Play Review: The Phantom of the Opera

The Phantom of the Opera at the Royal Albert Hall (25th Anniversary Performance)

Recommended for: Ages 13 to Adult

Rating: NR (I'm not sure what I would rate it, but it's kind of scary and dark, so I wouldn't recommend it for young children.)

A disfigured musical genius, hidden away in the Paris Opera House, terrorizes the opera company for the unwitting benefit of a young protégée whom he trains and loves.

Yes, I'm doing a play rather than a movie. We didn't watch an actual movie last weekend, just Phantom of the Opera on Netflix, and it's definitely worth reviewing.

I don't know how I missed out on The Phantom of the Opera for so long. I guess it just wasn't on my radar screen. I really was missing a lot by not having seen Phantom, because I immediately loved it. It jumped right onto my favorites list, and I've listened to the whole thing on Spotify several times since Friday night. And I found out someone I go to church with has seen it live, and so I'm jealous.

Technical: 5/5

It is a little odd to watch a stage play on TV. Fortunately, it didn't take long to get used to, mostly because I knew it was stage, and so that's what I was expecting. Of course, you can't expect CGI work or detailed locations, and the actors all wore microphones, but it's stage, not a movie. And it was a spectacular stage production. It's the 25th anniversary performance at the Royal Albert Hall, after all.

The music. Ah, such music. I think the music was what first entranced me. I have an extreme fondness for orchestral pieces, and this was performed with a full live orchestra. (Of course, it was taped by the time I got around to seeing it, but it was live then.) Sometimes they would even show a shot of the orchestra and I could see the violinists playing up in high positions. (And yes, I couldn't help thinking how the guy they showed had thicker fingers than me, which would make double stops easier for him, but individual strings and high positions easier for me.) The singing was also phenomenal. The Phantom has an amazing voice, and Christine really puts my out of tune Disney songs to extreme shame. She has such high notes to hit, but she nailed them. And the songs. I already knew "Think of Me" because my sisters and I have all played it on the piano, but pretty much all the rest were new to me. I think my favorites are "The Phantom of the Opera" and "All I Ask of You." And the overtures, because there's time to focus on the orchestra.

The ballet also deserves a mention. As a former ballerina who spent one year on pointe, I greatly enjoyed watching them perform. They were all excellent dancers.

Settings: 4/5

The Phantom of the Opera largely takes place inside the opera house, which makes the settings easy to create. The opera is performed on stage, after all. The transitions to the Phantom's place were a little confusing, and didn't seem to change things much, but that's really all the negative things I have to say about the setting.

Plot: 5/5

The story was slightly confusing at first, but I managed to get my bearings fairly quickly, and now I feel like I have a good grasp on the storyline. The ownership of the opera house is transferred over at the previous owner's retirement, and the opera ghost, also known as the Phantom, has a difficult time getting the new owners to follow his instructions. This escalates into a war between the Phantom and the opera house, as the Phantom tries to get Christine Daae into lead roles and always have box 5, but the owners push back against it. And the Phantom is not above using extreme measures to get his way.

I really loved the story, enough that I have started reading the book upon which the musical was based. It has intrigue and tragedy, love and despair. It seemed well developed, and definitely interesting.

Character Development: 4/5

The character development was somewhat lacking, but Phantom has so much else going for it, it didn't reduce my enjoyment one bit. The Phantom was very interesting, and the sort of character one doesn't quite know whether to hate or feel sorry for. And his voice. He can sing! I liked Christine. She seemed rather under the Phantom's influence, but yet scared of him and desperate to get away at the same time. I did like Raoul as well, though I wouldn't say I could give a description of his personality. I'm hoping the book will be better at developing the characters.

Something else cool about this edition is that Andrew Lloyd Webber comes out at the end to talk about it, and the original Christine and several different Phantoms sing. It's pretty cool. Though the part where the Phantoms sing reminded my family of the part of "The Day of the Doctor" where Ten and Eleven move in sync and trade off lines in a monologue. That only made it better, Whovians that we are.

If, like me, you  have been missing out on Phantom of the Opera, don't anymore. Watch it. This version is excellent, one of my friends said it was the best one. You won't regret it. (Well, unless you consider musicals the most horrible form of entertainment ever invented. But despite the unrealism, musicals are amazing.)

"He's here, the Phantom of the Opera."

EDIT: And it's even better the second time around.

Friday Favorites: Gone-Away Lake

Gone-Away Lake by Elizabeth Enright

Recommended for: All Ages

Rating: G

Summer has a magic all its own.

When Portia sets out for a visit with her cousin Julian, she expects fun and adventure, but of the usual kind: exploring in the woods near Julian's house, collecting stones and bugs, playing games throughout the long, lazy days.

But this summer is different.

On their first day exploring, Portia and Julian discover an enormous boulder with a mysterious message, a swamp choked with reeds and quicksand, and on the far side of the swamp...a ghost town.

Once upon a time the swamp was a splendid lake, and the fallen houses along its shore an elegant resort community. But though the lake is long gone and the resort faded away, the houses still hold a secret life: two people who have never left Gone-Away...and who can tell the story of what happened there.

Gone-Away Lake is full of good memories. I remember my mom getting it from the library and reading it to my sisters and me during lunch. I have since revisited it and it's surprisingly good sequel countless times.

Gone-Away Lake is a fun story. The discovery of the abandoned summer homes and the people who still live there makes an intriguing premise. And the fact that the two people living there were some of the people who lived there during the summer at the turn of the century makes it even neater. Aunt Minnehaha and Uncle Pin, as Portia and Julian begin to call them, tell wonderful stories of their childhood when Gone-Away was still Tarrigo, a lake surrounded by beautiful summer homes. The story of the knife and the buttonhook is one I really love, and Mrs. Brace-Gideon's summer cats.

Portia and Julian have their own adventures exploring Gone-Away, and Portia's brother Foster is not left out either. Well, they try to, but it doesn't work out and they learn their lesson. Falling in the Gulper, the thunderstorm at Craneycrow, the Machine, A.P. Decoction, the Philosopher's Club, the Gulper Bridge...it's such a wonderful and eventful summer.

The characters are so well drawn, from Portia and Julian to Baby-Belle Tuckertown and Mrs. Brace-Gideon. I can't help but love them. Not Mrs. Brace-Gideon, though, or Tarquin Tuckertown's friend Edward Cleveland Bailey. But you aren't supposed to like them. The rest are simply amazing.

They have a beautiful summer, that comes to an end with yet another discovery, one that leads wonderfully into Return to Gone-Away. The Villa Caprice, guarded at the back door by "Baron Bloodshed, fallen on hard times."

And what adventures they have! Dumbwaiters, swimming holes, suits of armor, collapsed staircases, Baby-Belle's French governess, hidden safes...just as wonderful a summer as the one before.

Gone-Away Lake is a wonderful place. I just love it there. And the story of what happens there is so beautifully told. Elizabeth Enright is a Newbery Award winning author, after all.

I highly recommend the Gone-Away Lake books. They are delightful stories I can't wait to share with any children I have in the future.

Movie Review: Tangled

Tangled

Recommended for: All Ages

Rating: PG (for brief mild violence)

"When the kingdom's most wanted- and most charming-bandit Flynn Rider hides in a mysterious tower, the last thing he expects to find is Rapunzel, a spirited teen with an unlikely superpower- 70 feet of magical golden hair! Together, the unlikely duo set off on a fantastic journey filled with surprising heroes, laughter, and suspense."

I have liked this movie since I first saw it, and it became my favorite Disney princess movie. Even after seeing Frozen, Tangled is still my favorite Disney princess movie.

Technical:5/5

As in most Disney animated films, the animation was well done. Tangled is a retelling of the story of Rapunzel, and I think that it was done in an interesting and funny way. The voices of the characters were done well, the voices expressing the emotion that the characters go through in the movie.

Setting: 4/5

The movie is set in what appears to be a fantasy world with a medieval Europe setting. There don't seem to be many settlements other than the city where Rapunzel was born. The tower is in a secluded part of  a the woods about a day's walk from the city. There is a tavern on the way to the city. There don't seem to be any farmers and their only means of food seems to come from the sea and exports.

Plot: 5/5
 
Rapunzel is stolen away as a baby so that Mother Gothel can stay young.  Rapunzel's parents then light floating lanterns every year on her birthday hoping that she will come home. Rapunzel grows up seeing the floating lanterns and feels that they are meant for her. She then gets the wanted criminal to take her to fulfill her dream by seeing the floating lanterns. I found the plot enjoyable, and funny with lots of adventure and excitement. It seemed well developed.

Character Development:5/5

As always, Disney does a great job with characters. Rapunzel is a naive girl who was raised in a tower knowing only one person. She was told that the world is a scary place and is scared easily. Flynn Rider is a wanted criminal trying to evade soldiers, who reluctantly takes Rapunzel to the city only to get what he stole back. For part of the journey, he tries to convince her to go back to her tower. He soon realizes there's more to life than stealing. There are other characters like Mother Gothel, and the animal companions Maximus and Pascal. They are all unique and well developed. Maximus and Pascal make great sidekicks.

This is a great family-friendly movie for any movie night

Friday Favorites: Trixie Belden and the Secret of the Mansion

Trixie Belden and the Secret of the Mansion by Julie Campbell  

 

Recommended for: Ages 10 and up (for interest level)

Rating: G

Trixie’s summer is going to be sooo boring with her two older brothers away at camp. But then a millionaire’s daughter moves into the next-door mansion, an old miser hides a fortune in his decrepit house, and a runaway kid starts hiding out in Sleepyside!

 My sister read this book to me several years ago, and I loved it, and went on to read all 39 books in the series. Although it is not the most realistic, it is still a good story.

Throughout the series, I came to love the characters. The main characters in the first book are Trixie, her neighbor Honey, and Jim, the runaway kid. There are also several other characters in the story including Trixie's parents and younger brother, and Honey's governess, and even Trixie's disobedient dog, Reddy. The book takes place in the summer in New York, where Trixie is bored with her older brothers away. She befriends her new rich neighbor, and they go exploring in the woods. They stumble onto a mystery and try to solve it. The end of the story leads right into book two.

As in most mystery series, it is not the most realistic, but the story does have some funny parts, like when Trixie and her friend Honey argue over whose family should adopt Jim. There is some excitement, but the book is not really all that scary. there are some emergencies, like a fire near the end. The characters are not perfect, and that is part of what makes them likeable.

I have loved mystery stories for a long time and this is no exception, and I would recommend it to anyone who loves mysteries.

Movie Review: The Voyage of the Dawn Treader

 The Voyage of the Dawn Treader by 20th Century Fox

Recommended For: All Ages

Rating: PG (for some frightening images and sequences of fantasy action)

When Lucy and Edmund Pevensie, along with their cousin Eustace, are swallowed into a painting and transported back to Narnia, they join King Caspian and a noble mouse named Reepicheep aboard the magnificent ship The Dawn Treader. The courageous voyagers travel to mysterious islands, confront mystical creatures, and reunite with the Great Lion Aslan and a mission that will determine the fate of Narnia itself!

I loved the Narnia books. So when I found out they were making movies of them, I was ecstatic. The first one quite lived up to my expectations, the second one...well, not so much. Then I heard Disney had dropped it and 20th Century Fox had taken it up. I was comparatively happy, happier than I would have been had there been no more movies. And while I enjoyed the movie enough to see it in theaters again...it could've been better.

Technical: 3.5/5
There was nothing wrong with the camera, or the special effects, or the lighting, or the acting. It was the writing that fell short in this movie. To be fair, they did have quite a job reworking the book into a good movie, and Eustace was perfect. But still. It was too fast-paced and many of the lines, particularly Lucy's lines, felt contrived and unnatural. I couldn't enjoy it properly at the fast pace it was going. And there was the matter of Caspian. I agree, I'm not especially fond of the way he was in Prince Caspian, and it was done by a different company, but still. They could have made an effort to make him look the way he did in his first Narnia movie. They should've dyed his skin to the same tint and made him use the same accent. I get the different haircut, it had been three years in the books, but they should have made the effort to make him look and sound the same. When I first saw him on screen, I didn't even recognize him. It was very awkward. No one changes that much in three years as an adult.

Setting: 5/5
The setting was very true to the book. Dark Island, Dragon Island, Deathwater Island, and Coriakin's Island were a lot like the book, excepting the fact that Dragon Island and Deathwater Island were combined. The Lone Islands were quite a bit different, but I liked them all the same. I didn't like what they did with Ramandu's Island (especially cutting out Ramandu, what was that all about?), but it was done very well.

Plot: 4.5/5
The thing about the book was that the islands were more of separate adventures. While that worked well in a book, that would've stunk in a movie. The screenwriters sensed this, and added something to the plot to tie it all together. They expanded quite a lot on the Dark Island idea, and I must say, it was done very well. It was an intriguing plot, and did indeed tie all the islands together. It required quite a lot of changing from the book, which I didn't like, me being a bit of a book purist, but it was done well. Just too fast-paced. I did particularly like how they kept the best line from the end of the book in the movie, the one where Aslan says, "That was the very reason you were brought to Narnia, so that knowing me here for a little, you may know me better there." Most movie companies would've cut that line. They didn't, and that was a huge point in their favor for me.

Characters: 4.5/5
The characters were very well done. Edmund was very consistent, Caspian was grown up and more mature, Eustace, it being his first appearance, was very well-done, down to his change of heart, and the minor characters weren't cardboard cutouts as they are in some movies I could mention. The only drawback was Lucy. I felt they completely changed her. Hardly any of the faithful little girl found in The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe and Prince Caspian was there. She was just too different. It wasn't all that she had grown up, she was too focused on being pretty than the original Lucy would have been (while it was in the book, it wasn't that big a part of the book), and I noticed none of the strong belief in Aslan present in the other movies. And her lines didn't seem very real or Lucy-ish. One particular instance I noticed she was different was right before they went into Dark Island and were cheering "For Narnia!" Lucy started another cheer of "For Narnia!" whereas I felt the Lucy from the other movies would've said "For Aslan!" instead.

Most little kids probably wouldn't notice the things I pointed out. This movie would make a great movie for family movie night, and will be liked by any fantasy-lover or Chronicles of Narnia fan. I recommend watching this movie.

Book Review: Hunt for Jade Dragon

Michael Vey 4: Hunt for Jade Dragon by Richard Paul Evans

Recommended for: Ages 11 to Adult

Rating: PG (mild romance and action violence)

Michael and his friends must rescue a child prodigy as the thrilling action continues in this electrifying fourth installment of the #1 New York Times bestselling series!

Michael, Taylor, Ostin and the rest of the Electroclan head to China in search of a girl who may have discovered why Michael and his friends became electric. Her name is Lin Julung, or Jade Dragon, and she's a child prodigy with an IQ higher than Einstein's—and Ostin's.

But Hatch gets to her first, and the Elgen are holding her prisoner in their Taiwan Starxource plant. Now the Voice wants Michael and the Electroclan to go to Taiwan and free her before Hatch can realize his dreams of an army of electric children.

The hunt for Jade Dragon is on, and it's a race against time!

My sisters and I almost never buy books new. I mean, it's an occurrence so rare it's practically nonexistent. But after getting Michael Vey 1: The Prisoner of Cell 25 from the library, we have bought every Michael Vey book as they are released. I wish I didn't have to wait until next year for book 5.

Writing: 4/5

The Michael Vey books are primarily written in 1st person, though there are usually 3rd person sections about other characters. I did like how in this one there were no lengthy portions about the bad guys as there were in previous books. I found those parts kind of boring, so I was glad Jade Dragon avoided it. It was written in an engaging matter that didn't dumb down language for kids. Maybe it wasn't the best at character point of view, and there were sections that were a bit confusing, but I still loved it.

Setting: 5/5

The Electroclan travels a lot. In the first book, though technically they're not the Electroclan yet, they go to Pasadena. Book 2, Rise of the Elgen, takes them to Peru. Book 3, Battle of the Ampere, sees more action in South America. In Hunt for Jade Dragon, they are first at a secret base somewhere in the U.S., and then travel to Taiwan. I'm not that well traveled, but I do know Richard Paul Evans has traveled to many of the places he writes about, and I think it makes it seem realistic. And the eels with yellow mucus on them. It makes it even more gross to have heard the author talking to Glenn Beck about how he and his daughter were actually served that.

Also, nearly forgot since this is book 4, but I haven't reviewed any of the others, so I haven't said it yet: The electric powers are extremely well done. For some superheroes, it doesn't really make sense how they got their powers. Like the Hulk. Gamma radiation would kill a person. The electric children gained powers when the MEI (can't remember exactly what it stands for, something to do with electric imaging) was tested early at a hospital in Pasadena. Most of the babies born during that testing period died, but seventeen survived, having been made electric. This electricity manifests itself in different ways for each electric child, giving them different powers. I personally think it was done in a very believable way. For sci-fi, anyway.

Plot: 4/5

I have sort of mixed feelings about the plot, mostly in regards to the pacing. I loved the story, I read the whole 300+ page book in two days. The second half of the book has a lot of action and several twists and turns that left me going, "Wait, what?" I liked the down time they got at the beginning, though my sister and further reflection have opened up some mixed feelings about that. I really did like that part, and no, I didn't mind Michael and Taylor getting to spend some time together when their lives aren't in immediate danger. It did, however, take up a significant portion of the book, though in story time it only took a few days, while Jade Dragon was still in the possession of the Elgen. My other complaint is with the climax. There was plenty of danger and action leading up to it, but when it actually came, it was like, boom, it's over. It also seemed a bit easy compared to how hard it was to make it to that point. But the lead up for the climax was awesome. All twisty and turny (just not timey-wimey). There are a few kisses, but it is never descriptive, and never anything beyond that, so the romance angle didn't bother me.

Character Development: 4/5

The characters in the Michael Vey books are fairly well developed. I feel like I know Michael and Taylor very well, Jack is decently developed, and Ostin is one who is impossible to ignore. The other members of the Electroclan aren't quite as well developed. This book especially focused on Michael and Taylor to the exclusion of the others, which I didn't really mind that much, but my sister did, so I suppose it's more of a preference. On the other hand, I don't have any difficulty remembering the various powers of the members of the Electroclan, though I wouldn't say I could describe the personalities of Ian, Abigail, McKenna, and Zeus. Oh, and Nichelle is back. That makes things interesting.

In conclusion, Michael Vey 4: Hunt for Jade Dragon does have some literary flaws, but I loved it nonetheless. I enjoyed it immensely, and will most certainly be back for book 5. And, though I rarely go to the movies (a lifetime total of 8 times now, it's so expensive), if movies are made of this series, I will definitely want to see them in theaters. Recommended for lovers of sci-fi and adventure.

Friday Favorites: Swiss Family Robinson

Swiss Family Robinson by Johann David Wyss

Recommended For: Ages 10 and up (reading and interest level)

Rating: G

When a boat traveling to Australia hits a reef and is destroyed, only one family survives. Shipwrecked on an island, and with no sign of rescue, the family is forced to use whatever means possible to stay alive. Through their struggles, the members of the family learn, not only how to survive, but also how to enjoy themselves in the face of adversity. The father, his wife and four children share many experiences together - both arduous and fun - and grow closer as a result.This classic tale of adventure on a desert island is exciting to read, as much as it is a story with a moral.

I honestly don't know why I like this book so much. When we first read it as a family, I thought it was boring, but a second try when I was older left me liking the book much better, and I've reread it many times since then. It's an "I" book, something I didn't really like when I was younger, but am rather fond of now. One thing I must say, though, is, even though there is nothing even slightly inappropriate, I suggest waiting to let children read it, otherwise they will probably think it boring.

I really like the Christian themes which are present throughout the book. The father is constantly reproving his boys on what they shouldn't do, including needlessly lose their temper and lie, even for a joke. It's teaching different lessons without being preachy, which I really hate in books. The characters aren't perfect, which is a common failing among older books, and is really annoying.

One thing I find interesting is that the family doesn't have a last name. Their name isn't Robinson, the author is just drawing a parallel as to how much they are like Robinson Crusoe. "I", the father, and the mother never get first names, either. They don't need them.

The four boys have distinct personalities: Fritz, the heedless oldest brother who thinks he knows everything, Ernest, the indolent, calm, and smart second-eldest, Jack, the crazy, adventurous, goofy, and good-natured third child, and Franz, the youngest, dumbest, and least developed character.

This book is full of adventures, ingenious inventing, survival, hard work, animals, people, and God. I highly recommend this book to anyone and everyone.