rebekah writes stuff.

Tag: review

  • I finished The Hunger Games trilogy

    I finished The Hunger Games trilogy

    I finished Mockingjay, the final book in The Hunger Games trilogy, and I wanted to write about it. Obviously big spoilers ahead, so if you haven’t read the books, or want to, then click off now.

    I volunteer as tribute

    In this future world, The Capitol governs and controls the 12 Districts of Panem, each of whom must provide two tributes to participate in The Hunger Games; a violent, televised spectacle where tributes must fight to the death. Whoever is left standing is crowned victor and gets to live a life free (mostly) from The Hunger Games, with wealth and benefits for themselves and their home District.

    When the 74th Hunger Games is announced, Katniss volunteers in her sister, Prim’s, place, and Peeta is the male tribute for District 12.

    However, as in Katniss and Peeta’s case, winning wasn’t the one-way ticket to a life of peace as they thought.

    During the games, The Capitol tell the tributes that they will be accepting two winners from the same District. Katniss finds Peeta and works hard to keep them both alive. When they are the only remaining tributes, their victory is short-lived, when The Capitol announces that they have changed their minds and would only be accepting one tribute as winner. Left with an impossible decision, Katniss and Peeta threaten to commit suicide with nightlock berries and the Capitol intervene, crowning them both victors.

    Caesar Flickerman, as portayed in the film adaptation. Caesar Flickerman is The Capitol’s interviewer and talk-show host of The Hunger Games.

    Katniss and Peeta’s act of defiance against the rule change sees their newfound freedom quickly taken from them.

    President Snow announces the upcoming Quarter Quell, a special version of The Hunger Games held every twenty five years. The Quarter Quell marks the anniversary of The Capitol’s defeat of the Districts. During his announcement, he declares that tributes will be selected from the pool of previous Hunger Games victors, which ultimately throws Katniss and Peeta back in to the games.

    When an uprising occurs during The Quarter Quell, Katniss is rescued from by the rebels, and becomes the symbol of the rebellion against The Capitol: The Mockingjay. Through warfare, televised propaganda and the eventual overthrowing of The Capitol regime, Katniss and the rebels win, but it comes at a terrible cost.

    The Aftermath

    In the end, The Hunger Games are abolished and, in the epilogue, we are given a glimpse of Katniss’ future. Katniss lives a life of peace with Peeta and her two children, the pair still coming to terms with their trauma. However, while they might have won, it wasn’t victorious or triumphant.

    Katniss, and the people of The Districts, lived their lives in fear of The Capitol. The popular slogan of the games; “May The Odds be Ever in Your Favour!” is ironic, for The Capitol created the odds. The Capitol changing rules at the drop of a hat, showcased that the tributes, and the Districts, never had control, not even in the arena.

    A new regime of peace begins, but Katniss lost her sister, and many of her friends. Peeta was mentally tortured by The Capitol. Katniss lost her childhood and endured trauma, so much so, that her special place in the woods no longer provides the sanctuary it once did.

    It parallels Frodo from The Lord of The Rings. Sauron was defeated, Aragorn takes his rightful place as King and there was peace. Frodo got to return to The Shire with his friends, but it was never the same. Frodo too endured great trauma on his journey to destroy the ring in Mount Doom, hence he left with Gandalf to Valinor (the Undying Lands), where he could heal.

    “We set out to save the shire, Sam, and it has been saved … but not for me.”

    Frodo, The Lord of The Rings: The Return of The King (2003)

    Final Thoughts

    I genuinely really enjoyed this series. I couldn’t put it down and I thought the themes of reality tv, war and power were really interesting. Suzanne Collins’ pacing and world building are exceptional. The saga reflects the impact of war, the trauma and loss. I would highly recommend this series.

  • 2024 Wrapped

    2024 Wrapped

    Spotify Wrapped is here again and it has inspired me to share my top players, not only in music, but in books and movies. Let’s start with Spotify…

    Top Artist: Post Malone

    Yup, Posty’s put on his cowboy boots and I’m here for it. To be fair, I’ve enjoyed all of his albums, but his newest country style is particularly infectious. Don’t believe me? My Top Song was “I had Some Help” by none other than Postie and Morgan Wallen. It’s fair to say I’ve had this song on replay since it got released – I don’t know, there’s just something about it that makes me feel happy and carefree. Give it a listen here!

    Top Book: 127 Hours

    What would you do if you got your hand stuck under a boulder weighing 360kg (800 pounds)?

    This is the exact conundrum that outdoor enthusiast Aron Ralston grappled with (literally). You may already be familiar with the famous story, but for those of you who aren’t …

    In 2003, Aron was scaling rocks in Bluejohn Canyon (Arizona, USA) when a boulder dislodged and fell – dragging Aron down with it. What’s worse is that, during the fall, Aron’s hand got trapped under the rock. He was alone, had little food or supplies and had told nobody where he had gone.

    With such a grim premise, you might think “why on Earth would I want to read about such a horrible ordeal?”. Well, because he survived.

    This is a book that will inspire you, amaze you and make you cringe. You will feel like a fly on the wall in that dusty canyon and, at times, you will feel just as helpless as he felt. I guarantee you that his quest for survival, the human spirit to never give up, is what makes this book an absolute winner in my eyes. In those moments of suffering and sadness, there is also light and laughter.

    I could hardly put 127 Hours down – you can check it out right here:

    Top Movie: Kung Fu Panda 4

    As a huge fan of the Kung Fu Panda franchise, I didn’t know what to expect from yet another Kung Fu Panda sequel. However, I was pleasantly surprised and I ended up seeing it multiple times at the cinema. I genuinely didn’t mind this movie at all. [Spoilers ahead duh].

    We’re back in the Valley of Peace, where Po isn’t quite ready to give up being the Dragon Warrior, despite Master Shifu’s badgering. In one final hurrah, he sets out to defeat the Chameleon with a crim call Zhen. A skilled sorceress, The Chameleon sets her sights on the past with her vision to conquer the future. When Po is outsmarted by Zhen, The Chameleon is granted access to the Spirit World, where she harnesses power from fallen Kung Fu masters.

    Not only is there a banging Britney Spears cover by Tenacious D, but a pretty cool Boss Battle (not quite as epic as Tai Lung in the first Kung Fu Panda, but still). Not bad Dreamworks – Skadoosh!

    What were your top picks of the year? Let me know below in the comments or on my instagram @rebekah_writes_stuff 🙂

  • Stuff I thought would flop but didn’t

    Stuff I thought would flop but didn’t

    Avatar: The Last Airbender

    Ok, before you make a b-line for the unsubscribe button, you’ll be happy to know this show is among my favourites. It truly is a work of art – but I didn’t get to experience the beauty of this show without some convincing.

    Like many people, I was dissuaded by its cartoonish style and, no shade to Nickeloden, but I figured it was a kid’s show. How could this be relevant to me? I hadn’t grown up watching Avatar: The Last Airbender (ATLA) and it was a show I wasn’t all that interested in watching. When people desperately begged me to watch it, I was never that keen, no matter how amazing they said it was.

    I thought it was just a cartoon.

    Left to right: Momo, Aang, Sokka, Toph, Katara

    Eventually, I did give it the chance it deserved and my perceptions were sorely wrong. Each season became richer and the stakes kept getting higher and higher. I was hooked and it blew my expectations of a kid’s show out of the water.

    Why? In a war-torn world, these tweens and teens are pushed into the roles of adults, not unlike many youth who stepped up in World War I and II. Our protagonists sacrifice their childhood to be warriors, leaders, and, in Aang’s case, to be the saviour of the world. This bildungsroman, or ‘coming of age’ story, shows us how each character navigates their way in an unforgiving world. Indeed, the themes of war, genocide, oppression, politics and power shape the narrative. It breaks the mould for what can be included in a kid’s show and, for this reason and boldness, ATLA has been praised and received countless awards.

    It’s so much more than just a cartoon, and I highly recommend you watch it.

    Being an early bird

    I’ve never been a morning person. I never thought it could be for me. There was zero appeal in seeing the sun rise, leaping out of bed and pursuing a life that started before 10:00am. It baffled me that people could have so much vim and vigour that early in the day.

    I admit, I am a bit of a bear. I enjoy my sleep and love a good lie in. If it was an olympic sport, I’d have many a gold medal. I thrive in the evening, where most would start to dip in energy. But the world isn’t designed for sleepy bears like me and, eventually, I had to swap my sleepy ways and join the hordes who wake up early.

    And wouldn’t you know, I actually don’t mind it.

    The peace of the morning is unmatched. You get more out of your day. Sure, the inertia after waking up feels terrible, but give it five minutes and boom, it’s actually bearable. Yup, even a sleepy bear like me can change their sleep schedule – with the help of the snooze button and a bunch of alarms.

    Art by Jennifer Thermes

    If you want to wake up earlier, but think it’s not for you, I’d honestly say don’t knock it til you try it.

    Wonka

    I didn’t even want to see this movie, I had my mind so fiercely made up. I didn’t see the point of adding yet another Charlie & The Chocolate Factory movie to the world. It’s a cash grab, I would say. I stood so strongly with Johnny Depp’s portrayal of Willy Wonka that nobody could move me.

    When I was forced along to the movie, I sat with my arms folded, enduring the 1 hour 56 minutes. But I didn’t endure it. I actually left the movies in a state of shell-shock. While my mum and my sister spoke excitedly about how much they’d loved it, I was speechless. I couldn’t believe how horribly wrong I’d been about this movie.

    The storyline was original and heart warming. The songs were catchy and we proceeded to blast them as soon as we got home.

    I went back to see it again and the tone was completely different. I actually let myself enjoy it – I had the movie experience I should’ve had the first time. I laughed, I bobbed my feet and saw Wonka in a whole new light.

    It’s easy to get protective over our favourite movies and the constant reboots and poorly written sequels (Mufasa, for example). I’m glad I went, because I would’ve missed out on such a sweet gem of a film.

    Have you had any similar experiences? Let me know below in the comments!!

  • Saddest Disney Deaths

    Saddest Disney Deaths

    I love Disney movies and you better believe they’ve made me cry. Why Disney? Why do you do it? Without further ado, here are just some of the saddest deaths that Disney has come up with. Let’s get into it:

    Bambi’s mum

    This is up there as one of the saddest. The pair flee a hunter, but Bambi’s mum is shot. Bambi only realises his mum isn’t behind him when he reaches a safe spot. Bambi calling out “mother” into the howling wind is heart breaking. Lost in the storm, he meets his father, who tells him, rather stoically, “your mother can’t be with you anymore”. :((((

    Tarzan’s parents

    Tarzan is one of my all time favourite movies – they just don’t make them like this anymore! Before becoming Tarzan, king of the apes, Tarzan is a defenceless baby. Luckily, he has his two parents to protect him. They have seen their fair share of tragedy. Clearly, they are a quick thinking and innovative pair, as they build a treehouse high up in the African jungle in order to survive. But as we see when Kala, Tarzan’s adoptive gorilla mother, enters the treehouse, Tarzan’s parents were no match for leopard Sabor.

    Tadashi

    Disney has this habit of creating wonderful, caring and gentle characters that the protagonist loves dearly and needs, all to be taken away too soon. Every time! Tadashi, from Big Hero 6, is one of those characters. He and his younger brother Hiro lost their parents and live with their Aunt Cass. Hiro is a genius but has lost his way, entering bot fights and narrowly avoiding trouble. Tadashi steers Hiro onto a better path – and frankly a better use of his big brain: The San Fransokyo Institue of Technology. Hiro is inspired and, after a successful presentation, he is offered a place. But then there’s a fire and Tadashi dies in the explosion. WHY??

    Mufasa

    Yup, I’m sure you were waiting for this one to come up. This scene will never not make me cry. Mufasa is King of the Pridelands. He is an enormous lion with an even bigger heart. He is wise, brave and fun-loving. He is just such a beautiful character, why Disney? Why did you have to do it? As one of my fave films, this ranks among the top for me on the sad scale.

    Sitka

    This might be a lesser known Disney character’s death. Brother Bear is the story of three boisterous brothers; Sitka, Denahi and the youngest Kenai. In a nutshell, Kenai is presented with his totem, but he is disappointed. Adding fuel to the flames, Kenai finds the salmon basket, that he was responsible for tying up into a tree, has been found by a bear. Embarrassed and angry, he goes after the bear and provokes it. It escalates to where the brothers are fending off the angered bear on top of an ice shelf. In a moment of peril, Sitka sacrifices himself to save the others. He drowns in the calving ice shelf. Another beautiful character who left too soon.

    Have any of these made you cry? Which ranks the saddest for you? And if you have anymore I’ve missed out on, let me know and I’ll do a part 2!

  • The thing with spicy food

    The thing with spicy food

    Spicy food doesn’t make much sense to me. Would I douse noodles in chilli oil or order a medium curry? No way. What is so enticing about red eyes and a runny nose that makes people say “I’ll have what they’re having”? Why do millions of people around the world put themselves through tongue tingling pain each time they go for a mouthful, only then to come back for more?

    People love spice

    When I say that spicy food is popular, this is an understatement. According to their 2021 survey, Kalsec reckons 95% of people worldwide enjoy spicy and hot foods, ranging from mild to holy sh*t that’s hot. More people prefer their food to pack a punch than not and it’s clear that people get a real buzz from it. Mexico, India, Thailand & South Korea are home to some of the world’s spiciest dishes, with India among the top consumers of spicy food in the world in 2020. Chilli is a hot commodity and there is a huge variety of hot sauces, chilli oils and chutneys being exported across the globe. Most people can handle spice in just about anything – crisps, sweets, pizza, even ice cream.

    Despite the numbers, I still don’t get it.

    As much as I’ve tried, I just can’t get on the spice bandwagon. You might’ve guessed that I have a mild spice tolerance. You’d be right. For me, being brave is ordering a mild curry. Or eating a couple of Sweet Thai Chilli Dorito crisps (which are epic btw). Unlike some who take to spice like a duck to water, spice and I have a complicated relationship, built on uncertainty, pain and curiosity. Frankly, I’ve been burned one too many times and the experience is enough to put me off for life. Spice enthusiasts never fail to baffle me.

    What flavour??

    If you were to ask me what spice tastes like, I’d say it tastes like numbness. Or bonjela. Or regret.

    And yes, I am aware that capsaicin (the chemical from chilli peppers) creates the hot, tingling sensation that you feel in your mouth. It causes you to sweat out of your eyeballs. Forget a relaxing evening at your favourite restaurant. You take one bite and it’s so hot that the flavour is no longer relevant. It’s an afterthought at this point. Instead, it’s more about pushing through the pain and the sweat. And for what?

    Spice has the ability to enhance or ruin any eating experience. Hence why people, like me, tread carefully around it.

    The Scoville Scale indicates how hot a chilli or a pepper is based on the amount of capsaicin.

    The Hubris of Spice

    There is a reputation attached to being able to withstand spice. People who can eat spicy food without coughing up a lung are regarded as superhuman. Besides, being able to boast that you can handle more than a mild butter chicken is a big deal. In this day and age it’s a signal of strength. Of coolness (if you pardon the pun). It’s admirable.

    However, there is a difference between confidence and competence. This is where it tends to separate the winners from the losers.

    Me, for example, I know I’m not good with too much spice. A tickle at the back of the throat is enough for me. I know my limits. Others are up for more of a challenge. Spice is unpredictable and it can floor even the most seasoned of spice enthusiasts. It has a habit of bringing people back down to earth, typically in a hail of flames, whilst reaching for milk. It’s only here that you are reminded of your actual spice tolerance.

    I am aware being bad with spice also gives you a reputation, but I’m not phased.

    Respect the Spice

    It must be liberating to order whatever is on the menu without questioning it, asking if it’s “really hot?” or checking what you have on tomorrow before ingestion. At the crux of it, spice comes down to a bunch of factors, like personal preference, culture, and your own tolerance. Some are just better at handling the heat than others.

    It continues to amaze me how people can eat something incredibly spicy and not bat an eyelid. I have a huge respect for spice lovers, mainly because I’m awe struck.

    Spice continues to leave me with questions, but I haven’t gone off it. I’ll continue to dabble in the odd spicy crisp and hot menu item but always with caution and plenty of milk on the side.

    Are you a spice lover? Or do you give spice a miss? Got any favourite spicy foods? Leave me a comment below 🙂

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