Thursday, August 22, 2013

The Mortal Instruments: City of Bones Movie Reaction

Hello!  I just got home from seeing the City of Bones Movie!  And I'm going to review it!



This movie stars Lily Collins as Clary Fray, Jamie Campbell Bower as Jace Wayland, Robert Sheehan as Simon Lewis, Kevin Zegers as Alec Lightwood, and Jemima West as Isabelle Lightwood.

Casting:
Lily Collins did an excellent job portraying Clary.  Her and Jamie had really good chemistry and she was just a very good Clary overall.
Jamie Campbell Bower looks exactly how I pictured Jace.  He's that perfect mix of being strong and vulnerable at the same time.  But he wasn't as witty and sarcastic as Jace was in the book, which is one of my favorite parts of Jace's character.  He was sarcastic, but his delivery was kind of weird.
Robert Sheehan did a surprisingly good job with Simon.  He was awkward and sweet and that perfect guy best friend.
Kevin Zegers did such a fantastic job as Alec.  I feel like Alec doesn't get enough love.  He is such an awesome character.  At least, I think so.  He was so amazing and he's just the perfect representation of Alec.
Jemima West was quite good as Isabelle.  I love her whip.  That was so awesome.  But she's shorter than Lily Collins which kinda bugged me.  And that dress in the beginning.  It was gorgeous.

And I would like to comment on Magnus.  He isn't Magnus.  That wasn't at all what I pictured him to be like. Just so you know.

Scenes:

They changed Hotel Dumort!  That angers me.  That's one of the best scenes in the book!  Sure, it was still epic and kick-butt, but Simon wasn't a rat!  And they didn't have the whole thing with Raul (I think that was his name).
The greenhouse scene.  Wow.  The set looked fantastic.  Clary and Jace go up this little spiral staircase thing to an itty bitty platform and they're looking out across the greenhouse and then the clock strikes midnight and all the flowers start blooming and it was so gorgeous.  And then Clary and Jace start edging closer together and I'm all pumped up, like this is it they're gonna kiss now.  But no.  Clary had to see this weird little lizard thing, and she's like, looks like we've got company, and Jace goes down the staircase.  Then Clary does this weird trip fall thing and Jace catches her and pushes her up against the railing and starts making out with her and I'm like, "No!"  This is supposed to be tender and gentle and sweet and uncertain.  This looks like they're trying to eat each others faces off!  Gak.
Then there's that scene with Jace and Clary at the portal.  And so in the movie the portal is made of water.  Jace is telling Clary about the portal and he's like, let me show you something.  He takes a ball of water and puts it next to her head then reaches into the portal and BAM! His hand comes out of the ball of water and starts stroking Clary's face.  Am I the only one who finds this incredibly creepy?
The ending has got to be the biggest thing they changed.  Am I wrong or did the whole ending take place in Valentine's house in the book?  I think I'm right.  I mean, that's not a big deal, just something I noticed.  Something that did anger me were Valentine's stupid braids!  Whoever thought those were a good idea is obviously blind.  It kinda bothered me that they added on stuff that didn't happen (or I don't remember happening) to the end.  It's not a super big deal, just something that made me go, 'Was that really the best decision? Really?'

This was a fantastic movie by itself.  But as someone who has read and is obsessed with the book,  its pretty good, but not great.  However, this book definitely caters towards people who have read the book.  I went to see it with someone who hadn't read the book and I had to explain a lot of stuff to her.  So, if you haven't read the book, prepare to be confused.  But I understood pretty much everything so, I would give it 3.5 out of 5 stars.

Sunday, August 4, 2013

August Wrap-Up

So, I'm going to try something new with this wrap-up.  I'm going to put the rating that I gave the book next to the books name so you can know what I thought of them easily.  Hope you like it! :D

Books I Read In August:

Mila 2.0- Debra Driza  ****
Along for the Ride- Sarah Dessen  ***      
The Scorch Trials- James Dashner  ***
The Death Cure- James Dashner  **
Fallen- Lauren Kate  ***
Torment- Lauren Kate  **
Passion- Lauren Kate  **
Rapture- Lauren Kate  **
Clockwork Angel- Cassandra Clare  *****
Clockwork Prince- Cassandra Clare  *****
Unearthly- Cynthia Hand  ***
Wither- Lauren DeStefano  **
Fever- Lauren DeStefano  **
Sever- Lauren DeStefano  **
The Luxe- Anna Godberson  **
The Testing- Joelle Charbonneau  ***
Unravel Me- Tahereh Mafi  ****
Uglies- Scott Westerfeld  ***
The Red Pyramid- Rick Riordan  ***
A Million Suns- Beth Revis  ***
Shades of Earth- Beth Revis  ***
ttyl- Lauren Myracle  **
Hallowed-Cynthia Hand  ***
Stolen- Lucy Christopher  **
What's Left Of Me- Kat Zhang  ***
Beauty Queens- Libba Bray  **
Sisters Red- Jackson Pearce  ***
The Darkest Minds- Alexandra Bracken  *****
City of Ashes- Cassandra Clare  *****
City of Bones- Cassandra Clare  *****
City of Fallen Angels- Cassandra Clare  *****
City of Lost Souls- Cassandra Clare  *****

Let me know what you think of the star rating.
Thanks for reading!
Love, Amber

July Wrap-Up

Books I Read In July:
Prodigy- Marie Lu*
The Program- Suzanne Young*
Gossip Girl- Cecily von Ziegesar
Kiki Strike:The Darkness Dwellers- Kirsten Miller
Before I Fall-Lauren Oliver*
Hush, Hush- Becca Fitzpatrick*
The Iron King- Julie Kagawa
Magyk- Angie Sage
Flyte- Angie Sage
Physik- Angie Sage
Queste- Angie Sage
Syren- Angie Sage
Darke- Angie Sage
Fyre- Angie Sage
Miss Peregrine's Home For Peculiar Children- Ransom Riggs
I Am Number Four- Pittacus Lore*
The Power Of Six- Pittacus Lore*
The Maze Runner- James Dashner
Anna and the French Kiss- Stephanie Perkins*
Lola and the Boy Next Door- Stephanie Perkins*
City of Bones- Cassandra Clare*
Eve and Adam- Michael Grant and Katherine Applegate
Peace, Love, and Baby Ducks- Lauren Myracle
Gone- Michael Grant
The Host- Stephenie Meyer*
Across the Universe- Beth Revis
The Iron Daughter- Julie Kagawa
The Fault in our Stars- John Green
The Selection- Kiera Cass*
The Elite- Kiera Cass*
Cinder- Marissa Meyer*
*A Must-Read

So, that is a list of every book I read in July! Thanks for reading!
Love, Amber