rebekah writes stuff.

Tag: writing

  • I watched The Super Mario Galaxy Movie, so you don’t have to

    I watched The Super Mario Galaxy Movie, so you don’t have to

    When The Super Mario Galaxy Movie was teased in September 2025, I was beyond excited. As someone who loves the Super Mario Galaxy games, I couldn’t wait.

    After enjoying The Super Mario Bros. Movie, I had high hopes that The Super Mario Galaxy Movie would be just as good.

    However, I was slightly apprehensive when it came time to actually watch the film. In the lead-up to the movie’s release, extended trailers came out showing more characters and scenes that made me think, ‘Oh dear, I hope this doesn’t suck.’

    Well, I watched the movie and I must say I was disappointed. The film started off strong, with foundations for a good story, but was quickly de-railed.

    *spoilers start now*

    What’s the plot?

    Unlike Super Mario Bros., Mario is the protagonist of the Super Mario Galaxy games. After Princess Peach is kidnapped by the evil Bowser, Mario sets off collecting powerstars and fighting foes, all to defeat Bowser and rescue Peach.

    However, in this case, Mario wasn’t even the star of his own movie. Instead, the red plumber’s screen time was overshadowed by Princess Peach, and his array of co-stars, some of which felt very random, like Fox McCloud. I’m sure moviegoers were excited to see Fox, but I think he served as a reference, rather than a plot device.

    Speaking of plot, it was all over the place. So much was happening and yet nothing was happening.

    For context, Rosalina – powerful mother of the stars – is kidnapped by Bowser Jr. and rendered useless for the remainder of the film. What a waste, by the way!

    Rather than Mario and her stars (the lumas) going on a quest to rescue Rosalina, they seek help from Peach. She and Toad go on a wild goose chase around the galaxy. The main plotline is turned into a side quest for Princess Peach to rescue and reconnect with her long lost sister…

    Yes, Rosalina and Peach are now sisters. Guys, I’m getting Mufasa flashbacks.

    Meanwhile in the Mushroom Kingdom, Mario and Luigi, and gang, feel like spare parts. They eventually get involved in Bowser Jr.’s plans and help defeat the evil koopas, but in the end, it’s sisterhood that breaks the curse, and thaws Ana’s frozen heart.

    I mean, it’s Peach who frees Rosalina, and the cosmos is saved.

    What should’ve happened.

    If it was me in the writer’s seat, this is what I would’ve done:

    The evil Bowser Jr. is stealing stars from planets in the galaxy. He wants to rescue his father, Bowser. Meanwhile, everyone in the Mushroom Kingdom is enjoying Princess Peach’s birthday celebrations.

    BOOM. Bowser Jr. attacks the Mushroom Kingdom, kidnapping Peach and rescuing the imprisoned Bowser. Mario and the gang must rescue Peach and save the galaxy.

    Enter Rosalina – who is wary of Bowser Jr. She helps Mario and the gang. Aboard the Comet Observatory, they venture in search of say, 2 or 3 Powerstars, in order to have enough energy to travel to Bowser’s lair at the far end of the galaxy. One of Rosalina’s lumas helps Mario by giving him cosmic powers. Along the way, we meet some characters from the Super Mario Galaxy games.

    The gang help defeat Bowser Jr, as Mario defeats Bowser. The galaxy is saved and Peach is rescued.

    Bowser: King of the Wimps

    Oh and another thing – we need to talk about Bowser’s character arc.

    Bowser is the Mario-loathing, galaxy-conquering antagonist, and he’s been beefing with Mario since 1985.

    So when you portray that evil king as having a sudden change of heart, and questioning his own dastardly ways, we have a problem.

    Having been defeated in The Super Mario Bros. Movie, Bowser is imprisoned and sentenced to live the rest of his days in a tiny body. But when Mario makes him big again, instead of admitting it’s all been a ruse and escaping, Bowser doubles down and insists that he is a changed koopa.

    Well, that is before being reunited with his evil son and returning to his evil ways, as quick as you can say ‘flying blue shell’.

    I didn’t buy the emotional pathos for a second. Instead, Bowser should’ve convinced Mario to make him big Bowser again, tricked him and reunited with Bowser Jr.

    This could’ve been a great movie

    I think there is the temptation with films with a massive fanbase, like Super Mario Bros., to want to include everything. This made for an insanely fast paced film. By shoehorning in characters that felt completely out of place, and taking us to different universes that didn’t add anything to the plot, it made for a weak story. It didn’t do justice to the Super Mario Galaxy games.

    Most importantly, if the writers had’ve stuck to one singular quest which rang true to the source material, then this could’ve been a great follow up film.

  • 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.

  • Write the damn book

    Write the damn book

    Folks, if you need a wake up call, I’ll give you one right now.

    It really helped me, so I’m going to share it with you too.

    Your book will not write itself (unless you’re getting ChatGPT to do it).

    There will also never be a right time to get started or get back to it. You can put it off all you like and make excuses, but your book isn’t going to get any longer, refined or finished if you do that.

    How do I know this? Well, because that’s what I was doing. I was waiting for the right time. I was procrastinating. Why? Because I didn’t know where to start. It felt like I was standing at the bottom of Everest, looking up and thinking “this is going to be a huge task.”

    Photo by Pixabay on Pexels.com

    And I’m not wrong – writing a book is a huge task! It’s possible – but not without a bit of elbow grease.

    It’s very easy to get wrapped up in thinking:“but where do I start? I don’t have time. There’s so much to do.”

    If you’re in a similar place, where your book is gathering cobwebs in the corner, or your project hasn’t been updated in a while, or you don’t know where to start, here is my advice:

    Take action. Just start, and do a little at a time.

    I took action and I’m back working on my book – and you should too.

    Remember: this is your dream, your goal!

    You’ve got to take action because the hard truth is … it’s up to you. Unless you have a ghostwriter, the person who is going to write the book has got to be you.

    But how?, I hear you ask. Well, how do you eat an elephant? One bite at a time. What does that mean?

    Photo by RENATO CONTI on Pexels.com

    It means just start.

    Just put one foot in front of the other. Write down the ideas for your new book. Set aside time to work on it. Pick up where you left off, whether that was a month or six years ago. Tell your family or friends that you are working on your book and have them hold you accountable. Remember, you don’t have to do this alone!

    Slowly and surely you will get to where you want to be – and your future self will thank you.

    Now, go! Isn’t there a book you’re supposed to be writing??

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  • In conversation with: Lucy Lou

    In conversation with: Lucy Lou

    On the surface, lyric writing and creative writing might appear to share similarities. In other aspects of the writing process, however, they couldn’t be any more different, as I learnt today from my interview with Indie pop artist Lucy Lou.

    Scroll down for Lucy’s new single & full list of socials!

    Inspiration

    We began by talking about Lucy’s song-writing background. She started writing in 2017, when she joined a music school known as the “School of Rock”, except this one didn’t have Jack Black. Lucy said that she had to explore writing original songs and that “up until now I’ve been writing my own music.”

    I then asked where she finds inspiration for writing a song:

    “It just depends really … I think the best songs come from things you’ve experienced.”

    Lucy also invents her own stories, or thinks of a scenario, or a an event which has happened in real life, and romanticises/dramatises it.

    What about those ‘a-ha!’ moments? I asked if Lucy had ever thought I have to write a song about this, to which she said “definitely. If I’ve been on a night out and something happens to me, or I’m really struggling with my mental health, or something, that’s when I’ll be like I need to express this in a way other than journalling.”

    Writing

    With an idea in mind, Lucy told me she prefers to go straight to her guitar, and pen and paper. Here the music brainstorm begins. It can be as simple as one lyric that really sticks, Lucy told me; “then I build the whole song around that one lyric.”

    Timing wise, Lucy said she can write a song in a day, or it can take up to a week. On the topic of process, and if she has a step-by-step formula for song-writing, Lucy said she enjoys writing songs from the start.

    “The verse is where you introduce what the song is about … laying the foundations for what’s going to come next.” However, she noted it depends: “Sometimes if you write a solid chorus first, it can be the anchor for the song. The chorus is probably the most important part of the song, it’s the thing that people remember, it’s the catchy part.” And the all important bridge, she told me, is an opportunity to “go out of the box, compared to the rest of the song.”

    A lot of great songwriters that Lucy admires are poets themselves, and she believes that having a background in poetry, english and creative writing is a good skill to have in song writing:

    “I love songs when I have to sit down and figure out what the writer is trying to say … versus you just telling the story – it’s that show, don’t tell thing. You want to leave some room for exploring the lyrics and the deeper meaning of them.”

    And what happens when the flow state is interrupted by writer’s block? Lucy said that she tackles this in two ways. Firstly, by taking a break: “if it’s not going anywhere, it’s not going anywhere.” And, secondly, by trying to stay in the creative state. This might look like trying to write a chorus, even if it’s difficult, or thinking of an idea.

    Music

    At some point, the song must be introduced when songwriting, and Lucy said she writes this first: “I typically would write my lyrics second, so I always write the music first, because chord progressions allude to the emotions of the song.”

    This is a fair point. As Lucy said, sad songs and hopeful songs have different chords. Similarly with certain genres and their tropes, all songs have their own list of ingredients. However, she said that she is trying to write lyrics first now, adding, “with music it’s different, because it needs to flow rhythmically”.

    The editing phase in songwriting is also markedly different to book writing. “Demo stage is the draft stage,” which Lucy told me is essentially the idea of what an artist wants the song to sound like. Production day is when she might rethink structure or the lyrics: “working with a producer is a great opportunity for two creative people to work together.” She notes how working with someone else, and seeing how others write, is all beneficial to the end product.

    Stream Lucy Lou on Spotify

    Lucy is currently working on an EP (Extended Play), which you could consider as a selection of short stories. She said they are upbeat heartbreak songs that listeners can boogie to, adding “no tears will be shed at Lucy Lou’s concerts”.

    As a final word of advice for beginners to the music industry, Lucy said “do it for yourself. This is your music at the end of the day.”, and that you need to remember your why.

    Lucy’s latest Single Last Summer is now available to stream on Spotify. Follow Lucy Lou on Instagram @its_lucy_lou and Tik Tok @itslucylou for updates!

  • When Will the Live Action Remakes Stop?

    When Will the Live Action Remakes Stop?

    When I saw the trailer for the How to Train Your Dragon Live Action film, I was shaking. That’s it, I thought to myself, NOW that’s the final straw.

    What is the appeal of Live Action?

    The expression ‘if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it’ springs to mind when I think about the relentless onslaught of Live Action remakes being released. Where perfectly good animated films are being given the Live Action treatment and are then spat out into theatres. These films rely on people’s nostalgia and the awe-factor of CGI.

    Someone please answer this for me. What does making all these perfectly good stand-alone films into Live Action do for the world? What is to be gained?

    Below are a couple of movies currently in production and it’s fair to say that reviews are … mixed.

    Lilo & Stitch Live Action

    Lilo & Stitch Live Action is set to release in 2025. Did anybody actually want this? Serious question.

    I just don’t understand how we got here. What was deemed so bad about the original that they felt a Live Action would somehow improve it?

    Also exasperated at the influx of soulless Live Action Remakes is writer Keith Pinney Brown. In his May 2024 article, he had this to say about why movie studios turn away from beloved animation, to Live Action remakes:

    Anything in this style is seen as a “cartoon” or a “kid’s show,” and adults turn up their noses. Live action remakes serve to fuel this perception. They attempt to improve classic films with the use of live actors and CGI …

    I can tell you for free that CGI does not turn everything to gold. And as far as relying on popular films of the past goes, again, is Hollywood’s imagination department really that skint?

    How to Train Your Dragon Live Action

    I just … It’s just the same movie again but in a different texture pack.

    Live Action Remakes are not exclusively Disney’s doing – DreamWorks is also on the bandwagon. I ask the studio: what is the point? Seriously, what is the point?? What does this add to the movie that it didn’t have before? And don’t you dare say say real people. Having human actors in a movie does not automatically make it better. Plus Toothless just looks the same, oh god I can’t.

    How To Train Your Dragon is up there in my top movies. It’s a brilliant story and the animation is fantastic. Why do this?

    Live Actions remakes are full steam ahead

    Just take a look at the list of live actions on the way – and this is just Disney.

    Everyone knows my thoughts on Mufasa, but just look at the sheer quantity of films. Clearly movie studios have no intention of halting their Live Action productions.

    What are your thoughts on Live Action remakes? Let me know in the comments below!

    Also @rebekah_writes_stuff is on insta, so definitely give a follow to keep up to date 🙂