The Classics Adventure: Persuasion by Jane Austen

The original plan was to wrap up Persuasion by the end of 2015 but then I caught a cold the week before Christmas and then the holidays came and went and we had parties and gatherings and really more time spent cleaning and recuperating, relaxing, recharging than actually reading.  Lots of Rs going on there.  Point is: 2016 came around and I kicked into my turbo mode and finished up this novel in the beginning of the year. I’ve been having a slightly rough bit of Jane Austen especially with Mansfield Park.  So, its hard to really know what to expect in Persuasion.

Persuasion
by Jane Austen

Written at the end of the Napoleonic Wars, Persuasion is a tale of love, heartache and the determination of one woman as she strives to reignite a lost love. Anne Elliot is persuaded by her friends and family to reject a marriage proposal from Captain Wentworth because he lacks in fortune and rank. More than seven years later, when he returns home from the Navy, Anne realises she still has strong feelings for him, but Wentworth only appears to have eyes for a friend of Anne’s. – Goodreads

Jane Austen novels are never long but nothing quite beats the feeling of picking up Persuasion and seeing how thin it was.  I’ve never known much about the book prior to reading it but one of my girl friends claim that its her favorite.  Coming from her high recommendations, I really couldn’t wait to open it. Right from the start, you know that Austen has really matured her main character, Anne Elliott. Reading an Austen book is like stepping into a refined world of social etiquette and class, I always love that world.  I think the best way to describe it was what a character in Austenland puts it, “an idea of a simple world where love is straight-forward and lasting”. I think nothing quite matches up to that quote than Persuasion where we are watching to see if Anne Elliott and Captain Wentworth can get back together after a fallout when they were younger.  On one hand, Anne is hoping that Captain Wentworth has forgiven her while he wants to forget but knows that he will only ever love her. Its reading books like this that really ignite the romantic in me that I’ve actually been missing a lot.

Aside from the longing romance for Anne and Captain Wentworth, I think what makes Persuasion very intriguing is that within the story, there are quite a few characters. We get to learn about each of them and they each have a personality to go with it.  Some of them are made out to be really unpleasant while others are truly harmless. They create a balance that helps set the story in motion at a decent pace. Its never overwhelming or confusing.  Whether its Anne’s multiple sisters or her father or family or friends, we get a good idea of where they stand in terms of social class and their views towards the idea of marriage or relationship.  The building or should I say, rebuilding, of the relationship between Anne and Captain Wentworth are the highlight here.  They start with awkwardness and despair of not being sure how to interact to finally taking the first steps and being a little rusty to feeling like they really just want to be friends and nothing more and then finally not bearing the fact of their love for each other at the end.  While that may sound like a spoiler, it really isn’t.  Austen’s writing is well-paced and elegant enough to make sure that even if we already know the outcome, the characters and story still come to life.

Overall, Persuasion is one Austen book that I’m definitely going to re-read and be almost sure that I will feel enthralled with the experience of falling into the world of Anne and Captain Wentworth rekindling their romance.  Its one that really feels romantic and shows a forever love and that can’t be pushed away.  Its about growing up and realizing what matters most and not being influenced by those around you.  I really liked it a lot.  For me, its right up there with Pride and Prejudice.

One more Jane Austen novel after this one: Northanger Abbey.

What is your favorite Jane Austen novel? 

The Classics Adventure: Emma by Jane Austen

Its been a while, eh? Classics takes me a little more time to read and after the misery that Mansfield Park put me through, I needed a longer break.  But we’re back and I went ahead and read Emma.  Emma was the first book I ever read of Jane Austen and it was for college (in Quebec). I read it for this Cinema and Novels themed English class, I believe.  I can’t say I’ve improved my speed at reading it but its better than taking two months to read it at least (like for Mansfield Park) 😉

Let’s check it out!

Emma
by: Jane Austen

When her former governess finds happiness as the bride of a local widower, the brilliant and beautiful Emma Woodhouse — one of Jane Austen’s immortal creations — flatters herself that she alone has secured the marriage and that she possesses a special talent for bringing lovers together. The young heiress next busies herself with finding a suitable husband for her friend and protégé, Harriet Smith, setting off an entertaining sequence of comic mishaps and misunderstanding in this sparkling comedy of English-village romance. Beneath its considerable wit, the novel is also the story of a young woman’s progress toward self-understanding. – Goodreads

Emma is an interesting novel.  My feelings towards them are a little mixed. On one hand, its probably the Jane Austen book with the biggest character development since I’ve started reading her novels.  I still have a few to go but so far, that is how I feel.  Emma is a little slow and sometimes, it takes a while to get fully immersed especially with a pretty abundant amount of characters that I tend to get a little confused for the first half.  The beginning was decent, the middle was a little slow and then the ending was fantastic.  Its hard to pinpoint how I feel because of the difference of how I felt during different part of the novel, but the ending itself really pulled me in completely.

Emma is a very well-developed character.  It kind of makes us feel like she is an endearing and truly loveable character with the best intentions but her inexperience with the world gives her false ideas of what others intentions are as they really are not as pure.  Its funny because she believes that what she is doing is good but then as I read it sometimes, Emma is kind of a self-centred brat.  Except, its not fully the case because the novel is all about Emma growing up and noticing her decisions.

Mr. Knightley is a respectable character.  He is no Mr. Darcy but he is more mature and the guiding light to Emma’s views even when she initially always goes against what he advises.  She just doesn’t see him because he just this nuisance that helps his father out a lot.  In many ways, Mr. Knightley is a character that kind of really shifts quite a bit.  He doesn’t really show much of his feelings but we do know that he has the best intentions out for Emma even if he doesn’t agree with her actions yet he is still very forgiving.

In Emma, I think the most challenging part is really seeing who each of the character’s true feelings are.  Harriet is Emma’s protege and for the most part, she suffers from not having a mind of her own while Emma pours some false fantasies in her head and control her feelings. Emma never quite knows how she feels and tries to even control her own actions.  At the same time, Frank Churchill and Jane Fairfax are pretty hidden as well. Emma really is interesting in the end because all the little secrets open up and we get the picture of who everyone is.

Its hard to say that I enjoyed Emma thoroughly but even though it was a little slow in the middle, it does have a great ending especially with Emma learning about her feelings and embracing some of the decisions she has made and reconciling with whoever she has.   Its not an easy book to read since I don’t read a lot of classics but its a lot more entertaining than Mansfield Park.  What works best here is the character development as they slowly grow, especially watching Emma grow.

Have you read Emma? What are your thoughts? 

The Classics Adventure: Mansfield Park by Jane Austen

Its taken me forever to get a book review up and that’s because I’ve been stuck on Mansfield Park for over a month.  This book and me needs to have a little chat because thanks to it, I’m now 2 books behind on my Reading Challenge.  But, with some late nights and skimming through, I finished it.  Don’t judge…I’ll explain myself in just a little bit.

Moving along with The Classics Adventure, our Jane Austen books are halfway done.  Next up will be Emma, another one that I’ve read before in college.  I’m just wondering if it’ll have a different perspective of it.  So, okay, I’ve done everything to avoid talking about this.

Let’s check out Mansfield Park! If you remember or didn’t know, I reviewed the movie Mansfield Park back in February.  You can check that out HERE! I’ll do a little comparison also.

Mansfield Park

by: Jane Austen

Mansfield Park is named for the magnificent, idyllic estate that is home to the wealthy Bertram family and that serves as a powerful symbol of English tradition and stability. The novel’s heroine, Fanny Price—a “poor relation” living with the Bertrams—is acutely conscious of her inferior status and yet she dares to love their son Edmund—from afar. With five marriageable young people on the premises, the peace at Mansfield cannot last. Courtships, entertainments, and intrigues throw the place into turmoil, and Fanny finds herself unwillingly competing with a dazzlingly witty and lovely rival…Unique in its moral design and its brilliant interplay of the forces of tradition and change, Mansfield Park was the first novel of Jane Austen’s maturity, and the first in which the author turned her unerring eye on the concerns of English society at a time of great upheaval. – Goodreads

I gave Mansfield Park 2 stars out of 5 in Goodreads.  Let’s just toss that out there so that it’s out of the way.  Jane Austen tosses all that romance thing out the window.  This is about society before any of the lovey-dovey things here.  Fanny Price is boring and simple. She doesn’t have an attitude and is kind of wimpy.  I mean like she walks across the lawn and gets tired and fragile.  You see what I mean? With this out of the way, Fanny Price is not an impressive heroine.

On the other hand, we have our dude.  He’s no Mr. Darcy, not by a long shot.  Edmund Betram is the second son of the Bertrams and he aims to be a religious man.  I have no problem with that.  None whatsoever.  But, Edmund is kind of boring also.  I mean, he doesn’t really understand his own feelings.  For the longest time, he was all into getting the beautiful and wealthy Mary Crawford to be his wife and right at the end, it turns out he realizes he should be with Fanny.  Is that a spoiler? You pretty much would expect it, right?

However, I do credit a book where it deserves.  Mansfield Park is about the society and it shows a more mature side of where Jane Austen is looking at.  The era where the society was less respectful of inferior status, the confusing world of relationships and the morals of what to do and what not to do.  Plus, how it differs between how women and men are treated in different situations. There’s a whole lot of stuff going on in Mansfield Park and the characters and yet, its just so hard to get engaged into the story.  For once, the beginning was still durable but as I hit the middle, I just wanted to fall asleep every time I picked up the book.

Mansfield Park is a different Jane Austen style.  The story is more reflective of the society in that era than being the focus of the romance or love rivalry with its characters.  Its a pretty dry read, mostly because our main heroine, Fanny Price and the love she’s fighting for, Edmund aren’t the typical main characters that are fun and attractive.  They are really boring and its hard to cheer them on when I’m not even sure how much I like their characters….

Now, in comparison, the 1999 movie gives Mansfield Park a nice makeover.  Fanny Price is many times more interesting as she has talent and a brain and a ton of creativity.  There’s a personality there that makes her so much more likable.  Even Edmund, although still a little boring as a character, reveals a little of his own feelings.  Plus, the Crawfords carry on a much more convincing show as Henry tries to court a ton of ladies and ends up truly desiring Fanny whereas Mary puts a lot of focus on Edmund and shows her true colors as a love rival. I feel a little like I got false hopes from the movie and maybe that’s what makes this whole reading the novel part feel so exhausting.

Have you read Mansfield Park? What did you think of it? 

P.S. I’m taking a little break from Classics and getting on with some more YA and another indie novel lined up.  It’ll be fun 🙂 I’ll even add in some comics and graphic novels!

The Classics Adventure: Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen

Are you ready to continue on the Classics Adventure?

Next up is Jane Austen’s second writing (and I’m guessing one of her most popular): Pride and Prejudice.  This is my second time reading the novel and I even took the opportunity to give Pride and Prejudice (Joe Wright version) another watch (and another for good measure).  Don’t ask me how many times I’ve seen it because if I happen to look at my shelves of movies and it catches my eye, I’ll watch it. It doesn’t help that its now on Netflix tempting me for a rewatch constantly and its just so hard to resist. You can check out my review HERE!

 Pride and Prejudice

By: Jane Austen

When Elizabeth Bennet first meets eligible bachelor Fitzwilliam Darcy, she thinks him arrogant and conceited; he is indifferent to her good looks and lively mind. When she later discovers that Darcy has involved himself in the troubled relationship between his friend Bingley and her beloved sister Jane, she is determined to dislike him more than ever. In the sparkling comedy of manners that follows, Jane Austen shows the folly of judging by first impressions and superbly evokes the friendships, gossip and snobberies of provincial middle-class life. – Goodreads

The story of Pride and Prejudice and Lizzy and Mr. Darcy are absolutely amazing.  Its pretty much the basis of most romantic comedies these days if you think about it. The chemistry of the characters and their development and growths is charming to read.  Lizzy is very similar to Mr. Darcy and right away, its obvious that they are meant for each other even though they don’t quite have great impressions of each other, more so for Lizzy than for Mr. Darcy as we come to realize. From hate to love are strong feelings and the key that first impressions can prove to be full of prejudice.

I’m going to look at this book as volumes because its split in 3 volumes.  The first one is pretty much the set-up of the premise to get to know the Bennetts, especially Lizzy and Jane and the handsome bachelors, Bingley and Darcy.  Its a little slow because not a whole lot happens but nearing the end of Volume 1, the engaging plot starts forming and we start seeing the affections and feelings grow.  The plot thickens and new characters along the way add to conflicts and misunderstandings and clarifications.

Whats great with Pride and Prejudice is that it never feels like its stopped.  There’s always something to look forward to next.  Some other adventure, physically or mentally and the characters, especially Lizzy grow and change as people should. Plus, the language is beautiful.  Jane Austen weaves some extremely lovely characters that we just can’t help but grow to love gradually. Each is crafted with so much care.  Bingley and Jane have much more naive and simple natures whereas Lizzy and Darcy are more head strong and firm on their beliefs.  While they have the supporting characters of the younger sisters, Mr. Collins and Lady de Bourg which light up our emotions a little also, along with the tiresome Mrs. Bennett and the extremely reasonable Mr. Bennett.

There isn’t really that much to say except that I loved this even more the second time and I had to raise my 4 stars to a 5 even with a slow ending.  There is extra appreciation the second time reading it because it pulled me in again.  The elegant writing, the chemistry between Lizzy and Darcy and the fact that it feels like the ultimate romantic comedy ever just makes this one of the most enjoyable reading experiences! 🙂

Have you read Pride and Prejudice? What are your thoughts? Do you like Jane Austen? Which is your favorite novel of hers?

One thing I’d like to mention: I’m glad the movie (Joe Wright version) keeps some of my favorite dialogues in the novel.  It wouldn’t be the same 🙂

Next on the reading list: 3 more indie books and after that, The Classics Adventure continues with Mansfield Park 😉

Valentine Marathon: Sense and Sensibility (1995)

We’ve come to the final movie of the Valentine’s Marathon. My schedule has been sporadic and I even skipped a fun post yesterday but I’m taking this as a Valentine’s weekend of sorts so I might have a morphed up mash-up post later on today.  The problem is that I have a million ideas and I can’t do it without bombarding you with posts and I don’t like to do that. Regardless, lets get this last one done!

I had to make some serious decisions about this one.  On one hand, I wanted to see a few Netflix choices but I also received my package of Amazon a few days ago.  I finished Sense and Sensibility (the book) a few days ago and I just had to get the movie and it came in a timely fashion.  I also ordered another movie recommended to me for this marathon which I promise to watch soon but I just couldn’t resist the urge to wrap up this marathon with Sense and Sensibility.

Let’s check it out! 🙂

SENSE AND SENSIBILITY (1995)

Director: Ang Lee

Cast: Emma Thompson, Kate Winslet, Hugh Grant, Greg Wise, Alan Rickman, Imelda Staunton, Hugh Laurie

When their rich father Mr. Dashwood dies, he leaves his fortune to his son while making him promise to treat his three half-sister in his second marriage well and help in whatever way they could.  However, under his wife’s influence, he ends up leaving them with close to nothing.  The two eldest daughters, Elinor and Marianne, are at the age of marriage and its then despite the opposite personality, one emotionally reserved ruled by sense while the other full of romantic sensibility respectively, they find their love and fall into similar fates.

Sense and Sensibility is a wonderful adaptation of the novel.  If anything, because I didn’t enjoy Sense and Sensibility as much as Jane Austen’s later novels (that I’ve read), I may actually have enjoyed the movie more.  There is no shame in admitting that especially when its full of a talented cast.  Last year, on Valentine’s Day, in a mish-mash post, I confessed that I have a massive girl crush on Kate Winslet and she is extremely darling in this one.  I watch a little less of Emma Thompson normally but I love everything that she does.  She fully immerses herself in a role and just owns it every single time.  Both of them as Marianne and Elinor respectively are fantastic.  What I really do love most about these movies is the music: so elegant, beautiful, sweet.  And I don’t even think it has to do with the fact that I love piano music because thats the instrument I play 🙂

You know how sometimes adaptation have this really ridiculous casting choices and you can’t even picture that person you read on those beautiful pages as this person on the big screen? Its not the case here. I agreed with the choice of Marianne and Elinor, as I mentioned above.  The moment Greg Wise (who I know nothing about) popped on the screen as Willoughby, I was completely convinced. This guy who bashes in Marianne’s affection and attention but shows no restraint to his emotions even if he can’t really be the one.  He is charming and handsome and his character is kind of sad in the end.  Although they cut out the scene I thought was pretty important between Willoughby and Elinor, they did a fabulous job of putting to life is character.

Willoughby would not be as charming if we didn’t have the contrast of Colonel Brandon, same as Marianne to Elinor.  Alan Rickman is the perfect perfect person to play this role.  He can pull off that really unromantic person with hidden emotions but still kind of show his intentions in this quiet subtle way.  Thats the power of Alan Rickman because he is just so talented.  Honestly, Colonel Brandon is one of those characters who I love a lot in Sense and Sensibility.  He just deserves everything he desires because he’s such an honorable man, probably the most honorable in the story.

I kind of feel bad that I only took one paragraph to talk about the ladies while taking three to talk about the men.  Hugh Grant takes on Edward Ferrars, which is a role with rather little on screen time but has such an important role.  He literally has 3 actual phases in the story and its the same as the book in that sense.  Sure he’s sprinkled and we hear about whats going on.  There is no doubt that Hugh Grant was a great choice for Edward Ferrars and he really does a good job.  I mean, that ending scene with Marianne really defines his character a lot.  I read the book so I know what he does.

I love this adaptation of Sense and Sensibility.  I actually think reading Austen before I watch it, made me appreciate this more even if I believe I ended up enjoying my movie experience a little more.  Still, because it was so fresh in my mind, the dialogue is really true to the book and thats also something I appreciate.  With an incredible cast, Sense and Sensibility is a brilliant watch bringing Jane Austen’s characters to life one by one.  That is no small feat but Ang Lee does it and the cast themselves as well 🙂 I highly recommend this one!

Have you seen or read Sense and Sensibility? What are your thoughts?

Happy Valentine’s Day to everyone!

Remember, I have a finale post coming up later today (or tonight since I’m out of town for a day trip)!

The Classics Adventure: Sense and Sensibility by Jane Austen

As you’ve noticed, its taken me a while to get The Classics Adventure started.  For one, I need to acquire the books and for me, I’ve realized that especially when it comes to reading classics, I need to hold a physical book in my hand.  Plus, I’m a little picky on which version I choose to regardless, long story short, I managed to get a copy of it while taking some time off of the indie novels to start this project.  I’m attempting to read Jane Austen novels as my first feature classics novel this year.  I’m hoping it won’t take an entire year to get 6 novels done but we never know.  In general, it takes me double the time to get through classics.

Lets stop this ramble and take a look at Sense and Sensibility!

If there are any other authors, you’d like me to check out, please feel free to suggest here or on the The Classics Adventure page up in the menu 🙂

SENSE AND SENSIBILITY

By Jane Austen

After the death of their father, his estate was left to his nephew, John because he only had daughters and his wife left and they were unsuitable to take control of the estate.  However, he did ask John to make sure that his daughters would be cared for suitably.  Taking these terms loosely and influenced by his wife, the ladies leave for Barton Park where Marianne and Elinor, both of age of marriage but different in personality both find their romances.  Marianne meets Willoughby, a man that charms her with his handsomeness and she demonstrates her romantic/emotional sensibility where Elinor finds her interest in Edward Ferrars, and regards those feelings in a more emotionally reserved way.  However, they both end up succumbing to similar situations when they realize that both Willoughby and Ferrars are engaged to marry another girl.

I’ll just leave the synopsis there.  Writing synopsis for any book is hard but writing one for Classics and reviewing them for that matter is even harder.  I’ll try my best to do a good job of this though.  Just like reading Classics before of a different and more elegant writing style, writing a review is like picking apart a book with more meaning. The writing style itself makes it such a beautiful piece of work. The sophisticated words and the way she weaves her strong-willed ladies such a joy to read.

Right away, the book itself brings in a lot of sense and sensibility talk, however, the focus is ultimately and successfully portrayed in the two Dashwood sisters.  Elinor definitely is the strong-willed girl who holds her mind very still regardless of what happens.  She stays strong for her sister and holds true commitment to making sure her promises are held even if it means her own suffering.  For example, when the girl thats engaged to Edward, the man she loves, talks to her in secret about the secret engagement and asks her to not tell anyone until its made public.  That commitment makes Elinor so great to read because she is so honorable.

On the other hand, Elinor’s strength reflects and emphasizes on Marianne’s sensibility because she is emotionally volatile.  Knowing that Willoughby has turned her down to her face at a party, she falls ill and closes herself off.  She kind of a drama queen in a more direct way of saying things.  However, she also expresses a lot more of how being madly in love with.  She forgives and hopes easily.  Even though Willoughby has wronged her, she forgives him even without knowing the reason and expecting that he definitely has some reason for doing it.

While sculpting this relationship and drama being somewhat of a mirror in the sense of Marianne and Elinor, the other characters are written very well.  Willoughby offers some surprises for one while Edward Ferrars, a much different man also does that.   At the same time, they reflect different sorts of desire and influences they have to go through during that period.  At the same time, the first character to drive me crazy was when John Dashwood was so ridiculous as his bitchy and extremely selfish wife keeps making him reduce how much he was going to give the girls.  As the book went along, his reappearance made me a little angry because he is such a wishy-washy person that has such shallow thoughts.

Sense and Sensibility is paced a little slow for me.  There was a few parts that I felt myself drifting away in my concentration.  However, it does pick up and I ended up enjoying it around the middle straight to the end.  Its definitely a good read.  From my memory, I still remember Pride and Prejudice being just a tad better.

Also, expect the movie review soon 🙂

Thoughts on Sense and Sensibility? What did you like about it? If you didn’t like it, why didn’t you? 

 

What?! 4 Years Already? (ANNOUNCEMENTS)

Hey everyone!

I was originally going to do a vlog then my inner critique started kicking in and I just couldn’t film a good video and it just started getting late so I decided to write out the post instead!

Today is a VERY special day! Tranquil Dreams is 4 years old! YAY!

I can’t believe that its been 4 years that I’ve been writing this blog.  It is definitely one of my biggest accomplishments and one that I’m extremely proud of.  Tranquil Dreams started from my desire to fuel my life’s with a lot of positive through my passions and interests.  Its been a whole lot more than that since, I’ve lost my way and then found it all over again.  Tranquil Dreams has changed me in a really awesome way and honestly, as much as I always could say that its a lot to do with my willpower to keep at this, it wouldn’t have happened without ALL OF YOU! Everyone of you thats stopped by, liked, commented, or even just checking this space out makes me happy.

I love you all! And I appreciate it so much! Its hard to cover everyone thats inspired me to keep Tranquil Dreams going but here are a good portion of them.  If I forgot you, its really not intentional. Remember to show them lots of love because they are absolutely in the awesome zone:

Aan Prihandaya
Alex Raphael
Books, Movies, Poetry
Butterflymumma
CC PopCulture
Cindy Bruchman
Cinema Parrot Disco
Cinematic Katzenjammer
Dan the Man’s Movie Reviews
FlixChatter
Hard Ticket to Home Video
Isaacs Picture Conclusions
Let’s Go to the Movies
Life of this City Girl
Live & Learn
Mettel Ray
MKG-Memories-Keepsakes-Gifts
MovieRob
Mr. Movie’s Film Blog
Not a Punk Rocker
Parlor of Horror
Rhino’s Horror
Screenkicker!
Silver Screen Serenade
Snap Crackle Watch!
Sporadic Chronicles of a Beginner Blogger
Ten Stars or Less
The Vern’s Video Vortex
Thirdeyemom
Thy Critic Man
Today I Watched a Movie
Tvor Travels
Yummy Lummy

+ many more!

Moving on to some 2015 fun business! 🙂

I’m announcing 2 long-term projects. You can see the pages up in the menu.

1)THE CLASSICS ADVENTURE

I read a lot during the year.  In 2015, I’m still doing the 40 books for Goodreads Reading Challenge. Although I check out a lot of books, I neglect reading Classics.  So this year, its to work on that. My first highlight is to read Jane Austen’s novels  plus a few that I’ve chosen.  The list will be updated in the page under Books in the menu.

If there’s any novels that I should check out, feel free to suggest!

2) BAKING THROUGH DISNEY

Concept as simple as it sounds. I’ll be watching Disney Animated Classics and Pixar.  I’ll get a review done and then I’ll make a fancy baked goods.  It could be cupcakes (which was the original concept) but it could also be cookies or cakes, depending on what I come up with to portray the movie.

More details and the list up on the menu.  Because it covers two categories of Tranquil Dreams, I gave it its own tab.

As a general update for 2015 (since I didn’t really do one before)…

2015 is all about going back to versatility.  There’s going to be a bunch of randomness.  I’m going to do random Pinterest Therapy and Music Obsessions plus show some of the “adventures”.  Generally, I’ll be covering events and exhibits around Montreal .  Right now, I’m set to do Fantasia Film Festival, Montreal Comic-con and planning to go to Toronto Comic-con.

Aside from that, movies will be trying to get a new release every month in theatres.  You can check out my 2015 Anticipated Movies HERE. Plus, I’ve been doing TV Binge posts along with movie reviews 🙂

Book reviews will resume to full book reviews (since I really missed that last year).  Aside from classics, my focus is going to be on featuring independent writers.  Movie reviews will be done as frequently as I can do them.  If I feel that some movies are rather average, I’ll group them into double features.

Thats the plan for 2015! Depending on how these plans go, maybe I’ll launch something else midyear (not sure yet). I had wanted to get a rating system on but I haven’t quite worked that out either.  Lots of ideas going on in my head but for now, this is it!

THANK YOU SO MUCH!

STAY AWESOME AND HAPPY 2015!

*I updated my menu and the About page.  Will be working on the sidebar soon!*