Author Archives: Matthew R.

Captain America: Brave New World

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Captain America: Brave New World is currently the newest Marvel movie. The movie follows the journey of Sam Wilson, who is the newly appointed Captain America. Wilson tries to live up to the title he has but struggles as a world-altering event are going on. The movie has a great plot that has you questioning what is happening and beautiful action scenes that will put you on the edge of your seat. Rated PG-13 this movie is a good choice to watch with your family.

At the beginning of the movie, we get introduced to many of the characters and the main problem in the movie. This problem is that a genius named Samual Sterns is trying to make the world go against each other. Using his high intelligence, Sterns manipulates others into doing his dirty work, leading countries to the brink of war. This leaves Captain America to bring peace to the world. By the end of the film, Wilson is able to prove himself and save the world from a global disaster.

Captain America: Brave New World is a great choice to watch. The movie had a mysterious plot that left questions as you watched the movie, but got answered as the movie progressed. Another great attribute is the cinematic fight scenes consisting of battles in the sky and on the ground. This provides a sense of thrill and engagement. On the other hand, whenever there wasn’t an action scene I was busy daydreaming. The film really struggles when it comes to entertaining the audience when there isn’t a scene that involves fighting. Overall, this movie is worth the watch even though there may be moments that are boring and long.

In conclusion, the new Captain America movie is not a must-watch, but certainly is worth your time. While this movie may have some boring aspects, I believe the positives of this film outweigh the negatives. In my opinion, the fantastic plot and the well-illustrated action scenes are some of the best I’ve seen all year. Even though there may be some dull parts of the movie such as boring scenes, I still recommend for everyone to watch it, especially if you want to spend some valuable time with your family.

-Matthew R.

My Brother Sam is Dead by Christopher Collier and James Lincoln Collier

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About two months ago, I read a novel called My Brother Sam is Dead in my English class. At first, I thought I wouldn’t enjoy this book because I was being forced to read it. Instead, I actually ended up enjoying it a lot. I loved how it showed the side effects that war can have on society. Rather than showing the perspective of a soldier at war, it shows the perspective of a boy named Tim Meeker who has to face many challenges as a result of the war.

My Brother Sam is Dead takes place during the American Revolutionary War. The novel follows the story of a boy, Tim Meeker. While his brother, Sam Meeker, is fighting as a Patriot, Tim is forced to mature and change as he stays home and fights against the problems the war is bringing. As the reader continues throughout the story, they are able to witness the tragedies that Tim has to face causing him to go through very noticeable character development as the story goes on. They are also able to see how war brings other things rather than freedom and glory.

My Brother Sam is Dead is a well-crafted novel that has meaningful themes and topics. My favorite part of the book is its hidden message, which shows how war brings problems to everyone, not just those who are fighting in it. The novel does a great job at this by making the character development of Tim Meeker very apparent. The authors do this by making Tim go through life-altering events as a result of war, Causing him to mature quickly and to go through personal growth. Additionally, My Brother Sam is Dead has an entertaining story that will keep the reader engrossed in it throughout the story. The authors added very detailed scenes and emotions that have the reader feeling like they’re part of the story.

In conclusion, My Brother Sam is Dead is a novel that may seem boring, but is definitely the opposite. I recommend this book to anyone since it is not too long and has a story that is both engaging and thrilling. While this book may sound boring because it does not follow the perspective of a soldier at war, but instead a normal civilian, the authors do a great job at making it a very entertaining piece of literature. Using a civilian as the protagonist, the authors are able to tell the reader the side effects war has on the world. The authors are also able to explore topics such as personal growth with the use of Tim Meeker, a young boy who isn’t participating in the war, as the main character.

-Matthew R.

My Brother Sam is Dead by James Lincoln Collier and Christopher Collier is available for checkout from the Mission Viejo Library. It can also be downloaded from Libby.

Sonic the Hedgehog 3

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Sonic the Hedgehog 3 is a PG-rated movie that came out in late December 2024. The movie follows up on the events of the second film in the trilogy, which introduces one of the main villains in the third film. This villain is named Shadow, voiced by Keanu Reeves, who causes numerous problems for Sonic, who Jim Carrey voices. I watched it at the Regal Theater at the Spectrum with one of my close friends. We both left the film satisfied with the time we had just spent watching this film

The movie begins with Sonic and his two friends, Tails and Knuckles, facing up against Shadow, who has been in captivity for decades. Ultimately, Shadow escapes from the trio because of Sonic’s ego. As the film continues, Shadow meets up with the other main antagonist, Dr. Robotnik, to execute a world-threatening plan.  As the movie progresses, the audience sees Sonic grasp the concept of teamwork. However, he is only able to fully understand what it means to work as a team because of the significant issues that Shadow brings, leaving the audience with an encouraging message.

Overall, this movie is a great option to watch. Sonic the Hedgehog 3 has some great themes such as the value of friendship when Sonic can learn what it truly means to be a team, allowing the world to be saved. The movie also excels with its characters that are easily likable. I also enjoyed the action sequences that happen throughout the movie, which are very attention-grabbing. Although, this movie may include parts that might be childish for some. For example, the plot is predictable and nothing special, giving off the feeling of boredom as you watch it. Despite that fact, I recommend this movie to anyone who finds interest in the characters and can tolerate the dull plot.

In conclusion, Sonic the Hedgehog 3 can be an enjoyable watch if you can put aside its childish aspects. If not, I believe that you won’t be able to enjoy it as much as it was intended to. My favorite part of the movie was the unique and iconic characters, which include the long-awaited Shadow. Another notable part of the movie was the many action-packed scenes such as multiple astonishing fight scenes between the main characters. While Sonic the Hedgehog 3 might have childish aspects, it can be really enjoyable if you can put them aside.

-Matthew Ronquillo

Whiplash

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Whiplash is a 2014 movie about a drummer named Andrew Neiman, who studies jazz at Shaffer Conservatory in New York. Neiman has one goal in mind, which is to be the best jazz drummer in the world. While at Shaffer Conservatory he meets a man named Terence Fletcher, who has a very frightening teaching method but is effective towards the right person. Neiman can use Fletcher’s method of teaching to make him a better musician. This movie has one of the best endings I have ever watched and has very impactful scenes that will be some of the most entertaining things you will see.

Near the beginning of the film, Fletcher chooses Andrew Neiman to join his jazz band. Fletcher manipulates Neiman into becoming a good enough musician to be a core member of the band. As the film continues, the audience watches Fletcher use his odd teaching method to make Neiman the best. The audience is also able to learn what Terence Fletcher’s goal is. His goal is to bring out the greatness in all of his students, but he was never able to achieve this because his students usually get demotivated because of his teaching method. As the movie ends, Fletcher reaches his goal and Neiman gets closer to his.

Whiplash is easily one of my favorite movies that I have ever seen. What I enjoyed most was the mix of heartbreaking and thrilling scenes. Seeing how much Andrew Neiman was being affected by Fletcher, either in a good or bad way, was very entertaining. For example, as the viewer continues to watch the film, they can clearly see the effect that Fletcher has on Neiman. It was also fun to watch Neiman change throughout the movie. For example, the audience can witness Neiman do actions near the end of the film that he wouldn’t have done at the beginning. With this, Whiplash becomes a very meaningful and engaging movie.

Overall, Whiplash is a great movie to watch, which I recommend for anyone to watch when they have the time. My favorite part of the movie was the variety of scenes that can instantly change your mood throughout the movie. Some scenes will make you sad while others fill you with excitement. Another notable part of the movie that I enjoyed was the character development that the audience is able to see Andrew Neiman go through. I can assure anyone that this movie will not be a disappointment but instead will be a great experience.

-Matthew R.

Whiplash is available to check out from the Mission Viejo Library.

Twisters

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Twisters is a disaster film that came out on July 19, 2024. Since I hadn’t seen the first movie that came out in 1996, I didn’t fully know what to expect while starting this film. Twisters is about a girl named Kate Carter, who had a passion for tornados until disaster struck when many of her friends died while helping her chase a tornado. Until, one day when one of her old friends finds her again and brings her back to chase tornados. This film contains layers of emotions, which will have you on the edge of your seat. 

The film starts off with a group of five friends who are chasing a tornado for Kate’s research project of taming a tornado. While they’re chasing the tornado, it surprisingly turns into an EF5, which leads to the death of three of her friends. Years later Kate is living in New York when one of her original friends finds her and brings her back into the business of chasing tornados. Thanks to that, Kate meets people who can help her in her research on taming a tornado. Although hesitant to return to the job of chasing tornadoes, Kate uses her skills and the help of her new friends to tame a tornado successfully.

Twisters is one of my favorite movies to come out this year. The film had a perfect mix of action-packed scenes and emotional scenes. It was very intriguing to see the characters fight against a tornado and go through traumatizing events that made the movie even more interesting. I also enjoyed the tragic backstory of Kate Carter, which allows you to understand the protagonist. As you watch from the perspective of Kate Cart, you will be able to understand the struggles and challenges she faces throughout the movie. With these aspects, Twisters is turned into an easy and fun movie to watch on any occasion. 

Overall, Twisters is a remarkable movie to come out this year. The best parts of this movie were the well-thought-out scenes. With its mix of action and heartbreaking scenes, you will be able to be entertained for the entirety of the film. On top of all that, there is a main character that the audience is able to understand and like. I definitely recommend this movie to anyone. Even if you haven’t seen the original, like me, it will still be a great watch.

-Matthew R.

Twisters is available to check out from the Mission Viejo Library.

Hard Miles

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Hard Miles is a PG-13-rated sports movie that came out to the United States on June 13, 2023. The film is based on a true inspirational story based on an unexpected group of juveniles. During the movie, the viewer gets to watch these juvenile convicts go on a long 1,000-mile bike ride to see the Grand Canyon. As you watch it, you will get an urge of motivation to push yourself past your limits.

At the beginning of the movie, the audience is introduced to the main characters. These characters include a social worker named Greg Townsend and four juveniles named Woolbright, Smink, Rice, and Atenico. As the viewer continues through the movie, they connect with the characters and start to understand them more and more. The audience gets to witness each character go through hardships and change for the better. The movie also includes a satisfying ending, which is the characters finally finishing their long journey and reaching the Grand Canyon, giving the viewer great motivation to do greater things.

Watching Hard Miles was a great experience. What intrigued me the most was seeing the character development each one of the characters goes through. It was very exciting to see how some characters went from constant troublemakers to people that you can respect. The movie is created in a way that will get you to really enjoy watching each character, making you want more of the characters once the film ends. I especially enjoyed the rewarding ending, which made me appreciate the memorable events in the movie. Therefore, Hard Miles has great qualities that will make you very fascinated while watching it and even when it is over.

Overall, watching this motivational film will give you the feeling that you can achieve anything. Using an unlikely set of characters, Hard Miles will definitely interest you. On top of that, you will be able to easily see how much the characters change for the better as the movie progresses. I highly enjoyed watching this movie and I urge anyone to watch it in their free time. You will have a great time watching this movie just like I did.

-Matthew R.

Solo Leveling

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Solo Leveling is an action anime based on a light novel. It has one season and a second season set to release in late 2024. Solo Leveling is set in a world threatened by monsters; the only people who can fight the monsters are people with magic called hunters. The story’s protagonist is Sung Jinwoo, who was born with barely any magic but gets a second awakening after dying in a dungeon. Thanks to his second awakening, Sung Jinwoo gets the ability to upgrade his stats such as his speed and strength and to gain other special abilities just like in a video game. As you continue to watch the show you get to see Sung Jinwoo gain more power and fight many powerful beasts.

At the show’s beginning, the audience gets introduced to the main character who was given the nickname by his coworkers of the world’s weakest hunter. The first important thing we see the protagonist do is go into a dungeon with a group of other hunters. Very soon after, we discover that it was a double dungeon that had two dungeons, one of which was so dangerous that it killed almost every hunter that went into it including Jinwoo. What happens next is that he gets a reawakening and is given the ability to become more powerful through hard training. After discovering this we see Sung Jinwoo train hard each day until he becomes powerful to kill the beast who would’ve killed him instantly before. As we continue to watch the show we see Jinwoo become one of the most powerful characters we see in the show and watch him fight beasts such as knights and a three-headed dog.

Watching this show gave me a lot of fun. It had many qualities that fit my interests. These qualities include magical beasts, character development, and a powerful and likable main character. As I continued watching the show I gained more respect and started to understand the protagonist more and more. I also enjoyed the world-building the show provides. Getting to see how this world works was life-changing for me because of how bizarre and creative it is. The show also did a great job of showing how much Jinwoo changes throughout the show. For example, near the beginning, he fights some beasts he is no match to, but near the end, he runs into them again and doesn’t struggle to beat them. Therefore, Solo Leveling has many characteristics that people find fun and enjoyable.

Overall, Solo Leveling was a great piece of entertainment. After I finished an episode I immediately wanted to go to the next. It also had moments that had me on the edge of my seat making me wonder what was going to happen next. Once I finished the show it had me wishing season two would come quicker. I highly recommend this show to anyone even if they’re not familiar with the Anime genre. 

-Matthew R

My Cruise Vacation 

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While on summer break, my family and I wanted to do something fun and exciting. After much thought, we decided we wanted to go on a cruise ship. The cruise ship we ended up going on was called the Carnival Firenze. The ship had an Italian theme, which included plenty of Italian art. The cruise ship lasted from July 21st to July 25th for a total of four days. In those four days, the cruise went to Catalina Island and Ensenada, Mexico. We were also able to explore much of the ship and experience most of its activities in those four days.

When we first stepped on board the ship we headed toward our muster station where they told us what to do in an emergency. Right after that, we went to our room which had a total of three beds, two bathrooms, and a television that had thirty-five different channels and a selection of free movies and some that you can buy. For the rest of the day, we explored the ship and did activities such as watching a show called Dear Future Husband and going on a ropes course. When I woke up the next day we were at Catalina where we just walked around and went shopping for most of the day. The next day we were in Ensenada. While in Ensenada we were on a tour that went to the second-largest blowhole in the world called La Bufadora and went to La Riviera, which is a historical place where celebrities would go to gamble. The next day was a day at sea. While at sea for the entire day, we played mini golf at the Sports Square, watched a gameshow that you could participate in called Deal or No Deal, and played a whole bunch of trivia games. On the final day, we ate breakfast at a restaurant called Michelangelo’s and then got off the ship. 

I had a ton of fun while on this cruise. They did a great job with entertaining guests. I highly recommend it for your next family vacation. I particularly liked the shows they put on such as an interactive Deal or No Deal game show and the constant trivia games, which include superheroes, movies, and music trivia, that anybody could participate in. Every worker on the ship was friendly and nice, which added to the overall enjoyment. The cruise also included a great selection of food options such as Guy’s Burger Joint and a buffet with a variety of food called the Lido Marketplace. Every meal I had didn’t disappoint since all of the food I had was very tasty and high quality even though most of it is free and included with the cruise. The two destinations we went to were also intriguing to me. Even though we didn’t do much at Catalina it was still nice to walk around and explore the island. Going on a tour in Ensenada was much fun since I learned about some history and saw many things that are new to me such as a blowhole.

In conclusion, the Carnival Firenze was a great experience and I recommend it to families who can afford it. The cruise has lots of activities to enjoy with your family. Some of these activities include going into some souvenir stores and listening to music played by many professionals for hours each day. The cruise ship even has multiple restaurants that provide free food such as a restaurant called the Medici where my family and I ate dinner every night. Once you leave the cruise you’ll be thinking about all of the memories you’ve made and you’ll miss being on the ship.

-Matthew R.

Unwind by Neal Shusterman

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Near the end of the school year, my English class read a book called Unwind. Unwind is a well-known dystopian novel among middle schoolers such as myself. Unwind takes place in the United States in the future. In this world, there are many twisted laws. One of these laws includes parents being able to send their kids off to get unwound. This means that the kid will be sent off to get used for their body parts, which basically kills them. This law sets up the entire plot for the book and makes the book a page-turner and an exciting and easy read.

   At the beginning of the book, we get introduced to three kids named Connor, Risa, and Lev who have all been sent to be unwound. These three meet by escaping from Juvey cops while being transported to be unwound. From here they travel to a school where Lev turns in Conner and Risa and simultaneously causes a huge scene where Connor and Risa are able to run away and part ways with Lev. As the book continues we follow the journey of Connor and Risa until they find their way to a sanctuary for unwinds like themselves. We also follow Lev’s complicated journey who also ends up finding himself at the sanctuary with the other two. As the story continues Lev runs away from Connor and Risa, separating the trio again. Soon after, their lives interlink again, which leaves them with some events that help contribute to stopping unwinding.

Unwind is easily one of the best books I’ve ever read. The easy-to-like characters and the suspenseful and breathtaking moments in the book were my favorite parts. Almost every character in the story is very likable and respectable in their own unique way. Some characters are more entertaining than others such as one of the main characters, Connor who is a hothead, which causes many action-packed and engaging events. Some moments that stood out for me include when Conner, Risa, and Lev team up after escaping and when Lev betrays the other two. If you are in middle and even high school and haven’t read this book yet, I highly recommend it to you. If you have read the novel I’m sure reading this again will do nothing but good. This book contains many topics such as betrayal and heroic moments that will intrigue kids in middle and high school.

Overall, Unwind is one of the greatest books I’ve ever read. I loved all of it, but if I had to choose which parts of the book were the best I’d pick the descriptive action moments and the likable and fun characters. As you continue to read you’ll be able to imagine the scenes in the story making the book a page-turner. Once you finish the book you’ll be begging for more. I highly recommend this book to anyone even if you’ve read it before.

-Matthew R.

Unwind by Neal Shusterman is available to check out from the Mission Viejo Library. It is also available to download for free from Libby.

Story Thieves by James Riley

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In January I decided to read a book called Story Thieves. Story Thieves is about a boy named Owen who meets a girl named Bethany, who can travel into books. Using Bethany’s power, these two travel between the real world and different fictional worlds. While traveling between worlds, they cause many problems and meet characters that can both help and stop them from fixing problems. While reading this story I found that it had unique and interesting characters and a good plot.

At the start of the book, Owen discovers that Bethany can jump into books by watching her come out of a book in the library. Soon after, the two travel into a book called Keil Gnomenfoot and the End of Everything. In the book, Owen breaks one of the few rules of traveling through books, which is not to interfere with important characters. Because of this, a character named the Magister becomes aware that his entire world is fiction. Later, the Magister travels from his book to the real world. As the book continues, Owen is disguised as a character in a book and continues its story. In the real world, Bethany is trying to send the Magister back to his book.

Story Thieves wasn’t one of my favorite books, but it doesn’t mean it’s bad. The book demonstrates great character development with how we can see Owen mature. I like how he grew to understand Bethany better throughout the book. The story also included an engaging plot with a variety of conflicts, like Owen’s. He ran into many conflicts that were interesting and intense while stuck in books. I was also impressed by how well the book conveys the emotions of the characters by showing how much they regret, sadness, or anger through attentive dialogue. However, while reading the story I was given the impression that its main demographic is kids in elementary school. Since I was a kid in middle school reading this, I didn’t enjoy it much. But if a child from the fifth grade were to read this, I’m sure they would like it very much.

Overall, the novel has some well-written points such as its fun characters and the conflicts. It also had a plot that was unique and intriguing which surprised me while I was reading through it. I found the book too childlike for me to fully enjoy the novel. I do recommend the book to children who are attending elementary school or people who want to have a fun time.

-Matthew R.

Story Thieves by James Riley is available to check out from the Mission Viejo Library.