Mockingjay AND Big Hero 6 (Plus Bonus Features)

Mockingjay AND Big Hero 6 (Plus Bonus Features)

Mockingjay AND Big Hero 6 (Plus Bonus Features)

Nine Things About the Movie "Big Hero 6"

1. This is the most pleasant surprise I've seen at the movies in 2014. From the cutesy trailer and the stupid title, it's like Disney doesn't want anybody to know what the movie really is.

2. It's about a 14-year-old genius named Hiro Hamada who lives in the city of San Fransokyo. He's out of high school, bored, and thinks college is for nerds. He spends his time in the city's battle robot underground. Hiro's older brother, Tadashi, is a robotics engineering student who has invented a new kind of robot named Baymax that specializes in health care.

3. After some bad things happen, Hiro reluctantly teams up with Baymax and Tadashi's friends to stop someone from stealing Hiro's own invention of swarming microbots. But that quest opens up bigger problems.

4. There are themes of death and loneliness in the film that aren't obvious from the way the movie is marketed. I was more emotionally invested in the movie than I expected to be.

5. The filmmakers consulted about six universities and robotics research labs for help on this movie. I'm pretty sure this is the only animated film I've ever seen that uses the term "tungsten carbide".

6. The character of Baymax was inspired by actual research in a new field called "soft robotics". And the swarming microbots in the film are also based on real research and inventions. Of course, the movie takes those ideas and then leaves reality behind.

7. The animation in this film is so incredibly detailed that some scenes look almost like real life. The 3D is also worth the extra price, if you like that sort of thing.

8. The movie unabashedly promotes science, technology, engineering, and education.Read more
Mockingjay AND Big Hero 6 (Plus Bonus Features)

Mockingjay The Hunger Games: Mockingjay Part 1 2014

Mockingjay The Hunger Games: Mockingjay Part 1 2014

Mockingjay The Hunger Games: Mockingjay Part 1 2014

I read the Hunger Games series again from start to finish over the summer, and I gotta say I really have developed an even stronger admiration for the series. The same can be said for the two previous movies: The Hunger Games and The Hunger Games Catching Fire respectively. And one of my most anticipated movies of 2014 was none other than Mockingjay Part 1.

Time has passed since Katniss sent her arrow flying into the base of the arena in the 75th Hunger Games. And Katniss is not quite the same person she was. Peeta is a captive of the Capitol, her home District 12 is in ruins, and an offer has been proposed for her to become the new leader, a template to show the President Snow and the Capitol that she is in fact The Mockingjay.

3 is the number that sometimes doesn't work for a movie trilogy but thankfully for The Hunger Games movies, Mockingjay Part 1 DOES. Starting first with Jennifer Lawrence, she once again shines in her role as Katniss; she definitely fulfills the necessary emotions of fear, depression, and resilience throughout the course of the movie. And she does harmonize the "Hanging Tree" tune very beautifully. Liam Hemsworth does well in the movie as Gale; going to extreme lengths to keep Katniss happy. This time around, Finnick is a man who has lost something so precious to his heart, and Sam Claflin nails it. Josh Hutcherson definitely deserves attention for his role as Peeta in Mockingjay Part 1. He is being tortured and made to tell Katniss and the Districts that no one is safe. And Peeta is assuredly NOT the same boy from the past two movies. Woody Harrelson returns as Haymitch and does a good job. Elizabeth Banks plays Effie Trinkett and does really well, even without all her makeup. And Donald Sutherland's role as President Snow is a lot more effective. 

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Mockingjay The Hunger Games: Mockingjay Part 1 2014

Summer Fantasy Book Reading For Teens and Young Adults

Some Classics

A Wrinkle in Time - (Newberry Medal Winner) This is simply a beautiful book that has blazed a trail in modern children's fantasy by putting forward a story of several children embarking on a grand adventure; In this case to rescue their father. There is some fascinating and thoughtful stuff in this book like living stars and tesseracts. It is a perennial favorite and on every librarian's list.

A Wizard of Earthsea - Written by Ursula K. Leguin this is the first book in a series called The EarthSea series. Short and light but extraordinarily beautiful. This first book in the series follows a young boy named Ged as he goes from being a simple goat herd to a powerful wizard. It is simply beautiful and it brings forth some wonderful and magical themes such as the concept that everything (including dragons) has a secret name. And if you know the secret name you can control the thing (including dragons).

The Hobbit - This probably shouldn't be on this list but it is so good that I can't leave it off. With the absolute enormous success of the Lord of the Rings movies this book may be overlooked but I consider it better! It is also in the works to be a movie.

Five Children and it - This is one of the most popular books written by Edith Nesbit who is often credited with creating the whole genre of children embarking on fantasy adventures. Her books are in the public domain now and can easily be found for free. The theme of this book is: Be careful what you ask for. You may get it! That's the message in this delightful tale of five youngsters who discover a bizarre sand creature that grants wishes. There's a catch, of course: the wishes come undone at sunset, and worse yet, things often get out of hand!

Dragonflight - This book is a little more complex than earlier ones I have cited here and it tends toward being more of a novel for grownups but it very suitable for teens. We are introduced to a complex world of dragons through the main character Lessa. This book is often credited with being the book that has launched many a young girls writing career. It is the first book in a trilogy of books called The Dragon riders of Pern series.

A Princess of Mars: - The first novel in the Edgar Rice Burroughs series and currently in the initial stages of being written into a movie or animation that will be made by Pixar. This is the first book in a series called John Carter of Mars and it is good rollicking fun in the tradition of the old pulp magazines. It is a favorite for young boys who like sword fighting big monsters.

Contemporary fantasy and fiction

When it comes to modern fantasy fiction for teens there is an enormous selection to choose from and that, in itself, could be an obstacle. Here are summaries of some of the more popular ones and I have also picked some that are currently slated to be made into a movie.

Artemis Fowl Series - This series of books takes a little bit of an unusual position as far as children's books go because Artemis Fowl himself is a twelve year old genius and a criminal mastermind. The author of these books calls them Die Hard with Fairies! And the books are often characterized as being a high-octane and rip-roaring ride. It is a wildly popular series of books with a big website and even a wiki. There are currently five books in the series with the first being simply titled Artemis Fowl. The sixth book "The Time Paradox" is set to be released in July of 2008.

Here, there be Dragons - The title itself is rather mysterious and harkens back to another time. This was the phrase that cartographers used to write in patches of ocean that were unexplored. The basic premise of this story will really resonate with teens that are fans of fantasy itself because it starts with the unusual meeting of three young strangers John, Jack, and Charles on a rainy night in London. We later find out these three young men are J.R.R. Tolkien, C.S. Lewis, and Charles Williams.

The Kingdoms and the Elves of the Reaches - This is a series of books that takes place in a world of magic and secrets called Ruin Mist. This book was slow to start but word of mouth turned it into a best seller. It is one of those relatively little known books and series that is very satisfying.

Septimus Heap - If magic and wizards are of strong appeal this series of books make a great alternative to Harry Potter. The Main character (Septimus) is the seventh son of a seventh son and the main line of the story follows two children switched at birth: a boy destined to be a wizard and a girl destined to be a princess. There are currently four books in the series and the first book has been picked up by Warner Brothers and is currently being made into a movie that is scheduled for release in 2010.

Any of these books or series will launch teens and young adults on a remarkable adventure into strange fantasy worlds and no joystick or keyboard is required.

Summer Fantasy Book Reading For Teens and Young Adults

Mockingjay

Summer Fantasy Book Reading For Teens and Young Adults

Summer Fantasy Book Reading For Teens and Young Adults
Summer Fantasy Book Reading For Teens and Young Adults

Mockingjay