Updates: A Few Changes

Happy Saturday, my lovely Muses!

There are a few quick updates I wanted to bring to everyone's attention that will be going into effect this week at The Muses Circle.

Movie Review Saturdays & Movie/TV Series News & Highlights

If you've been following my blog, then you know I try to post movie reviews on Saturdays. However, lately I've been so busy that the movie section of my blog has been severely neglected. So, I came up with this idea. Instead of posting nothing on Saturdays if I can't get around to writing a movie review, I will post the highlights of movie/tv series news that week. It could be about casting news, a movie trailer that was just released, etc. I really like this idea since I am constantly on movie websites, trying to find out new scoops on upcoming releases. It's my pleasure to keep everyone in the loop!


Monday's "My Picks of the Week": Books/E-books & Blu-ray/DVD

On Mondays I post my weekly "Picks of the Week" which is basically a list of new releases (books and movies) that either I plan on buying or what I think the masses would find interesting.

After each book or movie, I embed links. If it's a book, there is usually a link to the author's website and a link to pre-order or purchase the book on amazon.com or bn.com. The link I use that sends you to amazon.com or bn.com is usually for the hardback or paperback copy of the book. Since e-books have become so popular, I decided that I will also include a link to the e-book version if one is available.

As for movies and/or tv series, I post a link to its official website and a link to pre-order or purchase it on amazon.com. Usually, the link I use directs you to purchase it on blu-ray first, and if the movie or tv series has not been released yet on blu-ray, then to the dvd version. I recently realized that not everyone may know what blu-rays are, so here is a quick lesson.

Blu-ray vs. DVD
I know that some of you know what the difference is between dvd and blu-ray. Some of you may not. If you don't, you can go HERE which explains the technical differences between the two. All you really need to know is that blu-ray discs are superior in the quality of picture, sound, and special features. So if you have a big, flat screen tv (37" or more), it probably makes sense to start upgrading your dvd collection to blu-ray. Just like vhs movies are basically obsolete, one day dvds will too, now that blu-rays are so popular.

But don't despair. While blu-ray discs can only be watched on blu-ray players or PS3's, dvds can be played on both dvd AND blu-ray players. So here is my suggestion. Many movies now are being released in a blu-ray, dvd combo set. That is what you want to look for and buy. Here are the reasons why:

1) If you haven't upgraded to blu-ray yet, you can still view the movie on dvd, but will still have the blu-ray once you decide to upgrade

2) If you already have upgraded, blu-ray/dvd combo sets are great because you may not have a blu-ray player in every room, therefore the dvd comes in handy. Or, maybe the kids want to watch something in their room but they only have a dvd player. Get my point?

So from now on, I will embed a link for the blu-ray and dvd versions of each movie and tv series. I will also try to mention if they are available in a blu-ray-dvd combo set.

NIFTY BLOGS SECTION

A few weeks ago I mentioned that I wanted to create a section on my blog where I collect buttons from other blogs that I check out on a weekly basis. Scratch that idea. At least for right now. Thanks for my blogger friend, Intricate Knot, I became aware of the Blog Roll option. So you will notice to the left of my blog a little section called "Nifty Blogs I Love!" For right now, I limited it to 10 blogs, but that doesn't mean I only check those. I just want to try it out for a little bit and if I like it, I will probably add more blogs to the list.

Well, I think that is it for right now. So all of these little changes/updates should go into effect starting Monday. Until then, I hope everyone enjoys the rest of their weekend!

Your resident Muse,

Giveaway Winners, a Blog Award, & Nifty Blogs

Hello my lovely Muses!

Wednesdays are normally reserved for book reviews, but since I just finished reading Emerald City by Alicia K. Leppert and am in the process of reviewing the book, I figured this would be a great opportunity to get caught up on informing everyone on a few updates!

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"Book-to-Movie" E-book Giveaway Winners

I have already contacted the 2 winners of my book-to-movie, e-book giveaway that ended on Saturday, but I wanted to announce it officially here on The Muses Circle. The winners are...*drum roll*

1) Disincentive @ Disincentive Reviews

and...

2) KatieHB

Congrats to the winners! And thanks to everyone that participated! I have received such positive feedback, that I plan to have another Book-to-Movie E-book Giveaway "Part 2" sometime next month. So if you didn't win this time around, don't despair! You will have another chance to win some of the same titles AND some more titles I will be adding to the list!


BLOG AWARD

Well, it looks like The Muses Circle has won another blog award! This time, it is the Versatile Blog Award! Thank you, Ruty @ Reading...Dreaming, for honoring me with this awesome award!

Here are the Rules:

1 - Thank and link the blogger who awarded you.
2 - Share 7 random facts about yourself .
3 - Spread the love by passing the award to five other bloggers, and be sure to let them know.

7 Random Facts:

1. I recently had the chance to spend the day with NY Times & USA Today's Bestselling author Simone Elkeles! You can see the photos on my facebook!

2. I love film just as much as I love books!

3. I have well over 400 tv series from all over the world!

4. The first romance novel I ever read was by Cassie Edwards.

5. I love finding rare, out-of-print, hard-to-find movies and tv series for people.

6. I'm addicted to Asian TV Dramas!

7. I have the hots for actor Michael Fassbender *blush*

Bloggers I Nominate:

1. Flora Bateman @ "From the Bootheel Cotton Patch"
2. Deva @ "The Urban Paranormal Book Blog"
3. Intricate Knot @ "My Blog & Role Fantasy"
4. Soumi @ "Pages From My Thoughts"
5. Ela and Cel @ "Ya-Anonymous"


NIFTY BLOGS

I've noticed that some of my fellow bloggers have either a section or page set aside where they list some of their favorite blogs. I've decided to make a section on my blog where I list my favorite blogs to visit or blogs that I find nifty! This section will be located on the left side bar of my blog, right below my list of blog awards. I'm in the process of compiling a list, so it may be a week or so before the section becomes active.

If you are a fellow blogger that has a section like this and you have your own blog button, feel free to contact me. I have no problem adding your blog to my Nifty Blog section if you would do so in exchange!

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Well, I think that is it for the updates. I am thinking about creating another blog, this would be for my insane tv series collection which is getting hard for me to keep updated. Creating a blog for my collection would hopefully help me keep it organized, but I am still thinking it over. Once I have made up my mind, I will let everyone know the details!

Keep your eyes open for a 3 movie review by Guest Blogger Gary Dion on Saturday!

Hope everyone is having a great week!

Best Wishes,

UPDATE: I Am Number Four Movie. What Happened??

Movie Title: I Am Number Four
Director: D.J. Caruso
Actor(s): Alex Petyffer, Timothy Olyphant
Language: English
Subtitles: English (when needed)
Rated: PG-13 (violence, language)
Genre: Sci-Fi, Romance
Run Time: 109 mins
DVD Release Date: n/a
Buy: n/a
My Rating: ***** (3 out of 5 stars)


**The following review/rant may contain spoilers.**


I'm going to try keeping this update/review brief since I already reviewed the book version of I Am Number Four a few posts ago in which this movie is based upon. I'll break it down quite easily. For those people who have not read the book and only plan to watch the movie, you will most likely enjoy it. For the rest of us who have read the book and had high hopes that the film version would be just as good if not better, like I, you will be somewhat disappointed and have a WTF moment or two.

First I will start with the good points. The movie had great special effects, a surprisingly good soundtrack, nicely picked actors that did the book characters justice, and for about half the movie, followed the novel extremely well.

It was only in the last 45 minutes of the film that things fell apart. And again, the following points I mention will be spoilers so you are being forewarned.

1) No training.
In the book, Henri teaches and pushes John to practice his skills once he begins to receive his "legacies" or powers. This goes on for quite a few chapters and is important since it slowly reveals what he is capable of. No such thing happens in the movie. In the beginning we see his hands light up and by the end of the movie...we see his hands light up. Yes yes, I know we see John stop a car and levitate a Mogadorion. But he can do much more which we never get to see.

2) Wrong time to die.
In the book someone dies and it doesn't happen until near the end. In the movie, this person is killed off way before the ending. That was right around the time I began to lose faith in this movie because the timing of that person's death is crucial to other events that are supposed to happen.

3) Time to develop film? WTF!
In the book, John and Sarah go to a party that is being held by her jealous ex-boyfriend Mark. A fire breaks out and John saves Sarah's life, resulting in her finding out who he really is. In the movie, John goes to find Sarah at the party to say goodbye since he now knows that the Mogadorians are literally in town and have picked up his scent. There is no fire, but he does end of saving her life because of another incident at the house, therefore revealing he is not as he seems. John tells her he has to go but she says almost frantically, "John, I need to show you something! Please, come with me right now!" I was thinking maybe she knew a place for him to hide or had to show him a vital piece of information that could help him. But how horribly wrong I was. The next scene is them sneaking into the high school after hours, going into a dark room and...develop photos. Yes, you read that right. The Mogadorians are in town, hunting you down and yet you have time to DEVELOP PHOTOGRAPHS?? Whoever wrote that into the script must be out of their mind.

4) The box.
At that point I was pretty much disgusted. But I think what bothered me the most was the box issue. In the book, Henri has this box that goes with them whenever they move and he makes sure it is well hidden once they are moved in. This box is special because it not only is from their planet Lorien, but it only can be opened a special kind of way and only when John starts to receive his "legacies". The things in this box are intended to help him in his training, to help him make sense of what happened so many years ago to his planet among other things. Once Henri and John realize the Mogadorians are in town, the box travels with them, even during the big show down at the school. In the beginning of the movie, they make a big deal to show the box and how Henri hides it once they move into their new home. You don't see the box again until right before the credits roll at the end. WTF. Oh and did I forget to mention that inside the box is a healing stone that also plays an important role towards the end of the book but never is explored in the movie?

I gave this movie a 3 out of 5 stars because I figured out the issue. It's not the directing, or the special effects, or the acting-- all expectations were met in those departments. What failed miserably was the script. It's almost like the writer fell asleep and missed a few points but those few points just so happened to be the most IMPORTANT.

I guess I will just have to be satisfied with the upcoming sequel of I Am Number Four called The Power of Six which will be released in August '11.

~~Mia~~