Not a Swan - Dream Casting

 

 

Anyone who's been following me for awhile would probably already know my love for this underrated gem of a novel! Why is hasn't been made into a film is beyond me, but I'm waiting for BBC/ITV, Netflix, anyone to get this story on the screen!

My dream cast list was not easy come up with, but this is pretty close to how the novels describe the characters.

 

Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again

The trailer for Mamma Mia 2!!!

I loved the first movie and I can't wait to see the sequel that has Lily James playing young Donna back in 1979 where it all began!

Superheros 2014

X-Men: Days of Future Past

Captain America: Winter Soldier

     Both of these look absolutely amazing! To be honest, I'm mostly excited for X-Men, seeing as that was the first comic book fandom I got into then followed by Batman. Captain America looks like it's going to take an interesting look into S.H.I.E.L.D and see what it's really becoming and that is going to be great to watch, maybe becoming more political than just superheros in action.

Eloi - from "The Time Machine (2002)"

Eloi

from "The Time Machine" (2002)

Lyrics:

Em mar'jen'wel el tor'kan.

Tan dern'em tan'som tor'cal.

Em orn'bren fur tas'mor.

Mar nos den bren'tas col.

Em mar'jen'wel em'tas tan'col,

Tan dern'em tor'mar em quin'tan.

En orn'bren tan'el lon el,

Mar nos den nove'tan'quin.

Translation:

I dream of days without an end

And long for sleep without the fear.

I hope to walk through the night

And know this will come true.

I dream of life lived long and full,

And long to see my children grow.

I hope for better days to come,

And know they will come soon.

~ ~ ~

I love this song! 

Even though the song itself is completely different from the actual context of the Eloi people from the book, it still has a beautiful message. I'm not sure what the traditional language is, some people say it's an archaic language of sorts, but either way it made for a beautiful song.

~ ~ ~

In H.G. Wells novel "The Time Machine" Eloi, in its most basic term, is a people group that has become lazy and narcissistic, caring nothing for anyone or anything but themselves. In the movie, which is very different from the book, the Eloi are a hardworking tribal people who are trying to hold onto a sense of civilization, especially when under constant threat of the morlocks. 

Oh yeah, and the movie is really good too! I haven't seen it in a while, but it's great action/sci-fi watch.!

In Less Than 24 Hours...

     I will be at the Cinemark 18...

Chaperoning my younger sister and her friends...

And watching this for 2 hours...

One Direction: This Is Us

Let's face it, I did promise I would take her

and it could be worse

Like maybe Taylor Swift... 

but fortunately, my sister hates Taylor Swift as much as I do.

So, I could be staying at home tomorrow

doing homework

or more like watching LOST and drooling over Sayid 

for hours on end.

Instead I'm going to a movie about a British boy band

that were originally five unknown boys from obscure/humble beginnings

and watching their rise to fame (hopefully I won't see too much of Simon Cowell)

And I'll be able to hear their fun music and listen to their stories.

I don't think that'll be too much of a waste of my time.

Like I said, it could be worse...

Like Taylor Swift worse...

~ ~ ~

     Ok, I'll be honest I really do like these guys. They're the farthest things away from sweetness and innocence, but that's probably why I like them, nonconformity at its finest. I have one whole album (Take Me Home) as well as several other songs by them. They're British...and yeah they're all younger than me...but they're still British...so that's probably the biggest appeal right there.

Favorite Movies Tag

 Maribeth at Formidable Courage has tagged me for J&J's Favorite Movies Tag!

Rules

1. List your favorite movies (in no particular order)

2. Post Jame's Movie Tribute Video somewhere on your blog

3. Tag other blogs (optional)

~ ~ ~

  Now on to my favorite movies!

  1. Ever After

  Starring: Drew Barrymore, Angelica Houstan and Dougray Scott
Rated PG-13

     My absolute favorite movie! I first saw "Ever After" when I was eight and I've been in love with it since then. It's beautiful, romantic, funny and adventurous. Drew Barrymore was incredible as Danielle de Barbarac and an exceptional Cinderella and Angelica Houstan as the evil stepmother Baroness Rodmilla de Ghent was extraordinary in her role. Of course Dougray Scott as Prince Henry was lovable, charming and a very fitting prince and his parents were absolutely hysterical! The best part of the movie was how they were able to combine history with fiction, such as incorporating Leonardo De Vinci into the storyline. In many ways when you watch it, you begin to wonder, "Could this really have happened?" It was done so well that history wasn't boring and the romance wasn't sappy. Danielle was a women ahead of her time and her rise from a servant in her own home to crown princess of France (and eventually Queen) makes it all the more worthwhile.  A great movie for any romantic at heart, history geek or both. - Move Review

~ ~ ~

2. Legends of The Fall

Starring: Brad Pitt, Anthony Hopkins, Aidan Quinn and Julia Ormond

Rated R

     This movie is an either you hate it or you love it mentality. My parents absolutely despise it because it had no happy ending, but not all movies end happily. The story, in its most basic form, is about three brother and their father living in the wild Montana territory at the beginning of WWI and how one woman almost destroyed everything they had, all because of love, lust and the inability to say goodbye to the past. All of the acting was exceptional, but it was Brad Pitt (who was a complete unknown at the time) who took my breath away as the wild and reckless Tristan Ludlow. This isn't what one would call a family movie, due to one sex scene and graphic violence. The ending may not be happy, but there is a sense of hope for the family and what the future held for them.

~ ~ ~

3. The Young Victoria

Starring: Emily Blunt, Rupert Friend, Miranda Richardson and Paul Bettany

Rated PG

     As an avid royalist for almost ten years, I was very excited to see this film. Often times when Hollywood releases a film based on the British Royalty, some people tend to get nervous. It's not just the British Royal Family you're dealing with, but history that changed the world, so they better get it right. And in this case, they really got it right. Rich in romance and history, The Young Victoria is beautiful and masterful in its storytelling of one young women, the country she led and the man she loved. Victoria's life was far from happy in the beginning, she was lonely, used and  abandoned by her own mother. After she became Queen, life only became harder; there were sides to choose and decisions to make, but her greatest decision was her marriage to her cousin Prince Albert of Saxe-Coburg who became her rock and fortress for twenty years. Romantic, heartbreaking and an all around extraordinary retelling on one of the greatest monarchs in history - Movie Review.

~ ~ ~

4. Amazing Grace 

Starring: Ioan Gruffudd, Romala Garai and Benedict Cumberbatch

Rated PG

     I feel somewhat ashamed to admit that I had never heard of William Wilberforce before this movie came out. I only thought the movie would be about the John Newton and the creation of the song, but instead it was about the influence of John Newton and his beloved song. At the end of the 18th century in England, the English are still reeling from their defeat against the Colonists during the Revolutionary War. The last thing they want is revolution in England, but that is exactly what they receive when a young Member of Parliament, William Wilberforce starts to rally for the the ending of the European slave trade. The once young and reckless Wilberforce feels God's calling to free the enslaved people from the African and Caribbean nations, but even he knows that battle will be stressful and laborious. Through faith, courage, friendship and overwhelming love, William does the impossible and ends European slave trade (without war). This is without a doubt the most inspiring movie I have ever seen! - Movie Review

~ ~ ~

5. Invictus

Starring: Morgan Freeman and Matt Damon

Rated PG-13

     "When the world needed a hero, he gave them a champion," is one of the taglines to this incredible true story of Nelson Mandela's unlikely attempt to end apartheid in South Africa and unite its divided people. After being released from thirty years of imprisonment, Nelson Mandela is now president of South Africa. The African's themselves are overjoyed and hope for a better way of life, but the Afrikaners (the Caucasian population of South Africa) feel that it's the end for them. Understanding both sides of the equation, Mandela turns to rugby captain Francois Pienaar to assist him in bringing their war torn country together. What does Mandela want? For Francois's team to win the 1995 World Cup, except Francois has the worst team in South Africa's rugby history. Yet, Francois's iron will, determination and desire to see change strengthens his team, unites the people and eventually gains the victory that Mandela had been dreaming of. Beautifully done with wonderful acting from both Morgan Freeman and Matt Damon, Invictus (based on William Ernest Henely's poem of the same name) is more than a sports movie, but a film that gives a look into the fortitude of two men who loved their country, their people and their desire to make them one.

~ ~ ~

6. First Knight

Starring: Sean Connery, Richard Gere and Julia Ormond

Rated PG-13

     I love Arthurian legends, whatever the storyline may be. King Arthur is a part of our culture, a king who fought for the heart of his country and lived a life of courage and honor. Anyone can find admiration in such a leader. Many wars Arthur has fought and won, but his greatest would be for the heart of beloved Lady Guinevere who finds herself compromised between the great king and his first knight, the handsome and bold Lancelot. Love can literally be a two edged sword and in this case, Guinevere knows that one decision will wound the heart of both men. A family favorite that has been watched repeatedly in my household (my whole family loves Arthurian legends as much as I do), First Knight has every single element one may want in a film, history, drama, adventure and romance. Beautiful music and exquisite costumes complete the wonderful film. A movie that is irresistibly romantic and the stuff of any Arthurian story. - Movie Review

~ ~ ~

7. A Knight's Tale

Starring: Heath Ledger, Rufus Sewell and Paul Bettany

Rated PG-13

     When my family decided to watch this movie for the first time, we asked my older sister (who had previously seen it in theaters) if it was a drama or a comedy. She simply replied "It has some funny parts in it." We were satisfied with that, but as soon as we heard Queen's We Will Rock You, we realized, this is no ordinary movie! Based on Geoffrey Chaucer's Canterbury Tales A Knight's Tale tells the story of a young squire who defies the law and fulfills his dream of becoming a knight. A historical movie with a clever modern twist that is the ultimate favorite in my family (although we constantly get it mixed up with First Knight). The best part about this movie (beside Heath Ledger for two hours) is that there was some surprising historical accuracy regarding the jousting competition and festival. Funny and loud that has a hero worth rooting for, makes for a a feel good movie watch.

~ ~ ~

8. The Nanny Diaries 

Starring: Scarlett Johansson, Chris Evans, Laura Linney, Alicia Keys and Paul Giamatti

Rated PG-13

     As a former daycare worker and a nanny/babysitter, this movie intrigued me; especially when I found out that the book (of the same name) was written by two former nannies. Annie Braddock is a 21 year old undergrad who is trying to find herself, but seems stuck in finding any path that might lead her to self discovery. When fate intervenes in the form of a full time, live-in nanny, Annie takes a leap of faith and becomes Nanny for the Upper East Side. What she thought might be fun, becomes a literal nightmare, which isn't from her charming 5 1/2 year old charge, Grayer, but rather from his physically and emotionally absent socialite mother and workaholic father. Annie begins to see that life on the top makes for a hellish living of shallowness and self absorbency. Determined to stay and take care of Grayer, Annie has only her wits and the practical support of her best friend, Lynette and love interest, Harvard Hottie. I love, love, love this movie! A interesting portrayal inside the life of childcare providers who are more often than not treated as second class citizens and only stay for the love of the children they provide care for. Seriously funny, hopelessly romantic and a hard look at the not so perfect life of the wealthy - Movie Review.

~ ~ ~

9. Julie & Julia

Starring: Meryl Streep , Amy Adams and Stanley Tucci

Rated PG-13

     For someone who hates cooking and baking, I love this movie! The story of an aspiring author who is stuck in her life and the woman she looks up to, the renowned cook Julia Child. in 2002, Julie Powell is almost thirty and feels like an unaccomplished loser, even with a wonderful and supportive husband who tells her otherwise. In 1948, Julia Child is a vibrant and outgoing woman who travels with her loving diplomat husband to Paris, France. Both women feel lost, but find themselves through the love of cooking. As Julia attempts to write a cook book for American housewives to prepare French food, Julie attempts an online blog project labeled Julie/Julia which consists of her spending an entire year preparing food from Julia's famous cookbook. A funny, feel good movie (which you shouldn't watch on an empty stomach) that makes you laugh, cry and maybe even buy a copy of Mastering the Art of French Cooking and attempt an insane cooking project of your own.

~ ~ ~

10. A Little Princess

Starring: Liesel Matthews, Eleanor Brom and Liam Cunningham 

Rated G

     The movie of my childhood and a constant favorite of mine. This exquisite film has so much imagination and intrigue that even I still find myself mesmerized by it. Based on the beloved novel by Francis Hodgsen Burnett, A Little Princess takes you from the jungles of India to the streets of New York as Sara Crewe and her beloved father are separated by war. Before he leaves, Captain Crewe tells Sara that she will always be his little princess. With those words in her heart, Sara begins her new life at the strict boarding school that was once attended by her own mother. Sara becomes popular with most of the girls, through her kindness towards others, even the servant girl, Becky, and wins her the affections of her friends. When she receives the news that her father has been killed in war and the British government has seized control of his finances leaving her penniless, she is made to become a servant in the school. Frightened and alone, Sara must rely on her father's words that she will always be a princess. And a princess she remains through courage and determination to build a different life for herself. Even after almost 20 years, this movie is still a classic and remains a wonderful part if my childhood.

~ ~ ~

     Wow! That was harder than I thought it would be, but it was worthwhile. Here are my tags:

Meghan

Hamlette

Bella Rose

Miss Jane Bennett 

Elsie Dinsmore Movie

     I have been a longtime fan of the Elsie Dinsmore series, mainly because they're just fun to read and it's nice to be able to loathe a terrible father and his equally terrible family (for about two books). I've read and own all of the updated/adapted versions as well as The Millie Keith Series and The Violet Travilla Series.

     I've wondered with all the Christian literature material that is being made into movies (Love Comes Softly, The Last Sin-Eater, The Shunning Series etc.) why Elsie Dinsmore has never been made into a movie. You can't really go wrong with an religious upstart and her inadequate father in the mid 1800s. Whether it becomes a movie or not, this is the cast list (maybe not the actual actors) that I have for the characters.

~ ~ ~

Elsie Dinsmore Cast

Top: Left - Young Elsie (10-13), Right - Older Elsie

Middle: Left - Horace Dinsmore, Right - Edward Travilla

Bottom: Left - Rose Allison Dinsmore, Right - Lucy Carrington

Thor 2: The Dark World

Agghhhhhhhhh!!!!

I CAN NOT WAIT!!!!!

Blissful Second

Q (Ben Whishaw) and Bond (Daniel Craig) meet for the first time in "Skyfall."

 This was my favorite scene in the whole movie and this gif was too cute not to post.

When I saw Q*, I was like, "Whoa!! Gorgeous geek overload."

     And I spent the rest of the movie in anticipation of seeing him again. To put it simply, this man totally made Skyfall a worthy watch (Daniel Craig just comes without saying). I'm enjoying this 'Geeky is the new sexy' in the social media right now and I hope it stays for a while.

    While I have never been a James Bond fan, I have always enjoyed the Daniel Craig Bond movies and I am planning to do a movie review for Skyfall sometime in the near future.

*Q stands for Quarter Master, the head of the weapons and gadgets department. Like most of the people that work with MI6, there has to be anonymity and so we don't know Q's real name.

 

The Bible (2013)

The Bible (2013)

 

My family started watching this when it premiered two weeks ago 

and we absolutely love it!

Little Asgardians

The longer I look as this, the funnier it gets.

I can imagine little Loki sounding like this:

"Zey were mean bwover..."

Love it : )

Avengers Marriage

      Robert Downey Jr.s son, Exton Elias just turned one in February. Chris Hemsworth's daughter, India Rose will turn one in May...

And then a few years go by.... 

I mean, seriously, how cute?!?!

Visual Reality & Mental Reality

 

 

 

 

 When I watch I Spy (great movie!) with Eddie Murphy and Owen Wilson,

This is the visual reality:

Eddie Murphy and Owen Wison in "I Spy"(2002)

 

 

This is the mental reality:

 

Which Middle-Earth Character Am I?

You are most like a: 

 

Hobbit

 

 Like a hobbit, you are a bit shy but social, a foodie, and a real team player. You enjoy good company and the comforts of home. You've never felt the need to heed the call of the wild. But whoever said hobbits aren't adventurous has clearly never seen your wardrobe - the brighter, the better!

Click on the poster to see where in Middle-Earth you belong!

Get To Know Your Dwarves

 

 With The Hobbit coming out in a month I had three tasks I wanted to accomplish:

(x) Read The Hobbit

(x) Memorize all the dwarves names

( ) Learn all the Dwarves from the movie.

 Seems difficult trying to put 13 names to 13 faces, but then I found this >> Heirs of Durin << and it gives awesome detailed descriptions and short bios to all the dwarves. So hopefully by the time the movie comes out, I'll know every single unique character.

Les Miserables

The only movie I'm almost as excited to see this Christmas besides The Hobbit is Les Miserables! I love love love this story! I grew up with the story because my family absolutely loves the musical and I even got to see it when I was twelve (even though we were way up in the back and my vision was so bad that everything was blurry). It's also coming to Richmond next year and I don't care how much tickets cost...I'm going!!!!

Hugh Jackman as Jean Valjean

Russell Crowe as Inspector Javert

Anne Hathaway as Fantine. I am so excited to see her in this!

Isabelle Allen as young Cosette

Amanda Seyfried as Cosette. 

Eddie Redmayne as Marius.

Cosette and Marius

This video is really good!

The Hobbit

I cannot wait for The Hobbit to come out!!!! I'm so excited, I even have a Pinterest board dedicated to the upcoming movie as well as the LOTR series!

Here are some of my favorites I have so far.

(Click on the images to get a larger and clearer view)

The Hobbit promotional poster

Bilbo Baggins and Sting

A collage of promotional pics.

The company of dwarves

The barrel scene

Thorin Oakenshield

Thorin's nephews, Fili (left) and Kili (right; and who is becoming known as the 'hot dwarf')

Rivendell

That's all I have for now, but I'll post more later!!!

~Ivy

Les Miserables: The Musical

January News

 

That banner is so cute : ) Can you believe it's been 7 years since that movie came out??? Wow! I was like 15! I really hope they continue the Narnia series. Now that Harry Potter is done, people still need a fantasy to look forward to every year.

Well...The Hobbit, I believe is coming out this year and I can't wait to see that!!! Supposedly most of the original Lord of The Rings characters are going to making cameo appearances throughout the movie (more like movies since it's split in two films). That would be awesome. Last year was also the 10th anniversary of when LOTR premiered, so I would have been...11. Long long time ago.

I actually tried reading the Hobbit, but as great of a writer as Tolkien was...I really have a hard time understanding him. Maybe it's just because I'm a 'modern day reader' as I like to call myself or someone who doesn't necessarily like to read 'the classics.' I have never read Jane Austin, Louisa May Alcott, Charles Dickens, Tolkien, and whoever else old fashioned readers seem to admire.

I'm the type of reader one might call 'I never read the book, but I did see a Wishbone about it.' You know that old PBS show about the cute jack russell dog that narrated the show and gave a simple 30 min. version of all the great classics. I loved that show! Too bad it was cancelled, but I was able to get the general gist of classics like Robin Hood (that episode was a particular favorite), Pride and Prejudice, The Count of Monte Cristo, The Black Arrow, The Three Musketeers, The Hunchback of Notre Dame, The Odyssey, Great Expectations, several African and Mexican legends, and a lot more.

Ok, I'll admit...I am trying to get through Jane Eyre and it's good, but like I said, I have a rather short attention span when it comes to reading 'the classics'. From what I have read from Jane Eyre, I have come to the conclusion that I really admire Jane herself. She's real, not too good to be true or damsel in distress. She's been through pain and heartache, and she's kind and strong, but still maintains a very sweet and feminine essence. A very rare, but incredible combination to be found in a female literary character in that time period.

I have also seen a couple of Jane Eyre movies (there's like 20 adaptions of that story) and I think the best so far was from Masterpiece Theater's 2006 mini-series with Georgie Henley playing young Jane. It was very good and thrilling, never a dull moment. Also the 1970 movie with Susannah York and George C. Scott that is quite old (school), but still well done. Susannah York was so pretty too : )

By the way, I have become obsessed with Downton Abbey!!! I watched the two hour premiere with my mom on Sunday and I could not move! That is such a great show and I'm so in love with Matthew Crawley; so kind, strong and honorable...and he's not that hard to look at...Anyway, back to reality : )

The three Crawley sisters remind me a lot of the the Bennett sisters from Pride and Prejudice, they're fun, lively, and very generous. Sybil, the youngest, is my favorite. The adored princess, who is by no means spoiled or selfish.

I've had a harder time adjusting to Mary and Edith. I haven't seen all of the first season, but Mary's general wild attitude normally doesn't sit well with me, especially when it could come to bringing her family to ruin, and Edith just comes off as selfish and conniving. Now two years later in the second season in the midst of WWI, both have seemed to grow up and act respectably.

I can't wait till next Sunday!!!

(Mary PLEASE tell Matthew you love him!!!)

~ ~ ~

My life in general around the house has been pretty boring. I like to help with the soap business, but a lot of the work tends to get very monotonous. Although, I am working as a mother's helper for two moms and I have really enjoyed it. 

One is a stay-at-home mom who has five children and I work for her two times a month. The other is a teacher with two children who needs me there to watch her twelve year old daughter and eight year old son Mon. and Wed. afternoons until she or her husband get home from work. Both jobs I love and thankfully the children like me, which makes a lot easier.

I've made some good money from working too. Enough that I've been able to get a bank account and start building up a fund. So needless to say that has been great!!! So maybe this stay at home daughter idea hasn't been as bad as I thought.

I swore I would never go back into childcare after working at a daycare for two years, but I guess my life is in childcare. A mother's helper though has been much more rewarding. I'm glad that people actually appreciate what I do and not have to say it out of obligation. As a daycare teacher (I actually am a licensed teacher) there were so many strict rules that I was on pins and needles all the time and lived in fear that I would do or say something wrong.

I still tend to have that mentality. What if I don't this right? Should I have said that? I need to be doing a better job! It's hard, it really is; trying to relax and not worry all the time. It has gotten better and I'm beginning to liven up a bit more.

~ ~ ~

Before I sign off, I was wondering if anyone has ever heard or seen of this show? (I don't know why I word it with 'everyone' seeing as people don't come to this site) I really, really want to see it! Critics have called it 'Camelot for adults' and from the movie stills that I've seen, it's probably true.

All the more reason to see it : )

They have a pretty interesting cast.

Joseph Fiennes as Merlin

Jamie Campbell Bower (Sweeney Todd, Twilight: New Moon/Breaking Dawn) as King Arthur

Eva Green (Casino Royale; Kingdom of Heaven) as Morgan LeFay.

There's only one season (10 episodes),  the (supposed) reason being they couldn't do a second one because of scheduling conflicts with their three leads. Sad. People said it's really good.

Oh well, I see if I can find it from DVD store or something like that. Quite often I'll buy a DVD without even seeing it and normally I end up loving it. I mean, my God, it has Joseph Fiennes and Jamie Campbell Bower as well as a bevy load of handsome knights, who wouldn't want to watch it?? : )

I'll write back soon!!!

~Ivy

Happy Thanksgiving!

~ ~ ~

And on the subject of thanks I would like to say that last night (which was my 21st b-day!) my family and I watched the movie Soul Surfer and it was amazing! I highly suggest it!

Annasophia Robb as Bethany Hamilton and Dennis Quaid as Tom Hamilton

Bethany Hamilton and Annasophia Robb