Genre Exploration: My Top 10 Fantasy Films

What? Something that isn't book related?! 

I know, I'm a little devastated myself. However, I have decided to start a sort of "Genre Exploration" series where I discuss my favorite films, books, and other fun stuff having to do with that genre. Today, we are starting with my all time favorite genre: Fantasy.

(Note: All of these are "live-action" (some puppets may be involved, but there are no animated films, those will be in a whole different list) 

10. Willow

This is a Fantasy film that I don't hear about very often, but it is definitely a must-see for any fan of Fantasy. Warwick Davis has been in many Fantasy films, but I believe this is his best. It's heartwarming and remarkable, and I think that it's one of the best under-known Fantasy films.

9. Labyrinth

Jim Henson films are amazing as is. Now add David Bowie, musical numbers, and an awesome universe that I think all of us Fantasy buffs would love to visit. When I first watched this film I felt very similar to Sarah's character (without the shininess and angst). She envelops herself in her own fantasy universe, just as I remember doing (even acting out scenes in my backyard). This film is wonderful and fun. I might even remind many of us how we were as young fantasy lovers.

8. The Neverending Story

I couldn't really have a Fantasy films list without this movie, it was so important to me as a child and truly shaped my love for fantasy. This film is heartbreaking at times, yet beautiful. I absolutely adore Falkor and the Night Hob (let's also not forget the adorable racing snail). This film has all the best parts of Fantasy, as well as a very good depiction of escapism in literature. One of my favorite films of all time. (The book is very good as well).

7. The Dark Crystal

Another fantastic Jim Henson film that has such cool creatures and an amazing world. It's a very cool hero story and the puppetry is quite remarkable (though of course, I couldn't expect any less from Jim Henson). This is just a truly beautiful film and I think everyone should watch it, even if you might think you don't like Fantasy.

6. The Princess Bride

I don't think I need to explain this one. Watch it, read the book, fall in love.

5. Merlin

This is the greatest film about Merlin, that's all I have to say.

4. The Lord of the Rings (yes, all three of them)

I may be disappointed with what Peter Jackson is doing with The Hobbit, but he did so many things right with The Lord of the Rings trilogy that I just can't hate him. I wonderful adaptation of my favorite book series of all time.

3. Practical Magic

A film about amazing, well portrayed women with magic, humor, and a few songs by Stevie Nicks?! Fucking sign me up, this film is perfection. A great film to watch around Halloween, or really any other time. It's a huge comfort movie of mine and no film will ever make me feel as magical as this one.

2. Stardust

This film completely changed my definition of the word "fantastic," and now it almost feels that nothing can compare. This is a beautiful film that portrays love, life, and adventure so well. The characters grow and change, and there are so many connections, as well as simplistic, yet thorough, world building. It is a mesmerizing film that has some funny moments, yet is also intense and heartwarming. (Side note: watching this film with my fiance is one of my happiest memories)

1. The 10th Kingdom

Technically this is a mini-series and not a movie, however I still consider it to be one, it just happens to be a 7 hour long film! The 10th Kingdom is so much a part of my being that it is not only my favorite fantasy film, but my favorite film of all time. I first watched it when I was around8 or 9, and I fell in love with everything; the characters, the setting, the music, the magic of it all. This film became a friend to me, whenever I needed comfort I would pop in the VHS tape and go on an adventure through the 9 kingdoms with Virginia, Tony, Wolf and Prince Wendell. Now, I might love this film so greatly because is is so embedded in my youth, but I think that anyone  who adores Fantasy and Fairy Tales would love it just as greatly as I do. Trust me, it's worth the 7 hours of your life.

Book Review: Graceling by Kristin Cashore

Katsa has been able to kill a man with her bare hands since she was eight - she's a Graceling, one of the rare people in her land born with an extreme skill. As niece of the king, she should be able to live a life of privilege, but Graced as she is with killing, she is forced to work as the king's thug.

When she first meets Prince Po, Graced with combat skills, Katsa has no hint of how her life is about to change.

She never expects to become Po's friend.

She never expects to learn a new truth about her own Grace - or about a terrible secret that lies hidden far away...

I expected so much out of Graceling, it was incredibly hyped up and had been noted as a fantastic YA Fantasy novel. 

I was thoroughly disappointed. 

In my opinion the strongest feature to a Fantasy novel (especially if it is the first in a series) is the world building, it is the foundation of the novel and without it, everything will crumble. Sadly, Graceling had very little world building, and the little that there was happened to be very jumbled, convoluted, and thrown in the reader's face at an alarming rate. Such a terrible way to start off the book.

I had hoped that since the world was lacking, that the characters would be strong and well developed. However, Katsa, our main character, was incredibly two-dimensional and so very unlikable. She didn't seem to develop at all throughout the novel, she was stubborn, rash, and so annoyingly immature. Her love interest, Po, is a little more likable and a tad more developed, but this isn't saying much. They're relationship has quite a few elements of "insta-love" and turns into a weird sexual relationship for reasons that honestly do not meld well with the time period. I am in no way bashing non-committal relationships or open relationships, however, in this fantasy universe it simply would not make sense for them to do the things they do and not get married (especially when Katsa's reasoning is so pathetic). 

The plot was barely existent, it would have made more sense to provide some information earlier in the novel to make it a little more intense, but so much of the beginning of the novel was just flat, ugh. The ending was no better, who ends a book like that?! There was barely anything to it.

1 star

Book Review: The Final Empire by Brandon Sanderson

This was my first Brandon Sanderson novel, and holy cow! it most certainly will not be my last.

The Final Empire is an empire where ash falls constantly, the sun is blood red, the majority of the population is enslaved, and the whole world lives under the tyranny of an immortal man that they deem their God, the Lord Ruler.

This book was freaking phenomenal, one of the best fantasy books I've read in a while!
Let's talk about the characters, specifically our two main ones; Kelsier and Vin...

Kelsier is one of the best developed characters I have seen in a while, he is not the all out hero, he is flawed and vengeful, but he is good and kind. Although he didn't develop too much during the course of the novel, finding out about his back story and what lead him to the events of this book was extraordinary. He felt so human and real, and his relationship with all of the main cast of characters was usually very entertaining to read, he was a true antihero and I love that about him.

Vin is amazing as well, the way she changes in this novel felt very similar to the character development of Daenerys Targaryen in the ASOIAF series by George R. R. Martin. At the beginning she has been abused and beaten down, but she becomes so powerful and, for lack of a better term, such a badass.

As far as plot goes it felt fast paced and exciting (and certainly didn't read like a 600 page book), the magic was new and well thought out and everything flowed splendidly.

My only complaint is that there weren't enough female characters, I love a strong main female character, but Vin was really the only notable female, which is sad. I hope that more females will be introduced in the next few books, because the series is feeling a little testosterone driven right now, which I'm not a fan of.

5/5 stars!

Birthday Mini Book Haul!

February Wrap-Up!

Series Review: Shatter Me Series by Taherah Mafi

It still is a little difficult for me to find words to describe this series and how beautiful it is. Let's start off with the writing style, which is a huge key point to the magnificence that is the Shatter Me series. The writing is poetic and is filled with breathtaking metaphors that makes you sit back for a second, just to process this one line that single-handedly blew your mind. This writing style is so important when in comes to understanding the characters and their psychology, the main case being Juliette, our main character. The most apparent expression of this is through the "crossed out" style, where a line will be written, crossed out, and then rewritten, showing how Juliette really feels. This is also a remarkable representation of Juliette's development, which leads me to my next topic. The character development in this series in extraordinary and inspiring. Juliette has had a horrible upbringing and had learned to shut so much of herself away, and her journey of learning to accept herself was so much more than I could have hoped for.

The relationships, for the most part, drive this series (which I am not complaining about). I adore the way that Mafi handled the comparison between infatuation and love, and representing the idea to do what is best for yourself, even if someone who you care about (or cared about) disagrees, which i think is so important for young women to understand. Juliette is strong all on her own, she doesn't need Adam or Warner to protect her, and I wish that I had read a series like this when I was younger and a bit more impressionable (rather than say, Twilight, which isn't exactly empowering to women). But I digress, my point is that I love the relationships, but I also love that Juliette is strong without having to be in one.

I do have one complaint though, I would have loved a bit more world building, and for the ending to have been a little longer. I want to see the entire Reestablishment be brought down, not just one sector. I am happy with the ending of the series, but I want more, so so much more (this might just be caused by the fact that I don't want to series to be over).

Definitely a new favorite series, and one of the best YA series I've read in a while. I whole-heartedly recommend :)

Book Review: The Book of Lost Things by John Connolly

5/5 stars. The Book of Lost Things had everything that I needed in a novel. Although it is not a direct fairytale retelling, it does pull many elements from quite a few Grimm tales, which are woven together so beautifully that the story feels so incredibly familiar, yet brand new all at the same time. It felt so much like reading a new fairytale, and Connolly made sure to keep the darker aspects that are so prevalent in the Grimm tales. This novel took a concept that I had always imagined to be epic (becoming apart of the tales that you read) and made it so much darker and twisted. I, for one, would not want to journey into this universe, where the Grimm fairytales have taken a shape of their own. I loved how John Connolly developed the main character, David, who held so much grief and anger, and is able to look past those things, move on, and learn to accept the world he lives in. This is a truly incredible novel and I look forward to reading more of John Connolly's work.