This movie was not my first choice in movies to see in the theatre but I ended up going with my family. I'm pretty happy I did. This movie was crazy, silly and even random at points yet somehow the combination of acting and whacky comic book/ video game effects had me laughing. I might not recommend it to be watched inm theatres, but I would recommend renting it. It is rated pg-13 and it does have some content that is not meant for younger teens.
Accomplice (Released: August 1, 2010)
By Eireann Corrigan
A book about two teens that are looking to get into college. When their school councellor says that good grades and community service isn't enough anymore, Chloe and Finn make an epic plan. Chloe will disappear and Finn will find her, miraculously. However, not all they had expected was all that would occur. Facing many challenges and issues, Eireann Corrigan has handed us an awesome YA thriller.
Girl Parts (Released: August 10, 2010)
By John M. Cusick
"What happens when a robot designed to be a boy’s ideal “companion” develops a will of her own? A compulsively readable novel from a new talent.
David and Charlie are opposites. David has a million friends, online and off. Charlie is a soulful outsider, off the grid completely. But neither feels close to anybody. When David’s parents present him with a hot Companion bot designed to encourage healthy bonds and treat his “dissociative disorder,” he can’t get enough of luscious redheaded Rose — and he can’t get it soon. Companions come with strict intimacy protocols, and whenever he tries anything, David gets an electric shock. Parted from the boy she was built to love, Rose turns to Charlie, who finds he can open up, knowing Rose isn’t real. With Charlie’s help, the ideal “companion” is about to become her own best friend. In a stunning and hilarious debut, John Cusick takes rollicking aim at internet culture and our craving for meaningful connection in an uberconnected world. "
Rose Sees Red (Released: August 1, 2010)
By Cecil Castellucci
"Set in New York in the 1980s, this story of two ballet dancers (one American, one Russian) recounts the unforgettable night they spend in the city, and celebrates the friendship they form despite their cultural and political differences."
A great eye opener to the cultural differences. A must read for anyone looking for a World perspective.
Three Black Swans (Released: August 24, 2010)
By Caroline B. Cooney
"Missy and her cousin Claire are best friends who finish each other’s sentences and practically read each other’s minds. It’s an eerie connection—so eerie that Missy has questions she wants to put to her parents. But she’s afraid to ask. So when Missy hears an expert discussing newborn babies on the radio, it makes her wonder about her family.
Missy just can’t let go of those nagging questions, and decides to use a school project about scientific hoaxes to try to uncover the answers. She enlists Claire to help. As part of the project the girls perform a dramatic scene that is captured on video at school. After the video is posted on YouTube, Missy and Claire realize that they’ve opened Pandora’s box and much more than they ever imagined has come out. Not only are their identities called into question, but so is the future of everyone involved.
In this riveting, heartrending story by thriller author Caroline B. Cooney, the truth changes the lives of three families—as the bonds of blood must withstand the strains of long-hidden secrets that are at last revealed."
Release Date: 9 July 2010
d they did the most random, impossible things. The animation was wonderfully done, as it should be in this day and age.
Directed for the first time by Michael Apted, this movie will be released on December 10, 2010. With the same actors as the other recent Chronicles of Narnia films, this movie should be just as good as the others.
Summary: Return to the magic and wonder of C.S. Lewis’ beloved world – via the fantastic Narnian ship, the Dawn Treader. In this new installment of the blockbuster "The Chronicles of Narnia" motion picture franchise, Edmund and Lucy Pevensie, along with their cousin Eustace and their royal friend King Caspian, find themselves swallowed into a painting and on to the Dawn Treader. As they embark on an incredible adventure of destiny and discovery, they confront obstacles beyond imagination.
Based on the third published novel in C. S. Lewis' children's fantasy series The Chronicles of Narnia, I highly suggest you read the books if you haven't already. Especially if you enjoyed the film. As we all know, movie adaptions of books are always worse than the books themselves. No movie can capture the beauty of imagination created by words on a page.
Click here for a link to the official trailer in HD
Unfortunately for some of us, this beautifully animated movie will only be released in Canada at the Toronto International Film Festival.
Release Date: September 2010 (Toronto International Film Festival)
Here is a link to the IMDb site.
Directed by Sylvain Chomet, this was taken from the original screenplay by Jacques Tati. Sylvain does all his own production, including soundtracks and animation. He writes and directs all his animated movies. The picture to the left is of him.
Summary: Details the story of a dying breed of stage entertainer whose thunder is being stolen by emerging rock stars. Forced to accept increasingly obscure assignments in fringe theaters, garden parties and bars, he meets a young fan who changes his life forever.
What scared me the most about these movies is how it took them so long to make it and how the directors were talking about getting new actors to play the much loved roles. Personally, that was the worst thing they ever could have done to the movies. Considering that the Harry Potter movies are some of the best adaptions of a book, they can't just go and change the actors. It would ruin everything. So, instead, they just used lots of makeup and things, I'm sure, to make them look younger. Unfortunately people won't just age 7 years over a period of 9, so they were getting too old in real life. Needless to say, the whole thing made the fans very unhappy. Those who are in love with Ron or Harry, or even Hermione, were shell-shocked to be told even temporarily that they would have to get to know new actors and actresses. I can't believe the directors ever even considered it.
This is the first of the two last movies for the entire series, corresponding to the first half of book 7. In this one, Harry, Ron, and Hermione go on the trek that Dumbledore sent them on to find and destroy all of the lost Horcruxes, but it won't be easy.
Harry, Ron, and Hermione are fugitives from the law when the Death Eaters have taken over the Ministry of Magic and there is a 10,000 galleon price for anyone who turns in Harry to the Death Eaters so Voldemort can kill him. The Dark Lord told all Death Eaters not to kill Harry because he wants Harry for himself.
Harry doesn't know what the horcruxes look like, where they are, and he doesn't have any means of destroying them. While Harry is on this quest, he keeps having little glimpses into Voldemorts mind and he sees that The Dark Lord is also on a quest, but Voldemort's quest is to find a wand that Harry has never heard of, and when Harry investigates this a bit, his leads take him to a mysterious story about "The Deathly Hallows". So, while Harry is looking for the Horcruxes and learning more about "The Deathly Hallows", he finds himself in more danger that he's ever been in before. And when danger calls, people die... and in the last thriller of the Harry Potter series, fight breaks out and a lot of people die, and you will be in tears during every minute of this movie only to be in even more tears when it's over.
Here's the link to the IMDB page.
Release Date: 24 November 2010
Yet another Disney movie, and they've done it again. This movie, although directed towards kids (as all Disney movies are) looks like it will be quite good. Made with the same type of animation as Bolt, it should be quite visually appealing.
As you may already know, most of the fairy tales that we know today, and most of the Disney movies are based on the fairy tales most popularly known because of the Grimm Brothers. This is a German fairy tale published in the collection by the Grimm Brothers entitled "Children's and Household Tales" in 1812. The Grimm Brothers' story is an adaptation of the fairy tale 'Persinette' by Charlotte-Rose de Caumont de La Force originally published in 1698. (We do have a few tellings of this tale at the Spruce Grove Library)
The voice actors to be used are Mandy Moore, Zachary Levi, Pam Hyatt, and Matthew Gray Gubler.
Here is the link to the official trailer.
Here's a link to a list of great YA fiction with GLBTQQI themes and/or characters.
Breaking News: Hilary Duff is writing a book! It's titled "Elixir" and is said to come out on October 12th 2010.
I think the best part about that is that it really goes to show how well celebrities have it. I mean, if they weren't already famous they probably wouldn't be able to do as much as they do. Just think, Hilary has had her own clothing and home line, starred in her very own TV show, had 10 movies (at least three well-reviewed), released five CD's, and has her own perfume brand. As far as I'm concerned, she's way too young to have any of this. But she's done well for herself being only 23 years old. Now all she has to do is direct her own movie and get convicted and she'll have done just about everything it takes to be any kind of celebrity. That, and she's now getting married to an Edmonton hockey player. Needless to say, the girl's done well for herself. Unfortunately, many parallels can be made between her and Justin Bieber. He's got two CD's, his own clothing line, will be starring in a movie, and is claiming he will write his own memoirs. Being only 16, he's not far behind Hilary. The dilema here is that the people that grew up with Hilary Duff are now too old for Justin Bieber. And the people who are growing up with Justin Bieber and too young for Hilary Duff. So, we can come to the conclusion that they serve essentially the same purpose for the consecutive generations. They are great for twelve year old fan girls, but after that they don't serve much purpose. At the point when their twelve year old fangirls are no longer twelve years old and have moved on, they find some other kind of celebrity status to fulfill - so they come out with books and clothes lines. Quite smart when you think about it, attempting to appeal to the masses. However, the only flaw in their plan is that they still have the air of "twelve year old fangirl type" which they will never fully loose. Good for them for trying, though. I wouldn't want that label stuck to me forever either.
Book description:
As the daughter of a renowned surgeon and a prominent Washington D.C. politician, Clea Raymond has felt the glare of the spotlight her entire life. And though she dreads the paparazzi who track her every move, she herself is a talented photojournalist who takes refuge in a career that allows her to travel to the most exotic parts of the world.
But after Clea’s father disappears while on a humanitarian mission, eerie, shadowy images of a strange and beautiful young man begin to appear in Clea’s photos—a man she has never seen in her life.
When Clea suddenly encounters this man in person she is stunned—and feels an immediate and powerful connection. As they grow closer, they are drawn deep into the mystery behind her father’s disappearance and discover the centuries-old truth behind their intense bond.
Torn by a dangerous love triangle and haunted by a powerful secret that holds their fate, together they race against time to unravel their past in order to save their future—and their lives.
Glimpse by Carol Lynch Williams.
This book was amazingly written, and wonderfully compelling. Easy to read, although the story was tough. A great point of view and a very touching story. Having the narrator as the younger sister was a great idea as I don't think the story would have worked otherwise. And the best part about it is that there are no surprises, as you are told at the beginning most of what happens. It was beautifully written and the poetry style of writing was a fabulous way of telling this touching, heart-breaking story.
"Twelve year old girl Hope's life is turned upside down when her older sister Lizzie becomes an elective mute and is institutionalized after trying to kill herself. Ever since their dad died Hope and Lizzie have relied on each other from a young age. Their mother is a reluctant and unreliable parent at best, who turns tricks to support the family."