A lot of the movie "I Am Number Four" was consistent with the book. The book, as is often the case, covers a lot more actual story than the movie, which often shortens scenes, or combines multiple scenes into one. There are a few discrepancies with the book that I would like to point out in the movie.
After the introduction, the movie is correct enough to have number four, currently using the name "Daniel Jones", at a beach party at night. Unlike the book, however, Four is supposed to be on a boat, not treading water half a mile out into the ocean. Seriously, The first time I saw the movie, I thought there was going to be a shark attack. But he didn't pass out, and no one caught the obtaining of the 3rd scar on camera. When they left, they burned their important information, not six who was shown following them.The camera event is after four has developed his fire-proof powers and runs into a burning building to save his girlfriend, Sarah, but it isn't posted on a "They walk among us" website, in fact, the book says there is no such website.
Sarah, in the movie, runs a website called "Strangers in Paradise" for her photography, but in the book, once again, there is no such website. She takes several pictures of John, and it mentions her developing them in the dark room at school, but she is not trying to be a comical stalkerazzi as she appears in the movie. In the book, Four's telekinesis develops at Sarah's house when he accidentally breaks the lens of her camera because he is stressed about Henri's visit to the paranormal website operators. There is no camera with a pre-broken lens for her to give him, and he does not take a whole role of film up for pictures for her.
Which brings me to another point. The movie does not show him developing any of his powers. All he can do is turn his hands into flashlights. The movie shows him being protected from a fire by number six, who is in fact, not fire-proof. Speaking of six, she is casted as a white, blonde with an Australian accent, though she is supposed to be brunette, green eyed, and dark skinned, with no mention of any accent.
Six brings up another opinion of mine, I hope that Four will wind up falling in love with Six, and that they will be together forever on Lorien, and that he and Sarah will peacefully drift apart. Henri tells Four in the book, that once they fall in love they will be in love for their whole life, but even if he thinks he is in love with a human, he would still be able to fall into a much deeper, purer, truer love with a Loric girl, and then he goes on to mention that Four's parents were friends with the parents of a girl who is one of the 9 (now reduced to 6) on this planet. He says that their parents used to joke about them "growing up and falling in love and our mamas smiled and rolled their eyes, and said oh, my, my, my..." seriously, Taylor Swift aside. I think this is foreshadowing... I hope... that he and Six will fall in love, and that Six won't fall for Sam as she seems to be doing at the close of the movie. The only girl Sam is ever mentioned to be crushing on in the book is Emily, who is a friend of Sarah's.
The movie also does not show him communicating with animals, as is one of his other abilities. Speaking of animals, his "dog"/ lizard/ chimera from Lorien, called "Hunley" on their home planet, is named "Bernie Kosar" when Four, aka John Smith, arrives in Paradise, OH. That part was correct. But in the movie, giving him this name seems to be a bit of a joke between "John" and Henri (supposed to be pronounced ohn-REE because they are claiming that John's "father, really assigned protector, is french to cover up for his Loric accent,) though in the book, the name was on a collar tag already found on the animal.
Speaking of Henri, he does not die in the book until the final few chapters, during the battle, but he dies halfway through the movie, killed by Mogadorians at the home of the printers of "They Walk Among Us," though in the book, they escaped from the house without the mogadorians seeing them. When Henri dies in the movie, he is reduced to a pile of ash, though in the book, this only happens to the mogadorians after they die. In the book, Henri is cremated by Six, who can control the elements, and stored on a coffee can to be eventually taken back to Lorien and buried there.
There are many other differences, but I will not continue to list them, as this may make the movie seem like a dreadful waste of time. I really liked the movie. It was fabulously animated for the chimeara scenes, and the effects of the Legacies were incredible. The movie was thrilling. I actually screamed a few times! But the book was 1000X better. I would definitely recommend reading I Am Number Four, even going out of one's way to read it. It was so intense. I literally COULD. NOT. PUT. IT. DOWN.
Sunday, June 26, 2011
Friday, June 10, 2011
Making a Scene
Selena Gomez and The Scene has released a new single titled "Bang Bang Bang" and I decided that would be a good place to start as far as music commentary goes. When I listened to this song, I was severely unimpressed by the lack of lyric depth shown in previous songs such as "A Year Without Rain", "Round and Round" or "Who Says" and she seems to be repressing her natural vocal timbre. Her voice seems strained as if she is singing just slightly higher than her optimal pitches.
"Bang Bang Bang" is clearly a rant post-breakup song. Many listeners are suggesting that the song was written glorifying her new interest: Justin Beiber with phrases such as "He looks way better than you," and "He's got more swagger than you do."
Some opinions have voiced that this new single sounds like the Electro-Pop sensation La Roux. Though La Roux may have been an influencing factor in the creation of the music score, I think that the most influential component was simply the resurrection of electronic music. The sound of "Bang Bang Bang" lacks the deeper base tones of much of La Roux's music as well as the complex harmony accompanying Elly Jackson's performances such as "Bulletproof", "I'm Not Your Toy", and, one of my personal favorites, "As if by Magic". Once again, the lyric depth in this song is a main factor contributing to this verdict. "Bang Bang Bang", in my opinion, has the lyric depth of wet pavement after a light rain shower, while the majority of La Roux's music is closer to a 12-feet-deep, Olympic sized swimming pool. The rate of mindless repetition in Selena's song is approximately 89%.
Many artists often write songs not intended to be published, just as a way of letting off steam. This song leads me to believe that one of her producers came across the song on accident, and needed a few more songs to add to the most recent collection before they could release the next album, decided to add it as a filler and then chose to release it as a single to set up for the album before they released the actually impressive songs.
I don't think that this song deserves its current rating of 3rd highest Selena Gomez song on itunes. She has released several which are a much better use of your sense of hearing. Don't let that stop you from occasionally listening to it when its in a playlist of the whole upcoming album, but I wouldn't bother buying it as a single.
"Bang Bang Bang" is clearly a rant post-breakup song. Many listeners are suggesting that the song was written glorifying her new interest: Justin Beiber with phrases such as "He looks way better than you," and "He's got more swagger than you do."
Some opinions have voiced that this new single sounds like the Electro-Pop sensation La Roux. Though La Roux may have been an influencing factor in the creation of the music score, I think that the most influential component was simply the resurrection of electronic music. The sound of "Bang Bang Bang" lacks the deeper base tones of much of La Roux's music as well as the complex harmony accompanying Elly Jackson's performances such as "Bulletproof", "I'm Not Your Toy", and, one of my personal favorites, "As if by Magic". Once again, the lyric depth in this song is a main factor contributing to this verdict. "Bang Bang Bang", in my opinion, has the lyric depth of wet pavement after a light rain shower, while the majority of La Roux's music is closer to a 12-feet-deep, Olympic sized swimming pool. The rate of mindless repetition in Selena's song is approximately 89%.
Many artists often write songs not intended to be published, just as a way of letting off steam. This song leads me to believe that one of her producers came across the song on accident, and needed a few more songs to add to the most recent collection before they could release the next album, decided to add it as a filler and then chose to release it as a single to set up for the album before they released the actually impressive songs.
I don't think that this song deserves its current rating of 3rd highest Selena Gomez song on itunes. She has released several which are a much better use of your sense of hearing. Don't let that stop you from occasionally listening to it when its in a playlist of the whole upcoming album, but I wouldn't bother buying it as a single.
Monday, June 6, 2011
One Little Light
Recently, I have been learning that things aren't always going to go the way I want them to, or even expect them to. One would think that in a religious school, a private christian school no less, the students there would be more friendly and loving. After all, like a friend of mine said: "That's what Christians are supposed to do!" So why are many of the people around me constantly backstabbing me, and gossiping about me behind my back? I can smile and pretend to look happy on the outside. I can pretend that it doesn't bother me, but being the social creature that I am, I like having friends to talk to. When many of those friends start abandoning me because of vicious twisting of the truth and lack thereof, and I am left with few around me whom I would trust my feelings to without those words of confidence igniting rumors afresh, Who do I turn to? Why can't my a fore mentioned friend wait in one of the buildings to pick up my sister for work without random people whispering behind her loud enough to hear that "Those jeans are too ripped, and they make her look slutty. Besides, fat people shouldn't wear pants." That was when I realized I can't trust most of the people at my school, "christian" or not.
I have been seriously struggling with major depression issues for some time now. Whether my current poor health is to blame, or my social circumstances, I often feel like I can't tell anyone or they will judge me harshly, just as they judged my decisions and situations as of late. Sometimes writing helps, but most of the time, I feel depressed just to be around the people whom I know are putting on a charade, and nothing helps get rid of that feeling. Being near them is a smothering feeling of nearly tangible hatred and disgust. No one deserves to be treated that way. Christ commanded his followers to love everyone, and no one could possibly argue that the way many people act is in any way loving.
John 13: 34-35 ESV
A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you are also to love one another. By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.
I don't mean this to say that EVERYONE around me has been treating me this way. I have a few best friends who have never lost faith in me, a few good friends who have always supported me, prayed for me, held me up in their arms literally and figuratively. And I can never thank them enough. These are the friends that have kept me from falling, from drowning, and giving up in the middle of this. Real friends don't give up on you when lies are swirling all around you. We should all try to be that sort of friend for people. You never know when you might need one yourself. Once again, love is something that we all need to work on. Myself included. I am not always the most loving person, and I know that needs to change.
Proverbs 17:17 ESV
A friend loves at all times, and a brother is born for adversity.
Tonight, I walked outside to make sure I had gotten the mail for today, (which I already had,) and I saw a little blink of light. That was when I realized that the blink was the first firefly I had seen all summer. In that moment, I immediately thought of how true friendship shines a little bit of Christ's love for us, and can be a lifeline in the middle of immense sadness and struggle. No matter how alone I feel, there will always be a little firefly for me. No matter how dark the night gets, undoubtedly, a lightning bug will flash its light and send me the encouragement I need to keep going. Sometimes, just a kind word, a smile, a hug, or keeping one's unpleasant thoughts to one's self can make all the difference in the outcome of someone's day. Those are the little lights we see passing by on the way through the dark.
I have been seriously struggling with major depression issues for some time now. Whether my current poor health is to blame, or my social circumstances, I often feel like I can't tell anyone or they will judge me harshly, just as they judged my decisions and situations as of late. Sometimes writing helps, but most of the time, I feel depressed just to be around the people whom I know are putting on a charade, and nothing helps get rid of that feeling. Being near them is a smothering feeling of nearly tangible hatred and disgust. No one deserves to be treated that way. Christ commanded his followers to love everyone, and no one could possibly argue that the way many people act is in any way loving.
John 13: 34-35 ESV
A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you are also to love one another. By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.
I don't mean this to say that EVERYONE around me has been treating me this way. I have a few best friends who have never lost faith in me, a few good friends who have always supported me, prayed for me, held me up in their arms literally and figuratively. And I can never thank them enough. These are the friends that have kept me from falling, from drowning, and giving up in the middle of this. Real friends don't give up on you when lies are swirling all around you. We should all try to be that sort of friend for people. You never know when you might need one yourself. Once again, love is something that we all need to work on. Myself included. I am not always the most loving person, and I know that needs to change.
Proverbs 17:17 ESV
A friend loves at all times, and a brother is born for adversity.
Tonight, I walked outside to make sure I had gotten the mail for today, (which I already had,) and I saw a little blink of light. That was when I realized that the blink was the first firefly I had seen all summer. In that moment, I immediately thought of how true friendship shines a little bit of Christ's love for us, and can be a lifeline in the middle of immense sadness and struggle. No matter how alone I feel, there will always be a little firefly for me. No matter how dark the night gets, undoubtedly, a lightning bug will flash its light and send me the encouragement I need to keep going. Sometimes, just a kind word, a smile, a hug, or keeping one's unpleasant thoughts to one's self can make all the difference in the outcome of someone's day. Those are the little lights we see passing by on the way through the dark.
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