All posts tagged films

Have YA writers never grown up?

Last weekend I finally got around to watching the film Young Adult. The title of this post is a quote from the film, the context is this:

Mavis: “You can come to the city with me like we always planned.”
Buddy: “Mavis, I’m a married man.”
Mavis: “I know we can beat this thing, together.”
220px-Young_adult_ver2

The film is about a ghostwriter of a previously popular YA series that’s now being cancelled (I imagined Sweet Valley High obv) called Mavis who heads back to her hometown convinced she belongs with her high school sweetheart Buddy despite the fact he’s married with a new baby. It’s a dark comedy and I really enjoyed it but be warned Mavis is not a likeable character – selfish and insensitive and likely an alcoholic. She also can’t get high school out of her head.

It got me thinking about us YA writers – we are writing about teenagers for teenagers and I can see how you can get stuck in your past as you remember things that happened to you at that age or write a book about things you wish had happened to you. Mavis as a character is of course extreme and I’m sure no YA writer is that mean (well, I hope not) but watching her lying on the sofa with the Kardashian’s on in the background and her writing not going anywhere, I did catch a little glimpse of myself :) She also has a little dog that I want …

But for me writing YA is fun. I love reading it. I like writing and reading about the thrill of a first kiss, falling in love for the first time, overcoming bad situations, finding yourself. There are no limits. Thinking about my book I don’t think there is much of my teenage years in there (although it is set in the part of the world I live) but maybe I write the kind of book I would have wanted to read when I was a teenager. And the kind of one I want to read now as an “adult”. More adults read YA than teenagers and maybe it’s because we are all nostalgic for our earlier years, maybe we don’t want to grow up or maybe whatever age you are, you want to fall in love with stories and characters whatever shape and age they come.

And even though us YA writers spend a lot of time in the world of YA, I doubt many of us would actually want to go back to our teen years. For one thing we  know what we like now and most importantly we can afford to buy our own books :)

So I’ll leave you with another quote from the film when someone from Mavis’ high school spots her in a local bar:

Matt: You move back?

Mavis: Of course not… gross.

Do you think YA writers haven’t grown up?

Victoria

xoxo

8 Comments
by Victoria-writes on April 11, 2013  •  Permalink
Posted in Films, Musings, Writing
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Posted by Victoria-writes on April 11, 2013

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Twilight – it’s all your fault

Yesterday I went to see Breaking Dawn part 2. I really enjoyed the film and thought they adapted it well. There was one part that shocked me (you’ll know what I mean if you’ve seen it) but I realised what was happening and it all ended up fine.

 

I have been a fan of the Twilight books for a long time now – I read them before they really took off, just after the final book was released. Then the film came out and it went crazy! Twilight was the first modern YA books I read and I was completely hooked. I totally understand the critics out there but for me they were page turners and I fell hard for them. I have enjoyed the films, they kept the tone of the books even improving some parts so I’ll admit that I felt a little sad that it was all over as I left the cinema.

For me the biggest thing I’ll take away from the Twilight Saga is the love it gave me for both reading and writing young adult stories. After Twilight, I have practically only read YA books and because of the series, I started to wrote my own and would love to make a career out of it. The books have given me something wonderful and I’ll always be grateful for them.

The power of a book to inspire you in any way is why I love reading – and writing – so much.

I shall leave this post and Twilight with my favourite quote from the series:

What books have inspired you?

Victoria

xoxo

18 Comments
by Victoria-writes on November 22, 2012  •  Permalink
Posted in Books, Films, inspiration, Writing
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Posted by Victoria-writes on November 22, 2012

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My top ten upcoming YA books to film adaptations

Sometimes when I tell people I write young adult stories or stories for teenagers, I receive a blank stare. Some people think have had not been privy to the delights of YA literature although they most likely have (classics like Little Women, for example) but I don’t think many people can stay ignorant of this category any longer.

After Twilight shook both the book and film worlds, more YA books are being turned into films, movie makers realising there is a wealth of good stuff to find in the YA section. And what I like about this is the films are based on great stories, it doesn’t matter who the target audience was, the stories stand up on their own. Just look at the Hunger Games.

It’s always difficult watching a film based on a book I’ve enjoyed – sometimes it manages to capture the story well, others not but I will still go to see all these adaptations just so I can discover my favourite worlds come to life.

So here’s my top ten film adaptations of YA books coming our way hopefully soon:

  • The Mortal Instruments: City of Bones – based on the book by Cassandra Clare. This is coming next year and here’s the trailer:

  • The House of Night – based on the vampire series by mother daughter team PC & Kristin Cast. Coming 2014.
  • Beautiful Creatures – based on the books by Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl, coming next year. Here’s the trailer:

  • Delirium by Lauren Oliver. I’ve loved the first two books of this series and can’t wait for the final one. The film is at script stage so it will be a while coming but I can’t wait to see what they do with it.
  • Divergent based on the books by Veronica Roth. Filming starts next year and it should be out in 2014. These dystopian series has been great read so far and I’m looking forward to the film adaptation.
  • Heist Society based on the books by Ally Carter – this modern spy story should work well on the big screen. Drew Barrymore is behind the adaptation. Only in early development though so we have a while to wait.
  • Wings by Aprilynne Pike – this series about fairies has a film in development, Miley Cyrus is supposed to be playing the lead but the clock is ticking on that.
  • How I Live Now based on the book by Meg Rosoff is currently being filmed with Saoirse Ronan as the lead so possibly will arrive 2014.
  • Thirteen Reasons Why by Jay Asher – this is in development with Selena Gomez attached. This film will be interesting as the book is mostly narration.
  • And finally it was pitched as an adult book but Stephenie Meyer’s The Host definitely has YA appeal and I’m very excited about it so here’s the trailer:

What YA adaptations are you looking forward to?

Victoria

xoxo

21 Comments
by Victoria-writes on November 15, 2012  •  Permalink
Posted in Books, Films
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Posted by Victoria-writes on November 15, 2012

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Scary Stories

When I was a teenager, I was obsessed with the Point Horror books. Anyone else remember them? They were a horror series of books by different authors and in my early teens seemed very frightening. They were the first really scary stories I had read – before that, Roald Dahl was probably my first dip into anything out of the ordinary. I certainly wasn’t into scary stories like some kids are, maybe I was a wimp – I was freaked out by Michael Jackson’s Thriller video after all :)

In my later teens, the film franchise Scream started. I mostly avoided horror films. It wasn’t always because I was scared, often I felt like laughing at the clichés included – why would you go into that dark basement alone, after all? Scream was funny as well as scary and I really enjoyed it. I watched I Know What You Did Last Summer but I didn’t get into the genre in a big way.

At college, I did media studies and yes we had to watch films as part of the course. We did a section on horror and I finally watched some of the horror classics like Halloween and Carrie and Psycho. But they still didn’t draw me into horror in any real way – I can appreciate a scary film done well but I don’t feel the need to watch many. I don’t own any horror films and after my childhood obsession with the Point Horror books, I haven’t picked up any more books in the genre.

I love the supernatural though, which is why I’m okay with Halloween. And the genre can often be more scary than hook-handed serial killers. I love vampires, werewolves and witches and my book shelf is crammed with stories of them. My obsession really kicked off after reading Twilight (haters to the left :0) The first novels I wrote were supernatural and I’ll always have a soft spot for them.

Some of my favourite supernatural things are: the Sookie Stackhouse books, Vampire Academy, Twilight, The House of Night, The Body Finder, Shiver (Wolves of Mercy Falls), Harry Potter , The Mortal Instruments, Vampire Diaries, Supernatural, Fringe and Underworld. And the fact that most are aimed at teens means I don’t get too scared by them!

I think I’ll always enjoy being drawn into a fantasy world where the rules are different and there are dark creatures who may or may not be dangerous. The fun is in finding out, especially if they look like Damon from TVD :)

Do you like scary stories?

Victoria

xoxo

35 Comments
by Victoria-writes on October 31, 2012  •  Permalink
Posted in Books, Films, My fave things, Special Days, TV
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Posted by Victoria-writes on October 31, 2012

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I’ll have what she’s having

I think I naturally gravitate to female writers because I’m inspired by their voice and their ability to reap success in an often male dominated field. Nora Ephron was a talented writer who knocked doors open for female screenwriters and wrote films that are firmly embedded in our culture. She also produced and directed films, no mean feet! After her recent death from cancer, I felt the need to acknowledge the inspiring legacy she leaves us with.

For those who have never seen When Harry met Sally, the title of this post comes from that film and that scene when Meg Ryan acts out having an organism for Billy Crystal in a diner. That moment sealed Ms Ephron’s legacy in cinema forever.

Nora Ephron has written, produced and directed some of the most watched and loved romantic comedies that have come out of Hollywood. They are truly iconic – When Harry met Sally, Sleepless in Seattle and You’ve got Mail are all brilliant examples of the genre and some of my favourite films. And they are all her vision. She brought Meg Ryan and Tom Hanks into our romantic lives and produced films that are warm and witty and have made me long for my own happily ever after.

You’ve got Mail is one of my favourite ever films. It’s hard to explain why. It can be corny and predictable and isn’t really laugh out loud funny but it’s warm and romantic and the perfect film to curl up with when you’re feeling down or sick. I love the setting of New York, the fact that the heroine works in a book shop and her favourite book is Pride and Prejudice and the fact you know who she’s meant to be with from the opening scene.


These quotes are just a sample of her genius wit and show what a character and talent she really was. She wasn’t afraid of having her own voice.

So thank you Ms Ephron for creating films that will remain on my shelves forever. You were truly inspiring.

Are you a fan of Nora Ephron’s films?

Victoria

xoxo

18 Comments
by Victoria-writes on June 28, 2012  •  Permalink
Posted in Celebrity, Films, inspiration
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Posted by Victoria-writes on June 28, 2012

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The Hunger Games vs. Twilight

I went to see The Hunger Games yesterday. I won’t post another review as I’m a long way behind the rest (although I will say I loved it). Instead, in honour of the film and another favourite of mine Twilight, I thought I’d pitch the YA series’ against each other.

Warning: contains spoilers so don’t read if you don’t know how they end!

Let the battle begin:

The world

Twilight is set in present day Forks – a small town in Washington, which gets a lot of rain. Dark, gloomy and green. This world is inhabited by both humans and supernatural creatures namely vampires and werewolves (no witches or faeries as far as we know). And the supernatural’s live in secret mostly; until a girl called Bella comes along and guesses the truth. Some of the supers are good; others are evil and will drink your blood.

The Hunger Games is set in the future in a country that used to be America and is now called Panem. It’s a pretty bleak place made up of 12 districts ruled over by The Capitol. People in the outer districts are poor and hungry whereas people in The Capitol live in luxury and have really crazy hair. Every year the country watches The Hunger Games – a reality TV show where kids compete to their death.

Verdict: I’d rather live in Twilight’s world – there’s food and the reality TV shows may be depressing but they’re not brutal. Plus I’d have Edward. Just sayin’.

Twilight – 1, HG – 0.

The hero

Bella Swan is a teenage girl who falls for a vampire. She’s’ pretty average looking but pale and uncoordinated. She doesn’t really have a quest – most of her existence is there to be in love with Edward. Then she decides she wants to be immortal so she can love him forever. She finally becomes a vampire, which she is suited to very well.

Katniss Everdeen is a teenage girl who has lived her life fighting for survival. She leads her family, hunting for food and selling it so they can live. She is fiercely protective of her younger sister, volunteering to tale her place in The Hunger Games. Which’s she kicks ass in while staying someone we can root for. Plus she wins.

Verdict: Katniss is scary in the best possible way. I’d probably be the first one to die in the games so I’m pretty impressed by how she handles it.

HG – 1, Twilight – 0.

 The love triangle

Bella Swan loves Edward but then he leaves her (it’s for her own good) so she starts hanging out with Jacob, who turns into a werewolf. He loves her a lot but she’s not sure. Then Edward comes back and she runs back into his arms. Jacob kisses her and she decides she loves them both but Edward is her soul mate. Then they have a baby who is Jacob’s soul mate. So everyone is happy.

Katniss Everdeen isn’t sure who she loves. There’s Gale her friend and hunting partner who’s really good looking. And there’s Peeta, her fellow competitor in the HG who says he’s had a crush on her since they were kids. They pretend to be I love for the cameras but I feels quite real. Then Gale comes up with an idea that leads to her sister being killed so she chooses Peeta.

Verdict: For me, I knew who they would both choose in the end but I was more unsure what would happen in The HG so I’ll go with that love triangle. Slightly more believable.

HG- 1, Twilight – 0.

 The villains

In Twilight, The Volturi are pretty scary vampires who rule the community and you don’t want to meet them in a dark alley. Like, ever.

In HG, the villain is pinpointed as the President but you could argue the true villain is control. Snow is killed by Katniss in the end and the country takes back some of their freedom.

Verdict: Twilight has a defined group of villains that are creepy and who live on after the books. They’re invincible, which beats Snow who is destroyed.  

Twilight – 1, HG – 0.

Final score:

It’s a tie in my battle between Twilight and The Hunger Games.

Who would win for you?

 Victoria

xoxo

 

18 Comments
by Victoria-writes on April 5, 2012  •  Permalink
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Posted by Victoria-writes on April 5, 2012

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Back in time

I recently watched Midnight in Paris – a 2011 Woody Allen film about a struggling American writer on holiday in Paris with his fiancée. The lead character Gil wishes in lived in Paris in the 1920′s when everything was far more magical and inspiring for writers and one night his fantasy comes true.

I really enjoyed this film – it’s romantic and funny and magical and if you’re a writer, you will definitely with Gil and his fantasies. It got me wondering if I had the opportunity to go back in time and experience a different era – which would I choose? The answer came pretty quickly. I fell in love with Jane Austen in my early teens and the love affair remains strong to this day. I’d love to get sucked back to her time and be able to live in the world she did.

Reasons why I would love to visit the Regency era of Jane Austen:

1. Courtship appears far more romantic – men are gentlemanly, dating is chaperoned and you fall in love at grand balls and across the table at dinner.

2. You get to wear long dresses and fancy gowns for special occasions made just for you.

3. No cars. Just horse-drawn carriages.

4. There’s no TV or internet so much more time for reading and writing. I’d have to give sewing a miss as I’m useless.

5. You actually have to converse with people and spend time with them. No calling on the phone or texting allowed.

Of course, if I did go back, I’d have to be a wealthy lady. I quite fancy a grand country pile somewhere. And I’d obviously bump into Mr Darcy, because he was real, and he’d sweep me off my feet.

Okay my imagination has carried me away as usual but I would definitely recommend Midnight in Paris if you want some pure escapism.

Which era would you go back to you if you could?

Victoria

xoxo

22 Comments
by Victoria-writes on February 23, 2012  •  Permalink
Posted in Films, Fun, Musings, Reviews
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Posted by Victoria-writes on February 23, 2012

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Valentine’s week: Top ten romantic films

Here are my favourite romantic films. They are responsible for my rose-tinted glasses when it comes to love and relationships and for my probably unrealistic wish for a fairytale ending but hopefully they will make you smile and cry and feel very loved up today whether you’re single or not. Enjoy!

A Walk to Remember is about a bad boy who falls for a good girl who changes his outlook on love and life. Cute, romantic and sad – make sure you have the tissues ready. It might be cheesy but I fall for it every time.

You’ve got Mail stars Meg Ryan and Tom Hanks who fall in love online but don’t hit it off in real life. You root for them right up until the end in this cosy rom com. I think I’ve watched it a hundred times.

Dirty Dancing is one of my favourite films – it’s very corny but very romantic. Nobody puts Baby in the corner! And no girl can watch this without wanting to do the end dance.

Pride and Prejudice - technically this was a BBC series but I couldn’t include my favourite adaptation of my favourite book. I’m in love with Mr Darcy, I can’t lie and his love story with Elizabeth Bennet will always melt my heart. And you get to look at the gorgeous Colin Firth in this version.

Titanic is an epic love story. It bowled me over when I first saw it. It’s not a regular watch for me but it’s a timeless story that stays with you long after. It had to be included on the list!

The Notebook is another soaring romance with a heartbreaking end. I cannot watch this without crying so I cry to avoid it but there’s no doubting that this is a love story that leaves you breathless.

The Twilight series - love it or hate it this love story about a human girl who falls for a vampire sucked (get it?!) me in completely when I read it and the films do a great job of capturing their romance.

Moulin Rouge is a romantic musical feast. It’s beautiful and tragic and the love song medley is genius.

 Beauty and the Beast may be an animated film but it’s pure romance. Remember the ballroom scene? Exactly.

An Affair to Remember is an old-fashioned romance that twists and turns through heartbreak but ultimately makes you all warm and fuzzy. It also kick started the trend of meeting on top of the Empire State building (see Sleepless in Seattle).

What’s your favourite romantic films?

Victoria

xoxo

28 Comments
by Victoria-writes on February 18, 2012  •  Permalink
Posted in Films, My fave things, Reviews
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Posted by Victoria-writes on February 18, 2012

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The Bechdel test

I recently researched an agent to submit my book to who mentioned that she liked to receive stories that passed the Bechdel test. Intrigued, I headed to Google to find out what this is.

The Bechdel Test, sometimes called the Mo Movie Measure or Bechdel Rule is a simple test which names the following three criteria: (1) it has to have at least two women in it, who (2) who talk to each other, about (3) something besides a man. The test was popularized by Alison Bechdel‘s comic Dykes to Watch Out For, in a 1985 strip called The Rule. There’s even a website that lists films and rates whether they pass or fail the test.

Without retreating back to my feminists studies at uni (I did Sociology) I like the idea of this because the lack of female centric films is noticeable especially oens that don’t focus on men. I like a good rom com as you know but sometimes I like to see some healthy female role models out there.

I recently watched two films that centred on female characters so I checked to see if they were listed as a pass or fail on the test.

4-3-2-1 is a British film about four girls who get tied up with a diamond heist – it passes the test because they do talk about things other than men. And I enjoyed the fact they were feisty and not damsel-in-distress girls but the film failed slightly for me on a more general feminist level because three of the girls appear several times either in their underwear or fully naked and it’s not really integral to the plot. It feels like the male movie makers are trying to get men to watch the film, which for me defeats the object of having a female centric film in the first place.

The second film was Thirteen, a controversial look at two teenage girls co-written by a teenage Nikki Reed. This film also passes the test and is an authentic look at the issues teenage girls can face. Although you never fully get to grips with why they behave the way they do, I liked how complex their characters were and the documentary feel to the film.

So although I like the idea of this test, I think there are more things to consider when looking a piece of work and deciding whether it is really a step forward for women in films. I am impressed that a literary agent considers this when reviewing a manuscript and I’d definitely like to read more female centric books. I love a good romance but I also like to see strong women and that’s probably why my own writing veers more to the style and issue-driven focus of Thirteen.

Are female centric films important to you? Have you seen a film lately that passed or failed the Bechdel test?

Victoria

xoxo

17 Comments
by Victoria-writes on February 3, 2012  •  Permalink
Posted in Films, Reviews
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Posted by Victoria-writes on February 3, 2012

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Perfect endings

I watched Something Borrowed at the weekend and when it finished, I felt compelled to disagree with its ending on Facebook. Usually I find rom coms thoroughly predictable, which I like because I can root for the couple through the film and feel happy at the end. This one through me a curve ball as the ending I predicted didn’t happen. I won’t spoil it for those who haven’t seen it. I quite liked that the film surprised me and I did enjoy it but I was rooting for something else than what they gave me.

I think endings are hard in books and films. On one hand, you want some suspense element so you can wonder what will happen and maintain your interest but I hate completely curve ball endings that make you wonder why you bothered. It’s a fine line for a creator to balance. Surprise vs. satisfaction. A twist vs. predictability. A make-up-your-own-mind ending vs. everyone and everything is happy.

Plus endings are important. If you pick the wrong one, you can destroy all the good stuff before it. An ending is also the deciding point for the audience / reader on whether they liked or didn’t like it. I still remember how nervous I was reading the last Harry Potter, praying that the ending would satisfy after so many years invested in the series. I still remember watching the last ever Dawson’s Creek with everything crossed for Joey and Pacey. Or the WTF? I wanted to scream at the end of War of the Worlds. I mean, seriously what was that about?!

What endings do you like? What ending made you want to throw your TV / book out the window?

Victoria

xoxo

35 Comments
by Victoria-writes on January 11, 2012  •  Permalink
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Posted by Victoria-writes on January 11, 2012

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