Pertaining To Brightly Woven

(Written by Alexandra Bracken.) Sydelle Mirabil is not special. She's a talented weaver, yes, but otherwise is a perfectly normal girl growing up in an arid little town. So when a wizard named Wayland North singles her out as his companion to go on a dangerous journey, Sydelle is surprised and more than a little angry at being taken away from her family. She's isn't prepared to deal with all of North's mysteries and problems - and she's especially not prepared to face an evil wizard like Reuel Dorwan.

Pros: At last, a mainstream teen fiction book with real love! Sydelle and North really care for each other and want the best for each other - their love is not entirely romance. The characters seemed pretty real to me, with enough faults to make them human, but not annoying and childish like a lot of characters in books I've read.

Cons: Well, anytime a fantasy book has "goddesses," it makes me a little nervous. (Not that I see anything wrong with the goddesses in this book per se, after all, who's to say God didn't create many universes, some with guardian spirits?) It's just that the term "goddess" makes me squeamish. *Spoiler Warning* Then there's the part about the prophecy that says an evil goddess will come down in human form and crush the enemies of her followers. Sydelle is mistaken for this goddess - in other words, the goddess didn't come down. Now, this could be read as an insult to Christianity, both because it's an evil goddess who's supposed to come down, and because a not-so-ordinary human was mistaken for this goddess. However, any insult there might be is not blatant enough for me to label this book as "anti-Christian," particularly because the book is actually pretty good.

My Rating: T (sexual references and content)

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On Fairest

(Written by Gail Carson Levine.) Aza is ugly. No, seriously. Dull black hair, sickly pale skin, big bones, garish red lips, and puffy cheeks all combine to make her quite an ugly young lady. But Aza can sing like a lark - and throw her voice to any spot within a reasonable distance, a talent she calls illusing. Unfortunately, her special talent gets her into trouble when the queen finds out about it. Aza is coerced into projecting her singing voice onto the queen's lips during public events - and finds herself increasingly out of her depth, particularly where Prince Ijori is concerned.

Pros: This is a fun adaptation of Snow White. It's set in the same world as one of Levine's other books, Ella Enchanted. The irrepressible, irresponsible fairy Lucinda is back, although she's not in it very much. I really like Prince Ijori, who's a really nice guy, but pretty normal.

Cons: The constant singing is a bit much. (Although I don't really mind their idea that singing can help a sick person heal, because singing is a way of praying.) *Spoiler Warning* Apparently people who spend time in the magic mirror end up in a different place than normal people when they move on to the "afterlife" (so to speak). Which, of course, is utterly ridiculous. But that's only one line in the book.

My Rating: AGC

Picture from gailcarsonlevine.com

Regarding Lady in the Water

Cleveland Heep (Paul Giamatti) is a very nice, quiet man with a stammer. He's the supervisor for an apartment house in Philadelphia, and all the residents really like him. About the only thing that annoys him is a mysterious person swimming in the pool at night, which has happened a lot lately. But then he discovers who the mysterious swimmer is - a beautiful, ethereal young woman named Story (Bryce Dallas Howard). Story is a water nymph - a Narf - from Blue World. All she wants is to complete her mission and leave. But an evil creature the size of a large wolf has pursued her and is bent on killing her no matter what it takes.

Pros: First of all, the whole point of this movie is that everybody has a purpose in life. They may not know what it is they're supposed to do until the moment they need to do it, but there is no such thing as a worthless life. I also love the way God is brought into this movie. Paul Giamatti and Bryce Dallas Howard both had simply awesome acting performances. And the characters in this movie are great. The various people in the apartment house have very distinct personalities, from the guy who only works out one side of his body to the older lady who tells everybody everything there is to know about her husband.

Cons: Unfortunately, this movie is not as subtle as the other M. Night Shyamalan movies I've seen. There's no need to look for a "deeper meaning" - things are stated clearly and concisely. Though, considering I would never have picked up on a couple things without having them specifically mentioned, I don't have too much of a problem with that. My other problem is that sometimes "the universe" is referred to as being responsible for some things - namely, for directly helping the protagonists. However, things are explained at a later part of the movie as being from God (though that isn't necessarily presented as being the definitive answer; it's just the opinion of a couple characters).

Note: Written, produced, and directed by M. Night Shyamalan.

My Rating: T (frightening images/situations, Story doesn't have much clothing on most of the time)

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Concerning Persuasion

Anne Elliot (Amanda Root) was persuaded to reject Captain Wentworth's (Ciaran Hinds) offer of marriage when she was merely nineteen. He had no money and no connections, and it was deemed wise for young Anne to wait for someone who would be more worthy of her. Eight years later, Captain Wentworth suddenly reappears in Anne's life. They are both still single, but Captain Wentworth appears to have quite gotten over his love for her. Anne suffers in silence as she watches him shower his attentions on a distant relative of hers. But then she meets a new man. Mr. Elliot (Samuel West), her estranged cousin, enters her life and is immediately attracted to her quiet prettiness and gentle heart. Anne quietly accepts his attentions, but somehow she can't quite cut the ties that bind her heart to the navy man she once rejected.

Pros: It's a wonderful love story. It's also funny, with many, many lines straight out of the book. Amanda Root is my ideal Anne Elliot. Samuel West is absolutely perfect as Mr. Elliot. They could have picked a handsomer Captain Wentworth than Ciaran Hinds, but otherwise he's great.

Cons: Lady Russell (Susan Fleetwood) and Mrs. Clay (Felicity Dean) are both horrible. Lady Russell looks like she has short hair (short hair! In a Regency period story!) and Mrs. Clay is not nearly pretty enough.

My Rating: AGC

In Relation To The Blind Side

Michael Oher (Quinton Aaron) is a big, big boy. When the football coach at a Christian private school spots him playing basketball, he immediately decides he needs this young man on his team. That leads to Michael's enrollment in the school, despite his low grade-point average. Then Leigh Anne Tuohy (Sandra Bullock), who has two children who attend the same school, spots him and discovers he has nowhere to sleep at night. Being a southern firecracker who always gets her way and always does the right thing, Leigh Anne brings him home - supposedly just for the night.

Pros: I was pleasantly surprised at how much God was mentioned in this movie. It's refreshing to watch a Christian movie that wasn't put out by a low-budget Christian studio. I liked all the main characters, especially the little boy S.J. (Jae Head), who was a scream. There were some very funny parts. I had heard that the filmmakers used Michael's story as a "prop" for showing the Tuohys's goodness, but I thought the movie was equally about Michael and the Tuohys.

Cons: Personally, I don't think Quinton Aaron is a particularly good actor. There were one or two very cliche lines.

My Rating: MT (sexual and drug references)

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Concerning The Bourne Identity

A young man (Matt Damon) is pulled out of the Mediterranean Sea by a group of fisherman. He's been shot in the back twice, is wearing some kind of hypothermal suit, and has a little metal thing with a Swiss bank account number in his hip. Never have the fishermen encountered anyone so mysterious. Who is he? What is he doing there? He doesn't know. He can't remember anything. But Conklin (Chris Cooper), the head of a secret CIA program, knows. The mysterious young man is Jason Bourne, a CIA agent who was sent on a top-secret mission - and failed. When his superior puts the pressure on, Conklin has to "clean up" the mess made by the Jason's failure. In other words, Jason had better put on his gloves, because he's in for a nasty fight.

Pros: First and foremost, this is a great action movie! Coming in at a close second, Matt Damon is really a great actor, and Franka Potente is perfect as Marie, the young lady who ends up joining forces with Jason. I love watching Jason's transformation from a guy wrapped up in his own problems, who's aware of everything except the feelings of the people around him (namely, Marie), to a guy with a heart. Conklin is funny in spite (and, yes, partly because) of his bad language.

Cons: The fighting isn't always one hundred percent realistic, although that's sort of splitting hairs.

Note: If you get the "Explosive Extended Version," just watch the theatrical movie. As far as I can tell, the only difference between the two is the final scene, and the theatrical version is much better.

My Rating: T (sexual content, language, violence)

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Pertaining To The Chronicles of Narnia: The Voyage of the Dawn Treader

Edmund (Skandar Keynes) and Lucy (Georgie Henley) Pevensie are miserable. Their parents went off to America, taking their older siblings with them and leaving Edmund and Lucy behind in England. To be more specific, leaving them behind at their aunt and uncle's house - to live with their cousin, Eustace Clarence Scrubb (Will Poulter), a boy who almost deserved his name. But when the painting in Lucy's room magically transports the siblings - and their cousin - into Narnia to join now-King Caspian's (Ben Barnes) adventuresome voyage, life suddenly looks a lot brighter.

Pros: They got Aslan right! In the first two movies, little line tweaks messed up his character a little, but in this one... he was perfect. I was very pleased with how much was similar to the book, and with how much was changed. I love a lot of the elements of the book, but it bothered me that there wasn't really a drive behind the voyage. In other words, I really wished there was a more urgent objective other than sailing around looking for the lost lords. And the movie added that. Will Poulter was an awesome Eustace, and was definitely the best part of the movie! Also, a pre-release trailer showed Peter and Susan back in Narnia - but that part never made it into the theater version of the movie. I could really go on and on about what I liked; just suffice it to say I liked everything that didn't make it into my "cons" list.

Cons: Georgie Henley isn't a real great actress, although she's great at screaming. Another thing that bothered me is the rating. Now, I love movies that are intense or creepy (well, to a certain point, anyway), but this movie deserved a PG-13 rating for scariness and creepiness. There were little kids in the theater I went to who were crying by the end of the sea serpent scene. I love the scene; I just don't think it's appropriate for little kids. Also, what about Caspian and Ramandu's daughter?! She was awesome, but there's supposed to be a bit more than "I hope I see you again!" Grr.

Note: Based on the book by C.S. Lewis.

My Rating: T (gross and scary sea serpent, battles)

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On The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian

Prince Caspian (Ben Barnes) is in trouble. His aunt has just had a baby boy, and his uncle Miraz (Sergio Castellitto), who has been king in all but title since Caspian's father died, now has no use for Caspian. Where Miraz is concerned, that means there's no need for Caspian to remain alive. On the advice of his old tutor, Caspian flees into the woods, taking something called "Queen Susan's Horn" with him. When he is attacked by strange creatures, Caspian blows the horn, calling for the old kings and queens of Narnia - the Pevensie children from England - to return.

Pros: This is a really cool movie. The special effects are awesome, and it's really exciting. Despite what nearly everyone I know says, I really like Peter (William Moseley). Lucy (Georgie Henley) is very sweet, as always. Oh, and Reepicheep (Eddie Izzard) and Trumpkin (Peter Dinklage) are hilarious. Also, the book, though filled with deeper meanings and stuff, is very much written for little kids - at least, as far as the style goes. This movie was definitely made to appeal to teenagers as well as kids. Finally, I believe the point of the book, which is faith, remained in the movie despite how much they changed things. (As a side note, Prince Caspian is downright gorgeous.)

Cons: The top of this list is definitely Susan (Anna Popplewell) and Caspian falling in love. I really can't stand Susan, so I can't stand that part of the story. Next comes the tweaking of a couple of Aslan's lines. Changing those took away from him as an image of Christ. Also, although Reepicheep and Trumpkin are funny, they're not really how they're supposed to be. Trumpkin doesn't believe in Aslan, and he's a glass half empty kind of guy, but he's not sullen, and Reepicheep is supposed to be ridiculously puffed up with dignity, not really sarcastic.

Note: Based on the book by C.S. Lewis.

My Rating: OK (frightening images, non-graphic battle scenes)

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Regarding Jane Eyre (1983)

Jane Eyre (Zelah Clarke) is a poor, penniless orphan who lives off the dubious charity of her aunt. She is sent to a rather cheerless boarding school, where she spends eight years before leaving to become a governess to a little French girl named Adele (Blance Youinou). Adele is a sweet little thing, but her guardian, Mr. Rochester (Timothy Dalton) is moody and mysterious. As Jane becomes more and more comfortable in her new home, she also becomes more and more attracted to its master. But Mr. Rochester is not moody and mysterious for nothing - his past holds a deep, dark secret that could destroy Jane's happiness altogether.

Pros: Lots and lots of lines are straight out of the book. Timothy Dalton doesn't look the part of Mr. Rochester, but he acts him pretty well. And someone finally got St. John Rivers (Andrew Bicknell) right! Also, this one had a lot more time to develop as a story than the other versions I've seen, as it is nearly four hours long.

Cons: It's definitely a 1980s British movie. The sets, costumes, lighting, etc. aren't particularly well done. Zelah Clarke was far too old to play Jane. She was almost thirty; Jane is supposed to be eighteen! Plus, I know the fidelity to St. John's character was one of my pros, but I can't stand him!

Note: Based on the book by Charlotte Bronte.

My Rating: T (thematic elements)

In Relation To Ice

(Written by Sarah Beth Durst.) Cassie Dasent has no memory of her mother. The only thing she knows is a little fairy tale her grandmother used to tell her that ends with Cassie engaged to a Polar Bear King at birth and her mother trapped in a castle of the trolls. But she doesn't really know what happened to her mother, because it's just a fairy tale. Or is it?

Pros: This book really fires the imagination. Bear's castle is soooo beautiful!

Cons: Where to start? I had several issues with this book. The most obvious (but not the biggest, as it could be dismissed as just being "part of a fairy tale") is the reincarnation, followed closely by the idea that the "soul" of a wind, for example, could become the soul of a human in its next life, and vice versa. My second issue was with a much smaller part of the story, but it was even more irksome. Cassie gets furious with Bear when he alters her body so she can become pregnant despite the fact that she's on the pill. She's angry that he did so without telling her and against her wishes. But never once does it occur to her that she betrayed him as well. She invited him into her bed and, knowing full well that Bear's most cherished wish is to have children, she used artificial birth control without telling him or gaining his consent. What can be more selfish than that? Finally, there's the semi-obsession with polar bears. It's handled pretty well, but polar bears drive me crazy, since they're sort of the poster boys for global warming, a "problem" that has been grossly exaggerated.

Note: Loosely based on the fairy tale "East of the Sun and West of the Moon."

My Rating: T (artificial birth control, birth scene, confused theology)

Picture from sarahbethdurst.com.

Concerning Dombey & Son

Paul Dombey (Julian Glover) dotes on his son. The third in a line of successful businessmen, Mr. Dombey wants his son to take his place in the firm someday and expand the family fortune. Unfortunately, his obsession with his son and his business are to the exclusion of everything else - including his sweet, patient daughter Florence (Lysette Anthony). As time goes on, Mr. Dombey's neglect of Florence turns into a deeply ingrained dislike. But when tragedy strikes again and again, will Mr. Dombey be able to turn to her for help or will his pride or her wounded heart keep them apart?

Pros: The story kept me interested, although it could wander a little bit sometimes. Florence is a very Dickens-y heroine - very sweet and kind, but with a heavy burden to carry. The side characters can be funny, especially Captain Cuttle (Emrys James). It would really be a great re-make (so long as they handled a couple of parts in the story with grace and dignity - something I highly doubt).

Cons: This is so a 1980s BBC movie. The costumes and makeup are so-so, but the lighting and the sets and some of the props are not very good. Neither is the sound; some characters speak a lot louder than others. Oh, and Mr. Dombey's son is not a very good actor. During a lot of the early scenes I caught myself wondering "And what's the point of this scene?" I think almost every scene becomes important to the story at some point in the movie, but some of them seem pretty pointless at the time. Finally, viewers don't get emotionally involved, which is a must for any movie. (Yes, it is; who doesn't want to feel excited during an action/adventure movie, or creepy-crawly during a spooky movie?) Finally, the climax scene (at least, I suppose it was the climax scene) was really odd. A friend and I each interpreted it a different way. *Spoiler Warning* Did the bad guy commit suicide or was it an accident? I think it was an accident; my friend thought it was suicide. Either way, it was a pretty lame and confusing part.

Note: Based on the book by Charles Dickens.

My Rating: T (thematic elements)

Regarding Sherlock: The Great Game

(Third movie in the BBC series with the twenty-first century Sherlock Holmes.) Someone is playing a dangerous game with Sherlock Holmes (Benedict Cumberbatch). The police consultant gets a phone call from a woman who's been strapped to a bomb. Someone will kill her unless Sherlock solves a case within a set time limit. His only clue? A pair of old shoes. Who would play such a cruel game? Why? Only Sherlock, with a little help from his associate, Dr. John Watson (Martin Freeman), can find out.

Pros: Pretty intense story! And talk about a surprising ending... and about the best cliff-hanger I've ever seen. (Can't wait for them to make more!) Funny, as usual. Oh, and DI Lestrade (Rupert Graves) is back, which is good. For my thoughts on this series in general, read my review of Sherlock: A Study in Pink.

Cons: It was a bit hard to keep up with at times, but I suppose that's because Sherlock speaks so quickly sometimes...

My Rating: T/MT ((depends on the person's exposure to homosexual people) sexual references, mild homosexual references)

Pertaining To Sir Percy Hits Back

(Written by Baroness Orczy. Eleventh book in the Scarlet Pimpernel series.) Fleurette has long been sheltered from the world outside by her doting father. But her perfect little world is shattered when her sweetheart, Amede, is arrested for treason against the French Republic. Desperate for his safety, Fleurette leaves her home to find her father, who is a man of some influence. Little does she know there's someone far more powerful already looking out for her - the Englishman known as Sir Percy Blakeney, alias the Scarlet Pimpernel.

Pros: Another Scarlet Pimpernel book! Fleurette is such a sweetheart, and although Amede is in it very little, he's pretty nice too. There's a surprising twist or two (or possibly three) along the way. *Spoiler Warning* I was glad to see Chauvelin actually has a heart. I don't like villains to be villainous to their very core.

Cons: Sir Percy isn't in it nearly enough. The climax scene is rather predictable, particularly if you've read other Scarlet Pimpernel novels.

My Rating: OK (violence)

Picture from paperbackswap.com.

On The Most Wonderful Time of the Year

Uncle Ralph (Henry Winkler) is the ultimate gift getter. For his little great-nephew Brian (Connor Christopher Levins), that is. Unfortunately, old Uncle Ralph hates shopping for girls. He finds a Christmas present for Brian's mom Jen (Brooke Burns), but when he meets a handsome stranger on his way to visit Jen and Brian, he can't resist a little match-making. So he talks Jen into letting this handsome stranger, named Morgan Derbie (Warren Christie), stay in her house for a night while Morgan's waiting for his plane. But Jen isn't too pleased about it. And neither is her boyfriend.

Pros: This was surprisingly well acted. Both the lead parts are pretty good, which is more than I can say for most Hallmark movies. It was also really funny. Uncle Ralph in particular has some great lines, while Morgan's facial expressions are hilarious.

Cons: Okay, so the story is a little unbelievable. Believe it or not, the romance isn't particularly well done. I don't mean that it's lame (although it kind of is); I mean there are pretty much zero romantic scenes, and there seems to be almost no chemistry between Morgan and Jen. Very strange for a Hallmark movie.

My Rating: OK (sexual references)

In Relation To Eldorado

(Written by Baroness Orczy. Eighth book in the Scarlet Pimpernel series.) Louis XVI and his lovely wife Marie Antoinette have been murdered by the French Republicans. The only hope for those who wish to see the monarchy in France restored lies in the young Dauphin - a prisoner of the cruel and bloodthirsty revolutionaries. Sir Percy Blakeney, known as the Scarlet Pimpernel to most of the world, is determined to rescue the boy. But matters get rather complicated when one of Sir Percy's league - his brother-in-law Armand St. Just - falls in love with an opera singer and places her safety above that of his fellow league members and the French prince.

Pros: Very well written. Armand drives me crazy at times, but his character is fairly likable. Sir Percy is awesome, of course, as he always is. The ending was completely unexpected. I absolutely love Marguerite!

Cons: Okay, the ending was a little confusing. I must admit I had to read it more than once - and I'm still not sure I understand it.

My Rating: OK (violence)

*Spoiler Reflections* On Ivanhoe

This post contains spoilers for the 1982 movie Ivanhoe, based on the book by Sir Walter Scott.

Ivanhoe is a story of prejudice. As it was written during the fight for Jewish emancipation in England, the book was obviously intended to be an eloquent defense of Jews. But in the 1982 movie, the story of Brian de Bois-Guilbert's love for Rebecca, the lovely Jewess, takes precedence over the story of prejudice. This love begins as lust but deepens into true love as the story progresses, ultimately giving him the chance to redeem himself.

In Brian's first encounter with Rebecca, he is only interested in her beauty and cares nothing for her religion, reputation, or sensibilities. He removes her veil; a breach of decorum according to her faith. His disregard for everything but her beauty continues when she becomes his prisoner. First Brian tries to convince her to become his mistress, warning her that he could rape her if she refused. But when Rebecca responds by threatening to kill herself, he backs down. His concern for her life is the first hint that his lust is beginning to turn to love.

When Rebecca is accused of bewitching him by the leader of a Templar Preceptory and condemned to be burned at the stake, Brian makes a half-hearted attempt to rescue her while still preserving his rank and reputation. He tells her to demand a champion to fight for her - if a knight designated as her champion can kill a member of the Knights Templar in combat, she will be declared innocent of all charges. Brian plans to be her champion himself, but the Grand Master names him as the knight who must fight against her champion. Although Brian does nothing to change the man's mind, his attempt to save her life at the risk of his own - albeit while still preserving his rank and reputation - shows that his love for her has deepened more.

Brian then goes to Rebecca and tries to talk her into converting to Christianity and admitting that she's a witch. He also offers to break his vows and give up everything he holds dear if she, without converting, will flee with him to the continent. (Whether he should have offered to break his vows and run away with her or not is not the point.) Rebecca, of course, refuses both. When she is tied to the stake, about to be burned for crimes she did not commit, he pleas with her one last time to run away with him. Again she refuses. However, his willingness to sacrifice his rank and reputation to save her is proof that his love has progressed yet another step.

Finally, when he is about to kill Ivanhoe, who fights as Rebecca's champion but is not yet healed enough to be very good in combat, Brian glances up and catches Rebecca's eye. In that moment, his journey from lust to true love is completed. He gives up his life for Rebecca, allowing Ivanhoe to pierce him in what should have been a futile stab. Ivanhoe's victory, according to the laws of the Knights Templar (or, at least, that particular section of the Knights Templar), is proof of Rebecca's innocence, and she is allowed to go free.

Lust is when a person (man or woman) uses another as a sex toy. True love is when a person gives him or herself completely to or for another. When Brian first meets Rebecca, he cares only about her beauty and the potential pleasure she could give him. But as the story progresses, God's grace transforms him from a selfish, lustful man with no concern for Rebecca's religious beliefs, feelings, or honor into a man who is willing to give his life for the woman he loves.

Regarding Ivanhoe

Ivanhoe (Anthony Andrews) has just returned from the Crusades. The son of a Saxon lord, he defeats Brian de-Bois Guilbert (Sam Neill), Front de Boef (John Rhys-Davies), and De Bracy (Stuart Wilson), the three best Norman knights in England, in a tournament. Unfortunately, he is injured in the process. When a wealthy Jewish merchant named Isaac of York (James Mason) and his beautiful daughter Rebecca (Olivia Hussey) decide to take him to their home in York in order to heal, the three become attached to the party of Ivanhoe's estranged father - and his childhood sweetheart, Rowena (Lysette Anthony). The little group is captured as they travel past the castle of Front de Boef, and find themselves in the clutches of three knights with less than honorable intentions.

Pros: Rebecca is an awesome character, and Olivia Hussey played her very well. A lot better than Elizabeth Taylor did in an older version of this movie. I also like Rowena, although she's kind of boring compared to Rebecca (partly for reasons discussed in my "Cons" section). *Spoiler Warning* I think Brian de Bois-Guilbert is probably my favorite villain of all time - although villain isn't the right word to describe him - he's a hero. Even though he acts like an unfeeling jerk through nearly all of the story, he gives his life to save Rebecca in the end and redeems himself.

Cons: Christians, and the Catholic Church in particular, don't come off very well in this story. But then, the story is a good deal about prejudice - about how Normans and Saxons hated each other, and about how both groups hated Jews, who hated them in return. But the main characters - Ivanhoe, Rebecca, Rowena, and King Richard - aren't prejudiced at all. Also, Ivanhoe might be the title character, and might be the one character that really ties everyone together, but he's not much more than a prop. Talk about a boring character! Oh, and I really like Rowena's character, but the actress was not very pretty, and she couldn't act at all.

Note: Based on the book by Sir Walter Scott.

My Rating: OK (violence, mild sexual references)

On Sherlock: The Blind Banker

(Second movie in the BBC series with the twenty-first century Sherlock Holmes.) Someone broke into a bank and vandalized it. No money was missing; nothing was stolen at all. But two spray-painted Chinese symbols were left on the wall: A message for someone. The owner of the bank calls Sherlock Holmes (Benedict Cumberbatch) for help. Sherlock proceeds to investigate the crime with the help of his flatmate, John Watson (Martin Freeman), and they soon discover the dead body of a man who worked at the bank. What do the symbols mean, and how did the person who painted them get into the bank? Only Sherlock Holmes has the brains to find out.

Pros: Hilarious, just like the first one. The story was sufficiently mysterious. Oh, and Watson has a girlfriend! A very nice one, too. There are very, very few gay references in this one; I believe there was only one. That was a bit of a relief after the first movie. See my review of Sherlock: A Study in Pink for my opinions on the series in general.

Cons: *Spoiler Warning* That nice Chinese girl from the museum ends up dead! That was very disappointing.

My Rating: T/MT ((depends on the person's exposure to homosexual people) sexual references, mild homosexual reference)

Pertaining To I Will Repay

(Written by Baroness Orczy. Fourth book in the Scarlet Pimpernel series.) A decade before the French Revolution, Paul Deroulede killed the young Vicomte de Marny. It was an accident that happened during a fair fight; anyway, de Marny was asking for it. But the Vicomte's deranged father forces his daughter Juliette to swear an oath to God that she will repay Deroulede for his deed. Ten years later, now a beautiful young woman, Juliette receives a chance to fulfill her oath and avenge her brother's death. But should she really do it? Or does vengeance belong to God alone?

Pros: I'm a huge Scarlet Pimpernel fan, and a fan of Baroness Orczy's style of writing. Paul is really sweet (although a bit dim-witted at times), and Juliette tries her best to muddle her way through her problems. Sir Percy is, of course, perfect.

Cons: There's a misguided idea that Juliette's Catholic faith is somehow partly responsible for her feeling that she has to fulfill her oath at all costs. Now, I find that idea offensive. Juliette swore her oath at the prodding of her father when she was only fourteen and had virtually no idea what her oath would entail; the Catholic Church would not hold her to it. On the contrary! I'm quite certain the Church would wish her to give it up, particularly becaue what she swore to do was wrong. Very annoying. Also, Sir Percy wasn't in the book nearly enough.

My Rating: T (crimes commited by republicans, some anti-Catholic themes that almost border on anti-Christian themes; in fact, if I hadn't known of Sir Percy's faith in God, I would have said the book was anti-Christian)

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Concerning A Battle Won

(Sequel to Under Enemy Colors, written by S. Thomas Russell.) Captain Charles Hayden, new master and commander of a little sloop, is spending time with his lovely sweetheart Henrietta, waiting for his ship to come into port. Unfortunately, a certain Captain Cotton has other plans. Hayden is reassigned to be a job-captain for the frigate Themis to escort a convoy to Lord Admiral Hood at Toulon. Quite naturally angry at this change of plans (job-captains take ships from one place to another and then hand them off to others, reverting back to lieutenants when they have completed their tasks), Hayden must deal with back-stabbing officers, twisted clergymen, disgruntled Army officers - oh, and the French as well.

Pros: This is terribly exciting, and a little easier to follow in the battle scenes than the first book. I just love Henrietta, even though she's not in it very much. Just about the whole crew from the Themis is back - from the doctor to Wickham.

Cons: A nasty, cliff-hanging ending. Very unsatisfying.

My Rating: MT (language, sexual references)

Picture from sthomasrussell.com

In Relation To Under Enemy Colors

In S. Thomas Russell's book, Lieutenant Charles Hayden is at the end of his rope. He's a promising young officer in His Majesty's Navy shortly after the French Revolution, but he has no connections. If one is to advance in the Navy, one must know powerful people. So when the First Secretary offers him a position as first lieutenant aboard the Themis, a frigate captained by a man whose nickname is "Faint" Hart, Hayden reluctantly agrees. In the coming months, he will have to battle not only the French, but also his touchy captain - and a mutiny.

Pros: I thought this was really realistic; Russell obviously spent a lot of time researching. There was a lot of focus on characters other than Hayden, too, which was nice for this genre of book. Best of all, Hayden is actually a likeable guy, which I have not come across in any other series like this. Oh, and the sentences were very old-fashioned, but not confusingly so. They helped set the mood.

Cons: I must admit, I got lost among some of the jargon. The sails, etc. could be ignored, but I was totally clueless about some of the ship sections during battle scenes... "Okay, where is he, exactly?" was a question I put to myself not infrequently.

My Rating: MT (language, violence)

Picture from sthomasrussell.com

On Awakening

(A Crossroads in Time book; written by Claudia Cangilla McAdam.) Nothing is worth dying for. That's what Ronni thinks, anyway. She should know. Her dad and brother were killed a year ago. But when Ronni gets feverish and loses consciousness, she is awakened by Jesus - who will die in two days. Can she stop his death? Does she really want to?

Pros: It was pretty cool to see how most of the things fit into the bible stories really well, from Mark to Longinus. I really liked Mark, the guy Ronni has a crush on. It wasn't too cheesy for a religious book.

Cons: I had two problems with this book. First, the crucifixion scene was in fast-forward or something. Everything happened so fast! But the biggest beef I had was with the Last Supper scene. *Spoiler warning* I mean, I know Ronni is an altar girl (which I don't really approve of, btw), but the Last Supper wasn't just the institution of the Eucharist; it was the institution of the priesthood! And women cannot be priests. I know Ronni was just a server at the Last Supper... but what the heck was she doing there?!

My Rating: OK (the crucifixion)

Picture from claudiamcadam.com

Regarding The Blind Side: Evolution of a Game

(Written by Michael Lewis.) Lawrence Taylor, one of the greatest NFL players ever. Michael Oher, a homeless kid on the streets of Memphis. What's the connection? Lawrence Taylor changed the game of football. His play forced teams to find extremely talented offensive linemen to block him. Michael Oher began to play offensive line in football when Sean and Leigh Anne Tuohy took him into their home. His talent for football helped change his life.

Pros: The movie, while it was pretty much as good as a movie adaptation could be, does not do Michael's story justice. He was pretty much completely clueless about everything - and even continued to learn a lot of basic things when he got to college. The movie gives only a hint about how much he grew as a person from when he first came home with the Tuohys to when he graduated from college. Also, this book was absolutely filled with NFL history. Which is awesome for a football fan like me!

Cons: The writing style was much more "tell" than "show" - in other words, there weren't "scenes," there were "stories." Which is a little annoying for someone who likes fast-moving novels. But, I might add, there really wasn't any other way to write the book without excluding all the history.

My Rating: MT (language, sexual references)

Picture from austinchronicle.com

Concerning Slight Mourning

In Catherine Aird's Slight Mourning, Detective Inspector C.D. Sloan is on another case. Although this time, he's not entirely sure it even is a case. A man got killed in a car accident while escorting a dinner guest home. But was he going to die anyway? Amidst a lot of confusing terminology spewed forth by the pathologist, Sloan deciphers a disturbing fact: That the dead man had been poisoned. Did he commit suicide? Or did one of the eleven others at dinner that night - or the farmer who visited him that day, or the cook, for that matter - try to kill him?

Pros: A lot of detectives in old mystery novels get to be the same. Unreadable eyes, handsome face with a chiseled jaw, doesn't say a lot, amazing deductive powers... Blah, blah, blah. But Sloan is pretty much an ordinary guy. Every once in a while he'll get this great insight and solve the case, but it isn't presented in a "this guy is the greatest detective ever" kind of way. He's just an ordinary cop doing his job. I like his wife, who is really sweet. The humor is very dry, which is right up my alley. And his partner, Detective Constable Crosby, is stupid in a funny, not-too-over-the-top way. It's pretty well written, and flows easily.

Cons: A little too much information. Ms. Aird was the daughter and assistant of a doctor for years, and the terminology she uses is, at times, way too technical. But it is explained, which helps. Sometimes I got lost during conversations between Sloan and his supervisor, but their deductions were fairly obvious or were explained in a simpler way later on.

My Rating: T (thematic elements)

Pertaining To Sherlock: A Study in Pink

Dr. John Watson (Martin Freeman) is an army doctor just home from Afghanistan. Haunted by dreams of the violence he saw, he's having trouble fitting back into London. Then he runs into an old friend, who suggests he get a flatmate and subsequently introduces him to an exceedingly eccentric character: A man named Sherlock Holmes (Benedict Cumberbatch). Soon the pair are up to their necks in a case involved serial suicides - or is it serial murders?

Pros: This was hilarious. Holmes is so eccentric (without being quite over the top), and Watson has a good sense of humor. Speaking of Watson, I loved his character! He's usually such an idiot in movies, but I would say he has an above-average intellect in this series. And the music - which is really odd - is perfect! The case was puzzling, but Sherlock's solving of it wasn't unbelievable. I mean, he noticed tiny things and drew conclusions (normally ones that I never would have drawn), but it didn't take a suspension of logic in order to believe that he could have deduced the things he did from the facts he had. (Although I must say I thought of a couple things before he did.) Detective Inspector Lestrade (Rupert Graves) was a good, harrassed policeman who's not portrayed as an idiot.

Cons: The filmmakers left it up to the viewers to decide whether Sherlock is gay or not. All we really know is that he doesn't care about relationships in almost any form.

My Rating: T/MT ((depends on the person's exposure to homosexual people) thematic elements, homosexual references (which would barely have merited notice if they were not homosexual), sexual references)

On His Girl Friday

Hildy Johnson (Rosalind Russell) used to be married to Walter Burns (Cary Grant), the editor of a newspaper. But then she got fed up with his selfish ways - and his habit of treating her more like a colleague than a woman. So she divorced him. But when she shows up at his office a few months later to tell him she's getting remarried, Burns devises a series of tricks to get her back into the newspaper business - and his life.

Pros: The snappy dialogue is kind of cool. People talk really quickly, and the action hardly ever stops. There are a few funny scenes (after all, it is a Cary Grant movie). There's a surprising plot twist or two.

Cons: It wasn't all that funny. *Spoiler Warning* Throughout the movie, Hildy insists that she wants to be a stay-at-home mom. But in the end, she seems to put those aspirations in the back seat. While there's nothing wrong with a working mom per se, I don't like the inference that working is better than staying at home to raise a family. Also, the movie ends with a hint that Hildy and Walter's life together will be much like it was before - with Walter treating Hildy like a colleague instead of a wife.

My Rating: OK (thematic elements including a murder)

Picture from movieberry.com

In Relation To The Lion King

Simba (Jonathan Taylor Thomas/Matthew Broderick) is a spoilt little lion cub whose daddy happens to be king of the African plain. When Simba's uncle Scar (Jeremy Irons) tries to kill Simba so he can be next in line to the throne, his plans go awry. He decides to go a step further and kill both Simba and his father. Simba escapes, but, unable to face his mother, he runs away. It will be years before he finds the strength to return and free his kingdom from Scar's tyranny.

Pros: I absolutely love the music in this movie! The singing songs are good (written by Elton John), but the score is incredible. I'm not a big fan of Hans Zimmer, the composer, in general, because I think his music pretty much all sounds the same (John Williams's music is the same way), but I believe this might be his best work. The animation is pretty good, too. The faces were surprisingly expressive. And there's something about the king's death and the next-to-last scene that is so powerful. Don't ask me why; I don't know! Rafiki the baboon (Robert Guillaume) is awesome!

Cons: There's more "guy humor" than I like in this movie, but then, I'm not a guy.

Note: For those of you who haven't seen the trailer for the Broadway play, here it is, courtesy of a blog called A Rose in Bloom.

My Rating: AGC (but I know kids who are terrified by the hyenas)

Regarding The Lake House

Dr. Kate Forster (Sandra Bullock) is a lonely youngish woman who has just moved out of a lake house. That is, a house built on a lake - with stilts that hold it above the water. Dr. Forster leaves a note in the mailbox, asking the next occupant of the house to forward any letters that may slip through the post office. Meanwhile, Alex Wyler (Keanu Reeves) is an architect. He moves into the lake house and finds Kate's letter. Only problem is, he moved in two years before Kate did. Which means any relationship they build will be extremely long-distance.

Pros: Alex is such a gentleman! I typically like Sandra Bullock's characters, and Kate was no different (she was an idiot in some ways, but very sweet). The side characters were good. Christopher Plummer is great as Alex's dad.

Cons: Admittedly, Keanu Reeves is not a very good actor. But he's cute and Alex is sweet, so that makes up for it! The time-travel thing is cool, but very shallow.

My Rating: T (language, thematic elements)

Pertaining To The Black Dudley Murder

In Margery Allingham's The Black Dudley Murder, George Abbershaw is a stuffy little MD who has been invited to an old country house for the weekend. At the beginning of the party, his mind is almost wholly occupied with Meggie Oliphant, the girl he wants to marry. Then the host tells a thrilling story about a tradition that used to be performed in the house every year. When the party decides to reenact the tradition, complete with doused lights, a murder occurs. But that isn't their biggest problem. Someone has taken over the house and won't let anyone leave...

Pros: This is a 1929 book, but I thought it was very well written. Albert Campion's character was hilarious in a very British sort of way.

Cons: The bad guys were a little over dramatized. Okay, maybe way over dramatized. But they weren't really in it that much, so it wasn't too distracting. Albert Campion is a detective, but I would never have known it if I hadn't Googled him - this book makes him out to be a criminal!

My Rating: T (thematic elements, sexual references)

On The Magic of Ordinary Days

It's World War II, but Livy Dunne (Keri Russell) is a young lady with her own problems. She's not married, and she's pregnant. Her father arranges for her to marry Ray Singleton (Skeet Ulrich), a farmer from a backwoods part of Colorado. Though she's never met the man, Livy reluctantly agrees. While Ray soon falls in love with her, Livy's heart still belongs to the father of her child.

Pros: This is really a beautifully pro-life story. In one scene, Livy tells a doctor that she made a "mistake" that resulted in her baby's conception. The doctor replies that she won't think of it as a mistake when she sees her baby. Plus, Ray doesn't care that the baby isn't his - he's going to love him or her like a real daddy. Which brings me to another subject - Ray! He is so sweet to Livy, he would melt any woman's heart. There are also no flashbacks, which, in movies with storylines like this one, can often be crude. The acting is surprisingly good for a Hallmark movie.

Cons: Um, the "Japanese-American" women that Livy befriends are Asian, but they don't really look Japanese. The actresses are from Singapore and Indonesia. I have no idea whether that part of the story is at all accurate, either. Also, the clothing is really laughable. Like any woman would sleep in a no-sleeved nightgown in an old farmhouse in Colorado in the winter!

My Rating: T (thematic elements)

Picture from movieberry.com

Update On Voyage of the Dawn Treader

New trailer for VODT! (Link goes to Ribbons of Light, a blog I follow.) Actually, it's an international trailer with subtitles in a foreign language (Polish, I think, but I'm not sure...). Anyway, this trailer scares me a bit. I had read that VODT was going to be closer to the book than PC was - and that bringing the White Witch back was going to be the only liberty the filmmakers would take. But this... this...! Aaaaah!

On the other hand, one of the problems I have with the book is that the story rambles all over the place without a set story arc. Instead of having a beginning, a few escalating problems that culminate in a big climax scene, and an ending, the book pretty much follows a nice gentle upslope of events that ends in a nice ending. There is no ultimate problem that has to be conquered or vanquished; just a goal that must be reached. The goal is reaching Aslan's Country, by which act the last lords (forgive me; I can't remember how many are asleep) will be woken up (another crucifixion analogy, maybe?). But no one tries to stop them from reaching that goal. And therein lies the problem.

So I can see why the filmmakers would want to change the story. (But they had better not have a rivalry over Ramandu's daughter between Edmund and Caspian!) Luckily, Eustace seems more or less correct, and Lucy is as Lucy should be. It should be very interesting to watch.

In Relation To The Winslow Boy

Young Ronnie Winslow (Guy Edwards) has been accused of stealing and, in consequence, thrown out of the royal naval academy. Convinced of his young son's innocence, Arthur Winslow (Nigel Hawthorne) enlists the help of Sir Robert Morton (Jeremy Northam), a famed attorney. As Sir Robert does everything in his power to win the Winslow Boy case, the Winslow family begins to realize it will take many sacrifices to clear Ronnie's name.

Pros: I love Sir Robert Morton! He's a really cool guy who cares more about the Winslows (and one particularly attractive one, I might add. Don't look at her in the picture; she's really a lot prettier than that) than about his career or reputation. The ending rather surprised me.

Cons: This movie was based on a play, which is quite obvious. Too many of the lines are repeated (how many times do they have to say everything?!).

My Rating: OK (Ronnie's older brother Dickie is rather a dissolute character)

Picture from impawards.com

Concerning Sad Cypress

In Agatha Christie's Sad Cypress, Elinor Carlisle starts out immensely happy. She's engaged to marry her cousin, Roddy Winter, whom she's loved since she was a little girl. Granted, she has a few financial problems, but they're not serious, and she'll inherit her Aunt Laura's estate as soon as the old lady dies. Then Elinor receives an anonymous note warning her that a woman is worming her way into the aunt's affections. Aunt Laura had a stroke a few months ago, and is particularly vulnerable. So Roddy and Elinor decide to go for a visit to find if there's any truth in the note. They soon discover that the truth can be deadly.

Pros: I really like Dr. Peter Lord, Aunt Laura's physician. Although I must say I was surprised about his red hair and freckles - I've seen the movie version and he looks completely different than his description in the book! The story is really very good - quite a head-scratcher!

Cons: I hate the way euthanasia is brought up time and again throughout the book. It's rather necessary to the story (although the movie did just fine without it), but considering my views on the subject, I think its very presence is dreadful. Putting old people out of their misery, indeed! As if their lives were worthless!

My Rating: T (thematic elements including euthanasia)

Regarding The Inheritance

Edith Adelon (Cari Shayne) has lived with the Hamiltons since she was a tiny baby. But now things are changing. A cousin of the Hamiltons, one miss Ida Glenshaw (Brigid Brannagh), is coming for a visit. Ida is on a husband-hunt, and her prey is James Percy (Thomas Gibson), a very rich man who is also coming to visit the Hamiltons. But James falls for Edith. Then Ida turns her eye to Frederick Arlington (Paul Anthony Stewart), someone who lives near the Hamiltons. When he, too, is attracted by Edith, Ida becomes wildly jealous.

Pros: There are two great things about this movie. The first is Mr. Hamilton (Tom Conti). He is absolutely hilarious if you like sarcastic humor. The second one is James. He's not that great of an actor, but he's so darn handsome. Normally the hero's looks don't play into my liking or disliking of a movie that much (like in Bleak House or Little Dorrit or Wives and Daughters). Good looks are just a bonus if the hero is likeable. But the guy in this movie is really, really handsome.

Cons: I should have seen the ending coming. Plus, the stupid horse riding by Edith is such a cliche and totally unrealistic! A friend told me that part of the story isn't even in the book, which only makes the movie that much worse!

Note: Based on the book by Louisa May Alcott. Oh, and the little stone house in this movie is the same one Missie lives in during the later Love Comes Softly movies.

My Rating: OK (mild language, very mild sexual content)

Picture from dvdnear.com

*Spoiler Reflections* On Star-Crossed

This post contains spoilers for an awful book called Star-Crossed by Linda Collison.

Have you ever read a book that was well-written enough to keep you reading, but such an awful book that you wonder at the end why you wasted so much time reading it? I had that experience recently when I read Star-Crossed by Linda Collison.

First off, I do not recommend anyone read Star-Crossed. And that isn't just an "oh, this book is laughably awful; don't read it." It's an "oh, this book is bad don't read it." Not only was it annoying, there were a couple of scenes that I skimmed because they made me more than a little uncomfortable.

Now I can get down to the book. The story was dreadful. Yet another example of an authoress who transposes modern ideas about women into previous centuries. A young woman passes herself off as a male ship surgeon's assistant - for months? Yeah, right. I realize that some women managed to pass themselves off as men on ships for at least a time. However, I find it hard to believe that a woman could do it without discovery by anybody. Except, of course, her former boyfriend, who just happens to be on the same ship... Anyway, surely those women who were able to pass themselves off as men were found out by some of their shipmates; the word just didn't got around to the officers for a while.

Not only was the story unoriginal and uninteresting, the men were all wrong. First the "heroine," Patricia Kelley, married an older, not-particularly-handsome doctor (a sort of marriage of convenience, although he was in love with her from the start). I preferred him immensely to the man Patricia was really in love with. Excuse me, she was actually in love with both of them... that is to say, she was in love with Dalton, the bosun's mate, and then fell in love with the doctor sometime after she married said doctor, and then fell back in love with Dalton when her husband died. Right. How stupid can she be?! Her husband may not have been a hundred percent respectful and sensitive all the time, but he was a much better man than Dalton.

Finally, there was the ending. The authoress left the reader with no clear idea of how it ended for Dalton and Patricia. It's assumed that they get married (although judging on how they carried on, it wouldn't surprise me if they didn't), but the fact that he's a sailor isn't really reconciled... I mean, Dalton makes a vague suggestion about the two of them going to America and settling down (because America, what with its Indians and stuff, is exciting enough to keep him from getting bored), but that's only a vague suggestion that isn't reiterated later in the book. Very annoying.

Whew. Thanks to anyone who hung with me for this entire post. I just had to get that off my chest. In conclusion, I'll just say that the book was one of the worst I've ever actually finished.

In Relation To East

In East, a book by Edith Pattou, Rose is a farm girl who has always been a wanderer. She thought nothing of climbing over a stone wall and falling down a waterfall when she was two. Now her family is in financial ruin, and her sister Sara is dying. Then a visit from a mysterious white bear changes everything. The bear offers to heal Sara and secure the family's fortunes - if Rose will go away with him. Rose agrees, and is carried off by him to his castle. After a few months, Rose begins to wonder about her host and the castle he lives in. Is the bear more animal than human or more human than animal? And who - or what - crawls into the far side of her bed every night when the lights go out?

Pros: I know I say this about everything, but I really like the hero and the heroine. The story is very unusual too, and takes place in Norway (at least, I think "Nordjen" is Norway). The first time I read this book, I was glued  to the pages for hours; it was a very unusual and pretty suspenseful Beauty and the Beast tale! Also, there are quite a few places where the authoress could have made the book sleazy, but it's perfectly clean.

Cons: Okay, the superstitions about birth direction and everything were a little annoying. Also, the parts of the story written by the white bear were exceedingly worthless. At least, the parts at the beginning of the book...

My Rating: OK (someone sleeping in Rose's bed at night)

On The Mummy

Imhotep (Arnold Vosloo) was Pharoah's High Priest before he started messing around with Pharoah's sweetheart. After their discovery, Imhotep's lover commits suicide and Imhotep is buried alive with a terrible curse hanging over him. Three thousand years later, Evelyn Carnahan's (Rachel Weisz) ne'er-do-well brother Jonathon (John Hannah) brings her an artifact he lifted from someone's pocket. Fascinated with Egyptology, she naturally gets excited when she discovers the artifact contains a map to Hamunaptra, the mythical City of the Dead. Evie and her brother immediately go to see the man who had the artifact when Jonathon, um, borrowed it. The three, accompanied by a tag-along, set off to find the City of the Dead - and end up waking a monster.

Pros: I really like the heroine. It seems to me that action/adventure girls are usually either air-headed or practically ninjas. This one is a nice balance between toughness and femininity. I was also quite pleased to discover this movie is more action/adventure than horror. The special effects are well done for a 1999 movie, although the mummy himself was a little weak. Also, there are surprisingly few sexual references - and no sexual content or references between the hero and the heroine (that I can remember).

Cons: There were some gross-out parts. Just the mention of scarabs sends a shiver down my spine! Also, the opening scenes are dreadful - for more reasons than one. I didn't like how they brought the ten plagues of Egypt into the story. God, who is Goodness, sent those to free the Israelites - and now they're controlled by an evil monster? Plus, not all ten of the plagues are in the movie, which I thought was odd.

My Rating: MT (sexual content and references (including "partial" nudity that is closer to "complete" nudity), gross-out things)

Casting Robin Hood

I have been fascinated with Robin Hood since I was a little kid and first watched Errol Flynn sweep Olivia de Havilland off her feet with his heroics. (I then graduated to that adventuresome fox, followed by a curly-headed kid, and finally a big, handsome rogue.) Recently, a friend and I sat down and casted our ideal Robin Hood movie. But we had a problem with finding the perfect couple to play Robin and Maid Marian. I mean, should Robin be debonair or bold? Young or old(er)? There were too many different versions of Robin Hood, and all versions were equally good. Maid Marian was much the same. The quintessential lady or a stubborn firebrand? Her age would have to match Robin's, too... There were far too many choices, so we decided to choose four different Robins, with Maid Marians to match them. The rest of the characters are more or less the same in every movie (or TV show) we've seen, so there is only one actor or actress for each.

Note: All filmography links on this page courtesy of The Internet Movie Database. Clicking on said links will send you to that actor's or actress's IMDb page, complete with filmographies, photos, bios, and other information. Another great picture resource is Masterpiece Theatre, which has pages for most of the movies mentioned in this post.

Robin Hood (outlaw rogue; Richard Greene in the old TV show): Christian Bale (Batman from Batman Begins and The Dark Knight). Very muscular, good dramatic actor.

Maid Marian (elegance personified): Rosamund Pike (Jane Bennet from Pride and Prejudice 2005 and Lady Harriet from Wives and Daughters). Very elegant, very beautiful.


Robin Hood (suave; Errol Flynn): Rupert Penry-Jones (Captain Wentworth from Persuasion 2007 and Richard Hannay from The 39 Steps). Clipped tones when speaking, but oozes honor.

Maid Marian (Sweet and noble): Daniela Denby-Ashe (Margaret Hale from North and South). Large, luminous eyes, good at playing a proper young lady.


Robin Hood (adventurer; the fox in the animated classic): Ben Barnes (Prince Caspian from Prince Caspian). Dashing looks, reminds me of Orlando Bloom in the Pirates of the Caribbean movies.

Maid Marian (tough): Lydia Leonard (Victoria Sinclair from The 39 Steps). Sweet smile, good as an energetic young woman.


Robin Hood (young guy; Richard Todd in the live-action Disney version): William Moseley (Peter Pevensie from The Chronicles of Narnia). The only British actor we could think of who's the right age!


Maid Marian (young lady): Kimberley Nixon (Sophy Hutton from Cranford). Sweet face, plays a good gentle young lady.


The rest of the cast:

The Sherrif of Nottingham: Ciaran Hinds (Captain Wentworth from Persuasion 1995 and Mr. Rochester in Jane Eyre 1997). Great voice for a bad guy!

Prince John: Mark Gatiss (John Dashwood from Sense and Sensibility 2007). Looks like a typical Prince John and plays a weak guy pretty well.

Sir Guy of Gisbourne: Ioan Gruffudd (Horatio Hornblower from the Hornblower series). Good at dark, conflicted characters.

Little John: Matthew Macfadyen (Arthur Clennam from Little Dorrit and Mr. Darcy from Pride and Prejudice 2005). Not a conventional Little John, but he's really tall and can look stupid.

Friar Tuck: Eddie Marsan (Mr. Pancks from Little Dorrit and Mr. Scudder from The 39 Steps). Short, round-faced guy who could easily be roly-poly.

Will Scarlet: Dan Stevens (Edward Ferrars from Sense and Sensibility 2007). Handsome, and I can easily imagine him playing a debonair, adventuresome outlaw.

Much the Miller's Son: Andrew Buchan (Jem Hearne from Cranford and St. John Rivers from Jane Eyre 2006. Good cockney accent.

Bess (Marian's Maid): Claudie Blakley (Martha from Cranford and Charlotte Lucas from Pride and Prejudice 2005). Good cockney accent, plays a loyal maid very well.

As you can tell, we had too much time on our hands when we sat down and drew this up. However, I'm satisfied with the result. Anyone have any disagreements, suggestions, observations, or questions?

Regarding The Russell Girl

Sarah Russell (Amber Tamblyn) has leukemia. Terrified at the prospect of dying, she goes back home to visit her parents, but, at the last moment, decides not to tell them about her disease. While on her visit, she runs into people she fondly remembers and people she'd rather forget - namely, her high school boyfriend Evan Carroll (Paul Wesley), and her next-door-neighbor Lorainne Morrissey (Jennifer Ehle). While Evan is delighted to see her, Sarah's reappearance stirs up tragic memories for Lorainne, who starts down a slippery slope of bitterness and a refusal to let go of the past.

Pros: There's nothing I like better than an awful Hallmark movie. Quite honestly, I love watching them with my friends and laughing the whole way through. But the only laughs I got out of this movie were the intentionally funny lines, and other parts made me cry. Evan is really very adorable, and all three dads in the movie (Sarah's father, Evan's father (even though he's only in one scene), and Lorainne's husband) are awesome. That's really why I like this movie so much. When is a father ever portrayed as anything other than an idiot nowadays? Jennifer Ehle was fabulous as Lorainne, and Amber Tamblyn did a great job with some not-so-easy lines and facial expressions as Sarah.

Cons: To be honest, tragedy and faith go hand-in-hand. If you're going through a tough time, lean on the Lord. Unfortunately, there is barely (if any) mention of God in this movie. But I don't allow that to overshadow the rest. I must admit, too, that the kissing scenes were weird. Neither Evan nor Sarah do anything wrong; the kisses are just weird.

My Rating: OK (tragedy, lack of trust in parents and family)

Picture from movieberry.com

Pertaining To The Scarlet Pimpernel

Sir Percy Blakeney (Anthony Andrews) is not only a very rich English nobleman, he is also a fop. At least, that's what society believes. But society doesn't know that he has a secret identity - the Scarlet Pimpernel, a dashing hero who rescues French aristocrats from the very shadow of Madame Guillotine. When Sir Percy helps the brother of beautiful actress Marguerite St. Just (Jane Seymour), a romance is born. But neither of them counted on the jealousy of Marguerite's former suitor, nor the possibility that Sir Percy's secret might come between them.

Pros: I must admit, I came into this movie baised against it. Who could ever beat Leslie Howard as Sir Percy? But then I saw Anthony Andrews. Never was there a more perfect Sir Percy! He is absolutely exactly how he's supposed to be! And Jane Seymour is really one of the most beautiful women I have ever seen - which is quite unusual. It's typical of movies (particularly old ones) to have not-so-pretty women play the beautiful ones, and beautiful women to play the not-so-pretty ones. Very little in this movie seemed like it was filmed in the eighties. Could the lighting have been better? Yes. The sets? Perhaps. The costumes? Likely not. The acting for the lead parts? Never!

Cons: Despite what I said about the acting, I was disappointed in Sir Ian McKellen. I guess I was expecting him to play Chauvelin as well as he played Gandalf in The Lord of the Rings and Creakle in David Copperfield. However, he is still a passable bad guy. And why didn't they pick a handsome guy to play Sir Andrew?! I love Sir Andrew in the book! Although I suppose the actor they chose might have been considered handsome back in 1982...

My Rating: T (mild sexual content not involving hero or heroine, thematic elements)

Picture from topdvdcollections.com

Concerning The Treasure of the Sierra Madre

Dobbs (Humphrey Bogart) is dirt poor and stuck in a dusty little town in Mexico. If only he had enough money to buy transport to America, he would be happy. Then he and his pal, Curtin (Tim Holt), meet an old-timer named Howard (Walter Huston) who has had experience with gold mining. When Dobbs and Curtin get their hands on some money, they decide to go in with the old man and dabble in gold. After all, they're too tough to be driven wild by gold like other men - or are they?

Pros: I must admit, I didn't see the ending coming. I also have to admit that Humphrey Bogart did a fine piece of acting. I didn't like him in Casablanca, but he's great as a seedy tramp. The old guy is great, from his acting to his character.

Cons: Too long. Not enough action. There are some random parts in the story (which are later revealed as not so random, but that doesn't make them any less annoying when they first happen).

My Rating: AGC

Picture from impawards.com

Really Bad Actors

Since I love movies and, by extension, love to talk about actors, I have decided to compile a list of really bad actors. I won't say these are the "worst" actors I've ever seen, because it's difficult to judge actors on one or two performances - which is about as much as I've seen of most of these men. However, I can safely say that these are some of the worst actors I've ever seen.

1. Peter Fonda. Not only can he not act, but he's fer durn sure not good looking (which, I must admit, sometimes helps me get past lacking acting abilities). As a good friend of mine once said, "Saying Peter Fonda is handsome is like saying a porcupine is soft." That about sums it up.
2. Henry Fonda. Yes, the Fonda men top the list. I once had the misfortune of watching an episode of an old show called The Deputy. Henry's acting performance was so bad, I was completely confused about a vital part in the story. It's difficult to explain, but suffice it to say that Henry's idea of "losing consciousness" looks more like "oh, he's pretending to lose consciousness to trick the bad guys!"
3. Bill Holden. In case you haven't noticed, I'm a bit of a softie when it comes to heroes and heroines. In my view, a decent love story is a requirement to a good movie or book (with a few exceptions). But Bill was the worst romantic actor I've ever seen, reducing otherwise sweet scenes to laughingstocks.
4. Gary Cooper. Bleah. High Noon was an awful movie. Even putting aside the ballad popping up in strange places and Grace Kelly's all-wrong Quaker character, Gary Cooper absolutely ruined the movie. I must admit he was pretty decent in For Whom the Bell Tolls (another awful movie), but maybe that was because he was opposite Ingrid Bergman, the greatest actress ever.
5. Nicolas Cage. After I first watched National Treasure, I told myself, "Nicolas Cage must be related to someone, because he could never have gotten so famous purely on acting talent." Turns out I was right. He's the nephew of some famous director whose name slips my mind. Thought so.
6. John Wayne. I realize this is a very polarizing pick. Either you love 'im or you hate 'im. I'm not quite on the "hate" side (I love The Quiet Man), but I must admit he was one of the worst actors I've ever seen. Anytime he had to inject some emotion into his character, he fell on his face.
7. Harrison Ford. I must admit, I love Han Solo. But some of his lines were a bit shaky. And I like Linus Larrabee in Sabrina. But some of his lines were a bit shaky. Finally, I can't stand Jack Ryan in Clear and Present Danger. (I mean, going from Alec Baldwin, who's not so great himself but was at least handsome, in The Hunt for Red October to Harrison Ford?! No contest.)
8. An honorable mention goes to Elizabeth Taylor, who couldn't make this list because she's a woman.

(There is no "really bad actresses" post in my future, because famous actresses are generally pretty good at what they do. Except, apparently, for some I haven't seen in any movies, such as J-Lo.)

I would advise you to be wary if you ever come across a movie with one of these seven men - unless, of course, you don't mind unconvincing acting.

Regarding The Love Letter

Scott Corrigan (Campbell Scott) is going to be married to a wonderful young lady named Debra (Daphne Ashbrook). When Deb's eye is attracted to a beautiful wedding dress in the window of an antique store, the couple ventures in to take a look around. Scott discovers an old Civil War-era desk, which he promptly buys. When he brings it home, he discovers a letter hidden in a secret compartment of the desk - and begins to communicate with a woman who has been dead for a hundred years.

Pros: Um... *Scratches head* I liked Scott's mother, Beatrice (Estelle Parsons). I also liked Deb.

Cons: Where to begin? First, the acting was terrible and the writing was worse. Elizabeth, the woman who falls in love with Scott through his letters, was so modern it was literally painful. (Painful because I was laughing so hard my side hurt.) **Spoiler Warning** Plus, what was up with the "I'm in the past and the future, only I'm different people"? Huh? That smacks of reincarnation to me.

My Rating: AGC

On Spider-Man

Peter Parker (Tobey Maguire) is just an ordinary geeky high school senior with giant glasses - and a giant crush on his beautiful classmate, Mary Jane Watson (Kirsten Dunst). But MJ barely even notices he exists, except to stand up for him when he misses the schoolbus and has to chase it for about ten blocks. Then one day, Peter is on a field trip to a research laboratory and is bitten by a "super spider" that has been genetically designed to include the characteristics of several different natural spiders. The next morning, he has powers beyond his imagination.

Pros: Spider-Man is one of my favorite heroes of all time. He's a regular guy (I mean, despite his special powers) who has to deal with his problems like any other guy. Of course, his problems aren't exactly like any other guy's... but you get my drift. MJ isn't too bad, either. She really annoyed me the first time I watched this movie, but she's grown on me since then. I feel really sorry for Harry Osborn (James Franco), and Willem Dafoe plays an awesome insane bad guy! The scene with him and the mirror reminds me of Gollum/Smeagol in The Two Towers and The Return of the King - and Dafoe is every bit as good as Andy Serkis was!

Cons: I hate the way this movie is considered a "family movie." It's rated PG-13; it is not a family movie!

My Rating: T (mild sexual content, scary)

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Pertaining To Jamaica Inn

Miss Mary Yellen (Maureen O'Hara) has recently lost her mother. She pulled up stakes in Ireland and is en route to the Cornish coast to live with her aunt Patience (Marie Ney). When she arrives, she discovers that Jamaica Inn, which is run by her aunt and uncle, has a very bad reputation. For what, she doesn't know. But she soon finds out - and has to flee for her life.

Pros: Personally, I really like Maureen O'Hara. This was her first movie, and though she was a little weak on the acting in parts, I liked her character and she was absolutely beautiful. Plus, her facial expressions are hilarious! I liked the hero, too, and Charles Laughton, who plays Sir Humphrey Pengallon, is one of my favorite old-time actors. There were a few surprising developments in the storyline. (After all, it is a Hitchcock!)

Cons: The first scene was so badly done I wondered what on earth I was doing watching this movie. *Cough, cough* But it got much better. Also, I feel like I've watched and read dozens of stories with wreckers. They're all essentially the same: Desperate characters who need money badly... they cover up beacons so ships crash onto the rocks... then they murder the people on board.

My Rating: T (mild sexual content)

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Concerning The Sixth Sense

Malcolm Crowe (Bruce Willis) is a great child psychologist. Heck, he even got an award from the mayor of Philadelphia for his efforts and successes in helping troubled children and their families. Then one of his former patients, a young man he couldn't help, shows up. This traumatic meeting scars Malcolm so deeply he feels he must atone for his failure in some way. So when he comes across a patient who reminds him of his failure, he throws himself into his work, neglecting his loving wife in the process. But he has no idea what is really troubling little Cole Sear (Haley Joel Osmont).

Pros: This movie is absolutely awesome. The writing is fabulous, and the acting amazing. (Yes, Bruce Willis was amazingly good in this movie - at least for him!) Haley Joel Osmont was particularly great. I love the religious angle, which is seen in the movie, but not really a big part of it. As I can't really say anything else without spoiling everything, I'll just say that it's one of the best movies I have ever seen.

Cons: I really had to think about and discuss some aspects of the movie in order to understand how all the pieces fit together. But the pieces pretty much fit like a jigsaw puzzle!

My Rating: MT (intensity, sexual content involving a married couple)

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In Relation To Pooh's Grand Adventure: The Search for Christopher Robin

Life is perfect in the Hundred Acre Wood. Pooh is with his best friend, Christopher Robin, and the pair of buddies spend the entire day playing. But when morning comes, Pooh finds Christopher Robin is gone - and the only clue to his whereabouts is in a very honey-smeared note on a honeypot that Pooh found outside his door. Pooh and his friends are horrified when Owl deciphers the contents of the note and discovers that Christopher Robin has gone to a terrible place called "Skull." Pooh instantly sets out on an adventure to find and rescue his friend.

Pros: I'm a sucker for Pooh Bear. He's so adorable, and Tigger is so funny. I like the rest of the characters, too, even down to Eeyore. And Rabbit, whom I couldn't stand when I was younger. There are some great songs in this movie, including Owl's spine-chilling song about adventure, and Rabbit's know-it-all song about maps.

Cons: When I was little I had the hardest time figuring out the main point of this movie. Even though Christopher Robin isn't always with Pooh, they're still together? Huh? I thought that only applied to God and sweethearts! But I think I've figured it out. If Pooh has a great friend like Christopher Robin, even though they're not always together, Pooh is never alone. He always has Christopher Robin to back him, even though they're apart.

My Rating: AGC

Regarding Shadow of a Doubt

The Newton family is falling apart. At least, according to the oldest child, Charlie (Teresa Wright). Named Charlotte after her uncle Charlie (Joseph Cotten), young Charlie is determined to stop her family from sliding into a rut. On an impulse, she decides to send her mother's kid brother a telegram begging him to come for a visit. Then she finds that he had the same idea and was already on his way. Elated, young Charlie eagerly welcomes him into the Newton household, completely unaware of his dark secret.

Pros: This is Hitchcock at his best! Suspense drips from this movie, particularly in the later scenes when young Charlie begins to catch on to her uncle. Oh, and I love Teresa Wright. She wasn't a particularly great actress, but her characters were usually sweet, good girls. And the dad's friend Herbie (Hume Cronyn) is hilarious!

Cons: As is usually the case with Hitchcock, this movie has a few slow parts, particularly in the beginning. Plus, the whole waltzing couples thing got a little annoying...

My Rating: OK (murder)

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