Blogging Challenge F(ilms)

Today's topic is about a few films my hubby and I have watched recently.

The first was I Am Number Four based upon the YA SciFi novel by Pittacus Lore (pseudonum for Jobie Hughes and James Frey). I haven't read the book, so I can't compare the two, but we enjoyed the movie. It wasn't high film art, but the story was entertaining; the actors were nice to look at; and there was romance, creepy aliens, and explosions. What's not to love? And if you want to read a hilarious take on one of the explosions in this film, you'll have to check out Brodi Ashtons's post here. It's toward the end of her post.     I Am Number Four Trailer

The second film we saw was Beastly, based upon the book by the same name by Alex Finn. I first saw the trailer for this movie on Stephanie Perkins blog. I was intrigued by it and ordered the book. It's a quirky retelling of beauty and the beast, though the characters in the book are younger than in the film. And, yes, the cute kid from I Am Number Four also stars in Beastly.

It's the story of self-centered though gorgerous Kyle who makes the mistake of getting on the wrong side of a witch. She curses him to become the beast on the outside that he is on the inside. Kyle must find someone to love his ghastly exterior within one year or stay that way forever. There were changes, obviously, between the book and the film, but I thought they were true to the story--and some changes in the film I liked better than what happened in the book. The true jewel though is Neal Patrick Harris, who plays Will, Kyle's blind tutor. I want to see the movie again just to see Neal. Beastly Trailer

The film we saw this past weekend was Sucker Punch. I don't know if it was based upon a book. (The female love interest from Beastly, Vanessa Hudgens, is in it). It's the story of a girl, Baby Face, (played by Emily Browning of Lemony Snickets fame), whose mother has just died. The girl is confronted by her vile stepfather, who is angry his wife left her wealth to her two daughters. Disaster strikes when Baby Face  tries to save her sister from the psycho stepfather. When she's locked up and scheduled for a lobotomy, she has five days to escape.

It's a surreal kind of film full of dark themes and stylistic fighting. The fight scenes include an interesting array of orcs, and dragons, WWI gas filled dead soldiers, and futuristic vehicles--to name a few. And it delivers a sucker punch ending--you can decide for yourself which of the definitions in the link describe it once you've seen the film. Not really my taste in movies but worth a viewing once.

One of my complaints was one I have with almost all fantasy chick fighting. They always show the girls/women half clad, while they're out there hitting and kicking and punching and climbing and flying. With narry a scratch, cut, or burn. Right. That'll really make me believe. I can guarantee that all that pretty exposed skin will end up cut and scarred and won't be so pretty after just one really good fight.    Sucker Punch trailer