For the past few months, I’ve played in a lot of tournaments and seen all kinds of tennis players. Along with those tennis players, came a variety of personalities and attitudes. One thing that frustrates me about some tennis players is their lack of self-control, class, and sportsmanship.
It’s hard to understand why some girls appear as sweet and friendly when they’re up and turn into jerks when they lose a game or even a single point. As soon as your opponent pulls out their claws, you know you’re in for as show. They start yelling at themselves, hitting themselves, abusing their racket, and using profane language. They lose all sense of control and even begin making bad line calls. They might even start questioning your calls.
This can be hard to cope with on the court, especially when you’re winning. It can be difficult to keep yourself optimistic when your opponent is acting like an animal. When I played a girl like that in the past few weeks, I struggled to keep the anger that was building inside of me contained. I was able to because I was disciplined and had class, but that wasn’t the case for the girl on the other side of the net. While I may have been winning for a while, I let her ridiculous actions get the best of me and had the match slip from my hands. So what.
A lesson came from that match and it is something I’ll never forget. Regardless of the outcome, I know I outclassed her and acted like one should on the court. If your opponent begins acting like a monster, ignore it, be yourself, and kill them with kindness. Allow your opponent to dig themselves a hole and self-destruct. Never let that kind of silliness get to you. When you play your best and ignore your opponent’s actions, you’re going to succeed.
Just remember this, play with class. If you choose to lose self-control and respect for your opponent and yourself, remove the “c” and the “l” and now see what you are.
Summer break is coming to an end for students all over and now it’s time to get back to school. Getting back into a routine for school and being prepared for the school year can be tough. Here are a few ways you can prepare to tackle the 2016-2017 school year.
Get to know who your teachers are early on. When classes finally start, introduce yourself to your teacher and make a good impression. You want to get started on a good note!
Get all of your supplies within the first two weeks of school. My sister and I went to get our supplies this past weekend and school doesn’t start for us until this Friday. By now, we both have a pretty good guess as to what we will need as far as notebooks, spiral and composition, folders, binders, and other things go. Teachers will let you know if there’s specific materials you need in class.
Train yourself to start getting up and going to bed earlier at least a week before classes start. You wouldn’t want to sleep in on the first day! It makes it easier to get up in the morning when you train yourself to go to bed earlier and wake up earlier.
If you have a special email account for school, make sure you’re able to access it before school starts. Many teachers like to get right to business on the first day. With technology being a big part of our lives today, it’ll be easier on yourself and your teachers if your account can be accessed easily without having to get assistance.
When you get your schedule, see if you have any classes with friends. It’s always nice to see if you have classes with your friends so you can walk to class and even sit together, as long as there isn’t as seating chart.
When classes start, start off strong. Do your best to get started on the right foot. Take care of all of the first assignments your teachers give you, stay organized, and if you have questions, it’s better to ask them early on so you don’t get lost or confused.
Have fun and study hard! School can be miserable sometimes and it can get really frustrating. Just remember that school doesn’t last forever and you’ll want a strong education to be able to go to college or do whatever you want to do with the rest of your life.
Good luck heading back to school everyone. Have a great week. 🙂
Sportsmanship is a crucial part of building good character on and off the tennis court. There are times when players cheat or do things that aren’t respectful towards themselves or their opponents. This is true for all sports, but today I am focusing on etiquette in the tennis world. Here are a few ways to show respect for yourself and your opponent on and off the court.
Don’t trash talk your opponent. Just don’t. You should never talk bad about anybody anywhere and I feel like that is common sense. Still, for some reason, people think it’s alright to make others insecure or unsure of their abilities by talking about them to others in a rude manner.
Wait to talk about your match until you are somewhere private and quiet. This follows along with the first tip in a way. After you’ve played a match, wait to say anything about it until you’re somewhere quiet and away from your opponent and their family. My family and I always wait to talk about how a match went until we get to the car. Once you get to the car, or wherever you go to, then you can talk about what went well that match and what didn’t. If you had any questions or concerns that weren’t brought up during the match, now would be the time to spill the beans. Still stay away from speaking negatively of your opponent.
Hand the balls to your opponent during changeovers. I know a lot of girls that will simply just tap the balls into the corner or fence after serving and allow their opponent to go get the balls after getting water. I have nothing wrong with that, but it’s a good idea to be courteous and hand your opponent the balls when you’re close together. As a side note on that, if you chose to hit the balls to your opponent from the other side, hit the balls to them directly so that they don’t have to run for the balls.
Show up on time. Whether it’s a practice or a match, show up on time. You can receive penalties for showing up late to a match in a tournament, so don’t let that happen! It is disrespectful to the tournament, your opponent, and other players to show up late.
Know the rules of tennis and abide by them. This is pretty self-explanatory but ignored by many players. Knowing the rules of the game is super important. On top of that, if there is an interruption or interference during a point, call a let. Either you or your opponent can call it. Calling the score loud and making your line calls loud is also important.
Turn off your cell phone. Most clubs prefer that you don’t bring your cell phone onto the tennis court, but if you do it’s not a big deal as long as it is turned off. You don’t want your phone to become a distraction to you or your opponent.
Shake your opponent’s hand at the end of the match, make eye contact, and tell them good match. Regardless of the outcome, you need to be a good person and thank your opponent for playing, let them know how the match went, and wish them good luck with their next match if they have one.
Be kind to yourself. Being the perfectionist I am, I struggle with respecting myself and being kind to myself. If you lose a point don’t yell at yourself or hit yourself in any way. It looks silly when you do this plus you are actually harming your body when you choose to hit yourself. Plus, it becomes obvious to your opponent that they are winning mentally and have the upper-hand. If you do get angry or frustrated with yourself after losing a point, there are other ways to release that anger by tightening your ponytail or gripping your racket tighter. When I start to get frustrated with myself, I do my best to focus on my breathing and getting into a very simple rhythm that can keep my head cool and off of other things.
This list of tips on how to respect yourself and your opponents on the tennis court could go on forever and I know that there are plenty of things that weren’t mentioned here. Just use common sense when you are on and off the court and think about how you would want to be treated. By choosing to be respectful to yourself and your opponent you will probably have a better experience with tennis and you’ll learn much more about your game, physically and mentally, and also learn about all of the potential you have as a person and tennis player.
The long-awaited return of Ghostbusters is now over. The new Ghostbusters movie hit theaters July 15th and since its release there have been mixed emotions and reactions about it. Even before the movie came out, many people were angry or upset with the new film and the trailer became the most disliked video on YouTube. What?! It only received a 5.4/10 from IMBd, a 73% from Rotten Tomatoes, and a 60% from Metacritic. When I first heard that a new Ghostbusters movie was coming out, I was really excited and looked forward to it and then when I heard all of the criticism and negativity towards it, I decided I needed to go see the movie for myself and prove people wrong. Here’s what I thought about the new Ghostbusters movie.
Melissa McCarthy, Kate McKinnon, Kristen Wiig, and Leslie Jones are all very funny women and that can be seen in the shows and movies they star in however, the humor they tend to share is dirty and inappropriate for a younger audience. I was worried about that going into the movie, but once I had seen it, it was actually pretty funny. The jokes were clever and Chris Hemsworth, who played the receptionist, was hilarious. There were a few bad words and a scene where a man showed a certain finger but other than that, the movie was fine. The cast appeared to have great chemistry on screen and the characters were all well-developed and interesting.
The plotline loosely followed that of the original Ghostbusters movie and it was easy to follow. My family and I were entertained throughout the entire movie and it was awesome to see several of the original cast members making appearances in this movie. I’m doing my best not to spoil anything, haha.
As far as special effects went, the ghosts looked pretty cool however it was easy to tell that they were fake. The lasers from the proton packs and guns were also cool but they too looked fake. There was a scene where McCarthy and Wiig were in a portal and it was difficult to focus on the dialogue or take it seriously because the green screen effect was not as great as it could have been. Other than those few things, the special effects were well-executed.
With all of those factors considered, I would say that I enjoyed watching the new Ghostbusters movie. It was funny, entertaining, and a good time all around. To those of you who are Ghostbusters fans that haven’t seen the new movie or interested in sci-fi or fantasy movies, this is the movie for you. Happy ghost busting!
Reading is a great way to pass time, escape into another world, educate yourself, and have fun with something. Over the course of this summer, I have read many good books that I recommend giving a try. Here are a few good summer reads.
These Broken Stars by Amie Kaufman and Meagan Spooner
“It’s a night like any other on board the Icarus. Then, catastrophe strikes: the massive luxury spaceliner is yanked out of hyperspace and plummets into the nearest planet. Lilac LaRoux and Tarver Merendsen survive. And they seem to be alone. Lilac is the daughter of the richest man in the universe. Tarver comes from nothing, a young war hero who learned long ago that girls like Lilac are more trouble than they’re worth. But with only each other to rely on, Lilac and Tarver must work together, making a tortuous journey across the eerie, deserted terrain to seek help.” (Summary by Amazon)
The first book of the Starbound trilogy, These Broken Stars was an intriguing and enjoyable book to read. The plot had several twists and turns that were unexpected but made the book as good as it was. Lilac and Tarver were relatable characters and their growing romance helped make the story more interesting. It was great to follow the adventure of the two survivors and uncover the dark mysteries and secrets of the LaRoux companies and the strange planet the Icarus crashed on.
The Crown by Kiera Cass
“Kiera Cass’s #1 New York Times bestselling Selection series has captured the hearts of readers from its very first page. Now the end of the journey is here. Prepare to be swept off your feet by The Crown—the eagerly awaited, wonderfully romantic fifth and final book in the Selection series. In The Heir, a new era dawned in the world of The Selection. Twenty years have passed since America Singer and Prince Maxon fell in love, and their daughter is the first princess to hold a Selection of her own. Eadlyn didn’t think she would find a real partner among the Selection’s thirty-five suitors, let alone true love. But sometimes the heart has a way of surprising you…and now Eadlyn must make a choice that feels more difficult—and more important—than she ever expected.” (Summary by Amazon)
The Selection series has to be my all time favorite series because of the amazing characters, love story, setting, and storyline. This book was beautifully written, romantic, and dramatic. It was too easy to get lost in the world of Illea and I was sad to see that series come to an end. While the ending of the book wasn’t quite what I had hoped it would be, I still enjoyed it and was glad to see Eadlyn and the rest of her family and friends live happily ever after. It’s so hard not to spoil anything for those of you who haven’t read it yet!
Red Queen by Victoria Aveyard
“Mare Barrow’s world is divided by blood—those with common, Red blood serve the Silver-blooded elite, who are gifted with superhuman abilities. Mare is a Red, scraping by as a thief in a poor, rural village, until a twist of fate throws her in front of the Silver court. There, before the king, princes, and all the nobles, she discovers she has an ability of her own. To cover up this impossibility, the king forces her to play the role of a lost Silver princess, and betroths her to one of his own sons. As Mare is drawn further into the Silver world, she risks everything and uses her new position to help the Scarlet Guard—a growing Red rebellion—even as her heart tugs her in an impossible direction. One wrong move can lead to her death, but in the dangerous game she plays the only certainty is betrayal. This sweeping story of palace intrigue, class hierarchy, and deception will keep readers hurtling along, desperate to find out Mare’s fate. Her honesty and determination, quick wit, and no-holds-barred attitude will surely make readers fall in love with her. “(Summary by Amazon)
I’ve never written a review for a book I haven’t finished yet, but this book has been so unique, exciting, and worth the long wait at the library that I feel comfortable doing so. The world and general idea of this story are similar to a lot of fiction, young-adult books I’ve read, but it has been interesting to learn more about Mare and follow her story of the transformation from her life as a Red to her new, dangerous, and somewhat exciting life as a “lost Silver princess”. I can’t wait to see what’s in store for Mare and I look forward to reading the next book in the series.
So here’s a few books that I’ve found enjoyable to read this summer. If you haven’t read these books yet, I suggest giving them a try. Reading can be a lot of fun and it’s a wonderful way to sit back, relax, and pass some time. Happy reading!
While I may have finished playing volleyball for good, I still do enjoy watching and talking about it. Having a strong float serve to get a point started for your team is crucial. Here’s how to hit a solid float serve.
Make contact with the ball on the “butt” of the palm of your hand.This can be difficult to understand. The “butt” of the palm of your hand is the meaty lower part of it. By making contact on that part of your hand with the ball high in front of you, have the opportunity to make the ball float in the air. Coming in straight at the center of the ball with the meaty part of your hand prevents any kind of spin from directing the ball in a certain direction. One of my old coaches helped with that by telling us to contact the ball at “the equator”.
Pull your hand back from the ball after you’ve hit it. This can also seem confusing without actually demonstrating, so I’ll do my best to make sense with words. Once you’ve made contact with the ball, pull your arm back. This shouldn’t be a jerky or super sharp movement away from the ball.
Keep the toss in front. This list of tips for how to hit a float serve are definitely not in order but the toss is a very important aspect of the serve. If you’re left-handed like me, the toss should be in front of you, high enough for your arm to reach it while it’s extended but not fully straight, and also in front of your left foot. If you’re right-handed it’s the same thing but opposite side.
When beginning your serve, start with your serving arm (your dominant arm) back by your ear with your elbow bent at about 90 degrees. Your non-dominant arm should be out in front of you with the ball in hand, ready to toss it. Many coaches teach kids to bring their arm back as if they are drawing a bow to shoot arrows. While this does work for some kids, I find it uncomfortable and difficult to hit a good serve that way.
Focus on the four F’s. Fast, flat, float, and freakishly accurate. These are things to work on with your serve, once you feel like you’ve got the hang of it and are looking for ways to up your serve and challenge yourself. A 40+ mph float serve is difficult to read and return. Keeping the ball low as it crosses the net onto the opposing team’s side gives them less time to read the ball and react to where it coming. The more experienced you become with the feel for the float serve, the more deadly you can make it to your opponents. A good float serve will appear to “dance” in the air and will float and give the opposing team a lot of trouble. Being freakishly accurate with a float serve is a great way to cause trouble for your opponents. Being able to pick a spot on the court and serve to it can do wonders for your team and give you an advantage when the ball is back in play on your side of the net.
I hope these tips help you get started on being able to hit a super float serve or improve the serve you have already. Take time to make sure you’re practicing the correct technique and never give up. Mastering a certain skill can take a lot of time and patience and you have to be willing to work hard and try hard. If you’re looking for visuals or more information on how to hit a good float serve, there are hundreds of videos on YouTube and there are plenty of players and coaches out there willing to help you improve your serve. Have fun with it and good luck!
I know that it isn’t the 4th of July yet, but it is tomorrow so I might as well get something out about it! July 4, 1776 Americans declared their independence from Great Britain. Since that day, our wonderful country has developed and evolved to become the strong, amazing, and beautiful country it is. Here are some quotes to commemorate our nation’s birth and our independence.
F- “Freedom has its life in the hearts, the actions, the spirit of men and so it must be daily earned and refreshed – else like a flower cut from its life-giving roots, it will wither and die.” -Dwight Eisenhower
R- Robert J. McCracken said, “We on this continent should never forget that men first crossed the Atlantic not to find soil for their ploughs but to secure liberty for their souls.”
E- Elbert Hubbard once said, “Freedom cannot be bestowed – it must be achieved.”
E- Edward Abbey: “Freedom begins between the ears.”
D- Dwight Eisenhower said, “To be true to one’s own freedom is, in essence, to honor and respect the freedom of all others.”
O- “Our greatest happiness does not depend on the condition of life in which chance has placed us, but is always the result of a good conscience, good health, occupation and freedom in all just pursuits.” – Thomas Jefferson
M- “Man is free at the moment he wishes to free.” -Voltaire
I hope that you all have a wonderful, safe rest of your weekend and a great 4th of July tomorrow. 🙂
After a great day at Disneyland before, California Adventure was the next thing my family and I would tackle. Disney California Adventure was an amazing overall experience. There was so much to do and see and my family and I got through most of it.
My aunt, uncle, mom, sister, and I arrived at Disney California Adventure around 9:30 or 10 in the morning and decided to get to Cars Land first. Cars Land was so well created and made my family and I feel like we had just stepped into the movie. It was so cool! Of course we had to do the Radiator Springs Racers ride and so we walked that way first. The wait may be been about two hours but it was well worth the wait. The ride was so cute and it was fun to travel through Radiator Springs and then win the race in the end. It may have been rigged but that’s okay. After that thrilling ride, we got our picture taken with Mater at the Cozy Cone Motel and then made our way towards Paradise Pier.
Paradise Pier is home to many enjoyable boardwalk games, Ariel’s Grotto (a restaurant), several rides, and the World of Color show. We decided to walk around and see where we would be eating later tonight, which would be at Ariel’s Grotto. Allyson, my sister suggested that we ride on Ariel’s Undersea Adventure which was a ride in a seashell through Ariel’s journey. There was no wait which was great and the ride was also very cute.
Once we finished that, Allyson and I led everyone to Hollywood Land where we got to go to the Animation Academy, meet Anna and Elsa, and then attend the Animation Academy and draw Zero from The Nightmare Before Christmas. Frozen is my favorite Disney movie, so of course we had to meet the royalty of Frozen. Anna and Elsa were very sweet and Anna even gave my sister and I a hug! The Animation Academy drawing class was a lot of fun because we got to draw with an actual Disney artist and he complimented my sister on her drawing which was awesome.
Meeting Anna and Elsa!
After visiting the Animation Academy, we found a place to grab some really good hot dogs for lunch and then headed back to Disneyland to get on a few rides we missed yesterday. We ran into Cinderella on the way back to Disneyland and got to meet her and take pictures with her of course.
The next thing we did was walk over to Adventureland to get some Dole Whip and also take the Jungle Cruise. Before we got to California, I heard a lot about Dole Whip and how amazing it was. Everything I had heard about it was true. It was so refreshing, light, and delicious. My family and I were able to enjoy the beloved treat while waiting to get on the Jungle Cruise which was also an enjoyable and interesting ride. Our tour guide for the boat trip was hilarious and the animatronic jungle animals looked so realistic and were fun to watch move around.
Dole Whip… It can only be found in Hawaii or at Disneyland
Once that was over, we walked back to Fantasyland to walk through Pixie Hollow, rode the Monorail, and do the Alice in Wonderland ride. While the Monorail didn’t go around the whole park, it was cool to be in it and see as much of the park as we were able to. The Alice in Wonderland ride was very cute and fun.
This was one of the caterpillars to ride in for the Alice in Wonderland ride.
And of course, to finish out our time in Disneyland, my family and I had to do Splash Mountain. The line had been terribly long all day and we knew that the ride was popular so we decided to get Fastpasses earlier in the day so that we could come back later in the day and get in line, wait for a short amount of time, and then ride Splash Mountain. That ride was my favorite out of any ride we’d been on. It wasn’t jerky or ridiculously fast like the Matterhorn, but it had enough speed and drops to be thrilling, enjoyable, and worth everything. I got soaked on the ride, and that probably happened because I sat up front in the log.
Splash Mountain
On the way back to California Adventure, we did a quick walkthrough of Sleeping Beauty’s castle and then made our way back to California Adventure to get to our reservation at Ariel’s Grotto in time.
We made it to our reservation with plenty of time to spare and we were even able to get in like ten minutes earlier than our reservation because we checked in early. The food was wonderful. We were served a three-course meal, which started with a choice of soup or salad, then an entree, and it finished with dessert. The salad was a strawberry, pistachio, and feta cheese salad, I picked their fire-roasted corn cakes as my entree, and then for dessert there was a lemon frosted madeline, passion fruit creme brûlée which was to die for, and then a mocha chocolate pastry. I somehow managed to eat it all and I was satisfied with the food and the service. After dinner, my family and I were given our tickets to the preferred seating at the World of Color show. World of Color is a show at Paradise Pier that involves fountains and lots of water and pictures and clips are projected on water. We purchased the package deal of dinner at a specific restaurant, which for us was Ariel’s Grotto, at California Adventure and preferred seating access to World of Color. We got to stand right up near the water and see the show from a very good spot. Even though we got somewhat wet, the exciting light show, reflection of Disney movies and pictures on the water, lasers, and flames kept me happy and entertained throughout the entire show. It was a wonderful experience and that like no other and I would definitely do the package deal again to get such good seats for World of Color.
The best part of the meal. (I forgot to mention that we were celebrating my sister’s birthday as well as mine and the restaurant gave us cupcakes for it.)
That was a great way to end our last day at the Disneyland Resort and I know that will definitely be going back in the future. Disneyland really is the happiest place on earth and I’m so glad I had the chance to go.
Walt and Mickey on Buena Vista St. at Disney California Adventure
I’d also like to add, Happy Father’s Day to all dads out there. Thank you for everything you do for us all. 🙂
Disneyland, the happiest place on Earth. This past week, my family and I were able to go travel to Anaheim, California to spend two days at Disneyland. Those two days were some of the best days of my life, ever. My family and I had so much fun, ate plenty of good food, had a lot of fun on the rides, and were able to make some wonderful memories. I was disappointed that my dad wasn’t able to come with us because he had to stay and watch our dogs, but we were still able to get stuff for him and fill him in on the entire trip. Anyway, here’s my experience at Disneyland.
Thursday we decided to stay at Disneyland the entire day. That was a wise decision because there was so much to do! Being there in June, I was worried that the lines would be terribly long and it would be hot and humid, but it wasn’t too bad for either of those things at all. It was overcast both days and the temperature was cool but still comfortable enough to wear a tank top and shorts. We waited in the security lines for about ten minutes and then headed into the park.
I had seen plenty of pictures of Disneyland before but none of them compared to being at Walt Disney’s creation in person. After walking around Main Street for a little bit, my family and I found our way to Sleeping Beauty’s Castle and the little area in front of it where Walt is holding Mickey’s hand. We definitely took lots of pictures and then headed to Tomorrowland.
We decided to go on Nemo’s Submarine Voyage first and that was a cute, fun way to start our experience out. After that, we decided to head to the Matterhorn in Fantasyland. I did not like this ride at all. Some people might enjoy a fast, jerky, extremely loud ride through a mountain while you’re being followed by an angry yeti, but I don’t. I didn’t get sick but I was disappointed with how that ride turned out. My family and I were getting kind of hungry by now, since it was around noon and so we found a little shop that sold giant turkey legs and corn on the cob. I had a giant turkey leg and it was delicious but kind of greasy. I needed help finishing it because there was so much turkey! Once we were satisfied with food, my aunt, uncle, mom, sister, and I travelled to It’s A Small World, which was super cute and a nice, relaxing ride compared to the Matterhorn. Then, we did Storybook Land which was a little boat tour through a land where a bunch of the castles and settings from Disney movies were displayed. That ride was also fun. We made our way back to the Sleeping Beauty castle to get on Peter Pan’s Flight which was a ride following Peter on his trip from London to Neverland. This ride was a joke. We waited in line for an hour and a half for a less than two minute cheesy experience. I probably would have enjoyed this ride if I was younger, and it was still really cute, I was just irritated that waiting in line for almost two hours wasn’t really worth the wait.
Finding Nemo’s Submarine VoyageIt’s a Small WorldEntering the whale from Pinocchio at Storybook Land
While I may not have enjoyed that ride, the next three rides my family and I did after dinner were wonderful. For dinner, my family and I ate at Café Orleans in New Orleans Square. I’ve never been to New Orleans, but according to my aunt and uncle, it really reminded them of the actual city. The food at Café Orleans was delicious and the service was great. I ordered their “Crescent City” salad which was amazing and the pomegranate lemonade was really good too. With full stomachs, the five of us adventured to Pirates of the Caribbean, which is also in New Orleans Square. This ride was well done, exciting, and overall a great experience. The next one we did was Haunted Mansion, which was not scary at all, and it was really cool. Finally, we ventured to Adventureland and decided to tackle the Indiana Jones and the Temple of the Forbidden Eye. There was a long line for this ride, but our hour wait was definitely worth it. A majority of the ride was computer generated and it was so cool! While the jeep moved quickly and we did make a few sharp turns and sudden stops, this ride was awesome and so much fun.
This was my salad and it was probably one of the best salads I’ve ever had.Indiana Jones and the Temple of the Forbidden Eye
After a long day of rides, churros, other delicious foods, long lines, pin trading, and crazy Disney fans, my family and I called it a day and headed back to our hotel which was walking distance from the park. We must have lucked out with the weather and wait times on most of the rides. The reported wait times for the most popular rides we went on were anywhere from 30-90 minutes and with the exception of Peter Pan’s Flight and Indiana Jones, we were in line 20 minutes at most. The cast members at Disneyland were all very helpful, welcoming, and sweet. Our first day was a little hectic and overwhelming at first, but overall it was a great first day at Disneyland. Disneyland really is the happiest place on earth. 🙂 The next day we would check out California Adventure, and I will share my experience from California Adventure next week.
During this past week, I heard a lot of criticism and negative reviews for the movie, Alice Through the Looking Glass. Being an avid Disney fan and someone who enjoyed the first movie, I was shocked when the media remarked that the movie had “flopped”. I had to go see it for myself and here’s what I thought.
Alice returns to the magical world of Underland, only to find the Hatter in a horrible state. With the help of her friends, Alice must travel through time to save the Mad Hatter and Underland’s fate from the evil clutches of the Red Queen and a clock like creature, known as Time (IMDb).
In my opinion, Alice Through the Looking Glass was well executed, the actors did a good job playing their roles, and the messages throughout the movie were motivational and inspiring. One of them was, “You can’t change the past, but you can learn from it”. This is true and it could be taken into consideration and applied to one’s life. Being able to learn about the past in Underland was very exciting and interesting. I loved finding out more about the White Queen and Red Queen’s past and relationship as young princesses. The costumes were beautiful throughout the movie and the animations for characters and scenes that required it were professionally and beautifully done.
While I did enjoy the movie for the most part, there were too many scenes where actors appeared closeup and the flaws of their makeup could be seen. It looked sloppy and unprofessional. This wasn’t that big of a deal, but if the actors were further back on screen, the movie would look neater.
Overall, I would recommend seeing Alice Through the Looking Glass if you enjoyed the first movie and like Disney movies. It’s filled with action, some laughs, and has a good story line. If you do decide to go see, enjoy!
