Review: The Help

I apologize in advance if the thoughts in this review are a bit scattered. I'm blogging and watching Pretty Little Liars and I just can't help it. (Season premiere tonight, whoo!)

Anywho, The Help is a movie based on the book (of the same name) by Kathryn Stocket, which I have not had the pleasure of reading yet. Skeeter Phelan, played by Emma Stone, has just returned to Jackson, Mississippi, her home, from school. She is looking for a writing job and begins writing for the house care column in a local newspaper. She interviews the black maid of one of her friends for answers to her letters. This evolves into an idea for Skeeter, and she convinces Aibileen, the maid, to help her write a book on what its like to wait hand and foot on a white household.

I really enjoyed this movie. The plot was refreshing, different from most movies these days. I thought the characters were unique. I've liked Emma Stone in every role I've seen her in, and this is no different. She is a different woman compared to most of her time. Another character I liked was Celia Foote, played by Jessica Chastain, who treated Minny Jackson, another black maid played by Octavia Spencer, with the respect she deserved. This film also featured Bryce Dallas Howard as Hilly Holbrook. Howard played Victoria in The Twilight Saga: Eclipse.

The Help is really a touching story. The entire cast put in their all to portray a one of a kind tale with a big finish that you want Skeeter to have. The Help brought home an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress for Octavia Spencer, a Golden Globe for Best Supporting Actress for Octavia Spencer, and the People's Choice Award for Favorite Movie Actress for Emma Stone, just to name a few.

Review: Breaking Dawn, Pregnancy

The following post contains spoilers for The Twilight Saga books and movies. Consider yourself warned.

So I went to the midnight premiere of Breaking Dawn and then I went again yesterday with some other people. Now I feel as though I can review it more effectively, because I may have noticed some details the second time I didn't notice the first time. Or maybe I didn't because I was still in awe. We shall see! I was going to do one big post, but alas, my opinion takes up way too much space. So, I'm going to split it up into separate post.

I was curious how they were going to do this part of the movie since it's from Jacob's perspective in the book. In the end, I think it was balanced nicely. I really enjoyed seeing more with the pack, even if they did separate. If was neat to see more with Seth, because he was always my favorite wolf *cough* puppy *cough*. One thing I was disappointed with (dare I say giggled at the lameness of) they way the wolves talked/barked when they were in their wolf forms. I don't know, it was just different than I expected. Sort of electronic maybe?

I was impressed with Taylor Lautner's performance in this movie. I really think he portrayed the Jacob in the book, growing up before our eyes, and having to deal with all sorts of things. Not that he didn't do a great job in Eclipse, I was just really, really happy with what he brought to the screen in Breaking Dawn.

Editors, makeup artist (whoever, I don't know who does this stuff) pretty much nailed it with Bella looking terrible. They honestly made her look weak and frail. I don't know how they make her shoulders protrude or her cheeks sink in the like that, but wow. It looked great! I mean bad. Like, I mean it was a really good bad...ah, I give up, you know what I mean. Unfortunately, I couldn't find any pictures of Bella pregnant. You think they would have released at least one still.

It's interesting how you get to see more about the different characters int he different movies. This one sort of showed more of Rosalie and Carlisle. I wasn't sure if people that hadn't read the book would really understand that she didn't like Bella all of a sudden and she was much more concerned with the health of the baby, something she's always wanted. I did enjoy the little lines stuck in here and there that sort of lightened the mood. I think any movie like that needs moments to sort of give the audience a chance to breathe.

The last post, on the birth and such (about the last half hour of the film), will be coming at you in a day or two. I was really happy when I saw I got some comments on the the first Breaking Dawn post. I really like to see the opinions of you readers, so never hesitate to leave a comment! Tell me what you thought about any of the stuff you read about up there, or something I might have forgotten. Stop back for the last post soon!