Best of... Mark Wahlberg

Mark Wahlberg is the living proof of singers who can actually act. He has made some great films over the years and very diverse. Here are my favorites.

"The Basketball Diaries"
A movie about drug addiction, really honest way of telling a story. Mark wasn't known as an actor yet, but that would change after this film.

"Fear"
I always liked this film, Reese Witherspoon's break and William Petersen plays her father. Mark Wahlberg is very creepy in this film, as the obsessive boyfriend David McCall.

"Boogie Nights"
I think this was Mark's break as an actor. "Boogie Nights" is a real cult classic. Not a movie I would usually love, but this is really good.

"The Big Hit"
In this film Mark showed his comedy skills for the first time. This movie really made me laugh out loud. And then his name: Melvin Smiley. Come on.

"The Yards"
The great cast (Mark Wahlberg, Joaquin Phoenix, Charlize Theron, James Caan) looked really promissing. It didn't exactly meet my expectations, but it was worth watching.

"Three Kings"
Although this movie is about the aftermath of the Persian Gulf War, "Three Kings" is an anti war movie. It's about soldiers celebrating its end and then coming to grips with its consequences.

"The Perfect Storm"
Most people think it sucks, but I'm not most people. Sometimes I can like a movie and not care about what other people think of it. I saw it in the theater and I really enojyed it. Very much so!

"I Heart Huckabees"
I basically watched this movie just because my favorite actress, Naomi Watts, was in it. I didn't know that this movie was actually really good. A bit strange and out of the ordinary, but kinda great.

"The Departed"
The best movie on this list and definitely Mark's best role. He plays the best role in this movie, although he's a douchebag. Maybe that's why I liked him so much. And he saves the day eventually.

"The Lovely Bones"
OK, the book was better than the movie. But I do like te movie version too. Mark's role was good, Saoirse Ronan is the real star. Oh, and Stanley Tucci is super creepy.

"Date Night"
Mark's job in this movie is basically to wear no shirt and look pretty. I'm not complaining. He's kind of mocking himself a bit I think. "Date Night" is just a funny, no-nonsense movie. Love that scene with the boat.

"The Fighter"
GREAT, GREAT, GREAT! Perfect acting by a perfect cast. All I have to say.

"Ted"
Recently saw it and it's freaking hilarious. Mark's funniest role so far. Great chemistry with Mila Kunis and Seth MacFarlane's humor is fantastic!!! I loved "Ted".

Movie Trailer Sunday (52)

This weeks trailers are about three old buddies teaming up again, a couple taking care of two troubled children, Abraham Lincoln, a man taking the identity of his twin brother and a musical quartet.

Stand Up Guys
Description: Val (Al Pacino) is released from prison after serving twenty-eight years for refusing to give up one of his close criminal associates. His best friend Doc (Christopher Walken) is there to pick him up, and the two soon re-team with another old pal, Hirsch (Alan Arkin). Their bond is as strong as ever, and the three reflect on freedom lost and gained, loyalties ebbed and flowed, and days of glory gone by. And despite their age, their capacity for mayhem is still very much alive and well - bullets fly as they make a hilariously valiant effort to compensate for the decades of crime, drugs and sex they've missed. But one of the friends is keeping a dangerous secret- he's been put in an impossible quandary by a former mob boss, and his time to find an acceptable alternative is running out. As the sun rises on the guys' legendary reunion, their position becomes more and more desperate and they finally confront their past once and for all.
Director: Jon Amiel
Starring: Al Pacino, Christopher Walken, Alan Arkin
Trailer: Trailer "Stand Up Guys"

Mama
Description: Five years ago, sisters Victoria and Lilly vanished from their suburban neighborhood without a trace. Since then, their Uncle Lucas (Nikolaj Coster-Waldau) and his girlfriend, Annabel (Jessica Chastain), have been madly searching for them. But when, incredibly, the kids are found alive in a decrepit cabin, the couple wonders if the girls are the only guests they have welcomed into their home. As Annabel tries to introduce the children to a normal life, she grows convinced of an evil presence in their house. Are the sisters experiencing traumatic stress, or is a ghost coming to visit them? How did the broken girls survive those years all alone? As she answers these disturbing questions, the new mother will find that the whispers she hears at bedtime are coming from the lips of a deadly presence.
Director: Andres Muschietti
Starring: Jessica Chastain, Nikolaj Coster-Waldau, Megan Charpentier, Isabelle Nellsse
Trailer: Trailer "Mama"
Comment: This looks freaky and scary.

Lincoln
Description: In a nation divided by war and the strong winds of change, Abraham Lincoln (Daniel Day-Lewis) pursues a course of action designed to end the war, unite the country and abolish slavery. With the moral courage and fierce determination to succeed, his choices during this critical moment will change the fate of generations to come.
Director: Steven Spielberg
Starring: Daniel Day-Lewis, Sally Field, David Strathairn, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, James Spader, Hal Holbrook, Tommy Lee Jones
Trailer: Trailer "Lincoln"
Comment: Very excited about this film. The trailer gave me the chills, in a good way I mean.

Everybody Has a Plan
Description: Agustin (Mortensen) is, a man desperate to abandon what for him has become, after years of living in Buenos Aires, a very frustrating existence. After the death of his twin brother, Pedro, Agustin decides to start a new life, adopting the identity of his brother and returning to the mysterious region of the Delta, in the Tigre, where they lived when they were boys. However, shortly after his return, Agust�n will find himself unwillingly involved in the dangerous criminal world that was a part of his brother's life.
Director: Ana Piterbarg
Starring: Viggo Mortensen, Soledad Villamil, Daniel Fanego, Javier Godino, Sofia Gala Castaglione
Trailer: Trailer "Everybody Has a Plan"
Comment: Looks fascinating

A Late Quartet
Description: We follow a beloved cellist (Christopher Walken) of a world-renowned string quartet who receives a life changing diagnosis, the group's future suddenly hangs in the balance: suppressed emotions, competing egos, and uncontrollable passions threaten to derail years of friendship and collaboration. As they are about to play their 25th anniversary concert, quite possibly their last, only their intimate bond and the power of music can preserve their legacy
Director: Yaron Zilberman
Starring: Philip Seymour Hoffman, Catherine Keener, Jeremy Northam, Christopher Walken, Imogen Poots
Trailer: Trailer "A Late Quartet"
Comment: A good cast.

In My Mailbox (62)

A very productive week, a record week. 13 Postcards!!! And three private swaps!!! First I'll share the regular cards with you. I got this funny bear card from an eight year old girl from Hoorn, the Netherlands. She didn't write the card herself though.

Sent: september 8th 2012
Received: september 10th 2012
Distance: 173 km (107 miles)
Travel time: 2 days

I got this home made card from Ipoh, Malaysia. It's drawn on a piece of cardboard. The sender really made an effort.

Sent: august 30th 2012
Received: september 10th 2012
Distance: Distance: 9,962 km (6,190 miles)
Travel time: 11 days

This card I really love a lot. What a serene and peaceful sight, from Podolsk, Russia. And the sender also is a big fan of "Supernatural", like me.

Sent: august 10th 2012
Received: september 11th 2012
Distance: Distance: 2,134 km (1,326 miles)
Travel time: 32 days

From Wichitia, Kansas, US I got this map card. I can add it to my collection of United State Maps.

Sent: september 4th 2012
Received: september 11th 2012
Distance: 7,664 km (4,762 miles)
Travel time: 7 days

This is a wonderful card, so pretty and cute. It's from Ningbo, China.

Sent: august 24th 2012
Received: september 12th 2012
Distance: 9,040 km (5,617 miles)
Travel time: 19 days

Than I got another card from my own country. Wageningen, The Netherlands. The sender used to visit my hometown a lot, when she lived near it. I really like this card, with the lions. The lion is one of my favorite animals.

Sent: september 9th 2012
Received: september 12th 2012
Distance: 89 km (55 miles)
Travel time: 3 days

I received this card from a fellow Harry Potter fan from Aarau, Switzerland. It's Emma Watson, who plays Hermione Granger.

Sent: september 3rd 2012
Received: september 13th 2012
Distance: 450 km (280 miles)
Travel time: 10 days

These characters are called Muumi and are from Finland. It seems to be a very popular cartoon back there. The card is from Tampere, Finland.

Sent: september 8th 2012
Received:september 13th 2012
Distance: 1,579 km (981 miles)
Travel time: 5 days

I got a card from the far north of my country, from Franeker, The Netherlands. I actually have this card myself, to send to someone in the world.

Sent: september 12th 2012
Received: september 13th 2012
Distance: 225 km (140 miles)
Travel time: 1 day

This card really cheered me up. So cute. It's from Taipei City, Taiwan. The sender is also a Harry Potter fan. See, it's not weird for adults at all.

Sent: august 22nd 2012
Received: august 13th 2012
Distance: 9,477 km (5,889 miles)
Travel time: 22 days

Another card from Taiwan, this time Tainan City. The funny thing about this card it that it's shaped like Taiwan. Really cool.

Sent: august 30th 2012
Received: september 14th 2012
Distance: 9,587 km (5,957 miles)
Travel time: 15 days

From Mörsch, Germany I got this wonderful painting. The sender is also a movie fan, like me. I don't think we like the same sort of movies, but she definitely knows what kind of cards I like.

Sent: september 11th 2012
Received: september 14th 2012
Distance: 248 km (154 miles)
Travel time: 3 days

Today I got a Muppet card!!! From Amsterdam, The Netherlands. It's Kermit and Miss Piggy.

Sent: september 12th 2012
Received: september 15th 2012
Distance: 150 km (93 miles)
Travel time: 3 days

And now my private swaps.

I swapped cards with Hugo from Oslo, Norway.

I also exchange cards with Diandra from East London, South Africa. Loving this beautiful card. It's just perfect.

And with Susie from Vancouver, B.C., Canada. LOVE IT. Every card with killer whales is welcome.

Thanks Zara, Eleena, Dasha, Keather, Wenyu, Inge, Anna-Lisa, Elisa, Nicolette, Betty, Fanny-Fang, Christna and Truus for the wonderful cards and a very full mailbox! Also thanks to Hugo, Diandra and Susie for the private swaps.

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: Characters from "The Help"

I love both the book and the movie, so I'm dedicading this item to either one of them. I dediced to make a top 5 of of my favorite characters. Here they are.

5. Johnny Foote
Although it’s mostly about the woman in the book and movie, Johnny Foote is far out the nicest man. He is not supposed to know about Minny helping his wife Celia out.. And when he does we see what a good man Johnny is. He respects Minny and her work and would like her to stay with them. And he is a loving husband to Celia.

4. Minny Jackson
Minny is a very good cook. And she’s also known for her big mouth, which got her fired a lot of times. Minny is a sas mouth, but that’s what I love about her.

3. Aibileen Clark
Aibeleen takes a lot of crap from the people she works for. She just lets it happen, but one day she is sick of it and helps Skeeter with her story. Aibeleen is such a brave woman, for she was the first help to speak up. And she is fantastic with children, better than the mothers.

2. Eugenia “Skeeter” Phelan
Skeeter is very intelligent and I don’t understand how she is friends with Hilly and Elizabeth. She is so much nicer and sees what good work the help does in all the American homes. I admire her for wanting to tell the story from their point of view, she gave them the voice no one listened to before.

1. Celia Foote
I liked Celia from the beginning. She may be naïve and others call her white trash, but Celia is the most kind hearted woman. She actually respects the help and appreciates her for what she does, sees her as her equal and wants to learn from her.

They almost made the top 5: Missus Walters and Constantine Jefferson

The Many Faces of... Jude Law

Jude Law was in many movies and he has many different looks as well. So here I share with you the looks.

Face # 1: eXistenz
Role: Ted Pikul
Comment: He looks so young.
Rating: 3/ 5

Face # 2: The Talented Mr. Ripley
Role: Dickie Greenleaf
Comment: Well hello!
Rating: 5/ 5

Face # 3: Enemy at the Gates
Role: Vassili Zaitsez
Comment: He doesn't look very happy. Well.... it's war so you can't blame him.
Rating: 3,5/ 5

Face # 4: Artificial Intelligence: A.I.
Role: Gigolo Joe
Comment: Creepy... He looks like Ken from Barbie.
Rating: 1/ 5

Face # 5: Road to Perdition
Role: Harlen Maguire
Comment: Although his face is pretty fucked up, you still see how handsome he is.
Rating: 3/ 5

Face # 6: Cold Mountain
Role: Inman
Comment: The movie is terrible, but this look is just perfect!
Rating: 5/ 5

Face # 7: I Heart Huckabees
Role: Brad Stand
Comment: This is a little bit too perfect, which means over-the-top.
Rating: 3/ 5

Face # 8: Sky Captain and the World of Tomorrow
Role: Sky Captain
Comment: I salute to you!
Rating: 4/ 5

Face # 9: Closer
Role: Dan
Comment: Those glasses make him look sexy.
Rating: 4/ 5

Face # 10: The Aviator
Role: Errol Flynn
Comment: This face has sleazebag written all over it.
Rating: 3/ 5

Face # 11: The Holiday
Role: Graham
Comment: I wouldn't mind having breakfast with him.
Rating : 5/ 5

Face # 12: My Blueberry Nights
Role: Jeremy
Comment: Or go on a date with this guy.
Rating: 5/ 5

Face # 13: The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus
Role: Imaginarium Tony 2
Comment: Creepy again.
Rating: 2/ 5

Face # 14: Sherlock Holmes
Role: Dr. John Watson
Comment: My dear Watson, I have to say you look darn charming.
Rating: 4,5 /5

Face # 15: Repo Men
Role: Remy
Comment: He's up to something...
Rating: 3/ 5

Face # 16: Hugo
Role: Hugo's father
Comment: Again with glasses. He looks good in them.
Rating: 4/ 5

Face # 17: Anna Karenina
Role: Alexei Karenin
Comment: Even worse than the Barbie-doll look. And the glasses don't make it better.
Rating: 1/ 5

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.