Brooklyn Movie Review (2015)

After a few missed attempts a girlfriend, my husband and I set off on a journey back in time to 1950s Ireland and Brooklyn, New York City, via the movie Brooklyn. We were not disappointed.

Brooklyn is a beautifully shot period drama that follows the path of a young Irish woman leaving family and friends behind in Ireland to seek a better life for herself. It shares details of life in Ireland, life aboard the boats that brought immigrants to the shores of North America and what it was like to be an Irish immigrant on our shores in that era. It is also a love story with lots of emotional highs and lows on both sides of the pond.

The film stars Saoirse Ronan, Emory Cohen and Domhnall Gleeson none of whom I was particularly aware of previously. A bit of research reveals that Ronan, the actress who plays the lead role of Eilis Lacey, was actually born in New York City to Irish parents who moved to Ireland when she was three. She has appeared previously in a number of projects including Atonement in 2007 for which she won the youngest-ever Academy Award nomination.

Ronan apparently has an uncanny nack for accents though of course in this movie she speaks in her own very lovely tongue. Her amazing blue eyes were also used to great effect in this film. I am sure we will be seeing much more of this young lady. Meanwhile, take a peek at Brooklyn and Ronan via the official movie trailer:

Brooklyn was adapted into a screenplay by Nick Hornby (who wrote About a Boy and so much more) from the book by Colm Toibin. I have not read that book yet and ahve put it on my must read list.

Brooklyn is rated PG-13 for sexuality and strong language with parents strongly cautioned. In terms of what to watch out for or be aware of, there is really not much for the adult viewer. It has sexual references and one sexual scene though I did not find it to be a very uncomfortable scene. It has drinking and smoking and one death though not a violent one.

RECOMMENDED? Yes, I would recommend this movie to anyone who loves beautiful cinemotography as it was very beautifully shot, to anyone who loves a period drama and history of times gone by and to anyone who loves a love story.  If you need any further recommendation to watch this movie you might consider that Brooklyn was nominated for three Academy Awards: Best Motion Picture of the Year, Best Actress in a Leading Role, and best Writing (Adapted Screenplay.)

You can buy or rent Brooklyn right now from Amazon by clicking right here. I think the book and the movie would make a fabulous gift idea for any woman who enjoys a beautifully made film and a love story.

See you
at the movies!
Brenda

Buy Brooklyn on Amazon.

J.K. Rowling's Harry Potter Chair Auction

J.K. Rowling's chair, the one she used when she wrote two of the Harry Potter books, is going up for auction at Heritage Auctions in New York City on April 6, 2016.

I agree with the Heritage Auction's representative when he says that this chair deserves to be enshrined somewhere. Any fan of the Harry Potter books would love to own this chair because of the connection to the author.

The chair comes with a letter of authenticity from J.K. Rowling attesting to the fact that she used this chair to write the first drafts of Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone and Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets.

If you are interested, you can bid online, via the post or on the telephone.  Learn more at Heritage auctions here. However, you might need really deep pockets or a bit of wizard magic as The Telegraph says that this chair is expected to fetch $45,000.  Not an easy price for most of us mere mortals.

Here's a short look at the chair via Youtube:

If that price is out of your reach and you are at all artistic, why not recreate this chair for yourself? 1930s era oak dining chairs like this one are readily and affordably available and the work requires only a piece of burlap, some paint and imagination. Just make sure that you choose a sturdy chair that does not require any structural repairs and beware that although Rowling wrote the books in this chair, it is not a comfortable one. I found lots of similar vintage and antique chairs on eBay that would work for your project.

See you
at the movies!
Brenda

Quick Links:

See Heritage Auction's video of the chair on Youtube.

Fantastic Beasts Niffler Gift Ideas.

Lego Star Wars: Droid Tales

NEARLY WORDLESS WEDNESDAY 

As a nearly wordless Wednesday post, I bring you this recent release, Lego Star Wars: Droid Tales. It perfectly combines the loves of many an adult and child. That is, Lego and Star Wars. The story is of a celebration in Endor (the Ewok village.) R2-D2 and C-3PO share with their human and non-human friends the adventures which led to The Phantom Menace. While they are sharing their story, there is a kidnapping and a whole new Star Wars story emerges. Amazon says, “It's hilarious and playful, packed with all your favorite interlocking characters bringing intergalactic thrills for the whole family!”  

Watch the trailer for the mini-series here. If you are a fan, it will make you smile.

Looks pretty awesome, don't you think? You can order your copy from Amazon by clicking right here.

See you

at the movies!

Brenda

Quick Links:

Lego Star Wars: Droid Tales

Snow Cake Movie Review

I will admit that I had never heard of Snow Cake when I picked it up and that I picked it up purely because I saw Alan Rickman's name on the cover. It was interesting then that it turned out that this film was shot in Canada not very far from where I live and that the cashier who rung up my sale actually had a friend who appeared in the movie.

Anyway, we put the movie in one evening to watch even though we had little idea of what it was about. Pretty much what we knew is what you see on the cover - that it stars Alan Rickman, Sigourney Weaver and Carrie-Anne Moss. We later discovered that the movie stars two Canadian actors,  Moss and another Emily Hampshire who is not named on the cover.

The story tells the tale of a new friendship between a high-functioning austistic woman played by Weaver and a man played by Rickman who has just survived a car accident.

Take a peek here at the movie trailer:

It turns out that the movie is really about the man's journey and not about autism though one of the main characters is autistic. It's a quiet movie, with lots of funny moments. Weaver and Rickman both give solid performances and I would love to join them for a game of Scrabble, a verson of which they play in which you can use non-existent words so long as you can use them in a story.

This movie is rated 14A. In terms of what to watch out for or be aware of, there's a tragic car accident though it is not overly gory, a man recently released from prison and a woman who receives male callers. Sex is discussed and there is a scene of the couple in bed after ward but no actual sex on screen.  A four-letter curse word is heard a few times.  I think most adults would be comfortable with the content and I see that Common Sense Media recommends it for those 15 years of age and up and that seems reasonable to me.  I am sure it would be too quiet a movie for children, anyway.

RECOMMENDED? Yes, I would recommend this movie to those who want to see Alan Rickman in another film. I feel like I learned something about how autistic people or at least about how one individual with autism might function in the world. Don't miss the extras, they were informative.

See you
at the movies!
Brenda

Quick Links:

Buy Snow Cake on Amazon.

Harry Potter's Dobby and Hedwig Art Print

NEARLY WORDLESS WEDNESDAY

As a nearly Wordless Wednesday post, I bring you Harry Potter's Hedwig and Dobby. This picture is a limited edition art print from artist mellowattage on Etsy.  It features a very well loved quotation from Harry Potter and the Order of the Pheonix and reads, "Dobby has your owl, sir!" I think it is an absolutely fabulous image. However, as I write this, it does not appear to be available. Hopefully, when you stop by the artist's Etsy shop, she will have made it available again. You can see if she has made this Dobby and Hedwig image available on Etsy again by clicking right here. In the meantime, this image can make you smile as it did me. We loved Dobby!

See you
at the movies!
Brenda