Movie Trailer Sunday (51)

This weeks trailers are about Hansel & Gretel, a classified plan, a woman and her son escaping, grandparents babysitting and an elderly choir.

Hansel & Gretel: Witch Hunters
Description: We follow the siblings Hansel and Gretel (Jeremy Renner and Gemma Arterton) 15 years after the incident at the gingerbread house. The two are now specialized bounty hunters looking to put down the cackling black-hat set.
Director: Tommy Wirkola
Starring: Jeremy Renner, Gemma Arterton, Famke Janssen, Peter Stormare
Trailer: Trailer "Hansel & Gretel: Witch Hunters"
Comment: I thought, why not start with my favorite of the week. How awesome does this look? Really want to see it!

Argo
Description: On November 4, 1979, as the Iranian revolution reaches its boiling point, militants storm the U.S. embassy in Tehran, taking 52 Americans hostage. But, in the midst of the chaos, six Americans manage to slip away and find refuge in the home of the Canadian ambassador. Knowing it is only a matter of time before the six are found out and likely killed, a CIA "exfiltration" specialist named Tony Mendez (Ben Affleck) comes up with a risky plan to get them safely out of the country. A plan so incredible, it could only happen in the movies.
Director: Ben Affleck
Starring: Ben Affleck, Alan Arkin, Bryan Cranston, John Goodman, Kyle Chandler, Clea DuVall, Chris Messina, Taylor Schilling
Trailer: Trailer "Argo"

Twice Born
Description: Gemma (Penelope Cruz) visits Sarajevo with her son, Pietro. Sixteen years ago they escaped the war-torn city while the boy's father remained behind and later died. As she tries to repair her relationship with Pietro, a revelation forces Gemma to face loss, the cost of war and the redemptive power of love
Director: Sergio Castellitto
Starring: Penelope Cruz, Emile Hirsch
Trailer: Trailer "Twice Born"

Parental Guidance
Description: Old school grandfather Artie (Billy Crystal), who is accustomed to calling the shots, meets his match when he and his eager-to-please wife Diane (Bette Midler) agree to babysit their three grandkids when their type-A helicopter parents (Marisa Tomei, Tom Everett Scott) go away for work. But when 21st century problems collide with Artie and Diane's old school methods of tough rules, lots of love and old-fashioned games, it's learning to bend, and not holding your ground, that binds a family together.
Director: Andy Flickman
Starring: Billy Crystal, Bette Midler, Marisa Tomei, Tom Everett Scott
Trailer: Trailer "Parental Guidance"
Comment: Billy Crystal always makes me chuckle. And I'm glad to see Tom Everett Scott again.

Song for Marion
Description: Grumpy pensioner Arthur (Terence Stamp) is reluctantly inspired by his beloved wife Marion (Vanessa Redgrave) to join a highly unconventional local choir. At odds with his son James (Christopher Eccleston) it is left to choir director Elizabeth (Gemma Arterton) to try and persuade Arthur that he can learn to embrace life. Arthur must confront the undercurrents of his own grumbling persona as he embarks on a hilarious, life-affirming journey of musical self discovery.
Director: Paul Andrew Williams
Starring: Gemma Arterton, Terence Stamp, Vanessa Redgrave, Christopher Eccleston
Trailer: Trailer "Song for Marion"
Comment: This trailer really stole my heart.

In My Mailbox (61)

Really sad.... only one card this week. I don't understand, because the balance between my sent and received cards is wrong. Maybe next week I can swim in cards... I got one from Moscow, Russia.

Sent: august 14th 2012
Received: september 7th 2012
Distance: 2,139 km (1,329 miles)
Travel time: 24 days

Thanks Nadi for the card.

50 Books Challenge 2012 - # 39: Nicholas Nickleby by Charles Dickens

Title: Nicholas Nickleby
Author: Charles Dickens
Story: When his father dies suddenly, Nicholas Nickleby must decide on his future. Unfortunately, Nicholas has very few prospects...and even less money! Luckily, his Uncle Ralph has pulled some strings at a school called Dotheboys Hall and Nicholas is hired as a teacher. However, the naive and kindhearted Nicholas discovers that the headmaster, a sniveling worm by the name of Wackford Squeers, is a blackhearted, malicious bully who treat the boys in his care abominably. He'd like to leave, but then his uncle will cut off all support for his mother and sister. Should Nicholas tough it out? Or will he seek his fortune elsewhere?
Start: september 1st 2012
End: September 7th 2012
Comment: When I came up with this theme, Charles Dickens was the first author (after Jane Austen of course) that popped in my head. I choose "Nicholas Nickleby" because it spoke to me. It's an interesting coming-of-age tale, but really tells the story of the Nickleby family instead of just Nicholas. After his fathers death, Nicholas finds a way to provide for his virtuous sister Kate and his mother, who reminded me a bit of a less outrageous Bennet mother from "Pride and Prejudice". Nicholas is a great character, I really liked him. But my heart goes out to Smike. So sad, I really felt for him. Like I said before, it's not just about Nicholas. I didn't expect that. Maybe that's why this book was so gigantic. That's the main reason why I didn't give it a five star rating: the length of the book. I loved "Nicholas Nickleby" but it could use some 'deleted scenes'. This Dickens story fitted my theme perfectly.
Rating: 4,5/ 5

Top 5 Thursday: Romantic Gestures in Movies

Although I'm single, and happy about it, it doesn't mean I don't have a good sense of romance in me. I can be a hopeless romantic sometimes. The romantic moments in movies, hardly ever happen to real life people. Here are my five favorite romantic gestures as seen in movies.

5. The Library from “Beauty and the Beast”
The Beast gives his library to Belle. I wish I could have walls stacked with books, including a sliding ladder.

4. The Goose Chase from “Amélie”
Amélie setting up a wild goose chase for her beloved Nino all through Paris. I just love that, even women can make great romantic gestures.

3. Singing the Song from “The Wedding Singer”
Adam Sandler boards a plane and enlists the help of Billy Idol in order to serenade Drew Barrymore with his heartfelt song "Growing Old With You."

2. Daffodils from “Big Fish”
Edward is so in love with Sandra, he plants an entire field full of daffodils, her favorite flowers.

1. Boombox from “Say Anything”
John Cusack blasts Peter Gabriel outside Ione Skye’s window. Why doesn’t it ever happen to me?

They almost made the top 5: You’re Just to Good to Be True from “10 Things I Hate About You”, Orange Tic-Tacs from “Juno” Walking into the Factory from "An Officer and a Gentleman" and The Last Meatball from “Lady and the Tramp”

Pic Spam:Jessica Chastain

She's one of my new favorite people of the year. Jessica Chastain! Loved her in "The Help" and I'm looking forward to seeing her in "Lawless". Here are some of her best pictures.

Movie Trailer Sunday (50)

This weeks trailers are about a reporter hunting down a former robber, a cold blooded killer who wants to live a normal life, an American soldier helping his friend to find the girl of his dreams, a singing group and a ten year reunion.

The Company You Keep
Description: When Jason Sinai (Robert Redford), one of the last Vietnam-era fugitives still wanted on murder charges for a robbery gone wrong in 1974, encounters a young newspaper reporter (Shia LaBeouf) in search of a story, he must abandon years of safe underground life for the dangerous life of the road, traveling across American and deep into his past.
Director: RObert Redford
Starring: Shia LaBeaouf, Robert Redford, Susan Sarandon, Julie Christie, Stephen Root, Sam Elliott, Brendan Gleeson, Terence Howar, Anna Kendrick, Richard Jenkins
Trailer: Trailer "The Company You Keep"

The Iceman
Description: We follow Richard Kuklinski (Michael Shannon) from his early days in the mob until his arrest in 1986. Appearing to be living the American dream with his beautiful wife, Deborah Pellicotti (Winona Ryder) and their children, in reality he is a killer-for-hire able to keep his "job" hidden from his family. When he is finally arrested by the feds in 1986, neither his wife and daughters nor their neighbors have any clue that he is a murderer. Why did he do it and how did he get away with it for so long?
Director: Ariel Vromen
Starring: Michael Shannon, Winona Ryder, Ray Liotta, Chris Evans , James Franco
Trailer: Trailer "The Iceman"
Comment: Michael Shannon is in almost everyhting.

Love and Honor
Description: A young soldier (Liam Hemsworth) helps his best friend re-capture the heart of his girlfriend on a clandestine trip home from the warfront in Vietnam during a time of protest and social revolution, and in the process finds true love for the first time.
Director: Danny Mooney
Starring: Liam Hemsworth, Teresa Palmer, Austin Stowell, Aimee Teegarden, Chris Powell, Wyatt Russell
Trailer: Trailer "Love and Honor"
Comment: I only posted this because of Liam Hemsworth and that one moment where he doesn't wear a shirt... Because it actually looks pretty cheesy to me.

Pitch Perfect
Description: Beca (Anna Kendrick) is that girl who'd rather listen to what's coming out of her headphones than what's coming out of you. Arriving at her new college, she finds herself not right for any clique but somehow is muscled into one that she never would have picked on her own: alongside mean girls, sweet girls and weird girls whose only thing in common is how good they sound when they sing together. When Beca takes this acoustic singing group out of their world of traditional arrangements and perfect harmonies into all-new mash-ups, they fight to climb their way to the top of the cutthroat world of college a cappella. This could wind up either the coolest thing they'll ever do or the most insane, and it will probably be a little of both.
Director: Jason Moore
Starring: Anna Kendrick, Brittany Snow, Anna Camp, Rebel Wilson, Alexis Knapp, Adam DeVine, Freddie Stroma
Trailer: Trailer "Pitch Perfect"
Comment: Tried to avoid posting this movie, but I have to admit that I really like this trailer. And Anna Kendrick.

10 Years
Description: We follow a group of friends on the night of their high school reunion who, a decade later, still haven't quite grown up. Jake (Channing Tatum), who is deeply in love with his girlfriend (Jenna Dewan-Tatum) and ready to propose, until he runs into his high school flame (Rosario Dawson) for the first time in ten years. Jake's friend Cully (Chris Pratt) married his cheerleader girlfriend (Ari Graynor), and has been looking forward to the reunion so he can finally apologize to all the classmates he bullied in high school. However, after a few too many drinks, the jock-turned-family man ends up reverting back to his old ways instead. Meanwhile, longtime rivals Marty (Justin Long) and A.J (Max Minghella) spend the night still trying to one-up each other to impress the coolest girl in class (Lynn Collins), who now has a secret. The famous one of the group, Reeves (Oscar Isaac) is now well-known musician, but is still too shy to talk to the high school crush (Kate Mara) who inspired his one hit wonder.
Director: Jamie Linden
Starring: Channing Tatum, Jenna Dewan-Tatum, Chris Pratt, Rosario Dawson, Justin Long, Oscar Isaac, Kate Mara, Ron Livingston, Lynn Collins, Ari Graynor, Anthony Mackie, Max Minghella, Aubrey Plaza, Scott Porter, Brian Geraghty, Aaron Yoo, Eiko Nijo, Nick Zano
Trailer: Trailer "10 Years"
Comment: Pff... why not.

In My Mailbox (60)

I'll been done with this weeks postcards very quickly. Only two, both received them yesterday. The first was from Anykščial, Lithuania. Lovely card, with a beautiful rose on it.

Sent: august 27th 2012
Received: august 31st 2012
Distance: 1,354 km (841 miles)
Travel time: 4 days

I also got a card from Porto, Portugal. Although butterflies freak me out a bit, I love pictures of them.

Sent: august 23rd 2012
Received: august 31st 2012
Distance: 1,583 km (984 miles)
Travel time: 8 days

Thanks Toma and Andreia for the cards.