Oz: The Great and Powerful - Film

*Beware the spoilers*

The prequel to the classic 'Wizard of Oz', based on the books of L. Frank Baum, is now in our cinemas, and what a prequel it is. With stunning visual effects with a nicely thought-through plot, the film is sure to please any audience.

Oz (James Franco), otherwise known as Oscar Diggs, is a small time magician at the Baum Brothers circus. He is a womaniser, a crook and a liar. Of course, we expected that. The wizard calls himself a 'humbug' in The Wizard of Oz, and we all know that is who this man will become. After causing a fiasco by flirting with the resident strong man's wife/girlfriend, Oz steals a hot air balloon and rides it straight into a tornado which, like Dorothy, takes him to the land of Oz. (The tornado ride is pretty intense, I loved it). He meets a witch, Theodora (Mila Kunis), there, who realises that he must be the Wizard from the prophesy, come to banish the evil witch, Glinda (Michelle Williams), from their land and take the throne. Oz, ever the opportunist, decides to follow the Theodora to the emerald city and become the great man he thinks he should be.

The one thing,in my opinion, that could have been improved was the acting. James Franco's 'unconvincing smile' was driving me insane, while the wicked witch of the west was a little too shouty and cackly to be convincing as a character. Although this was a clear nod to the original film, I felt that perhaps it would be better to make the evil acting a little bit more subtle.

And there were a few more nods to the original film, as well as the books. Glinda was the witch of the South in the books and this restores her to that role. The little China girl has been taken from 'The Wonderful Wizard of Oz', the first book. The film begins in black and white, and then changes to colour when the wizard arrives in Oz. This was a particularly nice touch. Also, characters from this world are transferred to Oz, as in the original film, such as Glinda and Frank (Zach Braff). Frank is a little harder to notice, but he is the flying monkey who ends up travelling with them. There is a nice reference to the cowardly lion, as well as the methods that Oz uses in his tricks and the way the witches travel.

So, all in all, this film is about the journey that Oz takes to become the man we see in The Wizard of Oz - a great man. Though this Disney film isn't a direct prequel to the MGM film starring Judy Garland, it conforms extremely well to the plot. We learn how the Wicked Witch of the West comes into being and how Oz gained the throne. I like the way it wasn't as straightforward as it could have been. At first, we wonder why Glinda is described as evil and why there isn't a green witch. Well, all will be revealed. The ending is nice and, in some places, quite unexpected. But it ties everything in well and doesn't leave you with any questions.

Stunning landscapes, character design and a good, sturdy plot, but it could have done with more realistic acting and maybe a bit more depth. 4 out of 5. The kids will love it.

Warm Bodies - Isaac Marion

The film has been plastered everywhere, but how does the book compare? That's where I come in.

So for those of you who aren't that into YA fiction, or Zomromcoms, or Nicholas Hoult (who was great, by the way), Warm Bodies is Romeo and Juliet with a twist. Ever wondered what it would be like if Romeo was already dead and Juliet was the daughter of the human leader? Well, wonder no more.

The book opens nicely, with a nice description of how the zombies live, how they act, and why R (that's our Romeo) is a little different to the rest of them. Kind of like the film, but in a slightly less amusing way, we are put directly into R's mind. The first person narrative from his point of view is lovely. His thoughts and descriptions are vivid and produce wonderful images for us. The reason for his lack of words as a zombie is also nicely explained.

As always, there is more to the book than there is to the film, but here we see this in a very different way. R has a little zombie family, and the rest of the zombies are not quite as gormless and unthinking as the film suggests. They have classes for the children (macabre ones, but still, classes) and even (loosely speaking) a church. Thankfully, the Boneys were not made up, but there is a little more to them too. They are almost otherworldly beings with a faint, menacing hum emanating from them.

So, anyway, on with the book. The plot is good, it never stutters and never stops. It keeps you reading on, wondering what is going to happen. The relationship between R and Julie is not quite as obvious as it could be. I like that, as it does keep you guessing. Perry (Julie's boyfriend, who is killed by R at the start), keeps making appearances that are really interesting to read and give you more to think about. In fact, this book really makes you wonder about what happens when you die. It leaves you with philosophical questions about what happens to your soul if you were to become a zombie, or a Boney. Even the most high-brow of adults can get a kick out of this YA book.

I do feel that the ending was quite predictable in terms of what happens to R. Even the names of the parts in the book do their best in giving it away. However, it is a drastic change from the film. I don't want to give too much away, but in a way, it was a slight let-down for me about what happens to the Boneys. The climax was there, and someone dies who doesn't in the film (this part is actually really cool) but then it all kind of peters out.

Discard your preconceptions of zombies, folks. This a good read and really makes you think. Read this first, then see the film.

Three stars I'm afraid. The film just flowed better for me.

The prequel, The New Hunger, is out on Kindle now.

Enchanted - Alethea Kontis

This is the story of Sunday, the seventh daughter of the seventh daughter, doomed to be blithe and bonnie and good and gay. She is the daughter of a woodcutter, and spends all her time in the woods, writing stories. One day, she meets a frog in the forest, and soon they become great friends. What she doesn't know is that her frog is actually the hated Prince Rumbold, who, by way of his fairy godmother, killed her eldest brother.

And it gets more complicated. When her kiss turns him human again, Rumbold goes straight to the Palace, leaving her to think that her beloved Grumble is dead. Meanwhile, Sunday finds out that there is more to her than she thought.

This story is a masterpiece. It spins together the threads of several fairy tales to create something that transcends them all. You will see Jack and the Beanstalk, Rapunzel, The Princess and the Frog (of course), the Princess and the Pea and many others subtly, and not so subtly, filtered into the story. The writing style is good, it draws you in with lovely descriptions and fun conversations. The characters are well-built, and there is a reason for the way each of them are.The books narrative flows perfectly with the character it is focusing on, and it is nice to see both perspectives.

There is a even a little bit of mystery, with strange voices in Rumbold's head that leave you to wonder if he's crazy, or if there's something more magical involved. And then there is the ghost, and the King, both of whom are woven into the plot wonderfully.

This is no ordinary take on a classic fairy tale, this is a wonderful new story of the likes of Reckless and Wicked, both of which are highly recommended.

If you love fairy tales, or just love a good read, this book will make you cheer for joy. It was a pleasure to read.This book is also part of a series, though it can be read as a stand-alone book, The next book, Hero, is out on the 1st October 2013.

Five stars. You can't put it down.

The Selection - Kiera Cass

The thing about teen reads is that once you pick them up, it's so fun and quick to read them. This one was finished in 6 hours. Not 6 hours flat, there was an overnight break in the middle. It got put down very reluctantly at 2 in the morning. Anyway...

The Selection is a countrywide competition full of beautiful girls vying for the love/crown of Prince Maxon, the heir to the throne. America Singer is one of those girls. The problem? She's already in love with someone else. And it's about to get even more complicated.

The story is great, if a little obvious for an adult reader. But that's what makes it a great. It's light-hearted, funny and lovely. You don't have to think too much about it, you just read and it whizzes by.

This book is very reminiscent of Wither, by Lauren DeStefano, in the way that both main characters feel trapped in a 'gilded cage' and have extremely mixed feelings. The closeness of other women vying for the same young man and the sense of sisterhood the reader gets is also very like it.

It also picks up on the recent dystopian idea of reality television - a world where you are chosen for something, and people watch your every move. However, this is nothing like The Hunger Games.
This book is a delight to read. The characters are lively and likeable. Their conversations are hilarious; you find yourself laughing out loud. And America, the protagonist, is relateable. We've all been through what she's going through, only on a less grand stage.

This is a pretty short review, because saying much more will ruin the plot for those of you who are interested in reading it. So without further ado it gets 5 out of 5 stars and applause. I can't wait to get started on the next in the series, The Elite, which comes out in April. But in the meantime I'll settle with the kindle short story that's coming out in February (The Prince).

The Hobbit - An Unexpected Journey

Fans of Tolkien have been holding their breath for the prequel to The Lord of the Rings, and have all let it out in a sigh of relief. The film, which was again directed by Peter Jackson, was a fantastic translation from the book. You will not be disappointed.

It is difficult for anyone reviewing this film not to compare it to its predecessors, and yet it has to be done.
Visually, the film is full of the epic landscapes we saw in the first three films. It includes many sets that you will be able to recognise, as well as a good few characters. Gollum is the main character to notice. Although he is played by the same man (Andy Serkis), the technology that created him has improved, and now we can see every facial expression in huge detail. Serkis's acting is, as always, impeccable, and he has played Gollum very well. He is younger here, and is not yet bitter and damaged. Instead we see his split personality and his love of the ring shine out, but also his playfulness and trusting nature that is all but gone in later years.

In comparison to the book, the film follows the plot smoothly and tells the story in acute, and accurate, detail. Even the embellishments fall in line with the plot of The Hobbit. There are some differences, but none that should offend a fan of the book. It has a very different feel to the Lord of the Rings. Originally written for Tolkien's children, the book is much more light hearted. It has all the action we would expect, but we find comic relief in the company of dwarves, and in the Hobbit himself, Bilbo Baggins.

The cast is full of English actors; Ian McKellen of course, Richard Armitage (Robin Hood), Aiden Turner (Being Human), James Nesbitt (Bloody Sunday) and Ken Stott, to name a few. But the actor that was entirely perfect for his role was, of course, Martin Freeman (Sherlock) who played Bilbo Baggins. There is something about the way that he is uppity and yet valiant, not quite brave but certainly willing to give it a go and at the beginning somewhat unlikeable; it is so much like the character in the book. You find yourself laughing at his predicament, at his conversations with others. At the beginning he is a character to ridicule, but as this film goes on, you soon learn that there is more to him than meets the eye.

So what's next? This is only the first part of the trilogy, the other two being The Desolation of Smaug, and There and Back Again (where we can meet the character voiced by Freeman's Sherlock costar, Benedict Cumberbatch). We can look forward to these within the next two years, and with any luck they will follow on in the footsteps of An Unexpected Journey.

Five out of Five. It was a truly enjoyable film, and one that can be watched over and over.