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Have you entered the STACKS Blast Sweepstakes? Every month is a chance to win a different prize. For July, we are offering you a chance to win a free Soul Surfer DVD (rated PG)! But, here's the thing. You can ONLY enter if you subscribe to the STACKS Blast Newsletter.
The STACKS Blast is our free monthly e-mail newsletter. You give us your e-mail address and an e-mail address for one of your parents, and once a month (usually around the 15th), we give you a newsletter full of games, videos, celeb news, books, message board happenings, and a sweepstakes you can enter. First, you sign up for the newsletter. Then you wait until July 15 when Hooray! the STACKS Blast will arrive in your e-mail inbox. Inside, you'll see a special section for the STACKS Giveaway. That's where you enter to win the Soul Surfer DVD.
While you're waiting for your newsletter to arrive, you can check out this trailer for the Soul Surfer movie.
Wow! How time flies! It feels like just yesterday I was reading My Perfect Hunger Games Movie Cast post by Jack L. and was thinking how perfect Ellen Page would be as Katniss in The Hunger Games film. Man, how far off I was.
Three years have gone by since the release of The Hunger Games book (for ages 12 and up) by Suzanne Collins, and Lionsgate is now officially casting the film! Here's an overview of the cast so far.
The Oscar-nominated 20-year-old, Jennifer Lawrence, will be starring as the main character, Katniss Everdeen. Even though there have been some skeptics (including myself) about Lawrence because she is older than Katniss, after seeing the most recent Entertainment Weekly magazine cover with Lawrence in costume as Katniss, I'm curious and excited to see what she will bring to the role.
Peeta Mellark, Katniss's counterpart from District 12, will be played by Josh Hutcherson, whom you might know from Cirque du Freak: The Vampire's Assistant (rated PG-13). I thought this was an interesting choice since I always pictured Peeta as a small blond boy; though I'm sure with the magic of makeup, hair dye, and stylists, Hutcherson will become the perfect Peeta. What do you think?
Taking on the role of Gale Hawthorne, Katniss's best friend from District 12, is an Australian actor, Liam Hemsworth, who is best known for his role alongside Miley Cyrus in The Last Song (rated PG). I must admit I'm not too familiar with this actor, but I trust the casting director that Hemsworth was the best choice. Do you agree?
It is less than three months until the final Harry Potter movie comes out on July 15. Obviously, here at the STACKS, we are super-excited so I have a new Trivia Quiz today based on all the Harry Potter movies. I know you know the Harry Potter books, but how well do you know the movies? Let's find out. . .
James and Oliver Phelps are twins in real life and play the Weasley twins. What is their natural hair color?
The actor who plays Mad-Eye Moody has a son in real life who also has a role in the Harry Potter movies. Which character does his son play?
Originally, the director was going to leave Kreacher out of The Order of the Phoenix movie. Why did he change his mind and include him?
The original actor who played Dumbledore died after making The Chamber of Secrets movie. What was his name?
True or False: The actress who plays Ginny (Bonnie Wright) was 9 3/4 years old when she filmed her first scene on Platform 9 3/4.
True or False: The actor who plays Draco (Tom Felton) originally auditioned for the role of Harry Potter.
What is the only souvenir Daniel Radcliffe wanted from the set of the movies?
True or False: The actor who plays Ron (Rupert Grint) wears a fat suit in the final scene of Deathly Hallows Part 2 when we see the characters as grown-up adults.
What was the most embarrassing part of filming Deathly Hallows for Emma Watson?
The actor who plays Lupin (David Thewliss) first auditioned and was turned down for which part in The Sorcerer's Stone movie?
The answers to all of the questions can be found in the various Harry Potter cast interviews that we've posted here over the years. You may have to dig pretty deep into the archives, but I promise all the answers are there!
Q: What was it like on the last day, knowing it was the last time you would film with the Harry Potter ensemble? Robbie Coltrane: I was terribly, terribly upset, actually. And if we're all honest, we all were. It was very, very sad. David Barron: We filmed a very simple scene. The three of them, Dan, Rupert and Emma jumping onto a green screen bag for an element where they jumped into the fireplace in the ministry of magic in Part 1. And we deliberately kept it simple and non-involved, not a big dramatic scene, because it wouldn't be fair for them to do that.
Q: Besides your character, who is the most interesting character in the movies? Robbie Coltrane: I think the "baddies" really. I like baddies. I like wondering what horrible things they're going to come up next. I find that very exciting, I have to say. Helen McCrory: Yeah, Voldemort, [played by Ralph Fiennes], is extraordinary, and I remember the first scene that we're all sitting in Malfoy Manor, down the long, long table. Ralph starts, and you suddenly realize at the end of the speech when [the director] hasn't called cut and Ralph is still improvising and walking around the table. And you go, "Alright, that's why he's playing Voldemort." He's superbly good, and that sort of piercing quality he has comes across in the character. So, I think Voldemort is entrancing. Evanna Lynch: Snape isn't really given enough credit, because he holds so much inside himself. Most people go around, they have people they speak to, people who love them, and I think with Snape, no one loves Snape. (laughs) It's true, though! Everyone's kind of intimidated by him. Even Dumbledore, he admires him and he kept Snape there, but Snape's just living for himself and he's living for Lilly, and you find out about that, and it's really sad. I just think he's a really amazing character.
Q: What do you think Hagrid's influence was on Harry? Robbie Coltrane: Oh, blimey. . . Well, I think Hagrid was terribly, terribly honored to be looking after the boy, the golden boy. So I think Hagrid really liked that. Hagrid knew all sorts of strange things about the dark forest that other people didn't know, but he wasn't exactly the brightest knife in the drawer-- let's be honest, but
The DVD for the 7th Harry Potter movie, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1 (rated PG-13), is coming out on April 15, and we have a brand new interview from a press conference with a bunch of Harry Potter-type people, actors and crew from the movie. Get yourself a snack and settle in because it's a nice LOOONG interview. Not only that, but this is just the first half of it! I'll give you Part 2 soon! So to begin, here is a cheat sheet of all the people you are about to hear from. Enjoy!
David Heyman (Producer)
Michael Gambon (Dumbledore)
Mark Williams (Arthur Weasley)
James and Oliver Phelps (Fred and George Weasley)
Domhnall Gleeson (Bill Weasley)
Bonnie Wright (Ginny Weasley)
Q: What were your feelings on set knowing this would be the last time you would all gather together as an ensemble? David Heyman: The last day of shooting was a really emotional day and there were lots of tears shed. And at the end, everybody was balling. We were all blubbering messes. For me it was very sad because we have become a family. New members come and the family grows. So it's really sad. We aren't coming back and doing this again. At the same time, after 14 years, I'm really excited to be doing something else and looking forward to new adventures.
Q: For the Weasleys, can you talk a little bit about becoming a family on screen? James Phelps: I know it's really a cliché and everyone may think we're told to say it, but we do feel like a family when we're shooting. When we're shooting in the Burrows especially. It is really such a big laugh. We just have such a good time. When we're doing night shoots, and normally night shoots are not the most fun thing to do, but we just had such a laugh. And it's been like that through the whole ten years. We're very lucky to have been such a cool knit group of people. Other members of the cast are maybe a bit jealous that. . . Mark Williams: We spent a lot of time together. A great deal of time together. It was so funny when they were little, like when Bonnie [who plays Ginny] arrived and she was just bouncing off the walls. I don't know if you remember it. As a sort of acting parent, as a pretend parent, it's been a lot of fun. By the end of it, I think I was the only father left alive, wasn't I?
Q: For those of you with relatives in the film, what was that like working with your siblings and father. Oliver Phelps: It is pretty cool, especially the first day of filming, I was very nervous, so to have my brother there was quite nice, 'cause you could at least talk to somebody. And it's just grown more and more from that. And it's nice to share this with a family member. Domhnall Gleeson: It was lovely. Everyone was so welcoming. I arrived for the 2nd to last film, and it was like being welcomed into a family. And I had worked with my dad before [Brendan Gleeson, who plays Mad-Eye Moody], but it just makes it extra fun. It's just such an amazing place to be, the sets are incredible, everybody's really, really nice, and then to be able to share that with a family member is great, and to announce his death in the film is also really sweet.
Q: Can you comment on this epic battle at Hogwarts, what that was actually like to be a part of? James Phelps: It was just fantastic, especially because, for example, the Great Hall, we've been in that set fo
What do you think of when you think of school? Popularity? Cliques? Bullies? Looking forward to the end of the school day? Well, duh! But what if for just a moment you could hope for school to be more than a popularity contest, a clique-fest, and a place where bullying occurred? What if it were a place where the non-popular groups gained control, where diversity reigned, and where your voice could be heard by not only the other students, but also by the school faculty?
Get ready to find a school like this because in the book and the new Disney movie, Lemonade Mouth, school is about banding together, fighting for what you believe in, and more!
Here's a sneak peek at just a few of the eclectic and interesting characters you'll get to meet (with quotes from the book by Mark Peter Hughes).
Stella aka Sista Stella: "Just because I knew I'd destroyed my chance I had of fitting in, didn't mean I'd changed my mind about taking action."
Charlie: "But I'm terrible at writing. It takes me forever to get my thoughts organized. And I'm never sure how to begin either. So I guess I'll just keep typing."
Mohini aka Mo: "As the only Indian person in the whole school, sometimes I feel I stand out like a nigella seed in mayonnaise."
Wen: "I figured if I emulated the coolest, after a while everybody would assume I was cool too."
Olivia: "Let me start off by saying that I don't believe in accidents. I'd hate to think that whatever happens is simply the inadvertent outcome of a series of random events with no preordained purpose."
Though I couldn't really compare myself with any one character, I did find that I was able to see a little myself in each one; from Stella's opinionated personality to Olivia's shy demeanor to Charlie's unorganized thoughts. Each character's personality contained a bit of me.
And what about the actors in the Lemonade Mouth movie? Well, we've got a quote from one of them too. Read on. . .
Bridgit Mendler compares her Lemonade Mouth character to Teddy in Good Luck Charlie. Bridgit: My character is Olivia, the singer-songwriter for the band. She's a shy girl before she meets all of these people. Teddy is more outgoing, she has lots of friends and she's comfortable in who she is. They're pretty different. I think both are kind of mature characters though.
The Disney Channel movie premieres on Friday, April 15. What do you think? Will you be watching it? Let us know in the Comments.
— Carly M., Ink Splot 26 Blogger
Bridgit Mendler Interview by Gerri Miller Photos courtesy of Disney Channel
One of the fantastic perks of working for Scholastic is that sometimes when a new movie comes out, I get to see an advance screening of that movie. The studios, like 20th Century Fox, have a preview of the movie for "media" in a screening room somewhere in New York or LA. So I pile into a tiny theater with other members of the media - like other web, magazine, or TV writers - and we get to watch the movie before it hits theaters.
In February, I got to see an advance screening of (drumroll please) Diary of a Wimpy Kid 2: Rodrick Rules (rated PG)! A full month before it would come out in theaters! And after being a fan of the books series, and looooving the first movie, I have to tell you I was psyched.
In Rodrick Rules, much like the book it follows, Greg and his tormenting older brother Rodrick are forced to get along by their mother. She devises a system of awarding them "mom bucks" for each hour of quality time they spend together. Of course Rodrick loves making Greg's life miserable, so we know there's gonna be problems.
When their parents leave them at home alone overnight, Rodrick throws a party, and locks Greg in the basement. But after Greg gets free, they end up actually having a good time together and bonding. Until Greg is forced to tell his mom what happened, and Rodrick finds out.
Along the way, there are tons of hilarious moments. It was especially fun to see the drawings from the book come to life. Like when Greg sat on a candy bar on the way to church, and was forced to go into church with "poop" on his pants. Or when Greg gets stuck in the ladies room at grampa's retirement home, and is mistaken for a Peeping Tom.
And one of my LOL moments came when Greg and Rodrick landed in a dumpster outside a convenience store. I won't tell you what happens. . . but I will tell you it involves a rat.
I can't decide if I liked Rodrick Rules or the first movie better. I'm still on the fence. But overall, I was pleasantly surprised by the sweet story of brotherly love. The movie definitely played on that more than in the book. And I laughed my pants off at the torture it involved! And like in the movies, everything always turns out all right.
What do you guys think? Are you Wimpy Kid fans? Have you read the interviews with the actors here last week? Will you see the movie? Drop a line and let me know in the Comments.
And for more Wimpy Kid coverage, check out this report from the Scholastic Kids Press Corps. One of their lucky reporters even got to attend a publicity event for the movie and chat with author Jeff Kinney!
Good new for Diary of a Wimpy Kid fans! The second movie, Rodrick Rules (rated PG) is almost here! It's coming to theaters on March 25 - that's next Friday!! To get you psyched, today we have interviews with the actors who play Rowley, Greg, and Rodrick, so you can find out all about their real life quirks, pranks on the set, and other hilarious escapades in their lives. AND, be sure to check back here next Friday because Scholastic writer, Ratha, has already seen an advance screening of the Rodrick Rules movie, and she will be giving us her review.
First up is Robert Capron who plays Rowley.
Q: Describe Rowley. Robert: Rowley is a very caring person. He's who every person would want to be friends with. He really cares about people and he's really nice, but he can be naïve. He can be kind of dumb sometimes, but everybody likes him and he's a really good person. I would be a friend of his.
Q: You and Zach play best friends in the film. How did you establish a friendship? Robert: Well, Zach and I really got to become very good friends because when we were in Vancouver there was so much stuff to do. Neither of us had been there before. So we went to this mountain called Grouse Mountain and we went on this suspension bridge called the Capilano Suspension Bridge, and it was very, very fun. We got a very good bond over the course of filming the first movie. We got to know each other really well, and when we had to do, in the first movie, the scene where I get mad at him and I tell him I don't want to be friends anymore, it was kind of tough because it was like saying "I don't want to be friends" to Zach.
Q: Your mom played your mom in the movie? Robert: Yes. That was really, really cool. My mom did play my mom. When we were filming, it was really funny because my mom, when she was in high school she used to be like a choreographer, so that's why she got cast. It was really, really funny because we had to do like the weirdest dance, and it was really awkward to have to do this stuff with your mom in the outfits we were wearing. And when we watched it, we were like shocked. [Laughter]
Q: Did you read the Wimpy Kid books before you were cast? Robert: Yes, and I have a very funny story about that. I was sleeping over at my best friend's house and I'm an early bird. I can't sleep any later than like 6:30am. So I was up and I was bored out of my mind. I mean my best friend is right next to me and he's just snoring, and I've got nothing to do. I almost felt like jumping on him and saying, "Wake up!" Well, on his book shelf there was the first Diary of a Wimpy Kid book, and I thought, "I heard this book was good. I might as well read it." And I loved it. I finished the book before my friend got up, and I really, really enjoyed it. Now that I think back on it, who knew that I would end up being in the movie? It's like, "Whoa."
Q: Now when you read a book, do you think, "Hmm I might like to play this character"? Robert: This could never happen �
What do you think of when you think of school? Popularity? Cliques? Bullies? Looking forward to the end of the school day? Well, duh! But what if for just a moment you could hope for school to be more than a popularity contest, a clique-fest, and a place where bullying occurred? What if it were a place where the non-popular groups gained control, where diversity reigned, and where your voice could be heard by not only the other students, but also by the school faculty?
Get ready to find a school like this because in the book and the new Disney movie, Lemonade Mouth, school is about banding together, fighting for what you believe in, and more!
Here's a sneak peek at just a few of the eclectic and interesting characters you'll get to meet (with quotes from the book by Mark Peter Hughes).
Stella aka Sista Stella: "Just because I knew I'd destroyed my chance I had of fitting in, didn't mean I'd changed my mind about taking action."
Charlie: "But I'm terrible at writing. It takes me forever to get my thoughts organized. And I'm never sure how to begin either. So I guess I'll just keep typing."
Mohini aka Mo: "As the only Indian person in the whole school, sometimes I feel I stand out like a nigella seed in mayonnaise."
Wen: "I figured if I emulated the coolest, after a while everybody would assume I was cool too."
Olivia: "Let me start off by saying that I don't believe in accidents. I'd hate to think that whatever happens is simply the inadvertent outcome of a series of random events with no preordained purpose."
Though I couldn't really compare myself with any one character, I did find that I was able to see a little myself in each one; from Stella's opinionated personality to Olivia's shy demeanor to Charlie's unorganized thoughts. Each character's personality contained a bit of me.
And what about the actors in the Lemonade Mouth movie? Well, we've got quotes from them too. Read on. . .
Bridgit Mendler compares her Lemonade Mouth character to Teddy in Good Luck Charlie. Bridgit: My character is Olivia, the singer-songwriter for the band. She's a shy girl before she meets all of these people. Teddy is more outgoing, she has lots of friends and she's comfortable in who she is. They're pretty different. I think both are kind of mature characters though.
— Carly M., Ink Splot 26 Blogger
Interviews by Gerri Miller Photos courtesy of Disney Channel
"O Romeo, Romeo! Wherefore art thou Romeo?" You guys may have heard of this line. It's a line from the famous William Shakespeare play Romeo and Juliet, and maybe even one of the most famous lines in literature! I think I was in 10th grade when I first read Romeo and Juliet. Once I got past the old English style of writing (lots of thou, thy, and doth), I was convinced it was one of the saddest love stories of all time.
Here's a short recap: Two feuding families, the Capulets and the Montagues, had a nasty history of killing each other. Juliet is a Montague. Romeo is a Capulet. They fall in love with each other. This can't be good right? Well, it gets worse. They keep their love hidden from their families. They secretly get married. Then when Juliet's family is about to force her to marry another guy named Paris, she confides in her family priest. The priest gives her a sleeping potion that will make her seem dead. The message is supposed to get to Romeo that she's really NOT dead. But the message gets mixed up, and he thinks she really IS dead. He goes to her sleeping body (which appears to be dead) and is determined to be with her in death, so he nixes himself. Juliet wakes up to a dead Romeo. So she nixes herself as well. Sad, and a little twisted, right?
Well – cut to 400 years later and add some wacky Hollywood magic. Turn Romeo and Juliet into animated garden gnomes. What do you get? Gnomeo and Juliet. The new movie hits theaters today. It looks pretty funny. And you never know. It may get people back into reading Shakespeare. . . the way Percy Jackson got me back into reading Greek mythology!
And here's a tip for a laugh. The next time your parents (or brother or sister) say goodnight to you, if you really want to WOW them, try quoting shakespeare. Simply say, "Parting is such sweet sorrow. That I should say goodnight, till it be morrow." No doubt they will be impressed.
What do you guys think of Gnomeo and Juliet? How do you think Romeo and Juliet will be interpreted by garden gnomes? Drop a line and let us know in the Comments!
Hailee Steinfeld is the 13-year-old actress who plays Mattie in the new Western movie, True Grit (rated PG-13). We got to interview her and ask her life was like while making the movie, riding horses, and what books she is reading. Hint: It's also one of my all-time favorite books!
Q: Where did you film? Hailee: We filmed two months in Santa Fe, New Mexico and about a month and a half in Austin, Texas.
Q: Did you ride horses before the movie? Hailee: I used to ride English about two years ago. So I did ride. I had ridden Western before, so it wasn't too big of a stretch or anything. But that was definitely a highlight of filming. That was one of my favorite parts. I loved it.
Q: Did you have a favorite horse? Hailee: Oh my gosh. I haven't thought about that. You ask good questions. They were all so amazing, and I think it's hilarious because a lot of the horses that were in True Grit were in Secretariat (rated PG), which I'm excited to see. I would have to say the one I rode – his name was Cimarron – only because I spent the most time with him. But there was another horse - his name was Popper - and if I could buy that horse I totally would, because he was amazing. They're all such beautiful animals.
Q: Did your mom or dad accompany you on the set? Hailee: My mom. My dad spent the last week with me. I have an older brother who is 16. His name is Griffin and he was in school the whole time, so it was really hard for him and my dad to come out. They came out I think about four times total and then my dad finished up with me. But it was my mom who had been with me the whole time.
Q: Was that the first time that you had been away on a location set? Hailee: Yes. It was, and I was crazy because, you know, it's hard, but at the same time all you're thinking about is just being there and you're in the moment. But it was at the end of the day hard being away from the rest of my family. But yeah, that was my first time.
Q: You beat out 15,000 other young actresses. How did you find out that you got the role? Hailee: I came in at the very tail end of it. I was one of the last to audition. It was the kind of thing where they've got to cast this person because they're filming in three weeks. So it all happened really fast. I auditioned on tape the first week in January, and I got a call back two days later to read with Ellen Chenoweth, and then it wasn't until five weeks later that I got called in to read for the [directors]. That was on Saturday and then I found out I got the job on Tuesday.
Q: Did anyone tell you why they picked you out of all these other young actresses? Hailee: They have not said anything to me. I know that somebody later in the process had told my mom that it was just something that clicked when I walked in. I mean, you know, you hear all those kinds of stories. But I think on my part, I really feel like I was 210% prepared and I was ready to take on the challenge. Everything all kind of fell into place, and that's kind of how it happened. I want to know what they have to say. [Laughter]
Q: When did you decide that acting was what you wanted to do? Hailee: It was when, I believe I was eight. I was eight years old and my older cousin – she was acting as well and she was doing Barbie doll commercials. So I saw my cousin
There is big buzz in England about the newest Narnia movie, The Voyage of the Dawn Treader(rated PG). The Queen herself requested to see the world premiere in London. So when 20th Century Fox asked me to travel to London, England to get the scoop for Scholastic, I said YES!!!
I know I say this all the time, but I seriously have the best job in the world. Read on for video and more about my amazing Royal Red Carpet London trip. But first, if you haven't seen it yet, check out the Carrie Underwood video for the movie theme song.
Tuesday, November 30 10am Arrive at Heathrow Airport in London after an overnight flight. I hardly slept at all last night and I am seriously tired! 12:30pm Hotel. It took forever to get through customs at the airport, get my luggage and get a taxi, but I am finally at my hotel in London! 1pm Lunch. I only have 2 hours before I have to leave for the Red Carpet. Do I eat or take a nap? I choose to eat because I'm not going to be home again until after 10pm, and I want to make sure I have enough time to get ready and look my best for the Queen! 3pm Red Carpet! A bus takes us from the hotel to Leicester Square where the red carpet is all set up. It's snowing and the whole square looks completely magical. Even though it's freezing and I have to stand in high heels for 5 hours straight, it's totally worth it!
8pm Movie. I laughed. I cried. It is an awesome movie, and it was really cool to see it in 3D. The only bad part was that I was sitting right next to one of the Secret Servicemen guarding the Queen. He kept scanning the audience with these funny-looking binocular thingies. It made me nervous and definitely distracted me from the movie. Oh well, I guess you have to put up with some things to watch a movie with the Queen. 10pm Finally sleep!
Thursday, December 2 I had the chance to sit down with a few of the actors. No surprise, they all love the Narnia books.
Check out my interview with Liam Neeson who plays the voice of Aslan. If you listen to this video with your eyes closed, it feels like it's Aslan talking to you. Try it!
Here I am at a special preview for the new Narnia movie coming out on December 10, The Voyage of the Dawn Treader (rated PG). Those of you who know me, know the Narnia books have a special place in my heart, and I'm looking forward to seeing my old friend, Reepicheep on the big screen.
To get here, I had to pass through security and have my name checked off an invite list in two separate entrances. Luckily my name was on both the lists, or they would have kicked me back out into the New York City traffic!
Once inside, I walked down this long red-carpeted hall with black-and-white pictures of old Hollywood stars, and then into a reception room with tables and plush red chairs. Everything was red! At this point I was kind of confused because I thought I was coming to a movie, not a fancy party, but then I saw the doors that open into the theater.
And it is the nicest theater I've ever seen! It's kind of how I imagine if a really rich movie star had a private movie theater with big fat squishy seats. And now I'm settled in to watch the preview and hear the movie people talk about what it was like to make the film. Yay!
. . . 1/2 hour later. . . That was amazing! I'm not allowed to actually talk about the movie because it's just early preview footage, and Reepicheep is not even all colored in yet — he's only a computer generated shell! But I will say this — AWESOME! Of the whole Narnia series, The Voyage of the Dawn Treader is my favorite book, and seeing it come to life is amazing. I especially love the scene where the picture of the Dawn Treader ship on the wall literally comes to life and sucks Lucy, Edmund, and the annoying cousin, Eustace, into the ocean with it. So cool! This was just a short preview, but I can't wait to see the whole movie!
I've been reading in your message board posts and blog comments that you are excited about the new Disney movie, Avalon High that premieres Friday at 8:00 p.m., ET/PT. Well, I just watched the advanced screening of it and I now know why you are so excited for this movie. Three words: "Dreamy" Gregg Sulkin! More about him in a minute for pacohaley and all you other fans, but first, let me tell you about the movie. . .
Avalon High is based on the book by Meg Cabot (author of Allie Finkle and the Princess Diaries series) and puts a contemporary twist on the King Arthur legend. It follows Allie, a new girl at Avalon High, who discovers that her classmates are reincarnations of King Arthur and his Court. While researching a term paper on King Arthur's legacy, she begins to notice some interesting parallels between the past and the present - from handsome quarterback Will (aka "Dreamy" Gregg Sulkin), his cheerleader girlfriend, Jen, and their best friend, Lance, to Will's brooding step-brother, Marco, a quirky kid named Miles and football players who act like knights of the Round Table. The deeper Allie searches, the more convinced she is that her school is a contemporary Camelot, and it's up to her to solve the mystery of Avalon High before the notorious traitor Mordred wins again.
It's a really good story, but I have to say the omg factor is definitely 18-year-old Gregg Sulkin. You may know him from Wizards of Waverly Place. He was born in London and has the cutest British accent which you can hear in this video of him talking about his favorite books.
How to Train Your Dragon comes out on DVD on Friday, October 15, and to celebrate, we have an exclusive interview with the dragon trainer himself, Hiccup. A few weeks ago, you asked your questions, and now Hiccup is here to give the answers.
S'morcupcakesplz: What do you like about Astrid? Hiccup: Like about Astrid? Well, um. . . hmm. She's like a rock: strong, dependable and easily bruises the skin. She's also become a pretty good dragon trainer these days. I think yesterday was the first time her Nadder only shot tail spikes at one of the twins.
Jennifer: What was life like when you were a child? Hiccup: Imagine a fish swimming upstream in a river full of hairy boulders wearing helmets and occasionally bashing into each other. Now imagine the river is made of fire, and the fish is a guppy. It was great, thanks for asking.
Erik R: Can you describe the feeling when you first meet Toothless? Hiccup: Even though I was scared, there was something about Toothless that was special from the beginning. It may have been his decision not to eat me.
Eric: What was the funnest part of keeping a "secret" pet dragon? Hiccup: It was pretty nerve-racking actually, especially when Phelma the Fierce chased me down for "borrowing" her fish.
Stonefairy: How did you feel when you first started taking dragon-fighting lessons as compared to later, when you knew all about dragons from training Toothless? Hiccup: I never really felt comfortable learning to fight dragons. Being friends with them is much better.
Michael: How old is Toothless? Hiccup: I think he might be close to my age, but sometimes he acts like a big fire-breathing flying baby so, I suppose he could be younger.
Beth: What can you say to help us do what is right even when we are discouraged and everything goes wrong for us too? Hiccup: I think you can weather the toughest storms life throws your way by staying true to yourself, facing your challenges head on and always making sure you support your friends (even when they burp and accidentally burn off your eyebrows).
Sami: You're amazing! How did you get started in inventing your "contraptions/inventions?" Hiccup: Hi Sami. Wow, thanks. I first started inventing contraptions when my dad sent me to work with Gobber in the blacksmith shop. . . when I was 2.
Marie: What is your best invention? Hiccup: I think my best invention so far would have to be Toothless' new tail attachment. Now m
Today is the day that Ga'Hoole fans have been waiting for! Legend of the Guardians: The Owls of Ga'Hoole (rated PG) is hitting theaters today, and we have an exclusive interview with Kathryn Lasky, the author of the series, to talk about what it was like making her books into a movie, plus 5 behind-the-scenes videos from the movie. But first, here is Ms. Lasky reading aloud from the first book, The Capture.
Q: What surprised you the most about making your books into a movie? Lasky: What surprised me the most is how complex and difficult it is to do an animated film as opposed to a live action one. So complex that it is really beyond me to explain but I’ll try to a little bit. Animal Logic, the animation company in Australia (creators of Happy Feet), already had one of the most powerful super computers in the world, but they had to upgrade it just to deal with the animation of feathers which is about the most extraordinary thing I have ever seen. But it’s not just the feathers—the facial expressions they capture are amazing. I have been told that they film the actors’ faces as they are speaking and then somehow make a digital map of their faces and transfer them on the real owl faces. This gives an emotional depth to the film that is profoundly stirring—or at least I think so. To sum it all up I imagined a universe and they brought it to life in a way that is simply mind blowing. Believe me, writing a book was easy compared to what these artists did.
Q: What was the hardest part? Lasky: Without a doubt the hardest part was the waiting. Everything takes forever with a movie like this. This whole adventure began five years ago when I signed a contract for an option. That was the quickest part. Then Warner Bros. had to assemble a team and they did gather a fantastic array of talent. First the director Zack Snyder and his wife Debra Snyder, his producing partner, were chosen. Then they got John Orloff, the writer, and of course all the stars—Helen Mirren , Sam Neill, Geoffrey Rush, Ryan Kwanten, Hugo Weaving, Abbie Cornish. There were also the Animal Logic people headed by Zareh Nalbandian and his battalion of wizards. To make a film of the quality of Legend of the Guardians takes time and I am not the most patient person in the world, so waiting was ha
Have you ever wondered what would happen if you found an injured dragon and tried to train it? Well, THE STACKS will be bringing in an expert who has gone through that exact experience, and you can get your questions answered! Hiccup, the Viking from the movie How to Train Your Dragon (rated PG) has agreed to answer your burning questions. (Get it? burning. . . dragon! I’m full of cleverness!) Anyway, now is your chance to ask about his experiences with wild dragons, his misunderstood life among the barbaric Vikings, and how his life has changed since the movie made him a star.
Find out more about the characters Hiccup and Astrid in our blog post from last spring when the movie came out in theaters. If you missed it, you'll get to see How to Train Your Dragon on DVD soon - it's coming out on October 15. That is also date when I'll be posting Hiccup's answers to your questions, so check back here then!
Don't forget to leave your questions for Hiccup in the Comments.
JULI: "The first day I met Bryce Loski, I flipped. It was those eyes. Something in those dazzling eyes. . ." BRYCE: "It was the beginning of more than half a decade of strategic avoidance and social discomfort. All I ever wanted was for Juli Baker to leave me alone."
When second-graders Bryce and Juli first meet, Juli knows it's love. Bryce isn't so sure. Beginning that day, and for the next six years, Bryce does everything he can to keep his wannabe girlfriend at arm's length. . . which isn't easy since they go to the same school and live across the street from each other. The whole time, Juli never gives up on Bryce, even though he works hard to keep away from her. But by eighth grade, Juli finally thinks maybe she was wrong about him, and he's not so great after all. It's just about the same time Bryce starts to think maybe he was wrong about her, too. But is he too late?
This is the story of the new movie, Flipped (rated PG), based on the book by Wendelin Van Draanen, (which I LOVED!). The author gave her blessing for the movie, and it stays very close to the book except for one major thing: the time period was changed to the 1960s. That explains their clothes.
The wardrobe wasn’t popular as far as most of the young cast was concerned, a sentiment best expressed by Callan McAuliffe (who plays Bryce). "They wore funny-looking clothes that were really uncomfortable. The cars were great, in particular, the vintage fire truck. In fact, everything looked really cool. . . except the clothes."
But Flipped is not about clothes or who you are on the outside. It's about seeing people for who they really are on the inside. This was Van Draanen's primary theme for the book, which borrows not only from her own early experiences but from years spent as a school teacher observing her students. "I'd see girls crushing on boys because they were just so cute and I'd want to take them aside and say, 'Honey, he is so not worth it!' And with the guys, I'd want to tell them, 'She may be hot, but that's all she's got,'" the author reveals. "It takes a while in life to learn the skill of seeing beyond who's cute or popular. So I wrote Flipped as a way of talking to kids and trying to illustrate how they can learn to recognize the character of the people they meet instead of what they look like."
Madeline Carroll, who stars as the instantly-smitten Juli Baker, knows exactly what Van Draanen means. "At the beginning, Juli doesn't really know what's on the inside of Bryce but she likes the outside. It takes time for her to start seeing what Bryce is truly like under the surf
Aah August. Hot summer days, back to school sales. . . and my cousin Katie's birthday. Pretty much the usual. EXCEPT this August 3, 2010, the Diary of a Wimpy Kid movie (rated PG) comes out on DVD. Now that doesn’t happen every year, does it? And how are we going to celebrate? With fun new interviews of course!
We spoke with Jeff Kinney, author of the books, and Zachary Gordon, the actor who plays Greg. First we asked Jeff:
Q: In real life, would Greg be a friend of yours?
Jeff: I think so. Even though he's kind of petty and self-centered, I think he has an interesting point of view and he would amuse me.
Q: Do you keep a diary. . . er journal?
Jeff: No, but I kept one in my mid-twenties. In fact, the format of the journals I kept as an adult — text and drawings — gave me the idea for Diary of a Wimpy Kid. I ended up stopping because I was spending more time documenting my life than living it!
[Ratha: Lol! That’s what Miley Cyrus said in one of our interviews, about why she quit Twitter.]
Q: How does the movie compare with the book?
Jeff: We tried to capture the best moments from the book and put them in the
movie so fans of the series would be happy. What I really like about the movie is that you grow attached to Greg and Rowley and you really care about their friendship.
[Ratha: It's true! I actually ended up liking Rowley much more than Greg in the movie. . . but vice-versa in the book!]
Jeff: That's something that the books don't deliver on as well. I think that some scenes in the book translate really well in the movie, like the school play. I think the movie
tells the same story in a really different way. We could've made an animated movie that stuck with the book word for word, but I don't think the audience would've felt satisfied. I think the audience wants to be surprised.
Q: What do you think is the best part of the movie?
Jeff: My favorite part is when Greg sings during tryouts for The Wonderful
Wizard of Oz play.
Q: What surprised you the most about the process of making your book into a movie?
Jeff: How collaborative the process is. With a book, all you need is a writer and a pad of paper. To make a movie, you need hundreds of people and loads of equipment.
Q: Do you have any advice for kids who want to write or draw?
Jeff: I'd recommend that you copy the style of other artists and writers to
start off. That way, you can see how they do what they do, and it will
become a part of your toolkit and help you develop your own style.
And now here's Zachary Gordon, who stars as Greg in the movie:
Q: Will there be a Wimpy Kid sequel?
Zach: I hope so, I think there possibly will, though we don't know yet.
[Ratha: Our sources tell us that the sequel, Diary of a Wimpy Kid 2: Roderick Rules, is in pre-production, and will hit theaters March 25, 2011!]
Q: What else are you working on?
Zach:Beverly Hills Chihuahua 2. I play George Lopez's son, a mischievous Chihuahua who always gets himself into trouble. It'll be out later this year.
[Ratha: Look for Greg starring as the voice of mischievous Chihuahua, aka "Papi Junior."]
Last week I posed a Trivia Quiz on books. . .that have been made into movies. Dollar616 and pinksummer2313 both posted the right answers at exactly the same time! Congrats, you two! So, how well did the rest of you know your favorite book-blockbusters? (Hmm. . . should we call them book-busters?). Check your answers below!
1. Vampire series with Stephenie Meyer's four books based in Forks, Washington.
Answer: Twilight (rated PG-13). (ok, that was like a freebie!)
2. The upcoming movie based on this Beverly Cleary book stars Selena Gomez and Joey King.
Answer: Beezus and Ramona. (Check out our interviews with the stars!)
3. Harry, Ron & Hermoine. Need we say more?
Answer: Harry Potter.
4. This classic book about the friendship between a pig and a spider, became a movie starring Dakota Fanning (and a barn full of animals) in 2006.
Answer: Charlotte's Web.
5. This book series is written in diary form, and follows Greg through everyday embarrassing and hilarious middle school life.
Answer: Diary of a Wimpy Kid.
6. The second book of the Cirque du Freak series, and the name of the corresponding movie.
Answer: The Vampire's Assistant
7. This Disney movie series starring Woody and Buzz.
Answer: Toy Story
8. These superhero movies began as comic books. Name 3 with the word “man” in their title.
Answer: Superman, Spiderman, Batman, Ironman.
9. This 15 book series follows owls as they fight evil and battle for their kingdom.
Answer: Guardians of Ga'Hoole by Kathryn Lasky. (The movie, Legend of the Guardians: The Owls of Ga’Hoole, comes out this September!)
10. Lemony Snicket authored this book series that became a movie.
Answer: A Series of Unfortunate Events.
What are your favorite book-to-movies? Drop a line and let us know in the Comments!
Beezus and Ramona. Ramona the Pest. Ramona Quimby, Age 8. . . aah the staples of my childhood. There was nothing like a Beverly Cleary book paired with a comfy couch and snack to take me to my happy place. And if you guys love the Ramona books as much as I do, then you’ll be psyched for the movie, Ramona and Beezus (notice their names switched in the movie title!) hitting theaters today (rated G)!
In true Ink Splot 26 style, we've got interviews with the stars of the movie: Selena Gomez (Beezus) and Joey King (Ramona). We asked Selena …
Q: Did you read Beezus and Ramona before doing the movie?
Selena: I actually read them when I was in third grade! Then once I got the part, I reread the books.
Q: Were you a big Beverly Cleary fan when you were a kid?
Selena: Yes. Oh my goodness. That book [Beezus & Ramona series] and The Wizard of Oz were the only books I could reread over and over and over again. I absolutely loved them.
Q: Beezus is a nickname for Beatrice. Do you have any nicknames?
Selena: People called me Sel, a lot when I was younger. They still do!
Q: In real life do you identify more with Beezus or with Ramona?
Selena: Probably Ramona. Beezus is hard for me to get into because she's very uncomfortable in her skin, and trying to be someone that she's not half the time.
Q: What is the most unusual talent that you have that people don't know?
Selena: I can make a really amazing cheesecake. I'm not too good at cooking (I would like to learn), but an amazing cheesecake I can make! That's for sure.
[Ratha: Move over Cheesecake Factory – you've got competition!]
Q: What is your favorite subject in school?
Selena: Biology. I’m completely fascinated with our world, our planet itself and how it works.
[Ratha: That's awesome!]
Q: What will you take away as a memory from making Ramona and Beezus?
Selena: It was my first feature film. I'd done television and DVDs and stuff that I'm comfortable with. This was very hard for me. . . But in the end I actually learned a lot about movies, about people, and Joey [King] who played my little sister became my sister. She's just so sweet and wonderful.
Bringing us to our next interview. . . with Joey King, who plays Ramona:
Q: Had you read Beezus and Ramona before you started working on the movie?
Joey: Well, I'm gonna be honest with you - I only read one of them. Then when I found out I got the part, I read all the rest and then I loved them!
Q: Did you become a Beverly Cleary fan after reading them?
Joey: Yes, of course I did! I love Beverly Cleary after that. I thought the books were great.
Q: What kind of books besides Beverly's books do you like to read?
Joey: Sometimes I like to read scary books like Goosebumps. Those are really good books.
Q: In Ramona and Beezus, Beezus is a nickname for Beatrice. Is Joey a nickname for anything?
Joey: No, Joey is my full name. I was named after my grandfather. I mean that's my full first name.
It seems like every great book is turned into a movie these days. Or, hit movies are turned back into book series. A few months ago in my local bookstore, I saw an entire section devoted to "movie-books." For example, Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen (rated PG-13) had a book, "The Official Movie-Storybook." Not only that, but there was a whole series of Transformers books!
From board books, to beginning readers, to graphic novels, to regular novels - chances are if it's been a hit movie, it has a book go with it. Same with popular books. It seems they are all made into movies! So the question is. . . can you guess these books that were made into movies and vice versa? Lights, camera, ACTION. . .
This hit vampire movie series started with Stephenie Meyer's four books based in Forks, Washington.
The upcoming movie based on this Beverly Cleary book stars Selena Gomez and Joey King.
Harry, Ron & Hermione. Need we say more?
This classic book about the friendship between a pig and a spider became a movie starring Dakota Fanning (and a barn full of animals) in 2006.
This book series is written in diary form, and follows Greg through embarrassing and hilarious middle school life.
This was the name of the second book of the Cirque du Freak series, and the name of the corresponding movie.
This Disney movie series starring Woody and Buzz spawned TONS of books.
These superhero movies began as comic books. Name at least three with the word "man" in their title.
This 15-book series follows owls as they fight evil and battle for their kingdom.
Lemony Snicket authored this popular book series that became a movie.
Happy guessing! Leave your answers in the Comments, and check back next week to see how many book-to-blockbusters you got.
Whether you're a seasoned Guardians of Ga'Hoole pro, or just getting into the series, check out our Trivia Quiz. The quiz is on the first three books in the series by Kathryn Lasky to get you pumped for the Legend of the Guardians movie (based on those first three books) coming out in September!
What was Eglantine's first meal?
How did Soren “fall” out of his nest?
Once Soren and Gylfie were captured and taken to St. Auggie's Orphanage, how did they resist moon blinking?
How did Hortense die?
What happened when the bats quanked?
When Soren and his gang reaches the great Ga'Hoole tree and is put into a chaw, what job does he get?
Where do owls feel their emotions?
Who is Metal Beak?
BONUS!! How many books are there in the whole Guardians of Ga'Hoole series? (not including the companion books)
Leave your answers in the Comments, and check back next week for answers!
Last week we brought you exclusive interviews with Kristin Stewart, Robert Pattinson and Taylor Lautner. The occasion? The release of Eclipse (PG-13) hitting theaters June 30. The OTHER occasion? We know you love Twilight!!
In this second part of our interview series, we've got the goods from the actors who play the Cullen vampires, the Wolf Pack, and the Volturi. First, we spoke with the actors who play the blood-thirsty (but very civil) Cullens…
Q: Since vampires don't sleep, what do you think your characters do at night?
Ashley Greene (Alice): Alice plans parties. Lots of parties.
Nikki Reed (Rosalie): I look at myself all night. (everyone laughs)
Elizabeth Reaser (Esme): I think Esme goes out and like tears apart a mountain lion every other night. And bears.
Kellan Lutz (Emmett): Hey, that's mine. Emmett likes bears.
[Ratha: Yuck. I'll stick to gummy bears.]
Q: The makeup for your characters is pretty extensive. Did they find a way to streamline the process?
Elizabeth Reaser (Esme): We've had the most amazing makeup artists. It just takes time. It's really hard to lighten skin. It's much easier to make someone tan. So, it's always gonna be a couple hours in the chair.
Nikki Reed (Rosalie): Four hours.
[Ratha: Hopefully you brought a good book!]
Kellan Lutz (Emmett): Yeah. But it's in our control not to be in the sun. I didn't go to the beach that much, so I saved probably an hour in the makeup chair. Because you have to get coats and coats and coats [of white makeup].
[Ratha: I'd never make it as a vampire. I'm lucky if I get any makeup at all on in the morning.]
Then we asked the Wolf Pack...
Q: Was there a wolf boot camp for this? How did you get in such great shape?
Chaske Spencer (Sam): No, they made us work out. They got us a trainer. It was a lot of circuit training and muscle confusion. We also ate a lot. We ate six meals a day, and three protein shakes a day!
Alex Meraz (Paul): And thanks to Chaske, we also ate a lot of apple pie.
Chaske Spencer (Sam): Yes. Dessert, too. Yeah, I was a bad influence.
Bronson Pelletier (Jared): We did strength training, conditioning, weight training, lots of cardio. It was pretty intense.
[Ratha: That should be a workout video: “How to Get in Shape Like a Twilight Werewolf.” I would totally buy it!]
Alex Meraz (Paul): Yeah. It helped out with building the chemistry on set and even during filming. We had a blast. We supported each other, we even made fun of each other - you know, like who could do the most push-ups or whatever.
Q: What did you want Eclipse to convey regarding Native American culture?
Chaske Spencer (Sam): We're all Natives. We try to represent well, because we're very fort
Summer is almost here, and for some of you lucky people, school is out already. *sigh* That must be nice. . .
Well, with summer, there always comes a whole bunch of great new summer movies, and this year’s crop is looking really good! Ramona and Beezus, Eclipse, The Last Airbender, and lots more (including Diary of a Wimpy Kid on DVD). Come to our Live Chat to talk about the movies you are most excited about seeing this summer — and maybe find out about some movies you haven't heard of yet!
WHEN: Wednesday May 19, 2010 6-7 PM E.T. (3-4 PM P.T.) WHERE: THE STACKS (Come back to this blog post on the 19th for sign-in instructions.)
TOPIC: Summer Movies!
And to get the latest news about all the celebrity, music, TV and movie happenings covered on THE STACKS, subscribe to our monthly Pop-Corn Celebrity Newsletter!
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