Superheroes, Movie Adaptions, and More Books

Between the project fair and now a lot of nothing has happened. I really can't say that any reading of books has taken place, although I did read an issue of Entertainment Weekly that covered all of the must-see summer blockbusters of 2015. Apparently there's a lot, and I've already compiled a list that's most likely over my budget. Movie tickets are expensive, and even if you go to Wal-Mart to buy cheap candy you're still going to end up blowing at least 10 dollars on a bunch of candy that you only eat half of. Money aside, the experience of going to a movie is perfect for me: junk food, extremely limited social interaction, and some good entertainment (hopefully).

Last weekend I saw Avengers: Age of Ultron (twice), and it didn't disappoint. There was a lot of punching, kicking, shooting, exploding, monologuing, and laser-beaming (?). As a kid, I used to read Marvel comics all the time, and it's such a cool experience to see those characters transferred from the page of a comic-book to the big screen. Not only that, but comic-books aren't just for the nerdy kids anymore. In fact, Age of Ultron had the second largest domestic opening of all time, falling behind only to its predecessor Marvel's The Avengers. Of course, comic-books aren't the only things being adapted. Books of all different genres are being transformed from page to screen so that fans and new-comers can experience the story in a different way. 

There are a lot of things to like about a movie adaption of a print source like a novel or a comic-book. It's a new way to experience the same story. The characters and settings are fully realized on the screen in front of you, and the action and dialogue is in real-time. Many would criticize that movies are a lazier form of entertainment because they don't inspire as much creativity. In some sense I would agree because I think it's dangerous to let someone else tell you how a book should look or feel. When I was growing up I had the unique opportunity of reading the Harry Potter books while the movies were coming out at pretty much the same time. Before I had seen any of the movies, I had already completed the first two books: The Sorcerer's Stone and The Chamber of Secrets. I had very clear images of what the characters and locations looked like. But when I went to go see the movie I realized that I couldn't read the books without picturing Daniel Radcliffe as Harry Potter, or Emma Watson as Hermione Granger. In some ways, the movies had replaced their idea of the stories with mine. That is not to say that I don't love the movies because I really really do. Those movies and books were an integral part of my childhood, but I just wish that I would have had the time to create Hogwarts for myself, before I bought a ticket to explore someone else's interpretation. 

In case you are extremely put off my semi-coherent rambling please consider these two points I want to leave you with:

1. Enjoy both movies and books; one form of entertainment isn't superior to the other! All you have to know is that they're different, and that's a good thing.

2. If you haven't already, go see The Avengers! There's robots and fiery destruction so I really don't think there's any valid excuses not to go see it. 10/10 would recommend. 

OK enough about superheroes and blockbusters, I have some quick updates as always. I just finished Oryx and Crake by Margaret Atwood. I really have too much to say on that topic to fit it in to this blog post, so expect a review sometime in the next week or so. I'm now continuing on with a few books recommended to me by my mentor, a former teacher of mine! It's quite a diverse list, and I'm going to try to read all of them by the end of the school year, but with all that's happening in May I'm not optimistic. Here are the books:

1. Wonder by R. J. Palacio

A children's book that details the life of a 5th grader born with a facial difference who struggles to be accepted by those around him.
A link to the author's website: http://rjpalacio.com/index.html

2. The End of Your Life Book Club by Will Schwalbe

A book about the importance of reading. It can't get any more perfect than that.
A link to the author's website: http://www.theendofyourlifebookclub.com/

3. All the Light We Cannot See by Anthony Doerr

A historical-fiction novel that tells the story of a French girl and a German boy whose lives are intertwined, as Europe descends in to World War II.
A link to the author's website: http://www.anthonydoerr.com/

Well, that's it for now. See you around party people.