Divergent DVD Review - NZ Release

Divergent is available to buy or rent on Blu-ray and DVD in NZ from today, August 27, 2014!

The dystopian film, based on Veronica Roth’s young-adult trilogy of the same name, is set in a future world where society’s been divided into five distinct factions. But as you know Tris don’t play that one-group game because she’s divergent. Which isn’t something you want to be. So…conflict. There’s action, female badassery, humour, guns (in more ways than one) and romance.

I said, in our theatrical review, that the movie was a bit too long, and I still believe that. However with a DVD you can fast forward or rewind to your heart’s content. And also- the Special Features! You get a cool featurette, ‘Faction Before Blood’, with some behind the scenes footage and interviews with the cast and Veronica Roth herself. You get audio commentary by Neil Burger and one with producers Lucy Fisher and Douglas Wick. However you know what we’re really here for, the deleted scenes. Notably the infamous eye-stabbing scene which we thought was cut for PG13 reasons, although very important for both Edward’s character (the stabbee) and Peter (the stabber), was really cut due to it interrupting the ‘flow of the story’. More importantly there’s a deleted scene where dauntless cake is mentioned and SHOWN. ALL HAIL DAUNTLESS CAKE.

I was pretty keen for audio commentary by Shailene Woodley (Tris) and Theo James (Four) which unfortunately didn’t happen. However grab the DVD for the deleted scenes alone, or just so you can pause the film whenever you like to erm study mise en scene? Lighting? Camera angles? Theo James’ arms?

While it does have its faults, questionable timing and world-origin story, the film is a must-see for any dystopian fan. The action scenes are on point, the soundtrack is ace and the acting is above par, even if there was an unnecessary character- I still don’t understand why Max was given so much screen time when we could have had Uriah. However here’s to looking toward the release of Insurgent, next year, and the introduction of my favourite character. Until then, do yourself a favour get yourself a copy of the DVD/Blu-ray.

 

The Fault In Our Stars - Film Review

tfiosThe Fault In Our Stars
Directed by Josh Boone
20th Century Fox
Worldwide Release: June 5th/6th 2014

We fell in love with this movie the way you fall asleep, slowly… and then all at once. Fans of John Green’s young adult novel of the same name have been patiently awaiting the release of The Fault In Our Stars since a division of 20th Century Fox optioned the rights to adapt it in early 2012. We attended the screening in May and upon entering the theater, cleverly filled with critics and fans, the audience exuded a genuine sense of anticipation. As the lights dimmed and the opening credits began there were a few squeals of excitement. I don’t know what I expected of Josh Boone’s endeavour, but I do know that I came away rather satisfied with the outcome.

The adaptation was a thoroughly enjoyable, rather faithful, rendering of John Green’s work. The casting was ace, the music on point and although there were a few scenes that I discovered didn’t translate well onto the big screen- the film didn’t suffer for it. In fact the omission of some aspects in the novel served to streamline the storyline in the film.

For those who haven’t heard of this ‘sick love story’ (have you been living under a rock?) the plot follows the life of one Hazel Grace Lancaster (played by Tris Prior, I mean Shailene Woodley) who meets Augustus Waters (Caleb Prior- I thought I’d finish the joke but now I just feel cheap- Ansel Elgort) at her cancer support group in the ‘literal heart of Jesus’. The Fault In Our Stars isn’t just about the relationship between two teenagers living with cancer, it’s about their ability to keep on keepin’ on despite having the weight of their mortality on their shoulders. The potentially mawkish subject matter was treated with just the right amount of honest humour, and bursts of tragic realism, that there was only an ever-so-slight teetering on the edge of over-sentimentality. It really was saved by moments of light-hardhearted self-deprecating humour. It’s always good when a movie doesn’t take itself too seriously.

eggs

A lot of this humour came in the form of one Isaac, (portrayed by the delightful Nat Wolff) Gus and Hazel’s friend also in cancer support group, who benefited from a well-written script that granted him some excellent lines. Laura Dern and Sam Trammell, Mrs and Mr Lancaster, were the perfect combination of fun[ny] and loving if weary (just below the surface) parents. Willem Dafoe made a formidable Peter van Houten- infusing the abhorrent character with just enough repugnance as to ramp up the author’s hateability. However the onus fell upon Woodley and Elgort to give us that chemistry we needed in order to believe the opinionated Hazel-Grace and pretentious Augustus were worth watching on the big screen- and boy did they deliver. There isn’t a moment that you don’t believe their emotion, from their first awkward exchanges and laughter to the tears and pain of heartache- there’s no escaping that belief.

It helped that we had an excellent soundtrack, with the right songs for the right moments, loud enough to drown out some of the sniffling in the audience. With artists like Ed Sheeran and Birdy contributing music written especially for the movie it was a wonder that there were any dry eyes in the house. While I can’t say that I, myself, allowed a tear to drop there were plenty buckets of creys around me to assure me that normal humans with emotions were suitably affected.

We gave it a FOUR out of FIVE Silent LOLS. Because while I can’t say that everything translated over well, the movie did the book justice where it really mattered. The film managed to make us laugh, cry and more importantly walk out of the cinema with a new found sense of life and what it means to truly live. The film had the potential to be a real Debbie-Downer but instead managed to instil a sense of hope that transcended the heartbreak. Proof that although the world may not be a wish-granting factory there were some things, and people, in it that you’d feel privileged to be heartbroken by. [Re]watch the trailer below and make sure you’re (mentally, emotionally and physically) ready by reading ‘A Fangirl’s Tale’. Okay? Okay.

Honourable Mentions:

- That’s the thing about pain, it demands to be felt.

- So I now know why I didn’t see John Green’s cameo, the scene was cut from the film. While it seems he would have replaced the mum who pulls her daughter away after the girl asks Hazel about her cannula, I was really hoping it’d be just a glimpse of him in the background in the airport against a wall vlogging. Oh well.

 

The Fault In Our Stars - A Fangirl’s Tale

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.

I saw my loving one and only, Augustus Waters.

And everything was okay.

The Fault In Our Stars’ Extended Trailer Is Beautiful And I DARE You To Try And Tell Me Otherwise

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.

It’s going to be hella intense.

DFTBA!

The Fault In Our Stars “It’s A Metaphor” Clip

metaphor

ACK!

We all remember this moment, yeah? When Hazel and Augustus get a’talking and Augustus pulls out a cigarette and you’re with Hazel as she goes all ‘dude, wtf’ on him. But then he tells her he doesn’t light it and that it’s a metaphor and it’s just all the adorbs. You’ve gotta admit, Woodley and Elgort have great chemistry.

I don’t see Beatrice and Caleb Prior AT ALL.

The Fault In Our Stars opens in New Zealand cinemas on June 5th, 2014. Who’s ready for it?

Film Review: Divergent - Faction Before Blood

2014-DivergentDivergent
Directed by Neil Burger
Summit Entertainment | Lionsgate
NZ Release: 10 April 2014

I was eager to see how the book would translate onto the big screen and I must say, despite a few gripes, I rather enjoyed it. The action/fight sequences were on point and the visuals were pretty good- despite its less than stellar budget. However I can’t deny that there were a few things, the more I think about it, that didn’t sit quite well with me. While it doesn’t hurt that Four (Theo James), Beatrice Prior aka Tris (Shailene Woodley) and the entire cast really give some great performances, and are mighty-easy on the eye, there were moments where you wondered if anyone who hadn’t read the books would understand what exactly was going on.

Worry not, whether you’ve read the book series or are going in blind, this half of the review is safe and spoiler free.

Shailene Woodley and Theo James in Divergent trailer GIF

If you’ve read the book, you’ll find there were some scenes noticeably absent from the movie- methinks for the mere fact that it errs on the ‘too graphic’ side of things for a comfortable PG-13 rating. (Although I swear they snuck in the f-bomb. Could be my ears?) Also, there are some characterisation changes that may or may not have been due to casting, but first thing’s first:

Yer Divergent, Tris!

So we know the basic storyline from the trailer, a place set in a future, Dystopian, Chicago- with a suitably Dystopian-type fortification/fence/wall- where society is split into five distinct factions (Abnegation, Dauntless, Erudite, Amity and Candor) based on five distinct virtues/traits (selflessness, bravery, intelligence, peacefulness and honesty). At the ripe old age of 16, with a little help of an aptitude test that should tell you what faction you’re geared towards, you’re to choose which faction you want to be part of for the rest of your life. That’s right, no take backs! Once you’ve chosen- that’s it, from there on out it’s “Faction Before Blood”.

With rather stunning aerial shots of a post-apocalyptic Chi-town showing in the background Tris’ voice-over makes it clear from the get-go that while “the system is designed to foster peace” it’s more about control than anything else. And the movie really hammers it into you that this mass categorization of society is merely a means of control.

If you exhibit more than one distinct trait you’re ‘what they call’ Divergent, and that -my friend- is a no no. It is this very predicament the Abnegation-born Tris, who doesn’t fit into any particular category, finds herself. At the Choosing Ceremony she chooses Dauntless, those crazy sons of britches (yes, I do mean pants) and the fun begins. By fun I mean getting the crap kicked out of you and basically getting around by parkour/free-running all the time.

I’m going to go ahead and say that any comparisons to The Hunger Games are unwarranted for the mere fact that if anything Divergent in the grand scheme of things has more in common, plot-wise, with an entirely different series- The Maze Runner. Justification below in the Spoiler Corner- enter at your own risk. Also, if you’re understandably sick of angsty love-triangles Divergent will be a breath of fresh air.

While the movie felt a bit too long, it never felt like it was dragging- except for an extended scene at the end which really milked the high intensity climax for all it was worth. And yet, once things started moving there didn’t seem to be any room to catch one’s breath let alone understand what was going on. I did find myself wondering how the movie would come across to people who hadn’t read the series. There’s a chance the uninitiated could get lost once the pace picks up.

One thing’s for sure, you’ll like the characters- mostly because you’re not given much insight into them. Although we’ll see how that likeability is sustained in the next two movies as we, hopefully, get more. Thank goodness the cast meshed well, making what was some awkward dialogue in places, work. Kate Winslet suffered from Jeanine’s obvious ‘villainry’- I get that it makes for easy storytelling and with the way the novel itself is set up we don’t fully appreciate/understand these characters’ rationales until Allegiant. But you’d think the screenwriters would have found a way around it.

Which is why the movie’s a bit of a fanservice, because anyone who hasn’t read the books might come out thinking the characters were bland and the premise of the story mirrored other YA narratives like no one’s business. It doesn’t help that they utilised shaky cam at points, in a way that was very Hunger Games. For a movie heavy on exposition at the start there is almost no explanation towards the end when the pace picks up. Nevertheless when it comes out on the 10th of April, I’ll no doubt be glad to take my sister to see it again.

As a fan of the series I’m very glad Divergent is practically critic-proof right now, and that we should see Insurgent come 2015. However because of those little hiccups we must give it THREE out of FIVE Silent LOLs. Which is unfortunate because I really wanted to give it…

 

out of FIVE Silent LOLs.

Giggity.

 

Honourable Mentions :

- I really do like the casting and watching the movie confirmed it for me. I heard/read dissent about Shailene Woodley somewhere but *shrug* haters gon’ hate. Theo James’ voice tho’.

- Anyone else Silently LOL about Miles Teller, who played Shailene’s character’s love-interest in The Spectacular Now being her antagonist/rival here and at Ansel Elgort, playing her brother here when he’ll be her love-interest in The Fault in Our Stars? Just me? Okay.

- Amity is totally for the stoners. There, I said it lol.

- Kate Winslet gives good side-eye. That sounds rude, but I assure you we’re keepin’ it PG-13.

- Go take the official aptitude test and find out what faction you’d fit in. (My results show I score Erudite and Dauntless..lol and Candor?)

Divergent Aptitude Results

SpoilerAlertSpoiler Corner! (Not really a corner, is it?) Only go past this point if you’ve read the books, or just don’t care about spoilers. You’ve been warned.

More Maze Runner than Hunger Games:

Jess and I were talking about the series as a whole and how people keep comparing Divergent to The Hunger Games however if you take a step back- and view the series as a whole you’ll find that Divergent has much more in common with The Maze Runner than it does with The Hunger Games outside a female protagonist, a corrupt governing body and a Dystopian future setting. The Maze Runner has also been made into a film, which will be released this September. Spoilers for Both Allegiant and The Death Cure below.

As a whole Tris’ and Thomas’ (Maze Runner) worlds have much more in common than Tris’ and Katniss’. More social behaviour experiments and science than the divide between the haves and the have nots.

Both protagonists in Divergent and The Maze Runner were ‘free’ from whatever it was that the others suffered from. Tris’ genes were ‘healed’ and Thomas didn’t suffer from the flare. Both their original governing officials were responsible for the apocalypse? With manmade weapons/experiments?

So it’s really annoying how people keep comparing it to The Hunger Games when all Divergent really has in common with THG is a strong female lead and a post-apocalyptic/dystopian world.

Peter

Don’t get me wrong, Miles Teller made for great comic relief at points- however that’s the problem. In the book Peter is legitimately seen as a threat to Tris’, and Jess fears that the way the movie’s characterised him is problematic. They’ve made Peter a somewhat lovable douche as opposed to the outright antagonist he is in the novel.

They also nixed the extremely brutal eye-stabbing scene, when Peter proves just how cowardly he is by stabbing Edward (who would have been the number one initiate) in the eye causing him to become factionless as he would not have been able to complete the initiation.

Where’s Uriah?

I do believe the black guy who invited Tris along to zip-lining after capture the flag might be him, but we’re not explicitly given his name. I NEED MY URIAH! Also, Marlene and Zeke and any Dauntless born member. Uriah especially, considering how important he becomes- you’d think they would want to at least introduce him- as it’s HIM that invites Tris to do zip-lining. Insurgent it is then.

Rapey?

I did that thing where you skim tweets and posts on tumblr to gage the general impression from fans and something that I wondered about while watching the movie seemed to be mentioned quite a bit. In the book one of Tris’ fears that shows up in her landscape is a fear of intimacy- in the movie it comes off as though Tris is afraid of Four raping her? The novel makes it very clear that Tris isn’t afraid of Four/Tobias as a person, however the idea of intimacy is such a foreign concept to her- having grown up in Abnegation- that it manifests itself as a fear of being intimate. Perhaps they needed to amp up the urgency of the her fear and the unfortunate by-product is the unpleasantness that moviegoers will subconsciously link to Four.

I do commend how Tris handles herself in that situation. Boom, pow! Onomatopoeia!

Visiting Day?

Visiting day was left out, which is interesting because I can see what they were doing with making Tris’ mum even more badass by stealing away to sneak a meeting with Dauntless guards about. However it therefore leaves out her mum telling Tris that Abnegation parents don’t get to visit their children in Erudite. Which Tris then tells Caleb when she sneaks into Erudite’s headquarters- sowing the seeds of doubt in him about his faction. And further establishing Erudite’s dodginess lol.

But most importantly, where was the Dauntless Cake?

 

10 [Spoiler-Free] Reasons To Read The Divergent Trilogy Before The NZ Premiere!

Divergent-series-by-Veronica-Roth

The film adaptation of the first book, Divergent, in Veronica Roth’s Divergent series will premiere in New Zealand on the 10th of April, just over three weeks after its American release on the 18th of March. While this may suck for everyone here who’s already read the series, and are ready to go, it gives some slackers the chance- and more time- to get their asses into gear and read the trilogy.

But why? I hear you ask, ‘It’s just another dystopian novel’ and ‘gee whiz, sounds like a rip-off of The Hunger Games’. Stop right there, pull your head out of your wazoo and get thee to a bookery! The Young Adult trilogy is dystopian, yes, and there’s a strong female protagonist, yes, but that’s where the comparisons end. Not true- there are more, but the storylines are completely different, each story complex in their own way but more importantly there’s no bloody love triangle in Divergent.

However below are 10 reasons, off the top of our domes, as to why you should read the Divergent trilogy before the movie comes out.

10. Because Reading Is Fun.

This goes without saying, really. Reading is a great way to spend your time. And with Divergent the story is interesting and engrossing, never seeming like a chore to get through.

9. Why Wait For The Movie?

readthebookSeriously, who even has the patience?

8. Spoilers Will Eventually Get You.

Why risk it? In this day and (internet) age you’ll never be safe from spoilers. Preempt that douche bag person who’s going to finish reading the book and make their facebook status: OMG I CAN’T BELIEVE [SPOILER] HAPPENS AND [SPOILER] [SPOILER]!!!!!!

7. So You Can NerdRage With Other Readers.

NerdRageInstead of getting spoiled by one of those douchebags, be one of those douchebags! Kidding, be the kind of reader who nerdrages with other nerdragers away from the innocent eyes of the uninitiated. Believe me, you’ll need to speak to someone else who’s read the series stat.

6. Get To Know The World.

Sure it’s set in a Dystopian Chi-town (Chicago) however there’s more to the setting and context than visual exposition can provide. A lot of the tone of the place and what makes it tick is described in the pages of the series in a way that might not translate well.

5. Get To Know Your Characters.

Surely you want to know more about Four than what you’re presented with in the movie? And sometimes a movie with a lot of characters can be a bit overwhelming. Through reading the book series you’ll be better equipped for the barrage of characters sure to bombard you.

Also, there’s a chance some characters or character’s characteristics have been left out in the transition from page to screen- you need to be acquainted. Uriah springs to mind, he better be in the movies. Or I swear…*nerdrage*. Also the final book gives you much more insight into Four’s character than the movie probably will.

4. For Comparison’s Sake.

Did the book do it better? Or was the movie able to match your expectations- more often than not it doesn’t. However when you’re able to watch with just a hint of objectivity you’ll find comparing the two doesn’t have to be a disgruntling task. You’ll be able to hark back to favourite scenes from the book and compare them to how it’s been rendered onscreen, hopefully liking both respectively.

3. Mental Stimulation!

The underlying themes are rather thought-provoking. There’s the idea of choice and how much of it you have, and what happens when that choice defines who you’re supposed to be for the rest of your life. The books give you ample time to mull over these ideas of choice and identity while also confronting you with the idea of the individual versus the collective.

2. Strong Female Protagonist- GIRL POWER, FEMALE EMPOWERMENT!

The movie’s going to showcase Tris’ strength, however she’s also plagued by quite a bit of internal conflict which you may or may not be privy to unless you read the books. There’s something about Tris’ gradual growth and development in between the pages that you can absorb and revel in, granted there are moments you want to throw the book at the wall- but her strength as described in the books is something to behold.

1. Mental Preparation.

I can’t stress enough how much you need to be prepared for what happens in the third movie (that is if the first movie does as well as I think it will and they make the rest and they don’t split it into two parts for no particular reason) for the sheer fact that in my opinion it saves the entire series. Sure movies take creative liberties with the source material all the time, however it pays to know what’s coming all the same so you can be ready for it. Prepare yourself mentally for how this series ends. (It involves a clown, always be mentally prepared for clowns.)