Mrs. Magoo Reads

Pretty Little Liars: Season One

One year ago, Alison mysteriously disappeared, and her four best friends were left to wonder what happened.  Now, her dead body has turned up- but high schoolers Aria, Emily, Spencer, and Hanna have hardly found closure.  They have started to receive texts from an anonymous "A" who somehow knows all of their secrets.

The girls had grown apart after Alison's disappearance, since it seemed that the manipulative popular girl was the only thing holding them together.  As they search for the truth behind Alison's murder, "A" haunts them with their potentially life-ruining secrets, both old and new.

Pretty Little Liars seems silly at first, but is actually extremely addictive and surprisingly clever.  The audience is kept guessing and enthralled by the show's many mysteries, and every character is well-developed and relatable.  Each show usually ends on a scary and suspenseful note, with a twist thrown in to entice the viewer to come back for more.  After watching an episode, it's almost impossible not to return for the next one.

Teenage girls will most enjoy Pretty Little Liars, as they can best relate to the four main characters.  Aria, Emily, Spencer, and Hanna all have distinctive styles and are dressed extremely at all times.  While this might seem a little unrealistic, it keeps the show interesting when the plot slows down.

Although the show is based off of a book series, the TV show's plot strays away from that of the novels, so that even the books' readers won't know all the answers.

Young Adult

It all starts when Mavis opens an email.  Her ex-boyfriend, Buddy, from high school and his now wife have just had a baby.  Utterly disgusted by the thought of settling down or having a baby, Mavis decides to head back to her hometown to rescue and win back Buddy.

While there, she meets Matt, someone who queen bee Mavis never even noticed in high school.  Overweight and handicapped, Matt seems to be a confidant but not a real person to Mavis, who rarely considers anyone but herself.  Despite Matt's urging to leave Buddy be, Mavis comes quickly storming into his life with little regard for his wife or baby.

Young Adult is a hilarious comedy, but it is also dark.  Charlize Theron portrays Mavis perfectly, and the audience alternates between disliking her and feeling sorry for her.  Now in her thirties working as a writer, she is still stuck in high school, and has an entirely disproportionate sense of self.  Downing alcohol throughout the film, she describes her dying book series as "disgustingly popular" and remains convinced that Buddy wants to start a new life with her.

The saddet part of Young Adult may be that it conforms more to real life than Hollywood movie standards.  We don't see Mavis redeem or herself or have an epiphany; we only see her depicted as a real person, which makes the movie much more poignant.

Bridesmaids

Annie's best friend Lillian is about to get married, and Annie is thrilled to be her maid of honor.  The other bridesmaids, while quirky, don't seem threatening-- until Annie meets Helen.  Gorgeous, pro-active, and successful wherever Annie has failed, Helen irks Annie from the beginning.  Soon, Helen begins to take over the wedding planning, and eventually Lillian's friendship.

Bridesmaids is a hilarious movie that will appeal to women of all ages.  Although viewers sympathize with Annie, it's impossible to keep from laughing as her life completely unravels.  While the drama between Annie, Helen, and Lillian moves the plot along, the other bridesmaids are also a source of humorous characters and lines.

While Bridesmaids is clearly a comedy, viewers can also relate to Annie in a more serious way.  The maid of honor had started a bakery, but it recently went out of business.  We see that Annie has lost some of her spunk after watching her passion turn into a failure, and this translates into the way she handles the wedding planning and Helen.

Besides the more meaningful moments, I was laughing nonstop throughout the course of the entire movie.  Cleverly written and perfectly executed, Bridesmaids is a wonderful movie to go see with friends.

Buy this movie: Bridesmaids

Trauma Queen

Review by Mini Magoo

Also by this author: This Is Me From Now On

Marigold's mom is a performing artist, but not in an acrobatic, party-entertainment sort of way.  No, instead of contorting her body and eating flames, Marigold's mom wraps herself in Saran Wrap and titles the performance "Plastic Surgery".

But now Marigold and her mother are moving away.  Marigold is leaving her best friend, Emma, and crush, Matt, and survive an entirely new school in an entirely new neighborhood.  As soon as she gets there, the drama starts: she is suddenly expected to pick a side between two fighting girls.

What's more, Marigold is getting tired of having a mother who pitches a tent in the community park and reads Hamlet in the voices of the Simpsons.  Marigold is tired of her mother messing up her life, and their move to a new town had crossed the line.

That is, until her mom gets a job teaching theater--at Marigold's school.

Trauma Queen is a laugh-out-loud story about a girl and her mom who just don't understand each other.  The multitude of witty lines and idiosyncratic characters comprised a clever and funny read that will appeal to many 10 to 12 year olds.

Buy this book: Trauma Queen

The Fighter

Micky Ward, played by Mark Wahlberg, is struggling to make a name for himself as a boxer.  He has talent, but is being held back by the people that want him to succeed most of all: his brother (Christian Bale) and his mother (Melissa Leo).  His brother, Dicky, an ex-boxing champ and now a crack addict, is Micky's trainer.  The problem is, Dicky never shows up to training sessions on time- if at all- and sticks Micky in hopeless boxing matches.  Their mother, Alice, is Micky's manager, but so far has done nothing to further his career.

Then Micky begins dating Charlene (Amy Adams), and she urges him to take the necessary steps if he truly wants to succeed as a boxer.  When Dicky is thrown in jail, Micky- to the intense anger of his mother- hires a new trainer and a new manager.  What follows is a riveting boxing and family drama in which Micky must learn how to keep close everything he holds dear.

Christian Bale was absolutely fantastic as Dicky, and the way he played his character was very interesting to watch.  I thought Dicky's downward spiral, his constant living in the past, and the way his actions influenced the people around him some of the best parts of the movie.

I didn't particularly like the boxing scenes, but they help the movie appeal to a wider audience.  I would definitely recommend The Fighter to teens and adults.  The characters and acting were particularly strong, but I also loved the story itself.  The story progressed both hilariously and poignantly, and the ending ultimately wrapped up everything perfectly.  The Fighter is a must-see!

Buy this movie: The Fighter

Fallen Grace

Living in 19th century London, fifteen year old Grace and her sister Lily are at the bottom of the unforgiving social order.  Orphaned and living alone, they struggle to pay their rent and buy food, stopping just short of selling the shoes off their own feet.  The one thing they are determined to never due is join a workhouse.

Author Mary Hooper takes a while to set this scene, and although the pacing is slow, Victorian England is fascinating to read about.  Hooper also creates a very likable character in Grace, and the reader roots for her from beginning to end.

When things take a turn for the worse, Grace and Lily have no idea how they will survive the upcoming harsh English winter.  Desperate times call for desperate measures, so Grace and Lily follow a path that will forever change the course of their lives.

What follows is an enthralling tale involving a mysterious family legacy and an elaborate deceit.  Hooper weaves various plot elements throughout the novel that come together perfectly in a satisfying end.  Fallen Grace is historical fiction, and the setting of the novel serves as the perfect backdrop for a story that couldn't be told anywhere but London in the 1800's.

Fallen Grace is a perfect novel for middle school readers, who will enjoy their journey to the book's startling conclusion.  Many of the characters are a bit too one-sided for high schoolers, as they were all either good or bad with no grey area.  However, Grace will appeal greatly to younger girls, and the novel's antagonists generate both hatred but also amusement at their antics.

The first half of the book does drag on a bit, but the page-turning second half makes it well worth it.  Readers should pick up a copy of Fallen Grace, and look out for more from Mary Hooper!

Buy this book: Fallen Grace

Glee: Season One

One might not expect there to be much talent at an unremarkable Ohio high school, but talent- and lots of it- is exactly what Will Schuester finds when he decides to start a glee club at the school he teaches at.  As a result, every episode in season one of the extraordinarily popular TV show Glee features enjoyable music sung by the members of the glee club.

It soon becomes clear that the two members of glee club who will be receiving all the solos are Rachel and Finn.  Rachel is an unpopular, ugly-sweater wearing, ruthlessly ambitious girl whose sights are set right on Broadway.  Finn, on the other hand, is a football player risking his hard-earned reputation by singing in glee.  Other big singers include Mercedes and Kurt, who are both outcasts at school.

Rachel and Finn develop feelings for each other, and although Rachel would date Finn in a moment, it's not so simple.  Finn is dating popular cheerleader Quinn, who also joins glee club flanked by Brittany (the stereotypical dumb blond cheerleader who every so often delivers unwittingly hilarious one-liners) and Santana.  As if the Rachel-Finn-Quinn triangle isn't enough, drama rapidly ensues involving Quinn and Finn's best friend Puck.

However, the plot is not contained to only the teenagers.  Although Schuester is married (his wife is hilarious, and I wish she had gotten more air time!), he has undeniable feelings for the school counselor, Emma, who suffers from OCD.  And then, of course, my favorite character: Sue Sylvester, the seemingly heartless cheerleading coach who is determined to bring down glee club.

While all of this is going on, glee club prepares its numbers to compete in sectionals, regionals, and (possibly) beyond.

I absolutely loved the first season of Glee.  The musical numbers were diverse and original, and every single actor did well.  Every character started out strong, and although many continued to please (most notably Sue), some began to get on my nerves midway through the season.  Rachel is the most obviously annoying, as her character is written to be obnoxious, but after a while Mr. Schuester began to come across as corny and irritating.

Glee can be watched on a variety of levels: the music and jokes will be appreciated by a younger audience, but deeper issues and questions also surface on the show.  Glee is off to a strong start, and I'd recommend it to teens and adults of all ages.

Buy Glee: The Complete First Season

My Name is Memory

Everybody is reincarnated, often associating with the same souls throughout their different lives (a mother might be a sister in a future life), but most souls do not remember their past lives.  Daniel, however, is different.  He is one of the very few who can remember past lives.  And Daniel very well remembers Sophia, the girl he fell in love with over a thousand years ago.  In his current life, set in present day, Sophia's name is Lucy, but she unfortunately does not have the memory.

Throughout all of their lives, Sophia/Lucy and Daniel have always been torn apart.  Can they finally defy the centuries and be together in this life?  Or will another soul who also has the memory succeed in getting his long-awaited revenge against Daniel and Sophia/Lucy?

My Name is Memory is a romance novel, but my favorite parts were when Daniel described his past lives.  I was fascinated with the way Ann Brashares sculpted the reincarnation process, and the way in which souls travel from life to life.

While this is a thrilling and suspenseful novel that I enjoyed, the ending was a very disappointing one.  I'm hoping a sequel comes out soon to finish the story!  Overall, I would definitely recommend My Name is Memory as an intriguing and unique book.

Buy this book: My Name Is Memory

Revenge of the Geek

Review by Mini Magoo

*Revenge of the Geek is the sequel to Summer of the Geek. This review contains spoilers for Summer of the Geek.* 

Miranda goes to the Notting Hill School for Gifted and Talented Children, also known as Geek High.  Her boyfriend is in boarding school at Maine, but they Skype every night.  She and her stepsister, Hannah, have grown closer over the past year and have even become friends.  Her best friends, Charlie and Finn, are still her best friends, although Charlie (short for Charlotte) likes Finn- and Finn has a girlfriend already.

Meanwhile, Miranda befriends the new girl at Geek High, Nora.  They become close, but Miranda soon wonders why Nora acts like such a chameleon.  When she's with art-lover Charlie, Nora suddenly loves art; when with comedian Finn, Nora tells a lot of jokes; when with Miranda, Nora wears the same clothes, says the same things, goes to the same places, and even claims she has a long-distance boyfriend too!

Miranda is having a hard time believing Nora.  So when she's given a golden opportunity to find out what's up with her new friend, Miranda seizes the chance.

I literally could not put this book down.  It was exciting, funny, and I never knew what to expect!  Although Revenge of the Geek is a light read, it is still enjoyable and meaningful.  I would recommend this great novel to middle schoolers, and I'm looking forward to more from Piper Banks!

Buy this book: Revenge of the Geek

Burlesque

Ali (Christina Aguilera) has had enough of life in the slow lane.  She buys a one-way ticket to Los Angeles, and once there stumbles upon a burlesque club run by Tess, a no-nonsense woman played by Cher.  Ali immediately falls in love with the style of burlesque, and begs Tess to let her try out to be a dancer... and is promptly rejected.

As Ali vies for a chance to take the stage, she becomes close with the unfortunately engaged Jack (Cam Gigandet), and Tess struggles to keep the club running due to bad finances.  Ali's talent is undeniable, but once it is released, will it serve to help Tess save the club, or will it be too late?

Although all of the characters are well-developed and well-acted, Ali lacked likability.  Without ever facing any significant problems for an extended period of time, she continually makes selfish decisions while maintaining a façade of innocence.  She fortunately redeems herself in the end, but it seems that Aguilera focused on her musical numbers and didn't develop Ali's character beyond the words written for her.  Even if Aguilera had chosen to focus on it, Ali's relationship with Jack would have been unsalvageable for either actor as it was entirely unrealistic and unbelievable.

Burlesque's true strength lies in its music.  The dance numbers were fun and entertaining, and Aguilera's voice was absolutely stunning.  Although the movie will appeal to many teenage girls, if you can't catch a showing, I'd recommend listening to the album instead.  Ten tracks long, my favorites are Aguilera's "Show Me How You Burlesque" and Cher's "You Haven't Seen the Last of Me".

Buy the DVD
Buy the album