Top 5: Best posts of 2011

I did this last year before the new year so I thought I'd do it again! Here are my most viewed/commented/or just my personal favorite posts of 2011. (Yes it says top 5, but I decided on 6 because I had a tie, haha.)

6. Movie/Book Review: The Lovely Bones

I was late to the party with this beautiful book, but it still hit me pretty hard. This is my review of a book that changed my perspective on many things while also bringing me a new favorite author to follow.


5. The Hunger Games Casting Reactions

In 2010 I speculated on who I thought would be great in the movies. In 2011 they actually cast for the film so I posted my reactions. Discussion ensued.

4. Movie Response: Harry Potter and the 
Deathly Hallows Part 2

After the ending of the Harry Potter movie series, I had a lot of feelings. I poured them all into this enormous post that's much longer than any true movie review should be. Not ashamed.

3. When To Get Worried: Is my TV show on its way out?

I had some epiphanies while watching a few of my shows change -in a bad way- this year. In this post, I catalogued all of the things I think lead to the untimely death of a show and signs to look out for if you're wondering about one of your shows.

2. Character Break-Down: A Defense of Snape

Before the last Harry Potter movie came out, there were a lot of mixed feelings about Snape as a character. Was he a selfless man or a bitter bully? I have always felt Snape was fantastic, so I laid out all my HP books  and started this Snape Defense essay. It's one of my most reblogged posts on Tumblr and one of my most viewed and discussed posts of last year on this blog. Whichever side you land on, this may be an interesting read.

1. Dallas Mavericks: World Champions

One of the high-lights of my year was absolutely the Dallas Mavericks winning the NBA championship. I was at he Mavs watching party at the AAC in Dallas when they clenched that title, and then I met the boys on the tarmac at Love Field the next morning to congratulate them. This post is all about that experience and what it meant to me for those boys to finally win.


Also, one thing happened this year that has changed my life very much. I lost my cousin, Chad, and I was blessed enough to be asked to speak at his funeral. Speaking in front of all those people terrified me because I was afraid I wouldn't be able to keep it together, but the fact is that it was very easy to talk about Chad because he is such a beautiful, amazing, and hilarious person. All that to say that I posted my Eulogy for Chad Linley here on this blog, and I wanted to leave 2011 giving you guys another chance to read about him.

Happy New Year! Reign in 2012 with class.

The Hunger Games Casting Reactions

In August of 2010 I wrote a blog that held my suggestions for The Hunger Games movies that were being cast. It's been my most popular entry to date with over 12,000 hits! This is not because I am such a savvy and popular blogger (though THAT would be cool), but really it's because of the huge success and popularity of this amazing book series. People are STARVING for more of it and are so enthralled with what's to come with the movie, they will even look at my silly ramblings about it. (Thank you!)


When I heard that they had cast Jennifer Lawrence as Katniss, at first I was a little confused, but then I settled into the idea and was glad. The fact that they went with someone like Jenn, someone who is not very well known but is obviously very talented (with one Oscar nomination under her belt already), shows they are taking this movie seriously. They want someone they know can act Katniss, not just look like her. I kept telling my friends who were skeptical that "talent rather than physicality" is what really counts. You can change her look to fit. You cannot make someone a better actress. This was a great casting decision, in my opinion!


Now the news just broke that they have cast the two main male roles for this film, and I am trying to follow my own statement of "talent before physicality," but it's hard for me to do so! Josh Hutcherson will play Peeta. He was good in The Kids Are All Right - however- HE DOESN'T LOOK LIKE PEETA to me! I am sorry, I really am. I want to be on board, and I can't wait for this kid to prove me wrong... but HE IS TOO SHORT! One thing you can't change about appearance is making someone taller... and he isn't tall enough to fit my mental image (or the description in the book). Also, to play romantically across from Jenn? With her height and figure, the actor opposite has to be a MAN. Josh just... isn't. Next to her... it will not look good. He's not right physically. Like my friend, Matt said, Josh's audition tape must have been EPIC. I hope it truly was and I hope that whatever he brings to the screen blows us away. I am trying to be open minded, but ... it's hard! (I feel so shallow saying all of these things, but... it's true!)

Liam Hemsworth will play Gale. This makes me nervous, not because of the way he looks (I am sure Gale could have looked that way, maybe) but more because all I know about him is he was in the Hannah Montana movie. Also. He is so much bigger and stronger-looking than Josh Hutcherson. I just... but... I can hardly explain why this matters, but... Peeta isn't supposed to be smaller than Gale. Less trained in the way of fighting and hunting? Yes. But he's not supposed to look physically inferior to Gale. I just... I am trying to be gracious, but I ... I don't know how this will work out. I can barley picture it! And when I do... it's not good. People who haven't read the books are going to want Katniss with Gale just because they look more fitting together, physically. I just... I am having a hard time with this!!!

I am still keeping and open mind, because I know that in the past, watching movie adaptations of books I love, things I didn't think would work turned out ok. So I know this will be ok. But right now I am having a hard time with it! Maybe when the shooting actually starts and we see pictures from the set, how they will look in costume, etc. it will be easier to accept. We shall see!

Leave your thoughts in the comments, please. I'd love to hear your thoughts!

Top 5: Posts of 2010

It's New Year's Eve, and in honor of this awesome ending to the year, here is a list of my top 5 most popular posts of this year, according to Blogger-in-dash stats. I also took the liberty to average in # of comments with number of page views since interaction is more fun. Hah! If you missed any of these, here's your chance to catch up! Hope you enjoy. See you next year! Click the titles to go to the entries.

5. Movie Review: Inception

With nearly 700 hits and a pretty hefty discussion started in the comments section, this one surprised me with how many of you were interested. And needless to say, I was glad, because it's a fantastic movie! I always love to hear what you guys have to say.

4. Dexter Season 5 Finale Discussion

Nothing on TV makes me more excited than watching what the heck will happen next on Dexter. Truly, this season was one of the most stressful yet wonderful experiences I've had while watching a show. And I finally got to watch this one in real time! Needless to say I ready to write a big frikkin' post about my thoughts on this one, and you guys were just as ready to add in your thoughts as well!

3. Discuss It: Dumbledore vs Gandalf

This wizard show down has been discussed many times before, but I was glad to bring it to my blog. With the most comments of any of my entries to date (32), this post was a blast for me to sit back and watch evolve. You guys did most of the work! Hah!

2. It's a TIE!
-HP World Entry Part 2: The Rides!
and
-Movie Review: Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 1

With both posts just over 1,200 views, I had to put both entries here at #2. Apparently a lot of my readers are Harry Potter fans. Love it! My trip to The Wizarding World of Harry Potter was one of the best trips of my life, and I was so glad I could share it with whoever wanted to read about it. Also, the beginning of the end which is the newest HP movie, was a big deal for any Hp fan. I think you who viewed these entries totally understand!

1. Hollywood Suggestions: My Hunger Games Cast Suggestions

I have been continuously floored by the way this entry has taken on a life of it's own. At nearly 5,100 views, it's clear to me that this is a hot topic! Each time Id' go back to see the stats on new entries, this one was always at the top. I am excited to see what The Hunger Games movies will look like, and apparently so are a lot of you guys. Hah!

Book Review: Mockingjay

I just finished Mockingjay within the last hour and the way I have reacted to this book is surprising to me. I spent the next 15 minutes after closing the book dabbing my eyes and trying to keep from crying, but throughout the series, I never felt that I would ever be invested enough to react that way. It was a pleasant, yet heart wrenching surprise. As for my spoiler-free review, all that needs to be said is that this is an amazing ending to this series.

SPOILERS BELOW:

For the longest time I couldn't figure out exactly where this book was going. I knew for the most part that Katniss was going to lead a rebellion... I wasn't sure how... and that eventually she was going to kill Snow... again, I didn't know how. So while reading this book I didn't know what to expect. Is Collins going to do the whole Team Gale, Team Peeta thing? Is that even going to really matter in the end? There are no games, and so therefore no skeletal structure for the story to follow... I just didn't know what to think or where we were going.

In fact, for a while, I wondered how Collins was going to pull this whole CONCLUSION thing together in the amount of pages that were left. The more that happened, the more confused I was about how this could end. And how she could do it well. After reading thousand-page series for the past 7 years, I couldn't imagine how an entire rebellion and governmental overthrow could happen in just under 400 pages. And the real battle didn't even begin until the last 120.

What I never expected EVER was what happened within the last 60 pages. I kept wanting a real showdown between Katniss and Snow. I kept picturing her creeping into his Mansion and shooting him in his own bedroom after having an intense conversation with revelations and some kind of delicious vengeful last statement. But instead, 8 members of the team die, including one of my favorites, Finnick, before they even get close. TOTALLY shocked. And just as Katniss gets so close to arriving at the scene I had imagined and looked forward to the entire series, Snow's house and his impending death, she realizes her sister, Prim is there on the front lines... and then... she and Prim get bombed. And Prim DIES. WHAT THE BLOODY HELL IS WRONG WITH THIS PICTURE?

How about this: 
-The entire reason Katniss entered the games in the first place was to SAVE Prim.
-The opportunity for Katniss to grab those berries and spark the fire that starts the revolution was created because she took her sister's place in the games ... however, the thing she created when trying to save her sister, the revolution, is the very same thing that KILLED her sister!

I know it all sounds redundant and circular and obvious but that irony is SO AWFUL to me!That REALLY got me.

That moment was SO unexpected and heart breaking. I didn't believe it until pages later when Snow actually said it to Katniss. But then on top of this... it was Gale's bombs (his brainchild) that did it. Ruined relationship, right there. There is not going back after that. And even then, when we find out all of those things (that Prim has died, and Gale was distantly responsible because the rebels were killing children), Coin proposes to start up a new series of Hunger Games in the new world order. It was sickening and horrifying! I felt the same terror that Katniss felt that NOTHING has changed and nothing ever could.

With 20 pages left, I could not understand HOW Collins was going to wrap this thing up. Just within the last few page turns things had gotten astronomically more complicated than any other part of the story. But everything seemed to get much simpler when Katniss assassinated the new president instead of executing Snow. She never kills him! He just chokes on his own laughter and dies from his disgusting disease! But I was glad because Coin was just as corrupt and calculating (and heartless apparently) as Snow.

At this point, I didn't even care about the whole 'Oh will they, won't they, who's she gonna choose?' thing because so much trauma and confusion had happened. It didn't seem that that issue even mattered anymore. How could this poor tortured girl ever live a normal life again? And HOW is Collins EVER going to be able to end this story and make me NOT feel as though I want to jump off my balcony?!

Arguably the most beautiful writing is within the last 10 pages, when Katniss is secluding herself in her old house at District 12 and doesn't see anyone but Greasy Sae for weeks upon weeks. Then one night, Buttercup, Prim's old cat, find his way back and their mutual hatred for each other melts away. In that moment, Katniss finally admits out loud that her sister is dead and that she isn't coming back. And because of this, Katniss finally begins the process of healing ad calls her mother and starts moving throughout the house and on in life. The sweetest part is that night her and Buttercup sleep in the same bed and snuggle up and comfort each other. SO SWEET but definitely made me cry my eyes out. That was the boiling point. It was sad, but then that cat came back and started crying and Katniss lost it I was DONE.

Could anything be sweeter than this scene? Somehow Collins achieves an image even more touching on the last page where she describes why Katniss ended up with Peeta. It wasn't dramatic confusion or an eventful struggle of a choice. It was just the natural way of things. He balances her out and it only took the logic of one nicely written paragraph to explain. Then, in the epilogue they have babies because Peeta wanted them so badly, something Katniss never thought she would be able to do without the fear of the Games looming over her family. In this image, we see that everything she set out to achieve in the rebellion has been reached! So beautiful!

A good book leaves you feeling affected and I have a sufficient heart ache that will probably last me a good week. I think it's safe to say that this book is good. REALLY good. Way to go Collins! You did so many things I never imagined could be done!

Hollywood Suggestions: My Hunger Games Cast

EDIT: Now the movie has been cast! Here is the post of my reactions of the ACTUAL casting decisions. 

In honor of Mockingjay, the third book in the trilogy of The Hunger Games, being released today I've decided to finally post my casting suggestions for the live action movie they are planning on making. I've really enjoyed this book series so far, and I know the last in the series will not let me down. I can hardly wait to start reading and see what else is going to happen to our dear Katniss... and who she might end up with, Gale or Peeta... or... if they will all even survive! Ah! It's all so intense! Regardless of the fact that it is the first week of school and, seriously, sitting up in this chair and typing this blog up is super challenging as I am too tired to truly do it without taking a break ... often.... I WILL be reading this book by next week. And I WILL be getting a book review up shortly after! So get ready Suzanne Collins fans! It's time for us to all chat and discuss and get excited, and kicks off right now!

KATNISS EVERDEEN

The hardest thing for me to do is figure out a decent actress to capture our main lady, Katniss. To me it has to be someone who can be fierce and will make us believe that she is a killer... but also a 16 year old girl who feels vulnerable, real, emotions. She's certain when hunting, but she's completely lost when it comes to dealing with feelings. She has to capture so much to do Katniss justice that it's hard to say 'Yes! That girl is perfect for it!' Which is why I chose a few that I thought could perhaps touch on parts of Katniss. Thankfully, I don't have to cast the real movie, and I can just smoosh them all together in my mind to create what I think Katniss might be like.

First we have Emma Roberts. I think she has the right features to look like Katniss, however she doesn't seem tough enough. She seems too sweet. She'd have to really try hard to sell the fierceness of Katniss.

Which brings me to Camilla Bell. I've found on a lot of blogs that people like her for Katniss, however, to me she has always seemed very exotic. That, to me, doesn't really fit Katniss, but I know that Camilla could convey that strength of Katniss. 

This is an image I found on Deviant Art of  Kaya Scodelario, an actress I had never heard of before. But when I saw this image I was really excited because she looks very similar to how I pictured Katniss. Not sure how she would do as an actress because I am not familiar with her, but she looks like her to me. With that being said, I think the way to go will be to cast a nobody.

GALE

For Gale I wanted to pick someone that I thought was good looking, but nothing that would overshadow Peeta. He has to be someone the audience would be able to connect with and like, maybe even root for, but then be able to allow affection for Peeta to grow.

This is Aaron Johnson. He's British. And you may have seen him in Kick Ass. He's CUTE, and maybe a bit too sweet-faced, but I think with less curls and more shag, he could do a nice Gale.

PEETA


Peeta has to be very beautiful. He also doesn't have to have that edge that Gale and Katniss have because he is not a hunter. He isn't used to having to scrape by because of hunger, so a sweet-faced isn't a negative in this situation.

This is Alex Pettyfer. When rummaging through Google images of young blonde actors, I ran across his beautiful mug. I like his look the best. He may seem a bit too old, but I think it could still work. He's definitely pretty enough to be Peeta.

HAYMITCH

Ok, there will be people who will tell me that I am biased and am just looking for a way to sneak this next one in, but really I am not! I think that the actor who plays Haymitch has to be rough around the edges, annoying and disgruntled, but still someone with charm that the audience can connect with and love even though he's drunk most of the time.

That's why we should just scruff up RDJ, hand him a bottle, and set him on his way. There is no doubt in my mind that he could play Haymitch well and do him justice. And maybe even add to his character and make him even more likable... I mean, I know at least for me it would be a plus plus!

CINNA

This character is really important. His relationship with Katniss is SO unique, so it's important that the movie does Cinna correctly. I felt like Cinna needs to have a kind, knowing face. He needs to be attractive, someone who is well groomed, someone we can believe is a part of fashion, but he has to have the attitude of an artist.

This is Hugh Dancy. You may know him from Confessions of a Shopoholic. Sadly, I have not seen him in many other things, but I feel like he would do a good portrayal of Cinna. He definitely looks the part, for me.

FINNICK

This one was one of my favorite to cast. I know he doesn't come around until Catching Fire, but the entire time I read the sequel I couldn't get enough of Finnick's cocky attitude. He's one of my favorites. Finnick needs to be played by someone with a sly grin and palpable charisma.

Taylor Kitsch! You may recognize him for Friday Night Lights, the TV show... but the reason I feel he could do that character of Finnick well (besides this perfect shirtless picture of him and the fact that he seems to be near water, just like Finnick always was) is his delicious performance as the infatuating Gambit in X-Men: Wolverine.

PRIM or RUE

As Prim, this one may not be as hard to fill since she seems to have a small part in the story, but because her role is so important, it would be a good idea to cast someone who can be the face of Katniss' motivation. Someone sweet and innocent. Someone the audience wants Katniss to fight for. Same could be said, however, about Rue. Which is why I decided either of these characters could be played by...

This is Elle Fanning. CUTE little thing. And absolutely could tug at the heartstrings of the audience in either situation, be it Rue's or Prim's.

As for a few of the rest of the characters, such as Effie, President Snow, or Katniss' mother, for some reason I just could not think of many people that fit those roles. But if YOU have picked your casting choices or have suggestions for these that I've already named, let me know! I want to hear your thoughts in the comments!

Book Review: Hunger Games and Catching Fire

I just finished the second book in the Hunger Games series. I've really enjoyed the series so far, and I am excited for the third to come out in August. Suzanne Collins is a pretty great writer and she has introduced me to a few characters that I really love, especially our main lady, Katniss. She's strong, powerful, and doesn't need a man to save her. She can save herself. It's a breath of fresh air from the Mary-Sue phase young girl readers have entered into since Twilight has gotten so huge. However, Katniss is a very human character, too. She's still very young and so doesn't know how to deal with some of her emotions, or sometimes she doesn't truly understand all of her emotions, even. She's killer, in more ways than one. This nice little rendering is a fanart that I found after reading both novels, and I think it looks very much like I pictured Katniss. FIERCE!


First, I'll address the first book, The Hunger Games. I went into this novel not knowing what to expect. It's different from the stuff I'm used to reading because futuristic plot-lines usually leave me feeling unsatisfied and so I usually am not interested in them to begin with. However, this book was written in such a way that it didn't seem too far-out there to me. The author wrote in and explained the back story through Katniss' narration as a matter of fact instead of through a prologue or some other way, so I was introduced into this story in a very organic way. It didn't feel like it was a world or time far, far away, but something that was happening around me as I read. Also, Katniss as a character is tough as nails, but somehow vulnerable enough, that the reader can still connect with her. I thought it was a very interesting challenge for the author to write a character who was so strong and tough without alienating the audience and finding a way to make her relatable and have the reader connect. I think she did a great job. I cared about Katniss and about what happened to her, and I couldn't wait to see what was going to happen in the next part.


Next I read Catching Fire. I didn't know what to expect from this book. The Hunger Games is set up to where you know for sure the entire plot, climax, and resolution are going to have to do with the games and rules within it. But life after the games were a complete mystery to me. I went into this book with a lot of expectations because I was told how good it was, and it mostly lived up to what I was told. It was very well written and still very engaging and interesting like the first one, however, it didn't live up to my expectations until it got close to the end of the book. With that being said, I still really enjoyed watching Katniss in her emotional growth and self-discovery. I thought a lot of the events that lead up to the ending, where we are poised on the edge of a full-fledged rebellion, went very smoothly. For a while I was wondering how Collins was going to bring us from the berries at the end of the last book to a rebellion at the end of this one with just this one girl. Yet she was able to do it, despite my doubts, in a reasonable and believable way. I think that most books that are the bridge between two parts of the story are usually an audience's least favorite, over all, just because it is only a chunk of the story, but this one still does well on its own. Again, I can't wait for the next part of the story.

So we've just got to wait for the last part in the story. How will they get Peeta back? How will the rebellion overthrow the Capitol? What will we find when we arrive in District 13? Collins has a long journey to take us on to the end of Mockingjay, but I know she'll do a great job with it!