It is never too late for lists, right? Because…like, since I took a break from blogging at the end of the year, I didn’t do all those fun year-end list posts everybody and their pet chinchillas were doing. Soooo I thought I’d just do them NOW. Because LISTS.
If I had to sum my life up it’d be: Writing, reading, and watching movies. (Geek, anyone?) Since I talk about my writing probably more than I should here, I thought today I’d switch over to my other two favorite subjects and list my top five favorite reads and movies watched in 2018! These weren’t necessarily movies and books that came out in 2018 (though some are), but MY first time reading/watching them.
NOTE: I’m revealing no big spoilers in this post. So if you haven’t read/seen some of these, DON’T WORRY. You should be safe. 🙂
Let the geeky-dom begin!
TOP 5 BOOKS OF 2018
Okay, so actually choosing my 5 favorite reads was SO HARD. I honest to goodness loved almost everything I read last year. Which is a miracle. It was a good reading year! I really don’t even know if these were my top faves (decision ACK), but they were definitely some of my tippity top favorites!
In order of when I read them…
WIRES AND NERVE
by Marissa Meyer
A GIFT TO US LUNARTICS.
Wires and Nerve is a graphic novel that follows The Lunar Chronicles (only one of my most favorite series EVER). And this time Iko is the star. Yessss.
The plot is pretty simplistic. Not a lot happens, and there’s some random scenes that seemed to be there just to feature members of the Rampion Crew. But honestly? I DIDN’T CARE. I think the point was just to delight the fans in visiting their beloved characters again. And it succeeded! I was squealing each time a new one appeared. Plus having a whole story set in Iko’s hilarious POV this time was a DELIGHT.
It’s definitely one you’re going to want to pickup after reading The Lunar Chronicles. Otherwise it’ll make nooo sense and spoil, erm, EVERYTHING. But if you’re a “Lunartic” like me YOU NEED DIS.
Also, I can’t decide if I liked the first volume or second (Wires and Nerve: Gone Rogue) better. THEY WERE BOTH SO GOOD. But it’s really just one story anyway, you can’t really have on without the other, so let’s just go with both!
SHADOW HAND
by Anne Elisabeth Stengl
Can we just talk about how shameful it is that I’ve yet to read all the Tales of Goldstone Wood books yet, being as how I’ve been reading them since their creation??? Why is it taking me actual YEARS to get through what is one of my most favorite series? I DON’T KNOW. I think I’m subconsciously savoring them. They’ve been such a big part of my life and I don’t want them to ennndddd! D:
ANYWAYS.
Shadow Hand. Wow. It reminded me why I love these books so very much. Mrs. Stengl’s writing is breathtaking. Like…I have no words. And THIS BOOK. It was, without a doubt, the most complex, convoluted of all the stories so far (which is saying something) and I LOVED IT. The story was rich and full and had sooo many things going on but then it all came together in the end and just I don’t know how she does it.
This one follows Daylily and Foxbrush, whom we met in Veiled Rose (still my favorite of the series!), and whom were always, erm, somewhat unsavory characters. I was very curious how having characters who before had been portrayed as antagonists of a sort would work as protagonists. WELL. I should have had more faith in Mrs. Stengl. No spoilers here but…it was brilliance. Every word. Her stories are like devouring your favorite dessert. Rich and delicious and filling. I’m so in love with this series. <3
FAWKES
by Nadine Brandes
You may have heard of this one. Being as how it’s pretty much all anyone was talking about all last year. AND WITH GOOD REASON.
This is a historical fantasy (such a cool genre!) about The Gunpowder Plot. Not only does it have real life historical events in it, but it tosses in FANTASY THINGS. Yessss to alternate history pleaseandthankyou.
Our teenage protagonist, Thomas Fawkes (son of the Guy Fawkes), is determined to learn color magic and be accepted by his father. WELL. When his father pulls him into a plot to kill the king, things get…messy.
The entire world revolves around “color” magic, which is when a person can basically use telekinesis to move any object of the color of mask he/she owns. So, like, if you have red color magic, and wear a mask, you can move any object the color red. SO UNIQUE RIGHT? It’s a bit more complicated than that, but I don’t want to give too much away. There’s also a plague going around which turns a person to STONE. So, ya know, fun stuff.
What really captured me with this novel was how well-though-out and poignant it was written. You really felt like you were in foggy London, and knew the characters. Thomas was a precious cinnamon roll and such a teenager. The heroine, Emma, managed to be strong but feminine at the same time (totally breaking the emotionless “strong female character” stereotypes). And each side character had their own personalities and agendas. I was so swept away with this world.
Then the PLOT. So many twists. So. Many. Twists. GAH. I loved it! Oh, and feels. Feels eeeeverywhere. Gotta love a book that stomps your heart and kicks it in the ocean. FUN STUFF!
My one qualm was the allegorical part felt a bit…weird. It portrayed a sort of God-figure, but in a very…unexpected way. I wasn’t sure I liked it. But, at the same time, the story was full of beautiful messages and made me THINK, which I always love.
Overall, I thought it was amazing and well deserved of the hype.
THE HOUND OF DUVILLE
by Kyle Robert Shultz
BE STILL MY BEAUMONT AND BEASLEY LOVING HEART.
I won’t say too much about this one, because I already did a whole review for it just a few months ago. BUT. Definitely, definitely one of my favorite 2018 reads.
This is a novella following the Beaumont and Beasley series (MY FAAAVE!!!). It definitely needs to be read after the first main 3 Beaumont and Beasley books, but if you have read them you MUST get this one in your life! It harked back to the first book, following Nick and Crispin, as they try to discover a hilarious curse sweeping through Talesend. The brotherly banter (NICK AND CRISPIN MY BOYS <3), the humor, the side-splitting references to a couple of well-known movies, the whole hilarious curse. It was perfection!
Until the end which destroyed my heart and soul but YA KNOW. I apparently enjoy books ripping out my feels SO.
BUT YES. I adored this little story so so so much, and just talking about it is making me want to reread it!
HARRY POTTER AND
THE PRISONER OF AZKABAN
by J.K. Rowling
I mentioned recently that I read the Harry Potter series for the first time in 2018 annnnnd I fear I’m becoming one of those people who now makes an HP reference like every other sentence. I’M SORRY. The hype is real!
Though I loved every. single. book. The Prisoner of Azkaban was my faaave! (With Goblet of Fire coming at a very close second.) Things really start to pickup, the characters are growing but still young and foolish and adorable, Lupin is introduced (LOVE HIM!), Sirius, too, enters the picture, and then THE ENDING. The whole plot twist and craziness that erupts in those last few chapters was eeeeverything. It was so twisty and epic and GAH. YESSSHHH.
But also can I cheat and just put the whole Harry Potter series here? Because it was definitely my favorite read of all of 2018. I had such a wonderful time entering the Wizarding World! And now that I’m here…I’m never leaving! Bwahahaha.
And there we have my top-ish reads of 2018! But, seriously, I loved practically every book I read. You can see all my 2018-reads on my GoodReads shelf HERE. Because we bookdragons are inherently nosy. *grins*
TOP 5 MOVIES OF 2018
I’m only going to be listing movies that were new to me, and not rewatches because then we’d be here alllll day. Heh. (I just really like movies!)
Once again, in order of when I watched them (I think)…
THE GREATEST SHOWMAN
So yes, I saw this for the first time in April and AAAHHHHHH!!!!! What brilliance did my eyes just behold?
Confession: I’m not a big musical person. I KNOW. You may disown me, no hard feelings. (Okay, maybe a few.) Musicals just…aren’t my thing. So when I saw the huge hype for this movie I was just like, “Meh. I don’t think I’m interested.”
Let’s just say my friends kidnapped me and forced me to watch it, insisting I’m going to enjoy it (as good friends do). And…I had to eat my words. All of them. The opening got my heart thrumming, I think I didn’t blink for the entirety of the movie, it took my breath away, and when they asked me which was my favorite song when it was over I was like, “ALL OF THEM!” Yep. I enjoyed a musical. More than that, I LOVED a musical.
But wow, this movie. It truly captured that sense of wonder that I haven’t seen in cinema for a long, long time. The story was beautiful, the characters were alive, the chorography was astounding, and the songs are something I now keep on repeat on a constant basis. It’s honest to goodness one of my top favorite movies now.
So yeah, words were eaten.
INFINITY WAR
Was this my favorite or least favorite movie of the year? I DON’T KNOW. I do know it ripped out every feel I’ve ever had and turned it to ash so THANKS, MARVEL.
But, at the same time, getting to see all the heroes we’ve been following for TEN YEARS (yeah, I’ve been a Marvel fan since the first Iron Man movie #geek) come together in one movie was a TREAT. I wasn’t sure how they’d handle having so many main characters, but they did it brilliantly. (Though the lack of Bucky scenes was an atrocity! *cough, cough*) I also felt like they did well bringing together all the different styles of the movies. When the Guardians were on camera, it felt like a Guardians of the Galaxy movie. During Steve’s scenes, it felt like a Captain American movie. Tony definitely brought his Iron Man style with him. Etc., etc. It was great!
It wasn’t a perfect movie. I have complaints. But overall I LOVED it. …Or hated it. I DON’T KNOW. UGH. FEELS.
ANT-MAN AND THE WASP
Look at that, another Marvel movie. Is anyone surprised???
After Infinity War gobbled up my heart and spit it out, I was very much looking forward to a more lighthearted movie. Ant-man was such a hilarious movie, and I couldn’t wait for this sequel. IT DID NOT DISAPPOINT. It held up perfectly to the first movie. If anything, it was even better!
The humor was just as gold, the villain was fascinating, Scott was as loveable as ever. I absolutely loved it! Definitely refreshing after the heart-stomping cruelty of Infinity War.
Were just not going to talk about the post-credits scene.
CHRISTOPHER ROBIN
OH, MY HEART.
Okay, so Winnie-the-Pooh is my EVERYTHING. The Hundred Acre Wood was my childhood home. I watched the Disney movie on repeat like…daily. I had stuffed animals of the characters. I even watched the Disney show of it. I still get thrills when I’m exposed to anything Winnie-the-Pooh related. It’s my comfort zone. My happy place. My home.
So when I heard that they were making a movie about an adult Christopher Robin my first reaction was…huh. (I’m such a deep thinker.) I didn’t know if to be excited or worried. On the one hand, it was a very interesting concept and looked cute. But on the other hand, WHAT IF THEY RUINED MY BELOVED CLASSIC???
Well. WELL. I should have had more faith in Disney. This movie was everything. I cried the second the opening credits came on. I wish I was joking but NOPE. The opening scene showing the map of my dear Hundred Acre Wood, and the sweet scene taken directly from the book of young Christopher Robin and Pooh had me bawling. And from there I was just a tearful mess.
Because they didn’t ruin my childhood home, they brought it to LIFE. I felt like I was Christopher Robin, now an adult, letting the world weigh on my shoulders, only to step back into my childhood home and relive all those happy memories.
When I was little, I never really played with dolls much. I played with stuffed animals (like, seriously, my stuffed animal collection was ridiculous). I always felt a special kinship to Christopher Robin, because his form of play was always my form of play. His stuffed animals and quaint little secret world. That was me.
So having Disney bring that world to life, with respect and charm and heart, was everything I didn’t know I needed.
HARRY POTTER AND THE GOBLET OF FIRE
Oh look! More Harry Potter things!
Though the Prisoner of Azkaban was my favorite book, The Goblet of Fire was definitely my favorite movie. I felt like it brought the fun charm of the books to life more-so than any of the other movies did, while also piling a bucket of feels on top of you…just like the book.
My sister and I watched it together and we were giggling uncontrollably through the first half of it, then sobbing relentlessly by the last half. So yep. It was perfect!
(Also David Tennant, guys. DAVID TENNANT!)
Although, I have to say, I was shocked how well all the movies followed the books. Like…I was not expecting them to be so true to the books. Especially not all eight movies! There were definitely things they skipped but…they only had so much room, so I can forgive them. I certainly had some qualms (I wouldn’t be a true bookworm if I didn’t), but, overall, I was extremely pleased with the movies! (But we’re not here to talk about my HP opinions are we? Maybe one day I’ll do a whole HP post and give you allllll the opinions from me you never wanted. BWAHAHAHA!)
OKAY. I will spare you of exposure to yet more of my geekiness (for now). But, overall, 2018 proved to be a fantastic year for books AND movies!
Can’t wait to see what all geekery I can get myself into this year!
TALK WITH ME!
Fangirl/boy tiiiime! What was YOUR favorite book and movie devoured in 2018??? I MUST KNOW. And have you read/watched any of these? Because you know I will happily flail over them with you!
I got Fawkes for Christmas! Can't wait to start reading it. And The Greatest Showman!!! I also am not a huge fan of musicals…like… at all. The only one I've previously tolerated has been The Sound of Music (Disney princess movies excluded). And Christopher Robin!! Ack! Be still my heart. I love that his daughter and I share the same name.
I love all of the Harry Potter movies, but I haven't read any of the books…yep.
I think my favorite reads this year were Six of Crows and Crooked Kingdom. And Five Poisoned Apples. For sentimental reasons as well as getting to see everyone else's entries finished and beautiful.
Favorite movies were
You got Fawkes? YAAAY!!! I hope you enjoy it!
That makes me feel SO much better that you don't like musical either. It seems like everyone I know is obsessed with them. XD But The Greatest Showman totally nailed it. (Also, I adore all Disney princess movies, so yes. Gotta exclude those. XD)
Christopher Robin filled my soul. <3 It was just so good! And you're right. I forgot her name was Maddie. So sweet!
The HP books are SO GOOD. There's just waaay more meat to them and hilarious little things that the movies didn't have time for. The movies were great, but they don't hold a candle to the books (in my humble opinion).
I've shamefully never read Six of Crows and Crooked Kingdom, but I've heard they're amazing! And FIVE POISONED APPLES. <3 It was my first read for this year and AWK. MY HEART. It was all so beautiful! I've got a review coming probably at the end of this month (and there is much fangirling over Red as Blood *grins*).
(I don't know what happened, but it looks like the end of your comment got cut off. D:)
CHRISTOPHER ROBINNNNNNNNN *bawls tears* *mascara runs in torrents down my face* MY WORD, I DON'T THINK I LOVED ANY MOVIE AS MUCH AS THAT ONE THIS YEAR. My faith in Disney has been very much shaken of late–I'm not really a fan of anything they're putting out except the Marvel branch, and even that I'm only keeping up with the Avengers and Dr. Strange. Hee hee. But this movie…it wasn't quite enough to RESTORE my faith in Disney, but it brought me to tears and left me bawling my eyes out. I got it on DVD for Christmas and I already need to watch it a third time <3 Fortunately, my family loved it too–I took my sisters to see it in theaters right when it came out. I had just gotten deep into my first school year with school weighing so heavy I could barely breathe plus a JOB on top of that, and I could feel my childhood slipping through my fingers. And so that movie…oh, man, it spoke to me. I was BAWLING. :'(
Okay, Storytime with Faith is over now…xD
And the Greatest Showman! That may have been one of the best theater experiences in my LIFE. I absolutely loved it, and I don't think I closed my mouth the entire time I watched it the first time through. UGH SO GOOD.
I have so many favorites, but I think the Inkheart Trilogy was my favorite book(s) from this year. So many good characters and the plot was 100% (well, we'll say 89%…SOMEONE WHO SHOULD NOT HAVE DIED, DIED, AND I WAS LIVID. ABSOLUTELY LIVID. NOT COOOOOL.)
This list is AWESOME and it was so much fun to see all your faves from this year! <3
YESSSSSSSS. I'm a total Disney fangirl, but some of their movies HAVE been less than superb. The live action Beauty and the Beast and The Nutcracker and the Four Realms were ones I was MOST looking forward to, and end up being the ones I just couldn't get into. *LE SIGH* But Christopher Robin was everything. That is the SWEETEST THING that it helped you during a stressful time. Watching that movie is seriously like taking a deep, calming breath. I JUST CAN'T. <3
Oh man, I WISH I had seen The Greatest Showman in theaters. At the time I just didn't think I was interested, and now I will never have that magical experience with it. *sobs forever* Ah well, at least I did eventually watch it! BECAUSE IT'S SO GOOD YES.
I neeeed to read The Inkheart Trilogy. I read the first half back in my mid-teens and it (strangely) wasn't capturing me and I had to take it back to the library so never finished. But now that I'm older maybe I'll enjoy it more?
I'm so glad you enjoyed my list! It was fun to write. ^_^
LOL, I'm on a "no talking about Marvel in any way until Endgame comes out" thing. My poor heart just can't handle it.
But I've got to read Wires and Nerve now that I've gone through The Lunar Chronicles. It looks like it would be a ton of fun!
As for my favorite book/movie, I think the book award is a tie between The Revised Life of Ellie Sweet or Fawkes. And for the movie… I can't decide between Incredibles 2 and Ralph Breaks the Internet. Like, both exceeded my expectations. Like, blew them out of the water. So much good. Such amaze. My little fangirl heart is happy.
I feel ya, girl! Even though I keep talking about it… *cough* But UGH. IT HURTS.
Wires and Nerve is soooo good! It you enjoyed TLC, you're gonna love it!
Oooh, The Revised Life of Ellie Sweet! I read that one a few years ago and absolutely adored it. And this is coming from someone who hardly ever read contemporaries! But it was so engaging. AND FAWKES. YES. *high-fives*
Incredibles 2 was fabulous! I still like the first one better, but it was a great sequel. I didn't get a chance to see Ralph Break the Internet, which is sad. But I'll definitely see it when it releases on DVD/bluray, because I LOVE the first movie. That excites me you liked it!
My favorite books of the year would have to be Howl's Moving Castle, And Then There Were None by Agatha Christie and Entwined. Hexwood by Diana Wynn Jones was also really good and mind bending. o_o
As for movies I would have to agree with you on Infinity Wars and Antman and the Wasp, I've seen that one like three and a half times now… 😀 But I would also have to add Mission Impossible 5 and 6! As well as the Incredibles 2. 🙂 There were probably others but I can't remember… They should have a goodreads for movies. XD
HOWL'S MOVING CASTLE!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Still so thrilled you read it and loved it! And oh my gracious, Entwined is one of my favorite books! :O Wasn't it amazing??? I NEED to read more Agatha Christie. I've only ever read Murder on the Orient Express, but I thoroughly enjoyed it. So gotta read more! And Hexwood is another one I've been DYING to read. I've been told it's super twisty, which I love. So I'm excited!
That's so fun you've watched Ant-man and the Wasp so much! It's just such a blast. I've watched it twice now and loved it both times. Would you believe I've never seen a single Mission Impossible movie? I really need to remedy that! But EEP. Incredibles 2 was so fun! Jack-Jack was pure gold in it. XD
Oh my goodness, a GoodReads for movies would be fantastic! :O
Yes it was amazing! I already want to re-read it! XD And if you want to read more Agatha Christie I would definitely recommend And Then There Were None. It was absolutely fantastic and still blows my mind! And yes Hexwood was so twisty and confusing but at the same time incredible!
I'm not too surprised, I haven't seen the first or second Mission Impossible… crazy right? But not as crazy as this, I saw the others in this order: 4th, 3rd, 6th, 5th. XD But I've heard that the second one isn't very good and I still haven't gotten around to watching the first one. But for sure the 4th, 5th and 6th are really good! (Though warning, there are some immodest women at some points and probably some language.)
And yes Jack-Jack was awesome! 😀
That might be my next of hers to read then. Thank you! 😀
LOL. That is hilarious how you've watched them in that order. Keep it interesting, right? ;D (And thanks for the warning!)
He's the best!
HMC! Entwined! HEXWOOOOD!!! <3
I read Wires and Nerve and Fawkes this year too!! I read Shadowhand a while ago but it is still one of my favorites!
Yes to all the movies! I saw Greatest Showman and Infinity War in theaters and I enjoyed every minute. I saw Antman and the Wasp and Goodbye Christopher Robin this year also ( actually I own both of them ) and Christopher Robin ripped my heart in shreds… I literally cried before I line was even spoken, I'm that bad!
I watched Goblet of Fire last year and I really liked it, especially the dragon scene! YAY FOR DRAGONS XD but for some reason, I really can't say why, but I really didn't like Victor Krum. I had a real problem with him * shrugs shoulders *
I really enjoyed this post!! Probably cause I love lists too and I could geek out and nod approvingly at all you favorites cause they're mine too!
one of my favorite movies of 2018 was Coco, again, bawled through that movie 🙂 I judge movies on how much they make me cry, LOL!
I literally have toooooo many favorite books of 2018 and am too lazy to type them all out so, yeah
Lovely post! Really had fun reading it 🙂
Also for favorite movies I saw ( I will feel like a monster if I don't mention it ) MAMMA MIA 2!!! I saw this in theaters too and it was sooooo good! And again with the crying thing, but still that movie was really amazing <3
You did? *HIGH-FIVES* Such awesome books!!!
I definitely saw Infinity War the weekend it came out, then watched it again like the second it released on bluray. Though I don't know WHY. My poor heart could barely handle it. *sniff, sniff*
Man, I WISH I had seen The Greatest Showman in theaters. At the time, I didn't think I was interested at all in it. I WAS SO WRONG. I didn't see Goodbye Christopher Robin! (All these Christopher Robin moves lol). But I cried at the beginning of Christopher Robin toooo! That makes me feel better I wasn't the only one. XD It was just so beautiful. <3
Goblet of Fire was so fun. And YESSSS to dragons! You're speaking my language. I never felt much for Krum either, don't worry, you're not alone. I'm not sure he was SUPPOSED to be very likable though so…? I don't know!
Oh my goodness, COCO. :O I saw that for the first time this year too and COMPLETELY FORGOT. Which is shameful because I looooooved that movie! It probably would have made it to the list if I had remembered. It was so sweet! (And I TOTALLY judge movies on how much they make me cry. XDD That's the best you do too!)
I've never seen the Mamma Mia movies, but I've heard they're fun. I might have to watch them sometime. ^_^
I'm SO glad you enjoyed my post. I love how similar our tastes and reactions to movies are! 😀
Totally relatable, forgetting things you saw or read! 2018 was a lot of books and a lot of new movies, which btw, did you see Solo? Cause that was another of my FAVORITES that I saw in theaters too. It was so good!
I think 2018 was a really good year and I hope your 2019 is great too 🙂
I really need to keep a list of what movies I saw. GoodReads keeps up with what I'm reading, but I don't even make an effort to remember what I've watched. XD
I shamefully have not seen, Solo, no! I…erm…am not a huuuge Star Wars fan. *hides in shame* Nothing against it at all! I appreciate the huge fandom. It's just never been my thing. But I do need to give the new ones a try!
So glad you had a good 2018! Here's to hoping 2019 will be even better!
WAIT THERE'S MORE LUNAR CHRONICLES BOOK THINGS??? MUST. GET. MY. HANDS. ON. THEM. NOW. I didn't realize the graphic novels existed?!?!?!? just put them on hold at the library eeeee
I'm in the process of reading through the Harry Potter series right now and AH IT'S SO GOOD!!! And The Greatest Showman is HIGH on my to-watch list 😉
YES THERE AAARRRREEE! AND THEY'RE SO AWESOME!!!!!! 😀
EEP. That is so exciting! Aren't they just the best? They hype is REAL. Ugh, I love them so much. And you should DEFINITELY watch The Greatest Showman! I feel like if my musical-non-loving self loved it, everyone will. Lol.
I still need to start the Goldstone Woods books…I have the first one, just haven't gotten around to it yet cause my TBR is so, well, HUGE I did read Fawkes, though, and that was good, and I just started reading about the history of Geneva, and now I feel like mixing that with some historical fantasy…so maybe in the future??
Still haven't seen AatW yet, but Infinity War??? AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH even though I got it spoiled for myself (because I watched it like only a month or two ago) it still hurt.
They're suuuch beautiful books! But boy do I understand. My unread books stack has gotten embarrassing. :-/
Ooooh, I loooove that you're contemplating a historical fantasy. There's just SO many cool concepts to mess with. So exciting! 😀
UGH. INFINITY WAR. Wasn't it just the worst??? And best? And I DON'T KNOW. *collapses*
Love all of your choices! Glad your friends forced you to watch The Greatest Showman.
Thanks! It was a good year for reading and movie watching! ^_^
Lol. Me too! Friends who make you watch things you're determined you won't like are the best friends. ;D
Oh maaan, Christopher Robinnn. I watched it with my family on New Year's Eve, and… I'm pretty sure I teared up at that opening scene, too. I just… I don't even have the words to elaborate on how nostalgic and emotional it was. And the music… JUST TAKE MY HEART. Just the melancholy, childlike but just mature enough feel of the whole movie… it was just fantastic. <3
Also I want to see The Greatest Showman so much because I've heard such amazing things about it. ^_^
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UUUGGGHHHH. Wasn't it the sweetest thing ever??? That makes me feel so much better that I wasn't the only one tearing up with the opening scenes. It was just so heartfelt and nostalgic! *sobs*
*FLAILS* YOU NEED TO SEE IT! I feel like if *I* liked it, everyone will, since I'm not a musical person. XD
Shadowhand was incredible! I admit that Foxbrush , wimpy know-it-all though he be, was a character I rather liked. (reminded me of myself. heh.) It was great seeing this unlikely person getting such a character arc.
I thought Foxbrush was awesome, yes! His arc was one of the best I've ever seen. Anne Elisabeth Stengl is a true word genius.
I'm not really a fan of movie musicals, but I am in love with stage ones.
I just finished Fawkes two days ago and adored it. Though I definitely agree with the allegory bits. It was kinda weird? And White's voice always struck me as so, so American and that jolted me a bit. Other than that though, it was brilliant and every bit as good as I was hoping it would be.
the Greatest Showman was actually one of my first (if not my first) watches last year. I went to see it early in January at the cinema. I also saw Infinity War, but not until it came out on DVD and by that time everything had been spoiled on the internet, so it didn't really make much of an emotional impact on me. Possibly one of my favourite movies last year was The King's Speech, which my historical biopic loving heart adored. I bought it for myself for Christmas 😛
You're not? That makes me feel worlds better! Lol. But I'm with you. I'll happily see ANYTHING on stage!
Wasn't it so good??? But yeah, the White Light was portrayed kind of…oddly. And I TOTALLY agree that it sounded really American and modern and even kind of…flippant? I don't know. It was strange. But the story as a whole was beautiful and deep and UGH. So well written!
SO FUN!!! I missed seeing it in theaters (since I was stubborn and thought I wouldn't like it *rolls eyes*). That's so sad Infinity War got spoiled for you! I made a huge effort to see it in theaters its opening weekend literally because I was so scared of getting spoilers. XD I'm such a nerd. Lol.
I haven't seen The King's Speech, but I've heard it's good! I need to give it a watch!
"The opening got my heart thrumming, I think I didn’t blink for the entirety of the movie, it took my breath away, and when they asked me which was my favorite song when it was over I was like, “ALL OF THEM!”
"…It truly captured that sense of wonder that I haven’t seen in cinema for a long, long time. The story was beautiful, the characters were alive, the choreography was astounding, and the songs are something I now keep on repeat on a constant basis."
ALL OF THIS. EVERY. LAST. WORD. It's DEFINITELY my favorite movie, even though The Princess Bride held that spot for ten years. It was absolutely STUNNING.
RIGHT???? I'm not sure I have a single complaint! IT'S JUST SO GOOD. *flails*
(Wow, it exceeded The Princess Bride for you? That IS saying something. The Princess Bride is truly the greatest. XD)
All right, what should I geek out about first?
I AM SO GLAD YOU LOVE THE GREATEST SHOWMAN!!! I adore that movie. Lets just say that I can most likely sing all of the songs….. 🙂
I totally agree. Christopher Robin is the cutest continuation of Winnie the Pooh. Having an adult Christopher Robin was the BEST. My family can't stop quoting it!
I am reading Fawkes at the moment. I really like it. I am thisclose to biting my nails as I get closer to the ending. The nerves man, its killing me!
I loved your list. 🙂
Bwahahaha! So happy to bring out the geekiness of my followers. ;D
THE GREATEST SHOWMAN WAS SO AMAZING!!! And my sister bellow out to the soundtrack in the car all. the. time. It's great! XD
Wasn't it the sweetest? Disney did such a beautiful job. I am proud!
OH OOOOH. YAAAY!!! Glad you're enjoying it! But ugh yes. It can get INTENSE. I was so nervous for like…the entire book. A wild ride for sure! Hope you enjoy the rest of it!
I'm so glad you liked my list. It was a blast to put together. ^_^
Loved reading your list and I'm just grinning ear to ear and nodding about like, EVERYTHING! (except I haven't read three out of your 5 books… but I'm sure Kyle's book will be awesome (I'm making my way through them now) and Wires and Nerve actually sounds fun… though reading comic books/graphic novels usually gives me a headache (like, a real one, not a metaphorical one… I don't know why this is).
ALL YOUR MOVIES!!! YES YES YES!!!!! Christopher Robin!!!!!! ACK! I mean, I kind of tear up thinking about it. Which is silly, but true. (I didn't play with dolls, either… lots of stuffed animals. Many much stuffed animals. And makebelieve worlds… so I totally understand).
And Infinity War… I still can't even process that.
Ant Man and the Wasp was my FAVORITEST EVER!!! SO fun and funny. I love the first one, too. So fun!
And Greatest Showman is one of those movies that was EPIC and SPECTACULAR and somehow manages to get BETTER every time I watch it. Now I completely understand what my dad meant when I was talking to him before we went to see the movie and I was recommending Ant Man (the first one) and he said, "I have like 10 other movies to watch before I see Ant Man." [PAUSE] "Seven of them are The Greatest Showman." XD
And the Harry Potter movies are such a work of WOW. I didn't always love them the first time I saw them (I saw a couple of them before I read the books) but they have steadily grown on me and now they are so, so dear.
*BEAMS* I'm so glad you enjoyed my lists!
Oooh, you're reading the Beaumont and Beasley books? SO FUN!!! That's super sad graphic novels give you headaches. I wonder why that is. Poor Jenelle!
WE HAVE SO MANY SIMILAR INTERESTS! And if you're silly for tearing up thinking about it, then I am too! Because I honest to goodness had to hold back tears while writing about it in this post. Just…it meant so much to me! <333 (I love that you were a stuffed animal person too. They were seriously the best!)
Me either. Just…too many feels. I can't.
IT WAS SO FUNNY!!! The humor is just way too good in it. Scott is the best!
Oh my word, your dad's quote is the best thing ever. I'm laughing so hard! XDDD It's accurate though! I can't imagine EVER getting tired of watching The Greatest Showman. It's utterly entrancing!
RIGHT??? But I know what you mean. I'm not sure I would have been super wild about them if I hadn't read the books. I loved them because it was a TREAT seeing the characters and world I had utterly fallen in love with from the books come to life right before my eyes. But if I had seen the movies prior to reading the books, I doubt they would have held as much magic for me. But they're still great, especially the later ones! And my sister watched them with me and LOVED them, even though she HASN'T read the books so…who knows? XD I guess they're just awesome no matter what!
Hound of Duville and HP3! YESSS! 😀 I really need to read the further Goldstone Woods . . . I'm still only as far as Moonblood. o.o Ooh, I'm intrigued about the Lunar graphic novels. I'll have to check those out once I finish the main series, maybe?? And I'm glad you were able to enjoy Fawkes even if I didn't! Some of it was weird, yeah, but oh well. XD
(That both-is-good gif! I finally saw that movie so now I "get" all the gifs. XD We were joking about how Miguel and Tulio are like Crispin and Nick. XD)
Aaahh I so need to see Christopher Robin and Antman and the Wasp!! :O *dies* I saw Greatest Showman this year too and while it wasn't my faaavorite it was definitely loads of fun and a couple of the songs are still my top-faves!! 😀 Infinity War we . . . do not speak of. *COUGHCOUGH* Although, yes, I do love continuing to watch the characters! Just some of the plot and villain and stuff is SO NOT OKAY. But. Yeah. It's so confusing. XD
Ohhh, David Tennant! I forgot he was in those! :O Definitely curious how they will shape up like/unlike the books but it's promising that you enjoyed them! 🙂 (You probably SHOULD do a big ol' HP post sometime. XD)
I loved thiiis! Thanks for sharing with us! 😀
YES AND YES!!! SO MUCH GOODNESS. And hey, it's taking me years and yeeears to get through the Goldstone books, so I get it. XD I think they're the types of books to read slowly and soak up, instead of devour. But oh my goodness, the Lunar Chronicles graphic novels were so fun. I definitely recommend them after you've read the series! Plus the lovely thing about graphic novels is it takes like…an hour to get through them. They're great for quick, fun reads.
Oh, you saw it? SO FUN! What's hilarious is I have NO memory of that movie. I saw it once back when it was pretty new, so it was like..8 or 9 years ago. o.o Sooo I really don't remember what happened. I need to rewatch it!
YES YOU DO. They're both so good and I think you'd love them! The Greatest Showman songs are just so catchy, yes! Infinity War. Ahem. Yes. I seriously can't decide if I totally adored it, or despised it. There was just so MUCH. I don't think I'll ever be able to process my feelings for it. *collapses*
I forgot David Tennant was in them too! And then he appeared on the screen and my sister and I were screaming. XD It was great! And yeah, the movies were awesome, especially the later ones (I think it took them a bit to find their style for the first 2 or 3). I was sad over how many little fun aspects from the books they didn't have room to include. But, overall, they were shockingly true to the books! (LOL. I may have to because I have so many thoughts! Bwahaha.)
I'M SO GLAD! 😀 Love geeking out with you guys! Hehe.
This post makes me smile. ^_^ Love your book summaries! Of those five, I'm currently reading Fawkes (and LOVING it), but I've yet to read The Hound of Duville & Wires & Nerves (and I call myself a Lunartic… O__O). So enjoy the others too! Although it's been too long since I've read the HP series… I think it's high-time for a re-read—but where's the TIME??
THOSE MOVIES!!! I so enjoyed The Greatest Showman!! (Hats off to musicals!! (Though I will say some are definitely better than others) So glad you were kidnapped! You have GREAT friends. *cackles* I have the SAME FEELS for Infinity War… TT_TT <3 And HP:GoF!! That is a great one! Of that list, the only one I haven't seen is Christopher Robin… O___O But I sooooooo want to! Heard such good, nostalgic things!!!
Great post, Lauri!!
I'm glad! ^_^ You're currently reading Fawkes? Eeeeee!!! So exciting! And don't worry about not reading Wires and Nerve yet. It took me ages to get to them! But I definitely recommend them. They're so fun!
I hear you on the rereading thing! The HP books are a HUGE commitment too. o.o
THE GREATEST SHOWMAN WAS JUST SO AMAZING!!! I definitely have the best of friends. XD But ugh, Infinity War. IT HURTS.
You haven't seen Christopher Robin? Aahhhhh! YOU'D LOVE IT! Or…I think you will. Hehe. But seriously, it's so, so sweet!
Thanks so much! <3
UM IT IS NEVER TOO LATE FOR YEARLY WRAP-UP POSTS. I always love reading them!! I'm actually thinking of doing yet another one (sort of) this month: my favorite ships from books I read in 2018.
Yess, Azkaban was one of my favorites as well! Actually, Goblet of Fire was my least favorite movie?? But my favorite book, so who knows. Combining the book and the movie, though, Azkaban and Half-Blood Prince are probably my two favorite installments overall.
AHHH I LOVE POOH BEAR SO MUCH. (I'm actually cuddled underneath my childhood Pooh Bear quilt as I'm writing this.) But I can't even watch the Christopher Robin TRAILER without sobbing, so I know there's no way I could make it through the movie.
Eleanor | On the Other Side of Reality
Bwahaha! I am so glad to hear that! And I feel the same way. Year wrap-up posts and things are SO. FUN. And oh my goodness, a favorite ships of 2018 would be THE BEST THING EVERRR. YOU SHOULD TOTALLY DO THAT!
It was just so good! That's a shame you didn't like the movie version of GoF since it was your favorite book. But oooh, the Half-Blood Prince movie AND book were amazing…and painful. So, so painful. *sobs*
YESSSS. Okay, the fact that you have Pooh Bear quilt is the best thing ever. AND I KNOW WHAT YOU MEAN. IT'S TOO MUCH!
So. . . I haven't read any of those books. Zero. Several are on the list, just. . . buried. #somedaysomeday
BUT I saw four of those movies, and I agree about them all! I just watched Christopher Robin recently at a friend's house, and IT WAS SO SWEET. <3
(I'm not gonna talk about Infinity War though. *dies from the feels of that movie for the umpteenth time*)
-Hanna
takingmytime.rothfuss.us
Oh, girl, I feel you! You'd probably be shocked at how many books I have buried and unread. We just need more tiiiime. *collapses*
Oh my goodness, wasn't Christopher Robin the most precious thing? *clutches heart* I just loved it so much! So glad you did too!
(Yes…yes. Some things we do not speak of. *dies with you*)
I love your movie picks! I’m shocked at how loyal the movies are too and they were so successful too. When will Hollywood take a hint? XD THE GREATEST SHOWMAN! I COULD GO ON ABOUT THAT MOVIE FOR A LONG TIME! I just rewatched it the other night and it still blows me away. And so much yes for the marvel movies. So many laughs and feels!
Thanks!
It was very shocking! Like, I expected the first movie or two to be close to the books, but I figured they'd start straying eventually but NOPE. In fact, Deathly Hallows Part 1 was probably the most true to the book out of all of them. It was awesome! Hollywood DEFINITELY need to grasp that following the book makes a movie successful. Just look at these and The Hunger Games opposed to like…Percy Jackson. Lolz. I just don't get Hollywood's mentality… *shakes head*
I COULD TALK ABOUT THE GREATEST SHOWMAN FOREVERRR. It's totally time for a rewatch!
Marvel is everything. Even though it destroys my feels, but such is the life of a fangirl. XD
This post makes me so happy! I haven't read any of the books, but Fawkes sounds really promising and I'll have to read it sometime.
As for the movies, wow. I didn't expect to find all my favorites on there as well. I love Disney and Marvel, but haven't gotten around to watching the Greatest Showman, yet. Aside from those, a couple of my favorites were Mission Impossible: Fallout (Tom Cruise!), and a shark movie called the Meg. Both delivered so well, as it gets harder to find movies that Disney doesn't produce.
I'm so glad to hear it! 😀 Oh yes, Fawkes was so, so good! I definitely recommend!
EEP. Fellow Disney and Marvel fan! *HIGH-FIVES* I'm seriously obsessed. But you're right, it IS hard finding movies NOT produced by Disney these days. Lol. I shamefully have never seen a single Mission Impossible movie. Isn't that crazy? I've got to fix that! And I remember trailers for The Meg! Though shark and/or ocean movies kind of freak me out so I don't know if I'd be brave enough to watch it. *sheepish grin*
WIRES AND NERVES YASSSSS. *heart-eyes* It's a beautiful edition to an already wonderful story and I am ETERNALLY GRATEFUL to Marissa Meyer for writing it. 😀
Oh my word…Infinity War…It's been almost a year and yet it feels like I saw it just yesterday…XD I am severely nervous for End Game…O_o
Christopher Robin was SO. ADORABLE. AGH. I have no words. So refreshing and innocent! ^_^
YESSSS!!!!! It was just so fun getting to revisit the characters. GAH I LOVE THEM!
Same, girl, saaaame. I can't decide if I'm looking forward to or dreading End Game. It's going to destroy us! D:
Wasn't it though??? Refreshing is the perfect word for it! After things like Infinity War, it was nice having a movie that was just sweet and nostalgic and quiet. It made me so happy! <3