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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Frozen Fire - Tim Bowler

The Gist

Frozen Fire
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It starts when Dusty gets a phone call late at night. The voice on the other end is a boy she doesn't know, telling her that he's dying. He's committing suicide, but he wants someone to talk to. Then it gets weird, as this boy knows things about her life that he couldn't possibly know. Dusty is sure that the boy knows something about the disappearance of her brother Josh, so she sets out to find him. Trouble is, others are looking for him too, and they're out for blood.

What We Think
Reviewed by Living Destiny
Number of Pages: 328
Normally while writing a gist, I have to think hard about what to say, so I don't give anything away. In this case, there isn't anything I could give away, because very nearly nothing is resolved. And that is possibly the most irritating thing a book can do. There are so many interesting threads within the story, and ignoring the lack of good writing, these could have been fantastic aspects of the story if they were given answers. But they weren't. We're instead left wondering, as readers, how these elements fit, how they could be explained, and ultimately why we don't get to know. Does the author even know? Or did he just write down whatever popped into his head, but doesn't really know why it's there. Examples. Sometimes, when Dusty is walking through her snow covered town, everything gets too bright and she feels like she's leaving her body, and the whiteness envelopes her. The way it's described sounds dangerous, like she could die or something equally awful. The boy tells her that very few people see the fire, which we assume is the brightness. But then it's never explained. Why can she see it? What is it, exactly? I'll never know. The boy himself is, it appears, not quite human. So what is he? And how can he do what he does? Well, that isn't explained either. It's essentially a mosh pit of confusion.
And the writing. It wasn't good at all. There was too much description that didn't add much. It's been pretty well established that the town is cold and snowy. That doesn't need to be explained every time Dusty goes outside or looks out the window. The relationship between characters is dysfunctional, in every case. Dusty and the boy, Dusty and her parents, Dusty and her friends. Maybe she's just a messed up girl, but it's not believable. And speaking of unresolved issues, there's a group of kids in her grade that she hates. They're introduced for that specific purpose. And when they come in a second time they help her, and everyone's all nice. And that's it. It hangs there, and we're left wondering what happens between Dusty and this group. Again. I will say, there was something about the writing that drew me in. I'm not sure what it was, but it's the only thing that salvaged this book for me.
The characters were bad. Nothing else to say about it. Dusty's dad was whiny, her mom was a dead beat. Her friends were stuck up. The bad guys were completely unbelievable in their actions. Subtlety is a thing that is apparently unheard of in the works of Tim Bowler. Forming a lynch mob in the middle of a small town to go after a boy you can't even find is ridiculous. Oh, and the boy. He was ok. Except he understood nothing. He was a hot mess, basically. Dusty I didn't like. I get that she's headstrong and feisty, and I respect that, but she's always looking for a fight and not listening to anything anyone says, and those are foolish qualities. She's so fixated on her brother, and I know that losing a sibling must be a tragedy, but it's been two years since the time he vanished, and she has made no attempts at moving on. Side note on Dusty, or really the writing in general. I said she likes to get into fights. What I didn't mention is that people have no problem fighting back. Boys her own age will gladly punch her in the face. What happened to not hitting girls?
One good thing I can say, I'm impressed it's not a series. So often authors try to stretch out a story, either to make money or because they can't think of any other ideas. I have to respect Tim Bowler for writing a stand alone novel that, while not good at all, isn't just one in a series. Which I guess is a nice way of saying I'm glad there aren't more of it, but I really do have respect for the singular novel.
The more I think about it, the more I hate this book. There's something there, a little spark, that in the hands of a more competent author could turn into something good. But it seems nowadays that people don't write good books. I can't remember the last time I read a book I wholly enjoyed. And that's a sad fact.
Real Teen Rating ~ D: It passes time. I guess.

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Fun Size Candy

Reviewed by Living Destiny

So basically, I'm writing this review because we gave fun size candy "worst random" award this year, and I felt like someone had to justify that. I'll just come right out and say what everyone is thinking. Fun size candy is not a fun size. It's smaller than the regular size. How is that fun? It isn't. I've never met someone who wants less candy. Halloween comes around, and people can't help themselves. It's the holiday of overindulgence. And we meet that by giving out smaller portions. And ok, I understand that we have an obesity problem. But can you really police that by giving smaller candy bags one day a year? But I digress. Fun size portions. Are awful. And you know, there's nothing about them that even looks fun. The packaging looks the same. If you're going to sell me a smaller serving or candy, you could at least put in the effort to make it look more appealing than the regular size. But no, they look exactly the same, just disappointingly smaller. No one wants that. I can't be the only fatty out here that thinks candy should be served in regular sizes. King size is also acceptable for celebratory occasions. "Fun" size is significantly less than fun. It starts being fun, and then the candy runs out.

Real Teen Rating ~ Getting teeth pulled is more fun.

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+ (Deluxe Version) - Ed Sheeran

Reviewed by Living Destiny

+ (Deluxe Version)
Buy it here and support our blog

Song Time: 61 Minutes and 47 Seconds
I stumbled across Ed Sheeran while searching for music to use in a project for filmmaking. Some app on Spotify was giving me songs similar to some other song, I don't really remember, but Firefly by Ed Sheeran came up. I listened to it and realized three things. One: it wasn't the song for our project. Wrong mood for our story. Two (and this was hardly a new realization): Spotify is fantastic. The new part of that was that it can now introduce me to new music. Third, and most importantly, I was quickly in love with a young British ginger who has a stellar voice and can handle any music genre you can think of. Except maybe country, I haven't heard him try country yet, but no one can really handle country music anyway.

The A Team - 8/10 - This is his most famous song, and it's played on the radio a lot. But I don't think it's his best song, which is why it's getting the lowest grade. It's not that it doesn't deserve to be on the radio, I just think he has better songs. This one is good though. The lyrics are almost funny in a way. People seem to think that Ed Sheeran only writes sappy love songs, and at first glance that's what this is, but the lyrics are actually about a teenage prostitute on drugs. Why that makes a good song topic I'm not sure, but it sounds pretty!

Drunk - 9.5/10 - Another not-quite-sappy song, it's basically all about getting drunk to get over a girl. But again I have to talk about his lyrical prowess. The words he writes just sound nice. Stuff like "I wanna hold your heart in both hands/Not watch it fizzle at the bottom of a Coke can" is beautiful. It opens new ways of thinking about things. This is a good song to sort of bob your head awkwardly to, as I'm doing right now in the hallway. It has a gorgeous musical part. It isn't a slow song, but not a fast one either. Just an enjoyable song.

U. N. I. - 9/10 - I think this is about him going to university (college) and leaving a girl. He does a lot of leaving a girl, I guess. I really love the very beginning to this. A quiet crescendo, and then humming three notes. It's incredibly effective without being overdone. The bridge of this song is great too. Simple vocals go a long way, and if a singer is talented, he doesn't need excessive music in the back. He has an incredible vocal quality that just makes you feel nice. And his accent is fun to listen to as well, because it gives his music that edge of something different. The ending is a mirror of the beginning, with three short guitar chords. This easygoing simplicity makes for a cool song that feels like it belongs on a rom-com soundtrack.

Grade 8 - 11/10 - This is one of my absolute favorite songs on the album. It has an edgier, harder tone than the first three songs on the cd. This one is a love song, but it isn't sappy either. I learned recently that grade 8 isn't actually a reference to school, but to a difficult chord on guitar. So that's a pretty neat simile he makes with "You're strumming on my heart strings like you were a grade 8". This song is fast paced and upbeat, and as usual it has stunning lyrics. It's one of those catchy melodies that can easily get stuck in your head for days.

Wake Me Up - 10/10 - Super slow song coming right after an upbeat one. I love how songs on albums are ordered. The main element of this song is the vocals. It's only accompanied with a piano, so the singer and the lyrics are really highlighted. I think all of his love songs - and most of them are love songs - have a twist to them, where it's love but life isn't perfect. And that's how life works. Anyway, this song is fantastic because it shows what a talented voice Ed Sheeran has. It's pretty much an acoustic song. The chord progression in the background is nice, but it really is the vocals that makes this song great.

Small Bump - 8.5/10 - This gets one of the lowest grades on the album for one reason only. It's really sad. It's a gorgeous song. The music to it is a little playful, with some harmonizing voices and what sounds like a weird xylophone-like instrument in the chorus, as well as Sheeran harmonizing with himself in the rest of the song. It's just gorgeous. But the lyrics are so sad. And that's why it's one of my least favorites. The song is a dad singing about his unborn child, and how much potential the child has, and how much the child is loved. And then at the very end of the song, the child is miscarried. Four lines, and the song becomes devastating. Pretty, but sad.

This - 9/10 - The guitar line in this song is the most striking part of it. It's calming and smooth, and pairs well with the melody of the song. It's a very mellow, slow song that somehow feels like curling up by a fireplace in the freezing cold winter. Cozy. My favorite lines of it are "You are the earth that I will stand upon/You are the words that I will sing". This is probably one of his more legitimately sappy songs, but even this isn't an idealistic love song.

The City - 11/10 - Another one of my favorites. This song is not a love song, and is basically about a guy who moved to a new city, and is trying to get used to it. It has a harder sound to it, but it gets soft in the bridge. Any song that says "woo" in it is cool in my book, and this one does. The lyrics make you want to get up and travel somewhere new, see something you've never seen. I can't actually pick favorite lyrics from this song, because they're all great. So I guess I'll leave it with the last lines of the chorus: "If the city never sleeps/Then that makes two".

Lego House - 11/10 - The first little guitar line of this song sort of sounds like the guitar part of It's Not Over by Daughtry. That's where the similarities stop. It's upbeat, but soft. Sometimes I think it's a love song, but then I watch the music video and I'm not sure. The lyrics in this song are fantastic. The words are the best part of this. They're all so powerful, but I really like "And it's dark in a cold December, but I've got you to keep me warm/And if you're broken I'll mend ya/And keep you sheltered from the storm that's raging on". Brilliant stuff. Plus, the video has Rupert Grint from the Harry Potter movies in it, and I'm not entirely sure why, so that's a bonus.

You Need Me, I Don't Need You - 10.5/10 - This song is essentially perfect. I don't know if you've ever listened to a white, redheaded guy from England rap, but it's amazing. And I really don't know what else to say, because it's a rap song. The lyrics are really good, which is typical of Ed Sheeran. It's a rap, but it's not a stereotypical beez-in-the-trap-style rap song. It tells about his story, and how he became famous. The background music is catchy, and the song in general makes me want to sing along - which isn't pretty, because I can't rap. My favorite lines are "Suffolk sadly seems to sort of suffocate me", and the last line of the rap. It's a wicked fun song.

Kiss Me - 10/10 - Alright, this one really is a 100% sappy love song. I read recently that he wrote it for his two godparents, who were getting married and asked him to sing one of his songs at the wedding. It's a beautiful, heartfelt song. The instrumentals are gentle, and include what I think is a violin. They help to highlight the words of the song, which are a bit sappy, but the whole song is so pretty, you can get over the love song lyrics. It would probably be a brilliant song to get married to.

Give Me Love - 9/10 - Someone asked me what I was listening to once, and when I let them listen in, they asked why I was listening to The Lion King. And ok, the end of the song does get a little tribal sounding, but it also sounds really cool, so I don't mind. The last two minutes are for sure the best part. The chorus comes in, but instead of being calm, as it usually is, it gets intense and powerful, and then the quasi-tribal part comes in, and it sounds passionate and raw and just wicked awesome. The beginning is good too, of course, but the ending is what makes this song.

The Parting Glass - 9/10 - This is actually a hidden track on the album, stuck onto the end of Give Me Love after an awkward thirty seconds of silence. When I first heard it, it reminded me of a Christmas carol, and I don't really know why. I think it's the way the melody sounds. Not necessarily joyful, but it's got that old school Christmas thing going. It starts out with just breathing. That should be creepy, but it's actually pretty chilling. Then it's a simple, beautiful melody and awesome harmonies. One repeated line, "Good night and joy be with you all", is a nice sentiment and also probably the real reason I think of Christmas carols. This hidden track is almost better than the track it's attached to.

Autumn Leaves (Bonus Track) - 9/10 - This song is so beautiful. It's one of those songs that I'm not totally certain what the lyrics mean, and that's ok. It can mean whatever you think it should. Ed Sheeran's voice is incredible. I think I've been gushing about him a lot, but he really is that good. This is kind of a driving around in the rain at night song. It's very peaceful, and when the lyrics say "float down" the instrumental music almost makes you feel like floating. My favorite lyric is "My symphony played the song that carried you out".

Little Bird (Bonus Track) - 9.5/10 - This song is one of the more fast paced ones on the album. It starts off with a strong guitar line, and stays quirky and upbeat. It's a great song to sing along to, because it's so much fun. The lyrics are about a guy trying to get a girl to stay with him. The lyrics are fantastic. The comparisons and descriptions are so creative, like in the chorus where it says "And if I kissed you/Will your mouth read this truth/Darling how I miss you/Strawberries taste how lips do". It just sounds interesting.

Gold Rush (Bonus Track) - 10.5/10 - This is my favorite bonus track. It's definitely a summer song, one that I can picture listening to at the beach as soon as it gets warm enough to actually do that. There's an excellent guitar solo right before the last chorus that makes you want to get up and dance, before it gets slow and a little more serious for just a bit, then right back into the playful melody it has for most of the song. It's a fun, summery track with an upbeat feel and, once again, killer lyrics. One of my favorites.

Sunburn (Bonus Track) - 9.5/10 - This one, I think, is written about an ex of his. Actually I think most of them are, but this one says "Alice" in the lyrics, and that's her name, supposedly. I should really keep up. Anyway, a nice mellow song to finish off the album. The bridge is the best part of this song. He goes up into falsetto, and a good falsetto always wins me over. It's a song about missing someone, and it's something everyone can relate to, because everyone has missed someone at some point. It's a calming song, and it's one you could listen to before you go to bed to soothe you to sleep. I know I do.

Real Teen Rating ~ A+: Look it up right now!!!

Real Teen Download: Grade 8, The City, Lego House

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Stork (Stork #1) - Wendy Delsol

The Gist

Stork
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Katla Leblanc is a city girl and she always has been. But when her parents get a divorce and her mother get's custody, it's off to Norse Falls, Minnesota , her mother's hometown, and bye-bye to California beaches and city-scapes. Kat can't image a worse fate than having to live in Norse Falls forever, but her mother tells her to try and embrace her heritage. But when weird things start to happen to her, and family secrets come out, Kat's left wondering if she really does fit in with Norse Falls after all, and if Jack, a sullen boy who insists they know each other, might have more to him than meets the eye.

What We Think
Reviewed by Dream Catcher
Number of Pages: 355 
Well, I started out reading this book for no reason at all. Honestly. I saw it at a bookstore in the "slightly hurt" (and therefore cheap) section and thought I recalled it from our to-read list on goodreads. I said what they hay, bought it, went to check it on currently-reading and suddenly it seemed we had not ever marked it as to-read. What a waste of $5.75, right?
I read it anyway, though and I was surprised to find that it actually wasn't that bad. Ridiculous and a little juvenile, of course, but other than that...I mean for what I expected, I was pleasantly surprised. Which brings me to first item on my agenda, the cover. I mean, look at it. Look at it. Is that supposed to be Kat? If so, what is she smirking at? She honestly doesn't have all that much to smirk about. Gah. I would change that cover in a heartbeat. Less than a heartbeat. Half of a quarter of a heartbeat.
And don't get me started on characters. I'm kidding. They weren't that bad. Kat, for a somewhat stubborn, somewhat smart, somewhat derp protagonist, wasn't half bad. She wasn't completely oblivious, which was a nice change of pace from most protagonists in most book (that is, flighty, undecided, clueless bumpkins who wouldn't know a clue if it smacked them in the nose) and she tended to figure things out quickly enough. The only thing I didn't love about her was her relationships with her friends and boyfriend. With her parents she seemed normal but around her friends she just sounded off, like she wasn't all there, like she wasn't invested in the conversation. As far as Jack goes, hoo-rah to Wendy Delsol for making another perfect-guy clone. He wasn't as glaringly obvious as a, let's say, Edward or Jacob, and he did have his angsty-teen moments, but I feel like overall he lacked a little depth. I'm not even going to mention the other characters; they were wallpaper. I lied. I just decided to mention Hulda. Who is Hulda? you ask. Naturally, you wouldn't know who Hulda was because there was no space for her in the gist, but Hulda was a crazy old bird-lady and probably my favorite character in the whole book. She was from Iceland and was full of crazy spells and potions and wisdom. I think she was supposed to have an accent because of the grammar of her dialogue...if not that's how I envisioned her anyway. She was awesome. I want to be just like her when I'm an old lady.
I think I'm only going  to mention one more thing. The plot/idea of the story. It was, to say the least, different. And I don't necessarily mean that in a bad way. You can, or should, infer by the title that this book has something to do with storks, the mythical baby-bringing beings. I didn't include it in the gist because I wanted a sort of ambiguity, but I'll spoiler it right now; it's about storks. But only in the technical sense - there aren't literal birds who bring babies, but there are some stork-like things..or people...if you catch my drift. Don't worry, there's only one pregnancy in the book, and it's nothing truly scandalous, I assure you. Honestly, though, have you ever heard of a book about something like that before? I haven't, so MAJOR props to Wendy (for real, this time) for a completely original idea. They're hard to come by. In addition to that, the plot was multi-layered. There were small story-lines beneath the over-arcing one, so it was hard to get bored when reading.
Overall, I would say this is a perfectly nice bit of fluff, which I know sounds like an insult, but isn't. Everyone needs a fluff book every now and again, and this would be okay for that sort of thing. If you're looking for philosophy, look somewhere else. But as far as simple pieces of YA fiction go, this takes the supernatural-romance YA book cake. Not my favorite book ever, but I don't regret reading it. And it's a series....so there's still more to come...

Real Teen Rating ~ C+ : Well, I guess it was good...

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The Eternal Ones - Kirsten Miller

The Gist

The Eternal Ones
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Haven Moore is a 17 year old girl living in a very small, southern, very Christian town. She gets these visions of a young woman named Constance and a young man named Ethan who lived back in the 1920's. Her grandmother is certain that she's being possessed by the devil, but Haven has other ideas. What she sees in her head are memories of a past life, and Haven feels herself being pulled to New York City to find the reincarnation of her Ethan. When she sees playboy Iain Morrow on the television one day, she knows he's the one. She runs away from home to find him, and gets into more than she bargained for with Iain, a web of lies, and a mysterious society that specializes in reincarnation.

What We Think
Reviewed by Living Destiny
Number of Pages: 411
Have you ever bought a book, and been super excited to read it, and it was a total let down? Well, guess what this was. There I am, sitting in the waiting area of the airport, excited to travel the country with a good book. It's a long one, so I figured I wouldn't need to bring anything else to read. Within the first ten pages, I seriously considered throwing the book across the airport and finding a new one. Ten pages, everybody.
I've always loved the idea of reincarnation. It's a nice thought that this isn't the only life you'll live. So I figured a book about reincarnation had to be good. I forgot about the author's ability to screw it up. The main character, Haven, was so annoying I couldn't tolerate her for more than fifty pages at a time. She was so wishy-washy. She changed her mind probably twelve times over the course of the book. Her love interest, Iain, was just an idiot. All he did was lie to Haven, and he assumed she would be ok with it. If my supposed true love continued to lie to me, I wouldn't take it. Why he thought she would, when he evidently knows her from a past life, is beyond me. Together, the two of them make the world's most obnoxious couple. The only good characters are bit players, as per usual. Haven's best friend Beau, a gay kid in a super conservative town, is snarky and clever, but also cares a lot about his best friend. Even if she is annoying all the time. He's the most entertaining part of the story. Second to him is Leah, another girl in Haven's town, who has visions. Maybe she's just interesting because she's different, or because she isn't overdramatic despite seeing the future. But she's a good character too, though she's not in it very much. Everyone else isn't fun to read, and that makes the book hard to read.
Another thing. I basically read this book in two parts, because I took a huge break about halfway through it. Going back and skimming it, I realize there are two very distinct parts that don't seem to fit together. Before she leaves her town, and after. Then, there are all these plot points that have no relevance, or are introduced in a way that is forgettable. So many plot holes. It's frustrating to read.
Even with all of that said, the story really did have potential. Reincarnation is, as I've said, pretty cool to think about. And the whole concept of a secret society, and all the troubles Haven gets into, could have been great. But the characters were way too unlikable, there were serious plot holes, and some parts of it were too unbelievable. Suspension of disbelief only goes so far.
One last thought. The ending was awful. And it didn't get awful until the second to last paragraph. It wasn't phenomenal, of course, but it was ok. Your average bad teen novel. But this ending. It made these vague references that didn't make any sense, and what it was implying made me actually angry. A horrible ending in a mediocre book.

Real Teen Rating ~ D+ : Use it as an excuse not to do things.

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Awards!

Books

Best Book Read of 2012: Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen

Best Book Published of 2012: Ripper by Stefan Petrucha

Best Book Cover Published in 2012: The Last Echo by Kimberly Derting

Best Guilty Pleasure Book of 2012: Sister's Grimm (Council of Mirrors) by Michael Buckley

Best Book Character Read in 2012: Male: R.P McMurphy from One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest

                                                      Female: Lena Duchannes from Beautiful Creatures

Best Couple Read in 2012: Lena and Ethan from Beautiful Creatures

Breakout Author of 2012: Jillian Flynn  

Best Writing Style of 2012: The Raven Boys by Maggie Stiefvater

Worst Book 2012: Owl In Love by Patrice Kindl

Worst Writing Style in 2012: 50 Shades of Grey by E.L. James  

Worst Cover of 2012: Katana by Cole Gibsen

Most Annoying Character in 2012: Celie from The Color Purple

Most Annoying Couple in 2012: Victor and Elizabeth Frankenstein in Frankenstein

Dream Catcher Award: Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen

Movie

Best Movie Watched in 2012: Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind 

Best Movie Premiered in 2012: Lincoln

Best Short Watched in 2012: Paperman

Best Movie Poster: Anna Karenina

Best Actor/Character: Daniel Day-Lewis in Lincoln

Best Actress/Character: Jennifer Lawrence in Sliver Linings Playbook

Best Director: Steven Spielberg - Lincoln

Best Movie Based on a Book: Perks of Being a Wallflower

Best Animated Movie: Wreck-it Ralph

Most Anticipated movie that was a letdown: Snow White and the Huntsman

Most Anticipated movie that lived up to its expectations: For A Good Time Call...

Worst Movie 2012: Dark Shadows

Worst Movie Poster: Battleship

Worst Movie Based on a Book: Breaking Dawn Part 2

Worst Character/Actor: Liam Hemsworth in The Hunger Games

Worst Character/Actress: Kristen Stewart in Breaking Dawn Part 2

North Star Award: Fight Club

Music

Best Single of 2012: Somebody That I Used To Know by Gotye

Best Album of 2012: Maroon 5 - Overexposed

Most Catchy Song of 2012: Call Me Maybe by Carly Rae Jepsen

Best Artist 2012: Girl: Lana Del Ray

                          Boy: Ed Sheeran

Best Band: Imagine Dragons

Breakout Artist: Fun. 

Musical Guilty Pleasure: Neon Hitch

Best Music Video: Thrift Shop by Macklemore and Ryan Lewis

Worst Single 2012: We Are Never Getting Back Together by Taylor Swift

Worst Artist: Nicki Minaj 

Worst Music Video: Gangnam Style by Psy

ShoreWhisperer Award: Sara Bareilles - Once Upon Another Time

Television

Best Show: The Walking Dead

Best New Show: Elementary

Best Episode: Battlefield - Teen Wolf

Best TV:  Actor: Peter Dinklage - Game of Thrones

               Actress: Jessica Lange - American Horror Story / Asylum

Best Onscreen Couple: Delena (Derek and Elena) - The Vampire Diaries

Best Duo: Scott and Stiles

Best Reality Show: Big Brother

Show that jumped the shark: Glee

Most likely to jump the shark: The Big Bang Theory

Worst Show: Glee

Worst Episode: "The Doctor" - Once Upon a Time

Worst Onscreen Couple: Penny and Leonard - The Big Bang Theory

Worst Reality Show: American Idol 

Most Unjust Cancellation: Partners

Living Destiny Award: Partners

Random

Best Random:  Janoskians

Worst Random: Fun Size Candy

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The Sessions - John Hawkes and Helen Hunt

The Gist

The Sessions
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Mark O'Brien has had polio since childhood, and as a result can't move any part of his body below his neck. After consulting with his priest, he decides to hire a sex surrogate to help him lose his virginity and make him a man. Obviously the lack of mobility is a problem, but surrogate Cheryl will do anything to help a client understand themselves and their bodies. Sex with no strings attached is harder than it seems.

What We Think
Reviewed by Living Destiny
Run Time: 95 minutes
Rating: R
I remember seeing the trailer for this movie a long time ago, and thinking how it was a weird concept and I would never go see it. And then I went and saw it anyway. Here's the point where I say something along the lines of I was pleasantly surprised and I can't believe how much I loved it, right? Unfortunately not. It was overly graphic and seemed to cling to shock value to keep its viewers hooked. I took a screenwriting class last year, and the teacher did a whole lesson on sex scenes, and how there are intimate ways to do them, and also brash, unnecessary ways to do them. The Sessions only ever uses the over-the-top style sex scene. And I knew there was going to be sex in the movie before I saw it, I'd seen the trailers, but it just wasn't done well. Full frontal nudity shots of Helen Hunt was not something I ever needed to see. And it wasn't necessary to move the plot forward. There were four separate "sessions", and they showed Hunt at least partially naked in all of them. It was really irritating, because they could have cropped the shots to be more modest, or added blankets, or not shown the nudity at all. We would all understand what was happening. But they had to go too big, and it made it uncomfortable, at least for me. It was too much.
I wasn't overly impressed by the acting either. Helen Hunt is up for an Oscar for this role. It isn't that good. It seems like all she does is have sex and then be sad. And it isn't convincingly sad. Anyone can cry crocodile tears. She was the weak link, acting-wise. John Hawkes did a much better job as Mark. And I didn't think that when I first saw the movie, but then I looked at his acting credits. He was in Lincoln, which I saw about a week prior to this, and I didn't recognize him at all. Hawkes has some serious acting chops. His character, Mark, was well played because he didn't incur much pity. Sure, there were times when you felt bad for him, but generally he's cracking snarky jokes. He takes life as it comes, and that's refreshing to see. William H. Macy was the star of the movie though. His character, Father Brendan, was just conflicted enough between God and his friend. It didn't consume him, it just gave him a moment's pause. He added some comedic relief at points, and he made a great friend and companion to Mark. He and Mark's nurse, a sharp witted young woman named Vera, were the most entertaining parts of the film. 
This isn't a long movie. Barely over an hour and a half. I have class periods longer than that. But at times it felt long, and that's a serious issue with a movie of such short length. I found myself thinking that there were whole scenes, characters even, that could be completely cut out of the film. That could mean bad editing, or bad screenwriting, or bad acting, but it's definitely a sign that on the whole, the movie isn't good. And it's not like it's a disappointment, because I wasn't exactly expecting greatness. The points when the movie actually did something worth watching, those were the little joys. I know this is based on a true story, but I feel like they didn't do it justice. It could have been a classier, more entertaining movie. I don't know why it wasn't.

Real Teen Rating ~ D+: It passes time...barely...

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