Review: The Fault in Our Stars Movie

Hey nerdfighter,

If you're reading this, you may have already seen the movie, but you also may have not.  Probably the latter because who looks at reviews after they have already decided to watch it?

Anyway, the movie was great. But, I am a big fan of the book. Josh Boone made sure that it was close to the book's plot.  Of course, some things had to be cut out for the sake of time, but nothing critical was missing. 

Favorite things about the movie: relationship between Hazel and her parents, the scenery in Amsterdam, ANSEL (I was smiling the whole time he and Shai were falling in love.)

Least favorite things about the movie: Isaac's lack of screen time; that the scene from the trailer where Isaac says,"Gus talks about you a lot, you know," and Hazel replies,"We're just friends," isn't in the movie; and that the part where Hazel and Gus make an ad for her swing set isn't in it either.

Even if you haven't read the book, this is a great romance.  It will alter your perceptions, and be prepared to be sad.  Overall, the movie is getting awesome reviews.  As of this moment, 82% of critics like it on Rotten Tomatoes.  If you don't want to see it in theaters because you will be surrounded by crying, young girls, I suggest seeing it in a couple of weeks just before it leaves theaters or rent it on DVD.  However, you don't want to miss this one.  The Fault in Our Stars is the best YA book to film adaptation I've seen.

The Night Before Our Stars

Last night, I saw the much anticipated The Fault in Our Stars film adaptation.  And it was WONDERFUL!

I went to the "special" showing so that I would be one of the first to see the movie.  This included a live streaming with the cast of the movie (a Q and A) and live performances from Birdy and Nat and Alex Wolf.  And the movie was shown before all of this extra stuff.

In my opinion, the "extras" were not worth it.  Oh wait, I did get the opportunity to see John Green's cameo in which he played a middle aged father to a girl that, asks Hazel about the tubes in her nose.  The scene was where Hazel lets the girl try her oxygen tubes on.  Though John Green's performance was stellar, this was a cut scene.  It had no place in the film.  It wouldn't have fit well because it wasn't a necessary, crucial moment.  Okay, I'll also admit that John Green was his usual, awkward self.

But that wasn't the best part about the Night Before Our Stars.

Birdy was amazing live, but when Alex Wolf played his song, the sound wasn't working.  The audience could hear him singing and see him strumming away at his guitar, but the microphone near the guitar was giving the show difficulty.  That Alex's performance turned into acapella though his body indicated the guitar being played for a minute was so funny to me.  Anyone else?

That's pretty much what happened at the Night Before Our Stars, so if you were bummed about not being able to attend, don't be. If I would have known, I would have gone to the movies tonight 6/6.  

As I said, I really liked the movie, so I'll mention a few thoughts on it in another post.

Until next time my imaginary readers,

Carly

#WeNeedDiverseBooks

I don't know if you've heard, but the Book Expo of America has renamed "Power Reader's Day" to "Book Con." I'm super excited for this event because my favorite authors are going to be there!!!

But why all of the controversy about Book Con on Twitter? All 31 of the guests are white. Most are male. Now, that has angered lots of people.

I am an adopted Chinese girl who can speak French in a white male dominated society. But I love John Green, Rick Riordan, Lemony Snicket, and Cassandra Clare. Am I a bigot? No!

The invited guests are talented and hugely successful, so why are we blaming Book Con for bringing people we want to see? The people that chose these authors can't change that these successful authors have white skin. They're just trying to bring in the largest crowd by hosting the most popular authors.

But, there's a reason for why all of these successful authors are white.

Maybe it's because minorities don't have the same opportunities. I'd like to think that if you have the talent to be an author, you will have success, but there are people that don't get recognized for their work when they deserve it. Maybe it's because readers are still biased, and when they pick up a book written by someone with an ethnic name, they put it right back down.  I don't know.

There is neither much diversity in books that I read nor in their authors.

That is the real problem.

The way to fix it is for the audience to demand that the publishers produce what it wants. We have to tell them that we want a "Mexican Katniss", as Matt De la Pena said.  Then we'll see new faces at Book Con, but in the meantime stop blaming Book Con for their chosen guests when you know you love their books too.  Don't discredit authors because they're white. Talent is talent.

LAST DAY

It's the last day to vote on Tumblr for the Demand Our Stars tour! And I just saw that they're only coming to the top 4 states? LAMMMME!! It was supposed to be the top 10. PA is #5, of course.  Let's unite and bring them here!!'

http://lisleslivres.tumblr.com/post/83744486096/enter-your-zip-code-here

Reminder: Demand Our Stars

Keep voting to bring John Green, Shailene Woodley, Ansel Elgort, and Nat Wolf to Pennsylvania, the most important state! Okay, you can vote for other states, but I'd love to see them!!!!!

How do you vote? Like and/or reblog the post (I hope that's the right term) for PA on Tumblr.

VOTE HERE!!!

This Must Happen!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I MADE A TUMBLR JUST FOR THIS!!!!! HELP ME OUT AND VOTE PA OR NJ! Voting ends on April 25, so step it up PAers!

Want @shailenewoodley, @AnselElgort, @natandalex & @realjohngreen in YOUR state? Here's how:http://t.co/KRtqpDs8Ke pic.twitter.com/KM4YO9ztRE
— The Fault Movie (@TheFaultMovie) April 2, 2014

These guys will be promoting the movie which I'm super excited for!

The Feels

I haven't blogged in a bit, but it was necessary after watching the The Fault in Our Stars trailer.

Okay, now that you have watched it, are you not excited?  I think I just fell in love with a fictional character and the actor portraying him again. I'm anticipating this one because the book went through the full spectrum of emotions.  Happiness, sadness, love, laughter.  I think this is a book and movie that everyone can enjoy.  John Green is amazing.

Thoughts on the book/trailer?

My Favorite Books Read 2013

These aren't in a specific order, just in which order they come to mind.  I suppose whichever ones I remember first were better than the others, but now I'm getting all psychology nerd on you;)

1. The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks by Rebecca Skloot

I just finished this book tonight, so I won't have a review up for a little while.  I also have to do a book report on it and finish in one day because of my surgery interfering with deadlines. I'm giving you my little summary, but for the rest of the books on this list I am just linking my review where summaries can be found.

This is a nonfiction work about a woman named Henrietta, whose cells are still alive even though she is dead.  These cells have lead to amazing medical advancements like the polio vaccine and cancer treatment like Taxol, but her doctors took cell samples from her without her ever knowing.  These cells are extremely valuable for research even still today, and producing these cells called HeLa became a billion dollar industry.  But does her family get any of the money? They can't even afford health insurance.

2. Vain by Fisher Amelie

3. The Edge of Never by J. A. Redmerski

4. Just One Day by Gayle Forman

5. Shatter Me by Tahereh Mafi

6. The Fault in Our Stars by John Green

7. One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest by Ken Kesey

8. The Host by Stephenie Meyer

9. The Phantom of the Opera by Gaston LeRoux

10. The Nanny Diaries by Emma McLaughlin and Nicola Kraus

11. Down London Road by Samantha Young

12. Wait for You by J. Lynn

13. Wild Cards by Simone Elkeles

Hope you have a great 2014!

I probably shouldn't be laughing: The Fault in Our Stars Movie

I like the tag line.  It's punny, but I definitely understand that some people don't.  Cancer is a touchy subject of course, but that's the whole point of the novel.  John Green shows that books about cancer don't have to be complete tearjerkers.  It's such a beautiful story.  I'm excited for the movie.  I love the casting!

John Green's reaction to the tagline via Tumblr:

I like the tag line. I found it dark and angry in the same way that Hazel is (at least at times) dark and angry in her humor. I mostly wanted something that said, "This is hopefully not going to be a gauzy, sentimental love story that romanticizes illness and further spreads the lie that the only reason sick people exist is so that healthy people can learn lessons." But that's not a very good tag line. I like the tag line because it says, literally, the sick can also have love stories. Love and joy and romance are not just things reserved for the well.

I have no problem with the tagline. It's cheeky.
— Ansel Elgort (@AnselElgort) December 20, 2013

Shailene Woodley's thoughts:

I had a really strong response to it. It's definitely - it's not a tagline that I probably would have chosen by any means. But I think that there's so many people who are so passionate about this book that there's nothing that will ever satisfy everyone. So I think it was just up to the discretion of the marketing mavens. For me, it was - yeah, not something I would have chosen. But it seems like half the people love it and half the people don't like it.

More TFIOS CASTING: Patrick

Yup, he's been cast!

So excited to announce that one of my all-time favorite comedians/humans, Mike Birbiglia (@birbigs), will play Patrick in the TFiOS movie.
— John Green (@realjohngreen) August 28, 2013

This book by @realjohngreen is incredible. They're making a movie of it and I'm playing Patrick. Literally. pic.twitter.com/7uNqNbmVnd
— Mike Birbiglia (@birbigs) August 29, 2013

I can't wait for when the trailer releases!  Until then, here's the review, book trailer, and other fun videos about TFIOS.

Shailene Woodley Chops it Off and TFIOS Production Starts

Yeah, I know I'm a little late on the former.  I think it is so awesome that Shailene donated her signature locks to someone in need.  I've donated my hair 4 times in 6 years I believe.  Yes, my hair grows pretty fast.  I am currently sporting a pixie and I know how brave you have to be to get rid of it.  it seems silly because it grows back but I know so many people that wouldn't donate it because it takes too long to come back.

BEFORE

AFTER

In other news, production for The Fault in Our Stars started officially!  I'm so excited because this is a wonderful book, but I'm also looking forward to seeing their trip to Amsterdam because I have just visited it.  I like nostalgic stuff like that.

Have you ever donated your hair?  Are you excited for TFIOS?

TFIOS CASTING

Did you hear?  Issac and Hazel's mom were cast!  And who are these two being played by?

ISAAC...

NAT WOLFF

I thought that the last time I had seen him was in Nickelodeon's The Naked Brother's Band, but I literally just went,"That looks like the kid from Admission," which I saw a couple days ago (Just a note, Admission wasn't funny.  Big let down.)  I never thought that Nat Wolff could act, and it's not like Admission was great, but I'm excited to see him play Isaac.  If John Green liked him, that's good enough for me.

HAZEL'S MOMMY...

LAURA DERN

I'm sorry to say that I have no idea who this lady is.  I haven't seen Jurassic Park, but yay she got casted!  That means that seeing it's one step closer to seeing it on the big screen!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Your thoughts?  Excited to see the movie?

TFIOS and Amsterdam

I've been traveling throughout Europe the last couple of days, and I read The Fault in our Stars by John Green two nights ago on my overnight train to Amsterdam.  While the rest of my fellow travelers couldn't sleep out of discomfort in the tiny, hard train beds, I was busy staying up until 2 AM to finish this magnificent book!  Crystal has already done a review, but I have to say that John Green is the man! He creates genuine characters that sparkle and are very witty, placing them into a Nicholas Sparksian book that has a meaningful and thought provoking message.  And who can not succumb to the charm of Mr. Waters?

So, I am currently in Amsterdam.  Ill admit that the city is pretty in that old kind of way.  I guess I'm a weirdo because I had no interest in seeing Anne Frank's house.  I started reading her diary, and I only like it to put me to sleep.  Anne is very immature and annoying, but I feel like I can't say that about her, that she has to be seen as a hero, because of  the guilt or sadness that everyone feels knowing that she was a Holocaust victim.    Why is she so famous?  What did she do to merit her being the most famous victim and seen as an inspiration?  Didn't anyone else write a diary that wasn't as painfully boring to read? And just a note, she didn't die from the gas chambers but of typhus The line was massive, and frankly, John Green's descriptions sufficed.

This city is crazy trying to get places!  I can only imagine Hazel and Augustus running around the city now that Ive seen  that the cars, trams, and bikers don't stop for pedestrians or use turning signals.  The basic rule seems to be to make sure you don't get run over.  There are bikes and motorcycles flying in the pedestrian lane!  

Plus, the coffeehouses sell marijuana so you get that lovely smell walking down every street.

And the people here!! They are so indifferent!  They speak English, but don't offer help.  I've been given the **** you attitude all day.  Yeah people in the tram, thanks for watching me repeatedly press the button to get out when it wasn't possible that way, and then leading me to miss the stop, and then push over an old man in order to shove my way out to avoid missing having to walk back from the next next stop!  You spoke English and told me that you can't get out the entrance after that debacle!  

Yeah, not a fan of the people here.  I have no intention of getting high or interacting with prostitutes so I don't see me returning.  But the tulip museum was pretty!  Ahh, nerdy me.  

Hey, Gus!: TFiOS Casting Update

Just announced that Ansel Elgort accepted the role of August of The Fault in Our Stars!

Here's what some of the crew had to say about it:

John Green (author):“Ansel is whip-smart and uber-charismatic and everything I dreamed for Augustus Waters.  I am by nature a cautious pessimist, but I’ll just say it: Now that we have Shailene and Ansel, I am completely, unreservedly psyched about this movie.”

Josh Boone (director): “Ansel Elgort is the epitome of the boy John Green brought to life so vividly in his novel and he truly embodies the character traits we admire so much about Gus. His humor, sensitivity, honesty and confidence floored us. Watching him with Shailene was like seeing the film for the first time. Hearing then say okay to each other was incredibly moving. We couldn't be more thrilled to have found our Gus.”

Wyck Godfrey (producer): ”We were all swept away by the humor, charm, and aching vulnerability Ansel brought to his portrayal of Gus. His performance completely annihilated our concerns about his playing Caleb in Divergent with Shailene, and we are confident that the fans of Fault will fall in love with him the same way that Hazel does–slowly, and then all at once.”

My thoughts: I really know nothing about this guy except that he will be playing Caleb in Divergent.  If John Green says that he is the man for the job, he must be.  And he has some nice shirtless pictures online, so I like him already.  Haha.

How weird will it being first seeing him and Shailene as brother and sister and then as lovers?  Obviously, they have great chemistry together and are professional about their work, so I'm confident about these two movies!

What do you think about this casting?

Song Inspired by The Fault in Our Stars (Troye Sivan)

A beautiful song inspired by TFIOS by @troyesivan: youtu.be/OqG55HdmKTE?t=…
— John Green (@realjohngreen) May 5, 2013

If you know anything about me, you know that I put the PRO in procrastinate.  How do I do this task so well?  First, you've got to get addicted to YouTube and subscribe to a bunch of funny YouTubers.  Then, proceed to watch every one of their videos despite the fact that they go into the hundreds.

A little while ago, I came across the lovely Troye Sivan.  He's an Australian singer who started to vlog, and he is surprisingly very talented at both.

As for the inspiration behind this video, Troye explains that John Green's The Fault in Our Stars deeply affected him, and he then wrote a song about it.  He filmed the music video in his local hospital, brightening the patients' days.  All of the proceeds of the song will go towards the Princess Margaret Hospital Foundation.

I'm really glad to see that someone who I previously admired for his talent has a warm heart and is truly genuine.  John Green and the Nerdfighters are making a difference!

I hope this ends up on the soundtrack...

One time I liked a book so much I wrote a song about it and then the author of the book tweeted the song and I wanted to cry pretty bad
— Troye Sivan (@troyesivan) May 5, 2013

Book into Movie Casting News:The Fault in Our Stars by John Green

The much anticipated announcement for who is playing Hazel in The Fault in Our Stars by John Green has come...

Shailene Woodley!!!!!!

How exciting!  She will do a great job, and boy is she going to be busy!! After all  she just got cast as Tris in Divergent.

Any ideas for who will play Augustus?  

Review: The Fault in Our Stars by John Green

The Fault in Our Stars by John Green

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Summary: Diagnosed with Stage IV thyroid cancer at 13, Hazel was prepared to die until, at 14, a medical miracle shrunk the tumors in her lungs... for now. 

Two years post-miracle, sixteen-year-old Hazel is post-everything else, too; post-high school, post-friends and post-normalcy. And even though she could live for a long time (whatever that means), Hazel lives tethered to an oxygen tank, the tumors tenuously kept at bay with a constant chemical assault. 

Enter Augustus Waters. A match made at cancer kid support group, Augustus is gorgeous, in remission, and shockingly to her, interested in Hazel. Being with Augustus is both an unexpected destination and a long-needed journey, pushing Hazel to re-examine how sickness and health, life and death, will define her and the legacy that everyone leaves behind.

When I started reading this book, I thought, Sigh, another cancer book. I am pleased to say that I was very, very wrong. I love this book so much.

Plot: It kept me hooked. What is with me and pulling all nighters for these amazing books I read? The plot is so creative and amazing and hjadsfj;a (that was a keyboard smash) it just made me so happy and sad and yeah. Sorry, that was my moment of incoherence. Please disregard.
Characters: Augustus Waters = perfection. Seriously. Can't I meet someone like that? Hazel is great too. Why are all of these characters so freakin lovable? I love the witty conversations with each other and how well versed they are. Peter Van Houten is actually one of my favorite characters though. He is hilarious, even though he is a big meanie (Rachel is also a big meanie).
Style: John Green is a fantastic writer. He uses a lot of vocabulary words, and he obviously has great style. His book was easy to read and stylistically perfect. Why can't all writers be like this?

This book is literally one of the best books I've ever read. It made me cry (which I rarely ever do while reading books).

Would I recommend this book to a friend? Positively. Everyone reading this post go out and buy it right now. Please.