Eclipse (The Movie)

Eclipse (The Movie)


Directed By: David Slade
Reviewed by: Lissette, 13
Rating: It was amazing!


This movie was so great! I recommend you see it right now! It was so suspenseful & thrilling it was absolutely breath-taking! It was worth the 5-hour wait! You NEED to see it! ASAP


Recommended to: Anyone & everyone

Wizards First Rule

Wizards First Rule


By: Terry Goodkind
Reviewed by: Kait, 16
Rating: It was amazing!


So before I commence with this review, I have a few preliminary matters to go over.

1. If you have anything against fantasy, go away. No one wants to hear about how you think this book is stupid. Go find a little nonfictional hole to crawl into.
2. This book (and the TV series based on it) are highly nerdy. Forgive me, but I'm an honors student with a passion for magical scenarios and mythical creatures.
3. In case you all noticed - YES I AM SIXTEEN NOW! WOOT WOOT. I haven't published a review in quite some time, so this change of state was well welcomed (:

Now that that is over with, Let Us Begin.

"Wizards First Rule" (by fantastic author Terry Goodkind) is the first in a series of eleven books (yes, eleven - that is dedication if I ever saw it!) that served as the foundation for the fantastic (and highly underrated) TV show "Legend of the Seeker".

Now, you might be wondering "What IS 'Legend of the Seeker'?"

Excellent question.

LoTS (as we fanlings lovingly call it) is the story of Richard Cypher (played by the fantastically handsome Craig Horner), who is the chosen Seeker of the Midlands, and Kahlan Amnell, the Mother Confessor, as they work with Zeddicus Z'ul Zorander, a wizard of the first order, to defeat Darken Rahl, the despot ruling D'Hara (one of the three lands - D'Hara, The Midlands, and Westland) and trying to take over the other two lands with the aid of the Keeper of the Underworld.

Yes, I realize that massive sentence was quite a lot to take in. It was a mouthful. Now the thing is about "Wizards First Rule"....it is fantastic. The dialogue is a little choppy and formal (and there are a few scenes that would be more than a bit inappropriate for anyone under age 16) but the story simply sucks you in. Goodkind makes you feel the rage Richard feels towards Denna, the passion Kahlan feels for Richard, the horror Zed sees at the hands of Darken Rahl. You wake up thinking about the fate of the Midlands, and you go to sleep at night fretting over whether or not Kahlan and Richard will ever admit their love for each other.

Now the big question is...why do I love this book so much?

A simple answer: Magic.

No, not the kind of magic you see in Harry Potter, or the kind a couple destined to be together has when they realize they love each other.

Goodkind creates a world of magic that is so unlike any of the magic - it is so inventive. There are restrictions that are logical and make for interesting plot twists and even better conflicts. Additive magic and subtractive magic anyone? <--- That will make more sense when you read it. The other lovely thing about Goodkind? He has 10 other books. You can read about Kahlan and Richard for years on end and THEN watch the series! (So long as ABC studios gets some brains and decides to renew it for a third season. The only reason it's failing is because it airs at ungodly hours of the night on channel 7. Failtastic.) Well that's my bit for today kids. WATCH IT!!! READ IT!!!


Recommended to: Anyone over the age of 16 with a sense of humour and a love of adventure. (:

The Age of Wonder, Part I

The Age of Wonder


By: Richard Holmes
Reviewed by: Felicity T., 16
Rating:


Alrighty, so here's the deal: "The Age of Wonder" is one of three-ish books assigned for summer reading for Clovis West's AP Language and Composition class this year. To be honest, I've been feeling very intimidated by its sheer 552-page bulk, and the shortness of the summer months that I have to read it in. Its large-ish chapters range from 15-70 pages long (*insert mental wail of agony*). Needless to say, I've been feeling a little tormented every time I glance at my desk and see this book (definitely the largest of the assigned stack) sitting there and... eyeing me.

Here is my confession: I just started the book today. I'm only about 30 pages into it. But here's my plan, if the librarians will let me go through with it: since this book is so large, and such a challenge, I'm going to split my review into several installments, several episodes, if you will. I figure this will work out as I get through every two or three chapters (there are 10, I think), so expect an episode every week or so. Hopefully, this will work out as a good analysis/introduction to those who have to-I mean, GET to-read it in the future, or to those of us out there who love history and some ideological challenge.

Quite honestly, I'm pretty excited about this book, now that I've started it. I read the Preface, which is a few pages long. Have no fear, readers! The author is an excellent writer, with a developed, but not-too-challenging vocabulary. If you appreciate the worldview/culture/ideology shifts that have occurred in Western history, you'll probably like this. Already, I've enjoyed Holmes' insight on Romanticism and its link to science in the mid-18th century.

This book is something of a historical/artistic/literary look into the past, after the Enlightenment, but before the Civil War, during the era between/during Captain Cook's and Charles Darwin's fateful voyages across the ocean. Holmes, the author, is interested in the way that this age was really one of the times in history when science and studying nature was first becoming mainstream and open to normal people, rather than the elite educated. Right alongside this trend, he studies its almost ironic link with the era's artistic/literary movement in Romanticism. (Ironic, because Romanticism emphasizes humans and emotions and the ideal, while science typically sticks to "objectivity" and nature and unemotional things like mathematics and calculations.) What Holmes does, or intends to do, is show that these two spheres of life really aren't exclusive, really are very intertwined and influence each other a great deal. (Which is quite incredible, I think.) The author examines the lives/circumstances/legacies of several different scientists and artists during this time, and how discoveries of the day influenced their own findings and understandings of the world.

I think it's very amazing to think that these people who lived centuries ago were actually very similar to humans today, even though our perspectives toward them are bogged down in stuffy history classrooms. I'm excited to see how their world is much the same as our world, and their discoveries are our discoveries. And that these were real, interesting people, who have shaped our society today. This is gonna be good. Just hang in there with me for the next month or so! (:

Recommended to:

Elephants Can Remember

Elephants Can Remember


By: Agatha Christie
Reviewed by: Kayleigh , 16
Rating: Really liked it


An Indian tailor stuck a needle in an elephant’s trunk and years later that elephant sucked up water and sprayed it on the same man who had caused him pain years before. Elephants do remember, that’s the old saying right?

Well, Ms. Adrian Oliver, a mystery novelist, has to find her own “elephants” in order to solve a cold case that is nearly twenty years old. She is on the hunt to find out whether this case was a murder or double suicide or even something else. But she needs the well-known Hercule Poirot to help her solve this convoluted mystery. And the end, she solves a mystery that was definitely a twisted mystery.

This is one of Christie’s books from the Hercule Poirot series. It is not much different than the Miss Marple series. However, I prefer the Miss Marple series simply because I like the witty old lady, Miss Marple, over the middle aged man who likes his fruity drinks, Hercule Poirot. However, the mystery of the case is still invigorating and worth reading.


Recommended to: diehard mystery fans

Precious

Precious


Directed by: Lee Daniels
Reviewed by: Jerry, 15
Rating:


A very touching film that makes you appreciate your life, this film is about a 16 year old teen whose name is Precious. She is under constant child abuse by her mother and sexual abuse from her father. Her mother is unemployed and gets her income from the welfare because of Precious's baby. When the school realized that she's going to give birth to a second child, it suspended her and introduced her to an alternative school. Precious thought no one loved her, but it will be after she met her new teacher, Miss Rain, that a new path in life for her will open.

A truly great film that taught us that there're hopes for every one of us even in times of hardships.


Recommended to: People who just love a great film

Youth In Revolt

Youth in Revolt


By: C. D. Payne
Reviewed by: Teralyn E., 14
Rating: It was alright...


For one, I only got the book because I knew I couldn't see the movie, and didn't really want to. This book was very absurd, and far fetched in the extreme. Sex-obssessed Nick Twisp describes, in detail, his many encounters with various things. NIck falls for Sheeni, which partially curbs his pornographic appetite, as now he has 'the real thing'. The storyline was good, it evened out in the end.

There were very specific adult-rated thoughts, and swearing in some places. Sex was a hugely discussed thing, and not in the "Where do babies come from?" way.


Recommended to: Older Teens

One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest

One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest


By: Ken Kesey
Reviewed by: Jerry, 15
Rating: Really liked it


A very well written classic play, the story mainly focused on McMurphy, who pretended to be insane in order to serve his prison sentences in a mental hospital.

Nurse Ratched was the head of the mental hospital and held the most power. Nurse Rathed showed a tendency of hatred towards McMurphy since he's both defiant and easy-going. As the story progresses, Nurse Ratched will realize that she begins to lose power as more of the patients begin to listen and support McMurphy. Nurse Ratched wanted to gain back her control in the mental hospital, but McMurphy won't back down.

McMurphy serves as a divine figure, defying authorities and helping the other mental patients to gain back their strength to stand up for themselves. A great play and a rather tragic and sympathetic ending.


Recommended to: people who enjoy reading plays

Runaway

Runaway


By: R.L. Stine
Reviewed by: Jerry, 15
Rating: Really liked it


Suspenseful and thrilling, a touch of ironic twist at the end made it one of the best horror books I have read. It reminded me of the classic R.L. Stine horror series, Goosebumps, because of its similar terrific storyline. Probably the only difference was that this book's was intended for older teenagers.

Felicia has a special power which enables her to move objects around with her mind, but usually she can only use the power when she is distressed or angry. The bad part about it is that she can't control it, and the power is usually used to do bad things. After she accidentally killed two of her best friends, she cursed herself for having the power. But what Felicia don't know yet is that the power can be tamed, and it can actually do some good things.


Recommended to: people who enjoy scary story

The Karate Kid

The Karate Kid


Directed by: Harald Zwart
Reviewed by: Jerry, 15
Rating: Really liked it


Dre Parker moved to China because of his mother's job. On his first day in China, he met some local bullies who intentionally beat him up in front a whole crowd. But on the positive side, he has fallen for a girl name Mei Ying. After the embarrassment, Dre decided that he needs to learn karate and gives some payback to those local bullies. One day while the bullies were playing, Dre Parker sabotaged them. When the bullies found out, they went and beat Dre up again. But this time Mr. Han(Jackie Chan), the maintenance man, came to his rescue.

I really like the movie; there're several comedy-intended effects in the movie--a lot of them from Dre Parker(Jaden Smith).

The crying scenes from both Jaden Smith and Jackie Chan were acted really well. I don't know how they did it, but their eyes actually turn red and you can actually see little droplets of tears coming down. Why were they crying? That's for you to find out.


Recommended to: People who enjoy all the previous Jackie Chan movies

Devil Bones

Devil Bones


By: Kathy Reichs
Reviewed by: Kayleigh , 16
Rating: It was alright...


Devil worship or just plain creepy? This is the question Tempe is faced with this time.

Temperance Brennan’s back at it again, but in North Carolina. Here in the states for the summer season, Tempe finds a creepy ritualistic display that includes a skull that is definitely human and many symbols that make her believe it is devil worship. As she tries to hunt down the person who made this sort of “altar,” she runs into something much more gruesome and disturbing. Soon she’s trying to find killers, or the same killer, connected to four different murders.

This is the 11th installment to Reichs’ Temperance Brennan series. This isn’t as great as some of her other books, but all series have to have some sort of dud. But, this one isn’t a complete disappointment. You do get to see more of Tempe’s emotions and imperfections, which are nice to see and make the character more relatable. But the case is a little weak and she spends most of her time exploring other pagan religions versus describing the forensic science. So if this is your first experience with the Brennan series, read a few more before you decide you don’t like the series.


Recommended to: people who are open to learning about pagan religions