Tag: the host

Underrated Movies You Should Watch

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Mortal Engines. I don’t understand how this film didn’t get more love, I truly don’t. I fell in love with it the moment I turned it on. It’s Peter Jackson to perfection, the actors are just wonderful, the cinematography is beautiful, and it leaves you feeling like there’s hope at the end, despite the grim setting of a world of moving cities bent on eating each other. I still need to finish reading the book (which is really different, yet is shaping up to be just as awesome) but I truly recommend the film to anyone who hasn’t given it a chance yet. Ignore the reviews, it’s wonderful.

(My longer review for Mortal Engines from a while back is here.)

Kong: Skull Island. These kinds of movies are very hit or miss for me. I liked Peter Jackson’s King Kong, but I didn’t feel as in love with the new Godzilla films, which sort of overlaps universe-wise. The next film coming out is about Godzilla and Kong, which I’m definitely curious about after this one! This one though? This one is everything I want in an action movie: a historical setting, great characters, brilliant classic rock soundtrack, hilarious one-liners like: ‘Run to the side, you idiot!’ a line everyone who has ever watched a movie screams at the screen at some point. It also gave us one of the most fantastically random epic fight scenes ever. Behold:

If you haven’t watched Skull Island, what exactly are you waiting for, hmm?

The Host is a new one for me. I remember watching it when it first came out because I love Saoirse Ronan, but maybe I just needed to be in the right mood for it?? Because when I rewatched it this week, it just stole the emotions right out of my chest and it’s all I’ve been thinking about since. I wrote up a flailing book review for it here, as I promptly picked up the book after watching the film. It’s truly a great story about kindness and found family and the cast are so wonderful and the romance is amazingly angst and it ends so well. Definitely recommend!

Sorry, Jared, lil’ bit.
(gif set credit)

Tomorrowland. Oh my gosh, whyyyyy haven’t more people watched this?? It’s so freaking cool! A young girl finds a coin that shows her another world – a better world – and she sets off to investigate the meaning of the coin and finds more mysteries – and robots! – than she could have ever imagined. The film deals with concepts of utopia/dystopia, optimism/nihilism, history/futurism. I’ve rewatched it so many times and I cannot emphasise enough how underrated this gem is.

Anyone else have a favourite underrated movie that needs more love?

Book Reviews: The Host (2008), Roommate (2021), Skyward (2018)

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I read some really fantastic books this week. I think the one that’s going to be swirling around in my head for the next couple of days is The Host, though. It made me think and feel and wonder and angst. There were a few things I wish were done a bit differently or shortened, but overall I really truly adored it. Roommate by Sarina Bowen felt like a book to read at autumn time and I devoured it. Skyward by Joe Henderson was so brilliantly coloured and detailed and had such great representation. If you’re in search of a brilliant graphic novel, definitely pick up this one! I also read another children’s book that was wonderful, but I’m going to save that for a separate post.

The Host by Stephenie Meyer

“Eight full lives and I never found anyone I would stay on a planet for, anyone I would follow when they left. I never found a partner. Why now? Why you?”

Wow. This book. I have a lot of feelings. I understand now why this is the book Stephenie Meyer picks as her favourite. There is so much that I loved about this story: dear Wanda, tough Melanie, kind Jeb, lil Jamie, angsty Jared and sweet, lovely Ian.

lil’ bit, Jared, it’s true
(gif set credit)

SPOILER WARNING

That said, I don’t think there’s even teams, because the book is pretty solidly Wanda/Ian, Jared/Melanie. But I think the gif is hilarious XD

Ian is a total pumpkin pie precious cinnamon roll gem, though. I mean:

“I held you in my hand, Wanderer. And you were so beautiful.”

And:

“You deserve a life, too, Wanda. You deserve to stay.”

“But I love her, Ian.”

He closed his eyes, and his pale lips went dead white. “But I love you,” he whispered. “Doesn’t that matter?”

“Of course it matters. So much. Can’t you see? That only makes it more . . . necessary.”

Gosh, I cried at multiple parts of this story and I’m well impressed by the sheer humanity Meyer packed into this alien tale. Bravo, Meyer, you got me. You got my EMOTIONS.

–

I’ve always thought that if a person wants to, he can get along with just about anybody. I like putting my theories to the test. And see, here you are, one of the nicest gals I ever met. It’s real interesting to have a soul as a friend, and it makes me feel super special that I’ve managed it.

JEB ♡

–

My interest in this book started when I stumbled upon an interesting interview where Stephenie Meyer talked about The Host and said, ‘If I never wrote another book, I think I’d probably choose The Host. It feels like my most important story in a lot of ways. But I very much hope that my best book is still ahead of me. (Let’s be honest, though. I’m going to be remembered for Twilight.)’ For anyone curious, the interview is here.

I always get curious about the book that an author picks as their favourite of all their work, and the fact that she picked it over Twilight is striking to me and has left me very curious to read it.

Also, the movie left me with FEELS. Jared and Melanie OTP:

And of course Ian and Wanda \o/ ❤❤❤❤

I love all these characters.😭😭😭

(Movie review.)

Roommate by Sarina Bowen

We’re like a constellation in the night sky—people associate the stars with one another, but those stars only look like a group. They’re really millions of light years apart.

This book has everything you could possibly want in a romance story: adorable couple + amazing, delicious descriptions of cooking and baking + great side characters + heartfelt romance.

I loved Roderick and Kieran so much! Precious pies, both of them. I wholeheartedly recommend this one!!

Skyward, Vol. 1: My Low-G Life by Joe Henderson

This was a seriously cool graphic novel and I’m so curious to see where it goes in future volumes. The artwork in this is breath-taking, and there’s really good representation, too. I love the central characters, and the premise of a world without gravity is intriguing (albeit highly disconcerting!). The ending left me with EMOTIONS, so I must read the next one asap.