made between superheros and masked vigilantes.
• Heroes that did not severely harm or kill, like Silk Spectra, plunged a knife into a mugger's throat. In the comic, the heroes who take lives are the ones who have a different state of mind.
• Does the viewer question the consequences that the heroes reluctantly accept?

I do not detest every change made in an adaptation. For example, I have no problem with the change in the S.Q.U.I.D. Because years have past since I first saw the movie, I would now watch it a second time. Some scenes were great to see on the screen.

Back to The Hunger Games

The movie was a good introduction to Katniss' world. Some great scenes were left out of the movie, but I think key moments for characters were kept such as when Thresh speaks in the game and Cinna's influence. I was not disappointed. Some of you may be if you expect love drama.

Before the movie, I read an article on the decision to tone down the violence, which the director felt was unnecessary for the main message and characters. I agree. Anyone who hungered for more violence has not grasped that the game is actually an instrument not entertainment. The anticipation of the game and the game itself are exciting, but remember its purpose and meaning. Violence is not action. Do you mean conflict or confrontations that can be an opportunity for character growth instead?

I was surprised that the terror and danger were toned down too. I think young audiences could handle a little more of both. The focus was appropriately placed on the main danger, the Capitol. Each book because harsher though. Will the rating stay at PG-13?

To me the book was a suspenseful adventure while the movie was more on the dystopic world. When Kato has the sword, I thought of Roger in Lord of the Flies. I can see that aspect as enough terror for some minors.

Some parts before the game felt slow to me, but my coworkers who did not read the book said the beginning was fast for them. After all, they did not know the setting and characters yet. Come to think of it, I did not linger on questions with the movie's pace. So I guess the first half of the movie was not slow.

Stanley Tucci as Caesar.

My favorite minor characters in the book were Rue and Haymitch. During the movie, I smiled and laughed at every scene of Caesar, but I was still teary for Prim and Rue. It was nice to see non-tribute characters during the game.

I  left the theater at 1am with energy from the movie. The third book, Mockingjay, is higher on my reading list now and I want to read the first book again. I may watch the movie in theaters a second time.

Done with Poison

This cover shows the long nose bridge
just as described in the book.

I finished Poison by Chris Wooding.

The story is about a girl named Poison who feels alienated in her town even within her family, which now includes a new mother. Her baby sister, Azalea, is one of only two people that Poison is comfortable around. Therefore, when Azalea is kidnapped by the Phaerie Lord, Poison musters courage to leave her home and find Azalea. The result is an enlightening adventure that changes her perspective of the world and her life.

Once I finished the story, I felt satisfaction and uplifted because Poison found her place. =)


WARNING: There are big spoilers towards the end of this post. I will warn you again right before that part.




Throughout the book, the narrator sets up questions for the reader such as:

• Why was Posion's sister taken away?
• What is the significance of the spider Lady's dagger and does it wield a power?
• Who is the Hypotroth?
• How will Poison's story end?

Each answer carries weight in the story.

There were some elements that I have seen before, which happens more as you read more, but the experience did not feel repeated. Now that I think about it, Wooding may have used classic Fantasy elements on purpose. After all, Poison noticed how fairy tales strongly related to her adventure and for a reason!

I agree, Ron.

One of those elements was a giant spider like in
The Incredible Shrinking Man 
(Sci-fi not Fantasy), The Lord of the Rings, and Harry Potter. Outsmarting the spider was still suspenseful with some fun. Poison dreaded the Lady of the spider realm more than the spiders. My only repeated experience was that I was grossed out by a giant spider.

When Poison researches the scarecrow, I remembered Pennywise (from Stephen King's IT) in an album. I reread that particular scene for thrills, but by the next two chapters I forgot the scene. Wooding wisely reminds the reader of it during the scarecrow's reappearance.

As I said before, Katniss' attitude in The Hunger Games reminded of Poison, especially when describing their homes. I felt that Poison was for a younger age range than The Hunger Games until the story took a meta twist. =) Middle schoolers will be spellbound by the concept of meta-fiction and even adults will find it intriguing. As a quick definition, metafiction is a story within a story. A new definition I heard is fiction on the process of fiction because it is a story that covers storywriting. I won't say more. Wooding explained it for you in the story.

One problem I had with the book was that some lines sounded too fantastical. I had to reread them to grasp the action and meaning plus those lines were not necessary. When Poison traveled to new places, I ignored these fantastical lines after the first attempt. Sometimes a writer feels pressured to have clever lines, but the words need to flow with the rest. Otherwise readers lose their trance. Newsweek writer Elmore Leonard has stated, "If it sounds like writing I rewrite it."


The rest of this post mentions big spoilers because the scene discussed is close to the story's end. I will not list all details though.


The day after I finished reading Poison, I remembered a scene that struck me as odd for a hero, especially for young audiences. Throughout Poison's journey, she bluffs and taunts threats. With Aelthar, she tried to tone down her attitude, realizing that it can hurt her chances. But when she was stabbed, Poison did not watch her attitude. Had she not learned? Her life was threatened the most at this moment.  Even if she had felt almighty about her new role, Poison should know that her life was still at risk. She saw what happened to Melcheron.

I questioned if Poison should be considered suicidal at this point because she provoked her stabber to strike again, "'Finish it. The last laugh will be mine.'" I understood she was helpless in this moment and hurt badly, but shouldn't she at least want to live now? She had wanted to die before, but her role is different from that point.

I did enjoy the adventure though. And after the last line, I turned the page to a blank one and felt as if I had just experienced magic because the story actually ended at that line. Haha.

What did you think of Poison? How about that odd moment I mentioned?

Catching Fire: Likes & Dislikes

Hello. I felt guilty for most of December and so far in January, thinking I lacked a blog post for December. I did managed to write at least one blog though. December and probably November were busy for everyone--they were for me!

During that time, I finished Catching Fire (CF), the second book for The Hunger Games series. I can't say as much for that book as I did for the first one. First, I'll say what I liked, but there will be minor & major spoilers. I recommend that you have read at least up to Part 2 in Catching Fire:

• Character Interaction: Generally, I think I liked the interaction between Katniss and other characters better in CF. Darius became one of my favorite characters. As for Peeta, he was sweet and cute in the first book, but it was too mushy for me. He shows himself to be more than a love star in CF with his reactions and speeches.
• Revisiting District 12: I was happy to read about Katniss' hometown again. We get to learn more about characters such as Haymitch (a favorite of mine) and the district's history.
• Revisiting Mother/Daughter Relationship: In the first book, we immediately see how numb and hardened Katniss is from having to keep her family alive not just herself. Taking on this role caused her to dislike her mother. So I am pleased to see that with all essentials covered, Katniss makes an effort to understand her mother and have a better relationship. Katniss gets along better even with the cat!
• Twist in the Game (major spoilers!): When I first read that victors were safe for the rest of their lives, I saw a flaw for this dystopian society. The games demonstrate the authority's power over its subjects. Tributes are suppose to be examples of that power enforced, but the victors are actually examples of the districts' strength by beating the authority's obstacles and surviving. Allowing the victor such freedom and rewards in a dystopian society is illogical without a catch or at least behind-the-scenes punishment. Punishment is exactly what I expected and waited to read for Katniss and Peeta. Because the continued love story seemed to be the main punishment, I smiled from satisfaction and excitement when victors were re-entered into the games. I nodded my head to author Suzanne Collins for seeing that victors were a threat to the Capitol. I was also impressed with the game arena and that the cover of the book reflected it.

Wow. I am glad I decided to include spoilers because I had a lot to say for just those topics. I changed my blog title to the book's title and bumped off discussing other books.

Here are three problems I had with Catching Fire:

• Who is Katniss? After surviving the game, but no longer fighting to survive in the district, Katniss does not know herself in this book. Therefore, the reader does not get to know Katniss better other than circumstances and history. Readers may still sympathize for her because she feels trapped and confused. I realized that I missed Katniss when she re-entered the game. Her attitude may not be as strong as in the first game, but her will returned. In CF, Katniss' cluelessness expands to more than love so readers may get annoyed. If you caught on more than she did, then the ending will not be a confusing turn in events.
• Slow Burn (major spoilers!): I had expected enforced law, but the oppression felt too long for me to endure from Katniss' position and perspective. The plot starts to build once a certain character gets whipped, but then it draws on a bit. At this point, I took a break from the book because I was overwhelmed. When the new tributes were announced, I was thankful for the humor and thrill that was needed to balance the oppression, helplessness, and panic. The character Finnick contributed to this balance. He became one of my favorite characters. 
• CF Feels Like a Bridge: The second book felt mainly transitional. Without reading Mockingjay, I can tell that CF is the bridge between the first and last books. Therefore, I do not see CF as a book itself. The direction changes numerous times, but overall the plot is about transition as well. The Capitol returns to stronger enforcements and people figure out if they are rebels or not.  The rest is confusion and fear.

Family and friends have told me that Catching Fire was the long, boring book of the series. So you have to finish the second book in order to get to Mockingjay and decide if the first or last book is your favorite.

My family warned me before I started the series that it got harsh with each book. I read Catching Fire sooner than I planned to do so; therefore, I will not jumped to Mockingjay yet. I also heard that Mocking is brutal so I am encouraged more to take a break from the series.

I am still looking forward to The Hunger Games movie and still hoping that the social commentary is kept. =)

If Catching Fire is actually your favorite of the three books, please tell me what you thought of it.

Finished The Hunger Games

I finished the first book of The Hunger Games last week.  It has a dystopic setting, but the story's told as an action adventure. I recommend the book for both readers and writers. =)

In my second story-writing class, I needed more conflicts for the character. The Hunger Games constantly has conflict, which keeps the story going and gives the character Katniss many decisions to make. The book is now an example for me.

I started reading one chapter at a time until some point in the game. I was then reading three chapters at a time. One day as I cleaned my room, I read a section after each time I put something away. I read even before an interview.

When I had three chapters left, I rationed them again. Willy Wonka's reaction to Augustus Gloop's situation is a great way to describe the thrill of reading The Hunger Games:

"The suspense is terrible. I hope it'll last." 

(The line is originally from 30,000 Leagues Under the Sea).

Here's an interesting passage from chapter 13 (Small SPOILER):

Where are the Gamermakers driving me? ...To a whole new terrain filled with new dangers? I had just found a few hours of peace at the pond when this attack happened. ...The wall of fire must have an end and it won't burn indefinitely.  Not because the Gamemakers couldn't keep it fueled but because, again, that would invite accusations of boredom from the audience.

Think of a Gamermaker as a writer and the audience as the story's actual audience (Meta!). Katniss is then questioning the writer's direction. Readers would have been bored if Katniss got to rest a whole day at this moment. They want the story to keep moving.

She's also alone at that moment so just like the Gamemakers, both writer and reader want her to interact with the other characters.  We feel sorry for her pain but back to danger and love! I'm curious if the author, Suzanne Collins, intended to draw attention to the reader's self by mentioning an audience. How much pain and drama did you wish upon Katniss and Peeta?

The quoted section also shows writers that they drive their characters into an adventure. Give them opportunities to make decisions and grow. Character growth gives your readers more than suspense and entertainment.

In addition, writers have to push their characters around to view more of the setting and society. Like pushing a cameraman around.  You push to capture more, but the character or narrator is the one recording details.

How was the suspense for you?