Four Reviewers. Four Different Perspectives. Read 'em all!

New Book Reviews
The Color Purple - Alice Cooper
The Monstrumologist - Rick Yancey
Ripper - Stefan Petrucha

New Movie Reviews
Oz the Great and Powerful - James Franco and Mila Kunis
Magic Mike - Channing Tatum and Alex Pettyfer
Hotel Transylvania - Adam Sandler and Andy Samberg

New Music Reviews
Glee - Vitamin D
+ (Deluxe Edition) - Ed Sheeran
Katy Perry- Teenage Dream: The Complete Confection

New Television Reviews
Elementary - CBS
Partners - CBS
Wilfred - FX

New Random Reviews
Facebook
Fun Size Candy
Janoskians

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Glee - Vitamin D

Reviewed by The North Star
Song Time: 4 Minutes

Halo/Walking on Sunshine
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It's My Life / Confessions Part II - 8/10 - This is the first mash-up ever on Glee.  Whoa.  Anyways in the episode they have a battle of boys vs. girls and each group has to take two songs and make them into one song.  This is a mash-up of It's My Life by Bon Jovi and Confessions Part II by Usher. I like this song because it took a classic song and mixed it with a more unknown song and it actually does sound like it could be a song on its own.  All of the boys sound good on the song I just don't love it.  I like this but I don't love it, which is why it gets an 8 out of 10.

Halo / Walking on Sunshine - 9/10 - In my mind I think that the girls won this battle.  In the episode all of the girls took performing enhancement drugs so that they could beat the boys (who did the same thing).  This is a mash-up of Halo by Beyonce and Walking On Sunshine by Katrina & the Waves.  This song sounds less like a real song than the boys but I like listening to this one a lot more.  The girls have beautiful harmonies and the voices really seem to work off one another.  At the end of the song Rachel hits this note that is.....very high.  Every time I listen to the song I'm not sure if I like the note or not but it's very impressive.  If you bought one from the episode this one is the one to buy but they are both really good.

Real Teen Rating ~ B: Check it out but, really, there's no rush

Real Teen Download: Halo/Walking on Sunshine

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Glee - Preggers and The Rhodes Not Taken

Reviewed by The North Star
Song Time: 20 Minutes

Since they only sang one song in Preggers I decided to combine the episode with the episode after.

Maybe This Time
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Taking Chances - 9/10 - This is the only song from the episode Preggers.  Before I write anything about the song I just have to take a moment to say how talented Lea Michele is.  In this episode Rachel has decided to quit the Glee club and audition for the school musical and this is her audition song.  Up to this point her songs had just been OK and they didn't really show off her voice but finally with the song it does.  I love how it starts off slow in the beginning and then begins to pick up as it goes.  I like her version because it isn't dramatized like the original.  Lea Michele does a great job with this song and I'm always pleasantly surprised when I find it on my iPod.

Maybe This Time - 11/10 - I'm in love with this song.  When they first sang it on Glee I bought it right when the episode ended and I'm pretty sure that I listened to it on repeat for hours.  This song is duet between April Rhodes (Kristen Chenoweth) and Rachel.  They both sing about how they never win but maybe this time they will win.  Anyways this song is amazing.  Both Kristen and Lea sound great on the song.  In the very end they sing together and the harmonies that they create send shivers down my spine every time I listen to it.  Like Taking Chances it starts off slow and mellow and then as the song goes on it picks up and keeps adding layers.  This is definitely one of my top favorite Glee songs and every time I listen to it, it makes me want to get up on a stage and sing along with them.  Seriously go listen to it right now.

Alone - 7/10 - If you have ever heard the original version of this song then basically no cover will ever compare.  In the episode April and Mr. Shoe (short for Mr. Schuester) go to a bowling alley and sing karaoke because in high school Mr. Shoe always wanted to sing a duet with April.  As far as duet songs go I'm not sure this was the smartest decision.  The verses of the song sound fine but neither of them sound amazing on the chorus which is the best part or even in the harmonies.  In the harmonies all I can hear is Kristin Chenoweth which is sad because Matthew Morrison sounds good.  Parts of this song are good but as a whole it's just so-so.  I don't love it but I don't hate it either.

Last Name - 6.5/10 - Oh Glee doing a Carrie Underwood song, here we go.  In the episode April gets drunk on the stage at a huge performance while the glee club sings back-up.  I just don't think this is the right song for Kristin Chenoweth's voice.  It doesn't sound horrible but it doesn't sound great either.  There are a lot of better songs they could have picked her to sing drunk on the stage.  The way that she sings it is way too cutesy when it's supposed to be regret and confusion.  It reminded me of a concert where the singer just sings the song but doesn't perform it.  Don't bother listening to it.

Somebody to Love - 9.5/10 - I love Queen.  With that said this version does not even come close to the original.  Even though it doesn't compare it's actually a pretty good cover of the song.  In the episode they sing it for the community to show them what glee club is all about.  One of my favorite parts of this song is that a lot of people get little solos to sing instead of just one person singing the whole thing by themselves.  My favorite part of the song has to be when they cut off and then come back in slowing chanting "find me somebody to love" and it keeps building and building and building with more and more people singing until it reaches the peak.  Then Mercedes sings her part and then the whole song finishes strong.  If the beginningish was as fantastic as the end I would give it a 10/10 but it is definitely worth listening to.

Real Teen Rating ~ B+ : Check it out sometime!

Real Teen Download: Maybe This Time

Reviewed by Living Destiny

Taking Chances - 10/10 - This is one of my early favorites. It's soft and sweet, and in the beginning it has a quality like a lullaby. Then it starts to get faster after the first chorus, and it starts to sound more intense. This song shows off both the high and low register for Lea Michele, and it's absolutely beautiful. I know they need diversity on the show, but I think if they just did songs like this, I'd still be watching.

Maybe This Time - 7/10 - I know this is a duet, but for the beginning half of the song, either I can't distinguish voices, or it's just Kristen Chenoweth. Which is totally ok, because she's so talented. I'm not sure it needed to be a duet at all though. There's like one harmony in the whole thing, and it isn't super necessary. Not to say this is a bad song, because it's very pretty. But it's never been my cup of tea.

Alone - 9/10 - North Star is right when she said that no cover can compare with the original. Although people insist on covering it. The duet aspect made it interesting, because originally the song is sung by just a woman, and adding a male voice makes it stand out. Rock duets are so edgy and exciting and fun to listen to. I've always loved this song, and this is actually the best cover of it I've heard. Of the two duets this episode, this is the better one.

Last Name - 5/10 - I didn't like this song when it first came out. I don't know why, but something about it didn't click right with me. This version doesn't make me like it any better. I love Kristen Chenoweth, but this isn't her song. She sounds good on it, but there's nothing behind it. The spoken lines are the best part of it, because she sounds so little and confused, and it's kind of funny. And it just drags on and on forever. She doesn't sound awful singing, I just always hate this song.

Somebody to Love - 9/10 - I remember singing this song in the car with my friends. It's an incredibly well done choral arrangement of a classic song, mush like Don't Stop Believin' was in the first episode. This song highlights a lot of different singers, which is nice to hear. It's one of those songs that makes you want to stand up and rock out like a total dork, and that's ok. The bridge is really awesome, starting out quiet and getting loud and intense, with a few soloists riffing throughout it. This is all around a nice song to listen to.

Real Teen Rating ~ B-: Not bad

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The Color Purple - Alice Cooper

The Gist

The Color Purple
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Celie is a poor black woman in the 1960s. She tells the story of her life through letters. She is physically and mentally abused, constantly put down by her stepfather and husband, and is too meek to fight back. When she meets Shug, a jazz singer and mistress of her husband, she starts to realize that being a black woman doesn't mean she's worthless, and she can be whoever and whatever she wants to be.

What We Think
Reviewed by Living Destiny
Number of Pages: 295
Honestly, is summer reading ever anything good? No. It isn't. And The Color Purple certainly isn't the exception to that rule. I really hated it. First of all, let me just talk about the writing for a minute. Dialect. For those lucky souls that don't know what dialect is, it's when you write in an accent, and you write the way the words sound. So in a Boston dialect, the word car would be written out as "cah". You can just imagine how obnoxious that would be. And this whole book is written in dialect. I understand that the book is set in the south, the dialect is unnecessary. Adding it means the whole story is written with very poor grammar and spelling, and the creation of words that just exude stupidity. Also, there are no quotation marks. Ever. When people talk, it looks like prose. There's no distinguishing marks telling that this statement was spoken and this one was dialogue. It all runs together. And this book won a Pulitzer Prize. 
With that out of the way, the writing style wasn't good. Writing in letters is extremely hit or miss, and this is a miss. With the way it's written, you get no sense of the emotion in the characters. Part of that is the personality of the main character, Celie, but part of it is definitely the writing. It's so blank and dull. Even big, horrific events are written in a void of personal attachment. It makes it difficult to care about the characters, or have any investment in their lives and well being, if they don't seem to care themselves. 
The storyline didn't interest me. It's not that it's boring, because lots of things happen, it just wasn't exciting either. Totally middle of the road, ho hum, blah. And that all connects back to the poor writing style. The characters too. Celie was too meek for her own good, but Shug was too bold. Mister was the typical abuser, an over controlling husband who took pleasure from power. Harpo was awful, trying to abuse his wife only because he thought it was how life was supposed to work. Nettie was almost forgettable. Dull. The only character I even remotely liked was Adam, a bit player in Nettie's story. He doesn't do a whole lot, but at least he has the emotional depth to feel conflicted over love and morality. That's fantastic compared to everyone else in the novel.
For the whole book, I just didn't care. And that made me angry the longer I read. This is supposed to be a deep novel that touches on serious subjects. And I didn't feel a thing. And that's so frustrating, when a book isn't executed well. There isn't a redeemable quality in this entire novel.

Real Teen Rating ~ F: Don't even bother.

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Facebook

Reviewed by Living Destiny

Why is Facebook still around? Does anyone still use it? I got a Facebook when it was popular, and I went on it every day, and posted some things that looking back make me cringe at how stupid I was. And then it went through the post-every-photo-you've-ever-taken phase, and that's now just a painful reminder of the awkward years of middle school. And the comments are all spelled incorrectly and everyone thinks they're cool. And then it was a gaming site, for Farmville and Cityville and all sorts of Villes that your relatives would invite you to play. And now what is it? It's clearly been overtaken by Twitter and Tumblr, but it hangs on, still trying desperately to be new and interesting.
Not worth it Mark Zuckerberg. And can we talk about the fact that Facebook is constantly creating new updates that no one wants? Half of the updates on my phone are for Facebook. Every other month they change the set up of the website, which confuses all the users who were just getting used to the latest edition. Stop.
I know that it's used to keep in touch with people you don't see much. But isn't that what phones are for? If someone is important to me, I make an effort to text them. If I meet someone but they aren't that important, I friend them on Facebook. And if you think about it, Facebook is kind of like that friend. You have it, but you only check up on it once a week, if that often, and you don't really pay much attention. And the notifications you get on Facebook are always stupid. Usually they're from one friend who posts 8000 pictures of pointless things, like jokes that aren't particularly funny. And then there's the relative thing. Everyone has those relatives that you don't see often, and feel the need to stay in your life through Facebook. So if, on rare occasion, you happen to post a status on Facebook about getting into college, or winning a big game, or being in a show, these relatives feel the need to comment on it. Which is nice, but it's really all that happens on Facebook. If Mark Zuckerberg wants to create some social media site that's only for keeping in touch with family, I'd say it's not a bad idea. But Facebook has lived a long life, and it's time for it to retire.

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Glee - Acafellas

Reviewed by The North Star

Song Time: 10 Minutes

Bust Your Windows
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Mercy - 7.5/10 - This is the second song that Vocal Adrenaline sings.  It's very similar to Rehab with the harmonies and no one ever having a solo.  I like this one less than Rehab but it's still good.  It doesn't seem to go anywhere and is one note the whole time.  Other than that it's a good rendition of the song but don't bother buying it anytime soon. 

Bust Your Windows - 9/10 - This song is awesome! In the episode Mercedes is in love with Kurt (Chris Colfer) who is very obviously gay.  She sings this song after finding out that he doesn't have feelings for her.  They're at a car wash and when she finds out she smashes his car window.  This is song is really intense though.  Mercedes really gets into the song and shows off her vocal range.  This song is really good because it was an unknown song that Glee took and made it their own and it actually fit with the plotline.  In short, buy it for the vocals but also look up the scene on YouTube because it's worth it.   

I Wanna Sex You Up - 3/10 -  The only part of this song that I like is Mr. Schuester's part.  He is the only one that doesn't sound awkward when singing the song.  In the beginning of the song they have this weird part where they're singing something really strange and I can't quite make out what they're saying but it sounds off.  It is supposed help make the song a capella but it doesn't work.  I think that they should have just picked a different song because as I said above no one sounds good except for Mr. Schuester.  No one should buy this song. Ever. 

Real Teen Rating ~ D+ : Only one song worth listening to

Real Teen Download: Bust Your Windows

Reviewed by Living Destiny

Mercy - 7/10 - This is kind of the exact same thing as Rehab. Cool harmonies, always a full choir. It's interesting, and fun to listen, but nothing that blows you out of the water. It gets kind of boring once you realize that half the time they're saying the word mercy on the same note. The voices are good, but the song isn't so much.

Bust Your Windows - 8.5/10 - I actually thought the scene for this song was stupid. It seemed pretty implausible that she couldn't tell he was gay, and that's coming from someone who has absolutely no sense of that sort of thing. The song, however, is good. I used to listen to this song a lot. It's got a jazzy sort of feel, which fits Amber Riley's voice perfectly. She has a great higher register, which she gets to flaunt in this song. It makes you want to move.

I Wanna Sex You Up - 3/10 - I literally did not remember this song at all when I read the title. And then I realized why. It's when Mr. Schuester tried to form a boy band. Whether I forgot because it's been so long since I watched the show, or because I intentionally blocked it from memory, is for you to decide. What I can say is this is one of the most awful songs I've ever encountered. Listening to it felt like physical pain. The harmonies are ok, the melody is ok. For an a capella group, it's not impressive. It's really kind of sad, because if this group of singers had picked any other song, it would have sounded good. But they picked this, and it's just bad.

Real Teen Rating ~ D: Ugh.

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Glee - Showmance

Reviewed by The North Star
Song Time: 12 Minutes

Gold Digger
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Gold Digger - 9.5/10 - This song always cracks me up because in the episode Mr. Schuester (Matthew Morrison) is trying to teach the kids how to dance and sing at the same time and by the end they all learn...except for Finn.  Anyways, I really like this song.  The song itself is talking about girls who are gold diggers but if you ignore what the lyrics are actually about this is a really great song.  I love how it starts off with Mercedes (Amber Riley) singing and the Mr. Schuester comes in and if you have ever seen him he is not who you would picture singing this song, but he pulls it off.  The whole glee club if you look at them if not who you would be picture to be singing this song but like Mr. Shoe, they pull it off.  In the end, this is definitely one to download.

Push it - 6/10 - One of the only reasons that I like this song is because me, Dream Catcher, Living Destiny and ShoreWhisperer have an inside joke about it.  The scene in which they perform this song is hilarious.  They're trying to get people to join glee club so they think by singing this song that people will join.  The song itself.....not great.  Unlike gold digger in which they rap successfully in Push It they do not.  The only reason it's getting a good grade is because of the scene in which they sing it and the inside joke, other than that I don't like the song at all.

I Say A Little Prayer - 4/10 - I can't stand this song.  I only bought it because it was on the episode and back when Glee first came out I had to buy every song.  Quinn (Dianna Agron) sings this song to get into the glee club.  This song is all about God and a couple and how every time the singer does something she says a little prayer.  No matter who sings this song I hate it, so the fact that this song is getting a 4 is a mini miracle. The reason that it isn't getting a 1 or a 2 is because of Dianna Agron.  She has a great voice and it is honestly the only thing that makes this song tolerable.  

Take a Bow - 9/10 - I always forget about this song.  I'm not crazy about the original but I think this version is a lot better than the original.  This song is in the perfect register for Lea Michele and so her voice sounds really great on it.  Even in the recording you can hear the emotion in her voice and I think that is really hard to do when you can't see the singers face.  She brings an innocence to the song that Rihanna takes away.  In the original it seems more like Rihanna could have been in the wrong but in the glee version you feel bad for Rachel/Lea which is the point.  This is definitely a version to buy.

Real Teen Rating: C- : Don't waste your time listening to the whole episode

Real Teen Download: Gold Digger

Reviewed by Living Destiny

Gold Digger - 6.5/10 - Matthew Morrison rapping is probably one of the funniest things in the world. It's especially funny because he actually isn't bad at it. Amber Riley riffing at the beginning is the best part of the song though. She has a ridiculous voice. After that, it's ok. If you know the original song, you know that they cut out the more inappropriate parts, which is fine but they try to replace them with choral harmonies, which is less ok. I really like Matthew Morrison, and that's where this grade is coming from.

Push It - 7/10 - This is also hilarious. And it's not even that it's a good song, I just love it. It's not a song you can sing along to, or one that is particularly well done, but every time I hear it, it makes me smile. Kevin McHale's little rap part is the best part of the song, and over the course of the first season, he proves himself to be the best rap singer in the show. Cory Monteith is probably the worst, and his part sounds so awkward it's entertaining. Not the best song musically, but one of the most enjoyable.

I Say A Little Prayer - 8/10 - This is so catchy! It's not that I find the song to be great, because I think it's kind of a lame song. But it's just so catchy. And this version of it is really well done. The harmonies are good, and Dianna Agron is stellar. It gets stuck in my head, and I'll end up singing it for days. While I agree with North Star that I really don't like the song itself, I love this version, and I can't agree with her grade. I think this song is awesome.

Take a Bow - 9/10 - This song is beautiful. It's soothing, sad, and it seems a lot less harsh than Rihanna's version of it. Not angry or defensive, just sort of resigned. Interestingly, this song is at least as high as Lea Michele's first solo, but she sounds much better on it. Whether her voice matured very quickly, or it's just the fact that she isn't belting, this is a nice high register song for her. The bridge is fantastic, with the long high note. Definitely my favorite from this episode.

Real Teen Rating ~ C+: You could go either way on this...

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Glee - Pilot Episode

Reviewed by The North Star

Don't Stop Believin'
Buy it here and support our blog

Song Time: 15 Minutes
So I've been watching Glee since it first aired in 2009.  It has had it's ups and downs but I really wanted to review the music.  I figured the best way to do this was by episode.  These are the singles that came out of the first episode (there may have been other songs but I will mainly be reviewing the songs they sold as singles).

On My Own - 8/10 - While writing this review it feels like forever ago that this show started. This was Rachel Berry's (Lea Michele) audition song for the glee club. This was also the only audition song that they released as a single. First off, I just love this song in general and you can't deny that Lea Michele has an amazing voice. This isn't my favorite version of the song but it's still pretty good.  I wish that she had sang this song later in the series when her voice developed more because listening to it now there are some parts that you can tell it's hard for her to reach.  Besides that I really like this song and I never skip it when it comes on but I never seek it out.

Can't Fight this Feeling- 7.5/10 - Even though I don't really care for the original I kinda like this version. The lyrics are cheesy and the song itself isn't good.  Finn (Cory Monteith) doesn't even sound that amazing on it.  I think I like it mainly because it reminds me of how good Glee used to be and how I wish it could be good again.  The first 50 seconds of the song are really good and after that the song goes down hill. It's a classic Glee song because it's the first time that Finn sings and he doesn't sound half-bad.  So if you don't intend on watching the show don't bother.

Rehab - 8.5/10 - Every time this song starts I think that it's a church song because they added a little part in the beginning where they sing "Ohio".  Anyways, this song is always entertaining.  It shows the complete opposite end of show choir.  They take a popular song and then make it as if it was a chorus song with crazy harmonies.  There aren't many solos but the choreography is amazing.   Whenever I hear it I always feel the need to get up and dance.  You can't compare this version to the original because the original wins every time but it's a good show choir song and in context of the show it's even better. Like Can't Fight this Feeling, if you don't intend on watching the show don't bother buying the song.

Don't Stop Believin' - 10/10 - I have never gotten sick of this song.  I remember sitting on my couch and hearing this song for the first time in a commercial for the show.  The second that I heard it I was hooked and I patiently waited for the Pilot.  This is the very last song in the episode and it gives me chills every time.  I love that it starts off a capella and then moves into half a capella, half back up band (meaning the characters are still singing as if it's a capella but a band is also playing).  To me this song perfectly describes the show.  It took an old song that used to be huge and then made it somewhat their own.  This is MUST HAVE on anyones iPod, Mp3 Player or phone.  It's classic Glee and is a good rendition of the song as well.

Real Teen Rating ~ B+ : Check it out sometime! 

Real Teen Download: Don't Stop Believin' 
(make sure you don't buy the Regionals version)

Reviewed by Living Destiny

On My Own - 6/10 - I'm not blown away by this rendition of the song. The notes get screechy or whiny at times, and it's obvious that when this song was recorded, Lea Michele simply didn't have the register for the song. It's especially evident in the big, climactic line, "the world is full of happiness that I have never known". It's almost cringe-worthy. I've heard a lot of versions of this song, and while this isn't the worst, it's definitely not the best.

Can't Fight This Feeling - 10/10 - I remember first watching this episode, and thinking this was the best song. And I still do. It has really nice, subtle harmonies, and Cory Monteith is a very talented singer. Yeah, it's a little cheesy, but I just can't get enough of it. I love this song, and there is literally nothing wrong with it.

Rehab - 8/10 - Funky choral harmonies in this one. This song was our first glimpse, as viewers, into the deep dark world of show choir. Not a solo audition, or a song in the shower, but a real, talented choir. It's interesting. I think the harmonies overpower the melody a lot, and that's not something I'm a fan of. It's good, but not fantastic.

Don't Stop Believin' - 10/10 - What a classic. When it first starts out, the vocals make you want to get up and move. The show did a great job of taking a famous song, and turning it into something fresh and new. When you hear it, you can't help but love it. The harmonies are spot on, there's a great guitar solo after the first verse, the ending is chilling, and all the voices sound really good together. Honestly, in four seasons of music, it's still one of the best that came out of Glee.

Real Teen Rating ~ B: Check it out but, really, there's no rush.

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Oz the Great and Powerful - James Franco and Mila Kunis

The Gist

Oz is your average conman.  He runs a "magic" show with a traveling circus and every night makes people believe in his tricks and happily takes their money.  Despite all of this he still feels that he hasn't reached his full potential.  One morning after angering one of the other performers Oz jumps into a hot air balloon to escape being beaten to death.  As he flies away from the circus the hot air balloon gets caught into a twister and he is knocked out after hitting his head.  The next morning he wakes up in a strange land.  He lands the balloon and begins to wander around until he meets Theodora.  She explains to him that he is in the land of Oz and that he has been sent to save the land from the Wicked Witch.  Not knowing how to deal with this new found information Oz sets off down the yellow brick towards the Emerald City to see what awaits him there.

What We Think

Reviewed by The North Star

Run Time: 130 Minutes

Rating: PG

When I first saw the trailer for this movie I was really excited.  This movie looked awesome and I was glad that they were finally telling the Wizard's story and what happened before Dorothy came to town.  The more that I watched the trailer the more disappointed I became.  The film started to become cheesier and cheesier the more that I heard about.  Even with that in my head I still saw it opening weekend. I should have trusted my gut instinct.  This movie was not very good.  Extremely average at best.  The special effects were cheap, the acting was ehh and it was way too bubbly.

First off, I need to talk about the special effects.  Since this movie was produced by Disney I expected everything on the post-production side of things to be very well done because money isn't really an obstacle.  Apparently I assumed wrong.  It seemed as though EVERYTHING was done on a green screen and no one was ever on a set.  The atmosphere of the Oz world was pretty but seemed too impossible.  Yes, it's supposed to be other worldly and impossible but they seemed to push the boundaries a little too much.  Everything seemed very out of proportion.  The flowers were too big.  The trees were to big.  The animals were too small.  I think you get the point.  Speaking of animals, one of the main characters in the movie was a monkey who lived in Oz.  I never believed for a second that it was an actual monkey.  Even though this monkey lived in the crazy world it should still look like a real monkey.  I could go on and on about all of the flaws with the specials effects in this movie but after a while it would all begin to sound the same.  All that you need to take away from this is that Disney should have either hired people more qualified or given the people they hired more money to do what they needed.  

Second, I wish that the cast hadn't been all famous people.  Maybe because this was a big budget film and they could get all huge stars?  I can understand the main character is an A-list actor but the whole cast? I felt like I was watching Les Miserables again, this time without the singing.  Anyways, if a movie is going to have all stars playing the roles could they have picked some better stars?  I mean I like Mila Kunis but her acting in this wasn't great.  She seemed way to over-the-top and cartoonish.  The same goes for Rachel Weisz.  She was always an extreme in the movie.  She was extremely angry.  She was extremely sad.  There was never an in-between.  Even when she was trying to be sarcastic or even subtle it wouldn't work and it came off as very cheesy.  As for James Franco he wasn't on the ball either.  I'm pretty neutral when it comes to James Franco but this movie made me lean towards the not liking him side.  He was supposed to be playing this sleezy con-man and I never got the feeling that he was sleezy.  To me it just felt like he had nothing else better to do than con people.  I never thought that he actually enjoyed taking other peoples money, which is what a con-man is supposed to do.  Perhaps he didn't do as well because of the director but I will talk about that in the next paragraph.  All of the actors unfortunately did along the same lines.  Everyone seemed to lack enthusiasm for the movie and their characters.  No one stood out as a strong actor and every minute that went by I kept hoping that it would get better and it didn't.
I will keep this next paragraph short because I could talk about it for hours but it's extremely opinionated and it only really has to do with Disney.  I wish that the film had been darker.  It felt like a lot of fluff to me.  As I said above about James Franco he could have been so much creepier.  The wicked witches could have been uglier and meaner and actually.....evil.  Oz was supposed to be run-down and nasty because the witches were running the land but it seemed perfectly fine to me.  All of the things I just mentioned could have made the film 10 times better but if Disney had it in their heads that the target audience was 9-10 year olds then it would make sense for them not to do that.  With that in mind, Toy Story is also meant for the younger audiences but I love it and for that fact so does my dad.  Just saying.
All in all this movie was not good.  Don't get me wrong, it wasn't the WORST thing I have ever seen and I wasn't begging for it to be over but it had a lot of problems that could have been easily fixed.  If you have any younger siblings or cousins I would say bring them but don't expect to be as entranced as they are with the merry old land of OZ.

Real Teen Rating~ C- : I’d much rather read a book.

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Magic Mike - Channing Tatum and Alex Pettyfer

The Gist

  Magic Mike
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Mike works a lot of jobs. Contractor, business manager, furniture design. It's his night gig that really makes him money though. Mike is a male stripper. When he meets Adam through a contracting job, he brings him to the club to help out, and ends up getting him a job as a performer. Mike takes Adam under his wing to teach him about girls, growing up, and stripping, and tries to protect him from the seedier side of the business.

What We Think
Reviewed by Living Destiny
Run Time: 110 minutes
Rating: R
Before I even start this I have to say, I just read the tagline for this movie. "Work all day. Work it all night." That's hilarious, and probably the funniest part of this movie.
And now, I have to apologize for the gist. I thought about just writing they all strip a lot, but that didn't seem in depth enough. Although that's basically the whole plot. In the very beginning of the movie, it seemed like it had potential. The budding friendship/mentor thing going on between Channing Tatum and Alex Pettyfer was entertaining, and I wanted to see where it went. And then it went right down the tubes. I can't even tell you what the story is, because I don't know. It hops all over the place. And here's the thing: if this were a movie solely about stripping, like I think we all expected, that would be ok. The plot would take a backseat to the constant bombardment of muscled men taking their clothes off. But there wasn't much stripping. They really tried to have a plot, to give this movie some sort of substance. And it really didn't work. There were drugs everywhere, to the point where I couldn't tell when someone was or wasn't on drugs. There was one scene where it blatantly hinted that Alex Pettyfer and Matt Bomer, another stripper, were going gay for each other, and then it never came up again. Come to think of it, I'm not sure Matt Bomer was even in the movie after that scene. The dialogue was dull and boring, and a lot of the characters seemed unimportant. There were at least eight male strippers at one point, and I could identify half of them. 
Then there was the actual stripping. Now, I'm far from an expert on this subject. But isn't it supposed to look attractive? I mean, that is the general idea. Admittedly, we watched this movie at like 8:30 in the morning, which wasn't the best idea, but still. It in no way looked alluring. It was uncomfortable to watch. I don't know what I expected, but it wasn't this. Channing Tatum went up a couple times and did some hip hop dancing a la Step Up. Besides that, every dance was essentially the same, and they always ended up with a guy in a thong pulling some random girl up from the audience and pelvic thrusting into her face. Is that what stripping is? Am I just under informed? Because to me it was awkward and the exact opposite of sexy.
The characters weren't developed well. Channing Tatum was the deepest one, but since he was the main character, that made sense. And even he was pretty flat. Just a meat head, really. Some emotional depth, but not much. Channing Tatum is a fairly decent actor, but with a character like this, the acting falls short of phenomenal. He falls for Alex Pettyfer's sister Brooke, played by a Kirsten Stewart-esque Cody Horn who has the emotional range of a sloth. It seems like she's angry a lot, but she always looks bored when she's angry, so it's hard to tell. She has a boyfriend at the beginning of the movie, but essentially he's a plot device to put off a hook up with Mike. Matthew McConaughey is in this movie too. He's the business owner/manager of the strip club. Looks nice, plays dirty, the typical pretty sleaze. Nothing too exciting. He does it well, but honestly, it's been done before.
I will say, I was impressed by Alex Pettyfer. I mean, his character was awful, don't get me wrong. Acted out, didn't listen, blah blah blah. All the characters were bad. But his acting was actually good. And this is coming from the same person who said, and I quote, "his acting is centered around brooding and looking into the distance." He was so much better than the last time I saw him. He's really learning the craft, and for someone with his looks, it's not like he has to. It's nice to see, and he did well with the poor writing and lack of character development he was given. Hopefully he keeps it up, and I'll be looking for his next movie soon.
Basically, it's a stripper movie. You can't expect it to be cinematic genius. But you can expect it to be better than this. Less than two hours felt like five when I watched it, and that's not exactly a selling point. It was dull, confusing, and hard to watch. Supposedly parts of it are based on Channing Tatum's younger years. If that's what your youth was like, I'm sorry you couldn't find anything more entertaining to do.
Real Teen Rating ~ D: Use it as an excuse not to do something

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The Monstrumologist - Rick Yancey

The Gist

The Monstrumologist
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Will Henry is an elderly man who just passed away. He knew nearly nothing about himself, thought he was older than he could have possibly been, and had no relatives of any kind. A mystery, until the director of the nursing home Will Henry had lived at finds his journals. He gives them to a local author, and that's where Will Henry's story, however unbelievable, starts to come out. Young Will Henry was an orphan apprenticed to an eccentric man known as a monstrumologist, who worked in the study and capture of monsters. He's used to late nights, strange visitors, and dangerous monsters. But he wasn't used to this new breed of monsters that comes in 1888, when he's only twelve. Huge, muscled, and with an appetite for human flesh, these monsters must be stopped at any cost, and Will Henry and his guardian Doctor Warthrop don't have much time to prevent the biggest massacre the world has ever seen, carried out by beasts that the world doesn't believe exist.

What We Think
Reviewed by Living Destiny
Number of Pages: 434
This book, man. This book. I'm not even going to bother with some witty intro, because this book.
The concept is fantastic. I've never heard of anything like it, especially not as a young adult novel, where most books consist of some weird romance that involves vampires, zombies or mermaids. A man who studies monsters. And that's the loosest description of this book. The monsters aren't anything common either. No werewolves or yetis or chupacabras. Lots of weird Latin names for beasts that sound terrifying. Told by an old man through his twelve year old self, presented to the reader by an adult author who reads the journals left behind. It ought to be confusing, but instead it's captivating. I spent a solid four hours laying on top of my dining room table, because I couldn't be bothered to even move while I was reading this book, let alone to put it down.
The writing style was awesome. The book was just so well written. I get really excited about really good books, so bear with me. The descriptions were real. It was like I was actually there, like I could see and smell and touch. I was immersed in the world of the novel. And sometimes, that was pretty disgusting. There were moments where I sincerely thought I was going to throw up, which is something I haven't done in at least four years, even when I'm sick. I don't have a weak stomach, but it was worded so precisely and in exactly the way I would have seen it, that I started to think I'd need a bucket nearby. But don't let that be off-putting, because it was incredible. If a book can affect you that much, that one factor alone makes it worth reading. And there's many more factors than just that. 
I will say that some of the language was a little fancy. That's the one downside. Lots of big words, even some that I wasn't quite sure of the meaning without the context. But the language made sense when considering the narrator. It's essentially the diary of a twelve year old boy from 1888, but written from the memory of the boy who was over 100. At his death, supposedly, the narrator was 131 years old. It makes sense that in that time he gathered up a lot of big words. So even if the large words are sometimes dense, they are fitting. Especially given the time period. 1888 is a long time ago, and the language was different back then. And that's another thing the author did well, was the time period. It seemed accurate, and I liked the choice to make it so far back, in a time when monsters were something that people would actually believe in. Nowadays, creatures of the dark are only seen in movies, and people don't seem to do as much believing in the things they can't see.
I loved the characters. Will Henry is amazing, both his twelve year old self and his 100-something year old commentary. He's a tough young kid, with no one left in the world and no one to turn to other than his father's boss, the monstrumologist. He's put through a tremendous amount of stress and terror, and he deals with it remarkably well, but in a way that is believable. He's dedicated to his new guardian, but still understands when the good doctor goes totally overboard. And the doctor was an interesting one. Doctor Warthrop is seriously passionate about his work. To the point where he stops eating and sleeping, and makes himself very ill. But that sort of passion is, in a way, inspiring. He's harsh, and perhaps a bit insane, but he's entertaining to read.
The pace of storytelling never lets up. It starts out exciting and it doesn't stop to get dull anywhere. It just continues to grow until the climactic battle, and finally it smooths into a satisfying ending, but it stays interesting. There were never points where I felt bored or uninterested. Rick Yancey, the author, certainly knows how to hold his readers. 
One last point. First and last lines are extremely important. They have to be powerful, or the book won't catch. Technically, the first line of this book is talking about the director of the nursing home, and it's interesting enough, but the first line of chapter one is better. The first line written in the journals. It automatically pulls you in, and holds you until the last line of the epilogue. The last line is actually a quote from earlier in the book, but it's so intense and a little creepy. It's one of those things that makes you stop and reconsider your entire life. Scary stuff.
I loved this book. I think I could talk about this book for about as long as the book itself, so I'll stop it here and just say this. I loved it. Without a doubt one of the best young adult books I've ever read.
Real Teen Rating ~ A+: Why are you still reading this, go buy this book now!

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Ripper - Stefan Petrucha

The Gist

  Ripper
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Carver Young is an orphan. His parents left him when he was a baby, and fourteen years later he wants some answers. As an aspiring detective, he's sure he can figure out who his parents are. When his orphanage is being moved, and all the oldest kids must be adopted, Carver is taken in by a cantankerous gentleman named Hawking, a detective with the Pinkerton Agency. Carver is sure he'll be able to find his parents with Hawking's help, but in New York City in 1895, something bigger is out there for Carver. There's a murderer on the loose, and while the police force, detective agency, and all of New York is on the lookout, it could be up to Carver to stop him.

What We Think
Reviewed by Living Destiny
Number of Pages: 427
This is kind of a guy book. I mean, not to stereotype books to one gender or another. But it's certainly not the usual paranormal romance, high school life, fluffy love story that is generally marketed to girls. Even the cover looks nothing like the cheesy sort of thing that's most commonly written today. And I really have to mention the cover, because I love it. It's simple, eye-catching, intriguing. I know the rule is don't judge a book by its cover, but come on. We all do it. And the cover is the reason I picked this book up.
It's an interesting plot line. Serial killers and orphans. Always fun. It's set in 1895, which means it takes on the extra challenge of being historically accurate. It does a good job of that. None of the dialogue is too modern, the setting is definitively New York City in 1895. It's very believable, and actually in the back there's a little section that verifies the existence of some of the elements of the story during that time period. 
Also, it's incredibly well written. Not only is it time period-accurate, it draws you in. It has good pacing and excitement, and a few twists thrown in that I wasn't expecting. It's high action without being gory or absurd. And the characters aren't irritating, and I think so many characters in so many books get really annoying. Carver is a strong, intelligent young man. He gets emotional at times, but not so much as to be weak or whiny. It's understandable. He doesn't figure things out too quickly, like characters sometimes do, if the answer isn't obvious. If it's difficult to understand, he finds it difficult to understand. He's like a regular person, which is why he's so great. His friend Delia is also great. She wants to be a reporter, and gets adopted by two reporters. She's determined and independent, which is no small feat for a young woman in 1895. She's not quick to trust, but she thinks fast on her feet. Finn is a good character too. He's sort of the "bully", who's mean to Carver at the orphanage, and he and Carver get into tiffs pretty often, but they balance each other out. He's not the typical meat head bully, although he is physically strong and quick to get into a fight. He has an emotional range. It's refreshing. I really loved Carver's mentor, Hawking. He was mysterious and obtuse, but he really helped Carver to learn and investigate. He wasn't the most supportive character, but something about his sharp language and attitude made him lovable. Basically all the characters were fantastic. And Teddy Roosevelt is a character in it as well, because he was the police commissioner in New York at that time, so he's in the story, which I think is wicked cool.
I don't normally like historical fiction. And I'm not sure if this actually classifies as historical fiction, but it is set in history, so...I'm not sure. But I know that I thoroughly enjoyed this book. There were historical elements, with Roosevelt and references to, if the title didn't make it obvious, Jack the Ripper. All the gadgets Carver uses from the Pinkerton Agency seem so high tech, even though they probably aren't so fancy. The descriptions make you feel like you're really there, because the author has a very effective use of language. It makes me want to read more of his books, although looking it appears he mostly writes Nancy Drew graphic novels. Weird. Anyway, it's a good book. I've read it twice so far, and I'm thinking about reading it again. Very worth it, and one of the best books I've read recently.
Real Teen Rating~ A-: Read it!

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Hotel Transylvania - Adam Sandler and Andy Samberg

The Gist

Hotel Transylvania
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In 1895, Count Dracula built a hotel, to keep his daughter Mavis, and other monsters, safe from the humans who hate monsters. Fast forward to present day, and his hotel is always packed full, and no human has ever entered. Surrounded by a creepy forest and graveyard, the monsters have been safe from human pitchforks and angry mobs. On Mavis' 118th birthday, she wants to go out and see the world. Dracula just wants to keep her safe. And then Jonathan, a real live human, walks into the hotel lobby. Mavis thinks he's fascinating, Dracula thinks he's dangerous, and if the other monsters knew he was a human, there would be chaos. What's a vampire to do when what he's always feared most turns out to be not quite as bad as he thought?

What We Think
Reviewed by Living Destiny
Run Time: 91 minutes
Rating: PG
I love animated movies. Seriously. Give me green tights and call me Peter Pan, because I am never growing up. There's something about them that, when done right, is magical. They can make anyone find their inner child. Hotel Transylvania is no exception. The storyline is pretty clever. The idea of monsters being afraid of humans has, I'm sure, been done before, but I think the idea of putting them all in a big hotel is original. A monster vacation spot, the way humans flock to sunny islands for vacation. All the monsters come to Hotel Transylvania.
Along these same lines, the script is very well written. The dialogue is funny and witty, but also moving and emotional at times. It does a good job of running the emotional spectrum. It's realistically funny too, in the way that what the characters say isn't anything unbelievable, like being too witty or too clueless. It sounds natural. When Dracula talks to Frankenstein, or Wayne the werewolf, or Murray the mummy, or even Griffin the invisible man, it's evident that they're close friends, and have been for a while. They have that easygoing, slightly mocking way of speaking to each other that I know I have with my best friends. What I didn't expect was the way Jonathan's relationships developed through the movie, not just with Mavis, but with Dracula. Jonathan falls for Mavis, so of course his relationship with her will play out as a bit of a romance, and his lines portray him to be the slightly awkward young man that we can see he is. But before watching the movie, I didn't expect Jonathan and Dracula to become as close as they do. I figured most of their interactions would be yelling, and Jonathan would spend more time with Mavis. On the contrary, he spends equal time with both vampires, and his relationship with Dracula gets deep, complicated, and close, very fast. They're basically bros. It was really nice to see, and I thought it was done spectacularly.
The voice acting was great too. Adam Sandler was the only one I could tell right away, and that's only because they have him sing in the beginning. For the most part, I didn't know who anyone was, and maybe that's because I was drawn into the story, but it was a good thing. I watched the movie a second time, knowing who voiced what character, and it made the movie a different experience. The characters were colored by my opinions of their voice actors. Some I love, some I hate, and the characters changed. That's the problem with animated movies, I think, so I'd recommend watching it without knowing who's who.
It was animated really well. Everything just looked interesting, and a little unexpected. Frankenstein was blue, the mummy was fat, the zombies weren't very corpse-like, and the human looked quirky, with his bright red hair. The colors were eye-catching, even with the amount of black in it for the vampires. I think that's part of the contrast, the very colorful Jonathan coming into the lives of the two vampires who only wear black.
This movie hits on some big themes. Wanting to explore the world, death of a loved one, soul mates. It's way more intense than I thought it would be, but it doesn't come off that way. On the surface, it's a lighthearted kids movie. Nothing too scary or too inappropriate. Just fun. With a big musical number in the end, complete with crazy vampire-human rapping. But there are some great messages in here too. I laughed, I...well I didn't cry, but I made a sad face. I laughed some more. Animated movies should do that. Get you laughing and leave you with a positive message. This one does, and I think it has a better love story than any princess movie.
Real Teen Rating ~ A+: If you haven't seen this movie you are a deprived soul!

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Katana - Cole Gibsen

The Gist

Katana
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Rileigh is a regular teenager, a skater girl who wants nothing more than to relax over the summer, hang out with her best friend Quentin, and maybe catch the eye of new guy Whitley. That lasts right up until the last day of school, when she and Quentin are attacked in a mall parker lot, and Rileigh single handedly fights off three muggers. Now there's a voice in her head, a warm silk through her body, and a fighting ability she never had. Just as Whitley is finally showing interest, Rileigh keeps getting attacked, and a strange boy named Kim shows up claiming to understand what's happening to her. She'll do anything to go back to normal. But how's an ordinary teenage girl supposed to know who to trust when she can't even trust her own body?

What We Think

Reviewed by Living Destiny

Number of Pages: 375
I can't justify my reading of this book. I saw it in the bookstore, and there's really no reason I should've picked it up. It's got an atrocious cover and it sounded stupid. And I bought it anyway. I am ashamed and it's all my fault. But if you buy a book you have to read it, right? So I read it. I'm just really sad about it. Here we go.
The plot was just eh. A girl whose past life was a samurai. I'm pretty sure it's been done. Or maybe it was just written so poorly I felt like it had. So the girl is a samurai, and her samurai self keeps popping out to save the day, and the girl decides she's being possessed and freaks out and basically spends the whole book looking for ways to exorcise herself out of herself. Because that makes sense.
The characters were awful. I don't think I liked any of them. Rileigh, the main character, was so whiny and superficial and obnoxious I wanted to cry. She tried so hard to be normal, but also to stand out. Please stop contradicting yourself. She refuses to listen to anyone, and honestly, she's just stupid. Really stupid. Her best friend Quentin is gay. Of course. I think it's becoming a requisite of young adult novels. Every new book published must contain at least one gay best friend. Getting old real fast. He wasn't that funny, or actually that helpful. He was always there for Rileigh, so that's a point in his favor. Kim was creepy. Also, Kim as a boy name? Couldn't have picked something that sounded a little more masculine? But he was creepy, and he didn't really understand societal rules. Like people won't believe everything you say when they first meet you, even if you are supposedly attractive. They won't believe you the second, or even third time, if you're saying something outlandish like you're actually a samurai and so are they. The three other samurai are almost bearable. Braden, Drew, and Michelle. They're ok. Braden and Drew are kind of the epitome of the word "bro", and Michelle is a little overbearing. They've got a weird relationship, and there are some hints of incest in a strange, past life samurais way. It's complicated. Oh, and I forgot about the mom and Dr. Wendell. Stupid. That's all. The mom is really stupid. She's only there to give Rileigh a back story and a reason to have issues. Dr. Wendell is a plot device, nothing more. Useless.
Here's something I've noticed about the author, Cole Gibsen. She tries too hard. She adds in weird plot twists that are unnecessary and don't make sense. She adds in convoluted bits that don't advance the story. It's a valiant attempt to be edgy and entertaining, but it falls flat. She writes mediocre dialogue that is witty and snappy, but not realistic sounding. At least that's sort of ok, and she should have stuck with it instead of adding in too many false leads and cliches worth of a dime store mystery novel. A mysterious intruder, a ransacked room - and I'm sure the word ransacked was used - it's all overdone.
The ending was actually not bad. Confusing, and wicked bizarre, but not bad. Exciting, dramatic, suspenseful, and not too predictable. The very end was a bit frustrating, but typical of Rileigh's character. At least Gibsen stuck with the characterization she started with. But of course it's a series. It could stand alone, it really could. But it won't, and there are more to come. That will probably be just as mediocre. I'm so thrilled.
Real Teen Rating~ C-: Read it if you're bored

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Oscar Buzz 2013 - Predictions and Fantasies

Reviewed by Living Destiny
Best Picture
What I Think
Argo. It's something different, and it's already won awards this season. It got snubbed by not being nominated for Directing, so maybe this will make up for it. Honestly, I think the only competition for Best Picture this year is Lincoln and Argo, and much as I'd love Lincoln to win, I give it to Argo.
The Oscar goes to: Argo

Actor in a Leading Role
What I Think
This one goes to Daniel Day-Lewis. His method acting makes his performances perfect. When you see Lincoln, there's no question that he really is Abe Lincoln. If he wins, which I think he will, he'll be the first actor to win three Leading Role Oscars, which puts him in league of his own. I think he deserves it.
The Oscar goes to: Daniel Day-Lewis

Actress in a Leading Role
What I Think
Well, the only movie I've seen in this category I'm pretty sure won't win. With that said, I think it goes to Jennifer Lawrence. She's a breakout actress who, from what I've heard, show great depth in this movie. Her competition is Jessica Chastain, but I don't think she showed as much range as Lawrence did.
The Oscar goes to: Jennifer Lawrence

Actor in a Supporting Role
What I Think
Christoph Waltz. While I personally didn't care for it, critics and viewers alike loved Django Unchained, and I can admit that Christoph Waltz was the best part of the movie. He's funny, serious, and has great range. He also won the Golden Globe for supporting actor, and while that doesn't guarantee anything, it is important.
The Oscar goes to: Christoph Waltz

Actress in a Supporting Role
What I Think
Anne Hathaway. She's gotten so much hype from being in Les Mis, and she moved whole audiences to tears with her extreme emotion and voice. Yet another movie I haven't seen this season, but I gather she made the movie with her dedication to the role. I don't think there's much doubt in anyone's mind of her winning.
The Oscar goes to: Anne Hathaway

Animated Feature Film
What I Think
Pixar has to win. I mean, it's Pixar. So it goes to Brave. It's the first Pixar movie with a female main character, it's set in Scotland so it has killer accents, and it won the Golden Globe. And I don't think I can stress this enough: it's Pixar. The competitor is probably Frankenweenie because Tim Burton.
The Oscar goes to: Brave 

Cinematography
What I Think
Anna Karenina. It was classy and elegant, so I've been told. I've really got to watch more movies. But I've heard it was exceptionally well done. Life of Pi and Skyfall aren't really competitors, so it'll be between Lincoln, Django, and Anna. And I think Anna Karenina gets it.
The Oscar goes to: Anna Karenina

Costume Design
What I Think
This is actually a hard one. As far as I know, all the nominees did really well. I think it's between Anna Karenina and Snow White and the Huntsman, because the costumes enhanced both movies. I guess I think it'll go to Snow White, because they set a mood well. At least they did costumes right.
The Oscar goes to: Snow White and the Huntsman

Directing
What I Think
There are some serious contenders in this category. All the movies were well done, although Life of Pi, Silver Linings Playbook and Lincoln stand out to me. But let's get real here. Steven Spielberg is a genius. As good as everyone else is, Spielberg is better.
The Oscar goes to: Lincoln

Documentary Feature
What I Think
Guys. There are four categories I have no knowledge of this year. This is one of them. I just had to look up what all the movies were about. With that said, I think the Oscar will go to The Invisible War, because I think it will hit home the most and hit the biggest emotional chord.
The Oscar goes to: The Invisible War

Documentary Short
What I Think
Second category I know nothing about. And they all seem good from the descriptions. It's between Inocente and Open Heart, because they're both about children, but I think Inocente, because it's one of those heart warming coming of age tales we all seem to enjoy.
The Oscar goes to: Inocente

Film Editing
What I Think
All the movies in this category have a fighting chance. This is where the winners start to get hard to predict. I think the biggest contenders are Zero Dark Thirty and Life of Pi, and I give the win to Zero Dark Thirty, because I think it has to win something, and I think it did well here.
The Oscar goes to: Zero Dark Thirty

Foreign Language Film
What I Think
Another category I know practically nothing about, I think it'll go to Amour. It's gotten a lot of good hype recently, and it's nominated for Best Picture, so it seems logical that it would win the Foreign Language category. It's also a good story, and an overall well done movie.
The Oscar goes to: Amour

Makeup and Hairstyling
What I Think
There are only three nominations in this category this year, but that doesn't make it much easier. I think it'll go to The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey, because I think all three movies performed exceptionally in this category, but The Hobbit had the most difficult styles to create.
The Oscar goes to: The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey

Music - Original Score
What I Think
I'd say the top contenders in this category are Anna Karenina and Life of Pi. I think it's going to be Anna Karenina because of the style of the music. It's classical, beautifully written orchestral pieces that perfectly fit both the time period and the events of the movie.
The Oscar goes to: Anna Karenina

Music - Original Song
What I think
I'm pretty sure Les Mis will win this one. I mean, it's a movie adapted from a musical, and they had the original composer from the musical come in to write this song for the movie. When you look at it in that light, nothing else really compares to it.
The Oscar goes to: Les Miserables

Production Design
What I Think
This is another category that's got stiff competition. I don't think I can even pick top contenders for this one. I think it'll go to Les Mis because I think that movie got the most hype out of all in this category, and that might be what it comes down to.
The Oscar goes to: Les Miserables

Short Film - Animated
What I Think
I love animated shorts. So much. Some of the ones this year are weird, but that's kind of the point. I think the top two in this category are Paperman and Head Over Heels, and I think Paperman will win because it's adorable, it's Disney, and it gets the point across without ever saying a word.
The Oscar goes to: Paperman

Short Film - Live Action
What I Think
And this is part four of the I have no idea series. They all seem impressive at first glance. Buzkashi boys has a shot. So does Henry, and Curfew. And basically all of them. This is a hard one. I'm going to say Death of a Shadow, because it's a strange concept that begs to be watched.
The Oscar goes to: Death of a Shadow

Visual Effects
What I Think
Life of Pi. And I'm not sure there's even a contest here. As much as I think the effects in the movie were overdone, they were spectacular, all glowing lights and illusion. Also, they edited a live tiger. One of major characters of the movie was a special effect. That's a win in itself.
The Oscar goes to: Life of Pi

Writing - Adapted Screenplay
What I Think
Some of these I had no idea were adapted. Cool. Well I think the big ones here are Argo and Silver Linings Playbook, and I think Silver Linings will get the win, because it was more emotionally deep and told a story well, giving great characterization and dialogue.
The Oscar goes to: Silver Linings Playbook

Writing - Original Screenplay
What I Think
I think this one will go to Django Unchained. Quentin Tarantino is a madman, but he is well loved for movies that push limits. It was well written with snappy dialogue, neat twists, and excellent development of characters, and was very well received.
The Oscar goes to: Django Unchained

What I Want
From what I've seen this year, that goes to Lincoln. Keep in mind, I haven't seen much. But I think Lincoln deserves it. The acting was phenomenal from all parties, the cinematography was animated and interesting without being sickening, and the script was flawless. It hooks you in and keeps you there the whole time.
The Oscar goes to: Lincoln


What I Want
Daniel Day-Lewis. Watching him made me want Abraham Lincoln as president right now. He's such an incredible actor. Somehow he makes it so when you watch him, you don't realize that he's a famous actor. With some actors there's a disconnect, but Daniel Day-Lewis is just his character, nothing else.
The Oscar goes to: Daniel Day-Lewis


What I Want
I really want Jennifer Lawrence to win. I think she's a stellar performer who isn't letting herself get pigeonholed as a teen movie actress from Hunger Games. She takes any role and makes it great, and she's been nominated before for an Oscar before. I haven't actually seen her in this movie, but I still want her to win.
The Oscar goes to: Jennifer Lawrence


What I Want
I'm rooting for Tommy Lee Jones here. I've always thought he was fantastic, and his role in Lincoln was perfect. Quick-witted and always provided comic relief, he was able to bring laughs and move an audience. His passion shone through the movie, and he was my favorite character, besides Lincoln himself.
The Oscar goes to: Tommy Lee Jones


What I Want
With that being said, I'm rooting for Sally Fields. I know, it would appear that I really like Lincoln. And I do. But I also really like Sally Fields. She puts 100% into every role she plays. Her performance as Mary Todd Lincoln was different than I expected. It was more unhinged and strong. And being surprised is a good thing.
The Oscar goes to: Sally Fields


What I Want
As much as I love Pixar, I thought Wreck-It Ralph was adorable. The plot was something new and creative, the voice acting was brilliant, and there was a great variety of emotion. I laughed, I freaked out a little, it was awesome. I felt like a little kid again, and that's the whole point of animated movies.
The Oscar goes to: Wreck-It Ralph


What I Want
I also want Anna Karenina to get it. As much as I loved Lincoln, I think that Anna Karenina did a fantastic job with this category, from what I've seen of it, being creative and always fitting to the scene. I don't think Django deserves it, so it should go to Anna.
The Oscar goes to: Anna Karenina


What I Want
Once again, I think it should go to Anna Karenina. The costumes were elaborate and time period appropriate, and all around visually stunning. They made the characters real without overpowering anything, which is a tricky balance to get right. And I just think time period costumes are beautiful.
The Oscar goes to: Anna Karenina



What I Want
I have a bias towards Steven Spielberg. I think his movies are fantastic, and one of my favorite movies is a collaboration between him and my other favorite director. And we already know I love Lincoln. It's really a no-brainer that I want Spielberg to win.
The Oscar goes to: Lincoln


What I Want
I think I want The Gatekeepers to win. It sounded the most interesting to me, and it sounded like these documentarians were the ones who did the most digging into dangerous subjects, which I think is both exciting and admirable in trying to uncover a story.
The Oscar goes to: The Gatekeepers


What I Want
From the descriptions, I think I want Kings Point to win. Old people are so sweet, and I think it's an interesting concept to set a documentary in an old folks home. Plus, its listed as a comedy, and it sounds like it could be a good mix of funny and serious, and it's something different.
The Oscar goes to: Kings Point


What I Want
I don't really have a vested interest in this one. I do think Lincoln deserves all the awards, so I hope Lincoln will win, but honestly I think I don't know enough about the other movies nominated to make a fair judgement. So for now I guess I want Lincoln to win.
The Oscar goes to: Lincoln


What I Want
Excuse me while I once again look up all the titles. Well they all sound very serious. Hmm. I think I want No to win, because I like the concept of the movie best, and it had the coolest poster. A Royal Affair sounded good too, but I think it's been done before, and No seems more original.
The Oscar goes to: No


What I Want
I kind of want the win to go to Hitchcock. It's simple design really hits the mark in time period and character accuracy. Les Mis and The Hobbit both did well, but in a very drastic, showy way. I like the understated work that doesn't overpower, but enhances the movie.
The Oscar goes to: Hitchcock



What I Want
I want Anna Karenina to win. The music is stunning. It's something I'd listen to on a regular basis, not just in the movie itself. Like, I'd buy it on iTunes. It's so beautiful, and I think orchestral music always is. It makes me wish I lived in that time period, so I could dance to this music.
The Oscar goes to: Anna Karenina


What I Want
I really don't want Les Mis to win. I think it's stupid to try to add songs to an incredibly famous musical that already has worldwide acclaim. Why mess with perfection? So I want Skyfall to win. I love Adele, and I think the song is beautiful and fitting.
The Oscar goes to: Skyfall


What I Want
I think Les Mis deserves it. The sets were visually stunning, and did a great job of setting the story, mood, place, everything. They really put you right into revolutionary France, and they overall enhanced the impact of the movie. They did the best job.
The Oscar goes to: Les Miserables


What I Want
I want Paperman and Head Over Heels to win. I know two can't actually win the Oscar, but they both look so incredibly cute. Head Over Heels is claymation, and that's always impressive, but Paperman is wicked cute and I love the black and white. I guess Paperman since I've actually seen that one.
The Oscar goes to: Paperman


What I Want
Again, it's hard because I've seen none of them, and now want to see all of them. I've narrowed it to Curfew and Death of a Shadow, and I'll give it to Death of a Shadow, because Curfew seems like a gooey, life lesson learned movie that I either love or hate.
The Oscar goes to: Death of a Shadow


What I Want
I'll just reiterate myself here. They animated a tiger. A huge, living, breathing tiger. He gets thinner as he eats less. He gets wet and soggy when he jumps in the ocean. He roars, he prowls, he eats. It's a real tiger, but completely special effects. That deserves an Oscar.
The Oscar goes to: Life of Pi


What I Want
I always want Lincoln to win. But I've heard that Argo and Silver Linings were also phenomenal. So it's a hard call, especially as Lincoln is the only one I've seen. But I'll give it to Silver Linings, because I heard it was great, and had the largest character arcs of the three.
The Oscar goes to: Silver Linings Playbook


What I Want
I don't like Quentin Tarantino. I think he wrote a good script but sullied it by adding too many swears. Not a fan. Of the remaining nominees, I'm rooting for Moonrise Kingdom, because it was moving and emotional, and accurately portrayed what a child would say.
The Oscar goes to: Moonrise Kingdom

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