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ChristianFictionQueen
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Name: Ruth
Country: United States
State: Tennessee
Birthday: 9/21/1980
Gender: Female
Interests: Reading - Christian Fiction - Writing Reviews - Talk Radio - Being an "Evil Conservative" - Frank Sinatra - MGM Musicals - BBC - Chris Botti - Broadway - World War II History - Jane Austen - Middle Tennessee Christian Writers - Books & Literature Editor for The Bridge
Expertise: Books in general, especially Christian fiction...and I'm considered something of an expert on Frank Sinatra in certain circles.
Occupation: Inventory Associate
Industry: Retail
Message: message meEmail: email me
Website: visit my website
Member Since:
5/9/2005
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Possible spoilers...
The Accidental Husband made a blink-and-you-miss-it appearance in theaters earlier this year, and if I'm being honest here it's not hard to see why. It certainly doesn't break any new ground romantic comedy-wise, but for the novelty factor of seeing Mr. Darcy - I mean Colin Firth - play the thwarted lover, I knew I'd have to check out this movie at some point. And I'm so glad I did - definitely worth the rental. It's silly and implausible but it made me genuinely laugh more than once, and that was needed today, let me tell you. 
This movie is sort of an odd cross between The Wedding Planner and Bride and Prejudice. I totally wasn't expecting this movie to try and go all Bollywood as often as it did, considering Jeffrey Dean Morgan's character, Patrick, just lives in an apartment above an Indian restaurant. It got a little random, but I was amused, what can I say? And speaking of Jeffrey Dean Morgan - he's a doll. :) The elevator scene came *thisclose* to reminding me of Rufus Sewell in ShakespeaRe-Told's version of The Taming of the Shrew. If you've seen that little piece of fantastic-ness (Lori!!), you know what I mean...haha!! I sort of feel like making this comparison is heresy, but I have to call it like I see it blog readers. :)
Most of Colin Firth's scenes in this movie are HILARIOUS, especially the moments where his stress eating compulsion kicked into high gear. This was a decent little turn for him as he does a good job balancing being the obsessive-compulsive wrong guy but still being a stand-up character in the end. Shockingly, Uma Thurman didn't get on my nerves at all. She does a good job and has some nice on-screen chemistry with Morgan. I absolutely loved the little scene they share at the very end of the movie. Her character's come a long way and seeing the payoff was nicely done. Oh, and one last acting mention - Ajay Naidu as Patrick's friend Deep - freaking hilarious!!!
I enjoyed An Accidental Husband way more than I expected. It's not destined to become a classic or anything like that, but it was a fun way to while away a couple of hours. I'll definitely watch it again. | | |
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Fall is here, which means it's the best time of year for Oscar-bait films and - drumroll, please - foreign indie films! Woo-hoo! After Lori brought this movie to my attention several weeks ago, An Education FINALLY opened in my area today (have I mentioned lately how much I HATE limited release schedules?!). I wasn't sure what to expect from this film, exactly - after all, this May-December romance had the potential to end very badly for our heroine. But based on the cast, strong reviews, and the almost complete & utter lack of anything that I think is worthwhile actually paying to see in the theater, I knew this would be a must-see for me.
The verdict? I was incredibly impressed and thoroughly enjoyed this movie. Carey Mulligan, a Masterpiece veteran from productions ranging from Bleak House, Northanger Abbey, and My Boy Jack to one of the best Doctor Who episodes ever ("Blink"), wows with tour-de-force turn as Jenny. If she's not a serious contender for a Best Actress Oscar, I will be completely shocked & disappointed. I've enjoyed her past work, but this performance was a revelation - I didn't know she had it in her to so convincingly play an innocent yet incredibly saavy and worldly-wise teenager on the cusp of adulthood. Mulligan fits into the 1960s time period perfectly, and more than once channeled Audrey Hepburn quite convincingly with her delicate balance of innocence and maturity.
Alfred Molina and Cara Seymour (I totally didn't recognize Seymour from her turn as Gillian in You've Got Mail until I looked her up on the IMDB) are perfectly cast as Jenny's parents. Molina especially was fantastic in this movie - he was funny and sincere and touching, all rolled into one. Jenny's parents are an interesting couple to watch - kind of caught in the middle of the traditions of their parents and the feminist movement - they push Jenny to meet her potential, create a future for herself by going to college - but it's a future that will be easily set aside the second suitable husband material comes along. I wouldn't be at all displeased to see Molina get a Best Supporting Actor nomination for his performance in An Education - he had this tendancy to steal his scenes. :)
Peter Sarsgaard plays David, the December to Jenny's May, and oh is he a smooth operator. He positively oozes charm and it's easy to see why Jenny would fall for him. And when he plays her parents - those scenes were priceless! I thought the evolution of his performance was interesting to watch - he begins so smoothly, so confidently, and then that confidence begins to crack a bit as he realizes he doesn't want to let Jenny go. Only when a certain secret comes to light does the worldly facade crumble and you see David as he truly is - a shallow, selfish little boy who never quite grew up character-wise.
Also worth mentioning are the other two members of David's "fast" set - Helen, played by the always lovely Rosamund Pike (a.k.a. Jane Bennet in Pride and Prejudice 2005), and Danny played by the brooding, dangerous-looking Dominic Cooper (a.k.a. Willoughby in Sense and Sensibility 2008). Pike fits this era perfectly - the clothes, the mannerisms, are all pitch-perfect. I had no idea she could play vapid and empty-headed so well, or come across as so funny! Likewise Cooper fit the role of David's friend and co-conspirator well. This wasn't a role that really stretched his repetoire IMO, but I like him well enough and I have to say, he looked good in the suits. I should also probably call out Emma Thompson and Olivia Williams' appearances. If this movie is any indication Thompson is a lock to play Margaret Thatcher in any upcoming biopics. While I have to call Thompson out because she's one of my favorite actresses, Olivia Williams definitely plays the more interesting and critical role in my view. If you look at her IMDB page, she's had quite a varied career, but I have to say that her turn as Jenny's teacher is one of her most striking and memorable. She's definitely channeling "average" here - and it's interesting to see how driven she is, perhaps because she hopes to see some of her unfulfilled dreams live out in her most capable pupil? Thoughts to ponder...
I HAVE to mention the look of the film - the sets and costumes are simply gorgeous! Each frame of film is chock-full of glorious period detail and authenticity. The scenes in Paris, where Jenny sports the fantastic gown seen in the above poster, are like something straight out of Roman Holiday or Sabrina. Those associations only reinforce any Audrey Hepburn/Cary Mulligan comparisons too. And the music - the music was just fantastic. I love it in period dramas like this when the music, whether it's score or songs, is an ideal partner to the action on-screen. The songs - from classics by Mel Torme and Brenda Lee to new recordings by Beth Rowley and Melody Gardot - are sublime. The whole pop/jazz sound of the movie is tailor-made to appeal to my musical sensibilities (Thank you, smart filmmakers! LOL!).
Jenny's story is actually told quite powerfully, and the hope in this story is an element I wasn't quite expecting. Let's face it, Jenny's "education" by the much older David could have ended very badly for her. But she's a girl who doesn't have it in her to simply give up and accept a situation. She's blessed with really supportive, very understanding parents, but what I liked best was how she had to choose to pull herself up by the bootstraps, so to speak, and to use the time she spent with David & his friends to make her stronger. Things could have ended very unpleasantly, or bitterly, but Jenny is a character who makes the conscious choice to learn from all experiences and mistakes - and while that certainly doesn't negate the pain the life throws one's way, it just struck me as a great reminder of the power of choice.
Just a note on the rating - for a coming-of-age film made in today's Hollywood, I thought An Education showed some surprising restraint as far as the intimate side of Jenny and David's relationship goes (a fact I appreciated - you know what happens, but this isn't a gratuitous or exploitive film in that regard).
An Education is a smartly scripted, fast-paced, funny, heart-wrenching, thought-provoking little film - I'm so glad I FINALLY got the chance to check it out. | | |
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This week, the
Christian Fiction Blog Alliance
is introducing
A Prisoner of Versaille
Thomas Nelson (September 1, 2009)
by
Golden Keyes Parsons
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
 In her deep plowing of the heart, moving from tears one moment to laughter the next, Golden will touch your heart with her dynamic Bible teaching, combined with her vivid personal examples, moving from tears one moment, to laughter the next, all the while communicating the message that God is faithful--keep trusting Him. She has a passion to communicate the Word of God in such a manner that will lead to godly living.
Golden, and her husband, Blaine, have just retired as pastors at Faith Mountain Fellowship Church in Red River, NM. They have three grown daughters and eight grandchildren. Her testimony and myriad of life experiences lend a touch of authenticity to her teaching. She loves to speak for women's conferences, seminars, luncheons, retreats and Mother/Daughter events.
If deep Bible teaching that brings the Scriptures alive is what you want, Golden is the speaker you need.
ABOUT THE BOOK
 Madeleine's faith puts her at odds with an intimidating rival: King Louis XIV.
Having fled their homeland of France because of the persecution by Louis XIV, the Clavell family seeks refuge in Switzerland. However, the king is not about to let the recently widowed Madeleine, his childhood sweetheart, escape that easily. He sends musketeers to kidnap her and her oldest son, Philippe, holding them captive in his opulent palace. King Louis is suspicious that Philippe could be his son, and he's enraged by the growing affection of one of his courtiers for Madeleine.
Will Madeleine escape the king with her life or lose everything that she's fought so hard to keep?
If you would like to read the first chapter of A Prisoner of Versaille , go HERE | | |
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This week, the
Christian Fiction Blog Alliance
is introducing
Fit to Be Tied
Zondervan (November 1, 2009)
by
Robin Lee Hatcher
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
 Robin Lee Hatcher discovered her vocation as a novelist after many years of reading everything she could put her hands on, including the backs of cereal boxes and ketchup bottles. The winner of the Christy Award for Excellence in Christian Fiction (Whispers from Yesterday), the RITA Award for Best Inspirational Romance (Patterns of Love and The Shepherd's Voice), two RT Career Achievement Awards (Americana Romance and Inspirational Fiction), and the RWA Lifetime Achievement Award, Robin is the author of over 50 novels, including Catching Katie, named one of the Best Books of 2004 by the Library Journal.
Robin enjoys being with her family, spending time in the beautiful Idaho outdoors, reading books that make her cry, and watching romantic movies. She is passionate about the theater, and several nights every summer, she can be found at the outdoor amphitheater of the Idaho Shakespeare Festival, enjoying Shakespeare under the stars. She makes her home outside of Boise, sharing it with Poppet the high-maintenance Papillon
ABOUT THE BOOK
 Cleo Arlington dresses like a cowboy, is fearless and fun-loving, and can ride, rope, and wrangle a horse as well as any man. In 1916, however, those talents aren’t what most young women aspire to. But Cleo isn’t most women. Twenty-nine years old and single, Cleo loves life on her father’s Idaho ranch. Still, she hopes someday to marry and have children.
Enter Sherwood Statham, an English aristocrat whose father has sentenced him to a year of work in America to “straighten him out.” Sherwood, who expected a desk job at a posh spa, isn’t happy to be stuck on an Idaho ranch. And he has no idea how to handle Cleo, who’s been challenged with transforming this uptight playboy into a down-home cowboy, because he has never encountered a woman succeeding in a “man’s world.”
Just about everything either of them says or does leaves the other, well, fit to be tied. Cleo Arlington knows everything about horses but nothing about men. And though Cleo believes God’s plan for her includes a husband, it couldn’t possibly be Sherwood Statham. Could it?
Their bumpy trot into romance is frustrating, exhilarating, and ultimately heartwarming.
If you would like to read the first chapter of Fit to Be Tied , go HERE.
Watch the book video Trailer:
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I'm so, so glad I finally got around to watching Stage Door - the film is a gem and I thoroughly enjoyed it. I can so see why it was nominated for Best Picture in 1937 - the honor was well-deserved in my opinion. Loosely based on a play by Edna Ferber (Giant, Show Boat) and George S. Kaufman (You Can't Take It With You, The Man Who Came to Dinner), this is a movie full of humor and heart, striking just the right balance of comedy and melodrama. It's a great example of 1930s Depression-era escapism, with every character doing their level best to get by and catch a break. The story centers around a group of aspiring Broadway actresses that make their home at the Footlights Club boarding house. They're a fairly tight-knit group, and include a brash dancer played by Ginger Rogers, a "kept" woman played by Gail Patrick, a brilliant actress who can't catch a break played by Andrea Leeds, and some wise-cracks and sarcasm provided by Lucille Ball. There's also a noteworthy turn by a 14 year old Ann Miller, remarkably holding her own and not out of place in the least opposite actresses ten years or more her senior. The equilibrium of the house is disrupted by the arrival of the "uppity" Tracy with a secretive past, played by Katharine Hepburn, who doesn't seem to know her place. The role of Tracy fits Hepburn like a glove, and watch for the moment when she delivers the line "the calla lilies are in bloom again" - it's priceless! While Rogers and Hepburn are clearly the stars, the rest of the cast is given ample opportunity to shine - this is a great ensemble picture, very nearly flawlessly constructed in how it gives each actress their moment in the spotlight. The film is fast-paced, with never a dull or lagging moment, and the dialogue positively sizzles with electric energy. The final scene is breath-takingly well played - life at the Footlights Club, with all of the triumphs and tragedy that occurs, will, like "the show," always go on. I think the DVD transfer here is fantastic, with an extremely crisp & clear picture. There are a few extras - the musical short Ups and Downs is really pretty cute, and fun for the novelty of seeing an extremely young June Allyson in only her third role, nearly unrecognizable as a platinum blonde. For fans of the classics, you can't do better than Stage Door's expert balance of comedy and drama. It's a definite keeper. | | |
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