Notting Hill

This being my last blog, I decided to use it on a very special movie. Notting Hill starring Julia Roberts and Hugh Grant. A chance encounter brings together reserved bookstore owner William Thacker (Hugh Grant) and Hollywood icon Anna Scott (Julia Roberts), who forge an improbable romance until Anna’s mega-stardom begins whittling away at their relationship. Can their love overcome all the pretense — and the flash of the paparazzi? Rhys Ifans co-stars in a scene-stealing turn as Spike, William’s dim-bulb, bedraggled flatmate.

This is just such a beautiful love story that anyone can fall in love with. One of my favorite lines from this film is when Julia Roberts character comes up to Hugh Grant and says, “I’m just a girl. Standing in front of a boy. Asking him to love her.”

So simple and breath taking that you can’t help but love it.

***** 5 Stars

Where the Heart Is

Novalee is a pregnant teen who has to grow up in a hurry when she is abandoned at a Wal-Mart by her boyfriend. Taking refuge in a small town, Novalee befriends some eccentric strangers who help her build a better life for her and her daughter.

***** 5 Stars

Very emotional drama and I’m curious as to how many people tried to sneak into a Wal-Mart after this movie came out.

 

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Pt. 2

Now I’ve tried to stay away from Harry Potter just because I am so completely and totally biased towards them. I love them. Since I was a kid and have read the books, seen all the movies and can quote most of the lines better than the actors themselves.

But tonight, Part 2 of the Deathly Hallows came on and I couldn’t resist talking about it.

It is recommended that you watch Part One before Part Two, but that’s you’re own choice. The beginning is just so quiet, and eerie as Harry, Ron and Hermoine set off to destroy the remaining horcruxes to destroy He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named.

After their Gringotts Bank encounter, You-Know-Who know’s what the trio are now after. It is very dark and sinister and there is only one scene I will warn you about.

Every single time that I see what happens in Snape’s life, meeting Lily, how she fell in love with James, how he found her body after she died, and how he looked at Harry and saw only Lily’s eyes makes me cry. Then when he cast’s a spell to show his patronous, it’s of a doe. The same as Lily’s. When Dumbledore asks, “After all this time?” Snape answers, “Always.”

There was a twitter quote that talked about that moment. It said “J.K. Rowling told a better love story in one chapter than Stephanie Myers did in 4 books”. Which I whole heartily agree.

I will not say that these movies are the best in the world. That’s asking for too much. I will say it’s the best series in the world. The best on going, fan committed, family based movie that I think anyone has seen in long time.

The next to beat will be the Hunger Games. You can quote me on that.

***** 5 Stars

Water For Elephants

I was quite against this movie to begin with since I have sworn to loathe Robert Pattinson for all of my life. However, in this startling performance, I have now seen the attraction that many die hard Twilight fans see.

Also starring Reese Witherspoon.

Pattinson stars as Jacob Jankowski, a Polish American who’s parents are killed just before his final exam to be a Vet. Trying to flee his troubles he joins the train that turns out to be a circus train. He meets the fabulous Marlena (Witherspoon) and is instantly attracted to her.

Through a series of events, they train an elephant named Rosy for their act. All the time, growing closer and closer until August, Marlena’s husband is distraught and plans to kill Jacob.

This thrilling love story is something that anyone can enjoy.

***** 5 Stars

It is also a novel if anyone chooses to read instead of watching the movie.

The Wedding Date

Single girl anxiety causes Kat Ellis to hire a male escort to pose as her boyfriend at her sisters wedding. Her plan, an attempt to dupe her ex-fiance who dumped her a couple of years prior proves to be her undoing.

At first the character of Kat really bothers me. I can understand and sympathize with the fact that she has to face her entire family alone and her ex but she seems so weak about it that I really just want her to grow a pair and have the movie end. However, as time goes on, she begins to grow on me along with the male escort. He seemed a bit pompous (not as much as Thor) towards the beginning.

The ending caught me by surprise the first time I watched it and I have to say it was worth it going through the first half.

**** 4 Stars

The Breakfast Club

They were five students with nothing in common, faced with spending a Saturday detention together in their high school library. At 7 am they had nothing to say, but by 4 pm they had bared their souls to each other. Starring Emilio Estevez, Anthony Michael Hall, Judd Nelson, Molly Ringwald and Ally Sheedy. To the outside world, they were simply the Jock, The brain, The Criminal, the Princess and the Basket Case…but to each other they will always be The Breakfast Club.

UP

From Disney and Pixar comes the tale of Carl Fredricksen, a retired balloon salesman who is part rascal and part dreamer and is ready for his last chance at high-flying excitement. Tying thousands of balloons to his house, Carl sets off to the lost world of his childhood dreams. Unbeknownst to Carl, Russell, an overeager eight-year-old Wilderness Explorer who has never ventured beyond his backyard, is in the wrong place at the wrong time–Carl’s front porch. This unlikely duo reach new heights and meet fantastic friends like Dug, a dog with a special collar that allows him to speak, and Kevin, a rare 13-foot-tall flightless bird. Stuck together in the wilds of the jungle, Carl realizes that sometimes life’s biggest adventures aren’t the ones you set out looking for.

***** 5 Stars

perfect for the entire family.

 

Finding Neverland

This movie tells about the story of J.M. Barrie and his creation of Peter Pan. I’ve always loved this movie because it has Johnny Depp playing J.M. Barrie. The story really comes to life as Mr. Barrie becomes connected with a widow and her 4 sons. The middle child, Peter, still reeling from the recent death of their father is the most reluctant of the bunch to open up to Mr. Barrie as he integrates himself into their lives.

I will always and forever cry at the end of that movie though.

Thor

First, I must say that I am a girl who loves super hero movies. Genuinely, they’re not half bad. Depending on which comic book they’re portraying, I think most of the heroes and villains are accurate toward the comics.

Today, however, I am saddened by the portrayal of Thor. Everyone knows the story of the God of Thunder…except in this movie, he’s a “jock” type. The kind no one wants to even like in a movie or in real life. He’s pompous, arrogant, and just selfish. No wonder his father sends him hurtling to earth as banishment. I would have done it earlier if only to teach him a lesson.

Then the fact that a woman of all people is what teaches him what to be a man is really like. Ugh. Yes, it is a movie and I’m slightly confusing reality with fiction but this is just unconventional.

Besides that Thor was only on earth for 2 DAYS and he learned his lesson in that amount of time is just beyond ridiculous.

I’m sorry, I’m being rather cruel towards this movie, but I couldn’t stand it. Also the fact that all the girls loved Thor and said that I would too.

** 2 Stars

 

She’s The Man

This movie is one of my personal favorites partly because it stars Amanda Bynes and the story line is phenomenal. Based on Shakespeare’s play “Twelfth Night” Amanda Bynes is Violet who disguises herself as her brother and attends Illyria high school to play soccer on the boys team after her team is cancelled due to lack of funds.

The movie is clever and witty in every sense of the word. Her mannerisms as a “boy” are freakish (in a good/funny sort of way) and slightly over the top which is the style of acting Amanda Bynes.

I love the subtle references to Shakespeare in the movie, for example the name of the spider Marvolo which is one of the characters in the play, and the quote from the actual play “Some are born great. Some achieve greatness. And some have greatness thrust upon them”.

Also the lines in the movie are just so quotable it’s the most amusing part of the whole movie. Almost anything that Violet says can be related to in a group of close knit friends who have seen the movie.

I suggest that if you like this movie, you would also like Napoleon Dynamite.

***** 5 Stars