The Guilty Pleasure of Trilogies
image courtesy: blogworld.com
It’s been happening for awhile. Trilogies are sweeping the nation. Whether it started with The Lord of the Rings or condensed comic book heroes made into movies: i.e. Batman, Spiderman, trilogies are taking over. Many of you have blogged about the summer hit film, The Avengers, and you know what I heard, they’re planning on making another one! Which is great, except that before they do, they have to make the third Iron Man, the second Captain America and the second Thor. Really? That’s a lot of action heroes! And yet, I know I’ll go to see them!
What is it about trilogies? Why are they so addicting? Sure there’s the need to know how the story ends, but that can’t be the only reason, can it?! Whatever the must see/must read component is, here are a few of my favorites.
Top 10 Guilty Pleasure Trilogies of All Time:
1. Indiana Jones
image courtesy hollywood.com
Let’s face it, the man has one of the coolest theme songs out there! I wish my life was cool enough to warrant its use. I also wish I got to travel as much, save so many lives, and use a whip to swing from crumbly decaying buildings once in awhile, but that point is moot. Indiana Jones is the smart woman’s action hero. He’s intelligent, physically pleasing with his strong muscly arms and crooked smile, and I bet he even smells good. What made his trilogy so successful? I think it’s the legends: We’ve got lost arks, jungles and temples of doom, and the search for the holy grail. Indiana’s quests are the quests of everyman: knowledge, adventure, and in most cases, women.
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Star Wars
image courtesy cupofzup.com
Even though they’ve created more Star Wars films, they’re still marketing them as a trilogy. But the best will always remain the original. It was cutting edge technology of its time and contained all the necessary components of a guilty pleasure film: coming of age tale, evil daddy issues, romantic interludes, wise mentor, space wars, light sabers, and wookies.
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The Lord of the Rings
image courtesy images.wikia.com/lotr
When this book series became a film trilogy, this story launched for the first time in awhile crowds of people waiting to get into the theater again. The films were so successful they released box set collections of extended cut films and people in my high school started wearing one rings around their necks! That’s a hard core trilogy.
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The Twilight Series
image courtesy tvovermind.com
Say what you will about the Twilight Series, you can’t deny it’s successful storm sweep of book sales and movie sales. To my knowledge this is where the “Team So and So” became part of pop culture. Girls and guys were wearing t-shirts with Team Edward or Team Jacob, but you never see t-shirts saying Team Han Solo or Team Luke Skywalker, and why is that?! On a purely unrelated note, my favorite t-shirt of all time might be the college TV show Felicity tee that simply says “I choose Noel.” Which, some could argue was the starting point of all this “Team _____” business. Just sayin’.
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The Fifty Shades of Grey Trilogy
image courtesy katybooks.com
If we’re recognizing Twilight, then you need it’s equally successful fan fiction spin off turned bestselling BDSM love story! Now that’s am impressive feat! Moms around the world, (including Marcia Richards’ mom – can you believe that?) are picking up Fifty Shades and falling in love with control freak Christian Grey and naïve little Ana Steele. Have you checked out this new risque series? Stay tuned for a co-review on the whole she-bang (pun intended) by Marcia Richards and I later this month.
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Anne of Green Gables
image courtesy lmm-anne.net
Ok, things were getting steamy in here, and some of you I already know left me to go read Fifty Shades again, but we’re cooling things down a notch with the Anne of Green Gables trilogy, film versions consisting of Anne of Green Gables, Anne of Avonlea, and Anne of Green Gables: The Continuing Story. If you’re going to make the third movie years after the other two, then this is how you do it, with the same actors, same character antics, and a happily ever after. Jonathan Crombie, I will always love you! And Anne, don’t ever stop writing!
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The Hunger Games
image courtesy: csmonitor.com
Expect greatness from the newly released first movie, but the books are certainly taking over. Heck, they’ve become required reading in some schools! Can you believe that? Move over Lord of the Flies and Animal Farm, Teacher’s got a new toy! What’s your prediction on the number of Katniss Everdeen’s who trick or treat at your house this year?
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X-Men
image courtesy: xmenmovies.wikia.com
While the X-Men films aren’t particularly my favorite, I was a routine watcher of the cartoon after school and therefore had to partake. Whatever lacked in the second film, was made up in the third, X-Men: Last Stand. And the special effects did let us get to glimpse all our favorite mutants! Except one, where was Gambit? Was I alone in missing my mischievous french/cajun with the gambling problem?
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The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo Trilogy
image courtesy: greatnewmovies.com
I haven’t gotten to this trilogy yet myself, but it’s one more of the recent releases to have been adapted into film, and even Oscar nominated. It’s a regular title appearing on mens and women’s bookshelves and if you’ve read it, I’d love to hear your opinion!
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Jurassic Park
image courtesy: collider.com
Saving the best for last, a total guilty pleasure favorite of mine, I wholeheartedly and unabashedly LOVE the entire Jurassic Park trilogy! Something about dinosaurs makes me feel like a kid again, even when I’m watching them chase down and devour other people. *insert childlike chuckle* This trilogy was amazing for its special effects, bringing dinosaurs to life again and if Spielberg ever does make the fabled fourth film, I’m totally going to see it. P.S. My useless knowledge for Jurassic Park trilogy information won me a free shot at a game of trivia in South Korea! How random, you say? More like, how awesome!
Those are my top 10 guilty pleasure trilogies of all time. What’s on your list? Did I miss any crucial 3 parters? What’s your favorite one? And of that trilogy, do you have a favorite film/book in the series? AND, what trilogy character would you dress up as for Halloween if you weren’t responsible for making the costume yourself?
The Hunger Games: Team Peeta vs. Team Gale
Yesterday it was 21° F in Wisconsin. There’s snow on the ground and my car’s keyhole is constantly freezing. I’ve managed to perfect my juggling of purse, tote bag, coffee, keys, and de-icer spray bottle by holding the cap in my teeth on my way out each morning. Needless to say, it’s chilly here.
So when life throws frost your way, what’s a girl to do but enjoy a little old school romance?
source: daemonsbooks.com
It’s like Edward vs. Jacob all over again, but better! Honestly ladies, these are some great guys. So let’s talk about them!
If you haven’t yet read The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins, you’re missing out. The trilogy is a very fast read, you won’t want to put it down. The books in order are The Hunger Games, Catching Fire, and Mockingjay. The story is placed in the future where a post-Apocalyptic North America is made up of 12 districts surrounding one Capital. Every year, the Capital hosts the Hunger Games, a televised fight to the death consisting of one boy and one girl from each district. Collins writes dystopian society as well as George Orwell in my opinion, or Aldous Huxley, who were two of my favorite authors growing up. But now, if we asked a group of young adults to all read 1984, or Brave New World, I’m guessing there would be some groaning. Ah, but The Hunger Games has two things on its side:
The first is one bad ass protagonist, Katniss Everdeen, a rebel in her own right, and destined to be a symbol for the nation. Bonus: Sara Grambusch is writing all about Katniss’ journey as heroine on her blog today! Check it out!
The second win, which I’ll be focusing on, is the boys!
Source: google images
Collins has taken two extremes right out of the High School walls and placed them into Katniss’ life. The first is Gale, tall, dark and handsome. He is Katniss’ only good friend and they are hunting partners. So Gale is the equivalent of the athlete friend who pushes you to be your best in the game. And of course, he’s got amazing abs.
Then there’s Peeta. Blonde, blue eyed, and kind. Peeta once saved Katniss’ life long ago, but they’ve never spoken since. He and his family make a living as bakers and Peeta knows how to do all the decorative work. So if Peeta was in High School today, he’d be the quite but adorable boy in art class who pines for the alternative girl.
See? You’re already choosing sides aren’t you? Well, just stop it right now!
You have to read the books!!! The situations that Collins places her characters into will make you think twice about what kind of person they are. This goes for Katniss too. Through their actions and responses, the author lays out a very interesting look into war and survival. This may even be a great book to read with your young adult children to get them talking about the topics discussed in the book.
Plus, you know how when writers talk about plotting, and they ask you what’s the one thing your character would fear most, now make them do it! That’s every book in The Hunger Games trilogy. Collins will repeatedly push everyone into situations they DO NOT want to go into, but they must every time. The reason I think that works in her books is because the implications that will happen if the character doesn’t have to do with people’s lives and their relationships. I hated the book, Hatchet by Gary Paulson when I read it in middle school because the main character was constantly in battle with nature or the next catastrophe. It didn’t seem believable that so much could happen to one person. In using other people to weigh on the character’s decisions, Collins nailed this!
See for yourself in the new trailer:
Your turn! Who are you rooting for? What other literary characters are keeping you warm this winter? Can’t Get Enough Hunger Games? Good! Read Sara’s blog too!
Jess Witkins' Happiness Project 