A Perfect Getaway

Don put this movie on his NetFlix queue not knowing anything about it. When he gave me the name I figured (why? I don't know) it was some slap stick comedy that I wouldn't enjoy. I finally looked it up on IMDB and found that it wasn't a comedy at all, but a psychological suspense thriller - and that it was.

I love a movie that makes me think, and think about it. And this morning, I was still thinking about it. So much so that when Jake, who didn't watch it with us last night, wanted to watch it and let it be known that I wanted to see it again. And I hardly ever want to watch a movie more than once (too many movies, so little time). There were questions I had that made me look forward to watching it again.

Here's a synopsis: Two pairs of lovers on a Hawaiian vacation discover that psychopaths are stalking and murdering tourists on the islands. (IMDB)

It's a well done movie with many twists and turns. It was as good the second time as the first. A Perfect Getaway was a perfect movie getaway for the whole family.

5 stars out of 5 stars

rated R

Books 5-7

I am now embarking on a reading adventure. I am going to read the last three Harry Potter books. I've read the first four (finishing the fourth just a couple of weeks ago) and promised my son that I wouldn't read anything else until I was done with the whole series. I need to finish it before the second half of the movie comes out in July. Normally, it wouldn't be a problem reading 3 books in that time, but these are Harry Potter books. The fifth book is over 900 pages, and it took me over 2 months to read the last one (which was 700 pages).

But after seeing the most recent Harry Potter movie (Deathly Hallows part 1), I am inspired and excited to reading the final books in the series. And I'm looking forward to part 2 of the movie.

Rabbit-Proof Fence

Tired of watching football on our day of celebrating Thanksgiving, Dani, Don, and I browsed the movies through NetFlix, looking for something we could all agree on. We picked Rabbit-Proof Fence, which Danielle had actually seen and recommended us seeing it, too.

This 2002 movie follows three young aboriginal girls who are taken from their family, put in a school to train them to be domestic help, but then escape to find their way back home while traveling across the vast outback of Australia. It might have been a true story because they show two elderly ladies at the end of the movie that are supposedly two of these girls. At the very least, it follows closely the history of the "stolen generation" that took place in Australia from 1869 all the way to 1970.

3 1/2 out of 5 stars
rated PG

Safe Haven

I just finished Nicholas Spark's Safe Haven. I read it quickly because it's a pretty quick read. It's a predictable story but I still enjoyed it. Mr. Sparks is a great story teller and although it was predictable, he adds some nice elements to the story. One was putting the reader in the head of one of the characters in such a way that his thinking and action became more understandable, even though he was a depraved and vicious person.

Deathly Hallows (part 1)

Many saw it at midnight of opening day. I had to wait until Jake came home from school and a convenient time for Dani, Jake, and I to see it - and today was the day! Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows (part 1). And it was worth the wait.

Speaking of waiting... now we have to wait for the movie that covers the second half of the book. I believe it's coming out in July.  And I will use that time to read book 5, 6, and 7 of the series.

The Deathly Hallows is the seventh and last book in the series. Harry, Ron, and Hermoine begin a mission to destroy the Horcruxes, the sources of Voldemort's immortality, all without the protection of Hogwarts or their professors. Since I have yet to read the book, I don't know how closely the movie follows the book, but I've heard it does a pretty good job. I thoroughly enjoyed the movie. I think anyone who is a Harry Potter fan would enjoy the movie.

5 out of 5 stars
rated PG-13