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The Mysterious Benedict Society by Trenton Lee Stewart

In a world of dull days, boring homework and constant pressure to be a sheep, reading is one of the best ways to try transporting yourself into anouther, brighter world where everything is exciting. T.M.B.S, in a weird way, does that better than most books I have read.

It tells the story of a young, highly intelligent, orphan boy called Reynie Muldoon who is invited to take a series of mysterious tests for clever young people like himself. Completing the tests along with three other exteremelly unusual children Reynie and his new friends are sent on what might be called a "Whirlwind Adventure" or perhaps just a really cool mission, where they have to use their extra-ordinary talents to ultimatelly save the world! Now thats what I call a MINT story!!!

Although not set in an alternative world with flying pigs and the like T.M.B.S has a sort of exciting mysterious feel that lingers in the air when you read it making you want to go into the everlasting one more chapter mode. Actually I had to limit how much I read each night so I didn't finish it to quick and feel really dissapointed at the end. T.M.B.S sort of takes you along the same journey the characters go through not revealing any extra secrets that the characters dont know. This, for me, adds to the fun of the book as it becomes a competition to see who guesses what happens first you or the characters.

Coming onto the subject of characters I don't think I've ever read about a more intruiging bunch than the T.M.B.S. My paticular favourite is Constance Contraire. Although it may not be clear at first why this knee high, arrogant and rude little madam has been chosen to take Mr Benidict's tests if you read T.M.B.S all the way through the reasoning will soon become clear. Like I said before the book has a mysterious air to it and thats partly down to the fact its absolutelly full to the brim with mini mysterious like Constances'. Also the mini mysterious, I like to call them, are almost alsways impossible to crack. I really do have the utmost respect for the author Trenton Lee Stewart for coming up with such astounding brain bogglers and knitting them altogether in what I think is the ultimate mystery.

If I had to describe this book in one word it would be:
nothing because I cant think of a lone word that covers the hillarious and intruging characters, the impossible riddles, the fabulously clever story and the sheer ingenious that has been created by putting all those elements together. Frankly its too good for words!

Oh and a quick last message to the reader, if you do go and read T.M.B.S, which I'm sure you will now, pay carefull attention to the blurb area on the back aswell as the "Dear Reader" message in the back pages of the book it may just lead you to solve anouther mystery of your own.

Good luck and happy reading!

Written by Caroline from Carlisle, winner of the wotson4u review competition.

Alice in Wonderland

Going to the cinema is always a special occasion. The sweet smell of popcorn, the pitch black room and the bright light of the big screen! It doesn't really matter if the film that you go to see isn't very good; it's the experience that counts!

Of course, the experience is all the better if the film makes you think 'WOW!' which I was fortunate enough to think after seeing Alice in Wonderland earlier this year.

I hadn't really known what to expect when I first took my seat in the cinema. The Alice in Wonderland that I knew was the childish Disney version. The lights dimmed out and I began to watch, becoming part of the story.

Alice (played by Mia Wasikowska) an 18 year old girl living in a world where girls spend all day drinking tea and sewing, is a dreamer. She has already been to Wonderland once as a young child but her memories have been clouded over as the years pass by.

Alice's father has recently passed away, leaving herself and her mother with little money so she is going to be married-off. When William purposes to Alice, she doesn't know what to do! To give herself some time to think, Alice wanders into the wood. She spots a hare and, curious, she follows it. In the process, Alice ends up falling down a deep hole in the ground which leads her to Wonderland!!!

Wonderland is a magical place, full of great mystery and beauty. But a dark shadow hangs over the land! The Red Queen - Helena Bonham Carter- is cruel and wicked; she takes pleasure in mocking other people. It is Alice's duty to defeat the Jabberwocky and give the White Queen - Anne Hathaway- her rightful thrown back. Alice makes lots of new friends on her quest, including: The Mad Hatter, played by Johnny Depp.

In the end, Alice kills the Jabberwocky and Wonderland is back in the hands of the White Queen. Alice is given the choice of staying in Wonderland forever but she knows that there are things she needs to do in her own world first, so she says goodbye to her mysterious companions and goes home.

When Alice gets back to England she knows what she wants to do; be an explorer and see the world!

Alice in Wonderland is definitely a feel good film. It is very visual so you're eyes always have something to look at! Tim Burton directed this film and I think that he did a really good job of it! I will be buying the DVD when it comes out later in the year!

Written by Lorna from Ulverston, winner of the wotson4u review competition.

Mamma Mia

It's conquered the musical world, the theatrical world, and now it's coming to the film world! There's no escaping it, Mamma Mia is about to not so much hit, as redefine the big screens. Sure to plague our lives with tantalising tunes, certain to constantly oppress any activity in your brain; shutting down individual thoughts; reducing levels of consciousness; slowing creeping in to brainwash you into yet another Abba crony. I exaggerate, but is it possible to have just too much Mamma Mia? Yet the legacy of the raucous sing-and-dance stars is still going strong, many decades later. The real question is, however: have they managed to pull it off again?

They've certainly captured the media attention, as well as all the big names, albeit lamb to the slaughter style. This is bound to sabotage your career as an actor, yet there's no denying that seeing Meryl Streep and Pierce Brosnan jiving away to old-time Abba is not going to have you off your seat and joining in the fun. On the other hand, seeing all of these hopelessly joyful souls, living the dream in sunny paradise, could cause reality to hurtle back to you quicker than a freight train.

The scene is set with a silent beauty, gliding trance like towards a post box, with three solemn letters in her hand. Accompanied by 'I have a dream', this scene is certainly atmospheric and questions instantly arise, unsurprisingly as this is a crucial part in the plot. What blossoms from this is another matter. More cheese than an Italian restaurant, more colour and texture than a mardi gras, and more out-and-out, uncontrollable, exaggerated hysteria than, well, an abba concert. Hitherto, abba has never been less; this is what the people evidently want. Expressions of your true inner self, accompanied by heart felt ballads and hundreds of empowered women, singing and dancing to the end of the universe and back, are what makes this film. Sophie wants to get married, there's only one trouble: she doesn't know who she is. Problem? This is a musical, of course it is! Solution: surreptitiously inviting three of her mother's past lovers, not her best plan. Fighting to keep their presence a secret soon turns into a mammoth task, only a minx like Sophie could manage it, but not for long! When their existence is discovered sparks start to fly and the fun begins! It ends in a wedding; who gets married…?

Meryl Streep flourishes and excels in her character as Dancing-Queen-Donna. She's the spirit and life of the film; at the centre of every party; her intense allure waves a mystical grip over any man in a fifty mile radius- explaining the confusion about Sophie's father! An outgoing OAP, fighting a ceaseless battle against a decrepit hotel; Donna and the Dynamos (best friends Rosie and Tanya) prove that any woman, no matter how doddery or grey haired, can find love, or at least a one night stand with a man half your age! Meryl Streep's sterling performance is possibly the most uplifting thing in this film, along with the obsolete dungarees that are only banished when she dons herself in a demure dress for the wedding. Nonetheless, the film would be nothing without the music, which brings us to the soundtrack.

You get what you pay for with the sound track, and nothing more. No wait- you get Abba! From Dancing queen to Waterloo, all of the hits from past ages are shamelessly used draw in the fans and boost box office figures. Impressively, or perhaps tragically (depending on your viewpoint), all of the routines are performed by actors themselves. Whereas the likes of sprightly Amanda Seyfried and vivacious Dominic Cooper (scatty bride and groom to be) thrive in the roles of their singing and dancing characters, the older voices seemed to be facing an eternal struggle. The music is the real deal; it definitely gets the authenticity stamp!

However much you may flaw the acting, you cannot fault the directing. This film is undisputedly redeemed by the creative filming and imaginative camera angles. The song 'the winner takes it all' is definitely enhanced by the inspired filming, but without being tacky, or detracting focus from the acting and singing. The scene is set with a dramatic over the shoulder shot, focusing on Donna, yet introducing the other character into the scene. What then follows is an ingenious mixture of close ups, medium shots and medium long shots, all giving an accurate picture of the idyllic surroundings and escalating the pure emotion, by flawlessly depicting the body language and facial expressions. This effortlessly generates a scene so close to perfection that a whale could not spout more water then the audience did during this song. The scene climaxes with a spectacular high angle shot, panning as Donna runs up to the church in despair. The intensity immediately dips to a near whisper as the scene is ended with medium long shot, panning to a close up, to show the sentiment on Donna's face, the lost passion, in a shot so pure and simple, you think that no act could possibly top the true sensation shown. Nonetheless, we are immediately thrown into a thrilling pinnacle, sending tingles down your spine and a huge smile on your face. Can it get any better than this?

I went into this film cynical and wretched, dreading a whole two hours of Mamma mia. But, I have to admit, I have been converted. I did not think my principles; my whole outlook on life could be changed so easily. This film managed it. The raw emotion and true commitment shown by these actors and actresses, to boost an already out of this world storyline, results in something that will warm your heart and make your life worth living. So it lives on, Abba is hear to stay, and I couldn't be happier! This film put a spring in my steps and a twinkle in my eyes. I LOVE it!

Written by Mari from Kendal, winner of the wotson4u review competition.

Paranormal Activity - SPOILER ALERT!

There was just so much publicity about Paranormal Activity being "Frightening…freaky and terrifying", being the ultimate horror fan I just had to see it. My verdict? Truly disappointing.

The plot of the film is a young couple, Katie and Micah, who experience paranormal activities inside their home. The movie is shown through a video camera, which Micah sets up to record what happens through the day and night. And basically; that's it. For the rest if the movie, its doors slamming, lights flashing and the occasional fire. And to top it all off, I didn't even see the "better" ending.

I discovered that Paranormal Activity has three endings. The "first original" version is where Katie, after standing for quite a considerable amount of hours, begins walking downstairs. Micah, waking up and realising she's gone, heads down stairs too, leaving the camera on its tripod. There's a lot of screams, which suddenly stop dead. We can hear heavy footsteps up the stairs, when suddenly Micah's body is hurled into the camera, knocking it on its side. Katie, covered in blood, slowly walks into view. Crouching over Micah's body, she flashes a smile at the camera, suddenly flows herself at it, does a "devilish?" face, and it's cut to black. I personally would have loved to see that ending! But apparently nobody did, as Paramount decided it was "too scary" (hello, it's a horror film; we kinda want it to be scary!) and made several changes, including two new endings. yay..

The ending I saw was, being honest, incredibly dull. Katie walks down stairs, screams, Micah runs after her, her screams stop. And so do his. Katie walks back upstairs, sits and rocks for a day and a half, the police come, and shoot her. The end.

The alternative ending is similar to the one above. She walks back upstairs holding the knife she killed Micah with, walks towards to camera sinister-like, and slits her own throat. This ending is offered as an alternative on the DVD.

I, quite frankly, am disappointed with Paramount. Yes, the film was predictable, and yes, the film got a little boring. But if it had ended with that one little scare at the end, I may have walked away and thought "yeah, it was alright. The ending made me jump" but no, I walked away thinking I'd just wasted 90 minutes of my life, and unless there's a sudden ending-change, I don't recommend this movie to anyone.

Written by Siobhan from Egremont, winnder of the wotson4u review competition.

Bullet for my Valentine - Fever

I am going to write a reveiw on an album I bought recently, The album I bought was the Bullet for my Valentine's Fever album. This is an awesome album because all of the songs appeal to me and each one motivates me to learn how to play each one on Guitar.

A lot of the songs are filled with sweet riffs and the group have been one of my favourites for a very long time, infact they are the group that has motivated me to pick music as a career choice.

Rihanna live at Manchester Arena 16th May 2010

On the 16th of May 2010, three friends and myself went to see Rihanna's "Last Girl On Earth" Tour preformed at Manchester's evening news arena, with a supporting act of Pixie Lott. Firstly Pixie Lott preformed, and her dress was amazing as the top half was black and the bottom, a turquoise tutu made of feathers and knee high boots! Pixie Lott preformed eight of her most well known songs ( such as Turn It Up, Mama Do, Here We Go Again, Gravity, Cry Me Out and more) off her "Turn It Up" album that was released in 2009. She set the evening off to a good start as she engaged in the audience by talking to us and making good use of the stage, this got the right mood going. To get us even more ready for Rihanna, she even changed the lyrics of one of her chorus' to wish us a good time listening to the amazing artist that Rihanna is.

After Pixie Lott preformed there was an interval, while changes to the stage was made and just generally make Rihanna's entrance even bigger. To make her first entrance a screen of brilliant graphics announced : ' When Rihanna dreams of a world of her own she wakes to find her dreams have come true. The streets are empty, no sign of other life. Ghostly radio crackles reports on the dying embers of an unexplained disappearing world- "There have been no reports of earthquakes, there has been no war, no natural disasters" Look around you and you will see Rihanna is the only star on the cover of every newspaper and magazine and the "R" symbol is embellished everywhere. Now experience her dreams and nightmares- A world filled with demons, fantasies and memories of The Last Girl on Earth.' With that the back of the stage opened and a tall platform moved forward with the star of the show on it.

Rihanna was hardly visible as the lights were low, but this had been planned as she was wearing a black, floor length dress which had tiny red lights on which moved and flashed on and off. The dress was a very appropriate as she then started to sing "Russian Roulette" off her most recent "Rated R" album, and at the end of the song (when the character is shot) all the lights on her dress went off. Within a flash Rihanna somehow got changed into a military look-a -like uniform and a huge, pink tank had appeared to the side of the stage, so then she sung "Hard" with a group of male dancers dancing around her. The next prop came with then next song when Rihanna then went on to sing "Shut Up And Drive", and the prop was a old banger car which she danced on top of and got a member of the audience to dance with her. Graphics introduced every three or four lots of songs, and like the website for the tour said, she had definitely pulled out all of the stops.

My favourite graphics was for "Disturbia" and in that performance people on large stilts came out and Rihanna dodged between their legs. The song with the best atmosphere, in my opinion, was "Rockstar 101" and a really talented guitarist came on stage and Rihanna applauded him. For the encore Rihanna came up out of the stage and singing a rather appropriate "Wait Your Turn" as we waited a few minutes for the encore, then she also merged into other songs such as her part in "Live Your Life" which she featured in with T.I and her most famous song "Umbrella".

All in all, Rihanna must have worn at least 10 outfits and used a different way to get off stage each time which gave the night extra surprise, she also sung at least 25 songs and more of her songs were featured as backing music to go with along with the graphics. The night has been one of the most brilliant nights of my life and I think all of her albums are amazing, my favourite song is Fire Bomb which is off her "Rated R" album.

I think the best thing about Rihanna's tour was the fact she didn't just perform her newest songs, or them of a certain genre.

Written by Beth from Appleby, winner of the wotson4u review competition.