The Mockingjay

Hello all,

 Attended a showing of The Hunger Games film the other day, and I thought I would share my all-important opinion (Note: that was intended as irony) From Haymitch to Rue and back again it was a great show, so here are my two cents...

 

Haymitch and Katniss were cast perfectly. From the start you could see the fragmented, distant relationship between Prim, her mother and her sister, even if you hadn't read the books. The reaping reminded one of The Lottery, a short dystopian story that can be read here, complete with a dismal yet clinical atmosphere captured beautifully by Gary Ross. Even the slow evolution that was Effie's un-likability was portrayed brilliantly and with humor, without the seriousness and relevance of the story being lost.

 

Another artfully composed scene was the one in which *SPOILER ALERT* Rues tragic death occurred. So carefully done was this part that even the most dry-eyed haters (Both the tributes who thought the adaptation was sacrilege and the film buffs who said shaky camera angles and hallucination scenes were oh-so cliche) were moved to tears. The games themselves were awe-inspiring, and inspired total immersion, as well as highlighting at least several hundred ships that fan-girls will be drooling over until at least the next movie.

 

My only criticism was that of Gales casting. I thought he didn't match up to the books, and the his fractured, introverted, angry personality didn't exactly come through. I suppose though that is personal opinion, just as some wished for a Kristen Stewart Katniss or a Daniel Radcliffe Peeta. So in conclusion, this is a film for tributes and non-tributes alike, especially those who wish to talk with inflated self-importance of  "The relevance of a dystopian film in a doomed economy era"....

Eight-Leggedly Yours,

Mori Kei; Forest Girl Couture

 You guys are artistic individuals right? Well, I've come across another sub-culture I think is worth mentioning, ideal for all the arm-chair whimsical folks and professional dreamers I know frequent this site.  So here we are, and I hope you find it worth your time..?

 In the hustle and the bustle of daily Japanese life, there is a style that has emerged to cater for those who enjoy slowing down, looking around and drinking in the everyday magic of our planet. With links to the Western Bohemian and Hippy styles, it has all the style and sophistication of England, mixed with the whimsy and wonder of all the Eastern styles. For those who love lolita, natural kei and dolly kei, I present to you.... Mori Kei.

 

This style involves multiple layers, ragged or fraying hems, beige's, whites, browns, greens and creams; boots, long socks, loose fitting dresses and wool. Mori means forest, so it is no surprise that the clothes originate from wishing to look like you've just escaped into a woodland utopia. Shops and brands that sell such clothes are: Favorite One, Wonder Rocket, Little Mori, Onepi-C, Freak Style, Franche Lippee and Pink House.

 

Yet this is not a fashion movement. For some, the visual aspect is the overwhelming factor, but for others Mori is a lifestyle. Mori girls are the quiet observers, the lovers of literature, the quirky, not-quite-there people that others look at with a kind of bemused fascinated envy. The ones who don't just hear but listen; the ones who don't just look but see. The write, they watch the sun rise each morning with a renewed sense of wonder, they sip tea, they rummage through grandma's attic. For these people, everything is filled with magic, indeed they are filled with magic, because they have realized the simple truth that the simplest of things can bring the most joy.

 

These are many rules to being a Mori Girl, and you can view all of them here, but these points are all required to be a Mori Girl. So... are you a little forest girl too?

 

 

Seemingly Natural type fashion style with little quirk

 Finds old items charming

Loves fairy tales

 A  collector

 Loves winter and autumn 

A girl with soft air about her

Eight-leggedly yours
The Literary Spider

Bloggity Blog

 Hello all,

I attempted band practice earlier today, to a certain degree of success. Things were certainly practiced, but these things were mainly talking, procrastinating, and writing mock-up songs about certain fire elementals I care not to name due to their exceedingly bad manners. Likewise, things were also banned, namely the mention of afore mentioned elemental. Because of this (and the fact we wrote but a single verse) I'm not sure if it could be called a productive practice. However, it was fun, and by the end of it we had not the great burden that was our deep bitterness and shame regarding the fire elemental who we shall call flame...

But on a completely unrelated note! Much of today was spent mulling over the prospect of partaking in the Mori girl lifestyle. I mean, I have the dress sense, the tea-drinking and the love of vintage down, but it also requires one to be quiet and thoughtful, and being eternally polite and nice is also an intrinsic part. Now, polite I can do. Many a cutting remark or piece of witty satire works much better when said politely, as does the articulate insults no-one else understands. The thing is that niceness entails a lack of sarcasm, and speech devoid of any teasing patronizing or gentle but razor sharp irony. How will I survive..? 

No matter, I think it will be good for me. Whether my friends will think me strange for abandoning my brashness is irrelevant, the quest to become a nicer person is much more worthy a cause; anyone with me? I shall leave you with my current muse, a beautiful song I'm not sure I  could live without at the moment.

Eight-leggedly yours
The Literary Spider

The Marvelous, Morbid, Miraculous Mister Morgue

 Hello all.

Today, I am deviating slightly from the theme this blog usually has. Instead of bringing you something, uplifting, insightful and beautiful, I am giving you something dark, something ugly. Yet, I dare say this is just as insightful, just as involving. So, without further adoo....

 

May I present Mr Morgue. He is a philosopher and self-surgeon (odd combination I know) At a first glace he deals in shock horror, putting spinal needles through his face, swallowing eight-balls and the like. However, this is only one side of the unconventional gentlemen. Amid his stunts his you-tube channel features videos like "how to be happy" and "Satanic Prayer for the Christians" it seems that he is more interested in shaking things up, and showing people another side to things, than using gore and shock for their own sake.

 

 He runs his own website (Terrorsofman.com) which is an uncensored platform for people to post things too dark for the mainstream; it also contains debates about things like politics and religion, as well as informative pieces about things like lucid dreaming and its connection to sleep paralysis and sleep demons. Beneath the attention grabbing gore and anarchy there is an intelligent individual, bent on showing people how different isn't always dangerous, and how changes can be made. Like Marilyn Manson, Oscar Wilde and many other important thinkers before him, he has unique and revolutionary ideas that could mean a better and more free-thinking world, if only more people looked past the shock factor...

Current Obbsession

 

This is intended for nine year olds
No regrets

Eight-leggedly Yours
The Literary Spider

The Nerve

 The nerve! I was listening to Radio 4, and they were lamenting the lack of decent books for up to 12 year olds. As per usual, Twilight was being slandered, and they were blaming the current kids book drought upon it, because it was causing authors to write floods of supernatural romance for teens. This I can deal with, because I myself am tired of the many mary-sue's and their moping boyfriends. But then, something was said that I found most annoying. One author on the program said she was horrified that kids were reading Twilight and The Hunger Games at10 or 11 years because they were blatantly and disgustingly age-inappropriate.

I'm sorry, what?! You think it is bad that children of 11 are reading the Hunger Games. I'm sorry, but at 11 me and all my friends had read things like 1984, which has a very similar dystopian premise and decidedly more inappropriate-ness. yet no-one bats an eyelid at this because it's a classic. It's like how many people do not object to kids reading Lolita, because it is a classic. Lord of the flies is a classic, and that has some very "innapropriate" things also. I think the whole issue is full of double-standards, depending on the books place in history.

Also, to all of you bookish people. When talking about how the standards of teen fiction have fallen, please don't talk about Twilight and The  Hunger Games interchangeably. They are barely any similarities beside target audience, and one is considerably more well-written than the other. 
 
/endrant

And now, some music that you should treat your ears to

Eight-leggedly Yours
The Literary Spider