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dolphingirl3998
Reviews
The Giver (2014)
Even my middle school students didn't like it
I'm an English teacher and, as a reward for finishing the book, we watched this movie in my 7th grade class. It ended up being more of a comedy.
They've changed so much from the original book that it's lost all impact or meaning. Part of the reason the events in the book, such as release, are so impactful is because of how young Jonas is. Having him be basically an adult changes too much to keep the original themes of growing up and learning about harsh realities in the world.
The actors playing Jonas, Fiona, and Asher were just not that good. Fiona seemed so monotone, which would have worked better if her character wasn't constantly breaking rules and contradicting the established rules for this society. The romance subplot was annoying and unnecessary. In the book Jonas's "stirrings" were more like simple arousal, not a romance he was willing to jeopardize his whole mission for.
The poor acting (aside from Skarsgaard and Streep), awkward dialogue, weird music and camera angles, and stereotypical "futuristic" design made this film much more enjoyable as a comedy. Myself and my students laughed out loud multiple times during supposedly "serious" scenes.
Other changes such as featuring the Chief Elder more, changing the feeling blocking pills to injections, and neglecting all the scenes with the elderly all affected the meaning of the story and in my opinion made it much worse. This whole plot felt dumbed down and meant to attract a teenage audience. It lost so much meaning that way.
Tuca & Bertie (2019)
Excellent, Thoughtful Show
I started watching because I was looking for another adult animation show to start, and I had enjoyed Bojack Horseman which is by the same people. HOWEVER, I like this show more. I actually love it.
Tuca and Bertie is thoughtful, beautiful animation. It took me a few episodes to get into it, but after that I was hooked. It is funny, sometimes crude, but also very heartwarming and relatable. It deals with intense issues such as sexual assault, healthy relationships, sobriety, mental health, and more. As a woman I felt particularly touched seeing these issues tastefully represented on screen. The voice actors also do an incredible job. I hope this show continues for a very long time.