Enter John Ambrose

Late this last week, Netflix made the announcement of who would be playing John Ambrose McClaren in the second To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before movie. Spoiler: It isn’t the guy from the end of the last movie. How would it feel to be that guy? Geez. I wasn’t a huge fan of that guy’s look in the first place, but I still feel bad for him.

Anyway, John Ambrose will be played by…drumroll…Jordan Fisher!

So there we go. I’ve been a fan of Jordan Fisher since his Teen Beach Movie days, but especially after Grease Live. I’m actually super excited about this casting and I continue to be, as ever, #teamJohnAmbrose. We welcome any and all new recruits.

How do you guys feel about this casting announcement? Are there any other actors you had in mind for John Ambrose?

MOVIE TRAILER: The Sun is Also a Star

A lot of you may have already seen this, but the trailer for The Sun is Also a Star by Nicola Yoon dropped yesterday. You’ll have to tell me what you think since I haven’t actually read the book myself yet…

So….what do you guys think? Does it look like it’s going to be as good as the book (which I’ve only heard good things about)? Do you think they chose the right people to play the main characters? I, personally, love an Asian actor as the romantic male lead–I know that wasn’t really a casting decision since I think the character was written as Asian, but still.

And this is probably your last chance to purchase the book before the movie tie-in version is everywhere.

eBook | Hardcover | Paperback

Let me know what your reaction is in the comments!

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Everything wrong (and right) with the To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before movie [SPOILERS]

Does anyone else spend a ton of time on Buzzfeed or is it just me? One of the things I really enjoy is reading articles where someone is doing a stream of consciousness type review for a movie or TV show (usually the Bachelor/Bachelorette). So here’s my stream of consciousness review for the To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before movie–I’m literally typing this as I watch it. Prepare yourselves for lots of book vs movie comparisons and I guess there will probably be some spoilers for people who haven’t already watched the movie. Here we go!

• BEAUTIFUL opening scene and KITTY IS THE BEST.
• I don’t like that the girls are ragging on Dr Covey’s Korean food. From what I remember from the book, it’s not always terrible.
• Josh walking into the house with his shoes in his hand is pretty weird. Like, either he should have left them on the porch or taken them off inside.
• What Asian family eats that little rice with a meal?
• Margot is making this dinner supes awk questioning Josh about the plane ticket but once again, Kitty is the best.
• EWWWWW MARGOT GETTING INTO LARA JEAN’S BED WITH HER SHOES ON
• John Corbett is the perfect guy to play the Song girls’ dad. There is no one else.
• Why haven’t Lara Jean or Kitty called Margot “Gogo” yet? It’s such a cute nickname!
• LOL at Lara Jean’s awkward school picture smile.
• Okay, so I know they’re in Oregon, but Lara Jean’s wardrobe seems a little too Fall for the first day of school. She’d be way too warm!
• Gen doesn’t look as cliché popular girl as I would have imagined…and I don’t really get why she’s making fun of Lara Jean’s boots? They look super trendy to me… I will say that Lara Jean’s defense of “They’re vintage? But I got them on Etsy?” isn’t super helpful though.
• DISLIKE that they made Lara Jean’s kiss with Peter into a spin the bottle thing. That changes the WHOLE dynamic between her, Peter, and Gen imo.
• Josh is super awkward and stiff and I can’t tell if it’s the character or the actor.
• How is there popcorn all over the couch when the popcorn bowl looks like it’s been untouched? It’s the little things…
• KITTY IS THE BEST
• No, no, no, it erases an entire vindictive side of Kitty for her to be sending out the letters with good intentions. I want evil Kitty!
• For anyone who doesn’t recognize Jenny Han, she’s just looking like the world’s most awkward chaperone.
• I’m really digging this soundtrack.
• KITTY IS THE BEST!!!!!!
• These letters seem to be MUCH more cringeworthy than they were in the book.
• That fall out of her window would hurt SO BAD.
• This whole diner convo between Lara Jean and Peter is super stiff and awkward.
• There has to be a better time for Lara Jean to talk to Peter that’s NOT in the middle of Lacrosse practice.
• I am so glad that Peter is pointing out the weirdness of the “hand in back pocket” thing. No one does that anymore! It was weird when Jason Segel did it in Freaks and Geeks and it’s still weird–not romantic.
• It’s very distracting that every time we get a view of the contract, “Ski Trip” is written differently.
• LJ–solid nickname for Lara Jean. That should’ve been in the book for sure.
• Like I said, the hand in the back pocket is NOT cute.
• I’m so glad Dr Covey is less clueless in this movie than in the book. I cringed so hard when he thought Peter was taking Lara Jean to a birthday party in the book.
• No one’s hair looks that good coming straight out of a ponytail.
• Peter, what part of FAVORITE SCRUNCHIE do you not understand?
• Obviously at this point in the movie, Peter is starting to like Lara Jean but it still feels like it’s coming out of nowhere. This is another point that the book does a lot better.
• Josh is coming on super strong and way too intense right now. It makes it seem like he’s having a hard time getting his lines out and makes the scene hard to watch.
• Awkward sofa pillow fight.
• This conversation in Peter’s kitchen feels way more natural than any of their other conversations.
• Blatant Subway product placement.
• I don’t really see how Josh can shed any light on Lara Jean’s situation with Peter. Oh, surprise, he doesn’t. He literally just says, “I don’t know what to tell you.”
• Instagram posts weren’t in the contract, Peter. If you wanted that, then you should’ve included a social media clause.
• Chris rocks. She’s asking the question that we all want to ask male gynecologists. Also, she’s the best actor in this whole movie (besides John Corbett).
• Again, ballin’ soundtrack.
• Lucas is great too. There’s some really good secondary cast going on here.
• I’m not really understanding Lucas’ logic here, though. He kind of makes it sound like Peter’s liked her since the beginning (which isn’t true) and how does he make the leap to Peter waiting for her in the hot tub?
• Okay wait, but how is Lara Jean’s night gown now completely dry???
• *sigh* classic high school angst created by miscommunication (or refusal to communicate in this case).
• Josh is such a lurker. What is he doing slinking around the Covey’s house with his hood up?
• Yes Kitty, you ORDER that pizza, girl! Also, I would watch a whole movie of Kitty and Dr Covey playing chess.
• THIS MAKES NO SENSE. If Kitty really wanted Lara Jean to have a boyfriend, she wouldn’t have sent out the letter to Josh. An 11-year-old would recognize that couldn’t work and would only cause family drama. This is why we need vindictive Kitty back who sent the letters out for revenge. That makes so much more sense.
• Who exactly took that picture of sleeping Peter and Lara Jean for her phone background?
• Another reason the spin the bottle kiss was a bad change–it makes Gen way crazier than she is in the book. I mean, she’s crazy in the book, but in this movie I feel like she’s completely unhinged.
• The movie also makes Peter’s notes way more romantic than they were in the book.
• Lara Jean is making this whole thing so awkward. First, she makes Peter turn around and then she does the most awkward shoulder tap in all of history.
• There’s no reason for John Ambrose to be wearing his Model UN blazer here. But whatever, I’m die hard #TeamJohnAmbrose.

Okay, overall the movie was pretty good–probably especially if you haven’t already read the book. It’s a cute idea and kind of different from other teen rom coms coming out right now. However, I felt like most of the acting was about a 4/10 for me. Everything just felt so stiff and scripted. If you want to see teen conversations that actually feel real, just watch any episode of Friday Night Lights–that’s the real stuff.

But that’s just my opinion, what did you guys think of the TATBILB movie?

MOVIE TRAILER: To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before

It’s here!!!

What do you guys think about the trailer? Despite my initial reservations about some (one) casting decisions, I think this movie looks like it’s going to be great! I mean, I stand by my original post, but I’m excited for the movie despite that. I still think John Corbett is the best (and only) decision for Mr. Covey so I’m SUPER EXCITED for that.

To be honest though, I’m a little nervous about this movie because Netflix has gotten some serious backlash recently about certain shows/movies like 13 Reasons Why and The Kissing Booth (not making a comment on whether that backlash is deserved, just stating that it exists). I’m really, REALLY hoping that TABILB rises above all of that and is just a quality movie. The last thing I’ll say is that if that’s what John Ambrose McLaren is going to look like in future movies…I will be very upset (#TeamJohnAmbrose).

What were your guys’ initial thoughts after watching the trailer? Let me know in the comments!

MOVIE TRAILER: Crazy Rich Asians

I’m so happy this is going to be a movie! The books themselves are so outrageous that I bet this movie is going to be hilarious and outrageous as well. I love all of the Asian representation and I love seeing new (to me at least) Asian faces! I feel like a lot of the time, they get the same five Asian actors to do everything, but there are way too many characters in this movie for that to work.

What do you guys think? I love the fact that they’ve got Mateo from Superstore playing Oliver. IT’S SO PERFECT. I’ll admit though, it’s a little weird for me to hear Constance Wu without her accent from Fresh Off the Boat. Anyone else?

Who else has read this book? What did you think of the trailer? What is something you really hope makes it into the movie?

BOOK VS MOVIE | Ready Player One

Let me start off by saying that I fell in love with Ready Player One from the first time that I read it back in 2011. Then I read it again more recently in 2015 and thought that it still held up really well. Then I made my husband and brothers-in-law read it and they all liked it too.

Some time between my first and second read, it was announced that the book had been optioned for a movie–this was VERY exciting to me. But then years passed and nothing came of it until…something did. When they finally started casting, I was ecstatic and thought that almost all of the actors/actresses casted were perfect (with the exception of Art3mis). When they announced that Spielberg would be directing I thought, “OF COURSE. THIS IS PERFECT.” And then when the first teaser trailer came out, I swear I actually died and came back to life. Needless to say, this weekend when my husband and I went to go see the movie, my expectations were high. Very high.

Well…I liked the book better. But, that’s not to say that I didn’t like the movie too. To be honest, I almost always like the book better than the movie. A lot of the time, I feel like the movie changes or completely omits too many things and that makes me mad. Why did they have to change the story? The book was PERFECT and there was no reason to get rid of that character or change that plot point or whatever.

And then there’s Ready Player One. RPO changed quite a few things from the book while maintaining the overall storyline. Despite all of these changes, I still really enjoyed the movie! I actually understood why things were different from the book–to be honest, it just would not have been as interesting to watch as it was to read. Another big difference is that the movie is not so saturated with 80s pop culture. So if that’s what you love from the book, you’ll be disappointed. There are definitely some 80s references, but the movie also references more current pop culture things like Halo and Minecraft (which I actually think is reasonable considering the OASIS is set in the future where all of those things would exist). It’s just not quite so much of an homage to the 80s as the book is.

Overall, the movie was good–a little slower than I expected? But still good. Depending on why you like the book, you may or may not like the movie, but I would still recommend it.

Have you guys seen Ready Player One yet? What did you think? Let me know in the comments!

TRAILER: Ready Player One by Ernest Cline

I loved this book the first time I read it 6 years ago and it definitely held up when I reread it last year. I’ve recommended it to my husband and his brothers who have all loved it as well and I cannot tell you how PUMPED I am for this movie.

Warner Brother’s just released a featurette which may or may not have given me goosebumps:

Doesn’t it look AMAZING??? Here’s the original trailer too for anyone who hasn’t already seen it:

I’m usually pretty hesitant when my favorite books are made into movies, but I feel really good about this one. Just the fact that Spielberg is doing it (obviously) and it sounds like Cline was really involved with the process as well.

What do you guys think? Can the movie possibly live up to the book? Are you going to be at this movie opening weekend like me?

MOVIE: To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before Cast

I’m sure most of you are already aware, but a couple of days ago some casting decisions regarding the movie adaptation of To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before by Jenny Han were released. Here are my thoughts:

John Corbett as Lara Jean’s dad

I LOVE THIS CASTING DECISION. Seriously. I haven’t seen John Corbett in a ton of things, but he’s the perfect guy to play the well-meaning but a little lost dad of three half-Korean girls. I LOVE THIS.

Janel Parrish as Margot, Lana Condor as Lara Jean, Anna Cathcart as Kitty

I really like Janel as Margot. She seems the appropriate age and definitely has that older sister vibe.

Lana was the first casting decision I saw and at the time I thought, “Alright, she looks like she’d fit”. Now that I see her with the other two sisters, though, she looks way more Asian than they do. Like…she doesn’t look like she’s half-white while the other two do (and I would know, since I’m only half-Asian and have half-Asian siblings). I just feel like that’s going to bug me the whole movie, but we’ll see.

Anna looks like a suitable Kitty, which is a big relief. Kitty is probably THE MOST IMPORTANT CHARACTER and if they get her wrong, HEADS WILL ROLL.

Noah Centineo as Peter Kavinsky

Sure *shrugs*. This isn’t how I pictured Peter looking (for some reason I thought he had reddish hair?) but I can buy it.

Israel Broussard as Josh Sanderson

Pretty much the same reaction that I had for Peter. I guess he looks like the boy-next-door type, so I can buy it.

On a completely separate note, IMDB says that Will Smith is a producer? Random.

What do you guys think about the casting decisions for TABILB? Is there another actress/actor that you wish had been cast instead?

TRAILER: Wonder by R.J. Palacio

This trailer is a couple of weeks old now, but I haven’t seen many people posting about it. I read this book a couple years ago for one of my classes and I absolutely loved it. This is a book that I want all of my kids to read. The movie looks like it’s going to be amazing and it definitely has an all-star cast with some up-and-coming child actors who look like they know what they’re doing. Overall, I anticipate this movie being a MAJOR tearjerker.

What do you guys think? Have you read the book? Will you see the movie? Will you be bringing a pack of tissues with you like I will?

TRAILER: Everything, Everything by Nicola Yoon

I’m sure most have you have already seen the trailer, but I just watched it for the first time. The casting looks pretty perfect and it seems like things stay pretty true to the book. Maddy is such a spunky character and I hope that comes across in the movie (I LOVED her book reviews). Check out my review for the ARC of Everything, Everything here. And here’s the trailer if you haven’t seen it at this point:

What do you guys think? Is the movie going to live up to the book/reader expectations? Or is that impossible? How do you feel about the casting?