Ready Player One - Movie Review

I just got back from seeing Ready Player One and I have good and bad thoughts about it. Overall, I will tell you up front, that the movie is good and worth your money if you just want two-hours of fun.

For those of you that are not aware, Ready Player One is a novel by Ernest Cline that came out in 2011 from Random House Publishing. As a quick summary in 2045 the world is immersed with the virtual world of the OASIS and enthralled by the ultimate game the creator of the OASIS has made to provide the winner with complete control of the virtual world. Wade Watts and his clan, The High Five, race against time and the evil corporation I.O.I. to save the virtual world of the OASIS from capitalistic domination.

The book (to me) was very good. It was filled with many easter eggs for people who still have a memory (and perhaps some nostalgia) of the 80's boom in music, video games, comics and movies. At the time I read it, I was shocked that the author was even allowed to make references to all the works that he did. I mean, John Hughes’ movies and The Iron Giant references were pages apart from each other. And this book was not just a callback to the 80's. There was a real story there, and in my opinion, was worthy of the fanfare it had (in the past and even presently) received. So, I was more than excited that a movie was getting made. 

And the movie was getting made by no other than Steven Spielberg! What could go wrong?!

Well, the short answer is: A LOT! 

There were some glaring changes within the movie from the book that made anyone who was a fan of the book (or read the book before the movie) scratch their head in confusion. Some of the most drastic changes (without major spoilers) were:

1. i-r0k's character
2. Never mentioned or showed the schools
3. Wade's appearance 
4. Aech and Wade never got into an argument over A3rtemis 
5. The formation of the High Five
6. The challenges to get the Three Keys

That's just a few of the changes. Now, a lot of my criticism can be because I don't understand how or why stories change when they move from different mediums. I understand that a movie has less time for consumption so the adapted stories must do just that: adapt.  

I believe that a movie truer to the book could have been made if they expanded the film into two instead of one. This is a tricky move that is usually reserved for movies that was originally one film but too long per the studio’s request like Kill Bill (volume I & II), or the last film in a series split into two usually to extend the franchise like Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows but I believe the payoff would had been worth it.

What would that pay off had been?

Character development: A huge part of the book that I really enjoyed was the character development. Seeing Wade go through the trials and experience the conflicted emotions he felt about his aunt and neighbors (who he quite enjoyed) die in the Stacks explosion was  and a major driver for his character. Also, we had a chance to actually experience through him falling in love with Art3mis, and didn't feel like a plot device that it did in the movie. 

Greater audience engagement: The challenges in the movie were good, but compared to the book there was a feeling of lackluster behind it that bothered me somewhat. I definitely understand that they couldn't go through every challenge multiple times like they did in the book, and I also get the fact that the High Five had to come together quicker than in the book but the reasoning behind their formation was very weak. We know Art3mis' reasons for being a part of the "rebellion" but we are left to only assume that her reasons are mirrored by everyone else on her side as well.  

Discuss more sensitive subjects: All of the characters were played very well in my opinion. Lena Waithe being the stand-out to me and I was waiting for the "big reveal" between her and Wade... but it never came. Her character showed up at the right time and quickly revealed her identity and it had a heart-warming feel to it, but it really missed a chance to address some very prevalent and sensitive topics like being a woman in the gaming world. Or being a woman of color in the gaming world. Or being a queer woman of color in the gaming world. I was literally waiting for that scene because it was such a powerful scene in the book, and still a very much needed conversation that needs to be had in the gaming community.

Overall, regardless of my criticisms (which I have more than are listed here) I do think that this was great movie and would be enjoyed by the whole family. I also think that even people who read the book prior to the movie will still enjoy the film for its differences. Perhaps in the future, studios will take the chance (and spend the money) to tell a more complete story that is truer to the source material. 

If it's Not One Thing, It's Another

It seems like more and more, I'm coming on here to apologize for my absence. I've been working on my next short story, Mommy's Apple Pie, and in the duration of that venture I got a sinus infection that I'm still recovering from. Then to add some salt to an open wound, I got into an accident. My car is messed up. The other guy: his car got a dent. Luckily, no injuries! Anyway, my story is done. Now, I just need to have an e-book cover made and it's on to Amazon! Even though I got in this accident, I won't let it stop me from my dream! So Be It! So See To It!

Funny Authors

What I love about our modern age is that everyone has their own platforms. John Scalzi, author of Old Man's War, had a run in with some trolls and hilarity ensued!

I won't get political here, but c'mon... just... c'mon!

Updates and 808's

Blogsphere,
 I am so behind on updating this because much like the weeks prior, I have been busy to my eyeballs. However, this was more family oriented. Had a sick family member and most of my time was spent on the highway going back home. Good news is that my family is doing much better and I'm back at it with my writing.

 I had a short story idea that I had been working on for about two weeks and then out of nowhere I wrote myself into a corner. And yes, I had an outline! That incident aside, I still want to get a short story on Kindle before the end of next week so, I am taking a short story that I wrote as a sample before I began working with my editor and revising it. After some much needed edits, a revision and a review by my editor, I'll upload the story and will post a link here.

Also, the reason for the title of this post: I've been listening to a lot of Kanye recently. Heartbreaks and 808's and The Life of Pablo.

Anyway, I hope anyone reading this has a good day, and as always--

Keep Writing!

Busy Week

I've neglected my blog for a few days but I swear it was not on purpose. Where to start? First, my dog got sick (he's all good now)! Then I was working on the second draft of my short story, The Voice, and then just life.

So, what are the next plans?

That's actually what I'm trying to decide right now. My options are: Write another short story (will most likely be my choice), go into read and research mode for the next month or so, or start making the outlines of the novels/stories I want to write.

While I'm doing one of the above tasks, I will most likely update you all on the novels or short story collections I am reading, and share some of the blog posts from blogs that I like to read.

Until then,
 Keep Writing!

A New Beginning

Hello and welcome to my blog! This is a new start for me. I had a previous blog that I decided to quit. Well, actually, I just wasn't as dedicated. I was in the middle of finishing my first novel, The Son of Eden, and I just wanted all of my energy focused on that endeavor. Now, that book has been completed and I am currently on the quest to find representation for my work and actually pave a way for myself in the field of storytelling.

So, what can you expect from this blog?

Well, I'd say a lot. This entire experience is new to me. I've always wanted to be a writer but my life plans took a detour for about 13+ years. Suddenly, two years ago, I decided to pick up the pen again. I'm learning how to write, again. Coming up with a story is easy for me. I see all the characters, the setting and the ending, very quickly, but sitting down and actually creating a story full of life from start to finish is a completely new beast for me! I'll also be writing a lot about my experience querying and trying to find representation.

Also, a goal of mine is to "always write", so expect to see updates (excerpts, pictures, etc) about any short stories I may be working on at the time.

Lastly, even though I'm on this journey, I'm still (much like you) inundated with everyday life so, I will also use this space to talk about anything and everything that happens to cross my mind at the time!

Welcome!