I've Finally Read The Hunger Games!

I've become such a slow reader now.

Maybe you remember that I bought my copy of Suzanne Collins's best-selling book The Hunger Games a long time ago, in May. But, you know what, I just finished reading it last week. I spend a lot of time outside my home these days and when I reach home I usually feel too tired to read, which turns me into the slowest reader on Earth. Anyways, I've read The Hunger Games, and I love it more than I expected. I've always thought that the film adaptation is great, but I was surprised to find that the book is even better.

Source: id.pintterest.ccom

The book is told from Katniss's point of view, which makes things in the book feel more intimate than what I've seen in the movie. It also makes it easier for me to relate to Kaniss and understand why she does what she does. When I watched the movie, I wondered why she is so bitter and rude. I even found her attitude a bit annoying. However, seeing things from her point of view helps me see her differently. Now I know how hard life is for her. You know, she has to live in poverty, become the head of the family because her parents are unable to do that anymore, lose her beloved father and, of course, go through the Hunger Games... Now I understand why it's so hard for her not to be cold.

Before I read the book, I could never decide which team I was on, Team Peeta or Team Gale. But now I've made  my decision: Team Peeta! I have one friend who is madly in love with Peeta (yes, Lia, it's you hahahaha), but, on the other hand, a lot of people see Peeta as a weak person. I never hated Peeta but I was never deeply in love with him either, but, man, now I am. Josh Hutcherson portrayed Peeta very well and precisely in the films, but we all know that books can tell about their characters in a way that movies can never do. When I looked back at Peeta's actions in the film after reading the book (I watched the film again as soon as I finished reading), I could understand them more because they are explained more clearly in the narration. To me, Peeta shows that being strong doesn't always mean being good at fighting. He shows that strength has many forms. When you're able to sacrifice yourself to protect other people or stay true to yourself when the world forces you to be someone else or be caring to other people when they don't care at all, that means you're strong too. Maybe that's why people see him as a weak person; because people, without realizing it, tend to associate strength with only physical abilities. My friend says that it might also be caused by people's tendency to expect a man to be physically strong too. I agree with that. Sometimes the stereotypes make us forget that people have different qualities and that we can't generalize them. Peeta might not be physically strong. Unlike what people expect men to be, he is gentle and loving, but that doesn't mean that he doesn't have strength. Oh yeah, I love you, the boy with the bread!

"Only I keep wishing I could think of a way to... to show the Capitol they don't own me. That I'm more than just a piece in their Games..." -Peeta Mellark, page 165 (Image is from id.pinterest.com)

So, reading The Hunger Games after seeing the film makes the experience pretty interesting. I usually read the books before seeing the film adaptations, but this time I did the opposite. Doing it this way feels surprisingly great. It's like the film builds the foundation of the story in you while the book does tthe finishing. It makes your understanding of the story and characters richer and deeper. Maybe I should do this more often...

Rating: 4,5/5

Attending "Book Lovers in Digital World" by Yes24 Indonesia

Last week I only had to go to work for two days (Monday and Tuesday) because it was the first term break of the academic year. I didn't have any plan to leave Jakarta and go on a trip on my holiday so I thought I would fill it with something good, positive and enlightening. As if God knew my intention (haha), God made my old friend contact me before the holiday and inform me about an event that was going to be held by the company where she works. The event is a mini gathering for bloggers who write about books. I thought the event was a great opportunity because it would allow me to meet new people who blog and are passionate about books, just like me. So I registered for the event and went there last weekend.

The event is called Book Lovers in Digital World and it was organized by a company called Yes24 Indonesia. When you hear the name of the company, you might directly associate it with Korean things. Yes, the company does sell things like cosmetics, CDs and clothes from Korea, but I found out from the event last week that Yes24 Indonesia also sells books online. I first thought that they only sell Korean books, but I checked their website (http://www.yes24.co.id/) and found that they have many kinds of books in their online store. They have books about religions, dictionaries, language books, children books, imported books written in English and Korean, school books and textbooks. I checked the fiction section in the English books category, typed up some book titles in the search box and found all the books that I looked for in their collection. So I think their collection is pretty complete. I'm definitely going to try buying books from them because I love buying books online; it's easier and sometimes I just don't have time to go to bookstores. I will use the vouchers they gave me last weekend too hahaha.

Me and the other participants at Yes24 Indonesia's office.
Go check their website and start shopping!

At the event, I met other bloggers and we shared our thoughts and feelings about being loyal fans of printed books in the era of e-books. Even though our lives can't be separated from digital devices these days, it turns out that book lovers, including myself, still prefer reading printed books. The attendees have many different reasons why they choose printed books over e-books, but I myself like printed books more because reading them has its own sensation. Flipping the pages, folding the top right or left of a page when you find a good quote there, journeying from the first page until the very last one... There's nothing quite like it. E-books might be easier to access and more efficient, but I will always love printed books more.

Our discussion

The discussion got more exciting and interesting as we continued talking about our love for books. We all agreed that we have to spread our love of reading to other people because the people in our country, Indonesia, have generally low interest to read. I personally think that we should make reading a habit. How can we do it? I would suggest what my school does (I work as a teaching assistant for an international school in Jakarta). There, there is one period every week when the students can go to the library and choose some books to be taken home and read. After they finish choosing, they usually sit with the librarian and listen to a story that he reads from a book. My students really enjoy these activities. I think these activities really help growing children's love for books and turn reading into a habit for them.

So, I had so much fun attending the event last weekend. I hope there will be more events like this in the future because I would love to join more events like this. It's just really nice to meet and talk to people who have the same interest as me. Thank you, Yes24 Indonesia, for creating the event!

Combined Review: The Magnificent Seven & Deepwater Horizon

Sooo we have reached that time of the year when all the anticipated blockbuster movies of the summer have been released. It's October right now and there is no film this month that has much hype. I've seen a couple of movies this season. I saw Jason Statham's Mechanic: Resurrection and The Magnificent Seven in September. Earlier this week, I saw Deepwater Horizon. I think the first film is horrible in every aspect (sorry!), but the other two films are pretty enjoyable and I have some things to say about them. Here they are!

THE MAGNIFICENT SEVEN

The Magnificent Seven is a remake of a movie that has the same title that was released in 1960. The original movie itself is also a remake of a Japanese film entitled Seven Samurai. The 2016 version of The Magnificent Seven tells the story of Emma Cullen (Haley Bennett), a woman whose hometown is threatened by a greedy man named Bogue (Peter Sarsgaard), who intends to take over the small town. Desperate to reclaim her town but not able to fight on her own, she seeks help from a bounty hunter named Sam Chisolm (Denzel Washington). Chisolm then forms a team of seven deadly cowboys who are willing to risk their lives to help Emma and her neighbors face the evil Bogue. The film is directed by Antoine Fuqua.

Source: moviesinthephilippines.com

For me the movie is not bad, but it's definitely not as magnificent as the title.

The storyline itself is such a stereotype and, from the very beginning, I know how it's going to end. It's understandable, though, as this one is a remake of a classical movie which was probably one of the pioneers of cowboy movies. Furthermore, the plot also goes a little too slowly for me. Some scenes, like the ultimate shooting scene, are too long and slow and made me a bit bored.

The Magnificent Seven has a list of great actors in its cast. There are Denzel Washington, Chris Pratt, Ethan Hawke, Haley Bennett, Peter Sarsgaard, Byung-hun Lee, etc. So before I went to see the movie, I had high hopes in terms of the acting quality. However, I must say that I was disappointed. Well, I'm not saying that these actors have bad acting quality; I just think that their talents are not supported by good writing here, so they don't really shine throughout the movie. The story doesn't give time for the characters to have bonding time and let the actors show the chemistry that they have with one another. I think the bond should have been the focus of the movie because this movie is about a squad that is so magnificent. They should have given us some squad goals moments! But, unfortunately, the movie doesn't show this bond. To be honest, I still don't understand why the other six members of the squad are willing to join Chisolm and risk their lives for the job. They all just agree to join without any strong reason. They should've shown the reasons behind the cowboys' actions; the reasons why they make such a solid team.

There are two things that I admire from the movie. The first one is Haley Bennett's character, Emma Cullen. Although she doesn't have much screen time, we can really see her as a brave and strong woman. She stands up for her town when nobody else dares to do it and even joins the bloody, deadly fight for her freedom. I find it very inspriring. Peter Sarsgaard's performance as Bogue also amazed me. He is really unrecognizable as Bogue here; I didn't even realize it was Peter Sarsgaard until I saw his name linked to Bogue's name during the end credit. You know, I always remember him as that charming man who breaks Carey Mulligan's heart in An Education, but he looks nothing like that man here. He transforms himself into the mean and greedy Bogue here. An actor who is able to transform himself into his character is a great actor, right?

Rating: 2,5/5

DEEPWATER HORIZON

Deepwater Horizon is a movie that is based on true events. In 2010, a drilling rig called the Deepwater Horizon exploded due to some malfunctions in its system. This movie shows the story behind the disaster; the conflicts that led to it, the people who were involved in it and the brave heroes who emerged during the disaster. The movie is directed by Peter Berg while the cast includes Mark Wahlberg, Gina Rodriguez, Kurt Russell, John Malkovich, Kate Hudson and Dylan O'Brien.

To be honest, the main reason why I wanted to see this movie is because one of my fictional boyfriends, Stiles Stilinski aka Dylan O'Brien, is in it hahahaha. Sadly, Dylan's pretty face is covered in mud most of the time there, but I still enjoyed the movie.

As I said before, this movie is based on true events, so the conflicts that are featured here are very realistic and relatable. The realness of the story is also supported by the actors' great performances. I love how they all look like real people here; it makes things feel even more realistic. The chemistry between Kate Hudson and Mark Wahlberg, who play a married couple, is really sweet yet so real. Kurt Russell really transforms himself into his character here. Similar to Peter Sarsgaard in The Magnificent Seven, I didn't realize that Kurt Russell is in this movie until his name showed up during the end credit. He looks so badass with that awesome mustache hahaha. John Malkovich successfully made me hate his character here haha. I also admire Dylan's bravery to make himself unrecognizable by letting his face, that cute face that makes girls love him hahaha, be covered in mud for the entire movie. I heard he and the film's director decided to do that to make things seem real because real people who work in rigs like Dylan's characters do have their faces covered in mud most of the time. That's what you call dedication.

Dylan an his muddy face :D (Source: www.imdb.com)

The set that they built for the movie is pretty impressive as well. I heard they really built a huge set for the rig scenes in a water tank. The explosion and the fire scenes successfully made me scared. The explosion and the fire are so massive and crazy. When I remember that that kind of explosion and fire really happened and that people really did have to go through that, I just shiver. No wonder Mark Wahlberg's character becomes very emotional and broken at the end of the movie.

Rating: 3,5/5 

My Newest Obsession: Stranger Things

Have you heard about Netflix's Stranger Things? I bet you have because everyone is talking about this web series right now. I myself became aware of this series last month because there were so many articles about Eleven swimming on the internet. However, I just started watching it last week. I really want to finish the entire season in one day but I had work to do last week so I'm only on episode five right now. Hopefully I can catch up soon!

In case you don't know, Stranger Things is a Netflix original series whose first season, which contains eight episodes, was released last July. The story starts when a boy named Will (Noah Schnapp) goes missing in a mysterious, supernatural way. When Will's family and friends desperately try to find the boy, a girl, who is also mysterious, called Eleven (Millie Bobby Brown) arrives in the small town and crosses paths with Will's best friends: Mike (Finn Wolfhard), Dustin (Gaten Matarazzo) and Lucas (Caleb McLaughlin). As the mystery evolves, the people around Will start to realize that Will's disappearance has something to do with the government, an extra-terrestrial force and is somehow related to Eleven.

Source: www.tumblr.com

The premise of this series might not be new at all. I happen to be a fan of mystery stories that require us to play detectives in order to solve the mystery and supernatural stories which involve mythical creatures, so this one is, of course, very appealing for me. But what makes Stranger Things such a huge hit is, I think, because it is made and presented in a really good way. Here are some things from Stranger Things that forces me to sit in front of my laptop and watch.

It's very well-acted

Winona Ryder's performance as Joyce, Will's mother, is a winning performance. She plays a single mom who seems like she has always been shaky, even before her son disappears. Will's disappearance just makes her worse; it shatters her. And Ryder portrays this very, very well. This character makes me think and reflect on my own life as well. When I see Joyce, her story, the reasons behind her behaviors and actions, on screen, it's easy for me to believe her and root for her. But when I see someone like her in real life, someone who is known to be falling apart because of their problems, it's easy for me to think that they're just weak people who can't control their emotions. Seeing Joyce reminds me that everyone has their own story, their own reasons behind their decisions. We shouldn't judge people if we don't know what they're going through. So that's how powerful her performance is; it makes me learn something!

We know Winona Ryder is a great actress even before Stranger Things, but we didn't know about Millie Bobby Brown's talent before. The character that she plays, Eleven, is just so iconic. Don't be surprised if you see many people sporting Eleven costumes this Halloween. Who can forget her buzz cut, her deadly stare and her mysterious silence? That little face of hers sheds the darkness from her past and the trauma that she has. I mean, how can a twelve-year-old girl portray such a dark character so well? Millie Bobby Brown is such a talented actress. I hope we'll see more of her in the future.

Source: www.frogx3.com

It uniquely combines innocence and horror

The 1980s set, the child characters and the alien-related theme of Stranger Things remind me a lot of the classic movie E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial, which, as you all probably know, is about a friendship between a boy and an alien. However, those elements from E.T. are combined with elements from horror and monster movies here. So, yes, you'll find an innocent friendship between two beings like the one in E.T., but you'll also find scenes where people scream as their bodies get dragged by a mysterious monster that are similar to scenes from Alien movies. Such an odd combination, but it works for me.

The complex and relatable characters

As we get deeper into the world of Stranger Things, the characters reveal themselves as complex and layered characters with so many interesting sides. I'm always fascinated by round characters like these. My favorites are Nancy Wheeler (Natalia Dyer), Mike's older sister who starts off as a girl who tries to be someone else in order to fit in but grows into a brave girl who fights for what she believes in; Jonathan Byers (Charlie Heaton), Will's mysteriously quiet older brother whose looks resemble young Luke Skywalker hahaha; and Hopper (David Harbour), the cop with a wounded soul who handles Will's case.

The killer soundtrack

The original score of this series has this disco vibe that somehow captures the extra-terrestrial theme of the story. I really love the score. The theme song that is always played during the opening credit is stuck in my head. Some old songs from the 80's that are played in the episodes are pretty catchy as well. The most unforgettable one is definitely The Clash's Should I Stay or Should I Go.

Last but not least, the mystery

The story that this series offers is the kind that makes you question so many things at the end of every episode. What has happened to Will? Where is he? Where is Barb? Who is Eleven? What is it that they're doing with Eleven and the mysterious creature in that mysterious lab? What is that creepy creature that lurks in the woods? What is that other creepy thing that Hopper finds in the lab? The list of questions just keeps growing as you finish every episode and it makes it almost impossible for you to stop watching. For fans of this kind of story, Stranger Things is very, very entertaining to watch.

If you have already become a fan of this hit series, do you have other things that you like about it? If you haven't started watching, are you interested to start watching now? Not yet? Well, this trailer below should be able to convince you.

Hope you enjoy my blog post! :)

Thoughts on Markus Zusak's The Book Thief

After an awfully long time, I finally finished reading Markus Zusak's The Book Thief. It took about three months, I think, for me to finish it. This is a new record haha. I don't know exactly why it took me that long to finish it, but I've just realized that it's always harder for me to finish a book that is written by a male author. I don't mean to be sexist or anything, but that is just what happens to me. Maybe it's easier for me to read female authors' writings because I am also a woman. Or maybe it's because men are hard to understand hahaha.

Anyways, The Book Thief by Markus Zusak is about a girl named Liesel Meminger. She lived in Germany during the Hitler era. When she started living with her foster parents, Hans and Rosa Hubermann, her fondness for books started growing as well. In the midst the brutality of the war, we could see how the girl's love for the words in her books changed many things and turned them a little brighter.

Me and my copy of The Book Thief and my window :P

Even though I find the book hard to read, I still think it's a remarkable book. The story is definitely touching. It's amazing how the story shows how words, and someone's love for words, can change lives. Hans could avoid death because he was said to be good at writing and was sent to the letter-writing department instead of the war during his time as a soldier. Liesel could soothe a bunch of hysterical people in the safety basement during raids by reading them words from her novel. Their mutual love for books also united Liesel and the sad Ilsa Hermann, the mayor's wife. Liesel survived a bomb attack that (SPOILER ALERT) killed all the people she loved because of her love of writing as well. As a person who is also fond of words, books and writing, I feel very related and touched by this.

Another thing from this book that catches my attention is Liesel's anger. She was such an angry little girl. I was stunned when I read the parts where she beat her friend up when she got teased, where she channeled her anger to stealing, where she ranted in front of Ilsa Hermann after Rosa got fired, etc. It's a bit rare to find female characters in fiction who are soft and angry at the same time, so I like how this book shows that complexity. It gives me the same feeling that Supergirl gives. 

I don't have so much to say about The Book Thief but I do have so many favorite quotes from the book. So, here they are.

Somehow, between the sadness and loss, Max Vandenburg, who was now a teenager with hard hands, blackened eyes and a sore tooth, was also a little disappointed. Even disgruntled. As he watched his uncle sink slowly into the bed, he decided that he would never allow himself to die like that.

The man's face was so accepting.

So yellow and tranquil, despite the violent architecture of his skull --

The endless jawline, stretching for miles, the pop-up cheekbones and the pot-hole eyes. So calm it made the boy want to ask something.

Where's the fight? he wondered.

Where's the will to hold on?

(page 196)

On the ration cards of Nazi Germany, there was no listing for punishment, but everyone had to take their turn.

(page 422)

Yes, the Fuhrer decided that he would rule the world with words. "I will never fire a gun," he said. "I will not have to." Still, he was not rash. Let's allow him at least that much. He was not a stupid man at all. His first plan of attack was to plant the words in as many areas of his homeland as possible.

He planted them day and night, and cultivated them.

He watched them grow, until eventually, great forests of words had risen throughout Germany. It was a nation of farmed thoughts.

(page 451, The Word Shaker)

For some reason, dying men always ask questions they know the answer to. Perhaps it's so they can die being right.

(page 475)

"And please," Ilsa Hermann advised her, "don't punish yourself, like you said you would. Don't be like me, Liesel."

(page 527)

Sometimes I think my papa is an accordion. When he looks at me and smiles and breathes, I hear the notes.

(page 531)

His soul sat up. It met me. Those kinds of souls always do - the best ones. The ones who rise up and say, "I know who you are and I am ready. Not that I want to go, of course, but I will come."

(Death on Hans Hubermann's soul, page 535)

Rating: 4/5

Be Bold and Go Beyond: My Review of Star Trek Beyond

My excitement to watch the third installment of the rebooted Star Trek movies turned into sadness when I read the news about Anton Yelchin's untimely death. The Russian-born actor who portrayed Pavel Chekov in the Star Trek films passed away on June 19th, 2016, just a few weeks before the film's release date, due to a freak accident. I was really shocked and saddened when the news broke because Anton was one of my favorite actors and he was so young, only three years older than me. I knew it was going to be hard for me to watch him in Beyond but, after I heard the news, I wanted to see the movie even more because I wanted to honor him. I really enjoyed his character in this movie. His character has more screen time, is more involved in the story and flirts with the girls here! Seeing him flirt with his cute accent made me giggle. They also put a writing that says "FOR ANTON" after the end credit which broke my heart into a million pieces. Oh, Anton, you are gone too soon :'(

For Anton (Source: twitter.com

Well, enough with the sentimental part. Now let's talk about the movie! This third movie is called Star Trek Beyond. This time the legendary crew of USS Enterprise must face an enemy that threatens their unity in the third year of their 5-year mission. The villain's name is Krall (Idris Elba), a ruthless, mysterious alien who destroys the Enterprise and is able to, literally, gain power from "the strength of others" (the "gaining power" scene is quite scary, you know...). The main cast from the previous two films reprise their roles here. However, the movie is not directed by J.J. Abrams, who directed the previous two. It is directed by Fast and Furious 6 director Justin Lin while Simon Pegg, who also plays Scotty in the movie, acts as the scriptwriter as well. Besides Idris Elba, Kingsman actress Sofia Boutella and Indonesian actor Joe Taslim join the returning cast members. 

I love the cast so much. These are great, talented actors. (Source: www.comingsoon.net)

I think this movie is super fun and entertaining. It has more comical moments and dialogues that will surely be enjoyed by auidence. It also has more action sequences, I think. I was quite impressed by the scene where Krall attacks the Enterprise for the first time with his "bees". It was also nice to see the crew members spend some time outside the ship here; they spent most of the time inside the ship in the previous two movies. The things that I wish could be more explored in this movie are the interactions and the relationships among the crew members. When I heard that they were going to split up the crew, I thought we would be able to see how the crew members interact with other members who they don't normally interact with, which would be interesting to see. However, it turns out that this movie doesn't give much time for that. The movie focuses more on the crew's mission to defeat Krall and is so fast-paced, which doesn't give room to develop the characters' relationships. I understand that they don't want to fit too many things in one movie, though; it's never good to put too many things in a 2-hour movie. Maybe I should just watch the upcoming TV series to see more of that, or maybe the original series. TV shows have many episodes so they should have room for in-depth character explorations.

I enjoyed the new characters in Beyond, especially Krall and Jaylah (Boutella). I knew Idris Elba is a great actor so I wasn't surprised at all to see his powerful villainous performance. I like Jaylah because she is strong, independent and very smart (you know how I feel about this kind of female characters, right?). The main cast led by Chris Pine aka Captain Kirk is, of course, amazing. It's great to see how they have established themselves in their roles in the ship. My favorite crew member this time is Uhura, played by the gorgeous Zoe Saldana, who, like Anton's Chekov, has more screen time and is so badass here. The funniest character in the movie is definitely Leonard McCoy aka Bones (Karl Urban). His sarcasm and grumpiness never fail to make me laugh.

Source: startrekgifs.tumblr.com

I've never seen the original series with William Shatner and the gang but I'm pretty sure fans of the classic series are happy with how this movie pays tribute to the original cast, especially the late Leonard Nimoy who passed away last year. Another aspect that I like is the music in the film. That loud music that is played during the final space battle scene is just rad! I rewatched the first Trek film after I saw Beyond and realized that the song is also featured in the first movie. No wonder Kirk thinks it's a good choice haha.

Although I wish this could also be more explored, as I said before, I really like the message that Beyond tries to deliver through Kirk's struggle. After a few years working for the Enterprise, he feels lost. He wonders why he is there and feels like maybe he doesn't belong there. I find this truly relatable and understandable. I think it is relatable for anyone who's been doing their jobs for a few years like me. But, just like the lady in Yorktown says, its very easy to feel and get lost sometimes, but that doesn't mean that you have to stop doing what you're doing. It's very normal to feel bored and tired. When you feel like that, you have to remember what made you choose to start, why you wanted it so bad at the beginning. I think that will help.

That's all from me this time. I hope you enjoy this post. I'm probably going to post something else soon. It's the Comic Con weekend and there are so many panels, announcements, trailers, news and promotional materials and I'm freakin' out and have so much to say about that haha.

Live long and prosper!

Rating : 4/5

Let's Talk About Superheroes! (Part 2)

It's time for the Marvel heroes from the big screen now. Here we go.

Source: www.tumblr.com

CAPTAIN AMERICA: CIVIL WAR

Civil War opened the season of blockbuster movies this year. Technically it is the third Captain America movie, but it's more like the third Avengers movie because it features multiple Avengers team members. Similar to Batman vs Superman, Civil War is about a war between two beloved superheroes. Due to severe damages that are created by the superheroes when they try to save the world, the governments of most countries in the world demand the Avengers to work under their supervision. Tony Stark thinks it's logical for the team to accept that, but Steve Rogers thinks the opposite. The situation gets worse when Bucky aka the Winter Soldier gets involved. A conference which includes the signing of the agreement between the Avengers and the governments is ended by an explosion and Bucky gets blamed for that. Having a strong emotional connection with him, Steve decides to help Bucky, which makes him labeled as a criminal too. As the story goes, the war between Tony and Steve gets even more personal and emotional.

As you probably know, I'm not a big fan of the films that are made by Marvel Studios. But I have to admit that Civil War is a remarkable movie. The way it portrays the feud between the two heroes is really good. If you ask me which side I'm on, Team Cap or Team Iron Man, I wouldn't be able to choose. I can understand why Steve refuses to sign the agreement with the governments, but I think Tony's argument about why they should sign it has a point. I think it's very human for Tony to be angry when (SPOILER ALERT) he finds out that Bucky kills his parents, but I can't say that Steve is wrong for defending his best friend until the end. This is the kind of war between two heroes that I want to see. It really is good vs good here, even though there is still an evil third person who manipulates things. It's very interesting to watch.

The best scene-stealers in this movie for me are the new characters: Spider-Man and Black Panther. Yeah, I, surprisingly, love the new Spider-Man. I didn't expect to like him this much because I really, really love Andrew Garfield's version of Spidey in The Amazing Spider-Man movies. When I first heard that they were replacing Andrew with young Tom Holland, my heart broke. But Tom's portrayal of the hero in this movie just made me fall in love with Spider-Man all over again. I was just so happy to see our young, smart, excited, funny and pure-hearted hero again. Maybe it's not just Andrew that I love; it's the character itself too. And then there's Black Panther. I know nothing about this character's comic book history, but he is just so cool in this movie. The costume and the way he fights are so neat, elegant. And I find his accent quite sexy too hahaha. The female characters, Black Widow, Scarlet Witch and Sharon Carter, are pretty badass too. They should include more female characters in the Avengers movies. They even deserve to have their own movies!

Oh, hey, Spidey! (Source: www.dailysuperhero.com)

Rating: 4/5

X-MEN: APOCALYPSE

Apocalypse is the third film in the prequel trilogy of X-Men movies. This time, the X-Men must face a mutant who claims himself as the first and the most powerful mutant in the world: En Sabah Nur aka Apocalypse. He recruits four other mutants (Magneto, Storm, Psylocke and Angel) and plans to destroy the human race so that he can build a new world in which he is the leader, the God. Apocalypse's threats somehow bring back the disunited squad together and help them deal with their issues.



Source: phimhayso.com

I think the premise of the story has been overused in Hollywood. As for the villain, I find Apocalypse aka Mr En Sabah Nur a little too... magical. Maybe I'm so used to seeing superhero films being as realistic as possible because it seems to be a trend these days. His physical appearance, the way he talks, the way he gets resurrected (which involves a hidden cave and ruins that light up when the sunlight touches them), and his dialogues about ruling the world made me cringe. I'm so sorry but the premise and the villain are a bit cheesy for me.

However, I still find this movie quite entertaining. The iconic characters and the way the actors portray them are the ones that save this movie. Each character here has their own style and characteristics which make them all unique and so unforgettable. Professor X on his wheelchair with his calm and caring attitudes, Magneto with his burning anger and dark past, Mystique with her blue skin and mysterious personality, Quicksilver with his slow-motion scenes, Cyclops with his special glasses... They have great arcs and the actors played their characters very well too. This movie is really a treat for the characters' fans.

Rating: 3,5/5