Everest - Film 2015
Everest was released on 25th September 2015. The film follows the story of Rob Hall and his creation Adventure Consultants. His group take a group of tourists up to the summit of Everest and back again. The film is based in 1996 when a tragedy hit Adventure Consultants.
The film was based on a true story; I won't ruin the story for anyone who does not know what happens in the end. As you can imagine though with this sort of film it is very emotional throughout.
The actors were the best bit of the entire film. Jason Clarke (Rob Hall) was spectacular in his role. He showed himself to be an excellent leader, a great friend to familiar faces and strangers alike. His supporting actors such as Martin Henderson (Andy 'Harold' Harris) and Emily Watson (Helen Wilton) were also on par with him. Keira Knightley was a little wasted in the film as she did not play a huge role but it made a change for her. The problem however with Jason Clarke being so good was when the story came to a close, how it obviously had to because it was a true story it didn't feel right. This is what I dislike about true story films, the actors put their own take or spin on the character but it still has to end a certain way. This makes it difficult sometimes because if the actor is very good you start thinking well why did this happen?
I can't really say too much about the story as it wasn't written for the film. They stuck to the facts of the events and made a film about it end of.
Another good thing about this film was they got the raw emotion especially between Rob (Jason Clarke) and his wife Jan (Keira Knightley). The film actually made me tear up in a few places.
To be honest I don't normally like this type of film, I don't tend to watch them. I did try and go into the film with an open mind and not dislike it straight off. Which I didn't but I also didn't like it towards the end.
The film is very emotional and the actors harnessed this very well. They obviously did their research into who these people were or are and pulled it off very well. My issue is the ending and how the actors got there. As I said before sometimes it just doesn't work and I didn't feel it did this time. If you are an adventure junky yourself this would be a good film to watch. Or if you like true story films. I am neither of those unfortunately, but I will give the film credit in how it was made.
6/10
It is not a film I will be watching again.
Saturday 26 September 2015
Friday 25 September 2015
Making Yourself Known
So... up until a few months ago I was the girl you saw sat in the back classroom with her head down doing her work. I didn't really talk to many people and when I did I found myself wishing I wasn't. I didn't go out and socialise. I was happy to sit in the house, watch TV or read a book.
I was pulled out of myself by two amazing girls at my job and they taught me that being people wasn't so bad. It could actually be fun... sometimes. I started to go out with them I even ventured into a club! When I know someone then I am a completely different person to when I meet a stranger. I am opinionated. I am loud. I am annoying beyond belief. But when I meet someone new, I worry about everything. I worry about how I look. I worry about offending them or insulting something they like or are into. I get nervous.
There was a time when on Saturday night I would be sat in front of my TV and missing out on all the drunken fun that alcohol brings. But not so much anymore. Since moving to Ireland I haven't had the chance to make new friends or go out and I find that I am truly missing it. I want to go out and see people. I want to be in a crowded pub listening to live music. And most of all I have the confidence to talk to people, online, in person or whatever way they will have me!
I did a previous post about talking to people online and the awesomeness that Reddit is but now I want to focus on building the confidence and maybe possibly doing some networking....
Reddit was a good thing for me to use as it allowed me to talk to people online, this meant I didn't have to worry about how I looked, what I was wearing or any of that crap. I could sit back and let the conversation flow. There has been a few people that I speak to everyday and you know what they make my day just a little bit. I mean don't get me wrong I still love my friends from England and as soon as I am back there they are among the first people I will be seeing but.... the people I have met online allow me to talk to them without worrying. I can read what I want to say before I send it... avoiding the awkwardness of offending someone as I have no filter. I don't have to worry about them annoying me because well I wouldn't still be talking to them would I?
So the point of this post was not for me to ramble on about me, the point of this post was to show you that even if you are a bit of an introvert there are ways around this, which I have learnt very recently will make it easier if you an aspiring writer, editor, actor even this applies to all!
Networking
Networking is something no introvert enjoys doing. The mere thought of networking when I was in school would have made me have a panic attack. Who wants to stand in a room with a load of strangers and talk about yourself? When you don't even like doing either of those things as a separate task! But I hate to say this - introverts shut your ears - it is something any writer, editor or anyone looking to make a career has to do.
Networking is not just going to events, networking is talking to people. Getting your name out there. Getting to know people in your chosen industry. (I took a super quick chocolate break to make myself feel better after all this talk of talking to people) Networking is possibly one of the best things I did for my blog, my writing, KAEditing and most of all my sanity.
Since setting up a Twitter account; a Facebook page and Reddit I have tripled the amount of readers (you guys are awesome by the way). I have clients for KAEditing. And the best bit I have made new friends. I'm closer to realising my dream and I want all of you to be as well. So please find below some tips for all us introverts on networking and getting your name known (even if you don't want it to be)
Socialise
I cannot express how important this has been in changing my life. Two friends decided that I wasn't allowed to sit in my bubble world anymore and I had to get my butt moving. I didn't want to go to the pub after work, or go to the club on a Saturday night but because I loved them I did and it was the best decision I have ever made. The first club I went to was Popworld in Southampton and although the music is a bit naff, it's cool in that cheesy music kinda way. It was a good first club to go to. When it is busy there is still room to move. And once I got there (after having a bottle or two) I was actually having fun. I threw my inhibitions out the window and started dancing and having fun. Right now you may be thinking I would throw up in one of those places. I was in your place this time last year. I was hiding and wishing I wasn't. You ever have that feeling where you REALLY don't want to go out, so you make up some excuse not to go... and then it's an hour into the party and you are really beginning to feel left out and wished you had gone? Yup thought so I call it self-denial, you make up an excuse because the concept is foreign to you which then just makes you miserable. The worst part? You know you'll know regret it but you do it anyway!
Socialising is not as bad as you think I promise! And it is a good way to start. Go get your best friends and let them loose with you, dress up, have a bottle and let yourself go. You never know you might find you liked it!
Social Media
As much as I don't want it to be true social media has been a Godsend to me and KAEditing. I was born in the 90's when we had dial up internet, tapes and the outside. Now what we have is Smartphones, charging stations in the middle of a field (I'll explain that later) and selfie sticks (this concept makes me feel physically sick). I hate social media and what it has done to the younger generation, no eleven year old should be on Facebook all day. They should be outside getting muddy and ruining their clothes!
BUT and I am struggling to type this: it has helped me. Using social media helps you to get your name out there from behind a computer screen. You don't have to go out and talk to people you can sit in the comfort of your own home and send a few Tweets, make a few posts or send a few emails and voila your name is at the fingertips of thousands of people.
Events
Once you've mastered the art of social media and socialising it's time for events!
Don't panic! Everything will be okay just breathe in through your nose and out through your mouth!
Events are a great way to meet a wide range of people and not really know what you're looking for. An event may be attended by the best and brightest people in your selected career industry. They are there to help you.
Research the best events in your area and go to as many as you can make. Get prepared to avoid awkward conversations at the event. Do your research. Have something ready to give out a CV, business card anything that will remind them of you. And most all DON'T PANIC! They are not as bad as your mind wants you to believe. If you are worried go to an event that isn't as professional maybe a lecture, something to ease you into it. That way you can get your feet wet before jumping in.
Be Confident
This may seem slightly silly to many people but you know what, I know what lack of confidence can do to someone and it is something that some people need help with. Being confident isn't always easy for someone. Some people struggle to get themselves to talk to strangers afraid of what they will say. Afraid of rejection even. But you can't be. I know it is such a cliche thing, but the worst they can do is say no, or not talk to you afterwards. Fear is literally your worst enemy.
The only thing that is holding you back is you. You are the one who decides not to go. You are the one who decides not to talk. Confidence is all in your head. You see the joker of the class and think how can he do that? How can he make a fool of himself? Well you know that wall you hit every time you try to talk to someone? Well that was put there by you; only you can take it down!
I really hope these few things will help, I know that it seems obvious but sometimes you need to see it to believe it.
If I can change.... so can you!
KAx
I was pulled out of myself by two amazing girls at my job and they taught me that being people wasn't so bad. It could actually be fun... sometimes. I started to go out with them I even ventured into a club! When I know someone then I am a completely different person to when I meet a stranger. I am opinionated. I am loud. I am annoying beyond belief. But when I meet someone new, I worry about everything. I worry about how I look. I worry about offending them or insulting something they like or are into. I get nervous.
There was a time when on Saturday night I would be sat in front of my TV and missing out on all the drunken fun that alcohol brings. But not so much anymore. Since moving to Ireland I haven't had the chance to make new friends or go out and I find that I am truly missing it. I want to go out and see people. I want to be in a crowded pub listening to live music. And most of all I have the confidence to talk to people, online, in person or whatever way they will have me!
I did a previous post about talking to people online and the awesomeness that Reddit is but now I want to focus on building the confidence and maybe possibly doing some networking....
Reddit was a good thing for me to use as it allowed me to talk to people online, this meant I didn't have to worry about how I looked, what I was wearing or any of that crap. I could sit back and let the conversation flow. There has been a few people that I speak to everyday and you know what they make my day just a little bit. I mean don't get me wrong I still love my friends from England and as soon as I am back there they are among the first people I will be seeing but.... the people I have met online allow me to talk to them without worrying. I can read what I want to say before I send it... avoiding the awkwardness of offending someone as I have no filter. I don't have to worry about them annoying me because well I wouldn't still be talking to them would I?
So the point of this post was not for me to ramble on about me, the point of this post was to show you that even if you are a bit of an introvert there are ways around this, which I have learnt very recently will make it easier if you an aspiring writer, editor, actor even this applies to all!
Networking
Networking is something no introvert enjoys doing. The mere thought of networking when I was in school would have made me have a panic attack. Who wants to stand in a room with a load of strangers and talk about yourself? When you don't even like doing either of those things as a separate task! But I hate to say this - introverts shut your ears - it is something any writer, editor or anyone looking to make a career has to do.
Networking is not just going to events, networking is talking to people. Getting your name out there. Getting to know people in your chosen industry. (I took a super quick chocolate break to make myself feel better after all this talk of talking to people) Networking is possibly one of the best things I did for my blog, my writing, KAEditing and most of all my sanity.
Since setting up a Twitter account; a Facebook page and Reddit I have tripled the amount of readers (you guys are awesome by the way). I have clients for KAEditing. And the best bit I have made new friends. I'm closer to realising my dream and I want all of you to be as well. So please find below some tips for all us introverts on networking and getting your name known (even if you don't want it to be)
Socialise
I cannot express how important this has been in changing my life. Two friends decided that I wasn't allowed to sit in my bubble world anymore and I had to get my butt moving. I didn't want to go to the pub after work, or go to the club on a Saturday night but because I loved them I did and it was the best decision I have ever made. The first club I went to was Popworld in Southampton and although the music is a bit naff, it's cool in that cheesy music kinda way. It was a good first club to go to. When it is busy there is still room to move. And once I got there (after having a bottle or two) I was actually having fun. I threw my inhibitions out the window and started dancing and having fun. Right now you may be thinking I would throw up in one of those places. I was in your place this time last year. I was hiding and wishing I wasn't. You ever have that feeling where you REALLY don't want to go out, so you make up some excuse not to go... and then it's an hour into the party and you are really beginning to feel left out and wished you had gone? Yup thought so I call it self-denial, you make up an excuse because the concept is foreign to you which then just makes you miserable. The worst part? You know you'll know regret it but you do it anyway!
Socialising is not as bad as you think I promise! And it is a good way to start. Go get your best friends and let them loose with you, dress up, have a bottle and let yourself go. You never know you might find you liked it!
Social Media
As much as I don't want it to be true social media has been a Godsend to me and KAEditing. I was born in the 90's when we had dial up internet, tapes and the outside. Now what we have is Smartphones, charging stations in the middle of a field (I'll explain that later) and selfie sticks (this concept makes me feel physically sick). I hate social media and what it has done to the younger generation, no eleven year old should be on Facebook all day. They should be outside getting muddy and ruining their clothes!
BUT and I am struggling to type this: it has helped me. Using social media helps you to get your name out there from behind a computer screen. You don't have to go out and talk to people you can sit in the comfort of your own home and send a few Tweets, make a few posts or send a few emails and voila your name is at the fingertips of thousands of people.
Events
Once you've mastered the art of social media and socialising it's time for events!
Don't panic! Everything will be okay just breathe in through your nose and out through your mouth!
Events are a great way to meet a wide range of people and not really know what you're looking for. An event may be attended by the best and brightest people in your selected career industry. They are there to help you.
Research the best events in your area and go to as many as you can make. Get prepared to avoid awkward conversations at the event. Do your research. Have something ready to give out a CV, business card anything that will remind them of you. And most all DON'T PANIC! They are not as bad as your mind wants you to believe. If you are worried go to an event that isn't as professional maybe a lecture, something to ease you into it. That way you can get your feet wet before jumping in.
Be Confident
This may seem slightly silly to many people but you know what, I know what lack of confidence can do to someone and it is something that some people need help with. Being confident isn't always easy for someone. Some people struggle to get themselves to talk to strangers afraid of what they will say. Afraid of rejection even. But you can't be. I know it is such a cliche thing, but the worst they can do is say no, or not talk to you afterwards. Fear is literally your worst enemy.
The only thing that is holding you back is you. You are the one who decides not to go. You are the one who decides not to talk. Confidence is all in your head. You see the joker of the class and think how can he do that? How can he make a fool of himself? Well you know that wall you hit every time you try to talk to someone? Well that was put there by you; only you can take it down!
I really hope these few things will help, I know that it seems obvious but sometimes you need to see it to believe it.
If I can change.... so can you!
KAx
Sunday 20 September 2015
Pulls The Heart Strings
The Green Mile - Film - 1999
The Green Mile is based on death row in 1930's. The film follows the head prison guard Paul Edgecomb (Tom Hanks) and his guards who, get affected when a new prison inmate John Coffey "like the drink but not spelt the same" (Michael Clarke Duncan) whom is scheduled for execution as he has been convicted of murdering two young girls.
The film starts off showing Paul in a nursing home going for walks to a cabin everyday. He is caught getting emotional over a film and Elaine Connelly (Eve Brent) finds him and he tells her his story. This film is based upon a short story by Stephen King.
As the story begins you really have no way of knowing where it is going. There are others inmates on death row and you see the trials the guards are put through with them before the final execution of John Coffey.
Tom Hanks gives an astounding performance, you can feel what he feels, think what he thinks. There was never any doubt in my mind throughout the film that I was watching a small part of Paul Edgecomb's life. The only person that maybe takes the gauntlet from Tom is Michael Clarke Duncan and how he manages to portray his giant of character as a small, terrified mouse. All of the support actors such as David Morse, Doug Hutchinson and Michael Jeter as just as good, they all portray their characters with real feeling. There are some extremely heartfelt moments and the actors pulled off these moments without a hitch.
The story of the film is, well there are just no words to describe it, something I would expect as it is based off a Stephen King story.
This movie managed to do something very few achieve, make me want to cry.
The film comes in at just over three hours so it is something you have to be invested however, not once during the film did I think this is dragging, or I looked at the time. I was hooked for the whole time which is another achievement after the likes of Avatar three hour films are not normally in repertoire.
There really is not much else to say about this film, it was moving in all the right ways and the cast was something that you don't find very often. For an old film it has aged well in terms of story and because there are no real special effects there is nothing to hinder the film in the modern age.
10/10 - I would be hard pushed to justify a lower score for this film... I will now go and read the story it was based upon
The Green Mile is based on death row in 1930's. The film follows the head prison guard Paul Edgecomb (Tom Hanks) and his guards who, get affected when a new prison inmate John Coffey "like the drink but not spelt the same" (Michael Clarke Duncan) whom is scheduled for execution as he has been convicted of murdering two young girls.
The film starts off showing Paul in a nursing home going for walks to a cabin everyday. He is caught getting emotional over a film and Elaine Connelly (Eve Brent) finds him and he tells her his story. This film is based upon a short story by Stephen King.
As the story begins you really have no way of knowing where it is going. There are others inmates on death row and you see the trials the guards are put through with them before the final execution of John Coffey.
Tom Hanks gives an astounding performance, you can feel what he feels, think what he thinks. There was never any doubt in my mind throughout the film that I was watching a small part of Paul Edgecomb's life. The only person that maybe takes the gauntlet from Tom is Michael Clarke Duncan and how he manages to portray his giant of character as a small, terrified mouse. All of the support actors such as David Morse, Doug Hutchinson and Michael Jeter as just as good, they all portray their characters with real feeling. There are some extremely heartfelt moments and the actors pulled off these moments without a hitch.
The story of the film is, well there are just no words to describe it, something I would expect as it is based off a Stephen King story.
This movie managed to do something very few achieve, make me want to cry.
The film comes in at just over three hours so it is something you have to be invested however, not once during the film did I think this is dragging, or I looked at the time. I was hooked for the whole time which is another achievement after the likes of Avatar three hour films are not normally in repertoire.
There really is not much else to say about this film, it was moving in all the right ways and the cast was something that you don't find very often. For an old film it has aged well in terms of story and because there are no real special effects there is nothing to hinder the film in the modern age.
10/10 - I would be hard pushed to justify a lower score for this film... I will now go and read the story it was based upon
Friday 18 September 2015
Master and Student Walk Side-by-Side Sharing Their Fate Until They Go Separate Ways
The Forbidden Kingdom - 2008
So after deliberation I decided to watch The Forbidden Kingdom last night. I thought it would be different not very often I watch something quite like this.
The film has both Jackie Chan and Jet Li so you can imagine the Martial Arts fight scenes that are included. The film is about an American teen (Michael Angarano) who is obsessed with kung fu and martial arts. He gets transported back to ancient China to reunite a staff with it's owner The Monkey King.
The scenery and visuals of the film are pretty amazing China looks very green! Considering it was made in 2008 and the amount of greenery I wouldn't expect it to be CGI either which makes it even more spectacular.
As ever Jackie Chan has his humour along with his awesome martial art moves. He is immortal with wine as his elixir but still manages to fight strangely.
I wasn't a huge fan of Michael Angarano I felt he was a little stiff in his role and needed to loosen up a little bit but overall the actors/fight scenes were pretty incredible.
To be honest there isn't much to be said about this film. It is, what it is. A martial arts film!
It was enjoyable to watch, I wouldn't watch it again though.
6/10
So after deliberation I decided to watch The Forbidden Kingdom last night. I thought it would be different not very often I watch something quite like this.
The film has both Jackie Chan and Jet Li so you can imagine the Martial Arts fight scenes that are included. The film is about an American teen (Michael Angarano) who is obsessed with kung fu and martial arts. He gets transported back to ancient China to reunite a staff with it's owner The Monkey King.
The scenery and visuals of the film are pretty amazing China looks very green! Considering it was made in 2008 and the amount of greenery I wouldn't expect it to be CGI either which makes it even more spectacular.
As ever Jackie Chan has his humour along with his awesome martial art moves. He is immortal with wine as his elixir but still manages to fight strangely.
I wasn't a huge fan of Michael Angarano I felt he was a little stiff in his role and needed to loosen up a little bit but overall the actors/fight scenes were pretty incredible.
To be honest there isn't much to be said about this film. It is, what it is. A martial arts film!
It was enjoyable to watch, I wouldn't watch it again though.
6/10
Not Just Another Zombie Movie
World War Z - Film - 2013
Now I normally despise zombie films. They don't make any sense, they are all the same and they are dull. I don't find zombies scary or creepy so I didn't go into World War Z expecting much. I was wrong!
I watched this film as suggested by my partner, we were looking for a film and he said this one was good. I was sceptical as it is a zombie film but thought what the Hell give it a go; I am so glad I did.
Brad Pitt is the kind of actor that is a little wishy washy, sometimes he is amazing others not so great. This time he was excellent. He was a strong lead in the film and carried the story well. The zombie breakout happened within the first half hour of the film which I thought was awesome, I mean when does that happen normally you get ages of just the introduction. I think this was done because the film itself was only 116 minutes so they couldn't afford to spend time waffling on about humans. The film sees Gerry Lane (Brad Pitt) an ex employee of the UN travel the world to find a cure for the zombie outbreak. You see how quickly the 'virus' spreads and what happens to people after they get infected. There were a few jumpy moments but it is not a scary film. The zombies are a little creepy and reminded me A LOT of The Last of Us and the clickers. The noises and movements they made were extremely similar to Clickers.
I wasn't a huge fan of the supporting actors such as Karin Lane (Mireille Enos) his wife, I just didn't feel like they added much to the story. They were there because they were his motivation that was the extent of their role however.
There isn't a lot you can change in terms of the story for a zombie film, the virus breaks out, several million people get infected, a cure is found. That is the general structure and this one did not deviate except the 'cure' was an interesting twist in the normal zombie genre. I will not ruin it for those who have not seen the film but it is not your everyday zombie cure and it is actually very clever which was refreshing.
It was probably the best zombie film I have ever seen (which I do admit is not saying much) but it was enjoyable. It is not one I would consider buying DVD but maybe one I would watch again if I with someone who hadn't seen it.
Definitely worth watching...even if you don't enjoy zombie films.
7/10
The Great Khan of Khans
Marco Polo - Netflix Original TV show
I have just finished watching the Netflix original show of Marco Polo. The show consists of 10 episodes and is based during the rule of Kublai Khan (the grandson of Genghis Khan)
The story is about when Marco Polo is left as tribute to the Khan by his father (a travelling merchant) Marco is taken in and throughout the show he is taught the culture, the lifestyle and how to fight like a Mongol. There are ups and downs for him in the care of the Khan and traditions that he must abide by he finds himself in jail a few times. But the Khan seems to have a soft spot for Marco as he describes scenes to the Khan in colourful language.
One thing I did notice throughout the show was Marco's accent was very weak sometimes and at others very strong. He is meant to be from Venice (and he is Italian) he should have a very strong Italian accent but this did not translate very well. Other than that I felt Lorenzo Richelmy's performance was very strong. He held his character well, he acted as a recluse when needed and strong when needed. Benedict Wong (Kublai Khan) was also an excellent character, he was a bit of a softy really but he also had a mean streak and this translated very well in the show. The supporting actors were just as good as the main characters such as Hundred Eyes (Tom Wu), Empress Chabi (Joan Chen) and Prince Jingim (Remy Hii) to name a few, there were no characters in the show that I thought were pointless to the story each had their own merit and reason.
The show similarly to Game of Thrones did not hold back on things like fighting or sex, it used these as part of the culture. For example, Kublai Khan had many lovers from the whore house and it showed this as Game of Thrones how the whores would act and wear. I like shows like this when they don't hold back and are true to their material.
Speaking of being true to the material, the costumes, design and landscape was excellent and reflected ancient China, admittedly I am not a scholar on this time period at all however, it looks as though they did their research about the Yuan Dynasty and Kublai's reign.
It is an interesting concept for Netflix to focus on, it seems they are definitely reaching out and becoming extremely versatile. The second season of Marco Polo looks to be set for December 2015. Will definitely be watching that when it comes out.
Even if you are not interested in the time period this show still appeals to you. The story is fully explained they are not expecting you to know anything about the time period. The characters and story are both strong and well versed. You are interested throughout the episodes there are no lulls in the story. Each episode lasts for approximately 58-60 minutes but they don't feel this long which I like.
9/10
It was definitely one of the best short TV shows I have seen in a long time and I will definitely be watching the second season.
I have just finished watching the Netflix original show of Marco Polo. The show consists of 10 episodes and is based during the rule of Kublai Khan (the grandson of Genghis Khan)
The story is about when Marco Polo is left as tribute to the Khan by his father (a travelling merchant) Marco is taken in and throughout the show he is taught the culture, the lifestyle and how to fight like a Mongol. There are ups and downs for him in the care of the Khan and traditions that he must abide by he finds himself in jail a few times. But the Khan seems to have a soft spot for Marco as he describes scenes to the Khan in colourful language.
One thing I did notice throughout the show was Marco's accent was very weak sometimes and at others very strong. He is meant to be from Venice (and he is Italian) he should have a very strong Italian accent but this did not translate very well. Other than that I felt Lorenzo Richelmy's performance was very strong. He held his character well, he acted as a recluse when needed and strong when needed. Benedict Wong (Kublai Khan) was also an excellent character, he was a bit of a softy really but he also had a mean streak and this translated very well in the show. The supporting actors were just as good as the main characters such as Hundred Eyes (Tom Wu), Empress Chabi (Joan Chen) and Prince Jingim (Remy Hii) to name a few, there were no characters in the show that I thought were pointless to the story each had their own merit and reason.
The show similarly to Game of Thrones did not hold back on things like fighting or sex, it used these as part of the culture. For example, Kublai Khan had many lovers from the whore house and it showed this as Game of Thrones how the whores would act and wear. I like shows like this when they don't hold back and are true to their material.
Speaking of being true to the material, the costumes, design and landscape was excellent and reflected ancient China, admittedly I am not a scholar on this time period at all however, it looks as though they did their research about the Yuan Dynasty and Kublai's reign.
It is an interesting concept for Netflix to focus on, it seems they are definitely reaching out and becoming extremely versatile. The second season of Marco Polo looks to be set for December 2015. Will definitely be watching that when it comes out.
Even if you are not interested in the time period this show still appeals to you. The story is fully explained they are not expecting you to know anything about the time period. The characters and story are both strong and well versed. You are interested throughout the episodes there are no lulls in the story. Each episode lasts for approximately 58-60 minutes but they don't feel this long which I like.
9/10
It was definitely one of the best short TV shows I have seen in a long time and I will definitely be watching the second season.
Tuesday 15 September 2015
New Friends
So, I have been unemployed and living in Ireland for just over a month now and as much as I love Sean I need more people to talk to!
After having a scour of the internet I found Reddit. Now obviously I had heard of Reddit before, I knew what it was but I had never looked properly at it... was I missing out!
Reddit is literally the home of the internet it's like the hub in a game everything you can possibly think of it on there. I now have a few chat buddies I'm talking to online and there is some really useful threads on there such as /r/writingprompts. This thread gives a topic and you write about sounds simple right? Well yes it is simple but it is really helpful when you are having a writers block. It is something you can do to clear your mind, forget about the novel you are writing and focus your energy on something small and new for a few minutes. For an accomplished writer it probably wouldn't take more than few minutes, but because you are thinking of something else even if it is only for a small amount of time it allows your brain to relax, your creative thoughts flow and your fingers to fly over the keyboard.
I will admit I am having a small amount of writer's block at the moment which is extremely unusual for me and what is helping is writing this blog post. I can relax and let my fingers take over.
There are many other things that people do to try and alleviate writer's block:
The creativity and ideas are in that wonderful writer's brain of yours you just have to let the juices flow! Share your thoughts on writer's block in the comments I know it is something every writer has had to deal with at least once.
After having a scour of the internet I found Reddit. Now obviously I had heard of Reddit before, I knew what it was but I had never looked properly at it... was I missing out!
Reddit is literally the home of the internet it's like the hub in a game everything you can possibly think of it on there. I now have a few chat buddies I'm talking to online and there is some really useful threads on there such as /r/writingprompts. This thread gives a topic and you write about sounds simple right? Well yes it is simple but it is really helpful when you are having a writers block. It is something you can do to clear your mind, forget about the novel you are writing and focus your energy on something small and new for a few minutes. For an accomplished writer it probably wouldn't take more than few minutes, but because you are thinking of something else even if it is only for a small amount of time it allows your brain to relax, your creative thoughts flow and your fingers to fly over the keyboard.
I will admit I am having a small amount of writer's block at the moment which is extremely unusual for me and what is helping is writing this blog post. I can relax and let my fingers take over.
There are many other things that people do to try and alleviate writer's block:
- Go for a walk
- Read another book
- Watch a TV program
- Walk around the house
- Brainstorming
The creativity and ideas are in that wonderful writer's brain of yours you just have to let the juices flow! Share your thoughts on writer's block in the comments I know it is something every writer has had to deal with at least once.
Monday 14 September 2015
Which Books Do You Read?
I couldn't sleep last night so I began re-reading a short book it's only 140 pages takes me just over an hour to finish. I always go back to this book when I can't sleep it's the perfect length and I always manage to sleep afterwards. So it got me thinking do you have a book that you turn to when you can't sleep or when you're feeling blue?
My can't sleep book is The Lawful Escort - Tina Folsom - it is a lovey dovey book where it has a happy ending and I think that's why I like it. It's a short love story that makes you feel good when you finish it.
My read when I'm sad books are The Mortal Instruments and Infernal Devices series - I love Cassandra Clare's world with the Demons and Shadowhunters. They are so well written that I can sit back and relax and enjoy the read.
Is there any book that you pick up when you're sad? Or even an author who are your favourite authors that make you feel happy, ones that take you into their world and keep you there.
My can't sleep book is The Lawful Escort - Tina Folsom - it is a lovey dovey book where it has a happy ending and I think that's why I like it. It's a short love story that makes you feel good when you finish it.
My read when I'm sad books are The Mortal Instruments and Infernal Devices series - I love Cassandra Clare's world with the Demons and Shadowhunters. They are so well written that I can sit back and relax and enjoy the read.
Is there any book that you pick up when you're sad? Or even an author who are your favourite authors that make you feel happy, ones that take you into their world and keep you there.
Sunday 13 September 2015
Appreciating the Greats
So today is Roald Dahl day and I think days like today are important. They allow us to appreciate the writers that inspired so many, that bring joy to kids and adults alike.
Roald Dahl was one of the few authors that I read as a kid (although isn't he who every kid reads?) my favourite was George's Marvellous Medicine. I loved that book it was funny, it had a great story and I just enjoyed reading it. I read a lot of his books but until you're older you don't get the real meaning behind his books as the same with many books, TV shows or films.
As today is Roald Dahl day I just wanted everyone to take a minute and think about which of his book you still remember today? Which one stuck in your brain from childhood?
George goes about looking for things to put into his medicine (something I actually did as a kid much to the disgust of my parents) and it has some ... effects. The reason why I loved this book so much was because of the curiosity of George, he wasn't a normal child by any stretch of the imagination and it is a lesser well known one of his books. When I have kids I hope they are as curious and adventurous as George, it makes for an interesting day eh?
Have a nice Sunday :)
Roald Dahl was one of the few authors that I read as a kid (although isn't he who every kid reads?) my favourite was George's Marvellous Medicine. I loved that book it was funny, it had a great story and I just enjoyed reading it. I read a lot of his books but until you're older you don't get the real meaning behind his books as the same with many books, TV shows or films.
As today is Roald Dahl day I just wanted everyone to take a minute and think about which of his book you still remember today? Which one stuck in your brain from childhood?
George goes about looking for things to put into his medicine (something I actually did as a kid much to the disgust of my parents) and it has some ... effects. The reason why I loved this book so much was because of the curiosity of George, he wasn't a normal child by any stretch of the imagination and it is a lesser well known one of his books. When I have kids I hope they are as curious and adventurous as George, it makes for an interesting day eh?
Have a nice Sunday :)
Saturday 12 September 2015
Spoof or Rom-Com?
They Came Together - Film - 2014
So it was strange, I finished the Netflix original series of Wet Hot American Summer yesterday and decided to watch a film. I chose They Came Together as I was in the mood for a rom-com it did say 'semi-spoof' in the description but it had Paul Rudd and Amy Poehler in it and I love them so I thought let's give it a go. Now after watching WHAS series I had already had a healthy dose of 'What the fuck is going on?" and this movie did not disappoint.
Not knowing this before I watched the film but it was actually written by Michael Showalter (Coop in WHAS & writer of WHAS) so it had the same craziness I had just watched 8 episodes of! It had some of the same cast in it as well such as the two leads, Michael Ian Black (McKinley in WHAS), Christopher Meloni (Jean/Jonas in WHAS) and several others. So, I didn't really get the rom but I got plenty of the com.
The film is Joel (Paul Rudd) and Molly (Amy Poehler) going through the story of how they met. They advise that could be a rom-com story and made into a film. It's a different take on a rom-com film with the two leads narrating their parts of the story. It holds onto all of those cheesy cliches that you always find in rom-com and either exaggerates them or twists them upside down. As ever the two leads are spectacular and they work extremely well together. The story runs through the ups and downs of their love lives and to be honest is more realistic (in some places) than many rom-coms.
It was a refreshing take on a rom-com and it was enjoyable for both me and my boyfriend. It was funny in all of the right places and it was extremely well made.
9/10
I would happily watch the film again; what I liked most was that both me and my boyfriend could enjoy it and watch it together which doesn't happen with many rom-coms.
So it was strange, I finished the Netflix original series of Wet Hot American Summer yesterday and decided to watch a film. I chose They Came Together as I was in the mood for a rom-com it did say 'semi-spoof' in the description but it had Paul Rudd and Amy Poehler in it and I love them so I thought let's give it a go. Now after watching WHAS series I had already had a healthy dose of 'What the fuck is going on?" and this movie did not disappoint.
Not knowing this before I watched the film but it was actually written by Michael Showalter (Coop in WHAS & writer of WHAS) so it had the same craziness I had just watched 8 episodes of! It had some of the same cast in it as well such as the two leads, Michael Ian Black (McKinley in WHAS), Christopher Meloni (Jean/Jonas in WHAS) and several others. So, I didn't really get the rom but I got plenty of the com.
The film is Joel (Paul Rudd) and Molly (Amy Poehler) going through the story of how they met. They advise that could be a rom-com story and made into a film. It's a different take on a rom-com film with the two leads narrating their parts of the story. It holds onto all of those cheesy cliches that you always find in rom-com and either exaggerates them or twists them upside down. As ever the two leads are spectacular and they work extremely well together. The story runs through the ups and downs of their love lives and to be honest is more realistic (in some places) than many rom-coms.
It was a refreshing take on a rom-com and it was enjoyable for both me and my boyfriend. It was funny in all of the right places and it was extremely well made.
9/10
I would happily watch the film again; what I liked most was that both me and my boyfriend could enjoy it and watch it together which doesn't happen with many rom-coms.
Me, Myself and I
So, someone who knows me read my blog and pointed out that if they had been a stranger they wouldn't know me from my posts. I looked back and realised I never introduced myself so firstly, welcome to my blog, I started it a while ago but as many people who start, it took a while to get into the rhythm but I have now and I think it's time to introduce myself.
My name is Kelly-Ann; when I was 16 and had to decide what I wanted to do at College I had no idea what I wanted to do as a career. Then I turned 18 finished college with subjects that I took because I enjoyed them at school but I still had no idea what I wanted to do in my life. I started working full time, moved out and that was the story of my life for about two years. After one year of studying Psychology I moved on from that idea and decided to turn my love of books into something real. It wasn't until I was 20 that I knew what I wanted to do. So, from this I just wanted to point out that not everyone knows what they want to do when they are meant to, you will figure it out (eventually)
I didn't always love books, the first book I read was when I was 12 and I was on the last holiday I went on with my parents (after that I was left with family), I was bored as my older brother no longer came with us so my mum gave me a 600 page book to read. I loved it! What she thought would keep me occupied for the two weeks only kept me occupied for a few days. It was fiction, Susan Lewis and from then on my love of books grew and grew. I started to read crime for a long time Karin Slaughter, Kathy Reichs, Patricia Cornwell. I was also a teenager so I read teenage fantasy as well like The Vampire Diaries, Mortal Instruments/Infernal Devices series and Vampire Academy. My boyfriend (who I'll come to in a minute) bought me a Kindle for our 3 year anniversary and since then my library has expanded. I read books by authors that I would not normally read because they are free or cheaper on the Kindle. I have the original Kindle Fire HD and I love it! I also have the Kindle App on my phone so I can read anywhere, anywhen I want! So that is my love of my books, if I'm reading I should not be disturbed! And this is what I have chosen as my profession. Why not do something I love for a living? This is what led me to KAEditing (all explained in a previous post) it is now my baby <3
So back to my boyfriend, Sean, he is actually the one who got me into anime, gaming, comics and superhero movies. Before him it seems my life was pretty dull and boring. We've been together since we were 15 (6 years together next month) and I couldn't ask for a better person to spend my life with. We moved out when we were 18 so he could go to university and we have now moved to Ireland (where he is from). We do everything together, watch films, play games and watch anime he is my life and with him I know that I will achieve what I want in my life. He has been into games and anime for a lot longer than we have been together and he has very kindly said that he will do an interview so you can hear his views on games as well. If I say I played a game two player such as One Piece he is my player 1 :)
Now I love anime I have watched a fair amount of anime to name a few of my favourites, Fairy Tail, One Piece and Blue Exorcist. We are currently making our way through Dragon Ball now very nostalgic haha. So anime will pop up on here every now and then probably not reviews but definitely as part of discussions. I love anime and what it represents and I know you do to!
Films and TV shows are also a passion of mine - to be honest most things entertainment are- and films especially will be on here in the form of reviews. I am not a film maker but I love watching films and I know when a film is bad. My favourite time is when the boyfriend and I are at home, it's raining outside, we have a nice hot meal (that he's cooked) in front of us and we have an amazing film on <3 perfect night <3
Games will also appear. Now I have only been a gamer for about 3-4 years it took Sean a few years to get me into it! But my first series of games was Uncharted, I played through the three games one after another and I loved them. I loved the adventure side of the games, I played the first one on easy but I did play 2 & 3 on normal. Sean helped me just a little but ever since these games I have played more and more and got better and better. We have a PlayStation 2, 3 & 4 and I love all of them. PlayStation 2 reminds me of times when I would play with my older brother. PlayStation 3 was when I really got into gaming this is the console that bought me Uncharted and my favourite games so far Kingdom Hearts series. I haven't played the ones on DS yet but I love the PlayStation version and I cannot wait for Kingdom Hearts 3! Then the PlayStation 4 came out and to be honest I personally have not been overwhelmed with the games as of yet purely because either they don't hold interest for me or I haven't played the series yet such as Batman and Assassin's Creed. I do love playing games however, reading is still my favourite past time and I think will always be. But stay tuned on here for reviews and other game news because it's not just me in the house that loves games and you might even get Sean talking ;)
So, there you have it a little introduction into me and my life. All I want from my life is to make people happy and for me happiness is when I am sat reading a good book or playing a game with my boyfriend. Reading and writing are my passions and I hope to improve and continue throughout my life; I hope that whatever you makes you happy you keep close to you and build upon. Please find all of my links below to Twitter/Facebook/PSN & even Instagram. :)
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/KAEditing
Twitter: @kaediting
PSN: TitaniaErza31
Instagram: Titania_Erza31
Email: kaediting31@gmail.com
I will admit that up until a few weeks I wasn't even on Twitter I have never been a big Social Media gal just as a warning I promise to be better!
Well that's all from me for now please feel free to contact me on any of the above platforms talking is another passion of mine! :)
Have a nice weekend! :)
KA xx
My name is Kelly-Ann; when I was 16 and had to decide what I wanted to do at College I had no idea what I wanted to do as a career. Then I turned 18 finished college with subjects that I took because I enjoyed them at school but I still had no idea what I wanted to do in my life. I started working full time, moved out and that was the story of my life for about two years. After one year of studying Psychology I moved on from that idea and decided to turn my love of books into something real. It wasn't until I was 20 that I knew what I wanted to do. So, from this I just wanted to point out that not everyone knows what they want to do when they are meant to, you will figure it out (eventually)
I didn't always love books, the first book I read was when I was 12 and I was on the last holiday I went on with my parents (after that I was left with family), I was bored as my older brother no longer came with us so my mum gave me a 600 page book to read. I loved it! What she thought would keep me occupied for the two weeks only kept me occupied for a few days. It was fiction, Susan Lewis and from then on my love of books grew and grew. I started to read crime for a long time Karin Slaughter, Kathy Reichs, Patricia Cornwell. I was also a teenager so I read teenage fantasy as well like The Vampire Diaries, Mortal Instruments/Infernal Devices series and Vampire Academy. My boyfriend (who I'll come to in a minute) bought me a Kindle for our 3 year anniversary and since then my library has expanded. I read books by authors that I would not normally read because they are free or cheaper on the Kindle. I have the original Kindle Fire HD and I love it! I also have the Kindle App on my phone so I can read anywhere, anywhen I want! So that is my love of my books, if I'm reading I should not be disturbed! And this is what I have chosen as my profession. Why not do something I love for a living? This is what led me to KAEditing (all explained in a previous post) it is now my baby <3
So back to my boyfriend, Sean, he is actually the one who got me into anime, gaming, comics and superhero movies. Before him it seems my life was pretty dull and boring. We've been together since we were 15 (6 years together next month) and I couldn't ask for a better person to spend my life with. We moved out when we were 18 so he could go to university and we have now moved to Ireland (where he is from). We do everything together, watch films, play games and watch anime he is my life and with him I know that I will achieve what I want in my life. He has been into games and anime for a lot longer than we have been together and he has very kindly said that he will do an interview so you can hear his views on games as well. If I say I played a game two player such as One Piece he is my player 1 :)
Now I love anime I have watched a fair amount of anime to name a few of my favourites, Fairy Tail, One Piece and Blue Exorcist. We are currently making our way through Dragon Ball now very nostalgic haha. So anime will pop up on here every now and then probably not reviews but definitely as part of discussions. I love anime and what it represents and I know you do to!
Films and TV shows are also a passion of mine - to be honest most things entertainment are- and films especially will be on here in the form of reviews. I am not a film maker but I love watching films and I know when a film is bad. My favourite time is when the boyfriend and I are at home, it's raining outside, we have a nice hot meal (that he's cooked) in front of us and we have an amazing film on <3 perfect night <3
Games will also appear. Now I have only been a gamer for about 3-4 years it took Sean a few years to get me into it! But my first series of games was Uncharted, I played through the three games one after another and I loved them. I loved the adventure side of the games, I played the first one on easy but I did play 2 & 3 on normal. Sean helped me just a little but ever since these games I have played more and more and got better and better. We have a PlayStation 2, 3 & 4 and I love all of them. PlayStation 2 reminds me of times when I would play with my older brother. PlayStation 3 was when I really got into gaming this is the console that bought me Uncharted and my favourite games so far Kingdom Hearts series. I haven't played the ones on DS yet but I love the PlayStation version and I cannot wait for Kingdom Hearts 3! Then the PlayStation 4 came out and to be honest I personally have not been overwhelmed with the games as of yet purely because either they don't hold interest for me or I haven't played the series yet such as Batman and Assassin's Creed. I do love playing games however, reading is still my favourite past time and I think will always be. But stay tuned on here for reviews and other game news because it's not just me in the house that loves games and you might even get Sean talking ;)
So, there you have it a little introduction into me and my life. All I want from my life is to make people happy and for me happiness is when I am sat reading a good book or playing a game with my boyfriend. Reading and writing are my passions and I hope to improve and continue throughout my life; I hope that whatever you makes you happy you keep close to you and build upon. Please find all of my links below to Twitter/Facebook/PSN & even Instagram. :)
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/KAEditing
Twitter: @kaediting
PSN: TitaniaErza31
Instagram: Titania_Erza31
Email: kaediting31@gmail.com
I will admit that up until a few weeks I wasn't even on Twitter I have never been a big Social Media gal just as a warning I promise to be better!
Well that's all from me for now please feel free to contact me on any of the above platforms talking is another passion of mine! :)
Have a nice weekend! :)
KA xx
Friday 11 September 2015
Daughter of Fortune
Daughter of Fortune - Isabel Allende
Me and a friend decided through our love of books and writing we would start our very own book club so to speak. I will be moving away soon and it is our way of keeping in contact. She took a list of 25 books every girl should read and bought me the first two as my leaving/birthday present. The first one is Daughter of Fortune, it is set in the 1800's and the first chapter is well all about the daughter Eliza, I thought I would struggle to get into this book but actually it is far better written than I imagined. I'm not normally into these kind of books but I am going in with an open mind. I have learnt a little about Eliza at the moment she was left on the doorstep of an English family in Cuba and no one can seem to decide how she was there. Every frowns upon Indian roots and that's about all I've established so far.
After finishing the second chapter it seems that Isabel Allendre likes introducing her characters. This one was all about an Englishman Jacob Todd who comes to Chille he spends his time with the Sommers (the family that took in Eliza) and he becomes fascinated by Rose Sommers. Although I am all for learning the background I have only just started the third chapter and it seems this is once again introducing characters.
So I have just finished part one and I feel as though I have only just finished being introduced to the characters. If I'm totally honest not 100% sure where this book is going and I feel there is going to be some surprises in store for me. As this book is based in the 1800's I am reading all about the lives of people pushing the boundaries for this time period, a woman who doesn't want to marry. Stolen love that is forbidden. Virginity being given which is not something that was done at this time. There are a few sexual encounters however Allende keeps them extremely tasteful and mysterious. After finishing the first part I am now enthralled in the book. It is written beautifully and I can appreciate a good book when I read it. I am now in 1848-1849 and looking forward to reading where this story takes Eliza and her lover.
Me and a friend decided through our love of books and writing we would start our very own book club so to speak. I will be moving away soon and it is our way of keeping in contact. She took a list of 25 books every girl should read and bought me the first two as my leaving/birthday present. The first one is Daughter of Fortune, it is set in the 1800's and the first chapter is well all about the daughter Eliza, I thought I would struggle to get into this book but actually it is far better written than I imagined. I'm not normally into these kind of books but I am going in with an open mind. I have learnt a little about Eliza at the moment she was left on the doorstep of an English family in Cuba and no one can seem to decide how she was there. Every frowns upon Indian roots and that's about all I've established so far.
After finishing the second chapter it seems that Isabel Allendre likes introducing her characters. This one was all about an Englishman Jacob Todd who comes to Chille he spends his time with the Sommers (the family that took in Eliza) and he becomes fascinated by Rose Sommers. Although I am all for learning the background I have only just started the third chapter and it seems this is once again introducing characters.
So I have just finished part one and I feel as though I have only just finished being introduced to the characters. If I'm totally honest not 100% sure where this book is going and I feel there is going to be some surprises in store for me. As this book is based in the 1800's I am reading all about the lives of people pushing the boundaries for this time period, a woman who doesn't want to marry. Stolen love that is forbidden. Virginity being given which is not something that was done at this time. There are a few sexual encounters however Allende keeps them extremely tasteful and mysterious. After finishing the first part I am now enthralled in the book. It is written beautifully and I can appreciate a good book when I read it. I am now in 1848-1849 and looking forward to reading where this story takes Eliza and her lover.
The next few chapters seem to based around Tai Chi'en and how he meets and helps Eliza get to her destination of California to follow her lover after he gets the Gold Fever, she has a miscarriage on the voyage and Tai has to care for her with the help of a whore who was also on the boat.
So I have now finished the book and I was not that impressed by the ending. Eliza spends her journey staying in a brothel helping out waiting for her lover to appear.... However he doesn't show and Tai shows instead. There is a bandit Jacques Murieta which Eliza thinks is her lover... The ending is underwhelming Murieta is hung and Tai and Eliza seem to have a connection and it ends.
The book is a good read I suppose but it is not one that I would read again.
5/10
5/10
What do you do when inspiration strikes?
I had a thought when I was trying to fall asleep last night, I had an idea for a new book (not that I've finished the one I am working on yet) and suddenly all I can think about is my new book idea I even had the prologue forming in my mind. So then I started what do you do when you get a new book idea? It's not a good idea to work on more than one book at a time, quantity is definitely not priority over quality when it comes to writing. Some writers only ever write one or two books in their career. If you start to try and write more than one book your stories may get mixed together, you may get your characters confused and you will find it hard to focus your time. I mean if you've got two going which one do you focus on? So what do you do when you have an idea for a book while you're currently in the throes of writing another one?
Well for me my ideas come to me before I go to sleep which is a pain but it's how I came up with my editing name kaediting, it's how I came up with the story line for the novel I am currently writing and it's how I figured out that the man in my life will forever be in my life. What do I do with these ideas well I am a bed person so once I'm in bed I don't like getting out (especially when morning comes) so as bad as it is, I do have my phone near me almost every night (easy access for morning reading) so I may jot some ideas on the notepad on my phone. Ideas don't usually come to me during the day so I don't have the need for a notepad and pen however, this is how I would deal with my ideas during the day.
I am interested to see what other people find the best way to note down their ideas? How do you manage all of the thoughts in your head? Do you have experiences you would like to share?
Well for me my ideas come to me before I go to sleep which is a pain but it's how I came up with my editing name kaediting, it's how I came up with the story line for the novel I am currently writing and it's how I figured out that the man in my life will forever be in my life. What do I do with these ideas well I am a bed person so once I'm in bed I don't like getting out (especially when morning comes) so as bad as it is, I do have my phone near me almost every night (easy access for morning reading) so I may jot some ideas on the notepad on my phone. Ideas don't usually come to me during the day so I don't have the need for a notepad and pen however, this is how I would deal with my ideas during the day.
I am interested to see what other people find the best way to note down their ideas? How do you manage all of the thoughts in your head? Do you have experiences you would like to share?
Tuesday 8 September 2015
Once Upon A Time...
Fairytales... they are read to children when they are young, films are made from them and they teach people lessons that they may not hear otherwise but what is it about fairy tales that make them so attractive to children and adults alike?
Disney have made many films based upon fairy tales such as Cinderella, Snow White and Robin Hood but the original stories are far darker than everyone knows from the Disney version. Walt Disney has tamed fairy tales to be all about princesses and princes, kingdoms and castles, magic and wonder. The question is why are these things so appealing to us?
We read the stories to our children because they teach value, to little girls they make them believe they can be a princess. For boys they inspire courage to be a hero. But there is always villains in the stories what happens with them? Do we as children and adults remember the villains in the stories how they came to be? Why they do what they do? Rarely do you see a child dressed up as Ursula or The Evil Queen. They dress up as prince and princesses, their favourite character from the stories... the heroes.
Are these good lessons for our children? Should they taught about the magic of fairy tale?
While I was growing up I had the full collection of the Disney films on VCR (yes I am that old!) I rewatched them over and over again. I had a big encyclopedia all on fairy tales, the stories and their characters but it wasn't until I was older did I realise that really the villains are the most important part.
There is always good and evil in the world unfortunately, that is how the world is and fairy tales are actually a good teacher of this. Every story follows the same logic you have the hero, the crisis, the villain and as always the happy ending. This is the basis of every fairy tale (as we know it) but is this how they were intended when the Grimm brothers or Hans Christian Anderson penned these timeless stories?
Our children run around in their prince/princess costumes make believing that they are in the Enchanted Forest slaying those dragons but what about the villains. What are they doing in our children's minds?
Why you ask do I think that villains are the most important part? Well that's because they represent the doubt, the hurdles that we have to go over in life, the small part of the world that is evil for everyone. True Love? Well yes that does exist but no-one has a perfect relationship where there are no arguments, no doubts in the mind or problems they have to overcome. That right there is the villains in reality.
Every part of your life will have a villain of some nature, they may only be small specks in the grand scheme of your life but they are still there and they are important. To overcome a villain in the stories the heroes must use their courage, their intellect and their wits this is why they are important. Without the villain Prince Charming would have never given into his love for Snow White. Without Ursula, Ariel would have never been able to see her Prince for the first time. Without the evil stepmother Cinderella would have never learnt to be kind and good to every living creature. The villains are there to provide a challenge, to see how far you are willing to go for what you want.
For example, in a relationship, a villain may be the small doubt in the back of your mind do I want to spend the rest of my life with this person? You overcome that by thinking do I want to live the rest of my live WITHOUT this person?
The villains teach us each and every day that if you want something you have to fight for it, you have to use the gifts you have to overcome the obstacles. Some are greater than others but these can always be overcome if you truly want them to.
Now enough about villains what about why are we so interested in these stories? Easy answer because they make us feel good. Why do you think MOST (not all) movies and books have a happy endings, the writers don't want their audience to be sad the point of writing or creating something is to make people happy. So you ask why weren't the fairy tales originally written that way then? Why have we changed it? Well all the thoughts we have now are based upon the fact that we grew up thinking that Hercules was a hero of Greece and he sang and danced his way through life. If Disney or any other franchise that has used Fairy Tales stuck to what they were originally maybe we would all be thinking differently right now. That is to say not all of them are bad when they were written Snow White for instance the Grimm Brothers gave her a happy ending when they wrote her story.
So what was the point in this post? Fairy Tales are classic stories which have been told since they were written, there has been many adaptations of some of the more popular ones such as Cinderella so what makes them this popular and how can you write something that is seen as a classic?
When writing you are writing for yourself, what makes you happy, what would make you keep reading the book. When writing always think to yourself would I read this? You can't expect someone to read something if you wouldn't read it yourself. The reason I mentioned fairy tales was because they have a very good structure that is useful for any story.
You have a main character
You have their problem (be it a person, a situation)
You have their solution
You have their ending
These are very basic ideas for a book but if you think about stories you will always find these elements. Before writing you need your base to build upon for example:
Questions to ask yourself
Your main character:
Disney have made many films based upon fairy tales such as Cinderella, Snow White and Robin Hood but the original stories are far darker than everyone knows from the Disney version. Walt Disney has tamed fairy tales to be all about princesses and princes, kingdoms and castles, magic and wonder. The question is why are these things so appealing to us?
We read the stories to our children because they teach value, to little girls they make them believe they can be a princess. For boys they inspire courage to be a hero. But there is always villains in the stories what happens with them? Do we as children and adults remember the villains in the stories how they came to be? Why they do what they do? Rarely do you see a child dressed up as Ursula or The Evil Queen. They dress up as prince and princesses, their favourite character from the stories... the heroes.
Are these good lessons for our children? Should they taught about the magic of fairy tale?
While I was growing up I had the full collection of the Disney films on VCR (yes I am that old!) I rewatched them over and over again. I had a big encyclopedia all on fairy tales, the stories and their characters but it wasn't until I was older did I realise that really the villains are the most important part.
There is always good and evil in the world unfortunately, that is how the world is and fairy tales are actually a good teacher of this. Every story follows the same logic you have the hero, the crisis, the villain and as always the happy ending. This is the basis of every fairy tale (as we know it) but is this how they were intended when the Grimm brothers or Hans Christian Anderson penned these timeless stories?
Our children run around in their prince/princess costumes make believing that they are in the Enchanted Forest slaying those dragons but what about the villains. What are they doing in our children's minds?
Why you ask do I think that villains are the most important part? Well that's because they represent the doubt, the hurdles that we have to go over in life, the small part of the world that is evil for everyone. True Love? Well yes that does exist but no-one has a perfect relationship where there are no arguments, no doubts in the mind or problems they have to overcome. That right there is the villains in reality.
Every part of your life will have a villain of some nature, they may only be small specks in the grand scheme of your life but they are still there and they are important. To overcome a villain in the stories the heroes must use their courage, their intellect and their wits this is why they are important. Without the villain Prince Charming would have never given into his love for Snow White. Without Ursula, Ariel would have never been able to see her Prince for the first time. Without the evil stepmother Cinderella would have never learnt to be kind and good to every living creature. The villains are there to provide a challenge, to see how far you are willing to go for what you want.
For example, in a relationship, a villain may be the small doubt in the back of your mind do I want to spend the rest of my life with this person? You overcome that by thinking do I want to live the rest of my live WITHOUT this person?
The villains teach us each and every day that if you want something you have to fight for it, you have to use the gifts you have to overcome the obstacles. Some are greater than others but these can always be overcome if you truly want them to.
Now enough about villains what about why are we so interested in these stories? Easy answer because they make us feel good. Why do you think MOST (not all) movies and books have a happy endings, the writers don't want their audience to be sad the point of writing or creating something is to make people happy. So you ask why weren't the fairy tales originally written that way then? Why have we changed it? Well all the thoughts we have now are based upon the fact that we grew up thinking that Hercules was a hero of Greece and he sang and danced his way through life. If Disney or any other franchise that has used Fairy Tales stuck to what they were originally maybe we would all be thinking differently right now. That is to say not all of them are bad when they were written Snow White for instance the Grimm Brothers gave her a happy ending when they wrote her story.
So what was the point in this post? Fairy Tales are classic stories which have been told since they were written, there has been many adaptations of some of the more popular ones such as Cinderella so what makes them this popular and how can you write something that is seen as a classic?
When writing you are writing for yourself, what makes you happy, what would make you keep reading the book. When writing always think to yourself would I read this? You can't expect someone to read something if you wouldn't read it yourself. The reason I mentioned fairy tales was because they have a very good structure that is useful for any story.
You have a main character
You have their problem (be it a person, a situation)
You have their solution
You have their ending
These are very basic ideas for a book but if you think about stories you will always find these elements. Before writing you need your base to build upon for example:
Questions to ask yourself
Your main character:
- Would they be more suited male or female?
- What do they look like?
- What do they like doing as a hobby would this be shown in the story?
- What's their past and background? & How has this background affected them?
- Do they need a love interest? (is this something that would fit into your story or not)
- If yes, what kind of love interest? (you may not want it to be the focus of the book so make sure they are a secondary character)
- What kind of person are they? Are they good or bad?
- What other relationships do they have? Do they have a family? Do they have friends?
These are just a few questions to ask yourself and if it helps maybe pick a character that you already know and do this on them, it may help you to structure your ideas.
I hope you enjoyed reading please feel free to comment with anything further you would like to add.
Friday 4 September 2015
Gomu Gomu No ... Awesome
One Piece: Pirate Warriors 3 - Playstation 4
Now let me start off with the fact that I LOVE One Piece. Oda has created a world enriched with loveable characters, amazing powers for everyone and the kind of place everyone wants to be a pirate. I haven't played the second one but I did play some of the first, I didn't really like the first one due to some gameplay annoyances such as the camera. This was the main reason for not playing the second one despite it having an original story (something I will rectify). However, I have now played the third one and let me tell you from the first to this one HUGE, MASSIVE, GIGANTIC differences and they are well amazing!
I played the game as two player but this does not take away from the story or the gameplay.
The game is based upon the Anime/Manga and has stuck fairly closely to the original story bar a few changes which have been made for the benefit of the game. It goes all the way through from the beginning of Luffy's journey to Dressrosa (roughly at the stage where the Anime and Manga are at now) A lot more stages have been included in this one such as Thriller Bark which were not in the first one which puts points on for me. (Although Thriller Bark was my least favourite level)
The maps are incredible, they are huge and allow for thousands of enemies to be on the screen at one time. Which amazingly does not cause any frame rate drop. The game awards you for the amount of enemies you kill as well as the combos in either the Kizuna Rush or the people you and your partner take out together. Kizuna Rush is another added feature which just makes this game, it is so easy to use, you can pick up to five partners and do a special combo attack, each enemy you take down using this also provides you with Beli's allowing you to upgrade your characters quickly.
The coin system which has been in all three games has been refined and it now much easier to use but you still have to use some strategy when assigning the coins to each character.
This game as with the others has massive replayability with the dream log, in which you can unlock all the other characters such as Ace, Moria and Shanks to name a few. You also get rare coins by playing as certain characters on certain levels which you earn the special coin for to give them their second special for instance. This gives you motivation to replay the story levels as well as the extra levels they added through the dream log.
The whole game I played as two player and it was incredible, at no point were there lapses, there was no issue with both of us playing, there was enough enemies that we could achieve an S grade on the levels. With the wide range of characters to choose from I could easily continue playing this game for weeks without getting bored. Each character has been equipped with different moves and specials that make you want to play each and every one of them.
I love One Piece as an anime so the story also appeals to me and I will never tire of going through Luffy and his crew's journey.
10/10
The only thing I could fault the game for was some slight camera annoyances however, it is not worth deducting a whole point for. For the price of the game it is well worth it.
I have continued to play this game and I have now discovered once completing the Dream Log there is a further Nightmare Log (WTF!!!) it's a bit insane, all level 75-100 so we are going through collecting the break coins so we can level up the characters before attempting that one!
Now let me start off with the fact that I LOVE One Piece. Oda has created a world enriched with loveable characters, amazing powers for everyone and the kind of place everyone wants to be a pirate. I haven't played the second one but I did play some of the first, I didn't really like the first one due to some gameplay annoyances such as the camera. This was the main reason for not playing the second one despite it having an original story (something I will rectify). However, I have now played the third one and let me tell you from the first to this one HUGE, MASSIVE, GIGANTIC differences and they are well amazing!
I played the game as two player but this does not take away from the story or the gameplay.
The game is based upon the Anime/Manga and has stuck fairly closely to the original story bar a few changes which have been made for the benefit of the game. It goes all the way through from the beginning of Luffy's journey to Dressrosa (roughly at the stage where the Anime and Manga are at now) A lot more stages have been included in this one such as Thriller Bark which were not in the first one which puts points on for me. (Although Thriller Bark was my least favourite level)
The maps are incredible, they are huge and allow for thousands of enemies to be on the screen at one time. Which amazingly does not cause any frame rate drop. The game awards you for the amount of enemies you kill as well as the combos in either the Kizuna Rush or the people you and your partner take out together. Kizuna Rush is another added feature which just makes this game, it is so easy to use, you can pick up to five partners and do a special combo attack, each enemy you take down using this also provides you with Beli's allowing you to upgrade your characters quickly.
The coin system which has been in all three games has been refined and it now much easier to use but you still have to use some strategy when assigning the coins to each character.
This game as with the others has massive replayability with the dream log, in which you can unlock all the other characters such as Ace, Moria and Shanks to name a few. You also get rare coins by playing as certain characters on certain levels which you earn the special coin for to give them their second special for instance. This gives you motivation to replay the story levels as well as the extra levels they added through the dream log.
The whole game I played as two player and it was incredible, at no point were there lapses, there was no issue with both of us playing, there was enough enemies that we could achieve an S grade on the levels. With the wide range of characters to choose from I could easily continue playing this game for weeks without getting bored. Each character has been equipped with different moves and specials that make you want to play each and every one of them.
I love One Piece as an anime so the story also appeals to me and I will never tire of going through Luffy and his crew's journey.
10/10
The only thing I could fault the game for was some slight camera annoyances however, it is not worth deducting a whole point for. For the price of the game it is well worth it.
I have continued to play this game and I have now discovered once completing the Dream Log there is a further Nightmare Log (WTF!!!) it's a bit insane, all level 75-100 so we are going through collecting the break coins so we can level up the characters before attempting that one!
Tuesday 1 September 2015
Knick Knack
Knack - PlayStation 4
So I know Knack came out at the beginning of the generation however, I have been unwilling to play due to the bad reviews it got. I had the opportunity to borrow the game for free so I thought what the hell it can't hurt right?
I played the game in co-op I was the second player. The story is well a bit mismatched if I'm honest something about goblins and ancient relics? It didn't thrill me enough to keep me interested we did finish the game based on... Well we don't like leaving things unfinished.
Knack as a character was excellent, the voice actor was good despite little Knack not talking. He could be amusing in places and he had spirit. The second player (me) was his imaginary friend. I was not acknowledged I disappeared for cut scenes, the camera just followed knack and I didn't talk or well do anything except die and kill a few people. The human characters were okay bar the fact that they had no emotion a friend dies or they find a lost love and their reaction is mediocre to say the least. The only human who shows any emotion is Lucas the kid.
The concept is actually really fun and interesting. Knack is made up of relics and he can get bigger and smaller and gain different pieces for example ice pieces. Where this is all cool, looks amazing it could've been better. When you are a different Knack such as ice knack you don't get any special powers the only thing your pieces are useful for are opening doors! After 13 chapters of collecting relics to lose them to a door it gets pretty tedious.
Speaking of tedious combat. The combat consist of square. That's it. Especially for the second player. Knack has some special moves but they aren't that special just take out a lot of guys. The worst part is that the two players can hit each other, so we were going for the same guys as you do because you want to get there first and show off and we just ended up hitting each other which stuns you allowing your enemy a hit (which in hard mode is a one hit kill most of the time) so you can imagine that got frustrating and petty very quickly. The final boss battle being the second player sucks, you can't do anything. Nothing. Zilch. Nada.
There are a few loose ends in the story a few characters who seemed to have just disappeared. This could lead onto a second game which I kinda hope it does. I'm glad I've played the game it was... Enjoyable (using that term loosely) I liked the character and concept just the execution could have been a bit more smooth. If you like these games such as Crash Bandicoot or Jak you'll like this game. If they're not really your thing I don't suggest playing it. Oh also if you are competitive don't be the second player you will end up wanting to kill each other. If they do make a second game a few tweaks need to be made and the game could be amazing.
5/10
It was average and mediocre but I would play Knack 2 if it was ever made.
It was average and mediocre but I would play Knack 2 if it was ever made.
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