Well because the first full-length Mockingjay - Part One trailer has finally been released and it looks absolutely insane! A good insane. I seriously had to restrain myself from screaming when Katniss (my idol) Everdeen (Jennifer Lawrence) started speaking.
Oh, the feels is strong in this one. I’m expecting great things from this film, and the trailer has already set my standards pretty high. We’re all in this together, guys… So somebody hold me. Because this ish is going to be seriously intense.
You’re lying to yourself if you think you didn’t react the exact same way.
Charlie XCX’s new song Boom Clap features in The Fault In Our Stars soundtrack. The official video clip was released a few hours ago, showing various clips from the film which is released in New Zealand on June 5th.
The Fault In Our Stars is sure to be a hit with the tween/teen audience, and a similar reaction to the music is highly expected.
Boom Clap by Charli XCX features on the soundtrack that will also present tracks from Ed Sheeran, Birdy, Grouplove and Lykke Li.
Seeing The Fault In Our Stars last month had to be a highlight of this year, especially since I saw it before a ton of people. Yasssss, I felt so boss. Continue to read and you’ll understand why. Also be sure to look out for our review which will be posted closer to the release date.
The Fault In Our Stars is not a movie for the light-hearted, but for those with the heart of a warrior! Just look at all the people who read the books! True survivors, who experienced the pain of being in a fandom such as this one. But like so many other tfios-stans, I was lined up to watch this film, accepting the emotional scarring, even before I knew it was being made into a movie!
Rocking up to the cinema, I was already crying tears of joy.
And I continued to cry as the opening credits began, starting with Hazel’s voice-over.
It was everything I hoped it would be.
It made me go…
then I was…
and then I was…
I kid you not, that was me in the cinema. You can’t judge me, because I know for fact that you will be a sobbing mess the exact same way that I was!
And despite the bucketload of tears that were shed that night, (and the morning after) I loved it so much and couldn’t have wished for anything more.
The world is not a wish-granting factory but this movie made all my wishes come true.
I saw my strong, beautiful and amazing Hazel Grace.
DO NOT READ UNLESS YOU HAVE FINISHED READING STORM CHASER.
SPOILERS.
SPOILERS!! STOP READING. GO AWAY.
Here are some of my thoughts on Storm Chaser, the exciting second novel of the Sun Catcher Trilogy by Sheila Rance.
Throw back to when I started reading Storm Chaser, I was slightly confused because I hadn’t (and still haven’t) read Sun Catcher, but the Storm Chaser was already hooking me in.
The character profiles in the beginning gave you a little insight on what happened in association with them in Sun Catcher, so it was easy to know who the antagonist was, even without having read the first novel.
Set in the Bronze Age, with places such as the Sun Palace and people like the Cliff Dwellers, your mind conjures up many different images and scenes, clearly depicted and expressed by Sheila Rance which is great!
Maia, the protagonist and seemingly most important character in the trilogy tries to run from her “destiny” and it’s odd seeing everyone else try and force this huge role upon her. Becoming whatever it is that she’s meant to be is hard when her aunt is trying to kill her and hires an assassin, whose best friend is a rat. A rodent. A sickly, gross and annoying ass rat who ruins everything.
Then the assassin unsurprisingly falls in love with the one girl who hates Maia for an entirely different reason from everyone else. That reason is because she was afraid Maia was tryna be all up on her man who isn’t hers in any way to begin with!
Seriously though, this book is pretty messed up. I was reading this one part where Elin (the aunt) was at some kind of lake and that scene seriously freaked me out. The silk whispering things and screaming had me picturing some horrifying stuff and I knew in a way that Elin deserved everything she was getting, but reading about how she submerged herself and some of the silk in water and tried to remain there just so she couldn’t hear the silks’ whispers honestly scared me.
AND THEN WHEN ELIN SAW THE GIRL WHO’D BEEN WITH MAIA GRABBING THE SILKS AND BEAT HER ‘TIL SHE BLED WITH A STONE. I couldn’t read this without a horrified expression, because it was so outrageous and disturbing that I just couldn’t comprehend how damaged a person would have to be to beat an innocent person to unconsciousness with just ONE stone, and then abandon their bruised and bloody body in a pool of more stones and blood.
Sheila Rance, you have an amazing way of creating/writing such detailed brutal scenes.
I love it.
Then, there was that Kodo character who was just hating on Razek because he was jealous and wanted Maia all to himself. Seriously peeved me off so much. Bloody ‘ell, Kodo. Either tell her how you feel, or pisssssss off with your lizards.
Oh, and before when he meets Caspia, Elin’s daughter, in the woods and just lets the Thought-Stealer influence him and such really annoyed me. The way he compared her with Maia also further enraged me. Like dude, just because Maia isn’t interested, doesn’t mean you should “get all up and personal” with the enemy. Y’all are friends and that’s a HUGE breach of the Friend Code.
Although the ending of the novel disappointed me slightly, I’m looking forward to reading the third and final novel of the trilogy and then maybe getting around to the first book.
The characters were very realistic and they all had their faults, even the amazing and brave Maia is slightly selfish. But is it selfish to put everyone and her own life in danger because she wants to fly a bird? The answer is yes and I purposefully set the question up that way so Maia looks bad, but she’s actually alright.
And in Sheila Rance’s fictional world, her descriptions made me want to be a part of her world, but also made me afraid to ever live in a world like it. Like ever.
I say NO to the silk whispers and the psychotic family members.
I REJECT the thought of possibly losing my pet cheetah. Yes, an actual cheetah… Or was it a leopard? Nevermind.
And I SHUN the annoying jealous boys just because they’re worse than never being able to fly an eagle.
Overall, I really enjoyed Storm Catcher and thought it was an excellent story with an interesting plot and odd characters with even stranger pets. I give it an 4/5 JawkwardLOL’s.
Last night I was sitting in the second row of the Rangatira at Q, waiting to laugh myself to tears. I, however did not. But not in a bad way! (I shouldn’t have begun this review that way. The show was a chill- instead of clutching your stomach in laughter, you chuckled quietly amongst each other at the remarks made on the stage.
Rose Matafeo, the host for the night, kicked off the show with good energy. Her engagement with the audience, or rather the two REALLY loud old people in the back and Isaac (an 8 year old who seemed completely infatuated with her) was entertaining to say the least. The slightly awkward, kinda creepy, and quirky Rose kept the crowd laughing with light, often self-deprecating humor, whilst prepping everyone for the next act.
Rhys Matthewson was first up, he had a lot of opinions on “important” things- which more or less had me laughing- albeit not in complete agreement with him. Matt Stellingwerf followed, bringing with him a laid back type of style with well-timed jokes and pop-culture references mixed with self-deprecation that seemed to go over well with the audience.
Steven Boyce came on next, his intro kind of dragged on- Hey Boyce, hey hey hey hello hi hey hi hi hi hi hello hey. It wasted about half of his stage time even if he managed to pull a few laughs. However he also offended every brown person within hearing distance. Like bro, that’s actually rude. And not a Ha-Ha rude, just a RUDE.
Joseph Moore was actually a bit of a delight, he made some rather apt observations about hip-hop lyrics and some improvements on New Zealand music. I do believe this NZ Music Month- NZ artists should take Moore’s advice in order to spice up their tracks. Also, I have a new appreciation for NZ reality TV shows about coast-line cops and fishing restrictions.
The closing act, Guy Williams, strutted onto the stage with a “What up, Pussies?” Earning him a lot of laughs and some…fangirling? At least from the twelvies in front of us. Guy’s dead-panned humour was a hit with the crowd and while we found it amusing we have a ‘Life Hack’ tip for Guy: Life Hacks on stage, while earning him points for audience engagement, doesn’t work as well as Life Hacks on radio.
All in all it was a good way to spend an ‘early evening’. Would recommend each comedian separately.
On this night, a night as average as any other, a young girl and another young but slightly older girl went to a concert. (By slightly older I mean, the age gap of 11 years.)
But not just any concert. It was the concert of the one and only Ed Sheeran.
*jaws drop*
*wide stares*
Ahhhh! *sizzling sound* Girl look at that body! He - He’s Ed Sheeran.
Thanks to iHeartRadio and 2degrees, Ed Sheeran performed a one-off show at the ASB Theatre, in Auckland and my sister managed to win tickets after days (and possibly weeks) of refreshing inboxes and listening to the radio whenever it was possible! She and I had entered every competition there was to win tickets, and what we found out at the show was that we were one of the few lucky hundred to see Ed Sheeran among the approximately 25 000 submissions sent in from all over New Zealand.
Solo Artist, Jeremy Redmore was the Supporting Act.
He performed a few of his tracks such as Travellin’ Song, Drag Me On Home, and Bad Philosophy.
Now, when the lights dimmed and a spotlight focused on the middle of the stage, the atmosphere was filled with excitement and I don’t know when exactly it happened but tears filled my eyes when he walked out on stage and he got straight into You Need Me But I Don’t Need You.
The crowd was almost deafening but none of them were loud enough to drown out the Ranga god, his angelic voice, guitar and loop pedal.
Even when he played one of his quieter tracks, The A Team. (Although some fans didn’t understand that they should be quiet, he still played on.)
And speaking of those “fans“, an argument broke out among a few of the girls. Ed politely asked everyone to remain quiet for one of his new tracks, because it was a quiet song and so a majority of us did as he asked, respecting his wishes since he was performing for us.
But someone didn’t get the memo, because every time he stopped singing and just played the guitar, she’d scream out, “I LOVE YOU EDDY!!” and I swear I was hunting for her through the crowd with my eyes, getting ready to “stroke and shush them”. (NOT A EUPHEMISM)
But then, someone else started to shout abuse at them and it was a mess. Like really? HE ASKED US TO TRY TO REMAIN QUIET. If y’all wanna bicker, gtfo. Honestly, there’s always a select few who ruin things for everyone else and it’s making me angry just thinking about it.
MOVING ON.
Y’all know my sister, right? Well, Mata never wants to sit next to strangers, so she made her 15 year old sister sit between her and a stranger. And then the girl I was sitting next to had little to no rhythm which made me LOL so hard, but not in a haha ew loser way, more like a haha nawwwwww way, if that makes sense? (No offense intended, stranger!)
And so every time Ed asked us clap or click our fingers, she’d come in at the wrong time and when he’d ask us to sing, she’d try so hard but she’d go off key and scold herself and she was so cute, even though it was incredibly awkward. (Y’know what isn’t awkward? Calling a stranger cute. Okay maybe a little awkward. Shut up, don’t judge me…)
Singing like an angel, like always…
There was also this part during the concert where he performed a song he’d made using all these sentences and replies he’d saved in his phone to the hate he’d received over the course of three years, and he did it so well and he’s such an inspiration.
The light in the background is like the sun shining down on him, is it not?
One part of the song where he says something along the lines of, “you don’t want to see me with my shirt off,” I swear a bunch of fans protested and others laughed and so he stopped and muttered, “Guys…” and that scene was so cute.
Even from where I was seated, which was quite far and very high up, I could see the blush on his face. (Unless I imagined it, which wouldn’t be surprising. I should’ve worn my glasses, darn!) Too cute, though.
That smile though!
Nearing the end of an amazing night, he began performing his new single SING, and he got everyone into it, even if it was a little different from his Folk-y Rock sound, which isn’t a bad thing! He told us to keep singing, even after he’s left the stage, even into our cars to get home and even when we wake up the next morning! Ridiculous, right?
“If you love me come on get involved. Feel it rushing through you from your head to toe!”
Everywhere I turned, fans were singing, dancing, clapping and it made me so happy. He has this way of getting everyone to have fun and his moves on the stage were so weird but oddly mesmerising and I couldn’t look away, except for the times I had to wipe the tears from my eyes.
Yes, I cried and I’m not ashamed to admit it. Okay, maybe I’m a little ashamed. Whatever, you need me but I don’t need you so talk to the hand.
Overall, his performances were amazing and kept the crowd entertained, and his new tracks are sure to please all fellow Sheerios out there. He executed them perfectly and even though he left way too soon, he did not disappoint. And I’m still singing, Ed!
Now, for derp Sheeran.
FEAST YOUR EYES ON THIS!
This is the best thing ever. True derp. THIS.
All photos and videos are credited to my wanna-be photographer, Mata. Hahaha ilysm.
HEY HEY HEY! The extended trailer for The Fault In Our Stars has been released!! I can’t even express how pumped I am for the film. It’s to be released in New Zealand on the 5th of June, so be sure to start booking seats early, because it’s going to be jam packed with Nerdfighters there to see John Green’s words come to life.
This is going to be the best! Like, look at that? Remember when I cried tears of joy reading this? Remember that I’m actually crying right now because it’s just beautiful? Yeah. Remember that!
Is it okay if I cry in advance for the film? I don’t even care, the trailer made me so happy and I feel like I’m on a train, approaching FEELS VILLAGE or something and I’m already hyperventilating, and crying and raging.
This can’t be helped.
Beware for more follow-ups on The Fault In Our Stars.
