Movie Review: The Host

Last week MrCaptKirk and I were lucky enough to score advanced screening passes for The Host! I was extremely excited about this! I as you know, I am a HUGE Twilight and Stephenie Meyer fan so I was thrilled to get an early peek at The Host, which is based on the book of the same name by Stephenie Meyer.

Here was my initial reaction upon seeing the movie, as seen on my Facebook page:

"The Host movie soooooooo awesomely awesome! I want to see it again asap. So different from Twilight but a great movie in my opinion. (So if you loved or hated Twilight give The Host a try!)"

The Host is about a parasitic alien race that invades Earth and takes over human bodies, turning humans into...Hosts. Get it?? Yeah... :) But as one might imagine, sometimes getting rid of all the human-ness out of a body might be more difficult in some cases and therefore leading to engaging story.

There is a love triangle but oh man it's got a twist to it! And The Host is not just a "love story," there is so much more going on. It's about survival and what it means to be human. It's about relationships, both romantic and familial, and what that means when your loved ones aren't your loved ones anymore. 

I read the book probably about four years ago now. (Wow, has it been that long!? I want to reread it soon. See more about the book, The Host, on Goodreads.) I remember liking The Host, thinking it was way different from Twilight, and it taking me a while to get into it but once I did, I really dug it. But I don't remember enough to really compare the book and the movie at all. I would say that I thought the movie pacing was very good and I didn't feel any long, disconnected period in the beginning like I remember feeling with the book. 

Saoirse Ronan, the actress that played Wanda/Melanie, did a fantabulous job! I was really blown away. I can only imagine how difficult it would be to play two characters. At once. Ah-mazing.

While I was watching the movie, I did notice (and how I missed this knowing how much I worshiped Stephenie Meyer's work at one point) that Stephenie has a thing for eyes. Stay with me here, in Twilight the eyes were one way you could identify the vampires and you could also tell if they were hungry and if they were "vegetarian" vamps or dined the more traditional vampire way, based on their eye color. Well in The Host you know when the alien soul had taken over a body...by the eyes!! Ahhh, mind blown. And sure like everyone else who has ever been remotely interested in Meyer's work already knew this. But I guess SEEING it on the big screen really made it clear to me. Like the old saying, "The eyes are the windows to the soul." (Clearly there wasn't a real point that rant, but isn't that cool?!)

My only real "complaint" with The Host was it was a little bit cheesy. But it actually kind of worked with the story. Imagine how lame you might be if you were new on the planet. You'd might be a bit lame too. So just go with the cheesiness as it provides some comic relief.

The movie ended at a good point but left it open for a sequel that I'm REALLY hoping for! And hey, it could happen! Stephenie confirmed she was working on a Host 2. See more on that on Hypable.

I asked the Mister what he thought about The Host. (He has also read the book.) Here's what he said, "My thoughts on The Host is that I REALLY liked it, and think that if there are more books coming in the series that it could be the next big series. I loved the character development and the acting.

In summary...WE LOVED IT. We totes recommend going to see it! I wish I could be there tonight for the 9 pm show! (I hate work gets in the way of my non-work interests!) Oh well, to help pass the time til I can see it again, I'll post the movie trailer. Although, watching it again REALLY makes want to watch the movie again. Like now. 

Let me know if you are planning to see The Host! Have you seen it? Leave me some comments, this is one item I'd love to discuss more!

Day 17– Favorite quote from your favorite book

30 Day Book Meme for December 2012

I love quotes. As with every other post in this 30 day meme challenge, I had hard time coming up with my answer. I finally settled on:

“So what you're saying is, I'm your brand of heroin?" I teased, trying to lighten the mood.

He smiled swiftly, seeming to appreciate my effort. "Yes, you are exactly my brand of heroin.”

Twilight 

by Stephenie Meyer

For more quotes from Twilight

click here.

Day 13 – Your favorite writer

30 Day Book Meme for December 2012

No way I could ever pick just one "Favorite Writer." I'm the kind of girl if I read one book I really love by an author, then I want to read EVERYTHING ever written by said author.

Some of my favorites include:

Stephenie Meyer

Charlaine Harris

Jennifer L. Armentrout

John Green

Maggie Stiefvater

I'm sure I've probably left out some authors I really like but there are just too great authors to name!

Day 05 – A book that makes you happy

30 Day Book Meme for December 2012

Day 5 is "a book that makes you happy." Well we know I love Twilight, of course. And it makes me really happy.

But the more I think about this topic, I don't think I much read happy books. I like emotional tear jerkers and intense mysteries. 

I can think of one series that can me belly-laugh-out-loud and that's the Stephanie Plum series by Janet Evanovich.

If you need a laugh start with One for the Money and I don't think you'll be disappointed!

Book pics from Goodreads.

Day 03 – Your favorite series

30 Day Book Meme for December 2012

Day 3 is "your favorite series." I really enjoy reading series because you kind of always know what you want to read next or have a new book to be excited about coming out. So I've read quite a few series. Some of favorites include: 

From my childhood:

The Baby Sitters Club was my favorite. I probably read more than a 100 of these!

More recently:

I'm a huge Charlaine Harris fan (see CH post), especially her Sookie Stackhouse books! I also like her Harper Connelly, Lily Bard, and Aurora Teagarden series too!

I really like Cassandra Clare's The Infernal Devices (see my post here) AND her Mortal Instruments series!

Image from http://www.goodreads.com/book/photo/7938275-the-hunger-games-trilogy-boxset

I also really enjoyed The Hunger Game series by Suzanne Collins.  The series is based in the future in a dystopian society where each year a male and female or tributes are sent to compete in a 'to the death' competition. 

I'm also a fan of: 

The Wolves of Mercy Falls series by Maggie Stiefvater.

BUT

Still my favorite all time series is going to have to be:

For me...many of the questions in this meme and in life can be answered by Twilight! Ha, I know right!? But it's so true!

Book photos from Goodreads.

Day 02 – A book that you’ve read more than three times

30 Day Book Meme for December 2012

Day 2 is "a book that you've read more than three times." Whether I should be ashamed or not, which I'm not, I have read Twilight by Stephenie Meyer repeatedly. I've read it several times, listened to the audio book (twice), watched the movie (countless times). There was a time in my life I could just not get enough of the Twilight story!

The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn Part 2

Edward hanging out in front of 

Cullen House in Forks, WA 

from our trip this past August.

If you know me at all, you know know I am a huge Twilight fan. I've been a fan since I saw the first movie. I know I was late getting into the game but better late than never right? So anyhow, I saw the movie and I was smitten. I almost immediately went out and bought the entire box set of books and proceeded to read them. Repeatedly. I was going through such a bad time personally in my relationship at the time that I clung to the series like a life line. I really don't know why. Maybe I wanted a love story in my real life, wanted to live it, for it to be real. But alas, it was not but somehow the books and movies reignited a passion in me. After I read The Twilight Saga, I went in search of similar books I would like and from there reading, movies, tv shows, and general geeking out have become such a huge part of my life. So, even as the Saga as we know is coming to a close, I will forever be grateful for what it represents for me.

From Our All Day Twilight Movie Marathon!

 

My hubs and I went to the Twilight marathon on Thursday, November 15. Yes, that's right 12 plus hours in the movie theater watching ALL the Twilight movies. (Does that man love me or what?) It was the first time I saw the first, original Twilight on the big screen! And I LOVED it. Of course I've watched my DVD 100s of times but the nuances on the big screen...ahhh! It was so good. Then we watched New Moon, Eclipse and Breaking Dawn Part 1 gearing up for Part 2. What a great way to spend a day, in a dark movie theater with my sweet hubby and my fav movies of all time!

 

Jackson Rathbone (Jasper Hale) & Me 

at the Breaking Dawn Part 1 Tour Stop

 in Atlanta, GA from last year.

Finally, we got Breaking Dawn Part 2. Ah-ma-zing!!! It was soooo good! The perfect ending to a wonderful series. They did a good job of tying up the loose ends yet leaving a few open ended scenes that left me wishing there was going to be more. I think that's the right way to end something, where you still want more. I've heard lots of people talking about how they "changed" the end, it was a little different from the book but not in a way that detracts from the story. In fact, I kinda of loved it. I totally thought Part 2 was better than Part 1 but that's probably because there is more "action" in Part 2. Take that as you will. ;) I thought the movie was very will done and it made me proud to be a TWI-Hard fan!

 

I give Breaking Dawn Part 2  five stars out of five! It was EPIC! I simply MUST SEE IT AGAIN! SOON!!

 

Have you seen yet? What did you think? Let me know in the comments below!

Impressionable and Inspired

I am very impressionable.  As defined by the dictionary, impressionable means: readily or easily influenced; suggestible. If I hear a phrase that reminds me a song, I feel I must sing it, loudly (mind you my singing is horrible, ask my co-workers, bless their hearts). I fancy myself as a somewhat crafty person and if something I watch or read inspires an idea, I've been known to craft up some kind of homage to the original. See example:

I made these shortly after I first became addicted to both the book and movie, Twilight by Stephenie Meyer. I'm not quite as neurotic as I once was but I will always love Twilight and be thankful for what it meant to me in that time in my life. 

So the red bracelet, more represents Edward (get it, blood is red, he's a vamp :). The charms in case you can't make them out from left to right are: a graduation cap, dice ("I'm betting on Alice!"), baseball bat and glove, music clef, Carlisle's cross, a crystal heart, engagement ring, bride and groom, dolphin (Isle Esme, anyone?), Edward's piano, and Renesmee's baby shoe.

The black beaded bracelet is for Jacob Black, of course! The charms again left to right are: an apple (like the cover of the first book, Bella's truck, a wolf, a heart, a feather (supposed to convey Jacob's tribal roots), motorcycle, and moon (for New Moon). 

As you have seen on this very blog at least once already (see this post), I have even been inspired to paint my nails in honor of certain books and movies. Here are my attempts are "Girl on Fire" nails from The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins:

Not everything inspires such a response from me but the "good stuff" can certainly lead to projects for me.

I was trying to figure out why I did these things the other day, most people I know don't do this, I beginning to think this was just one of my many idiosyncrasies. But after discussing with a friend her children's summer reading assignments, it became clear. When I was in school, even on up into college, my favorite (English/Lit) teachers were the ones who had us do "fun" projects that related back to the materials we were reading in class. I was never "artistic" in the sense that I could draw or paint or sculpt but I could collage with the best! And often times I'd receive praise from my teachers on my hard work on those projects. I think that those simple words of affirmation over ten years ago have stuck with me and why I continue with my media inspired projects. (So, there's a little side bar for ya, be careful of what you say to kids cause apparently they really are listening!)

There is actually a point to all my ramblings today. If you've been following me at all, you'll have seen that I've been reading through the Stephanie Plum novels by Janet Evanovich. They are ones with numbers in the titles like One for the Money, Two for the Dough, Three to Get Deadly, Four to Score, etc. If you are not familiar with the books, Stephanie is Jersey girl of Italian/Hungarian descent working as a bounty hunter even though she's not very good at it. The books are a brilliant blend of mystery and humor. The interaction Stephanie has with her family, especially her Grandma,will leave you laughing out loud, literally. Almost always when they have these family times they are eating and having a family meal. In fact, the offer of a good home cooked meal is how Stephanie's mom lures her home. And if I'm not mistaken, the offer of stuffed cabbages always draws Steph home.

My most recent Plum read.

I got to thinking, I've only ever had stuffed cabbage once and it was delish, much better than it sounds. And I've sure never made stuffed cabbage. So this evening I thought I've give it a try. Only I know how lazy I am and I altered the idea just a bit. My cabbage still has all the flavors but I've layered the ingredients into a casserole so it would be easier and less time consuming. I search the net for recipes, such as this one and this one too and then I adjusted with seasonings based on our liking and what we had on hand. I'm not one to measure or do things exactly the same each time.

Stuffed Cabbage Casserole

Plated with green beans and mashed potatoes.

Verdict: It was pretty good. Hubs liked it, said he'd like it again! I think Stephanie and the Plum clan would approve!

Have you ever been inspired by something you've seen or read? Leave me some comments. I HEART comments!