Spotlight: Prequels and Sequels

Have you ever seen the movie Cars or Toy Story? Have you read any of the Harry Potter or Twilight novels? If you have, then I'm sure you know that each of these films and novels have their own sequels and prequels, and that's what we're going to focus on in this month's Spotlight!

Film: Cars and Cars 2

Cars the Movie is the exciting and fun-loving prequel to Cars 2. The movie introduces Lightning McQueen to the unknown Route 66 and Radiator Springs. I fell in love with the characters of Radiator Springs like Sally and Doc Hudson. And to top it all off, it’s still one of my favorite movies of all time. McQueen’s journey from the original Piston Cup Race to the tie-breaker race really made the movie that much better. This film got mostly positive reviews and it was a family favorite. Cars feedback was on the positive side, but like most movies, it had the bad comments.

Cars 2 is the sequel of the film Cars, which was released in 2006. The sequel stars many old characters - like Lightning McQueen, Mater, Sally, Luigi, Guido, and Mack - and a few new characters - Finn McMissile and Holley Shiftwell. The movie moves away from its original location in Radiator Springs off Route 66 to the more face-paced Japan and Europe. While there, McQueen competes in the World Grand Prix and Mater gets involved with espionage. Much unlike the first movie, Cars 2 can be seen in IMAX and 3D.

Although the film has gotten a wide variety of feedback, from extremely demeaning comments to glowing reviews, the film broke records for the largest opening weekend for an animated film in 2011. It holds a special place in my favorite movie category, which says a lot because my favorite movies are mostly pre-2001. I loved the new characters and the new story line that was presented, especially with Mater’s espionage involvement.

In addition to doing well in theaters, this film has fared well in terms of merchandising, with its own video game and app on iTunes. And if you haven't seen it yet, you better get out there soon!

Book: Twilight Saga

The Twilight Saga was introduced in 2005, but has gained more popularity since that time. It is among the most popular series for young adults, winning multiple awards. There have been over 116 million copies sold worldwide and they have been translated into more than 30 languages. Because of increasing popularity, the books were made into movies. All but the last book have been released to the public in movie form.

Twilight starts when Bella Swan moves from Arizona to Washington to live with her father while her newlywed mother travels with her husband, a professional baseball player. Soon after moving to Forks, Washington, Bella meets and falls in love with Edward Cullen, a student at her high school, who -along with his family- happens to be a vampire. Throughout this novel, Bella and Edward struggle with their inexplicable attraction to each other, Edward's primal desire for Bella's blood, and Bella's near-constant brushes with death.

New Moon, the second book in the saga, focuses on Bella's loss and consequential breakdown when a guilt-ridden Edward and his family flees Forks and leaves Bella behind. With Edward and his sister Alice (Bella's best friend) gone, Bella falls into a dark depression, only fighting her way out of it with the help of an old friend (and newly phased werewolf) Jacob Black. With the Cullens gone, Jacob takes on the role of best friend and sole protector of the often fragile, trouble-magnet Bella. Over time their friendship blooms and Bella begins heal. But after an unfortunate misunderstanding brings the Cullens back into her life, Bella has to choose between staying with her old friend or saving the life of her old love.

Eclipse, the third novel in the series, brings us back to the loose ends left behind in the first novel. With an army of newborn vampires created to help an old enemy extract revenge on Edward, Bella, the Cullens, and the Quileute's werewolves have to find a way to put aside their differences and work together to save her life. Now that Edward's back, he's determined to win Bella back in full but a persistent werewolf, Jacob Black, has earned a small but permanent corner of her heart. With their natural rivalry (vampires against werewolves) and Bella's love (and life) at stake, the two men have trouble doing what's right for Bella and her safety. In the end, it'll be up to Bella to decide who she stay with and who she'll lose.

Breaking Dawn, the final novel in theTwilight series, is possibly the most troublesome. After Bella and Edward's wedding, the two take off for their honeymoon. Just days after their first night to Bella, the honeymoon is cut short when Bella appears to be pregnant. After quickly returning home, the two find that Bella is pregnant with their half-vampire/half-human baby, a baby that's too growing rapidly and threatening Bella's life. Edward struggles with Bella – wanting to save her life and risk the loss of the baby – but in the end, Bella gets her way.

When the Volturi (the vampires' highest authority) hears of Bella and Edward's vampire child, they set a course for Forks, Washington to punish the family for (seemingly) turning a child. The Cullens must gather all their vampire friends to help prove to the Volturi that they have broken no rules and that the baby – little 'Nessie – is not a turned child but the quickly growing biological daughter of Edward and Bella.

Since the last book's release, Stephanie Meyers has written (and released) other books that take place in the Twilight universe. Midnight Sun, an unreleased and unfinished novel, retells the story of the first novel (Twilight) through Edward's point of view. The Short Second Life of Bree Tanner, a story that takes places during New Moon, tells the story of Bree Tanner, a young girl turned vampire to fight in the newborn army raised against Bella and the Cullens.

Haven’t read the books but seen the movie? Be sure to go back and check out the novel. While the films are good, they definitely don't capture the intensity or details of Meyers' novels. And make sure to catch the first part of the last movie that comes out in November 2011.

Television: Grey’s Anatomy & Private Practice

Grey’s Anatomy is a TV drama about the medical field. It was released in 2005 and has been on air for seven seasons. The show explores the personal and professional lives of the residents and interns at Seattle Grace Hospital – initially centering around lives of interns Meredith Grey, Alex Karev, George O' Malley, Izzie Stevens, and Christina Yang. Over the years, the show has become a must-watch for Thursday night drama and will be renewed for an eighth season. In the last season, the show ranked fifth best and added 1.3 million viewers to it's already large fanbase and continues to be one of the top medical dramas on television.

As for its spinoff, Private Practice, which started in 2007, it follows the life of Addison Montgomery who was married to Derek Shepherd of Grey’s Anatomy. Addison has been linked to Eric Dane’s character McSteamy in the original show as well as Alex Karev. In this spin-off, Addison leaves Seattle for Los Angeles to join a private practice with her friends, Naomi and Sam. The show sports financial difficulties and relationship defaults in addition to the problems the characters face in their work at the medical office.

Private Practice was renewed for a fifth season and new characters have been added to replace characters that have left the show. While the show has done well, it has yet to reach the success and gain the fanbase of its predecessor Grey’s Anatomy.

This article was originally posted in the August issue of the Mibba Magazine.