Appeal of Crime Shows

I love crime shows. I LOVE crime shows, but I don’t know why. Whether its a comedy like Psych, Castle, Monk, or BOnes, or psychological like criminal minds, there’s just something I find fascinating in how crimes are committed and murders are solved. It is rather fascinating. I have always loved mysteries, and started watching Law and Order at a young age. My dad has always found the shows disturbing and unrealistic, and sure. They can be a little cheesy at times, but there is something nice about knowing that the murderers are always caught. My favorite shows are ones that incorporate humor into the stories, so i was surprised I liked Criminal Minds so much it is very dark in its story telling and complicate psycho analysis. It’s really  good, and it makes me wonder why I like it so much.

The Raven King Review

This year, one of my favorite book series is coming to an end. It is called The Raven Cycle, and it is so much more than it seems.

When I first read the blurb on the back, I put the book down. I was then told it was really good so I read the blurb again. And put the book back down. Finally, after an hour getting frustrated with my library’s reading selection, I picked the book up again and decided to read it. That was either the best or worst decision I could make.

See, the blurb makes you think it will be all about a Miracle Romance™ with some kind of love polygon. I thought the book would be a total sausage fest, and it also makes the book seem like it takes place in some fantasy land, or 1900s New Orleans (okay, that's not really a bad thing). The blurb forgot to mention, however, that Blue isn’t actually drawn the Aglionby students because of any dark or mysterious reasons. It’s because one of them asks her out. The romance between main girl and boy isn’t the center of the plot either. The supernatural mystery of the ancient beings sleeping beneath the small Virginia town of Henrietta is the focus of the plot. While the main narrators are a girl and three guys, there are many female characters in the books. An all female house of psychics, a US senator, an all-knowing older sister, a secretive aunt, a pink wearing criminal, and a few others who may be spoilers.

The reason this book is so devastating, though, is that the main boy will die. It’s on the back of the book, it's in the first chapter, it's mentioned every other chapter. He will die. And the way he finds out is so sad. It’s guaranteed this last book, The Raven King, will make me cry. On that note, I recommend you read it. The depths of everyone's personalities and how their past affects them is so well written. There’s gay and bi characters. All the pieces of the plot are like puzzle pieces, and fall into place perfectly. Everything is hinted at, and every sentence means something. I feel like I could tell you exactly what will happen in The Raven King, if I only knew how to put the puzzle correctly.

The book was great, and enough was left a mystery that it wasn't completely satisfying, but everything came together in the end in a way that made sense.

Daredevil

Wow. So I watched Daredevil season 2 and. Wow. I have some mixed feelings, but overall they’re positive. I think. It was difficult to watch Matt and Foggy’s relationship degrade, and even harder to watch Matt and Karen’s newly formed relationship get destroyed. I just want everyone to be happy but, if it means interesting developments will happen next season, it’s okay. The plot twists were all pretty good, the only plot twist I saw coming was  in that last scene in the finale. That was just too predictable. All the others seemed pretty surprising. The imagery was beautiful, and all the renaissance painting references were so cool, I love easter eggs like that. I felt, though that, at times, too many plots and subplots were going on at once. Certain aspects got convoluted and lost, so they lost their impacts.
Dan Seitz wonders if season 2 is hiding another villain. “Comics readers are probably already giddy, but for the non-comics fans among you, when Elektra and Bullseye square off in the original comic, he kills her with, you guessed it, a playing card. It was what cemented Bullseye as not just another gimmick villain, but a genuine monster. He also has a long and nasty history with the Punisher, since Bullseye works primarily as a mob hitman. Rumors have gone around for a while that Bullseye would turn up this season, however they remained unconfirmed and it seemed the Punisher was going to be the primary foe Daredevil would face. But if Elektra turns up, and she’s committing assassinations, don’t expect Bullseye to be very far behind.”

Whatever happens, I am super excited for season 2.

books and bullying

          This school's bullying problem mainly stems from privilege. It lies in an upper middle-class part of town. In AP Psych, our class was asked whether poor or middle class (and up) people do more drugs. The majority of the class thought poor, when the reality is that Drugfree.org found that those with a higher income have a higher drug rate. After a fight at the school, people started suggesting “ghetto” students be kicked out.. The students at this school are raised in a bubble they have no interest in popping. They  are ignorant of how ignorant they are, and it leads to minorities at this school getting bullied, or jokes about friends that are charged with negativity, or gossip that leads to rumors and hate, or deciding that your opinion is more important than someone’s life.             Some students argue that they are not the cause of the problem, so they shouldn't have to receive punishment in the form of assemblies, lectures, and guest speakers. They argue that not everyone at Kennedy is prejudiced or ignorant. But the reality is that bullies don’t always realise they are a part of the problem. They push the blame on others, because they don’t realise those little things they say to maintain power really do count as bullying. After all, according to Psychology Today, bullies cover any low self-esteem they have with defensive egos. The only way to reach every last one is to talk to every student.

The solutions given to students who are bullied have been found to not work. Ignoring harassment, telling the perpetrator to stop, or telling them that the bullying hurts their feelings, and walking away do not fix the problem. A Penn State study found that having a peer intervene and support a student being harassed is the most effective way to help. It was also found by the Journal of Adolescent Health that while bullying isn’t the sole cause of suicide, it does increase risk of suicide by 250% and reported suicide attempts by 340%. Support for students

Teachers and faculty  need to address this school's problems with privilege and mental illness. They need to teach respect,and they need to single people out, not continue with their vague be kind to others mantra. They need to talk about the mental illness, and the prejudice, and the ignorance that runs rampant at this school. Bullying does exist at Kennedy, addressing the sources is the only way to fix it.

Movies and bullying

Had you asked me a month ago if there was bullying at Kennedy High School, I would have said that it didn’t exist. Sure, students at this school could gossip and insult. A lot of them don’t realize that what they say impacts people, but is it bullying?I didn’t think so. Recently, a student committed suicide. I didn’t know her, but her death affected a lot of my classmates. I was surprised to find out that she was a fairly popular student, and she was a victim of cyberbullying. According to the CDC, 19.6% of high school students are bullied and, of that 19.6%, 14.8% is done via cyber bullying. That means three quarters of high school bullying happens online.This is where all those anti bullying videos go wrong. They always portray outcasts with no history of depression or other mental illness getting bullied by the “popular kids” and even trying to kill themselves.

Teachers don’t know how to handle bullying anymore. Kennedy has a bullying problem, and it’s in no way the “traditional” kind. It’s not bratty kids beating each other up like in the eighties movies, and it’s not students getting messages on their Myspace page like in those early 2000s PSAs. Everything’s outdated. Today it’s gossip, and slurs, and online drama. It’s people that are either too wrapped up in themselves that they don’t understand what they are doing has consequences, or it’s people that want to exert power over others because they themselves feel powerless. Studies done by the CDC show that bullying puts both the victim and the bully at greater risk of developing mental health problems. When the school had its anti-bullying assembly, not only did it not mention mental health, it also forgot to address suicide. It rendered the entire assembly useless. The bullying victims that kill themselves are mentally ill. They have problems outside of someone making fun of them. Telling someone is helpful, but only if that person does more than just tell the bully to stop.  If all thats happened is a scolding, you’re putting a band aid over something that requires stitches.

         

Books these days

Lately I have found it hard to find young adult books that actually sound good. They either sound unoriginal, cliche, or meaningless. I think the best way to express my frustrations is in a list.

1. Love triangle. When this is in the book description, I put it down immediately. It is so cliche at this point to include this unsuspenseful who will she choose drama to a story. It’s overdone and boring, and so I immediately set the book back down when I see it.
2. I also can’t stand the chosen one trope. Do you realise how old that got after Harry Potter? All the others with similar abilities to the main character mysteriously die or something. Or there's some prophecy that only a special snowflake can fulfil.
3. There's also the not like other girls theme that shows up. The female character will put down other girls, talking about how unique she is, describe her make up routine immediately after puting down girls that wear make up, etc. She also has colorful eyes.
4. The brooding male character. Ugh. A tragic backstory used to excuse his behavior. Love at first sight because he and the female character are connected somehow. Emotionless, distant, and super hot.
5. White characters. Everyone's white. If it's a fantasy novel, it's about a Western culture and everyone's white. If it's modern day, it's about America and everyone's white. If it's sci-fi, dystopian, whatever, everyone's white. Unless you are explicitly looking for a book with not white people, you could randomly pick a book and it would be white. And if a race isn't given for a character, they are presumed white by everyone else.

Young adult novels need diverse characters that don't rely on the same old tropes over and over again. Diverse characters and plots that don't read like 500 other books are what's needed to save these stories

Metropolis

I recently watched the incredibly long and confusing silent film metropolis. It's about a world where  the wealthy  live above ground and the working class lives below ground  Manning deadly machinery. When feeder meets the beautiful Maria, some kind of religious messiah. She wants someone to be the mediator between the classes. Why she can not be that person, I don't understand. But, anyway. Rotwang turns his robot sex doll into a Maria look alike. She leads the working class to destroy the machines. After they realise this means the demise  of their children, they burn the false Maria alive. Feeder becomes the mediator. The end. Weird right? And it was 2 hours long. The visuals were beautiful and realistic, considering it was the 1920s. The acting was overdramatic but pretty good. The Pink Floyd album setting the tone throughout the movie was awesome, and I can not imagine the film with classical music anymore.

Unbreakable Kimmy schmidt

I was really disappointed with how unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt handled political correctness with Titus. Instead of saying don't be insulted by everything, it should encourage cultural exchange. Japanese people don't care if you dress like a geisha. They like spreading they're culture. Tina fey is just trying to excuse her own blackface. She should be ashamed. Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt is such a pure, fun show that having the writers try to excuse racism is just terrible. If they had only talked about cultural exchange, and how not everything has to be insulting, it would be ok, but the only reason Tina Fey included that bit is because she has been criticized repeatedly for wearing cultures like costume.

Zootopia

This movie lived up to all my expectations.  I loved the animation, it was so beautiful, and the message was so clear. The discussions about race and prejudice and stereotypes, and how people use social Darwinism to excuse racism, is so well done, I loved the movie. I actually saw it on Easter, which I thought was really fitting because rabbits. All the puns in the movie were great, and shakira with her booty short wearing tiger back up dancers was so funny. This movie was a fantastic addition to the Disney vault, and I hope they release more movies like this one. A plus plus plus plus. Such a great movie. I have high expectations for Moana, and hopefully Disney can meet them. 

Emma

This was the harder of the two Jane Austen books I read. I don’t think it was the vocabulary or subject matter, it was the writing style. It seemed like it was different than Pride and Prejudice somehow. More complex. I had to put the book away for a while and come back to it  after reading A Thousand Splendid Suns. I did like the character Emma, though. She was kind of awful, but her loyalty to Harriet was very admirable, even if the results of her meddling weren't always the most ideal. The forward stated that Jane Austen wanted to write a character only she could like, and as soon as I started reading Emma I saw what she meant. Emma is loyal, but she is also nosy, and judgmental, and classist, and overly confident in her own abilities. She convinces Harriet that she has to marry above her standing, leading her to turn down the proposal of the guy she winds up marrying in the end. She assumes the reason for Jane Fairfax’s return was to avoid an affair. And then inadvertently spread the rumor. She is flawed, but she grows some, and I really like realistic characters like her that are just a little bit annoying and meddlesome.

One thing that confused me, and this was in Pride and Prejudice as well, was that Jane Austen named a few characters Jane, i'm assuming after herself. I know she originally published her books anonymously, so it was probably for herself. Jane Fairfax and Jane Bennet are similar, I suppose. Both are reserved, Bennet more so, and both are considered to be rather perfect and good by others. Jane Austen isn’t like that at all, judging by her writing and description in the forward. I suppose she may have written the characters like that for the humor then.

I liked Emma for the most part, but it was a rather slow read, and rarely did the story contain actual surprises. It was good, but I prefer Pride and Prejudice.

A Thousand Splendid Suns

Going into this, I had heard many good things about Khaled Hosseini and his books. When I started reading it in school, many people stopped me and told me it was a good read. I have to say, I agree with them. Throughout reading A Thousand Splendid Suns, I found myself comparing what occurred in the book to my prior knowledge of Afghanistan and its complicated history in the last half century. Seeing the war from the perspective of two women shown a light I had not imagined possible on the story. I found myself hoping leader after leader would be successful in governing Afghanistan humanely. I even found myself cheering on the Taliban for a brief amount of time.

The story of Mariam and, later Laila, was all together moving, interesting, and frustrating. I felt Mariam’s sorrow and regret after her mother’s death, I was intrigued by Laila’s home life, and I was frustrated as time passed by while Laila and Mariam remained trapped in Rasheed’s house. The flow of the story never stagnated, watching Laila and Mariam age so quickly while so little progress occurred was what frustrated me. I don’t know how anyone can live like that, spending so long playing a game of cat and mouse. Sneaking around your husband, the police, the children... it was difficult to read that bit. Mariam’s arrest and detainment was satisfying. Not because I thought she should be arrested, or imprisoned, or executed, but because she was at least free from Rasheed, and free from that fear.

I found this book to be a quick and satisfying read, and liked the switching between perspectives that began about a third of the way through the book. Hosseini managed to explain a complicated history, an emotional narrative, and story of survival in a very readable way, and in only 400 pages.

The men who built America episode review

The second episode of The Men Who Built America focused on Andrew Carnegie’s rise to power and his fall in popularity. It details Carnegie’s development of better steel manufacturing, his rivalry with Rockefeller, and his doomed partnership with Henry Frick. The documentary starts with explaining how Carnegie began working odd jobs for Thomas Scott, a businessman working in rail, when he is twelve years old. He becomes Scott’s prodigy and begins taking initiative in investments of his own. When Scott asks him to build the first bridge to span the Mississippi river for the railroad, Carnegie realizes he has to do something different to create a mile long bridge strong enough to withstand the currents of the river. He begins looking into steel, and comes upon method to forge two weeks worth of steel in fifteen minutes. Carnegie immediately begins pouring money into the steel bridge and, while initially expensive, it proves to be smart because quickly others are wanting to replace rundown wooden bridges with steel ones. While his business grows, however, the profits from the too many rails go down. Thomas Scott passes away in ruins after Rockefeller backs out of a deal. Carnegie blames Rockefeller for his mentor's death and escapes the recession by repurposing his steel for building materials. He then plans to become even wealthier than Rockefeller. He makes the mistake of hiring Frick to do that. Frick is efficient and calculating, but immoral and spoiled. His dam leads to 2000 people dying when it breaks, and he sets Pinkertons on striking steel workers, leading to even more deaths. After, Carnegie is left to pick up the pieces, donating and investing money to improve public opinion.

Batman vs Superman

This was such a strange movie. First off, until someone told me gotham was meant to be chicago, I thought metropolis and Gotham were right next to each other, with the ease the characters traveled between them with. Wonder Woman was so awesome, I just wish she did more in the beginning of the movie. Superman was being super ridiculous and quite the hypocrite, because all his talk about vigilantes applied to him, as well. When it came down to the big Batman and superman fight, I couldn't figure out why superman didn't just say that lex luther had his mother. It would have stopped the fighting immediately. And why was Bat fighting Super man? Because the wheelchair guy blew himself up? Actually, it was because superman killed innocent civilians, not just criminals. Why did Lex Luther hate superman? Vigilante justice couldn't have been the sole season, because that is exactly what Lex Luther wound up doing. You don't frame a guy for all this stuff, dig up aliens, resurect things, all because you don't want aliens on the planet. Why was that politician lady distracted but her grandmother's ice tea right before getting blown up? Why didn't the movie address some of Batman's classism, only fighting the poor but not the corrupt one percent? What happened to Robin? Why was batman interested in Lex Luther in the first place? Who was that time traveling guy and how was he relevant to the story? This movie had great visuals, and lots of potential for Justice League, but as a stand alone movie it falls a little short.  It was very confusing, and a simple plot would've helped significantly. I just have so many questions.

April Movies

There are, like, zero new movies out in April. Tons of independent films, sure, but wide release? Not a single one! Well, except for for The Jungle Book. Out april 15th, the beloved disney movie is brought to life with live action and CGI. It looks really cool and entertaining, I only wonder why Mowgli is the only human. The book was written by a pro colonialism British guy about this metaphor for British colonialism. This kid grows up among beasts and then chooses to go live with the civilized people. It is meant to parallel Indians choosing to adapt British culture. It was never meant for anyone from India, only as British propaganda to gain support for putting so many resources into the colony. Anyway. Not having Mowgli see this girl and her village and becoming intrigued and joining them, gets rid of that metaphor. While that's not necessarily a bad thing, it does mean some kind of alternate ending needs to be put in place. I wonder how that will play out. I am super excited to watch this movie, and hope the colonialism vibe is turned down a notch at least.

My March Movies

Zootopia March 4, 2016

An animated movie about anthropomorphic animals living their lives in Zootopia, a metropolitan city designed for the coexistence of all species. One bunny must prove she has what it takes to work on the police force with the predators. When I first heard about this movie I figured it was just going to be a silly kids movie, fun, but nothing new. In reality, however, the movie offers up lots of commentary on racism. I was surprised to hear that, but after seeing it for myself, I realise that lines like “It’s not my fault, it’s in my nature” show the negativity of these phrases. There’s also a scene where someone calls the bunny cute, and she tells them it’s not okay for not bunnies to call bunnies cute. It has important messages for kids.

10 Cloverfield Lane March 11, 2016

This is a suspenseful movie, where a woman is forced into an underground bunker and told that, due to chemical warfare, it is unsafe to leave. She doesn’t know if this is true or not. Cue a suspenseful movie in which she must figure out who is her friend, and who is her enemy. Should she leave, when she is finally given the opportunity? And will she regret that decision? Directed by JJ Abrams and a sister movie to the 2008 Cloverfield, I am excited for this movie.

The Other Side of the Door March 11, 2016

Don't you love when white people go to foreign countries mess things up for everyone? In this case, some american ignores the rule of not opening the door leading to the other side, and reduces the boundaries between life and death to dust. All because she didn’t want to let her son go. Now she has to deal with all the spirits roaming the earth, her son and some possibly malicious entities. Now all of India has to deal with her bs. The woman who thought this american could be trusted in the temple of dead people is really the one to blame.

Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice March 25, 2016

I am so excited for this movie and, no, it’s not for Superman and Batman duking it out. It’s not for the mediocre special effects.  It’s not for the meh looking plot It’s for Diane. Wonder Woman. Not only will she make an appearance, but it seems like DC will do right by her, treating her like Batman and Superman’s equal. She stands not to the side, but in front of them. We already have shots of her civilian life, so that will hopefully mean Wonder Woman will be explored. There’s already a movie devoted to her on the way. Marvel should take notes.

Clueless

Had someone told me my favorite nineties movie was based on the Jane Austen novel Emma, I wouldn’t believe it. How can a humorous novel about regency society translate to a high school comedy? Then I rewatched Clueless, and realized just how many similarities there were. Cher helps the bashful new girl find a guy after successfully setting up her teachers. The guy she sets up her friend with is actually interested in Cher, and makes the moves on her while they're driving home. Her friend is heartbroken, then becomes interested in Cher’s ex-stepbrother. Cher realizes that she herself is in love with him. Her friend gets with the guy she was initially interested in. Everyone lives happily ever after. That is basically the plot of Emma. There are minor subplots that parallel as well. A guy lightly flirts with Cher/ Emma to hide the fact that he has a secret fiance/ is gay. Cher/ Emma doesn’t want to go to a party held by people of a lower class, but does because the rest of her social group attends. Her friend becomes suddenly popular after being held up by bandits/ being hung over a balcony.  The attitude of the story is kept, as well. Emma was portrayed as naive and well meaning, but self absorbed. Nothing she does is intended to be mean, and she learns from her mistakes and grows. That is one of the most important parts of the story. Every action is done with the best intent. Overall, the movie is funny without being mean. Both my parents and I find it funny. That’s rare. It’s a sweet movie, and it is timeless. Almost twenty years later, this movie is still relevant, funny, and meaningful, even if some of the fashion is questionable. I really love this movie. I highly recommend it to anyone wanting to watch a cute comedy that has a gay character but doesn’t turn him into a punch line, black people without the stereotype, and the rich blonde girl that may be spoiled, but is very kind hearted. Cher is goals, honestly. The way she talks is so charming, and her care for her father is so positive. I love their relationship. He’s abrasive, but still deeply cares about Cher and even his ex-stepson. Clueless is just so amazing. Please watch this movie.

Neko Atsume

Neko Atsume, better known as “that one cat game” is a japanese game that inspires patience as you wait for stray cats to visit your yard and play with the toys left out. When they’re done playing the cats leave fish behind to be used as currency to buy food, toys, and upgrades. While not everyone appreciates the simplicity and lack of involvement, Many enjoy the cute cat animations and the way the cats interact with toys in odd ways. Certain toys even attract rare cats like Mr. Meowgi and Chairman Meow. There’s something calming about the game, waiting for cats to come after you refill the food bowls, watching them chill, and that excitement when you finally get the memento from that one hard to please cat is so relieving. It’s a truly relaxing- if occasionally frustrating- game.

Poisonwood Bible Thoughts

The Poisonwood Bible by Barbara Kingsolver is an interesting novel about a Baptist family that moves to the Congo just before its struggle for independence. I’m not sure if I really liked the book or not, but I’ll get to that later.

The book was made up of seven parts, each named after a part of the bible. Each of these parts begins with a chapter narrated by the mother in “present day”, then goes back in time to be narrated by the four daughters. When reading, I felt the effect of this style was beneficial in a couple ways. It allowed for foreshadowing- obviously they must survive the Congo, even if we’re told one of the daughters dies. It also allows for explanations of what was going on politically. Even though  the family was in the middle of the struggle, they had no idea what was going on at the time. I liked it because it gave us an understanding of the mother that was never translated by the daughters. She was smart, independent, and unforgiving. Another format that only made sense when I finished the last page, everything was first person. Typically, in books from multiple perspectives, there is either all perspectives written in third person, one main character is first person but the others third person, or there’s an omniscient narrator. Since Orleanna, the mother, was presented as the main character I expected the daughters to be third person. They weren’t, though. Even the daughter that died was first person. This confused me because typically when books are third person, it’s supposed to appear as a sort of diary, like they’re recounting the story or want to get a message across. How can a dead girl tell a story? Well, the last chapter -while initially appearing to be from the perspective of an omniscient narrator- is actually first person. It’s from the perspective of the dead daughter, fifty years later and just as matured as the rest of her sisters despite the fact that she died when she was five. This through me for a loop. I’m not really a fan of these kinds of twists.

The story of the Congo was so detailed, I wasn’t really surprised that the author lived there in a similar manner as her characters as a child. I feel she did the Congo justice in representing both the good and bad of the culture, but I don’t know much about the Congo so I can’t say if it’s truly accurate. I do want to learn more about the Congo’s fight for independence. I don’t know enough about how colonialism still affects modern day Africa, and should find a way to brush up on it.

There are two things I don’t like about the story. Rachel’s character, and the way racism was handled. Rachel was the pretty older sister. She was entitled and racist before going to the Congo, and she remained that way until the end. I  wish her character had evolved, and that her racism wasn’t so tied to her femininity. From the start, she was described as a natural bleach blonde that took pride in her looks and was the typical materialistic girl with internalized sexism and racism. She was growing so much after getting to the Congo but it seemed like as soon as she was in South Africa, she was back to her old self. That seems like poor character development. She had been getting along with the neighbors that didn’t obsess over her hair. Rachel had some really interesting insights, and making her the dumb blonde diminished their value. Having her not know some basic (if long)vocabulary also seemed really insulting. I think I knew what morse code was when I was five, and it was outdated by then. I’m especially annoyed because the character closest to being Rachel’s foil, Leah, is supposed to grow up to be the least racist of the bunch, staying in the Congo and marrying Anatole, and Congo teacher and activist. Leah was racist. She wasn’t blatant about it, but every chapter from her perspective after leaving Kalinga mentioned how much it sucked to be white (and how it wouldn’t stop her from being with Anatole). She talked about how awful it was to have people assume she was racist, how knowledgeable of the culture she is (comparing herself to a native). This seems just as entitled as Rachel. I feel that all three surviving sisters are stereotypes that don’t grow enough, though at least Adah admits she was a pretentious child. They had possibility but didn’t move past their original character. Leah seems the most likely character to be a self-insert, and while that’s not necessarily a bad thing, in this case I found her to be uninteresting and held back by this fact.

The way racism was handled also didn’t feel complete. Again, Rachel’s racism seemed tied to her femininity, and Leah’s wasn’t even meant to be there. But she wound up making some unintentionally racist comments anyway, so I will continue to see her as self-centered and still ignorant after all that time she had to learn. I liked Ruth May’s chapters because they gave some insight into what growing up in the segregated south will do to you and your values. But after that, segregation was never mentioned. The girls history in a famously racist state is only really mentioned once and only when in relation to a church. The white supremacy and systematic racism would have still had its effects even after Congo’s independence from Belgium, but it wasn’t really mentioned. Well, America’s hypocrisy and Racism was talked about, and that was really interesting.

I want to learn more about the Congo, and the other African Countries that dealt with colonialism, revolution, apartheid, and occupation. My curiosity is peaked, and because of this book I want to learn more about everything.

What Is Hamilton Really About

All day today, I have had one song stuck in my head. It is a beautiful song sung by a wonderful woman named Phillipa Soo. It has so much depth and meaning, and while it is about a founding father’s scandal, it still feels relatable and applicable to today. The song is called “Burn” and it is from the Broadway musical Hamilton. If you have already heard of Hamilton, you’ll know that it is a hip-hop interpretation of Alexander Hamilton with a diverse and talented cast. One thing missing in this explanation, however, is the amount of depth in the show. The recurring phrases, the climax, the resolution, the entire meaning of the production. Sure, Lin Manuel Miranda thought Hamilton had an entertaining life, but there’s more. Songs like History Has Its Eyes on You, Dear Theodosia, and Who Lives, Who Dies, Who Tells Your Story say what I think the message is the clearest. Hamilton mentions this in his final moments as well. Legacy, what we leave behind and how it is perceived. This is probably one of the hardest things anyone has to deal with, not knowing what happens next. Not knowing if what you did will leave lasting impressions. Not knowing if anyone will remember you in a hundred years time. Hamilton claimed to always be anticipating death, but when it came he was still scared. Had he done enough? Will America keep fighting, never resting, like the French revolution? And when Hamilton died, that worry moved on to Eliza, to keep Alexander Hamilton’s legacy alive. In just one song, she did so much. She created something so positive. She funded an orphanage for kids like Hamilton, alone in the world. She got to watch these children who reminded her of her husband and son grow up. She outlived the majority of the people in the musical, and she created a legacy that was stronger and longer lasting than before Hamilton died.

              This got long winded, but to summarize, I think Hamilton is popular because it shows everyone's fears about death using relatable characters and music. It speaks to everyone who watches it, and puts into words what I, at least, worry about. “And when my time is up/ have I done enough/ will they tell my story?” The idea of disappearing when you die is a startling one. And this is a musical centered on it.

Scream Queens Finale

I finally finished Scream Queens, and it was great. I loved the plot twists, the way the morals of murdering people worked, and the humor was on point. The gore was perfect, just enough to startle, but not an unnecessary amount. I loved all the crazy set ups displaying the bodies, and Chanel is perfect. Her reactions to the murders is great, and her attempt at killing Munsch was so funny. The email she sent afterward to call out the Chanels for messing up the plan was great. The cinematography was perfect. The shots where Zayday and Claire walked into the house with the silhouettes of the Chanels projected onto the wall above them was so cool, and the scenes leading up to Earl Grey getting murdered by the pool was awesome. I also loved the fashion in the show. The pastels and color coordination were so cute, and Zayday’s whole wardrobe was amazing. I want it. The last episode was so cool. Libby was so funny. All her scenes in that episode were great, and I loved hating her parents. I felt really bad for Sadie, though. Her rapid belief that she had a split personality disorder was really sad. She is such a great character and I can’t wait to watch her grow. Her hair buns after she was imprisoned was super cute, and I loved the reference to Billie Lourd’s mom, Princess Leia (a.k.a. Carrie Fisher). One part about the finale I was unsure about, is whether or not it left enough room for a second season. Hester seems done with murder. Her brother and foster mother were dead. Why would the Red Devil return?  I suppose Zayday and Claire could still believe Hester was the killer, like they did before the Chanels arrest. But where would that lead? The last scene in the finale showed the Red Devil standing over a sleeping Chanel. Is that scene going to be finished in season 2? Will the Red Devil terrorize the girls at the asylum? Is there a new Red Devil killer? Or is Hester still seeking revenge? I can’t wait to find out, and only wish I didn’t have to wait until the next school year. I would definitely recommend it for its humor, visual appeal, interesting plot, social commentary, and the murders. Those were pretty awesome. Since the second season in confirmed to take place mostly in a mental institution, my only reservation is that mental illness won’t be treated with respect. I wouldn’t mind jokes as long as they continue the way they have been. Obviously satire and obviously making fun of people that are favored by society.

Holes

This was a movie that, when it was on, I couldn't not watch. I recently watched it again, and I fell in love with the movie all over again. I love all the curses and legends interwoven into the story. The fortune teller's curse on the Yelnats, Sam's curse on the lake, and Kissin’ Kate Barlow’s curse on the Warden’s family. I love these subplots that at first seem irrelevant only to play a key role throughout the course of the story. I love the story of Sam and Kate, even if it is heartbreaking. When I was little I really loved how cool Kissin’ Kate Barlow was. The characters in the story are just so unique and interesting, but still seem authentic. All the little details, from the rattlesnake venom nail polish, the smelly feet cure, the song for the pig, the story is just so wild and I love it. All those coincidences that usually bug me just make this movie even cooler. The peaches and onions as secret ingredients in Sploosh, Zero being a Zeroni, and the onions repelling those deadly lizards. Everything blended seamlessly and I love it. I even almost don't mind the early 2000s pop soundtrack. Almost.

For those of you who did not grow up with the magic that is Holes, it is about a guy named Stanley Yelnats the fourth. He is sent to a reform camp after being falsely accused for stealing a pair of a celebrity basketball players donated shoes. Ironically, his father is trying to cure smelly feet. All the still living Stanleys tell Stanley the fourth that the family is cursed because the first Stanley was cursed by a fortune teller. He had used her pig to try to pursue his love but, after rejection, did not carry out his part of the bargain. The camp Stanley goes to after his arrest is centered around a dried up lake. To reform the teenage criminals there, they dig holes in the lake. The reason the lake dried up? The town’s people lynched a guy because he was black and kissed a white woman. It never rained a drop after that. The woman he kissed? Shot the sheriff and became a bandit accumulating vast wealth and burying it somewhere in the lake. It’s a pretty empowering movie. 10/10 recommend

The Lunar Chronicles by Marissa Meyer

Recently, a friend and I were at Barnes and Noble when she picked up a book called Cinder. Having already read the full series and loved it, I immediately recommended it. She then asked what it was about. Anyone who’s felt the pressure of trying to explain a full series in only a few sentences, and really sell it, understands why I faltered and simply stated “It’s a cinderella story, but in China, and Cinderella’s a cyborg.” True, but not that most persuading description of a book. Especially with so many fairytale adaptations saturating the market. It just doesn’t do the series justice.

This friend was a romantic. If I really wanted to sell the series to her, I should have told her this. Two star crossed lovers, kept apart by societal expectations, prejudice, arranged marriage, and a war fight to keep the earth safe. The book features four different couples, all of which are very cute and feature some nice kissing scenes.

If I were selling the book to someone focused on diverse and feminist books, I would explain the story like this: The series features a majority female cast, with both female protagonist and antagonist. The female characters have diverse interests and are not all cut from the same cloth. Some are more dependent on others, some are less, some have more feminine traits, some have more masculine traits. None of these things are seen as a bad thing. There are characters with real disabilities. At least half of the narrators are people of color, and the story doesn’t center around the U.S. The story follows the characters from China, to France, to North Africa. It’s a very diverse story with great female characters.

But what about the fans of dystopian and sci-fi? Will this book appeal to them? Yes. The various fairytales all revolve around a singular plot. A few hundred years in the future, Lunar, an ex-colony of Earth’s- is threatening to attack. The Earth is being weakened from the inside out by a mysterious plague, and the Lunar people are being kept under control by Queen Levana’s gift of mind control- possessed by most Lunar’s in some shape or form after evolving for a hundred years on the moon. Without spoiling too much, the story culminates with war and bloodshed.

Hopefully one of these descriptions of the book series will persuade people to read it. It is quite amazing and Marissa Meyer has artfully woven for fairy tales into one amazing sci-fi adventure.

Scream Queens initial thoughts

I recently finally started the horror comedy Scream reboot TV show Scream Queens, and woah, is it good. I expected some humor, pretty cinematography, and gore, but I was really surprised. The characters are so well written, it’s amazing. They’re quite obviously satire, but it’s so well done. I can tell exactly what type of person each character is meant to make fun of, and I know quite a few of those people in real life. It’s quite satisfying seeing such a well done parody of them. There’s also a lot of statements about classism, racism, and sexism in the show. It’s so accurate though. It’s like the writers transcribed actual conversations, but got rid of the subtleties. One scene, Chanel is talking about the party she hosts after rush week. She describes it as a white party, where you preferably wear white or be white. Another character is a self proclaimed feminist, but all she does is insult young  women and talk about how they objectify themselves. Classism is also touched on by Chanel’s obsession with keep her sorority exclusive- preserve its popularity and wealth. The cinematography is really cool, too. The shots where girl-next-door is about to enter the sorority house and sees the Red Devil are so cool. I also love the shots with the Red Devil in general. They’re very eerie and sinister, and the use of the wide angle shots add quite the drama. I’m excited for the plot as well, as it seems to be well thought out and I can’t help but suspect everyone of being the killers. What plot twists I have seen are well done and well thought out, and I can forgive the show for its at times ridiculous coincidences because it has a great sense of humor about it. I’ll probably finish this sometime in the next week, and I am super excited to see where it goes. There is going to be a second season, but hopefully there is not too much of a cliffhanger.

The Poisonwood Bible first impressionss

I recently picked up the book The Poisonwood Bible by Barbara Kingsolver from the Library. I was a bit worried about the book. It’s from the point of view of a white american baptist family moving to the Congo just before revolution hits. I was afraid this book would turn out like those action movies coming out of late, in which a white person goes to a foreign country dominated people of color, and has to survive this savage world full of nameless natives while shit hits the fan. I then found out that The Poisonwood Bible is in Oprah’s Book Club, and since I doubt Oprah would like a book with a racist narrative, I finally got past the first page. And wow is this book self aware. All four of the daughters are racist in some way, shape, or form, from very blatant to subtle. This is quite obviously done purposefully by the author, so I’m excited to see how the girls will grow. The first chapter quite surprised me as well, actually. It opened with a description by the girl's mother of taking them on a picnic through the Congo jungle. The mother states that she is in america again, and how the book will be about the experience of living in the Congo. She also talks about her daughter’s knowing that some are a lot less deserving of sympathy than others. It’s startling, and makes me wonder about what to expect from this book. I am excited to continue reading this book, and can only hope it will as interesting as the first ten chapters make it seem. I do want to learn more about the Congo and the state of colonization and segregation in that part of Africa. I don’t know much about Africa in that era in general, actually, except for some knowledge about Apartheid in South Africa. I’m excited to watch this prideful family learn humility, and learn a bit more about the Congo, myself. I'll keep this blog updated as I progress onward with this book.

December Reading List

Look at what I had in my drafts! I meant to have this out i December, oops. It's still pretty relevant, so...

This is a short list of highly anticipated books. Read one yourself, or maybe give one to that book-lover you know for the holidays.

Not If I See You First- by Eric Lindstrom

Out December first, this novel tells the story of a blind girl named Parker and the rules she lives by. She’s smart and witty, but that doesn’t mean she doesn’t have flaws. She’s trying to recover in the wake of her father’s death and the return of an old crush who broke her rules. This story promises to be bittersweet, with Parker’s  humor sprinkled throughout to lighten the mood.

Ashley Bell- by Dean Koontz

Out December eighth, this thriller is about a woman who, after being cured of her terminal illness in two days, sets out to find the reason she thinks her life was saved. Ashley Bell. What she uncovers involves so much more than she expected when she set out searching. Crime and conspiracy turns her California journey sinister.

Medici’s Daughter: A Novel of Marguerite De Valois- by Sophie Perinot

Out December first, Medici’s Daughter is a historical fiction depicting the bride of the St. Bartholomew’s Day Massacre. Beginning with her summoning to France, this story reveals the twisted inner workings of the french court as Margot prepares for her wedding to Henri of Navarre. A story of self discovery, this tale leads to Margot having to choose. Her Family, or her Humanity.

The Relic Master: A Novel- by Christopher Buckley

Out December eighth, this is the story of a medieval indulgences procurer, seller, and forger. When the relic Dismas sells is found to be fake, he and his artist friend Dϋrer are forced to steal the Shroud of Chambéry, Christ’s alleged burial cloth. Humorous and historical, this is an adventure full of satire and wit for those that enjoy learning about the culture of the 16th century.

Valentine's Day Movies

Wanting to plan the perfect date? Here are some of the movies in the theater right now to make your Valentine's Day really special. Some will make you laugh, some will make you cry, and some will get you so emotional you have an excuse to hold your dates hand.

The Boy- A movie about love and devotion, this movie is about a nanny who begins working for a family still trying to move on from their young sons death. As she helps them put their past behind, she finds herself falling for Malcolm, the grocery boy.

Deadpool- This movie is a study on what people are willing to sacrifice for love. Wade Wilson is a member of special ops who is diagnosed with cancer. To stay alive for the one he loves, he undergoes an excruciatingly painful treatment. Will he do what it takes to live?

Pride and Prejudice...- A fresh new take on the regency era classic, Pride and Prejudice... raises the stakes of Darcy and Elizabeth’s love. Will anything stop them from being together? The movie promises to have more action than it’s predecessor, and a faster paced plot, so it’s perfect for those of you that have trouble keeping alert during classic book adaptations.

Zoolander 2- A sequel to the romantic comedy Zoolander, our two favorite models travel to europe where they face new competition in the fast paced world of fashion. Will they make or break? I am excited to find out. The comedy should balance out the drama, and the romance throughout makes it perfect for Valentine's Day.

The Witch- This suspenseful movie is a great opportunity to hold the hand of that special someone as you watch a family in colonial america work to survive on their new farm. They learn the value of love, family, and trust along the way.

US vs UK: Cooking Competions

I am an avid watcher of the Food Network. I have Chopped, or Cutthroat Kitchen, or Guy’s Grocery Games on whenever there is nothing specific I want to watch. I love watching the meals come together in the span of thirty minutes. When people don’t make the cut for the next round, it’s usually because they had to use cotton candy as their starch. You get to watch the competitors’ faces as each plot twist and limitation is announced. When the Great British Baking Show was put onto Netflix, I decided to give it a try. I realized quickly, this was not going to be like an American cooking competition. First, competitors received time limits anywhere from and hour and a half to five entire hours for baking. In America, there’s just a standard half hour. An entire hour maybe for the more elaborate stuff. But that’s pushing it. The contestants also get to prepare and know what they are supposed to bake in advance. You’ll see them reading off of recipes and showing off the molds they made and brag about how much they practiced. It only makes the failures even more sad. There are technical challenges every episode that can’t be prepared for, but those aren’t make or break. Meanwhile there are American shows where the only time you are given the recipe is when you are on Worst Cooks in America. The Great British Baking Show is a lot more relaxed as well. Every competitor is so supportive and nice, and the atmosphere is so calming. Everyone just really loves cooking, and it’s quite lovely. In the finale, all the ex-competitors have a picnic to cheer on the final three, and the judges, while strict, are still so friendly. The foods created are also much more traditional with small variations and are quite... quaint. I am not sure if that is exactly the right word, but they are definitely not making steaks and soufflés like on other shows. Everything is just simple, pretty, and refined (or at least it’s supposed to be). Everyone has a great sense of humor and camaraderie. I enjoy it as much as I enjoy all the rivalry and shade of American cooking competitions. I don’t know if I can say one is better than the other, though. I do so love the ridiculousness of Cutthroat Kitchen. I don’t think anything can truly rival it.

Inside Out

When I first saw the trailer for Inside Out, I was a little dissappointed. I honestly thought it would be like Osmosis Jones or something, and would be a boring designed to keep children distracted. I did not expect it to handle the heavy stuff like depression, moving on, and forgetting. The movie focused on acknowledging emotions instead of covering them up to make others feel better. It showed that it is okay to feel sad, and happy, and be afraid, angry, and disgusted. The movie ended in the emotions helping each other and balancing each other out. The movie was definitely relatable, from the childhood nostalgia to the loneliness, and those bittersweet memories. The scene on the bus, when the emotions realized they couldn’t make Riley feel anything at all, not even fear, It hit hard. I think it’s important to show movies like this to children- to tell them it’s okay to be sad, to not fake emotions, and to help them understand why others may be depressed. Mental health isn’t talked about enough, and movies like this help establish a dialogue. That said, the movie still has a lot of humor, and the heavy moments are well placed.

            I also liked the animation. The textures of the emotions hair, Bing-Bong’s body, the clothing, it was all very beautiful. Also,, at first I thought the emotions were furry or something, but the are actually dissipating and dissolving at the edges. It’s such a small detail, but it’s effect is so nice. You can tell the people who made this movie really loved what they were doing, and wanted to perfect it.

            Overall, it’s an excellent movie that is great for all ages with valuable lessons and great animation. It has a sense of humor that balances out all the moments that make you cry. It is incredibly relatable and important. I would so recommend it.

My Must Watch Movies of 2016

Deadpool is of course on the list. From what's been released, Ryan Reynolds knows what he’s doing and is staying true to the character, even going as far as confirming that Deadpool is pansexual, which reflects Deadpool’s sexuality in the comics. Reynolds is seriously committed to this movie, and I think it’ll show in the final product.

Captain America: Civil War is another comic book movie I’m excited for. With Winter Soldier’s writers, It will hopefully avoid the issues Avengers: Age of Ultron had with seeming more like a mash-up or fanfiction than it’s own movie. There will be new characters (new to Avengers at least) like Spiderman and Black Panther, and I’m excited to see Black Widow being properly written.

This year is definitely dominated by comic books, because the next movie on the list is Suicide Squad, the Harley Quinn central movie. With a diverse cast and (gasp!) multiple female characters, I am really excited for it. Margot Robbie, Will Smith, and Jared Leto have all got me pumped for the release of this movie.

And then there’s the all female Ghostbusters reboot. With the people who wrote The Office, and actors like Melissa McCarthy and Kristen Wiig, this movie should be really funny. I’m also all for nostalgia and all female reboots, so this is a can’t lose situation. I hope this will inspire more female centered films in traditionally male centered genres.

While there’s lots of new animation coming out this year, what I’m most excited about is the new Disney princess movie Moana. She’ll be the first not white princess since Tiana, and the writers, directors, and producers promise for a great movie. Lin Manuel Miranda will be writing the songs and with his most recent project becoming a Broadway hit, this movie's soundtrack should be spectacular. Dwayne Johnson will be the voice of Maui, and the directors have a good track record with Aladdin, The Little Mermaid, and Hercules.

Okay, there’s one other animated movie I really want to watch. The Secret Life of Pets is a super cute movie about what our pets do when we aren’t home. In this case, stop an evil bunny from overthrowing humanity with his army of ex-pets. Adorable. The trailer doesn’t include much of the plot, but the premise is clear and I definitely want to watch this movie.

The Raven King, and why I can't wait

This year, one of my favorite book series is coming to an end. It is called The Raven Cycle, and it is so much more than it seems.

When I first read the blurb on the back, I put the book down. I was then told it was really good so I read the blurb again. And put the book back down. Finally, after an hour getting frustrated with my library’s reading selection, I picked the book up again and decided to read it. That was either the best or worst decision I could make.

See, the blurb makes you think it will be all about a Miracle Romance™ with some kind of love polygon. I thought the book would be a total sausage fest, and it also makes the book seem like it takes place in some fantasy land, or 1900s New Orleans (okay, that's not really a bad thing). The blurb forgot to mention, however, that Blue isn’t actually drawn the Aglionby students because of any dark or mysterious reasons. It’s because one of them asks her out. The romance between main girl and boy isn’t the center of the plot either. The supernatural mystery of the ancient beings sleeping beneath the small Virginia town of Henrietta is the focus of the plot. While the main narrators are a girl and three guys, there are many female characters in the books. An all female house of psychics, a US senator, an all-knowing older sister, a secretive aunt, a pink wearing criminal, and a few others who may be spoilers.

The reason this book is so devastating, though, is that the main boy will die. It’s on the back of the book, it's in the first chapter, it's mentioned every other chapter. He will die. And the way he finds out is so sad. It’s guaranteed this last book, The Raven King, will make me cry. On that note, I recommend you read it. The depths of everyone's personalities and how their past affects them is so well written. There’s gay and bi characters. All the pieces of the plot are like puzzle pieces, and fall into place perfectly. Everything is hinted at, and every sentence means something. I feel like I could tell you exactly what will happen in The Raven King, if I only knew how to put the puzzle correctly. I already have my own predictions, of course, but I’ll have to wait until the book comes out in April.

The Future of This Blog

Happy New Year! I’m back from my winter break, and I have some adjustments I'd like to make for this blog! First, I’ll be changing the name. I’ve been throwing some names around, and I’ll make an executive decision soon. Hopefully. I feel that this blog has evolved the more that I’ve written, and I would like the title to reflect that. I want the title to reflect a focus on books, and I may wind up changing my blog theme as well. I’m still deciding on that, we’ll have to see.

              Second. I’ll begin writing more about my own adventures reading books and watching movies, regardless of whether or not they are remakes or reboots. I won’t stop writing reviews of terrible movie remakes, but I’m hoping to add a more personal touch to my blog, and share some of the books and movies I’ve really been enjoying of late. I want to post recommendations, talk about authors, and gush about movies. I may also have a rant about the Oscars in the works (there’s lots to talk about). So stay tuned.

              I’m also going to try to get back to three posts a week. I’ve been busy with school and such, so I had some trouble posting reliably. Sorry about that. Don’t be afraid to get on my case about getting posts up every week. Oh, and let me know what you think of my posts. Do you disagree, am I too repetitive, are there other things you’d like me to address? Feel free to comment! Even if it’s something as small as a typo, let me know! I’m awful about proof reading! I’ve also been curious about the traffic I’m getting. I’ll see that people are reading my blog in Portugal, Mexico, and France, among others. If you’re one of those readers, let me know why you’re reading my blog. I’m curious about how it’s viewed in your countries, and what about my blog interests you.

              Alright, did I cover everything? Name, blog posts, audience, that should be it. I really like where this blog is going, and I hope you’ll stick with it as it changes and evolves. Have a great 2016, and thanks for reading!

January Movies List

There are mostly just limited releases of movies in January. The majority of movies out are left overs from the Christmas holidays. Here are two movies coming out in January. They are very different, so be warned.

50 Shades of Black

Out January 29th, 2016

This movie is a spoof of the book and movie Fifty Shades of Gray. It makes fun of the series in every possible way, making light of a franchise that probably doesn’t need a spoof to prove its pretty dumb.

Kung Fu Panda 3

Out January 29th, 2016

Next in the Kung Fu Panda trilogy, Po is reunited with his family, much to his adoptive dad's annoyance. When a new enemy looms, Po must train his family in the ways of Kung Fu. It’s easier said than done.