Trailer Talk: Big Hero 6 (English + Japanese)

by Daniela

WARNING: Potential spoilers ahead! The Japanese trailer gives out details that were not revealed in the English trailer!

Following the on-going phenomenon that was Frozen, Disney has now started to released footage of their 54th animated feature. Big Hero 6 is the company's first attempt at making an animated film after acquiring Marvel. Fortunately for Disney, Big Hero 6 is one of Marvel's lesser known properties so they have the creative liberty to make a few changes here and there. And no, this isn't a sequel to Big Hero 1, 2, 3, 4, or 5.

Big Hero 6 follows a young Hiro Hamada (Ryan Potter), a robotics prodigy and his robot balloon man, Baymax (Scott Adsit). The adventure begins when the two learn of a criminal plot unfolding in their city of San Fransokyo (a combination of San Francisco and Tokyo). Along with the likes of a newly formed team of heroes: GoGo Tomago (Jamie Chung), Wasabi (Damon Wayans Jr.), Honey Lemon (Genesis Rodriguez) and Fred (T.J. Miller), they must stop the evil Yokai from fulfilling his dark and mysterious plan.

English Trailer

Much like the first Frozen trailer, the first official English trailer for Big Hero 6 focuses a lot around humour. It mostly centres around the pair of Hiro and the adorable Baymax. The two are at the police department and are trying to report a crime regarding a microbot controlling man in a kabuki mask. Unfortunately for Hiro, the officer doesn't seem to be giving him the time of day which leads to Baymax being suited up for battle. 

If you didn't love Baymax in the first teaser, you will for sure fall in love with him in this trailer! He gets the best gags and the funniest lines that fans have constantly been raving about! Disney has made a refreshing change as humour doesn't rely on the usual slapstick comedy but more of those... incredibly... awkward... moments. I have no idea why, but I thought him taping up himself was hilarious! And who could forget "big hairy babyyyyyyy." If you now call your cats that, I think you're awesome. We also get a small glimpse of the other Big Hero 6 team members but only hear the voices of GoGo Tomago and Fred. For any How to Train Your Dragon fans, T.J. Miller who voices Fred, also voice Tuffnut! It would have been nice to have a bit more of the team but no doubt they will be more prominent figures in future trailers. I'd also love to see them in crime-fighting mode!

The kabuki mask villain is no other than the terrifying Yokai. His design is simple with his tall and dark figure but all of your attention goes to his mask. Iconic characters like Ghostface from Scream or V from V for Vendetta also follow this route. Don't even get me started on how frustrated I was that Evey never told us who V was! Interestingly, no voice actor has been announced for this character. He could be one of those creepy silent villain types or...  I smell a plot twist!

Evidently, Disney is holding back and not playing all their cards just yet. Let's remember that infamous Elsa trailer that was much more emotional that the initial trailer that Disney released for Frozen. Luckily for us, the Japanese trailer has a teensy bit more to show. Also, who doesn't love a good Disney Easter egg? I love how they threw in references to their past films. A big thumbs up to you if you found them without looking them up!

Japanese Trailer

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Note: Translations were made by Dore (naturalborncoward on Tumblr) who is a good friend of ours! Thanks Dore!

The boy lost his beloved older brother

His name is Hiro.
Hiro has by his side his brother Tadashi’s memento.

Baymax: Hello.
Hiro: Who are you?
Baymax: My name is Baymax. I will protect your body and soul.
Hiro: Oh, Baymax…
Baymax: Tadashi created me. On a scale from 1 to 10, which level is your heartbreak at?
Hiro: Can you not…

From the makers of Frozen and Wreck-It Ralph

Baymax: I will protect you no matter what, that is Tadashi’s wish.
Tadashi (video): You and Baymax together will save everyone.

However, Hiro still doesn’t know(?) the real orders Baymax is entrusted with…

Baymax: I do not think this is necessary for a care robot…
Hiro: Test it out.
Hiro: That’s good, Baymax!

Baymax (hugging Hiro): There there…

Can the world be saved with kindness?

Unlike the first official English trailer, the Japanese trailer takes the emotional route by already ripping a character away from us! It opens with the funeral of Tadashi, Hiro's older brother and you can already tell that this is going to be much more serious. It's a classic Disney move to always have some sort of family member die and cause everyone to start their movie experience off with a little bit of emotional trauma. Thanks guys.  Hiro is clearly upset from the loss of his brother indicating that the two were probably very close. We get a glimpse of Tadashi through a video he leaves for Hiro. Enter Baymax, who we understand to be the creation of Tadashi. Baymax's purpose is to protect Hiro and ultimately become his best friend. But Baymax's orders from Tadashi aren't as clear cut as we think.

Interestingly, we don't even see the other team members here. In comparison to the English trailer, despite the same footage from the teaser, we get to see more of Baymax's personality and purpose rather than him being purely comic relief. One thing I did think was cool was the end quote "can the world be saved with kindness?" Obviously this theme will be a large theme in the movie and I'm excited to see how it will play a part in such an action-packed story. It's also interesting to note that the film will be called Baymax when it is realeased in Japan. So, my guess is that Baymax is going to play a much larger role in the film than I had originally anticipated. And who doesn't want more Baymax?

Christopher Nolan: My Top 3

by Justine

If you've read our "About" section you'll probably know that Christopher Nolan is one of my favourite directors. His films are generally very thought provoking and coupled with an excellent plot. His screenplays are top notch and I appreciate the inventiveness and originality that he produces without fail. If you've never heard of Nolan (you poor, sad soul), here's a few things you should know:

• He's only 43!: Ok, so to us that probably doesn't sound that young but in terms of his filmmaking success that's pretty damn good. He was only 29 when he made the iconic Memento  and a mere 34 when he started The Dark Knight trilogy. 
• He's a Brit: London born, Nolan attended University College London where he started making films alongside his future wife.
• He's a triple threat: Well, in filmmaking terms anyway. Nolan writes, produces AND directs. Sometimes he manages to do all three in the space of one film! Busy, busy man.
• He likes Michael Caine: You know how Tim Burton ALWAYS has Johnny Depp in his films? Well for Nolan it seems his go-to is Michael Caine. Caine appeared in all three Batman films (as Alfred), Inception (as Cobb's father) and is set to play a role in Nolan's upcoming film Interstellar. 
• He only knows one Asian guy: If you've watched Batman Begins and Inception you'll notice that "Ra's al Ghul" (if you've seen Batman Begins you'll know what that's in inverted commas) and Mr Saito are the same guy. Yeah.
• He certainly paid attention in psychology class: Nolan seems to have a keen interest in the mind whether it's the concept of fear as exemplified through The Scarecrow, the idea of insanity displayed by The Joker, or whether he's looking at mental conditions like anterograde amnesia in Memento. He of course then goes on to delve into the dream sphere with Inception. 

Ok, so let's get down to my top 3 Christopher Nolan films.

3. Inception

Admittedly I had to watch this movie at least twice before I fully understood the whole thing. It's definitely one of those thinking movies and I would advise you to pay attention while watching. It's not one of those films where you can text and watch at the same time. The concept was excellent. I alway feel that movies/books that can develop a whole other world are the most successful. The dreamscape is intriguing and makes sense in the nonsensical sort of way (e.g. ever had that dream where you're falling and then you wake up? Yeah, that's kind of important here). Unfortunately, this film seemed to have the DiCaprio curse in that it seems to have been largely snubbed by the almighty Academy. Personally, I felt this film integrated the three most important devices in filmmaking: good plot, effective use of special effects that don't dominate the storyline, and good script. This also had the added bonus of "novel idea" so props to Mr. Nolan for this.

2. The Dark Knight

I should probably mention here that I'm generally more of a Marvel fan as opposed to DC but Nolan definitely sold me Batman. Aside from Christian Bale's stupid Batman voice ("I'm Batman"), I thoroughly enjoyed this film. It stands out from the rest of the trilogy. If you're going to watch any of the Batman films, watch this one. The first and third pale in comparison. What I loved about this film was the characterisation. Heath Ledger as the Joker clearly overshadowed Batman. He lived the madness from his speech patterns to his little twitches. Despite the fact that it has been pointed out to me that the meticulous planning of the Joker's destruction of Gotham completely violates the idea of anarchy which the Joker is supposed to stand for, I still think this can be easily overlooked. This movie has everything: action, great plot, excellent characters and one hell of a script. The script has got to be my absolute favourite thing about this film. Ledger's lines are flawless and the creepy thing is, he makes sense. I sort of tossed up between putting this in second and third place but I think Ledger's performance just tips it over the edge.

1. Memento

Memento is hands down Nolan's best work. It's clear that this is significantly low budget in comparison to The Dark Knight and Inception. This film is all plot and script. There are no super fancy car chases or explosions. There's no fantastical landscapes, just a small, gritty town and brief cast of characters. The film basically follows one man with anterograde amnesia (that means he has short term memory loss). He remembers things before the "accident" but barely anything after. To make up for this he leaves notes for himself, takes polaroids of people he should know and information about them and even tattoos important information on his body. The concept of this film is unlike any other I've ever seen. The film moves in reverse and the twist at the end is just fantastic. I love films that can catch me off guard and that you can watch multiple times and still be hanging on the edge of your seat. It may not look like much on the surface but I guarantee you simply cannot NOT love this film.

So those are my top 3 Christopher Nolan film! Definitely check them out and let me know what you think!

Top 10: Disney Villain Songs

by Daniela

In case you didn’t know, I’m the resident Disney fanatic. Whether it’s music or movies or the musicals on Broadway... I’m your girl. So here’s something a little different today. I’ve put together a few songs from the Disney films (*Edna Mode voice * NO SEQUELS) and just to clarify, this is purely my own opinion! I’d love to hear about other songs that you feel should be on this list too! So let’s get started…

10. Prince Ali (Reprise) – Aladdin

It's the end for Aladdin's Prince Ali sham through a short, but really catchy song ending with Jafar's infamous maniacal laughter. He uses his newly granted magical powers to expose Aladdin as a street rat and sends him flying. Like a real Disney villain he enjoys the misery of others... while singing a song. At least it's unlike your traditional villainous monologues. One wonders what would have happened if he got his own song in the original... I imagine it would be full of amazing puns.

Farewell ex-Prince Ali!

9. Cruella de Vil – 101 Dalmatians

When one thinks of 101 Dalmatians, this song is definitely one of the first things to pop into your mind. Unlike the rest of the songs on this list, this song is sung completely by one of the protagonists, Roger. We are first introduced to the "wretched, wretched" woman herself, Cruella when she visits Roger and Anita. Judging from his lyrics she's not exactly a daaaaarling. Growing up I always considered this as one of my favourite parts in the movie and let's be honest, Roger creeping about and making a racket with all the instruments makes the whole scene.

If she doesn't scare you, no evil thing will...

8. The Mob Song – Beauty and the Beast

The song title is pretty self-explanatory, pitchforks, and torches a-blazing. I've always appreciated the Broadway-like tunes of Beauty and the Beast and I love how The Mob Song utilises the entire cast. It's a piece of lyrical genius and full of great, memorable lines that basically tie the themes of the movie together. "We don't like what we don't understand, in fact it scares us..." It sets up the idea that the villagers are just reacting because the Beast is automatically associated with terror and destruction. Therefore, their first instinct is it kill it before it kills all of them. And to top it all off it's lead by Gaston, the who isn't the villain the eyes of the villagers.

KILL THE BEAST!

7. Friends on the Other Side – The Princess and the Frog

Now here's where the creepiness levels start to go up a few notches. In this scene, Dr. Facilier calls upon the help of his voodoo friends by showing a naive Naveen his future through tarot cards. He goes from a sketchy shaman to a frightening voodoo, hoodoo witchdoctor in one number. I love the animation of the cards and it must be voodoo if he can deal them like that! Plus, Keith Davis' voice is hypnotising yet also menacing. When the transformation sequence begins, the bass kicks in and the colour scheme changes, adding a daunting feel. Naveen MUST have been distracted by Dr. Facilier's smooth voice and fluid card tricks. The poor Prince probably only realised he was in deep trouble when it was too late. Dr. Facilier definitely earns some villain points with his creepy skull mask exit as the scene fades to black.

Are you reaaaaady?

6. Mother Knows Best + Reprise – Tangled

Mother Knows Best is one of the most manipulative and abusive villain songs. At this point, we know that Gothel was the old lady who kidnapped the baby in the opening but the poor girl is left in the dark. To an innocent and gullible Rapunzel, it may seem like Gothel is merely warning her about the dangers of the outside, but there are hints of Gothel's true intentions. For example, she holds Rapunzel's hair to her face when she sings about keeping her "safe and sound." The reprise is probably one of my favourite reprises in the Disney universe. If you compare the two, Gothel already looks much older and more dangerous when Rapunzel refuses to go back to the tower with her. The first she sings, Mother Knows Best is light and upbeat but the reprise is the complete opposite as she attacks Rapunzel for her naivety in a more harsh manner. Also, they're both undeniable catchy!

Skip the drama, stay with mama!

Don't be a dummy, come with mummy...

5. Savages – Pocahontas

War is about to break out between the Native Americans and the English, John Smith is about to be executed and it's up to Pocahontas to stop the hatred amongst the people. One of the most controversial songs from Disney is Savages from Pocahontas. I'm actually not too sure if this one is counted as a villain song but hey, Ratcliffe sings some pretty thought provoking lines. I can say that I was part of the group of children who were completely oblivious to the lyrics and message in the 90s. Revisiting the songs when I was a bit older was nothing short of an eye-opener. The difference with this song is that both the Native Americans and the English claim that the other party is more dangerous. There are so many elements to this song that make it memorable. Especially how it cuts to each camp every line or so or even with Pocahontas singing her own tune over the top of the chanting of SAVAGES, SAVAGES.

They're not like you and me, which means they must be evil!

4. Be Prepared – The Lion King

Mufasa is the king of the Pridelands but not for long if Scar has a say... or song about it. Scar's voice is enchanting, sultry, captivating and at times hypnotizing as he sashays his way around the hyenas. Instead of the traditional villainous monologue we get a whole song about Scar's plan to kill Mufasa and Simba therefore making him the, wait for it... LION KING. Although, in my opinion it may not have the catchiest lyrics, it definitely has a contagious beat. As if it wasn't eerie enough, let's add a pinch of Nazi allusions and a dash of Communism references too! This is another display of me being completely oblivious in the 90s... yay.

My teeth and ambitions are bared... be prepared!

3. Gaston + Reprise– Beauty and the Beast

This is the second time a song from Beauty and the Beast has featured in my countdown but Gaston goes in a different direction in comparison to The Mob Song. The whole song is a pick me-up for the narcissistic but dejected Gaston after Belle refuses to marry him. LeFou tries to keep Gaston's spirits up by proving that there's no man in town half as manly as the one and only Gaston. This song is probably one of the main reasons why Gaston is one of my favourite Disney villains of all time (that's a whole other list for another time!). If we compare this to The Mob Song, it spends its entirety praising the actual villain in the story while the latter depicts the Beast, one of our heroes, as a vicious monster. To quote Belle "he's not a monster Gaston, YOU ARE!" It's a great drinking song and seriously, how does the man not have high cholesterol from the amount of eggs he eats a day?

As a specimen yes, I'm intimidating!

No one plots like Gaston, takes cheap shots like Gaston!

2. Poor Unfortunate Souls – The Little Mermaid

After King Triton destroys all of Ariel's treasures, she's ready to be a part of the human world and escape the rule of her father. She then seeks out the help of Ursula, the sea witch and hopes her magic will give her a pair of legs to walk along those streets with the humans. Poor Unfortunate Souls comes in at a very close second in this top 10! From Ursula's over-dramatic performance, to the moment where Ariel signs her voice away, to the BODY LANGUAGE! Poor Unfortunate Souls has become an iconic scene/song in Disney history. It's often been pointed out that the song is full of terrible messages to send to Disney's target audience about the relationships between men and women. She insists that "it's she who holds her tongue who gets her man." Don't worry ladies, Ariel does prove her wrong in the end. Ursula is manipulative, strategic, cunning and deliciously evil. 

BODY LANGUAGE!

1. Hellfire – The Hunchback of Notre Dame

Hellfire is a clear winner and I often wonder how Disney even got away with this. It's another of Disney's most controversial songs as it toys with ideas about hell, damnation and lust. We start off with Heaven's Light, Quasimodo's song about his love towards Esmerelda and suddenly, we transition to the dark and heavy themes of Hellfire. Frollo prays to Mary and questions why he lusts for Esmerelda, a gypsy, who he believes to be the vermin of Paris. Terrifying hooded figures appear all around Frollo and sing mea culpa (throught my fault) as he pleads and tries to explain that his infatuation with Esmerelda was caused by the devil. He imagines Esmerelda dancing in the fire and is completely captivated by her image but blames her for being a temptress. In the end he decides that he'll burn down all of Paris if she doesn't choose him. Hellfire is the perfect combination of villainy with jaw-dropping lyric, frightening visuals, and taboo themes. To top it all off, Frollo is hair-raisingly creepy yet you also want to smack that smirk off his face.

She will be mine or she will burn!

Forrest Gump: Twenty Years of Chocolate Boxes

by Justine

Director: Robert Zemeckis

Year: 1994

In honour of the twentieth anniversary of 1994’s Best Picture winner at the Oscars, I thought it only fitting to review the iconic Forrest Gump. Young, old or in between, chances are you’ve seen this film, perhaps more than once. Me? I was rather late to the party. I only watched the film in it’s entirety last year as part of one of my assignments for a History of the Sixties course. Of course seeing the other contenders for Best Picture (Pulp Fiction, Shawshank Redemption), Forrest Gump wasn’t at all what I expected to win.

For those of you who haven’t seen the film, it follows the life of a young man named Forrest Gump who has the characteristics of the village idiot. He moves through momentous historical periods and events meeting idols like Elvis, John Lennon, JFK and LBJ. He fights in Vietnam, starts a multi-million dollar shrimping company, runs across the continental US, becomes a ping pong champion, invests shares in Apple all the while chasing his childhood sweetheart Jenny.

One of the great things about Forrest Gump is its use of contrasts. Forrest and Jenny are set up to compliment each other. Jenny embodies the times and follows the youth movements whereas Forrest takes on a more conservative approach. This is an example of the split American society during the sixties – do we protest and live the hippie lifestyle or remain the conservative Cold War society? The more obvious contrast is stupidity vs. intelligence. The execution of this idea, however, is not what is expected. Instead of Forrest exemplifying his own stupidity, he reveals the stupidity of those around him. Gump’s naivety allows him to see past social convention and gives him more common sense than is common. Aside from the famous tagline “life is like a box of chocolates”, one that really sticks in my mind is “stupid is as stupid does”. This suggests that a person’s stupidity is measured by their actions. By this definition, Forrest Gump is the smartest man in the film.

As I watched the film I couldn’t help but notice Gump’s insertion into historical events functioning as a sort of “fixing” of history. This seemed particularly evident in the scene where Governor Wallace refuses to allow black students into the college. Gump, first mistaking the slang “coons” for raccoons, is unaware of the political nature of the situation, nor its controversy. He naively picks up the book one of the black students dropped and courteously hands it back to her. Like most instances of Gump’s role in history, his involvement is accidental. His actions illustrate him as a “race traitor” and he appears to be making a statement about the acceptance of integration in the Jim Crow south. Gump does not see the girl as black but rather as just another person. His strong characterization as stupid in the moments leading up to this scene make the audience realize the ridiculousness of Governor Wallace and the controversy surrounding integration. His common sense action to hand the girl the book reveals the stupidity of those opposing integration, and choosing to see the black students as an other, instead of his own.

The Civil Rights movement characterized a large portion of the sixties and “Forrest Gump” does not skimp on the importance of the overturning of racial discrimination. Another defining event of the sixties was of course the Vietnam War. These two ideas come together through Gump’s friendship with Bubba, a black colleague and solider who serves with him. The friendship is unrestricted by race and comes to resemble more of a fraternal relationship than a friendship. Gump’s desperation to save Bubba after a run in with the Viet Cong results in the US troops bombing the entire area shows how deep their bond runs. Gump’s decision to then captain a shrimping boat in order to live out Bubba’s dream is his ultimate ode to his late friend. His friendship with Bubba is a rejection of his white supremacist background (his namesake was the founder of the KKK) and an undoing of segregationist ideals stereotypically expected from a white southerner. Again, it is Gump’s stupidity that allows him to see past the colour of Bubba’s skin and instead befriend him as a person, not as a black man. Zemeckis essentially flips the bird to white supremacist society when Gump presents Bubba’s family with their share of “Bubba Gump Shrimp” earnings allowing Bubba’s mother to not only give up her job as someone else’s housemaid but even to hire a housemaid of her own, a white one. This role reversal is quite subtle but satisfactory and shows hope for the success of black escalation in society.

The mentality of the sixties runs through this film. Here I have mainly discussed the role of race and the illustration of the civil rights movement. The film also looks at the consequences and casualties of Vietnam as represented by Lieutenant Dan, and the expression of rebelliousness and the counterculture as represented by Jenny. Like many films, the historical period in which “Forrest Gump” was released also has a significant racial link. 1994 was a year of huge achievement in South Africa with the first multi-racial vote in April and the election of Nelson Mandela as the first African president of South Africa. The overcoming of racism and the stigma of white supremacy in “Forrest Gump” can be seen as a message of race acceptance and a heightening of racial conscience.

Forrest Gump has many meanings beyond face value and its dissection of American society is eye opening. Whether you’re a history enthusiasts or you just like something with a great plot and some humour, this is definitely a film to watch. "That's all I have to say about that."

 KEEP

Rating: 8/10

How to Train Your Dragon 2: Sequels Don't Always Have to Be A Hiccup

by Daniela

Studio: DreamWorks Animation
Year: 2014

SPOILER FREE!

Sequels. Mentioning that word to any animation fan can bring utter chaos. Some look forward to them, and some have flashbacks to Pocahontas 2: Journey to a New World. There are few cases where the sequels are actually good and it is even rarer for a sequel to be better than the original. How to Train Your Dragon 2 is one of those rarities. Yes people, we have got an EXCELLENT sequel in our hands!

It’s been five years since the events of the first movie and things in Berk have never looked better. Everyone has a dragon of their own and Stoick (Gerard Butler) is ready to pass on chieftainship to a 20 year old Hiccup. But Hiccup (Jay Baruchel) has other plans. He wants to continue being a dragon rider and discover new lands with Toothless, his dragon. He comes across a fleet of dragon trappers, led by Eret (Kit Harington) who is working for Drago Bludvist (Djimon Honsou). They then find out that Drago is creating an entire army of dragons in order to conquer the world. Once Drago learns about the dragons at Berk, he prepares his takeover. Along with Valka (Cate Blanchett), a mysterious dragon master, and the other dragon riders we know and love, Hiccup must stop Drago’s attack and save Berk from the destruction of his dragons.

Guess who's back... back again...

The storyline is a great continuation of first movie yet it won’t confuse anybody who hasn’t seen the first. Although it’s quite long for an animated movie, it’s paced perfectly. There are no slow patches whatsoever which makes it easy to follow and captures your attention for the entire 109 minutes.  The big battle scenes have you on the edge of your seat and the conversations between the characters have you hanging on every word.

Everyone knows how much I LOVE Hiccup and Toothless but I have to say that a lot of the secondary characters were big scene stealers. Every scene that involved Ruffnut (Kristen Wiig) had me and everyone else in the theatre laughing! I’m going to be honest, I thought Astrid (America Ferrera) was just… alright in the first movie, but this time around I think I’ve grown to like her a lot. And who can resist any Hiccup and Astrid interactions? Drago is also a great villain. He’s a no muss, no fuss kind of Viking and won’t let anything get in his way. We also learn about Valka’s past and understand why she has become what she is today. Eret, Son of Eret, is tough and cocky but also brings great comic relief when things get a bit heavy. Let's also not forget how DreamWorks pulled a Neville Longbottom on us with Hiccup. I mean really...

The animation is STUNNING. Yes, the trend of amazing facial hair has continued and even the young dragon riders have noticeable beards starting to grow. The alpha dragons are amazingly detailed and so realistic. I couldn’t help but take a moment to stare at the different textures on all the dragons. Also, I’m a huge fan of Hiccups new inventions. Where can a girl get one of those flaming sword things?

How to Train Your Dragon 2 exceeded all my expectations and is definitely one that you can rewatch an infinite amount of times and never tire of. It’s an emotional rollercoaster with a VERY MAJOR plot twist that will leave your mouth hanging open and you may need tissues for this! It’s the perfect balance of action, humour with a healthy amount of Hiccup and Astrid cuteness that makes it one of the best releases this year. Hey DreamWorks, I think you're onto something!

KEEP

10/10

Note: I used the teaser instead of the trailers because they do have big spoilers. But I'm sure you can appreciate Hiccup at the end of the clip...

Looking For Alaska: “I go to seek a Great Perhaps”

by Justine

WARNING! This review contains some pretty heavy spoilers, like THE MAIN spoiler. This is because it is quite impossible to not discuss said spoiler as the entire book revolves around it.

Dammit John Green! Why do you always leave me feeling so empty at the end of your books? I mean I am a particularly morbid person so I live for all this emotional crap but still, yikes!

This was a great read. It was simple, to the point and with a small cast of characters you could easily keep up with and understand. John Green doesn’t beat around the bush. There’s no part of this book one could deem unnecessary, it is all essential to the plot (I’m looking at you, Order of the Phoenix). So what did I like about it? I like the very Reservoir Dogs-ness of it in the sense that the book revolves around a single event by which the reader only experiences the Before and the After (no seriously, the book is divided into “Before” and “After”). The event itself is not actually described as it happens which I think is quite great. I liked the realness of Alaska. She was not a perfect fantasy aside from the fact that she is described as beautiful/hot (which in any case is subjective). She’s dirty, wild, a smoker, a heavy drinker, an infuriating mystery (which she’s rather smug about), impulsive, and kind of a slut. While I personally would not have liked Alaska much as a person, what she meant to everyone else (Miles, Takumi, the Colonel and Lara) is clearly communicated so it’s impossible not to feel her loss.

I also liked the realness of the book as a whole and that’s something consistent I’ve noticed about John Green’s work in general. Yes, it is a love story but it is not JUST that. I personally have little time for books that are all romance and no substance but this certainly had substance. For one, the love was not perfect. I’m not talking Romeo and Juliet imperfection but real life imperfections with love: unrequited love, loving someone is who is loved by many other people (think that popular girl in school that EVERYONE had a crush on), infatuation, obsession, physical love vs. actual love etc. Alaska repeats continuously throughout the book that she loves her boyfriend so I have little doubt that her kiss with Miles meant much to her. Miles’ love for her is also imperfect, he loves her when she is lovable and hates her when she is not. And then there’s Takumi, totally unrequited but a bit purer I think.

I know it makes me sound like I’m completely unfeeling but I liked that he didn’t get her in the end. Why? Because the story was never fantasy to begin with so why should it end that way. When we read the Romeo and Juliet-esque love stories they are fantastical and getting together at the end seems essential (*cough cough* Twilight *cough cough*). Alaska did not love Miles back so it would make no sense that she would break up with Jake or that her car ride was to see him and tell him what happened between her and Miles. The only person that really had Alaska was her mother and it seemed right that her death was centered on her love for her.

The book revolves around the idea of a “Great Perhaps”. That is exactly what Alaska is, a perhaps. Her death brings up the idea of what could have been, what may have happened. It is a message to us as readers as well to continue to search for the maybes. The other great quote was Simón Bolívar’s “How will I ever get out of this labyrinth?” How indeed? The labyrinth is life and it is a labyrinth of suffering. We are lost and in death we find our way out. Alaska’s was “straight and fast”, an instruction or a musing? Through Miles, the Colonel, Takumi and Lara we learn the difference between living out the suffering of remaining in the labyrinth but the added possibility of discovering the Great Perhaps vs. the straight and fast way out that leaves no possibility for anything more.

I could go on to analyse this book forever but I’d possibly bore you all to death. Simply put, if you want a beautiful romance that makes your heart soar, you’re probably not going to want to read this book. But, if you’re fascinated by the concepts of life and death, of love – both romantic and otherwise, of rebelliousness and pain and if you can do without the satisfaction of knowing everything then definitely read it.

KEEP

Rating: 8/10

How to Train Your Dragon: Toothless Can Show You the World

by Daniela

Studio: DreamWorks Animation

Year: 2010

DreamWorks Animation has been breathing down the necks of Disney with their animated features but some of them can just miss the mark. In case you aren’t too familiar with DreamWorks films, this is the studio behind Shrek, Madagascar, Kung Fu Panda and of course,  How to Train Your Dragon. It’s no wonder they’ve expanded the franchise with a television series, a stage show and more sequels to come because well… it’s that good!

The plot is unlike anything audiences have seen and it has continuously been praised for its originality and I have to agree.  How to Train Your Dragon is based off the book series by Cressida Cowell. It follows the story of Hiccup (Jay Baruchel), a young Viking who is the son of the chief, Stoick the Vast (Gerard Butler), of their Viking village. Hiccup has always wanted to make his father proud by killing a dragon but in reality his attempts usually end in disaster. He encounters an injured Toothless, a Nightfury dragon, and quickly realises that he doesn’t have the heart to kill him. Instead he studies him and using his own inventions gets Hiccup to fly again. Using his new knowledge of dragons he hopes to teach his father and the rest of the Vikings that they can co-exist with dragon-kind but not everyone is eager to accept that these creatures are innocent.

Hiccup doesn't need a magic carpet.

As far as Vikings go, Hiccup is far from your stereotypical menacing Viking. He’s scrawny, intelligent yet incredibly awkward and also pulls off sarcasm really well. Let me take a moment to say, wow did puberty treat him well… (the teaser for the sequel, am I right?). Then you have Toothless, his right-hand… dragon. I fell in love with Toothless when Hiccup begins training him. There’s something about giving other animals/creatures dog-like characteristics that animated films are really pulling off. Toothless is adorable to say the least and an incredibly loyal friend to Hiccup thus making them the perfect pair. The iconic moment where Toothless allows Hiccup to touch him starts off an amazing sequence where you begin to see the relationship between the two develop. From the moment they begin to make a connection to their first flight, the audience is completely on their side. Also, please tell me I wasn’t the only one singing A Whole New World in my head when Hiccup takes Astrid (America Ferrera) on a flight on Toothless?

The animation in this movie is outstanding. One look at how all the facial hair in this film moves and you will be as convinced as I am. Yes, I’m talking about those majestically moving beards. It doesn’t stop at the mesmerising facial hair, the attention to detail is on point. The different textures on the Viking outfits are good examples here with the fur and the leather looking and moving so realistically. One thing that I thought was amazing was the attention to detail on the dragons. The scales on Toothless are so beautifully done that you’ll want to reach out and feel for yourself.  From the clips of the sequel that I have seen, DreamWorks has gone onwards and upwards with their details and it pays off. Yes, I may have possibly noticed that little bit of stubble on Hiccup’s chin.

To top it all off the score is pretty much perfect. It’s emotive, suspenseful and complements the scenes brilliantly. I often use Pandora and let me tell you, I never skip any parts of the How to Train Your Dragon score when it plays on my radio stations. Forbidden Friendship and Test Drive are my personal favourites and are probably my favourite scenes in the movie. Test Drive shows the result of the friendship the two have developed through their first flight together and is uplifting in probably one of the early turning points in the film. It’s energetic and builds up to the amazing moment where Hiccup and Toothless soar through the clouds and over the island of Berk. Battling the Green Death is heavy and intense as the song title suggests. It’s suspenseful and heavily charged and gives off a video-game boss battle kind of vibe. John Powell, I salute you! It completely deserved the Academy Award nomination.

Overall, it’s an amazing movie that should have other animation studios shaking in their boots. But truthfully, I have been struggling with rating it. Although I rave about it, it’s not a movie that I reach for often. In saying that, everytime I do watch it I absolutely love it! Yet, I’m just not compelled to watch it as much as other movies. With that being said, I’m looking forward to seeing what DreamWorks has in store for its latest big franchise. I’ve still yet to see the sequel but rest assured I WILL SEE IT. And let’s be honest, who wouldn’t want a Toothless of their own? 

KEEP

Rating: 8.5/10