The Time Traveller's Wife - Here Again Gone Again

I have thoroughly enjoyed any other time travel movies I've seen, especially "The Time Machine." So, when I heard about this one, I was excited, but honestly, it does not live up to its predecessors. It is a not much more than a sweet love story with a strange story line.

I really wanted to believe all this timetravel stuff, but the director just doesn't give enough information to convince me. He does tell us the hero has a genetic anamoly which causes him to time travel at any time to any place, but he often visits the same places and people in his life. I could not understand how the 49 year old and the 39 year old could be present at the same time. Somethings are better left alone and suspension of disbelief is necessary.

This movie is about deep, satisfying true love, patience, relationships, and a little about time travel.

After many failed relationships and full of frustrastration, artist Audrey Niffenegger wrote her debut novel in 2003, and after selling several million copies, it was transformed into a movie.

Borne in Melbourne, Australia, Eric Bana (Prince Hector in Troy) is another one of those dark, serious looking actors who looks mad or angry even when he is happy. It is had to believe he recieved awards for his stand-up comedy. He wanted to be a race car driver, but said, acting will do.

Canadian actress, Rachel McAdams was absolutely adoreable as the understanding and patient wife. Too patient if you ask me. I'm looking forward to her new movie "Morning Glory," with Diane Keaton and Harrison Ford about a morning show producer to be released soon.

Whale Rider - Another big fish story

Since I have not had time to get to the dollar movie this week, and cannot forsee having the time for a while, I pulled out an older movie I have been meaning to watch - Whale Rider. It had such wonderful reviews and won so many awards, I was really expecting a lot. Too much I guess because I was really disappointed.


This is a sweet little story, (not a true story as I first thought) about a little girl who questions why she can't do everything a boy can do and more, and then she goes and does it.

Set in modern day New Zealand, this story follows the daughter of the chief, who has little value, because the son, who died,would have been the next chief of the village. Paikea Apirana, Pai as she is called, sets out to prove she does have value and she can do everything the boys do, like learn the old language, the songs and chants, the stick fighting and then she rides a whale after coaxing him to leave the beach. They all think she has drowned but survives and she becomes the new chief.

It seemed just to unbelievable to me, I guess my imagination was on fall break because my skepticism kicked in so often, I could not really enjoy the movie.

The cinematography of the ocean was beautiful and the music was also very nice. The innocense of the girl and the lack of acting credentials most of the cast had was not a drawback. It was refreshing to see real people interacting as they actually would in a situation.

I am sure there are many people who could really enjoy this movie, to them I say rent it. It is a quaint, realistic view of a modern day village that still believes in the old stories and myths.

Trivia

The author of the book,Witi Ihimaera, wrote this story because he has a granddaughter and they were discussing about why heroes were always boys, so he used his cultural background to create a beautiful story and made the hero a girl, writing the entire book in three weeks.


The 13 year old girl in the lead was not an actress, Keisha Castle-Hughes, was just a school girl. The director, Niki Caro, wanted an average, pre-pubescent girl. She won an award for newcomer of the year, not to mention all the other awards the movie won.


The movie crew built (carved) the 60 foot boat used in the movie and then gave it to the people of the town, many of whom were used as extras in the movie.

It only cost $6 million to make this movie, which is very little to us, and it shows, but to New Zealand, it was a lot; the community was really behind this project. It grossed $41 million.

Scary Harry Potter

The Harry Potter series is not just for kids any longer and it is definetely not for young kids. I was scared to death in a few scenes. One of them had demons dragging Harry to the depths of a lake in a cave. This is not for young children of which there were many in the theater. There were even several 1 and 2 year old babies crying through the whole move. Please, leave your kids with a sitter or stay home and rent the movie!

I confess I have never read the Harry Potter books. Because of my weak eyesight, I like to say, "I've seen everything ever written." I have not even seen number 5 or 6 in the series, but I was able to understand almost everything in this new film, "Harry Potter and the Half-blood Prince."

One bit of trivia I found regarding author J.K. Rowling is that she demanded that the principle cast be british and subsequent casting be from the country as written. I like her spunk.

The young wizards are growing up and their romantic and sexual urges are just like any other normal teens. This is their fifth year at Hogwart's school and I wonder how many more years till they gaduate? Not only are they becoming talented wizards, but they are now also mystery solving sleuths.

The imagination and special effects of the series has made this enterprise a multi-billion dollar venture, $5.4 to be exact, and there are two more films to come. Actually it is one film which will be called Part 1 and Part 2.

There are some special effect I never tire of - I still love the picture frames with moving pictures and the way they can tidy up a room by making inanimate objects fly. The memories in bottles is imaginative by sticking your head in water to see them and coming out dry is too weird to me.

The cinematography is superb. The way the camera slowly moves into a scene, provides a vignette to tease us, and then slowly leaves the scene is amazing. I feel as if we are stealing a glimpse of something we should not be privy to.


I love the previews before the movies, and this time I noticed something very interesting. It was a trailer for "Fame" the remake of the old television series about a dance school. They modeled the trailer after "Harry Potter" by suggesting it is magical, teaches all kinds of spells and it has a school that teaches you to fly. How is that for trying to cash in on Potter's fame? I actually am looking forward to this movie, the series was very well done with high energy dancing, passionate dancers and intelligent kids with their eyes on the future, but I see absolutely no resemblance to Harry Potter.
.

The Ugly Truth about Relationships

Is it true, men only want sex? They put up with all our sissy female desires just to get what they want. It is according to Mike Chadway, the shockingly honest and extremely popular talk show personality, played by the gorgeous Scotsman, Gerard Butler, who delivers "The Ugly Truth" on late nite television.

When the beautiful, but lonely, show's producer, Abby Richter, played by Katherine Heigl, needs help capturing what she thinks is the perfect man, Mike offers to lend a hand. He tells her to laugh at all his jokes, don't be controlling, dress sexy and learn how to flirt. She catches a man alright but is he the perfect man? You'll have to go see this at the dollar movie this week.

This may be a modern comedy, but the story is follows the old standard "how to catch a man" flick. It's not great but it is fun for both sexes and both these body beautifuls are a sight for lovesick puppies everywhere.

The subject of this movie stirs up some real strong emotions in us girls who were talking for hours about the ugly truth or just the plain truth.

Chadway said there is no such thing as a man who is sensitive, compassionate, likes to take long walks and will really listen to what a woman has to say. I disagree, there must be a few real gentlemen left, they can't all be cavemen, can they?