Literary-based Movie Reviews part 2

Movie: Cirque Du Freak: The Vampire's Assistant



Book: The Vampire's Assistant and Other Tales from the Cirque Du Freak (The Saga of Darren Shan) by Darren Shan

Darren Shan is just an ordinary schoolboy who loves to ride bikes and hang out with his three best friends. Then one day Darren and his friends stumble across an invitation to visit the Cirque Du Freak, a strange and mysterious freak show. Almost as if by destiny, Darren wins a ticket and what follows is his horrifying descent into the dark and bloody world of vampires.

This is Darren's story.
-Amazon.com




My Review:
*Sigh* Yet another movie in which I did not read the book first! I need to get better about that! :P Anyways, going into this movie without having read the book, I wasn't quite sure what to expect. I actually kind of prefer that sometimes. I seem to enjoy the experience more. Anyways, I digress. The movie was delightfully dark, funny, and surprisingly original. I LOVED the winter carnival grounds setting. Very pleasing to the eye. I enjoyed John C. Riley as Larten Crepsley, he suited the role quite nicely. Also, I was pleased with the choice of Chris Massoglia, he really stepped up to the role. At first, I thought the film dragged a bit, but once the "freak show" came to town, things started to pick up nicely. I love how the "freaks" interact with each other, finding solace in one another. On a whim, I just picked this up at the store without seeing it first, and I am glad I did. It's your basic good vs. evil story, done with some serious style. :P

My Rating:

Movie: Whip It



Book: Whip It by Shauna Cross (Also known as Derby Girl)

Skirts, Skates, & Scrapes
All the old school skills with a new punk rock attitude
Come see The Lone Star Derby Girls
Austin's All-Girl Roller Derby League
The Holy Rollers vs. The Fight Crew
Halftime Concert by the Chimney Sweeps
This ain't no cheerleading clinic, y'all

Meet Bliss Cavendar, an indie-rock-loving misfit stuck in the tiny town of Bodeen, Texas. Her pageant-addicted mother expects her to compete for the coveted Miss Bluebonnet crown, but Bliss would rather feast on roaches than be subjected to such rhinestone tyranny.
Bliss's escape? Roller Derby.
When she discovers a league in nearby Austin, Bliss embarks on an epic journey full of hilarious tattooed girls, delicious boys in bands, and a few not-so-awesome realities even the most hard-core derby chick has to learn.-goodreads.com

My review:
*gulp* I didn't even know this was a book until I saw the movie! How sad is that?! Again, I went into this movie, not really sure what was in store for me. I mainly picked it up because Ellen Page (one of my favorite actresses) was in it. :P It's a classic coming of age tale, with a roller derby twist. Lighthearted, warm, funny...the movie doesn't disappoint. I loved all the interesting characters and highly enjoyed Bliss' character evolution. I am beyond happy that I picked this one up and will no doubt watch it from time to time, when I need a good pick-me-up! :)

My Rating: