Netflix Friday - Volume 69

Some Netflix film tips for the weekend! And there is something for everyone, since I picked a movie for all the different genres.
 

Action: Black Hawk Down (2001)
160 elite U.S. soldiers drop into Somalia to capture two top lieutenants of a renegade warlord and find themselves in a desperate battle with a large force of heavily-armed Somalis.
 

Drama: Django Unchained (2012)
With the help of a German bounty-hunter (Christoph Waltz), a freed slave (Jamie Foxx) sets out to rescue his wife (Kerry Washington) from a brutal plantation-owner (Leonardo DiCaprio) in Mississippi.
 

Comedy: Forrest Gump (1994)
The presidencies of Kennedy and Johnson, the Vietnam War, the Watergate scandal and oter historical events unfold from the perspective of an Alabama man (Tom Hanks) with an IQ of 75, whose only desire is to be reunited with his childhood sweetheart (Robin Wright)
 

Animation: Ponyo (2008)
A five-year-old boy develops a relationship with Ponyo, a young goldfish princess who longs to become human after falling in love with him.
 

Romance: The Jane Austen Book Club (2007)
Six Californians start a club to discuss the works of Jane Austen, only to find their relationships, both old and new, begins to resemble 21^st century versions of her novels.
 

Horror: The Exorcism of Emily Rose (2005)
A lawyer (Laura Linney) takes on a negligent homicide case involving a priest (Tom Wilkinson) who preformed an exorcism on a young girl (Jennifer Carpenter)
 

Science Fiction: Children of Men (2006)
In 2027, in a chaotic world in which woman have become somehow infertile, a former activist (Clive Owen) agrees to help transport a miraculously pregnant woman to a sanctuary at sea.
 

Crime: Scarface (1983)
In 1980 Miami, a determined Cuban immigrant (Al Pacino) takes over a drug cartel and succumbs to greed.
 

Thriller: Blood Diamond (2006)
A fisherman (Djimon Hounsou), a smuggler (Leonardo DiCaprio) and a syndicate of businessmen match wits over the possession of a priceless diamond.
 

Documentary: Bob Ross: Happy Accidents, Betrayal and Greed (2021)
Bob Ross brought joy to millions as the world’s most famous art instructor. But a battle for his business empire cast a shadow over his happy trees.
 

Family: Alvin and the Chipmunks (2007)
Three musical chipmunks are discovered by an aspiring songwriter (Jason Lee) who wants to use their amazing  singing abilities to become famous.

In the Picture: The Characters from "The Jane Austen Book Club"

I read the book and I saw the movie and I love them equally as much. Especially because of the characters. Here they are.

Jocelyn
Played by: Maria Bello
Jocelyn is an indepedent dog breeder. She is a matchmaker but Jocelyn has been single for a long time. She doesn’t have the need to be with a man. After Sylvia breaks with her husband, Jocelyn is the one who wants to get her back on her feet by introducing her to Grigg.

Prudie
Played by: Emily Blunt
Prudie is a young French teacher for the local high school. She loves her husband Dean, but she gets confused about her relationship when she meets one of her students. Prudie has a certain attraction to him and she doesn’t know if she should give in to those feelings.

Bernadette
Played by: Kathy Baker
Bernadette is an enthusiastic woman and the most talkative of all the members. It was her idea to form a book club, especially for her friend Sylvia. Bernadette has been married multiple times, but she is happy with her lifestyle.

Grigg
Played by: Hugh Dancy
Grigg is the only male member of the club. Jocelyn invited him to join the club with the intention of distracting Sylvia. Grigg, on the other hand, is more interested in Jocelyn. Grigg is an avid reader and prefers science-fiction, but for Jocelyn he’s willing to read the entire work of Jane Austen.

Sylvia
Played by: Amy Brenneman
Sylvia has been friends with Jocelyn for a very long time and she’s in a struggeling situation. Her husband Daniël cheated on her and she divorced him. The book club was started for her and it really seems to distract her from all the misery in her life.

Alegra
Played by: Maggie Grace
Alegra is Sylvia’s daughter. She’s artistic, because she makes her own jewelry. Alegra is also known as a thrillseeker. She likes rock climbing and skydiving. She’s a lesbian and was betrayed by her partner Corinne, who is a writer and stole her most personal stories for her own succces.

Favorite Character: Jocelyn

50 Books Challenge - # 8: The Jane Austen Book Club by Karen Joy Fowler

Title: The Jane Austen Book Club
Author: Karen Joy Fowler
Story: In California's central valley, five women and one man join to discuss Jane Austen's novels. Over the six months they get together, marriages are tested, affairs begin, unsuitable arrangements become suitable, and love happens.
Start: february 7th 2011
End: february 10th 2011
Comment: As a Jane Austen fan I just had to read this. Six people form a bookclub and all of the characters have a different point of view. What I really loved about this novel is that we got to know every single one of the book club members. Fowler discribed them very well and even used flashbacks. It gives you more inside info and that way you can understand the characters better. Why they are the way they are. My favorite character was Grigg, a guy I would definitely fall for if I met him in real life. And Jocelyn, because I recognized bits of myself in her and she had the most interesting backstory. There actually wasn't a character that I disliked although I think I would never be friends with Bernadette. A fun detail in the book is that in the end each character has questions you can discuss with your own book club. "The Jane Austen Book Club" is a light, quick and fun read. But unfortunately I think this book will only be truly adored by Jane Austen fans. If you have never read Austen or don't like her novels, you probably wouldn't like it as much as I did.
Rating: 4/ 5

Movie Tip #2 - The Jane Austen Book Club

Director: Robert Swicord

Starring: Maria Bello, Amy Brenneman, Hugh Dancy, Maggie Grace, Emily Blunt, Jimmy Smits, Kathy Baker, Mark Blucas, Kevin Zeegers

Description: Five women and a man decide to start a book club. Each one of them is responsible for one Jane Austen book. After reading the book they come together and talk about it. In the meanwhile they all have to deal with their own relationship problems and they will all ask the same question: What would Jane do?

Review: If you like Jane Austen, you like this movie. Every member of the club can identify himself/ herself with Austens books and so will you. You will find a character to identify yourself with. Especially Jocelyn (Maria Bello) and Grigg (Hugh Dancy) are great and they have perfect chemistry.
The reason why I like this romantic comedy is because it's not one of those soppy chick-flicks. This movie isn't as predictable as most films in this genre. Just give this movie a shot... maybe you'll like it.