The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn - Part 1 (2011) / Review

Release Date: 18 November 2011 (India) Runtime: 117 min
Genres: Adventure | Drama | Fantasy | Romance
Taglines: Forever is only the beginning

The Quileute and the Volturi close in on expecting parents Edward and Bella, whose unborn child poses different threats to the wolf pack and vampire coven.

Director: Bill Condon
Writers: Melissa Rosenberg (screenplay), Stephenie Meyer (novel)
Stars: Kristen Stewart, Robert Pattinson and Taylor Lautner

Stewart is finally acting, which is one of the biggest reasons why this movie is so much better than the others. She portrays Bella in a way that is so close to the book, and it's wonderful to see her and Pattinson playing lovers that are so, so, so in love. The fact that Bill Condon (director) gave the happy couple so much time to be just that, happy, makes you really believe in their love and it makes you understand why they can't live without each other.
This movie takes you from a beautiful wedding, complete with the most hilarious toasts (Jessica and Charlie) wonderful music, stunning dresses and declarations of love that will touch everyone's hearts, to South America for a sexy, funny and exciting honeymoon where we see heartfelt smiles, kissing, cuddling and teasing along with the epic headboard breaking scene. It then settles back in Forks, where we get to witness the most terrifying pregnancy imaginable.
 The special effects team deserve an Oscar for the work they've done on making Stewart look like she's slowly fading away. The moments leading up to the birth scene are actually scarier than the scene itself. It really is a horror film towards the end, and some scenes should maybe have been rated R. It ends in the perfect place, such a natural and obvious cut. I am so thankful that Breaking Dawn has been split into two parts, because I can't imagine even once scene in this part that could have been skipped.

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Cast
Taylor Lautner , Gil Birmingham, Billy Burke, Sarah Clarke, Ty Olsson, Kristen Stewart, Ashley Greene, Jackson Rathbone, Peter Facinelli , Elizabeth Reaser, Kellan Lutz , Nikki Reed, Robert Pattinson, Christian Sloan, James Pizzinato

Produced by Wyck Godfrey, Stephenie Meyer, Mark Morgan & Karen Rosenfelt
Original Music by Carter Burwell       
Cinematography by Guillermo Navarro       
Film Editing by Virginia Katz       
Casting by Debra Zane       
Production Design by Richard Sherman         
Costume Design by Michael Wilkinson    
Filming Locations: Baton Rouge, Louisiana, USA
Budget: $127,000,000 (estimated)
Production Co: Summit Entertainment, Sunswept Entertainment, TSBD Canada Productions
Sound Mix: Dolby Digital  | DTS
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MOVIE TRAILER

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Explosive Eighteen: A Stephanie Plum Novel by Janet Evanovich/ Review

Janet Evanovich (Author)

“No less than her plotting, Evanovich’s characterizations are models of screwball artistry. . . . The intricate plot machinery of her comic capers is fueled by inventive twists.”—The New York Times

Bounty hunter Stephanie Plum’s life is set to blow sky high when international murder hits dangerously close to home, in this dynamite novel by Janet Evanovich.

Before Stephanie can even step foot off Flight 127 Hawaii to Newark, she’s knee deep in trouble. Her dream vacation turned into a nightmare, and she’s flying back to New Jersey solo. Worse still, her seatmate never returned to the plane after the L.A. layover. Now he’s dead, in a garbage can, waiting for curbside pickup. His killer could be anyone. And a ragtag collection of thugs and psychos, not to mention the FBI, are all looking for a photograph the dead man was supposed to be carrying.

Only one other person has seen the missing photo—Stephanie Plum. Now she’s the target, and she doesn’t intend to end up in a garbage can. With the help of an FBI sketch artist Stephanie re-creates the person in the photo. Unfortunately the first sketch turns out to look like Tom Cruise, and the second sketch like Ashton Kutcher. Until Stephanie can improve her descriptive skills, she’ll need to watch her back.

About the Author

Janet Evanovich is the #1 New York Times bestselling author of the Stephanie Plum novels, twelve romance novels, the Alexandra Barnaby novels and graphic novels, Wicked Appetite (the first book in the Lizzy and Diesel series), and How I Write: Secrets of a Bestselling Author.

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    Hardcover: 320 pages
    Publisher: Bantam (November 22, 2011)
    Language: English
    ISBN-10: 0345527712
    ISBN-13: 978-0345527714
    Genre: Literature, Fiction, Mystery, Thriller, Suspense & Romance
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Like Crazy (2011)

Release Date: USA 28 October 2011  Runtime: 90 min
Genres:   Drama | Romance
Storyline
A British college student falls for an American student, only to be separated from him when she's banned from the U.S. after overstaying her visa.

Director: Drake Doremus
Writers: Drake Doremus & Ben York Jones

Cast : Anton Yelchin, Felicity Jones, Jennifer Lawrence, Charlie Bewley , Alex Kingston, Oliver Muirhead , Finola Hughes, Chris Messina, Ben York Jones , Jamie Thomas King, Amanda Carlin Keeley Hazell, Kayla Barr

"Like Crazy" starts out strongly. Fresh young love, imbibed with an earthy, quiet spontaneity. The 2 leads actors have a playful, heartfelt energy between them. Yelchin (Jacob) and Jones (Anna) were finely cast, as were Alex Kingston and Oliver Muirhead, as the parents of Anna. Several scenes were familiar territory to me, even offering a few gentle reminders about the fragile nature of romantic dreams.

Kudos to the production design and costuming people, who were willing to let the actors shine. The scenes were rendered with comforting modernity, without trying too hard. It's refreshing to see a creative team who are not compelled to be edgy or trendy.

The push-pull dynamic of long-distance relationships is revealed quite well in this story. Having said that, the core energy and rhythm seemed to dissipate after a while, and I felt like the movie lost its bearings. This film could have benefited from a tighter edit. In a way, the director may have intended for the audience to feel a bit haggard at various points. The romantic part of me wanted some reassuring escapism in the final scene. Instead, we are left to grapple with the evidence of awkwardness, which some of us are all too familiar with.

Production Co:  Andrea Sperling Productions, Indian Paintbrush, Super Crispy Entertainment
Sound Mix:  Dolby Digital  | DTS (as Datasat Digital Sound) | SDDS
Original Music by  Dustin O'Halloran        
Cinematography by  John Guleserian        
Film Editing by  Jonathan Alberts        
Casting by  Eyde Belasco        
Production Design by  Katie Byron        
Art Direction by  Rachael Ferrara        
Costume Design by  Mairi Chisholm        

MOVIE TRAILER

LIKE CRAZY: Movie Trailer. Watch more top selected videos about: LIKE CRAZY, Charlie Bewley

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The Three Musketeers (2011)/Review

Release Date: 21 October 2011 (USA) Runtime: Germany: 110 min
Genres: Action | Adventure | Romance

The hot-headed young D'Artagnan along with three former legendary but now down on their luck Musketeers must unite and defeat a beautiful double agent and her villainous employer from seizing the French throne and engulfing Europe in war.

Director: Paul W.S. Anderson
Writing credits (WGA): Alex Litvak , Andrew Davies & Alexandre Dumas père     (novel "Les Trois Mousquetaires")
Cast overview:
Matthew Macfadyen, Milla Jovovich, Luke Evans, Helen George, Christian Oliver     , Ray Stevenson Til Schweiger, Markus Brandl , Orlando Bloom, Logan Lerman, Dexter Fletcher, Jane Perry Mads Mikkelsen, Andy Gathergood , Ben Moor
Original Music by Paul Haslinger       
Cinematography by Glen MacPherson       
Film Editing by Alexander Berner       
Casting by  Suzanne Smith       
Filming Locations: Bamberg, Bavaria, Germany
Budget: $75,000,000 (estimated)
Production Co: Constantin Film Produktion, Nouvelles Éditions de Films (NEF), New Legacy Show
Sound Mix: Dolby

Review
Leave your sensible head in the foyer
Author: imbigmo from Bristol

I've read other reviews lambasting the historical inaccuracies, the deviation from the original book and the technological impossibilities.....get a grip guys it's a fantasy/adventure movie and I loved it. It's beautifully stylised, the 3D works well and the action sequences are extremely well choreographed. I didn't give a "stuff" that there were a combination of accents that bore no relation to the geography, that the dialogue was campy and that it strayed well away from the original novel, which in fairness has been done to death anyway. It was fun, well made and rattling good entertainment. I read a gazillion reviews telling me how good "Drive" was........that really did bore the pants off me!

TRAILER

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Only Yours by Susan Mallery/Book Review

Susan Mallery (Author)
    • Mass Market Paperback: 384 pages
    • Publisher: HQN Books (August 30, 2011)
    • Language: English
    • ISBN-10: 0373775946
    • ISBN-13: 978-0373775941
    • Product Dimensions: 6.5 x 4.1 x 1.1 inches

Product Description

Montana Hendrix has found her calling—working with therapy dogs. With a career she loves in a hometown she adores, she's finally ready to look for her own happily ever after. Could one of her dogs help her find Mr. Right…or maybe Dr. Right?
Surgeon Simon Bradley prefers the sterility of the hospital to the messiness of real life, especially when real life includes an accident-prone mutt and a woman whose kisses make him want what he knows he can't have. Scarred since childhood, he avoids emotional entanglement by moving from place to place to heal children who need his skillful touch. Can his growing feelings for Montana lead him to find a home in Fool's Gold, or will he walk away, taking her broken heart with him?
Review
A wonderful Beauty and the Beast tale!,
By   S. Cave (Puyallup, WA United States)
In the second of the latest Fool's Gold trilogy by Susan Mallery, we get Montana Hendrix and Simon Bradley...so far, my favorite couple of the triplet Hendrix sisters. Mostly, it's all about Simon. While we meet him not at his best, it quickly becomes obvious that he's wounded, inside and out, and Montana is just the right person to heal him. Whereas the first book in the trilogy didn't quite hit the spot, this one kept my attention and touched my heart. As Simon struggles to heal others, he refuses to believe he is worthy of healing himself. Montana, who has a family who gives her unconditional love, still struggles with believing she's enough for a man, but she's willing to put herself out there for Simon to see, flaws and all. Their love story is sexy and sweet and brought tears to my eyes more than once.
Of course, as with all the Fool's Gold books, Mallery populates them with a lot of great secondary characters and we revisit many of them again on Only Yours. I also loved the secondary stories of Montana working with the service dogs, her mother's ventures into the dating world (I have a feeling we'll see more of that later) and best of all, the story of Kalinda, the little burn victim Simon is caring for. All of this adds up to a truly emotionally satisfying story.

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Garden of Secrets (Angel's Bay Novel)/Book Review

Barbara Freethy

Mass Market Paperback: 384 pages

Publisher: Pocket Star (September 20, 2011)

Language: English

ISBN-10: 1451636512

ISBN-13: 978-1451636512

Genre: Romance

Description

Dr. Charlotte Adams is torn between two men.  Rev. Andrew Schilling is her past, a high-school romance that went drastically wrong.  But he's back in town now and part of her present -- along with newly-divorced Police Chief Joe Silviera, whom she's been powerfully attracted to for months.  The question is, which man is her future -- and Charlotte has to face and accept her past before she can build a life with Joe.

About the Author

A native California, Barbara has lived at both ends of the state. While she misses the hot summer nights of Southern California, she enjoys the beautiful bays and hillsides of Northern California, as well as the exciting and intriguing city of San Francisco.

REVIEW

Five times a charm for Barbara Freethy in Angel Bay

By Kim Adams (Honolulu, Hawaii)

GARDEN of SECRETS is the fifth book in the Angel's Bay series. Yet it can be read as a standalone story. I was intrigued by the characters that Freethy offered in this "small town" romance - Charlotte is a minister's daughter who became an OB/GYN doctor. She returns home after her father's death. Andrew is her high school boyfriend with whom she had a painful breakup. He is now the minister at her father's church. Joe is the recently divorced Police Chief. As Charlotte considers her attraction to both, she finds she has competition from her high school nemesis, Pamela. Then Charlotte accidently becomes the leading suspect in the attack on Pamela's sister and the mayor's wife. Looking at what I just wrote, it seems to lean toward soap operadom. Yet Freethy delivers a charming story with the independent heroine's yearning for love, flawed heroes seeking to fulfill that role, and some community angst to stir things up in Angel's Bay.

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Friends with Benefits (2011) /Movie Review

Runtime: 109 min  Release Date: 9 September 2011 (India)

Genre: Comedy | Romance

Sound Mix: Dolby Digital | DTS (as Datasat Digital Sound) | SDDS

Filming Locations: Los Angeles, California, USA

While trying to avoid the clichés of Hollywood romantic comedies, Dylan and Jamie soon discover however that adding the act of sex to their friendship does lead to complications.

Director: Will Gluck

Writing credits (WGA) : Keith Merryman, David A. Newman, Will Gluck, Harley Peyton

Cinematography by Michael Grady

Film Editing by Tia Nolan

Casting by Lisa Miller Katz

Cast

Justin Timberlake, Mila Kunis, Patricia Clarkson, Jenna Elfman, Bryan Greenberg, Richard Jenkins,

Woody Harrelson, Nolan Gould, Andy Samberg, Shaun White, Andrew Fleming, Catherine Reitman

 

Production Companies

• Screen Gems (presents)
• Castle Rock Entertainment
• Zucker Productions (as Zucker)
• Olive Bridge Entertainment

 Review

A movie without benefits, 7 September 2011

Author: SteveMierzejewski from Poland

Don't waste your time on this one. A weak, predictable plot highly dependent on simulated sex scenes between the two main characters to maintain viewer interest. Of course, if you're into that kind of thing, you'd probably think this was the movie of the year. If you're looking for some depth or acting quality, you've come to the wrong film.

And what's with Justin Timberlake? Is he gay or putting a little too much glitter on his speech to give it a gay twist? I'm not trying to be funny here because one of the running gags is that people keep asking him if he is gay. I suppose this is supposed to have us all convulsed with laughter, otherwise I don't have any idea why they are beating us to death with this angle. I suspect Mila Kunis did her best with the underdeveloped character she was given, and its the reason I rated the film so highly. Anyway, if you really want to explore the 'can men and women be friends' theme, watch the best in this genre, 'When Harry Met Sally'. At least you won't regret the time you spent watching it.

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Zookeeper (2011)/Movie Review

Release Date: 8 July 2011 (USA)   Runtime: USA: 102 min

Genres: Comedy | Family | Romance

Taglines:  Welcome to his jungle.

Director:  Frank Coraci

Writers:  Nick Bakay (screenplay), Rock Reuben (screenplay)

Original Music by  Rupert Gregson-Williams

Cinematography by Michael Barrett

Storyline

A group of zoo animals decide to break their code of silence in order to help their lovable zoo keeper find love -- without opting to leave his current job for something more illustrious.

Box Office

Budget: $80,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend: $20,065,617 (USA) (10 July 2011) (3482 Screens)

Gross: $76,771,335 (USA) (21 August 2011)

Production Co: Columbia Pictures, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM), Broken Road Productions

Filming Location: Boston, Massachusetts, USA

Soundtracks

"So Much Class"  

Written by Asani Charles, Joshua Sullivan, Gyula Dobos, Vernis Washington, Joseph Sabin and Vincent Reynolds

Performed by Doctor Jay featuring J. Sabin

Courtesy of The Creative Shop

By Arrangement with BZEE ROC Music Group, LLC

CASTS:  Kevin James,  Rosario Dawson , Leslie Bibb , Ken Jeong , Donnie Wahlberg , Joe Rogan, Nat Faxon , Steffiana De La Cruz , Nick Bakay , Jackie Sandler , Nicholas Turturro , Thomas Gottschalk, Brandon Keener , Robin Bakay , Gary Valentine

AWARDED:

2011 Teen Choice Award

Nominated

Choice Summer Movie Star: Female

Rosario Dawson

REVIEW

Kevin James plays Griffin Keyes, an average guy in an average job. He has a kind heart and an above average ability to relate to the animals in his care as the zookeeper of The Franklin Park Zoo in Boston.

The film opens with Griffin breaking up with his long time girlfriend Stephanie (Leslie Bibb). He weathers the disappointment and we fast forward 5 years where Griffin has now become the head zookeeper. At a celebration of his brother's upcoming wedding, Griffin spots Stephanie and his old feelings for her bubble to the surface. Lost and confused Griffin's animal buddies come to his rescue by 1 - letting him in on the secret that animals can communicate with humans (in English no less) and 2 - teaching him how to win the female of his species (advice that may be better left as that - advice) Some physical humor and not so funny scenes and lines fill out the movie for the long 104 minutes. Rosario Dawson plays Kate, the obvious new love interest for Griffin.

Unless you're between the ages of 8 and 12 leave this one unseen - it is  not worth the matinée price. Maybe catch it some time when it has been "formatted to fit this screen" and "shortened to fit in the time allotted".

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One Day (2011)/Movie Review

Release Date:  19 August 2011 (USA) Runtime: 108 min

Genres: Drama | Romance

Taglines: Twenty years. Two people.

Filming Locations: Edinburgh, Scotland, UK

Director:  Lone Scherfig

Writers:  David Nicholls (screenplay), David Nicholls (book)

Box Office

Budget:  $15,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend: $5,079,566 (USA) (21 August 2011) (1721 Screens)

Gross:  $5,079,566 (USA) (21 August 2011)

Production Co:  Color Force, Film Four, Random House Films

CASTS:

Anne Hathaway , Jim Sturgess , Tom Mison , Jodie Whittaker , Tim Key ,Rafe Spall , Joséphine de La Baume , Patricia Clarkson , Ken Stott , Heida Reed , Amanda Fairbank-Hynes , Gil Alma , David Ajala , Georgia King , Ukweli Roach

STORYLINE

After spending the night together on the night of their college graduation Dexter and Em are shown each year on the same date to see where they are in their lives. They are sometimes together, sometimes not, on that day.

REVIEW

One day is not an epic romantic movie

Let's be clear. One day is not an Epic Romance. If that is what you are looking for. Go see "They way were were", "Same time in September", "Love story", maybe even "Little Romance" with Diane Lane. One more, "Notting Hill".

If you like watching Anne Hathaway and you are a fan of her like some of you were of Julia Robert then go see it. Actually Anne lips remind me of a younger Julia Robert.

The story well, I don't know, I didn't connect with them as I enjoyed "Notting Hill" for example. Some people claim Anne's British accent wasn't good. Well, it would have not matter. It is the story that suppose to be important here. I didn't read the book. Perhaps the book is so much better. I might get more details. You do the accent in your mind and it just might be perfect when you are reading, right? When it comes to the movie, well, it did not work for me.

When Emma spend the first night with Dexter she says that she doesn't know how to act in these situations. What? Any freshman from any college would have done more than just say I don't know what to do.

She is a high maintenance girl. He is a lover, manipulative, womanizer, cocky boy. Most women in general would fall for this guy and not the nice guy who she meets later in the movie. Well, the filmmaker make him that way. These scene were not great. No chemistry. Perhaps they were on purpose so you don't like this guy. On the other hand the scenes with Dexter were sometimes funny. More compatible and confrontational. They try to say what they felt.

Dexter would call her 5am in the morning, all drunk, drugged and almost out of life. She seems to be the greatest friend ever in the world to answer the phone and willing to talk to him to open his eyes. Another woman would just runaway the other way. Unless she is into drugs too and all that fast lane life.

The movie has its moments but it is not consistent. Very few laughs. This is not even close to "Notting Hill" which I was expecting a step higher. A new look. A new fresh look. Maybe it needs Sorkin to spice up the dialog an scenes.

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The Harvest of Grace by Cindy Woodsmall

The Harvest of Grace: Book 3 in the Ada's House Amish Romance Series

By Cindy Woodsmall

Paperback: 352 pages

Publisher: WaterBrook Press (August 9, 2011)

Language: English

ISBN-10: 1400073987

ISBN-13: 978-1400073986

Product Dimensions: 8.2 x 5.5 x 0.8 inches

Product Description

Reeling from an unexpected betrayal, can Sylvia find relief from the echoes of her past…or will they shape her future forever? 

Although Sylvia Fisher recognizes that most Old Order Amish women her age spend their hours managing a household and raising babies, she has just one focus—tending and nurturing the herd on her family’s dairy farm. But when a dangerous connection with an old beau forces her to move far from home, she decides to concentrate on a new start and pour her energy into reviving another family’s debt-ridden farm.

After months in rehab, Aaron Blank returns home to sell his Daed’s failing farm and move his parents into an easier lifestyle. Two things stand in his way: the father who stubbornly refuses to recognize that Aaron has changed and the determined new farmhand his parents love like a daughter. Her influence on Aaron’s parents could ruin his plans to escape the burdens of farming and build a new life.

Can Aaron and Sylvia find common ground? Or will their unflinching efforts toward opposite goals blur the bigger picture— a path to forgiveness, glimpses of grace, and the promise of love. 

Synopsis:

Reeling from an unexpected betrayal, can Sylvia find relief from the echoes of her past…or will they shape her future forever? Although Sylvia Fisher recognizes that most Old Order Amish women her age spend their hours managing a household and raising babies, she has just one focus-tending and nurturing the herd on her family"s dairy farm. But when a dangerous connection with an old beau forces her to move far from home, she decides to concentrate on a new start and pour her energy into reviving another family"s debt-ridden farm. After months in rehab, Aaron Blank returns home to sell his Daed"s failing farm and move his parents into an easier lifestyle. Two things stand in his way: the father who stubbornly refuses to recognize that Aaron has changed and the determined new farmhand his parents love like a daughter. Her influence on Aaron"s parents could ruin his plans to escape the burdens of farming and build a new life. Can Aaron and Sylvia find common ground? Or will their unflinching efforts toward opposite goals blur the bigger picture- a path to forgiveness, glimpses of grace, and the promise of love. From the Trade Paperback edition.

REVIEW

I read A Harvest of Grace: An Ada's House Novel by Cindy Woodsmall in an afternoon and an evening. I usually devour fiction, but I still need to like the story and have an invested interest in the characters. This book had both. At a time in my life when I've been battling unforgiveness toward myself and others and also desiring to be given grace and to be able to give grace freely, this book was timely. I identified with and was challenged by the strengths and weaknesses, struggles and victories interwoven through the characters' lives in this small Amish community.

Even though I jumped into the third book of the series, it didn't hinder my reading. A brief summary is presented at the beginning and a character reference guide is given as an appendix. Although I don't mind plot spoilage as much as most people, I would recommend reading books one and two in the Ada's House Novel series: Hope of Refuge and The Bridge of Peace. I plan to read them even though I've already read the third book.

As I finished this book, the thought that settled over me was that everyone could use a little more grace and free-flowing forgiveness. Thankfully, we serve a God who is able, willing, and ready to shower us with both and use us to pour it out to those around us.

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Safe Haven by Nicholas Sparks /Book Reviews

Nicholas Sparks (Author)

Paperback: 368 pages

Publisher: Grand Central Publishing; Reprint edition (August 2, 2011)

Language: English

ISBN-10: 0446547603

ISBN-13: 978-0446547604

Product Dimensions: 5.2 x 1 x 8.2 inches

Description

When a mysterious young woman named Katie appears in the small North Carolina town of Southport, her sudden arrival raises questions about her past. Beautiful yet self-effacing, Katie seems determined to avoid forming personal ties until a series of events draws her into two reluctant relationships: one with Alex, a widowed store owner with a kind heart and two young children; and another with her plainspoken single neighbor, Jo. Despite her reservations, Katie slowly begins to let down her guard, putting down roots in the close-knit community and becoming increasingly attached to Alex and his family.

But even as Katie begins to fall in love, she struggles with the dark secret that still haunts and terrifies her . . . a past that set her on a fearful, shattering journey across the country, to the sheltered oasis of Southport. With Jo's empathic and stubborn support, Katie eventually realizes that she must choose between a life of transient safety and one of riskier rewards . . . and that in the darkest hour, love is the only true safe haven.

REVIEW

This certainly isn't a traditional sappy love story that Sparks usually writes. Sure it has the love story and it's set in North Carolina, but he puts in an element of danger. I have read all of his books and I love them all, however I am definitely tired of the "I love you" on the first date that practically occurs in all of his novels. The rest of this novel makes up for that quick love. It truly is impossible to put down. I made the mistake of starting it before bed, figuring I would read a few chapters and go to sleep - Well, I stayed up all night and finished it. They way it's written is strategic and effective in keeping the reader wanting more (which is why I had to finish it in one night). Sparks has said that this is the next movie adaptation and I'm sure it will work well. There is something for everyone: love story, family life, internal conflicts, danger, and a twist at the end. Well worth the money (the physical book is more $ than the Kindle version - so I don't know what everyone is complaining about; he's a best-seller, it came out yesterday - of course it's not going to be $5!) Overall, I loved it and I don't regret my purchase at all.

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Crazy, Stupid, Love (2011)/Movie Review

Release Date: 29 July 2011 (USA)   Runtime:  USA: 118 min

Genre: Comedy | Drama | Romance 

Tagline: This Is Crazy

Directors:  Glenn Ficarra, John Requa

Writer:  Dan Fogelman

Casts: Steve Carell , Ryan Gosling , Julianne Moore, Emma Stone , Analeigh Tipton,  Jonah Bobo ,

Joey King , Marisa Tomei , Beth Littleford , John Carroll Lynch , Kevin Bacon , Liza Lapira , Josh Groban,

Mekia Cox , Julianna Guill

Plot:

A father's life unravels while he deals with a marital crisis and tries to manage his relationship with his children.

Storyline

Cal (Steve Carell) and Emily (Julianne Moore) have the perfect life together living the American dream... until Emily asks for a divorce. Now Cal, Mr Husband, has to navigate the single scene with a little help from his professional bachelor friend Jacob Palmer (Ryan Gosling). Make that a lot of help...

Box Office

Budget:  $50,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend:  $19,104,303 (USA) (31 July 2011) (3020 Screens)

Gross:  $42,102,252 (USA) (7 August 2011)

REVIEW:

Bittersweet, emotionally uplifting and distinctly hilarious

Crazy, Stupid, Love. is one of, if not the best, American romantic comedies of the past decade. This may come as a shock to some (as it surely took me aback) but there is no other way to describe it. Going into an advanced screening of the film earlier this week, I had my doubts that it would be anything outside of generic. But instead of tripe, I got one of the most unexpected surprises I have seen all year.

Cal (Steve Carell) and Emily (Julianne Moore) have hit a rough patch in their long-time marriage, and Emily inadvertently announces to an entire restaurant that she wants a divorce. Down and depressed, Cal starts drinking away his sorrows at a local bar, attempting to make sense of his predicament with anyone who will listen. Jacob (Ryan Gosling), a professional bachelor, takes notice and makes it his personal mission to help Cal get over his wife, and become a new man in the process.

But this is just the main plot thread of the movie. It also follows Jacob's relationship with the absolutely stunning Hannah (Emma Stone), throws in a bit of curveball with Emily being romanced by David (Kevin Bacon), and even has a bit of a focus on Cal's son Robbie (Jonah Bobo) pining over his older babysitter Jessica (Analeigh Tipton). It may sound a little packed with threads and too many characters, but Crazy, Stupid, Love. is able to navigate between each character and couple with ease. It reminded me a lot of Valentine's Day, and how its main goal was to depict how different love is for a sizable amount of couples and singletons. Except it failed miserably at it, and stood out more as an example of every rom-com stereotype you could imagine. Thankfully, Crazy, Stupid, Love. takes the higher road and breathes new life into a stale genre.

If I hold anything against the film (other than the final act stumble and the oh-so convenient way one particular scene comes together), it is that it ended. I know I have harped on how unlike other typical romantic comedies Crazy, Stupid, Love. is, but there is really no other way I can rave about it. I easily could have spent more time with these characters, and pined to find out what happened to each of them after the final fade out. The incredibly unlikely pair of Ficarra and Requa has crafted a truly wonderful and hilarious film that is nothing like what you could have expected watching the trailer. It is bittersweet, and easily one of my favourite movies of the summer. And this is coming from someone who loathes almost every single romantic comedy ever conceived.

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Something Borrowed (2011)/Movie Review

Release Date:  6 May 2011 (USA)  Runtime: USA: 112 min

Genre: Comedy | Drama | Romance

Tagline:  It's a thin line between love and friendship.

Directed by Luke Greenfield

Writing credits  Jennie Snyder, Emily Giffin

Original Music by Alex Wurman

Cinematography by Charles Minsky

STORYLINE|

Rachel is a lawyer. When she was in law school she fell for another student Dex who comes from an affluent family. But she's too shy to say anything. When Dex meets her best friend Darcy who treats her like dirt sometimes, who was visiting her, she makes a move on him and gets him. Eventually they get engaged and Darcy asks Rachel to be her Maid of Honor. But Rachel stills has feelings for Dex and still can't say anything. But when Darcy throws her a birthday party and Dex is there. When she and gets Dex are alone, she blurts out that she had a thing for him in college which surprised him. And after drinking a little they spend the night together. They try to forget the whole thing but can't but agree that it means nothing. But Ethan, Rachel close friend tells her that she'll spend her entire life regretting that if she does nothing.

CASTS |

Ginnifer Goodwin,  Kate Hudson , Colin Egglesfield , John Krasinski , Steve Howey , Ashley Williams , Geoff Pierson , Jill Eikenberry , Jonathan Epstein , Leia Thompson , Sarah Baldwin ,

Mark La Mura , Lindsay Ryan , Kirsten Day

Nominated |

Teen Choice Award 2011

Choice Movie Actor: Romantic Comedy  : John Krasinski

Choice Movie Actress: Romantic Comedy  : Ginnifer Goodwin

Choice Movie: Romantic Comedy

BOX OFFICE|

Budget: $35,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend: $13,945,368 (USA) (8 May 2011) (2904 Screens)

Gross: $39,026,186 (USA) (24 July 2011)
Production Co: 2S Films, Alcon Entertainment, Wild Ocean Films 

Filming Locations: Los Angeles, California, USA

REVIEW|

 This movie lacked so many things; my review will suck because I can't write anything good about it. First Kate Hudson, great actress! Not a good movie. How many more movies are you going to do about weddings and romance? Step it up! My Best Friends Girl and How to Loose a Guy in 10 days are Masterpieces. The Killer Inside Me was a honest effort to make something new. The Wedding Movies needed to stop at Bride Wars. As for the screenplay itself, eh! It lacked shape and size and color. The Story was bland non-vibrant, I'm actually Glad that as a Kate Hudson fan, this Movie will not be added to my collection.

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Water for Elephants (2011)/Movie Review

Release Date: 22 April 2011 (USA)  Runtime: USA: 120 min  

Genres: Drama | Romance

Tagline:  Life is the most spectacular show on earth.

Filming Locations: 20th Century Fox Studios - 10201 Pico Blvd., Century City, Los Angeles, California, USA

Directed by Francis Lawrence

Writing credits (WGA) : Richard LaGravenese

Original Music by James Newton Howard

Cinematography by Rodrigo Prieto

STORYLINE

After his parents' death, Jacob Jankoski is left penniless and homeless. Events lead him to joining the circus as their vet, working under their unstable boss August whose violent tendencies give everyone reason to be cautious around him, including his beautiful and quiet wife Marlena, whom August is very possessive of and who Jacob finds himself soon falling in love with.

MAIN CASTS: Reese Witherspoon, Robert Pattinson , Christoph Waltz , Paul Schneider ,Jim Norton , Hal Holbrook , Mark Povinelli , Richard Brake , Stephen Taylor , Ken Foree ,Scott MacDonald , James Frain , Sam Anderson , John Aylward , Brad Greenquist

Box Office

Budget: $38,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend: $16,842,353 (USA) (24 April 2011) (2817 Screens)

Gross: $58,700,247 (USA) (7 August 2011)

Production Co: Fox 2000 Pictures, 3 Arts Entertainment, Flashpoint Entertainment 

REVIEW

Water For Elephants got released here a full week ahead of the US and first let me indulge in the joy of being able to review such a highly anticipated film before my fellow American film-loving counterparts.

The film completely fulfilled my expectations. It is a well scripted, meticulously shot and finely acted period drama, the likes of which are increasingly less to come by at the movies these days. A big congratulations to all those involved with the production for having the confidence to delve into this venture. Actually I am very curious about its box-office. Last year was a surprisingly profitable year for adult dramas and if that is any indication, this fine film should continue the same trend.

Water For Elephants really impresses with the production design, atmosphere, costumes and stunts. Most of the time I felt like I was watching a classic film made during the studio era; it looked that authentic and faultless. The three main actors all seem satisfied for having such meaty parts and deliver more than satisfactory performances. Robert Pattinson shines and proves that he is capable as a serious actor. Reese Witherspoon has always been a true professional and here with her stunts demonstrates that again. She also fits surprisingly well to the 1930s platinum blonde beauty type. Christopher Waltz is a wonderful actor and here it becomes very clear that his success in Inglorious Basterds was not a one-off. The story is very emotional and while it touches the heart romantically, it also manages to lay down a heretofore unseen dark aspect of old era circus entertainment in particular and also crowd entertainment as a whole. I almost wished for a three hour epic after it ended; it left me wanting more. The whole thing was really interesting.

All in all a wonderful and deeply satisfying experience at the movies, well worth every dime. Go see it so that adult dramas of this caliber (in terms of star power, production budget and subsequent attention to detail) could continue to be made.

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