I am so excited to be able to host a giveaway of the Blu-ray of the film version of THE JUNGLE BOOK!
I always loved the animated movie version and the cast for this new live-action version (including Ben Kingsley, Lupita Nyong'o, Christopher Walken, Idris Elba, and Bill Murray) is such a great ensemble so I'm really looking forward to this!
Read the details and then enter to win below . . .
The Legend Comes to Life
Disney’s Groundbreaking, Live-Action Adventure
arrives on Digital HD August 23 and on Blu-ray™ August 30
And venture deep into the jungle with in-depth bonus features
BURBANK, Calif., July 7 2016 — Audiences were mesmerized by Disney’s live-action epic adventure “The Jungle Book,” which has earned more than $935 million at the global box office to date. Critically acclaimed, Jon Favreau’s stunning live-action reimagining of Walt Disney’s animated classic, will be available early on Digital HD and Disney Movies Anywhere on August 23, and on Blu-ray Combo Pack, DVD and On-Demand on August 30.
Venture behind the scenes with in-depth bonus features that reveal the innovative filmmaking technology used to create the richly immersive jungle world and characters; Follow the journey of the film’s only on-screen actor, charismatic newcomer Neel Sethi (Mowgli); Delve into a candid and humorous scene-by-scene audio commentary with director Jon Favreau and meet the all-star voice cast who help bring the film’s colorful characters to life, as well as the musicians who accent the adventure with a majestic music score.
The all-star cast includes Bill Murray (“Lost in Translation”) as the voice of Baloo, Sir Ben Kingsley (“Learning to Drive,” “The Walk”) as Bagheera and Lupita Nyong’o (“12 Years a Slave,” “Star Wars: The Force Awakens”) as the voice of mother wolf Raksha. Scarlett Johansson (“Avengers: Age of Ultron”) gives life to Kaa, Giancarlo Esposito (“Breaking Bad”) provides the voice of alpha-male wolf Akela, Idris Elba (“Beast of No Nation”) roars as the voice of Shere Khan, and Christopher Walken (“The Deer Hunter”) lends his iconic voice to King Louie.
Read what all the bonus features are by clicking 'Read More' at end of the post More JUNGLE BOOK Fun!
- The Educator's Guide(Grades 4-8)
- Animal Facts
- Activity Packet(includes a 'how-to' for animal shadow puppets)
The Hunger Games: Mockingjay - Part 2
Lionsgate
March 22, 2016
137 minutes; PG-13 for intense sequences of violence and action, and for some thematic material.
starring Jennifer Lawrence, Josh Hutcherson, Liam Hemsworth, Woody Harrelson, Elizabeth Banks
info on IMDb/buy from Amazon/or www.ownmockingjaypart2.com
As the war of Panem escalates to the destruction of other districts, Katniss Everdeen, the reluctant leader of the rebellion, must bring together an army against President Snow, while all she holds dear hangs in the balance. (from IMDb)
Tomorrow, March 22nd, the fourth and final Hunger Games movie will be released on Blu-ray - and it is a great conclusion to the series.
I watched The Hunger Games: Mockingjay - Part 2 this weekend (along with rewatching Catching Fire and Mockingjay - Part 1 to remind myself of exactly what had happened). Since I read Mockingjay in 2012 I can't speak to just how true to the book the movie is, but it felt as though it were - and Mockingjay - Part 2 definitely fits with the three previous movies.
If you haven't seen The Hunger Games: Mockingjay - Part 1, well if you haven't, you really ought to see at least that one before watching this one. If you have seen Part 1 then you will love how Part 2 continues the story. This movie picks up from Part 1 like it is simply a new scene yet there was a clear, marked ending to Part 1 and the opening scene of Part 2 is very much a beginning. Watched together, it would be like one long movie with an intermission, but each can be its own, distinct film.
The journey we've gone on with these films (as with the books) is great. In The Hunger Games we saw the hardships for Katniss, her family, and District 12 along with the opulence of the Capital. Then we saw the rebellion start to take shape and the war begin. Now, with knowledge of what the other districts have suffered, we see war come to the capital.
The film has the same aesthetic - though it's evolved to fit the story - of a sort of 1930s/1940s-meets-the-future-meets-wartime blend. The Capital is much larger (in area covered, size of buildings, land, etc) than I imagined and I really loved seeing it on screen. The cinematography, the costumes, the sets and locations and the wide shots of things all work together to really create a world and show it to you in the best possible way.
Katniss is probably my favorite in all of the movies (though Haymitch and Effie are right up there) and I loved her here, too. She's somehow both more emotional and more detached or removed. Her character's been hardened a bit, even from the events of Part 1.
The Hunger Games said something about violence and what people were capable of, The Hunger Games: Mockingjay - Part 2 expands on that, literally and figuratively. It's not just tributes in an arena anymore, but death, violence, war, rebellion, and betrayal are all still possible. We see even more of what people are capable of - good and bad - and what needs to be done.
If you have already seen The Hunger Games, Catching Fire and Mockingjay - Part 1 then you will definitely want to see - and own - this ending to the tale. If you haven't seen those already (or don't own them), there's The Hunger Games Complete 4-Film Collection coming, too!
Also out tomorrow is The Hunger Games Complete 4-Film Collection so you can have all four movies and make a day of it (well nine plus hours) . . .
The Hunger Games: Mockingjay Part 2 Arrives on Digital HD on March 8 and on Blu-rayTM Combo Pack on March 22 with over 5 Hours of
Special Features from Lionsgate
Experience Katniss’s Journey from the Very Beginning
The Hunger Games Complete 4-Film Collection
Also Arrives on Digital HD on March 8
and on Blu-ray and DVD on March 22
SANTA MONICA, CA and VANCOUVER, BC (January 27, 2016) – Four years after Jennifer Lawrence first appeared on the big screen as Katniss Everdeen in The Hunger Games, Lionsgate’s (NYSE: LGF) critically acclaimed series based on Suzanne Collins’ best-selling book trilogy comes to a thrilling resolution in The Hunger Games: Mockingjay - Part 2, arriving on Digital HD March 8 and on Blu-ray Combo Pack + Digital HD, DVD + Digital, and On Demand March 22, the company announced today. In addition, for the first time ever, The Hunger Games Complete 4-Film Collection will be available on Blu-ray and DVD on March 22.
With $647 million worldwide box office and counting, The Hunger Games: Mockingjay - Part 2 set the world on fire and enthralled millions of devoted fans across the globe. With a critically acclaimed cast including Academy Award® winner Jennifer Lawrence (Best Actress, Silver Linings Playbook, 2012), Josh Hutcherson (Journey to the Center of the Earth), Liam Hemsworth (The Expendables), Academy Award® nominee Woody Harrelson (Best Actor, The People vs. Larry Flynt, 1996), Emmy® nominee Elizabeth Banks (TV’s “Modern Family”), Academy Award® winner Julianne Moore (Best Actress, Still Alice, 2014), Academy Award® winner Philip Seymour Hoffman (Best Actor, Capote, 2005), Golden Globe® winner Jeffrey Wright (HBO’s “Angels in America”), with Academy Award® nominee Stanley Tucci (Best Supporting Actor, The Lovely Bones, 2009), and Golden Globe® winner Donald Sutherland (Citizen X), The Hunger Games franchise is a worldwide phenomenon earning over $2.9 billion at the box office worldwide.
Jennifer Lawrence stars as Katniss Everdeen, who began her journey fighting to survive the brutal Hunger Games, and rose to lead the rebellion against Panem’s tyrannical president (Donald Sutherland). Now, Katniss and a team of rebels from District 13 prepare for the epic battle that will decide Panem’s future.
Based on the third novel in Suzanne Collins’ trilogy, the must-own limited edition Blu-ray release is packed with over five hours of special features, including the “Pawns No More: Making The Hunger Games: Mockingjay - Part 2” 8-part documentary – an in-depth look at the making of the film from production design, costumes, hair, make-up, stunts, special effects and post production. The documentary also includes a touching piece – from the last day of shooting – in which the cast reflects on their experience shooting the four films. Also included is a detailed look at Cinna’s sketchbook and a walk through the on-set photography along with audio commentary by director Francis Lawrence and producer Nina Jacobson. The Blu-ray is encoded in Dolby TrueHD and features a Dolby Atmos® soundtrack, which delivers captivating sound that places and moves audio anywhere in the room, including overhead, to bring entertainment alive all around the audience. The Hunger Games: Mockingjay - Part 2 Blu-ray and DVD will be available for the suggested retail price of $39.99 and $29.95, respectively.
Also available for the first time as a set on Blu-ray, DVD and Digital HD, The Hunger Games Complete 4-Film Collection includes The Hunger Games, The Hunger Games: Catching Fire, The Hunger Games: Mockingjay - Part 1 and The Hunger Games: Mockingjay - Part 2 with all of the special features from each film’s initial release plus hours of all-new exclusive content including 13 never-before-seen deleted scenes from The Hunger Games and The Hunger Games: Catching Fire and two all-new featurettes: “Picturing Panem” and “Capitol Cuisine.” The Hunger Games Complete 4-Film Collection will be available on Blu-ray and DVD for the suggested retail price of $64.97 and $54.98, respectively.
THE HUNGER GAMES: MOCKINGJAY - PART 2 BLU-RAY / DVD / DIGITAL HD SPECIAL FEATURES*
·Audio Commentary with Director Francis Lawrence and Producer Nina Jacobson
·“Pawns No More: Making The Hunger Games: Mockingjay - Part 2” 8-Part Documentary**
oWalking Through Fire (Concluding the Saga)
oReal or Not Real (Visual Design)
oHigh-Value Targets (The Acting Ensemble)
oFrom Head to Toe (Costume, Make-up & Hair)
oNavigating the Minefield (Production in Atlanta, Paris & Berlin)
oCollateral Damage (Stunts, Special Effects & Weapons)
oTightening the Noose (The Post-Production Process)
oA Different World (Reflections)
·The Hunger Games: A Photographic Journey
·Cinna’s Sketchbook: Secrets of the Mockingjay Armor
·Panem on Display: The Hunger Games: The Exhibition
·Jet to the Set**
*Subject to Change
**Exclusive to Blu-ray/ Digital HD
THE HUNGER GAMES COMPLETE 4-FILM COLLECTION BLU-RAY / DVD SPECIAL FEATURES*
·Over 14 Hours of Bonus Content Including:
o12 Never-Before-Seen Deleted Scenes from The Hunger Games
o6 Deleted Scenes from The Hunger Games: Catching Fire – Including 1 Never Before Seen
o9 Deleted Scenes from The Hunger Games: Mockingjay - Part 1
o2 All-New Featurettes: “Picturing Panem” and “Capitol Cuisine”
o70 Additional Featurettes (Blu-ray); 69 Additional Special Featurettes (DVD)
oAudio Commentaries, Music Videos and More
*Subject to change
finished copy of the film received for an honest review; opinions are my own
INSURGENT the second movie in the Divergent series (based on the second novel in the trilogy) will be released this Tuesday!
Golden Globe® Nominee Shailene Woodley Delivers An Explosive Performance In The Electrifying Sequel Arriving On Digital HD July 21st
Available on 3D Blu-Ray™ Combo Pack, Blu-Ray, DVD And On Demand August 4
from the press release:
Shailene Woodley (The Fault in Our Stars, The Descendants) and Theo James (Underworld: Awakening) pack a powerful one-two punch in the blockbuster action-adventure, The Divergent Series: Insurgent, arriving on Digital HD July 21 and on 3-D Blu-ray™ Combo Pack (plus Blu-ray, DVD and Digital HD), Blu-ray (plus Digital HD), DVD (plus Digital) and On Demand August 4 from Lionsgate’s (NYSE: LGF) Summit Entertainment label.
Based on Veronica Roth’s #1 New York Times best-selling novel Insurgent, The Divergent Series: Insurgent raises the stakes for Tris (Woodley) as she searches for answers and allies in this star-powered, action-packed second installment of the Divergent series. On the run and targeted by ruthless faction leader Jeanine (Kate Winslet), Tris fights to protect the people she loves, facing one impossible challenge after another as she and Four (James) race to unlock the truth about the past—and ultimately the future—of their world.
I loved Divergent (book and movie) and cannot wait to see Insurgent!
In Beatrice Prior's dystopian Chicago, society is divided into five factions, each dedicated to the cultivation of a particular virtue--Candor (the honest), Abnegation (the selfless), Dauntless (the brave), Amity (the peaceful), and Erudite (the intelligent). On an appointed day of every year, all sixteen-year-olds must select the faction to which they will devote the rest of their lives. For Beatrice, the decision is between staying with her family and being who she really is--she can't have both. So she makes a choice that surprises everyone, including herself.
During the highly competitive initiation that follows, Beatrice renames herself Tris and struggles to determine who her friends really are--and where, exactly, a romance with a sometimes fascinating, sometimes infuriating boy fits into the life she's chosen. But Tris also has a secret, one she's kept hidden from everyone because she's been warned it can mean death. And as she discovers a growing conflict that threatens to unravel her seemingly perfect society, she also learns that her secret might help her save those she loves . . . or it might destroy her.
In a world divided by factions based on virtues, Tris learns she's Divergent and won't fit in. When she discovers a plot to destroy Divergents, Tris and the mysterious Four must find out what makes Divergents dangerous before it's too late.
The critically acclaimed, bestselling novel from Gayle Forman, author of Where She Went, Just One Day, and Just One Year.
Soon to be a major motion picture, starring Chloe Moretz!
In the blink of an eye everything changes. Seventeen year-old Mia has no memory of the accident; she can only recall what happened afterwards, watching her own damaged body being taken from the wreck. Little by little she struggles to put together the pieces- to figure out what she has lost, what she has left, and the very difficult choice she must make. Heartwrenchingly beautiful, this will change the way you look at life, love, and family. Now a major motion picture starring Chloe Grace Moretz, Mia's story will stay with you for a long, long time.
Life changes in an instant for young Mia Hall after a car accident puts her in a coma. During an out-of-body experience, she must decide whether to wake up and live a life far different than she had imagined. The choice is hers if she can go on.
Talk about unlucky sevens. An hour ago, seventeen-year-old, seven months pregnant Novalee Nation was heading for California with her boyfriend. Now she finds herself stranded at a Wal-Mart in Sequoyah, Oklahoma, with just $7.77 in change. But Novalee is about to discover hidden treasures in this small Southwest town--a group of down-to-earth, deeply caring people willing to help a homeless, jobless girl living secretly in a Wal-Mart. From Bible-thumping blue-haired Sister Thelma Husband to eccentric librarian Forney Hull who loves Novalee more than she loves herself, they are about to take her--and you, too--on a moving, funny, and unforgettable journey to . . . Where the Heart Is.
A pregnant 17-year-old rebuilds her life after being abandoned by her boyfriend at a Wal-Mart in Sequoyah, Oklahoma.
**This is one where I don't actually like how it was adapted, but I love the book and I really like the movie (even if it involves pretending it's not based on the book)
Vivian Gandillon relishes the change, the sweet, fierce ache that carries her from girl to wolf. At sixteen, she is beautiful and strong, and all the young wolves are on her tail. But Vivian still grieves for her dead father; her pack remains leaderless and in disarray, and she feels lost in the suburbs of Maryland. She longs for a normal life. But what is normal for a werewolf?
Then Vivian falls in love with a human, a meat-boy. Aiden is kind and gentle, a welcome relief from the squabbling pack. He’s fascinated by magic, and Vivian longs to reveal herself to him. Surely he would understand her and delight in the wonder of her dual nature, not fear her as an ordinary human would.
Vivian’s divided loyalties are strained further when a brutal murder threatens to expose the pack. Moving between two worlds, she does not seem to belong in either. What is she really—human or beast? Which tastes sweeter—blood or chocolate?
Before The Firm and The Pelican Brief made him a superstar, John Grisham wrote this riveting story of retribution and justice -- at last it's available in a Doubleday hardcover edition. In this searing courtroom drama, best-selling author John Grisham probes the savage depths of racial violence...as he delivers a compelling tale of uncertain justice in a small southern town...Clanton, Mississippi.
The life of a ten-year-old girl is shattered by two drunken and remorseless young men. The mostly white town reacts with shock and horror at the inhuman crime. Until her black father acquires an assault rifle and takes matters into his hands.
For ten days, as burning crosses and the crack of sniper fire spread through the streets of Clanton, the nation sits spellbound as young defense attorney Jake Brigance struggles to save his client's life...and then his own.
The unforgettable novel of a childhood in a sleepy Southern town and the crisis of conscience that rocked it, To Kill A Mockingbird became both an instant bestseller and a critical success when it was first published in 1960. It went on to win the Pulitzer Prize in 1961 and was later made into an Academy Award-winning film, also a classic.
Compassionate, dramatic, and deeply moving, To Kill A Mockingbird takes readers to the roots of human behavior—to innocence and experience, kindness and cruelty, love and hatred, humor and pathos. Now with over 18 million copies in print and translated into forty languages, this regional story by a young Alabama woman claims universal appeal. Harper Lee always considered her book to be a simple love story. Today it is regarded as a masterpiece of American literature.
"Last night I dreamt I went to Manderley again."
So the second Mrs. Maxim de Winter remembered the chilling events that led her down the turning drive past the beeched, white and naked, to the isolated gray stone manse on the windswept Cornish coast. With a husband she barely knew, the young bride arrived at this immense estate, only to be inexorably drawn into the life of the first Mrs. de Winter, the beautiful Rebecca, dead but never forgotten... her suite of rooms never touched, her clothes ready to be worn, her servant - the sinister Mrs. Danvers - still loyal. And as an eerie presentiment of the evil tightened around her heart, the second Mrs. de Winter began her search for the real fate of Rebecca... for the secrets of Manderley.
Despite the tumor-shrinking medical miracle that has bought her a few years, Hazel has never been anything but terminal, her final chapter inscribed upon diagnosis. But when a gorgeous plot twist named Augustus Waters suddenly appears at Cancer Kid Support Group, Hazel's story is about to be completely rewritten.
Insightful, bold, irreverent, and raw, The Fault in Our Stars is award-winning author John Green's most ambitious and heartbreaking work yet, brilliantly exploring the funny, thrilling, and tragic business of being alive and in love.
Six days ago, astronaut Mark Watney became one of the first people to walk on Mars. Now, he's sure he'll be the first person to die there. After a dust storm nearly kills him & forces his crew to evacuate while thinking him dead, Mark finds himself stranded & completely alone with no way to even signal Earth that he’s alive—& even if he could get word out, his supplies would be gone long before a rescue could arrive. Chances are, though, he won't have time to starve to death. The damaged machinery, unforgiving environment or plain-old "human error" are much more likely to kill him first. But Mark isn't ready to give up yet. Drawing on his ingenuity, his engineering skills—& a relentless, dogged refusal to quit—he steadfastly confronts one seemingly insurmountable obstacle after the next. Will his resourcefulness be enough to overcome the impossible odds against him?
During a manned mission to Mars, Astronaut Mark Watney is presumed dead after a fierce storm and left behind by his crew. But Watney has survived and finds himself stranded and alone on the hostile planet. With only meager supplies, he must draw upon his ingenuity, wit and spirit to subsist and find a way to signal to Earth that he is alive.
(movie descriptions from IMDb; book descriptions from Goodreads)
What are some of your favorites? Any I need to go read and watch immediately? Or any I should avoid completely?
The Best of Me
20th Century Fox
February 3, 2015
PG-13; 118 minutes
with James Marsen, Michelle Monaghan, Liana Liberato, Luke Bracey get info on IMDb/buy Blu-ray/or Amazon Instant Video
Based on the #1 New York Times Best Seller from celebrated author Nicholas Sparks comes this tender, romantic drama about the timeless power of love. When former high school sweethearts Dawson and Amanda (James Marsden and Michelle Monaghan) meet at a loved one's funeral 20 years after tragedy separated them, their love is reignited. As they recall and relive the past, they come to a deeper understanding about the choices they've made. Also starring Luke Bracey and Liana Liberato, and featuring beautiful scenery along with music by Lady Antebellum, The Best of Me is a powerfully romantic story of love, hope and second chances.
The Best of Me is based based on the Nicolas Sparks novel of the same name. Though it's true that Nicholas Sparks stories to seem to follow some of the same general themes (two [white] teenagers fall in love in the South, one's the 'good' girl or guy, the other's 'trouble' in some way, they fall in love, something threatens to break them apart, and someone in the story usually has cancer) it works well in here.
The Best of Me tells the story of Dawson and Amanda are two Louisiana teens who fall in love, a tragedy tears them apart and then twenty years later they're reunited.
Amanda, The Best of Me
The story with the younger Dawson and Amanda was the stronger, better story and I would easily have loved a full movie of their story. Liana Liberato (who played Kim in If I Stay, something I don't know I would have realized without seeing her name) does a great job as the younger Amanda. She and Luke Bracey, as Dawson, are a really cute couple.
Kim, If I Stay
From the very beginning of their romance, through its growth and all of the trouble they face, they are a great couple. Everything working against them makes sense, but so does their love. They're pretty adorable and sweet.
The dual stories fit together well - and as we get closer to the end the necessity of both the past and the present to tell the whole story becomes clear. The 'now' part of the story, with Monaghan and Mardsen, updates the characters well, and is realistic without being too storybook.
The 'Tears of Joy Edition' of The Best of Me features an alternate ending that is, well, quite different. Both endings seem to fit in with the rest of the story but have much different outcomes.
The Best of Me is a sweet romance of two characters, from their young romance to their reunion as two adults who have been through a lot - together and separately.
The Best of Me Special Features:
• “Tears of Joy” Edition with Alternate Ending
• Deleted Scenes (Blu-ray Only)
• Along for the Ride
• Nicholas Sparks Interviews: Michelle and James (Blu-ray Only)
• Nicholas Sparks Interviews: Liana and Luke (Blu-ray Only)
• Director’s Commentary by Michael Hoffman
• Music Video: I Did – Lady Antebellum
• Digital HD (Blu-ray Only)
about the book by Nicholas Sparks:
The Best of Me
Grand Central Publishing
October 11, 2011
292 pages add to Goodreads
Are you ready for THE MAZE RUNNER and #MazeRunnerFriday?
Want to win THE MAZE RUNNER Blu-ray and book? Here's your chance to do both!
Tonight, Friday December 19th at 8:00 PM Eastern is the Twitter Viewing Party for THE MAZE RUNNER!
To help celebrate the release of THE MAZE RUNNER on Blu-ray Fox Home Entertainment is providing me a The Maze Runner prize pack to giveaway. One winner will receive a copy of the film on Blu-ray and of the James Dashner book the movie is based on.
Whether you've already seen the movie, if you've read the book or not join me (@thebookspot) and other bloggers and fans tonight on Twitter and #MazeRunnerFriday for a whole lot of fun. Ask @JamesDashner your questions, see what others think of the movie and more.
Plus, joining #MazeRunnerFriday gets you entries for THE MAZE RUNNER Blu-ray & book giveaway!
Today is the last day to enter my If I Stay Blu-ray & Paperback Giveaway and if you missed last Thursday's #IfIStayIn Tweet-Along with author Gayle Forman, you might not be aware of how amazing the movie is. (Or just how much you want to win it!)
If I Stay
MGM
November 18, 2014
106 minutes; PG-13
starring: Chloë Grace Moretz, Mireille Enos, Jamie Blackley
on IMDb/buy on Amazon
movie synopsis:
Life changes in an instant for young Mia Hall after a car accident puts her in a coma. During an out-of-body experience, she must decide whether to wake up and live a life far different than she had imagined. (from IMDb)
about the book:
Just listen, Adam says with a voice that sounds like shrapnel.
I open my eyes wide now.
I sit up as much as I can.
And I listen.
Stay, he says.
Choices. Seventeen-year-old Mia is faced with some tough ones: Stay true to her first love—music—even if it means losing her boyfriend and leaving her family and friends behind?
Then one February morning Mia goes for a drive with her family, and in an instant, everything changes. Suddenly, all the choices are gone, except one. And it's the only one that matters.
If I Stay is a heartachingly beautiful book about the power of love, the true meaning of family, and the choices we all make.
If you have already read the book - and maybe Where She Went, too - than you have already experienced Mia's story.
You've read as Mia and Adam fall in love, as she and her family interact . . . as she is forced to make a truly heartbreaking choice. If I Stay is a book that doesn't go easy on the emotion (at all; obviously) but also has some brilliant story.
If I Stay the movie works because everything so fabulous about the book, is there. If you've read the book, you get to see it come to life. If you haven't, you'll see what seemed a very true portrayal of Forman's novel . . . and likely want to read the book(s).
There were things I had forgotten that I loved about the book, like Mia's quirky family and their interactions, but the movie did a great job reminding me. Even - maybe especially - knowing what's to come, the scenes with Mia, her parents and her brother are so lovely. They're humorous, their touching and they feel oh so very real.
Chloe Grace Moretz as Mia, Jamie Blackley as Adam and Mireille Enos as Kat, Mia's best friend have great chemistry. Right from the very beginning, there is obviously something between Mia and Adam. As we see more of their relationship, they have the perfect blend of the sweet, in love and the awkward, new relationship. What we see between Mia and Kat really feels like two best friends. It's cute, it's funny . . . and it's all heartbreaking when juxtaposed with the accident and Mia's choice.
The movie is beautifully filmed. The flashbacks, where we learn Mia's story prior to the accident, are lively and colorful, busy while the 'present' scenes with Mia's family and friends, with Mia have an almost stark quality. It not only helps clearly distinguish the two periods, it elevates the emotional impact.
The music in If I Stay - both the soundtrack and the music the different characters play is fantastic. For a story where music is so much a part of the characters and their journey, the soundtrack fits really well and is just as great as it needed to be.
Basically? If you loved the book, you have to see the movie. If you haven't read the book (or for some incomprehensible reason, don't want to) but like really good movies, then you have to see If I Stay.
I really hope they will adapt Where She Went, as well. (Shh, don't tell but I liked that book even more than If I Stay.)
Now hurry up and go enter my (US/Can only, sorry!) If I Stay Giveaway to win a copy of the book and the Blu-ray of the movie!
thank you to Fox for my copy to review - and to participate in #IfIStayIn
Already have your copy of the movie? (Or don't live in the US/Can?) There's something for you, too: #IfIStayIn Movie Night Tweet-Along. Tomorrow, November 20th at 8:00 pm (Eastern) there will be an If I Stay tweet-along where author Gayle Forman will using the @Cambio Twitter to answer fans questions.
I'll be taking part in the #IfIStayIn celebration with my own questions, comparisons between the book and movie and some questions for you!
It sounds like a great way to spend part of a Thursday night!
So, think up your best Mia, and Adam (and Teddy and Liz) questions Tweet them to @Cambio and join us tomorrow night to see the answers and relive your favorite moments along with everyone else.
Is it freezing where you are, too? One great way to stay warm and avoid the chilly outdoors is to watch a movie. Even better when you don't have to brave the cold to buy said movie.
Enter the giveaway below to win a copy of IF I STAY on Blu-ray along with a paperback of the book by Gayle Forman!
Prize: one (1) copy of the Blu-ray and one (1) copy of the paperback novel by Gayle Forman
Eligible: must live in US/Can
First it was Time's #1 Fiction Book of 2012 and on the Winter 2012 Kids' Next List, now a major motion picture that EW called, "The Greatest Romance Story of this decade," The Fault in Our Starsis out today, September 16th on Blu-ray and DVD.
Starring Shailene Woodley and Ansel Elgort, The Fault in Our Stars is based on the novel by John Green.
As part of The Fault in Our Stars Ambassador Program, I helped come up with a list of favorite moments from the film, those parts you just want to see again and again . . .
Have you seen the movie already? Or read the book? What parts can you not wait to relive? Let me know below (and use the rafflecopter) for a chance to win a Little Infinities Extended Edition Blu-ray
of TFIOS.
My favorites? Well here's one each for the book and the movie:
from the book
"You are so busy being you that you have no idea how utterly unprecedented you are." (p 123)
from the movie
I, of course, love Hazel and Gus but his speech to Monica's mother - along with why it happens -is one of my favorite bits.
The Fault in Our Stars movie summary:
Hazel and Gus are two teenagers who share an acerbic wit, a disdain for the conventional, and a love that sweeps them on a journey. Their relationship is all the more miraculous given that Hazel's other constant companion is an oxygen tank, Gus jokes about his prosthetic leg, and they met and fell in love at a cancer support group. (IMDb)
My Cinema Saturday posts about movies usually get posted on, well, Saturdays. For this one, though, I wanted to post it during the week when more people might see it.
Belle
20th Century Fox
August 26, 2014
Rated PG; 104 minutes
starring Gugu Mbatha-Raw, Tom Wilkinson, Emily Watson, Matthew Goode IMDb /Blu-Ray on Amazon
Belle is a movie I was interested in seeing back when it was in theatres, but it never came within an hour of me. So, I was super excited to be able to watch it recently.
About the film:
The mixed race daughter of a Royal Navy Admiral is raised by her aristocratic great-uncle in 18th century England. (from IMDb)
and the trailer:
Based on a true story, Belle is the story of Dido Elizabeth Belle, a biracial young woman in 18th century England. It is a story I was wholly unfamiliar with prior to the film. I wished to see it both for the appeal of the story and how beautiful the filming seemed to be.
Now that I have seen it, I'm at least a little bit on love with Belle. It was even better than I had hoped. A cast of great actors - Emily Watson, Tom Wilkinson, Penelope Felton and Gugu Mbatha-Raw, as Belle - gorgeous filing and costumes, and such a compelling story, come together to make a great movie.
After seeing it, I did look into the 'real' story a bit more. While, Belle does romanticize some parts of Dido's story and some events are moved around, the heart of her story is unchanged. It is a fantastic story of perseverance, self discovery, and overcoming the odds. It's also a love story and a look at a point in history you may not know much about or see portrayed very often. The writing does a very nice job not only giving us Belle's life but a great glimpse into the time and characters.
Belle tells a remarkable story, of Dido Elizabeth Belle and the period in Britain, and does so beautifully. This is a movie I am so happy to been able to see and one I know I want to see again.
Fans of Bright Star, Amazing Graceand/or historical based-on-a-true-story dramas or romances should absolutely watch Belle.
Belle: The Slave Daughter and the Lord Chief Justiceby Paula Byrne was published to coincide with the film's US release. and tells the true story. (The synopsis does give away some things that you may not want to know are coming if watching the movie first.)
/or Amazon 
and DVD.
available on Amazon.
