Top 5 Thursday: Michael Fassbender Movies

Michael Fassbender is one of the best actors of the moment and also one of my favorites. He has a vibrant charisma, is handsome, convinces in every role and shines on screen. Here are my favorite Michael Fassbender films.

5. Frank
It’s one of the weirdest films I have seen in a while, but weird in a good way. It’s a brilliant film. Not for everyone, but Indie movie lovers will embrace it. Like I did.

4. 12 Years a Slave
Fassbender plays a relentless man, a villain, in “12 Years a Slave”. You know an actor is good, when a normally charming and likeable actor turns into a tiran and makes it believable.

3. Jane Eyre
It’s one of my favorite classic stories and I really love this adaptation of the novel. Fassbender is so good and irresistible in “Jane Eyre”.

2. Inglourious Basterds
It’s an alternative history story, one of my favorites by Tarantino. Fassbender’s role isn’t major, but big enough to be memorable. He has a very important role in the infamous bar scene.

1. Shame
Before I went to see this film, I never thought I would like it. Let alone love it as much as I do now. The film is made so beautifully, the story is more than just a man and his sex addiction. It has many layers and Fassbender is brilliant in “Shame”.

They Almost Made the Top 5: X-Men: First Class, X-Men: Apocalypse, Hunger, The Light Between Oceans, 300

Movie Favorites: Jane Eyre

Synopsis: After a bleak childhood, Jane Eyre (Mia Wasikowska) goes out into the world to become a governess. As she lives happily in her new position at Thornfield Hall, she meets the dark, cold, and abrupt master of the house, Mr. Rochester (Michael Fassbender). Jane and her employer grow close in friendship and she soon finds herself falling in love with him. Happiness seems to have found Jane at last, but could Mr. Rochester's terrible secret be about to destroy it forever?

 

 

Unique Selling Point: Although the story has been told many times, it does the classic novel justice. It’s filmed beautifully and the actors have plenty of room to show their skills. It’s great to see how efficiently the hundreds of pages of the book are made into a film.

Most Valuable Player: Michael Fassbender as Rochester, the handsome and charismatic man with a dark edge.

Best Moment: Every hopeless romantic would go for the part where Rochester asks for Jane’s hand in marriage.

Top 5 Thursday: Books I Read in 2012

This year I had themes for every month and I liked it. It made reading even more pleasant for me. Some months were better then others, but overall I had a very good reading year. Here are the five best books I read this year.

5. “Jane Eyre” by Charlotte Brontë
It’s an absolute classic and I can’t believe that I never read it before. Although it’s not a very spectacular book, it keeps your attention at all times. (September – Classics Month)

4. “Duma Key” by Stephen King
I read a lot of Stephen King books this year, but this was definitely my favorite. It totally captivates you, like my brother had already warned me before. King is a magician with words, just sublime. (October – Stephen King Month)

3. “The Hobbit” by J.R.R. Tolkien
Fantasy has become one of my favorite genres over the year and I loved every second of reading “The Hobbit”. What a fantastic journey. (June – Adventure Month)

2. “Matilda” by Roald Dahl
Roald Dahl is the best children´s book writer off all time and “Matilda” is his best work. I´ve loved this books ever since I was a child. And now as a teacher I love to share this wonderous story with my children. It’s such a magical story. (August – Roald Dahl Month)

1. “The Help” by Kathryn Stockett
When I finished this book in the beginning of the year, I already knew that this was going to be high on my favorites list. It is the best books I read this year, for so many reasons. It really grabbed me, the story is touching and sometimes funny and it has such great characters. If you haven’t read this book yet, what are you waiting for?(February – Bestsellers Month)

They almost made the top 5: “Divergent” by Veronica Roth, “Into the Wild” by John Krakauer, “The Understudy” by David Nicholls, “Dances with Wolves” by Michael Blake, “A Game of Thrones” by George R. R. Martin, “The Lucky One” by Nicholas Sparks, “The Fantastic Mr. Fox” by Roald Dahl, “The Hunger Games” by Suzanne Collins, “Carrie” by Stephen King

50 Books Challenge 2012 - # 40: Jane Eyre by Charlotte Brontë

Title: Jane Eyre
Author: Charlotte Brontë
Story: Orphaned into the household of her Aunt Reed at Gateshead, subject to the cruel regime at Lowood charity school, Jane Eyre nonetheless emerges unbroken in spirit and integrity. She takes up the post of governess at Thornfield, falls in love with Mr. Rochester, and discovers the impediment to their lawful marriage in a story that transcends melodrama to portray a woman's passionate search for a wider and richer life than Victorian society traditionally allowed.
Start: september 8th 2012
End: september 15th 2012
Comment: This books just needed to be read this month. It's been forever since I last read it, can't even remember when it was. So it felt like a rediscovering of "Jane Eyre". We meet Jane Eyre, who is our narrator, when she is a young girl. We see the struggles she goes trough before she becomes to strong woman she is now. Jane takes up a job as governess at Thornfield, where she meets Mr. Rochester. From that moment on the book gets even more interesting then it already is. I love how you can actually feel the chemsitry and energie between Jane and Rochester. The both feel so life like. I love Jane, she is such a powerful female character. She may not be graced with beauty or money, but her spirit is so strong. That's the reason why she has survived all the misery. Rochester isn't the typical English gentleman you usualy read about in novels like this. He's a bit harsh, to the point, though very charming in his own special way. I also really liked Mrs. Fairfax, who knows her place in the world and would like to stick to the rules. This story is fantastic, I actually became a part of it when I was reading it. One of the best novels ever written.
Rating: 5/ 5

Top 5 Thursday: Female Book Characters

I already shared my favorite movie character, both male and female, with you. Now it’s time for the book characters that I love. As always, ladies first.

5. Clare Abshire (“The Time Traveler’s Wife” by Audrey Niffenegger)
Some people might call Clare insane, for giving up her life for a man who travels through time. He can leave at any time and be gone for quite a while. Clare knew that she loved Henry and she wouldn’t be happy without him. To me, Clare is a hero.

4. Minerva McGonagall (“Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone” by J.K. Rowling)
Professor McGonagall seems fierce and she is very strict. That has led to a huge amount of respect. I like her as an authority figure and she’s always been my favorite female character from the Harry Potter series. Her students can always rely on her.

3. Jane Eyre (“Jane Eyre” by Charlotte Brontë)
Jane is an intelligent, honest, plain-featured young girl forced to contend with oppression, inequality, and hardship. I love that she’s so assertive and she speaks her mind, although most people won’t expect it.

2. Katniss Everdeen (“The Hunger Games” by Suzanne Collins) Far out the strongest woman I ever read about. Katniss has to survive in a game where young people have to kill each other. Most people would have already given up, but not Katniss. She fights, helps others and defeats.

1. Elizabeth Bennet (“Pride & Prejudice” by Jane Austen)
It is already my favorite book, but Elizabeth Bennet is an intelligent young woman, with a lively, playful disposition, which delighted in anything ridiculous. Elizabeth doesn’t want what every other woman wants (read: her mother). She doesn’t want to just ‘marry well’. She wants to love a man and marry him out of love.

They almost made the top 5: Celia Foote (“The Help”), Hermione Granger (“Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone” by J.K. Rowling), Fanny Price (“Mansfield Park” by Jane Austen), Beatrice Prior (“Divergent”’ by Veronica Roth), Matilda Wormwood (“Matilda” by Roald Dahl), Benny Hogan (“Circle of Friends” by Maeve Binchy), Violet Baudelaire (“A Series of Unfortunate Events” by Lemony Snicket), Allie Hamilton (“The Notebook” by Nicholas Sparks) and Cecilia Tallis (“Atonement” by Ian McEwan)

In the Picture: The Characters from "Jane Eyre"

I saw the new version of “Jane Eyre” just recently and I think it’s fantastic. I love the story and I’m planning on reading it in september. I decided to take a good look at the characters from this movie.

Jane Eyre
Played by: Mia Wasikowska
Jane is an intelligent, honest, plain-featured young girl forced to contend with oppression, inequality, and hardship. She is very assertive, although many people won’t expect it from her. Jane also values intellectual and emotional fulfillment. She catches the eye of Edward Rochester

Edward Rochester
Played by: Michael Fassbender
Sir Rochester is Jane’s employer and the owner of Thornfield. He’s a wealthy and passionate man with a dark secret. Although Jane doesn’t show affection at first, Rochester is charmed by Jane. He’s not used to a woman who speaks her mind.

St. John Rivers
Played by: Jamie Bell
He serves as Jane’s benefactor after she runs away from Thornfield, giving her food and shelter. John is cold and reserveed, but he sees a good wife in Jane. She doesn’t feel the same because she already lost her heart to someone else.

Mrs. Fairfax
Played by: Judi Dench
Mrs. Fairfax is the housekeeper at Thornfield and very loyal to her master Rochester. She is very fond of Jane and Mrs. Fairfax advices her about a lot of things. And she warns her for Rochester.

Favorite Character: Jane Eyre