Planet Earth

VLC

Best. Show. Ever.

I've always loved animal and wildlife shows. And this is the first time I fell in love with an entire wildlife series. I used to watch just individual episodes from time to time, and I only used to watch shows from National Geographic and Discovery. If it wasn't made by either of them, I never bothered watching.

This series introduced me to another serious maker of wildlife films─the BBC. In fact, there is one element which makes the BBC documentaries better than those from Nat Geo and Discovery: David Attenborough.

The Telegraph

"My voice can soothe the savage beast."

As one YouTube commenter put it, hearing David Attenborough narrate is like listening to your grandfather tell a wonderful story. From his voice alone, you can tell that Sir David is a nice and wonderful person. No wonder animals love him.


1. "From Pole to Pole"

VLC

Ants. No, just kidding. Buffalo.

This first episode is designed to make the viewers interested in watching the entire season. It's sort of like this episode is a "the best of Planet Earth" episode. Which is kind of weird, because usually "the best of" should come after everything. Anyway, this episode literally takes you from pole to pole, from Arctic to Antarctic, from emperor penguins to elephants. If you loved this episode, then I guarantee you'll love the series.

The Hunger Games

Hungry for more.

I know a lot of people who liked/loved the movie, but to be honest, it left me disappointed. I know very well that book-to-film adaptations are tricky, so I had low expectations on the film, except maybe for its story. Yet, I still foot-stomped my way out of the theater. Just consider this a book fan's self-righteous rant on how things should have turned out on the big screen.

Downton Abbey. Series 1

I'm not quite sure why I took a liking to Downton Abbey, a British-American period drama about the Earl of Grantham, Lord Robert Crawley (Hugh Bonneville), and his family—his wife and Countess of Grantham Lady Cora Crawley (Elizabeth McGovern), and their daughters Lady Mary (Michelle Dockery), Lady Edith (Laura Carmichael), and Lady Sybil (Jessica Brown Findlay), including his mother, the Dowager Countess of Grantham, Lady Violet Crawley, played by the always magnificent Maggie Smith.

Watch it for the sole reason of her acting prowess.

But not only do we follow the story of the Crawleys, but also the people who work at Downton Abbey. We see who are up to no good and those who are loyal to the family and their jobs. The carefully crafted intertwined stories of the upstairs and downstairs is, I think, one of the series's great strengths. Though these people are not equal in stature, their troubles and joys are of the same weight.

The Vampire Diaries. Season 3, Episode 17: "Break On Through"

This is why no one ever succeeds in killing Damon.

This episode showcased our elder Salvatore brother's strengths: the tactless statements, realistic life outlook, flirty gestures, a little bit of rage, and some human compassion. Don't you just love this guy?

But the real highlight of this episode is hope—for Elena and Bonnie's friendship, for Jeremy's normal life (and for his return, though I dare say), for Alaric's mental health, for the Damon and Stefan's brotherhood, for Stefan and Elena's love (darn it!), for Stefan's self-control, and... getting rid of The Originals. I wonder what would Damon do after/if everything else falls into place.

Caroline's scolding of Jamie made me miss our Aussie bad-ass; Klaus, more. Now that there's a real threat (again; and credible threats of Original vampires' demise don't come around too often) to the hybrid and all other Originals (oh no, please, not Elijah!), would the writers really kill them all off?



*screencap by VLC

The Secret Circle. Episode 17: "Curse"

Daddy's a scheming little bastard... just like Jake.

The Conant-Blake curse is bad for Jake, I guess. But it's also a fake curse. Tsk, tsk, bad Daddy. But I guess I have to thank him. Adam and Cassie together is too easy. On the other side of the semi-circle, Faye lost a boyfriend but gained two girlfriends. Lee's out and Eva's power has been given back to its rightful owner.

I can't say I'm pleased with this episode especially after the last one which I thought was promising.



*screencap by VLC

New Girl. Episode 17: "Fancyman (Part 1)"

Well, hello there, Mr. My Best Friend's Wedding.

Jess and Nick are on an "Occupy (people with phones, money, a kind heart—you fill in the blank)" phase, if you could call it that. Or Jess will find out how it's like to be with a rich, stable guy and Nick (I hope) realizes he wants to be a lawyer or even just grow up. And Schmidt and Winston are on a Quiz Night thing.

I can't remember why I even started writing about this show.



*screencap by VLC

The Hunger Games Review, or Jennifer Lawrence Makes Me Hungry

YouTube

For this review, I shall be discussing how to do a proper adaptation, by showing you how not to do a proper adaptation.

All Movie Photo

And Stanley Tucci will show you how to rock blue hair.

In my opinion, this film failed because it was trying too hard to be faithful to the book. And no surprise. The author of The Hunger Games books was, in fact, co-screenwriter for this. And I'm pretty sure Suzanne Collins, talented writer though she is, knows very little about adaptation.

Dr. Seuss' The Lorax 3D Review, or Dr. Seuss is Turning in His Grave

YouTube

Let's start off with...

The 3D Review 
I've heard people comment on my 3D reviews, saying that they've had a lot of nosebleeds, because they found the reviews to be too technical and jargon-filled. That's because the 3D part of the review was meant for stereographers and people interested in stereo photography. So you can just skip to the regular review.

Tumblr

"Move along now... move along."

All I have to say about the 3D for The Lorax is... not bad. Good job, Illumination entertainment. But in one shot, when the subject went out beyond the screen plane, the stereography was too strong. The separation was too great, it was unnatural, and thus a strain on the eyes. But that was just one shot.

And now, we go on to...


The Regular Review
Just how true to the source material should an adaptation be for it to still be considered an adaptation?

All Movie Photo

"You tell me!"

I don't really know how true you have to be, because I don't really know the gauge for measuring truth. I rely more on feel. If it feels more or less like the book, then the adaptation works. Or if the film elicits from you the same emotions as the original, then it works as an adaptation.

This film, therefore, does not work as an adaptation.

If we go by feel, then this obviously fails. It feels nothing like the book. The story is definitely set in the modern world, and no amount of crooked architecture will make it feel like a Seussian world (I just made that word up). The human characters aren't even drawn in the Seussian style.

All Movie Photo

Too pretty by half.

If we go by emotions, then this film fails as well. The original book had the feeling of whimsy, of wonder, and of straight-up Seussian senselessness. If you got any of those emotions while watching this film, then I'd like to ask what you've been smoking, and I'd like to have some of that.

Basically, the only things that looked legitimately from the Dr. Seuss universe were the trees, maybe the houses, and the annoying goldfish.

All Movie Photo

"We have teeth!"

My point is, since this film has departed quite far from the book, it can actually stand alone as an original work in itself, which is a movie about caring for the environment.

And for that, you don't need the Lorax anymore.

All Movie Photo

But you still need a villain with a really bad haircut.

Dr. Seuss' The Lorax. USA. 2012.



Rating: Six out of ten.

The Vampire Diaries. Season 3, Episode 16: "1912"

Oooooh. Is that what "moderation" means?

The Vampire Diaries just reminded us that it's about family, specifically about the Salvatore brothers. I wonder if Stefan would ever be able to live in moderation. He should listen to his older brother. I must admit it was pretty creepy seeing the bad-ass brother be emotional. Just don't make out, okay, bros?

Guilty and not guilty. What the?!

Meanwhile, the serial killer story arc had some interesting twists and turn. I bet we'll see more of Samantha Gilbert and meet present-day Sage very soon. And that doesn't mean Flirty Doc is family now. Sorry, but no.

Aren't they just made for each other?

I find Elena's reaction to seeing the brothers feed hypocritical. They're vampires so deal with it, girl, every aspect of their humanity and vampire-ness. Maybe she should just end up with Matt. Hmm. Klaus wants it, and he almost always gets what he wants. Speaking of, who else missed his Australian accent?



*screencap by VLC

The Secret Circle. Episode 16: "Lucky"

One guy can never handle two. Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned.   

My favorite bitch girl has got competition. I wonder if it's Faye's dark side powers (if she's really Blackwell's other spawn in the circle) in that OD'd girl. Ethan is one jealous traitor bastard--lame and weak. Cassie and Adam are destined and doomed at the same time. Hooray for Jake!

If only someone or something can stop them (and these crows?) from mating.

It's quite promising for six more episodes of the first season. You know, even Melissa is kind of being productively part of the show. But I don't know if it's enough to save The Secret Circle. Even a decent-looking sailor with a thick Australian accent might not be able to.

Will Grant be just part of the destruction or distraction?

*screenshots by VLC