Day 3: Best of the Disney Films

Hello, my beautiful subjects!


Lilo & Stitch

*7.0
*A large portion of this movie's plot is about family, which I find to be really important. Even though this was a key thing, there weren't many other messages you can take. The relationship between Lilo and Nani was done well and warmly for sisters to relate to. That even though they fought a lot, they were still sisters and loved one another. They added a bit of realism to the story, as well, as far as the human backgrounds went. People who have lost family members can relate to the girls, who themselves had lost their parents, so it has a good chance of emotional connection. Lilo not being accepted by the other girls and then finding Stitch, who actually understood her, is also a good addition, showing that you just have to find people who love and accept you for who you are. And it was actually nice to see a girl make a connection with the otherworldly creature, for a change.
*It has it's share of Disney corniness and I'm not necessarily a fan of beachy, paradise-type backgrounds, but this one has a lot of charm and humor that's good enough to hold my attention. The alien aspect of things also might've played a role in my liking it. ;P Stitch is precious and totally lovable, so it's hard not to love at least him. All in all, they did a good enough job with this one, that was successful enough to spawn sequels and a fantastic TV series.



Brave

*7.0
*One of the most important messages to take from this film is the beautifully portrayed relationship between Merida and her mother. There are a few touching parts that make me out and out cry, so it's sure to strike people who have close relationships with their mothers in the feels. There's an added message here about finding your own path and not giving in to arranged relationships, which is an important thing for young people to know. Merida may have disobeyed her parents, but the movie does show that because of it, there were bad consequences that she needed to fix. Her arguing with her mother also showed a bit of realism to parent-child relationships, but the important thing they showed was that in the end, it all worked out, and love is more powerful than hate, as they both began to understand one another. There are some things in here that are inappropriate for children (if you've seen the film, you'll know what I'm talking about), but it's not too horrendous and still a great movie with good messages to consider.
*I was surprised by how much I loved this one. Merida is a girl after my own heart. Like Mulan, she doesn't accept that just because she's a girl means she has to doll herself up. She's a huge tomboy princess and that's a refreshing thing to see compared to all the girly princesses. I especially loved the relationship between her and her mother. The characters are great and most are likable. The plot and theme throughout the story was a nice change of pace in the fairytale genre, and the animation was beautifully done. I, for one, loved the Scottish background, lore and landscapes. It has some faults, but it's still a really good movie.


Peter Pan

*7.5
*There aren't too many wholesome messages in this movie (I could go into detail about some negative aspects that people frequently complain about, but I'll spare you that opening of drama, not that it's coming from me, cuz I really don't care. XD). I will say that since forever, I've loved the Peter Pan story with all my heart and treasure it's inner message to never grow up. I'm 20 years old and I still follow this great advise. I may adult a lot, but I'm still just as immature as a puppy. Not growing up doesn't necessarily have to mean aging or doing mature things. It can simply mean to never stop having that inner child to escape to when things go wrong. To never stop having fun and enjoying your life. To never stop playing. And I think that's as beautiful a message as you can get. :)
*How can you not love this one, though? Sure, it doesn't follow a lot of elements from the book, in fact it sugarcoats most things, but it's still a well done classic and has a good amount of humor and mischief to keep you entertained. Plus, Peter Pan. So yeah.


Oliver & Company

*6.5
*The same concept, essentially, as with The Rescuers and Meet the Robinsons, where Oliver is basically an orphan. Being that this has to do with animals, you have a lot more potential for people going to get dogs and cats after watching this film, so it raises attention to all the lonely little hearts out there, waiting to be loved.
It also deals a small positive aspect of friendship when it comes to Oliver and the others.
*This is one of my dad's favorites, so I kinda grew up with this one. Sure, it's not my favorite of Disney movies, but I do love it! It's got a good habit of keeping me reeled in and the writing isn't too bad. It isn't completely riddled with singing, so that part makes me happy. Alot of the characters are also likable, naturally for the dogs, cuz dogs are glorious. ^^ Overall, good entertainment.

Until next time!

God Bless,

Day 3: Movies I Could Watch Again and Again

Good evening, everyone! Welcome to the third day of Geek Week. =D
I hope y'all have been having just as much of a blast as we have! ♥

7. Mirrormask

So you know I've said a few times that I like dark/creepy things, but nothing that goes too overboard?
Well, this is a perfect example.
YES, it can get weird and a little unsettling (mainly at the queen parts), but I think that's part of it's charm.
It's literally placed inside a dream world and we all know how cooky dreams can be.
But I love it. I love it's dark, creeptastic atmosphere and vivid detail.
I love all the off-the-wall creatures and peculiar situations. The graphics are too pretty not to love.

It's certainly one of the strangest movies I've seen, but it's so unique and full of inspiration.
The plot is so much more different from others and it isn't splattered with actors you've seen over and over. It's just different, but it's a charming kind of different. It's another one of those creative films that gets my creative juices going. I honestly love every detail of this movie and it's direction.
It also sends a clear message of a mother/daughter relationship and the importance to accept your life and be proud of it, because it's your's. Even when things get a little rough or just aren't perfect or you argue a lot with the people you care about, you need to appreciate them, because one day, they just won't be there.

I adore Helena and Valentine's friendship-turn-relationship and the way they closed things off was brilliant.
The music is eery at times, but fits the movie's tone well enough. As for the actors, they all do surprisingly great, for not being so well known (not that I'm judging) and the storytelling is executed cleverly.
There's just a lot to love about this movie. If you can get past some blatantly odd atmospherics, I'm sure you'd really like it, too. I give it 8.5. ^_^

8. Jumanji

One of my childhood favorites, Jumanji is a movie that's hard to hate.
It's tone and look are dark and spooky at times, especially at scenes involving the game, but there's something about it that just speaks to you, as if you have to like it.
Another movie with a unique plot to it, I love the direction this movie takes and how fast it pulls you in and makes you care about the characters and their situations, no matter who it is.
The quiet game scenes are done in such a way that can bring chills down your spine-- the contents that it produces are not even that scary, it's just the way the game summons them and lures you in that's unsettling and frankly quite freaky.

I love all the characters, though. They're an odd cast, but they each have traits that you've gotta love.
The acting is done well with the right level of emotion and panic that one would get in that sort've situation.
What I love most about it is all the random, crazy things that take place and how everyone interacts while trying to figure out what in the heck's going on. Carl was a hilarious comic relief that I really felt for, along with Nora, since they were the most confused people in that movie. XD
Robin, as usual, did a spectacular job. He brought humor to a serious situation, being successful at making you laugh, even in times of crisis. Him and Bonnie worked really well together. The way they portrayed their characters was impressive, as if they really were the kids they started out as from the beginning.
Peter and Judy were an adorable pair and did a really good job (acting wise) with how they responded to scenarios, especially emotionally.

So yeah, the movie is a great one to watch for an evening of entertainment. You can't go wrong with a movie about a board game. ;D I give it 8.0!

That's all for now. ^_^

My Favorite Marvel Superheroes

Hello! Arwen the Avenger here.

What better way to kick off my part in Geek Week than to list my favorite Marvel superheroes? I love Marvel. Watching the movies in the MCU helps me relax after a long week of being 'adulty'. I also love Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. and I just started watching Daredevil. I'm not quite sure how I feel about that last one, but let's get started with my favorite heroes, shall we? I am going to end with my favorite hero, and I'm only going to do the top 10!

10. Tony Stark/Iron Man

Yes, Tony Stark is in my #10 spot. I love the Iron Man, but don't necessarily like the man himself. Way too full of himself. However!!! At the same time, I really like Tony Stark! He adds dimension to the Avengers. They can't all be awesome like Captain America and Thor, they needed the annoying guy that no one really likes. Plus, there was that whole Ultron thing...
I am very interested in seeing how he is portrayed in Captain America: Civil War next year! The MCU has been pretty good at staying at least close to the comics, so I am hoping.

9. Thor

#9 is the mighty Thor. I'm beginning to like Thor more and more, but there are a few heroes that I like just a little more than him. I love his inability to understand every day objects that we have here. I also appreciate his chivalry and kindness. This is, of course, after the first movie. The 'new' Thor is the Asguardian that I love the best! "ANOTHER!"

8. Spider-Man

Ah yes, our friendly neighborhood Spider-Man. Toby Maguire's Spider-Man was my first ever favorite superhero. He is who introduced me to this crazy world. However, that changed quickly after I watched the 3rd of Maguire's movies............
Thankfully, he was rebooted and I LOVED the new Amazing Spider-Man, Andrew Garfield. I love his sassy and sarcastic character. He also loves science, which is probably why I liked him in the first place.
Now, we have another new Spider-Man. I am neither pleased, nor disappointed. I'm going to save those feelings until after I see the new character in Civil War.

7. Hawkeye

To be completely honest, Hawkeye was not on this list until The Avengers: Age of Ultron. I liked him okay, but never thought that he was that great of a character. I hadn't read comics with him in them at that point, so I just wasn't sure what was up with our assassin bowman. I liked him before the latest movie, but only because he reminded me of Legolas, because of the bow. But now....
I love him so much better now. In case you haven't been able to see the movie yet, I won't give you any spoilers, but he goes up in this spot now.

6. The Falcon

Sam Wilson was a great addition to the team. His wings are cool, and he makes me laugh. That is always a good thing to have in a movie! I loved his scene in Captain America: The Winter Soldier where Cap is just running laps around him. I really want a sticker for my car that says 'On your left'. I am interested in seeing where his story leads. He will of course be on Captain America's side, but what else???

5. Ant-Man

This hero has, of course, just recently made his way on my list. I'm really slow to actually getting to read the comics, but I have scene all of the MCU's movies. Anyway, Ant-Man has a great story, and I love his relationship with his daughter. Sure, he was a thief, but now he is the amazing hero.
And you have to admit, his suit is pretty cool.

4. The Vision

Vision very quickly made it to this #4 spot. He was just amazing. AH. I think he has the potential of moving further up my list, but I need to see him a bit more. His character is amazing. Plus, there is that BIG thing that he did in The Avengers: Age of Ultron  that no one else was able to do. It just adds to that character. Plus, I am excited to see his potential, both for himself and the MCU's overall storyline. He now has that Infinity Stone, so what does Thanos think of that??

3. Black Widow

My favorite female superhero, the assassin Black Widow! I think my main reason for liking her is probably the fact that she is a ninja and has red hair. Okay, let me explain...I have red hair, and everyone likes to call me a ninja. So, yes, I have cosplayed as Black Widow a few times now. She is an amazing assassin, and I have enjoyed watching her storyline develop. The only complaint is the Bruce Banner thing, but we will see where that goes.

2. Star Lord

Yes, Star Lord, otherwise known as Peter Quill, is in my #2 spot. I loved this movie. It was incredibly weird and so very different, but something about it made me okay with that. I loved his character and how he grew...slightly. He is still the weird, crazy, for-himself kind of guy, but at the same time, there was something different about him after he saved the galaxy. I can't wait until the second movie comes out!! I have been having fun theorizing about his father and where I think the movie is going.

1. Captain America

Last, but definitely not least, is my favorite superhero of all time, Captain America. If you know me, you know that I am a bit obsessed with Marvel and Captain America. My dream is to meet Chris Evans, but I know that will probably never happen. A fangirl can wish, can't she?

One of the top reasons I like Captain America is because he is overall a great guy. He is kind, a leader, and there was the whole "There's only one God m'am," line in The Avengers. Another reason is that he reminds me of my fiance! They both have the same gentleman-ness about them, and I really love that.

So, these have been my favorite superheroes, but what about you? Who are your favorite heroes?

~Arwen the Avenger~

Jonny Lee Miller vs. Benedict Cumberbatch: Their Version of Sherlock

Personally, I love all versions of Sherlock, it doesn't matter to me who it is as long as it's Sherlock Holmes. It's argued that Benedict's Sherlock is better than Jonny's Sherlock, but most probably say that because they haven't even seen Elementary. So I'm here to show you that both Sherlocks have their similarities, but they also have their differences. I think of it as a good thing. They took the time to develop their character enough where it's still Sherlock Holmes, only their interpretation of him.

Jonny's Sherlock

His version is basically the Sherlock that hides his feelings. That's typical of Sherlock, isn't it? He cares for Watson, and never would want anything bad to happen to her. He might not say it out loud, but I, as the audience, know how he feels without him saying a single word. This is how he expresses himself: body language. It makes sense to me that he, being the deductionist he is, would express himself in this way. He always talks about how he can read body language, and that more is spoken without anything said. Jonny's Sherlock proves that point.

He fights for the people he cares about, and is very protective of them (ex. Irene and Watson). Yet, he would never tell them how he feels. Not really. It's all just words to him. He might SAY one thing, but he'll DO something else. I can't tell you enough how many times I've been like, "What are you saying Sherlock? That's so unlike you!" Just to see that he's doing something else that is completely within his character. Basically, words mean nothing to this version of Sherlock, and body language is absolutely imperative. 

I love this version of Sherlock. It shows a whole new perspective of him that I would have never imagined. He's a secretly sweet guy, but he would never admit it. No words are the best words in my book for this form of Sherlock. 

So if you're expecting him to say something, don't expect it. Wish for the moments he doesn't say a word, and you'll see what I mean. 

Benedict's Sherlock

He's basically the Sherlock that, as my sibling would put it, "Wears his heart on his sleeve." And I absolutely agree. He's more expressive with words, which is probably why he's so popular. Benedict brings out the side of Sherlock that's caring, and you can tell by HOW he says things. Where when he says it, you know exactly what he's trying to say without him actually SAYING it. You've even seen it. "I don't have friends, I've just got one." It's more implied that it's John, at this point in the show. It's all about implication with this Sherlock, and usually if it seems like he's implying something when it comes to someone he cares about, he is. He's more direct when it comes to people he couldn't care less about, such as Anderson. 

Yes, body language is still intricately involved with this Sherlock, but it's less prominent with this Sherlock, but it still plays it's role in this Sherlock. It's just not AS significant. :) 

I love this Sherlock, too. Don't worry. He's just as awesome as Jonny's. But the reasons I like him are different than for Jonny's. This Sherlock reveals that he IS caring, which makes me love every Sherlock all the more. 

Hopefully this sheds some light on who each Sherlock is as a character. Thanks for reading. ^.^

Day 2: Villainous Villains

Greetings! Welcome to the next part of my set, Villainous Villains.



Ganondorf

Evil Scale: 7.0

One of the best known foes among the Nintendo universe, I for one find Ganondorf to be a rather underrated villain. Yes, naturally, in the elden Zelda days, he was a bit of a stereotypical baddie that did a little cackle and tried to rule the world, but look beyond his minutes of corn.

Deep within, he's actually a pretty bad guy.
There's a reason why he is always the final boss, why he is always the hardest to beat.
Many of his visible actions, especially the ones not seen, were dark. He's known as the Demon King and that isn't too far off. He may hide behind a humanoid embodiment, but in almost every Zelda game he's in, he has a much greater, more powerful form that's destructive and near unbeatable.



Some would argue his darkest game would be Twilight Princess and while he may have shown his more demonic side there, I found Ocarina of Time to be the tipping point of his dark villainy.
He was brutal to everyone in that game and the way they portrayed him was rather smart.
He worked his way into power within the kingdom of Hyrule and when his chance came, he took it, and killed everyone who stood in his way, conquering the land and slaughtering the people he found to be of no use. People just don't think of this fact since everything was unseen (due to it being off-screen and Link being asleep for those 7 years of Ganon's reign). He tried to hunt down Princess Zelda and make an example of her, as he did the others. And he put in charge all his dangerous minions to oppress the people and yes, kill them, to keep order in his land. In many ways, this Ganondorf was a tyrant.
He even had his hand in what happened to Link's mother.




Ganondorf is a far greater villain than everyone gives him credit for.
He can be just as dark and menacing as any other.
Watching that one scene of him in Twilight Princess where he murders one of the Sages proves it.
I think as we get further into the Zelda series and get more mature atmospheres as we've been seeing, with much more scarier and creepier villains, we'll probably witness more of the dark side he clearly possesses.
But from what I've seen, Ganondorf certainly can hold a candle to his title, the "Demon King".


Mr. Benedict

Evil Scale: 7.0

Here's another one of those underrated villains that doesn't get nearly enough credit.
Because unfortunately he's in an underrated film.



Benedict was a spectacular character, his introduction brilliantly executed.
You think, at first, he's a regular henchman and he's one of those cool side-bad guys that'll probably overshadow the boring boss with their charm and witty personality...nope.
He pulled a Dimentio.
He secretly lusted for control and to be his own man, and every chance he got, he ridiculed his employer under his breath, showing a strong lack of respect or loyalty when he was supposedly his top henchman.
But he appears stuck. Perhaps written to be a character that hates where he is and wishes more for himself, but is not given the opportunity for an uprising.
Until bam...Danny Madigan shows up, with the ticket in his possession, that serves as a portal from his world to the movie's. After a scuffle with Jack and narrowly escaping, Benedict, looking through Danny's belongings that he stole, accidentally discovers that the seemingly average looking ticket turns out to be so much more. At long last. His opportunity for power has arrived.



Keeping it to himself, he holds on to the ticket and plays along with his boss for awhile longer.
Until their last plan goes awry and he's had enough.
Once back home..he puts his plan into motion.
His former master now dead, him at last his own man, he arrogantly says to the audience, "If God were a villain..he'd be me."
Then unexpectedly, Jack breaks in..and Benedict coolly takes an assault from his new rival, which mistakenly leads to the new main antagonist escaping their world, and into our's.



But here, it is nothing like what he expected.
He quickly notices the crime being worse and the lack of tight law being enforced.
Here is where he realizes, "The bad guys can win."



He's most definitely one of my favorite villains simply because of his gentleman-like mannerisms and sadistic nature that sets him apart into a unique category.

He's far more twisted than he lets on and has a highly intelligent and calculating mind that makes him dangerous. His decision to bring fellow villains outside of their own films is bloody brilliant and realistically, what would really happen. In my opinion, Benedict was fantastic. His arrival into our world, his exploration and the way he took everything in was natural and effortless.
While he may not be a mass murderer in his own right, he is just as evil and capable as the next villain.
As I said. He's unique and a refreshing change of pace.


Lord Shen

Evil Scale: 6.9

Yet another underrated villain.
Lord Shen may be a peacock, but that doesn't stop him from being as dangerous and ruthless as a human.
His background is intriguing...his parents denied him rule after he savagely committed genocide against the pandas-- seemingly involved in the death of Po's mother-- and was thus banished for his actions until his return several years later.

Compared to Tai Lung, Shen is even more evil and sinister. He's not just arrogant, he's cruel, murderous and cold towards others, slaughtering hundreds of a race, murdering one of the Kung Fu masters in cold blood, and then attempting to continue his terror by use of his new weapons.
Trying to end Kung Fu is only a fraction of his goals.




I love his stylish demeanor. Yes, he's evil and arrogant and all that, but there's something about him that just flairs. He's harsh, but he has sarcasm and a bit of humor that comes unexpectedly, but still, surprisingly, fits his character rather well. I was surprised how bad he actually was, especially the moment you actually SEE him murder one of his own men just because he refused to follow an order.
He had a lot of dark moments and his lack of remorse for all that he did, especially to Po, made him even more cold and merciless. For a peacock, that ain't half bad.

Check tomorrow for my next post!

God Bless,