Title: The Chronicles of Narnia: The Horse and His Boy
Author: C.S. Lewis
Publisher: Harper Collins Publishers
Pages: 111

I had high hopes after reading both The Magician's Nephew and The Lion, the Witch & the Wardrobe and I have to say I was a bit disappointed by this book. I didn't really get sucked in as much as I got sucked in, in the other 2 books.


One of the reasons for that was the fact that the beginning was a bit dragged out. The journey to Narnia was a bit too long for me, personally. Wait, let me tell you what it is about first. This story is about a boy called Shasta who lives in Calormen and he is Caucasian, while everyone else is dark-skinned. He was abandoned as a child and found by a local fisherman. The fisherman was not very nice to him. He took advantage of him and made him work hard. One day, a Tarkhaan wants to buy him from the Fisherman and the fisherman agrees to it. The Tarkhaan has a horse, who starts talking to Shasta. He is a Talking Horse from Narnia. He talks Shasta into running away with him to Narnia and then they go on a 'road trip'.

This sounds very exciting, but it is less exciting than I expected. Like I said before the trip is a bit too long. But the epic battle in Narnia makes up for it a bit. Another part I liked is that he meets a girl named Aravis and she is a very strong girl, very brave. I thought that was very progressive of C.S. Lewis. In most books, written by men in those days, women were not seen as strong, they were the fragile, weaker sex. In this book, Aravis is at times braver and smarter than Shasta. They actually kind of take turns being the smart and brave one. That was really nice to see.


Another thing I liked was the fact that of course Aslan was there again and that 3 of the 4 siblings from The Lion, the Witch & the Wardrobe were there as well. Peter was only mentioned. It is nice to 'see' familiar characters. It really gives you the sense that you are reading Chronicles. Like, you are into some 'secret' with the author. A little nod to the 'long time' readers.

Overall, the book was okay. Written in C.S. Lewis' typical humour. Some parts were rather predictable. I, for instance, could see the ending coming. If you've read it, you probably know what I am talking about. Still I give it 7.2/10, for effort, humour and a strong girl.

Title: The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, The Witch & The Wardrobe
Author: C.S. Lewis
Publisher: Harper Collins Publishers
Pages: 90


What a long title, huh? A long title for a good book. I like this one better than the Magician's Nephew, because the Magician's Nephew was more of an introductory novel. This is where the real story begins, at least that is what it feels like to me.

The movie got me interested in the first place. I do not exactly know what it was that sparked my interest but I felt I had to read this. The movie was a nice spectacle of beautiful landscapes (you got to love New Zealand!!), cool creatures, gorgeous animals and talented young actors. That last aspect is very hard to find lately. Most young actors cannot act their way out of a paper bag. But these kids did a great job. Now, the book, of course, does not have all of this.

I was afraid that after seeing the movie I would be disappointed in the book. I was not. The movie follows the book pretty closely, with an exception of a few scenes, like the waterfall scene. So, for me reading it was thinking back to the movie and going: 'Oh yeah, that was cool!' or 'that was such a dramatic scene'. It was a feast of recognition almost.

I like the fact that the movie followed the book. There have been many adaptions that left out complete parts, the most apparent example being: Queen of the Damned. People who know me are afraid to bring up this movie, because I always get very upset about it. For the record: Queen of the Damned is my favourite book of all time. Why change a good book and make it into a bad movie? Such a waste of a good book. I'm glad this was not the case with The Lion....

My final judgement for this book is a positive one, although there were a few things that could have been better (they did do them well in the movie): the fight. In the book it is very short. Not even a whole page. C.S. Lewis should have dragged that out a bit more, because it is over before you know it. It is as if he wanted to finish the book quickly, so he could do something else. It feels rushed and I feel he should have taken the time to expand it a bit more, but nevertheless it is a good book.

I feel there is more action in this book than there is in The Magician's Nephew. That is why I said I feel like the real story starts with this book. Fun fact: this was the first book he wrote. So, if you liked the movie, read it too. And watch out for a nice cameo from a character who appeared in The Magician's Nephew. 8.5/10

Title: The Chronicles of Narnia: The Magician's Nephew
Author: C.S. Lewis
Publisher: Harper Collins Publishers
Pages: 106

The Magician's Nephew is the first book in the edition that I have got. It is a collection of all seven novels in one. They have been put in the order in which C.S. Lewis wants people to read them and that is not the order in which they were published 'back in the day'.

The Magician's Nephew is about a little boy named Digory. He lives with his uncle and aunt, because his mother is really sick. He meets a girl named Polly, who lives next door from him. His uncle is into magic and obtained rings that can send things to another realm. He had only tried them on guinea pigs and they never returned. Then he tricks Polly into taking a yellow one which sends her away... What happens then, well you should read it for yourself.

The language use is very easy, but that's because these books are considered children's books. The book is not thick either: just over 100 pages, so the thickness of the book cannot be used as an excuse not to read it.

I heard the book was supposed to be full of Christian references, but I have not seen them. Maybe I did not see them, because I was not really looking for them, although I could see how some things can be explained as bible references.

I love that this book answered a few questions I had after watching the movie. This book explains how Narnia was founded and how the wardrobe became a gateway between our world and that of Narnia. So, if you, too, asked questions of how Narnia came to be, this is the book to read. I give it a 7.8/10.

Title: Flatliners
Director: Joel Schumacher
Actors: Keifer Sutherland, Kevin Bacon, Julia Roberts, Oliver Platt, William Baldwin.
Runtime: 115 min.

I had seen this movie before in Social Studies class, when we were talking about different religions and other belief systems and life & death. I was overwhelmed by it and loved, but I had not seen it since. So when I recently found it on DVD for only 6.99 I could not let it go. I had to have it. And I got it.


And so yesterday I watched it for the second time and I remembered why I loved it so much. It is so dark. It has a gothic feel to it and the architecture of the building that they used for the actors to do the experiment in was amazing. It fascinated me. Those paintings on the walls (I think they were frescoes) intrigued me and those statues, especially the one that was only a head made me want to visit the building myself. The whole look of the movie is very powerful and it really makes the story more interesting

The story, itself, is great too. It already starts with the opening sentence of the movie: 'Today is a good day to die.' This one sentence already tells you what type of movie it is. I have always been interested in stories about life and death, why we are here and if there is life after death.

These kind of questions have often gone through my mind and I have written a lot of poetry about them. This movie handles it very well. It does not really give one concrete answer, which means it does not really show one perspective about this subject. They played it pretty safe, because it only shows that there might be life after death and that things from the past affect our lives whether it happens consciously or subconsciously. And it is also about forgiveness and letting go of the past, without showing one perspective from one religion.

Those blasts from the past, sins as they were called in the movie, were fascinating. I, myself, prefer not to use the word 'sin'. I think it is a rather ugly word. I prefer to call them mistakes.

Each character made a mistake that was shown by there brief moments of being dead, for instance Keifer Sutherlands character keeps getting attacked by a boy whom he had picked on badly when he was younger. I would say anything more for those who have not seen it yet.

It also is about morals and what is ethical and what not. These med students make their hearts stop on purpose to see if there is an afterlife and what it is like. Especially Keifer's character. He wants 'all the answer to the old questions no one has answered before' He is in it for the fame, while the others are not. He goes out of control eventually and each individual has to deal with his or her own repercussions of the experiment. How they do that, you just have to see for yourself, if you have not already.


In short, this is a simple, but powerful movie filled with big stars, which, of course, is not a guarantee for a good movie. It does work out fine in this movie. It is nice and dark and I am sure it is too dark for some people, but if you like movies that are about life and death, watch it. The story may not be too original, but it is sure worth watching it. I give it a 7/10.

Title: Girl Interrupted
Director: James Mangold
Actors: Angelina Jolie, Winona Ryder, Vanessa Redgrave, Britanny Murphy, Whoopi Goldberg
Runtime: 127 min.

Maybe I was crazy, maybe it was the sixties or maybe I was just a girl, interrupted.

For long time this was my favourite movie of all time (until Gia kicked it to the second place). I am a huge Angelina Jolie fan and her performance in this movie is fantastic. It is no wonder why she won the Oscar. Lisa Rowe is a person you love and hate. You hate her, because she is so damned rude and obnoxious. You love her, because she always tells you things straight to your face. No holding back or euphemisms or talking behind your back, she tells you everything that is on her mind. That an be very attractive.

Not necessarily in a sexual way. For instance Winona Ryder’s character Susanna likes her for her free spirit. She is the bad girl that pulls off crazy stunts, while Susanna holds things back, keeps things to herself and prefers to write things down rather then shouting them down the hallway. Her wanting to be like Lisa gets her in trouble a couple of times. But she is not like that and soon realises that the best way to get out of the place is to play along with the doctors.

This movie has always fascinated me. You constantly keep wondering if these people are really crazy. At first, when you meet them, you think they are. Soon, however, you realize they are normal people who have problems. But are these problems that require them to get locked up in a mental hospital? There’s a girl who has anorexia, a girl who constantly lies about things, a girl who has ‘daddy issues’. Nowadays these people would never get thrown into a mental hospital, unless they live in a country in which they still live in the Middle Ages.

Every single one of these characters have had their fair share of trouble and you can’t help but want to help them get out of that place. You can see it is not doing them any good. They get pumped full meds and you wonder if they help them or they have to take them to keep them drugged and quiet.

I can really relate to this movie. I have often wondered if I was crazy and I guess a lot of people have gone through similar situations, except without being thrown into a mental hospital. I think this movie is very recognisable and I really want to read the book. I love this movie, I even did a presentation on it in high school for I think Dutch class. Got a 7.6 and that is not what I am going to give this movie. I give it a 9/10.

Title: Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian
Author: C.S. Lewis
Publisher: Harper Collins Publishers
Pages: 106

That friday, after finishing Capote, I also finished Prince Caspian. I really liked this book. I liked it better than The Horse and His Boy, but The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe still is my fave so far.

This book is also about the Pevensie kids. They are at a trainstation, ready to go back to London and leave the old Professor's home. It's been a year since they last went to Narnia. Suddenly something odd happens and they find themselves on a warm, tropical Beach instead of the cold British trainstation. They realize they are back in Narnia when they find the remains of their old castle.

Then they meet a funny little character, a dwarf, named Trumpkin. He tells them the story of Prince Caspian, whose evil uncle, a Telmarine, killed his father and took the throne of Narnia. It turns out hundreds of years have passed, since they left Narnia and a lot of things have changed. Prince Caspian rounded up the 'old Narnians', creatures, who no one seems to believe in anymore and he is now at war with his uncle. He needs the help of the Pevensie children to defeat him and to bring back 'Old Narnia' and drive away the angry Telmarines.

I thought it was an intersting story and I liked the fact that C.S. Lewis held on to the fact that time moves a lot different in Narnia than it does in real life. I also liked that the Pevensie kids were in it. I like their characters a lot. Their constant bickering and Lucy being right most of the time, but the elder kids never believe her at first. Aslan, again, plays a big part in the story and he is my fave character of all. He is strong, yet he has his moments where he, too, breaks down just a bit. but enough to show that he is a threedimensional character too.

The battle in this book was exciting and yet had it's humorous moments where things just went wrong and then still they went alright, even though no one intended them to go right. Wow, is that a sentence? I hope I made myself clear there.

The books are quite serious at times and this one seemed to have more funny moments in it than the other ones. It was a lighter book, even though the situations were just as serious as the previous ones. I give it a 8/10.

Title: The Chronicles of Narnia: The Voyage of the Dawn Treader
Author: C.S. Lewis
Publisher: Harper Collins Publishers
Pages: 122

I was quite disappointed with this story. I was very pleased to see a story about a sea quest, but it wasn't as good as I hoped it to be. The idea was very exciting, but the way C.S. Lewis worked out the idea was a bit, well, disappointing.

Lucy and Edmund were staying at their Aunt and Uncle's house and had to put up with their annoying cousin Eustace. One day they are playing in Lucy's room and they look at a picture of a boat that was hanging on the wall and suddenly their aren't in the room anymore.

They are on a beach. Eustace is bitching and moaning about how they worked their magic and all. Then they meet Prince Caspian, who is now a king. He tells them he is going to go on a quest to find the lands to the East. They go with him and I know it sounds really exciting, but it never really takes off from there.

They do find interesting lands and they do meet crooks and evil creatures, like Dragons and a Sea Serpent, but it is all very mild, even for a children's book. In the end it does get a bit more adventurous.

I have to say that this is my least favourite book of the chronicles. I give the book a 5.7/10. I'm sure it is filled with biblical references and those who get them probably will like it more than I did, but I do not know that much of the bible.

Title: The Chronicles of Narnia - The Last Battle
Author: C.S. Lewis
Publisher: Harper Collins Publishers
Pages: 105

What an adventure it's been! It took me quite a while to finish all the books. Five months. That's what you get when you have to write so many papers.

This is a great book to end any kind of chronicles with. It kind of felt like season 7 of Buffy, where everything came full circle. Where we saw old characters pop up every now and then. It's the same for this book.

It starts with an Ape named Shift and a donkey named Puzzle, who find a lion-skin. Shift gets an evil idea: he wants Puzzle to dress up as a lion and pretend to be the one and only Aslan. Puzzle doesn't think very highly of himself. He has got self-esteem issues and listens to everything Shift tells him, because he thinks Shift is smarter than he is. So he does what Shift says and that way Shift can make every Talking Beast, Dwarf and any other creature in Narnia do whatever he wants, because 'Aslan' told him to.

Meanwhile, the King of Narnia at that time Tirian wants to stop it and he gets tied to a tree. Nobody is on his side anymore. Then out of nowhere, Eustace and Jill appear before him and they untie him. He needs help to restore the situation in Narnia, for by this time the evil Calormen have joined the forces of the Evil Ape.

A big religious battle ensues that forces the inhabitants of Narnia to make a choice: serve the real Aslan or Tash, the evil god of the Calormen. Who do they believe and what will become of Narnia? Just read it.

I really liked the fact that the story ended this way. I have always been a fan of stories becoming full circle in the end. That is one thing i appreciated of Buffy and Angel and now Narnia can be added to that list as well. The story in the end is left open just a little bit for your own imagination. I enjoyed this book and I give it a 7.5/10.

Title: The Chronicles of Narnia - The Silver Chair
Author: C.S. Lewis
Publisher: Harper Collins Publishers
Pages: 120

I liked this one a lot better than the previous one. It had more action in it and the storytelling was more exciting. It kept me turning the pages, not to see how much more pages I had to read to finish, but to see how the story progressed. It was as if the previous book was written by someone else.

The story stars Eustace, yes, the annoying cousin from the Voyage of the Dawn Treader. He is less annoying in this story, in which he befriends a girl named Jill, who is being picked on by the school bullies. They run away from the bullies by opening a door in the wall that surrounds the school, but instead of ending in the plains behind the school, they end up on a mountain. Eustace falls over the cliff and then Jill meets Aslan, who tells her to remember 4 things andbring that to Narnia (Ten Commandments anyone?).

Jill goes to Narnia, finds Eustace and together they go on a quest to find the Prince Rillian, who is the son of King Caspian (remember him?). They get the help of a Marsh-Wiggle named Puddleglum and together they go on an adventure that brings them to the castle of Giants and a land in the depths of the earth.

I thought it was a very exciting book, as exciting as my fave of the series: The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe. The adventure is truly epic and that's exactly how these stories should be told. I, also, give this book a 8.5/10. Read it!!

Title: Fingersmith (2005)
Director: Aisling Walsh
Actors: Elaine Cassidy, Sally Hawkins, Imelda Staunton, Rupert Evans, a.o.
Runtime: 181 Min. (mini-series)

Wow! All I can say is: Wow! What a damned good mini-series this is! This is top-notch quality; a mini-series only BBC can make! It blew me away completely. And this review definitely will not do this beautiful project or any of the actors justice. There is so much to be said about this and the following is only the tip of the iceberg.

The story is quite complicated and I’m going to have a lot of trouble when summarising it, because of the fantastic plot twists. I’m going to try it anyway. Goddess, help me!

Sue Trinder, a beautiful role by Sally Hawkins, is being persuaded by a man, called ‘Gentleman’, to help him with an evil plot. The plan is to marry a rich girl, Maud, who will inherit money (40.000 pounds) when she marries. Her uncle, however, keeps her on a tight leash and it will be difficult to persuade her.

This is where Sue comes in. She is to become her maid and help him persuade Maud. Sue is not sure whether she can do it at first, but then agree to it for 3000 pounds. She has to learn how to become a maid, since she is a clever little finger smith living at Lant Street. A very cute montage shows her learning how dress and undress Maud, which in this case is a chair. She has to learn how to curtsey, etc. When she’s ready she goes off to Briar, which is where Maud lives.

Maud seems, at first, to be a very odd and naïve girl. She came to live with her uncle at Briar at the age of ten and has never left the place since. She has no idea what goes on in the outside world. She has been trained to be her uncle’s secretary and helps him with a catalogue he is putting together. He is a very unpleasant man and takes his books very seriously. Maud has to wear gloves all the time and the room they work in is very dark, so sunlight won’t spoil the books. Servants are kept from coming too close to the books by means of a brass plate with a finger on it on the floor. If they step over it there is hell to pay.

The girls soon befriend each other, after an awkward start and eventually they even fall in love. Sue is now torn between the evil plot and her love for Maud. She soon finds out there is more to the story than she bargained for.

This is one of the yummiest stories I have ever came across. It’s a rollercoaster of emotions. It makes you laugh, cry and even angry. It’s got a real Victorian period feel to it; it could have been a Charles Dickens story. It’s got all the plot twists and the drama, the back-stabbing and the two-facedness, the lower-class thieves and the upper-class. If you are a fan of plot twists and things turning out to be different than they at first seemed, this is the story for you!

Everything is spot on: from costumes to locations (cold and heartless Briar vs. vibrant and ebullient London), from the drama to the funny moments and, of course, the casting. Maud is portrayed perfectly by the Irish beauty: Elaine Cassidy. Unfortunately, she does not use her real Irish accent in this project (although in some scenes you can hear her slip back into it). She plays Maud with a mix of naivety and worldliness. She is strong and breakable at the same time. Same goes for Sally Hawkins, who is simply adorable. She makes you fall in love with Sue, even though she, of course, is not an innocent character, at all. One look of Sally’s is enough to know what Sue is going through. She shows Sue’s doubt and inner struggle as she is about to betray the love of her life. She shows Sue’s desperation, when Gentleman reminds her she will be hanged, once they find out what she came there to do. Rupert Evans is cast wonderfully as Gentleman a.k.a. Mr. Rivers. He is the perfect villain; the man who keeps ruining beautiful moments between the two girls, but you love him for it. He does it so well!

It’s been a while, since a story has grabbed me like this story has. It haunted me and still haunts me about two weeks or so after the first viewing. I have also begun reading the novel and am now halfway through it. (A review of it will be posted too.) It is an absolute treat and that is why I give it a 9.5/10. Go see it! Now!

P.S. I think I’ve found two more actresses to obsess about.

Title: Wonderfalls
Created by: Todd Holland & Bryan Fuller
Actors: Caroline Dhavernas, Katie Finneran, Diana Scarwid, William Sadler, Tyron Leitso, a.o.
Number of Episode: 13 Episodes
Episode Runtime: +/- 45 Mins.

I Wonder, Wonder Why Wonderfalls Got Cancelled. I have to admit it took me a while to warm up to this show. I think it is mostly because I was watching Angel at the time and still getting over Buffy ending, that I did not feel like watching a show about a girl, who possesses (what a word!) superpowers.

I, eventually, gave it a go, because Tim Minear proved to be such a great guy in a Succubus Club show and he wrote some of the best Angel episodes (for example: Darla).

So, I was lucky to obtain the entire season and when I watched it I could not understand why it got cancelled after 4 episodes. Yeah, I know the show is weird for most people, but I, as a Buffy and Angel fan, have seen weirder things. I think most people just did not get what it is about and that you should not take this show too seriously. Having said that there are some elements about it that make you wonder about things. What makes these animals talk to her? Is it God? Is it Satan? Or is it another entity all together? It also made me wonder what I would do if I had those kind of powers. I would probably go insane. Even more insane than Jaye. I think Jaye handled it pretty well.

I also think that Caroline Dhavernas did a fantastic job portraying Jaye. She starts off as the average slacker, who after having gotten her Philosophy degree, ended up working at the Souvenir shop at Niagara Falls and who lives in a trailer park. Soon, it is apparant that she is not average. She has powers. I loved the scene in which the wax Lion with the smudged face started talking to her. The look on her face was priceless. You can see her being confused, afraid of the lion, afraid of her going insane and just annoyed with the damned thing. Caroline Dhavernas is one of those actresses, who makes you wonder where she has been all this time. She is a great actress. She has fantastic comedic timing, more than most American actresses/actors. She has a great way of giving her lines an extra sarcastic punch. You really got to love her sarcasm. And apparantly, she has been in (french-)Canada.

I love the way she cannot stand her family. And you have to admit they are rather odd. Jaye seems to be the least odd one of the bunch. Her brother is athiest Theolegian and he eventually becomes obsessed with her abilities. Her sister is a lawyer and uses a Republican group to meet women and her parents. Well, I am not sure how to describe them. You will just have to see for yourself.

I love her friend Mahandra who seems to be the only one whom Jaye can talk to. She gives her advice on a lot of things and I love her oneliners. Eric, the new bartender, is amazing too. I like the way his life is a mess and he seems to be indifferent about it. He has this: oh well, that's life attitude. And eventually you cannot help but want Jaye and him get together.

Another thing, I enjoyed were the fantastic animated animals, who started talking at random times. My absolute favourites were: the Coffee Creamer Cow and The Wax Lion. One of my favourite quotes is (paraphrasing): Jaye: Is it a metaphor? Are you Satan? Are you God? I'm going to count to three and if you don't say anything, I'm going to assume your Satan. 1...2...3. Oh, God I'm a crazy person. And what about that theme song, huh? That is fantastic. Once you hear it, it does not let go of you, but in a good way.

I give this show: 8/10. It should never have been cancelled.

Title: Hair (1979)
Director: Milos Forman
Actors: John Savage, Treat Williams, Beverley D'Angelo, Anne Golden, a.o.
Runtime: 121 Min.

I like those older, rocky musicals/rock operas, like Jesus Christ Superstar and The Rocky Horror Picture Show (my fave musical of all time). They seem to be a lot better music-wise than most musicals nowadays. The modern ones seem to be so fluffy for some reason, while these old ones have an edge.

Hair also has an edge. It takes place in a time where hippies were taking a stand against the establishment, burning draft cards and demonstrating against the war, man. Peace man! I like the spirit of this movie and of the hippies too. The songs give a critical view of the way things were done back then, and most of it still has not changed. Rich people still rule the world, there are still wars, there still are racial differences and people dying because of stupid conflicts. People should watch this movie and wonder why things havent changed. Take the song Flesh Failures/Let The Sun Shine In. It tells us people are starving, laboratories are taking over the world and the likes. This is a song that comes from the 1960s and look 40 years later these things are still happening.

As for the drugs. I do not see this movie as a promotion for drugs. I myself do not take drugs and I do not feel the need to take them either. I, however, think people should do whatever they want and they really do not start taking drugs because a movie shows it. If they do, then they were not emotionally strong to begin with. Just because you watch a show about ER doctors does not make you one and i think it applis to this movie too. Some trippy moments are actually funny. For instance in Manchester, England when Claude is tripping Berger picks him up, while singing and he does not even seem to notice.

My favourite songs however have got to be Easy to be Hard, sung by Cheryl Barnes and Got Life, by Treat Williams. Easy to be Hard is such a powerful song. It is very beautiful and the lyrics are very moving. Cheryl Barnes is an amazing singer and is both strong and delicate in this scene and that is a tough combination to do as an actor. I Got Life is of course the legendary scene in whch Treat Williams jumps on the table at the party and starts singing about every body part imaginable. It is a very funny scene and it shows the clash between the free Hippies and the stuffy rich people. And it just makes you to get up and dance along (on a table or just on the ground)

Sometimes ths movie makes me feel I was born in the wrong era. I probably would have become a hippy if I had lived in those days. I am quite spiritual and a vegetarian. Not sure if I would have taken drugs though. Anyways, I give this movie a 8.5/10. I would like to see the stage version too, but I doubt I will.

Title: The Blair Witch Project (1999)
Directors: Daniel Myrick & Eduardo Sánchez
Actors: Heather Donahue, Joshua Leonard, Michael Williams, a.o.
Runtime: 86 Mins.

At the time it came out I did not watch it, because the hype was too big for me, personally. I tend to not like the movies the big audience likes. So when I heard about BWP I was a little put off by the hype and thought it would be bad. Now I was very much mistaken.

I decided to finally watch it, because I recently watched a lot of documentaries and this one is a fake one. I remember at the time people, websites and reviewers believed this really happened. There were, apparently, fake sites about the 'legend' and about these people really disappearing and everything. It turned out to be one of the biggest promotional stunts in movie history. They used internet and the media to manipulate people in a way they had never manipulated people for a movie before.

This all made me wonder what the power of this movie is. How come people were so easily tricked. So, yesterday I watched it and I can see why people would believe it was real, though there were moments that made me say: "Look at that. That is so clearly fake. How can you believe that." But for the biggest part, it looked like a real documentary.

For those who do not know the story yet: Three film students, 2 boys and a girl, who want to make a documentary about The Blair Witch. They disappear and their footage is found a year later. The movie starts off fairly slowly: They interview a few people about the Blair Witch and then they go into the woods in search of this phenomenon. They show a lot of 'footage' of them hiking and bitching and moaning about a lot of things, mostly about the girl filming everything and driving the guys crazy with it.

Then weird things start to happen. They find weird piles of stones and they hear weird noises in the night. Then one time, they really get attacked by something. What is it? We do not know. That is part of the scariness of the movie. It is not the goriness of the movie, in fact the movie lacks real gore, it what the viewer never gets to see. The Viewer does not know what or who is chasing them, why they are screaming and what is driving them crazy, because, and this is my interpretation, I think the Blair Witch is also driving them mad. There just is some weird force in that forest that has a strange effect on these people.

If you like gory horror movies, this is not a movie for you. Skip it, I think you will find it boring. If you like more psychological horror a la The Ring, this is a good movie for you. I like both, so I loved it. There are some inconsistencies in this movie and things that make you think: why don't they just do this or that"? Just do not pay too much attention to them, shut off your mind and wait for that eerie final scene. You do have to admit it is pretty inventive. I give it 8/10.


P.S. It would have made a fantastic documentary if only it were real...

Title: The Hole (2001)
Director: Nick Hamm
Actors: Keira Knightley, Thora Birch, Daniel Brocklebank, Desmond Harrington, a.o.
Runtime: 102 Mins.

I recently bought this DVD from eBay. It's no where to be found in the stores, which is odd because it was released on DVD, here, in 2002 or so and there are plenty of movies that are way older that are still available. I don't get who makes the decision as to which DVD's should be available and which aren't. I think this is one big reason why people download movies. If you can't buy and you want to have it you wonder what other options you have: looking it up on eBay or downloading are the only ones that come to mind.

Anyways, back to the movie. I can remember this movie from when it first came out. I had no idea who Keira Knightley was back then, but I do remember the movie poster and the trailers (that are in the extras section) and I remember reading about it in a crappy magazine that I used to read. I thought it seemed like a cool movie, but for some reason I couldn't/didn't go to see it. Then I sort of forgot about it. Until recently, of course.

The movie starts out in a very typical teen slasher kind of way. Liz, played by Thora Birch, is the only one who survived a horrible incident. She runs to campus on socks and is covered in cuts and blood. She is mentally unstable and doesn't want to talk about the events. A psychiatrist tries to get her to talk by getting her to do all these calm down exercises.

Finally, she starts to talk and in a flashback we see how she goes to a very exclusive English school and how she is in love with Mike, the son of a rockstar, who happens to go there. She is not popular, but every now and then, the popular girl, Frankie, played by Keira, helps her out. In return she has to do her homework.

One day, she talks about her love for Mike to her best friend Martyn. Everyone thinks he is gay, but he is secretly in love with her. He agrees to help her out and knows a place in the woods, an old bunker, where she can go and try to swoop Mike off his feet.

Liz is ecstatic and gets Frankie to come with her. Frankie convinces a guy she likes, Geoff, to come too and asks him to bring Mike. The four of them are going to spend 2 nights in the bunker while the rest of their class are on a field trip. Martyn hacks into the school computer and changes a bunch of things, so school thinks they are sick at home and their parents think they are on the field trip.

They are there and nothing much happens. They just sort of camp out there and talk a bit. On the third day Martyn is supposed to let them out again, since the door can only be opened from the outside, but he doesn't show up and they start to freak. Then Liz thinks it's because Martyn has a crush on her and doesn't want her to be with Mike.

They, then, think that the whole place is wired with mics, so Martyn can keep track of what is happening in the bunker. They come up with a very lousy, yet hilarious act to get Martyn to think that Frankie is really sick and that everyone is angry with Liz. Then the next day they find the bunker door open and everyone thanks Liz. Martyn gets arrested for locking them up in there.

But is this really what happened there? And how come 3 of the 4 students are dead. Slowly the truth unravels throughout the movie as flashback after flashback hit Liz. Who is to blame? Is it Martyn? Is it someone else?

I thought it was a really clever movie. It starts out very cliched, but soon you find out that it's not the usual teenage horror/thriller stuff. Even though it took me 30 minutes to figure out what happened, instead of the whole movie, I thought it was a nice touch and something new. I found it is actually based on a book and I definitely am going to read it. I give this movie a 8.5

Title: Trainspotting
Author: Irvine Welsh
Publisher: W.W. Norton & Company
Pages: 344

Title: Trainspotting (1996)
Director: Danny Boyle
Actors: Ewan McGregor, Robert Carlyle, Jonny Lee Miller, Kelly MacDonald, Irvine Welsh a.o.
Runtime: 94 Mins.

I recently got this movie on DVD. I owned it on videotape. Remember those? I watched it about a week ago and it still is a great movie.

Part of why this movie is so great is the fact that it follows the book pretty closely. A few things here and there have been left out, but not as bad as with say Queen of the Damned. Of course a few moments are more shocking: he sleeps with his dead brotherÂ’s wife, who is pregnant, on his funeral and Diane, the girl he finds out is underage after sleeping with her, is a lot younger in the book than she is in the movie. At least I get the impression that she is supposed to be 16 or so.
I heard a lot of crap about the movie and the book. They supposedly turned people into junkies. I have read the book (and own a copy) and I've seen the movie a bunch of times and never have I had the urge to start using heroin. I think those claims areridiculouss. The movie and book don't romanticize drugs. They show Renton, the main character (played by Ewan McGregor in the movie) struggling to get rid of drugs and his old friends, who are junkies as well. Every time he succeeds for a moment and then falls back into his old habits. Every time his friends find him, just as his life seems to be back on track again. They show the pain and suffering. That's not romanticizing at all.

I like the fact that they made an art-house movie out of this, because I think a Hollywood production would have ruined the story and made it less in your face. Also like the fact that they cast (mostly) Scottish actors. That is the perfect way for this story to be told. The book, for those who don't know, is also written in Scottish, phonetically. It takes a couple of pages to get used to it, but once you are, it reads like 'formal' English. I think that it's part of what makes this story so good. It's like you really get to know the characters as they are. You can really hear them tell the story to you.

The storytelling of Irvine Welsh is intriguing. You want to know more and more and when you finish the book, you kind of feel sad that it's over. I haven't read his other work, but I definitely will. I know one can only call a person his/her favourite author when they have actually read more, but I will cast aside that 'rule' and say: 'Irvine Welsh is one of my favourite authors'. His writing style grabs you by the throat and doesn't let go until you finish the story and even then this book will be in your head for a while. I give the book a 9/10.

The movie, just like the book, is gripping. The actors really bring the characters to life and often have to put themselves in odd situations and they do. And that is great, since not many people like to put themselves in those situations. Ewan McGregor is the perfect actor to portray Renton. He is a guy you like easily and you want nothing more than for him to kick the habit and get a good life. Ewan Bremner is great as the geeky Spud and Jonny Lee Miller is the guy you love to hate as Sick Boy. You find him obnoxious and you wish Renton would get away from him, but still when he isn't there you kind of miss him in an odd way. Some scenes in the movie were just as pictured them when I was reading the book. I give the movie a 8.5/10.

Title: Blackrock
Director: Steve Vidler
Actors: Jessica Napier, Heath Ledger, Laurence Breuls a.o.
Runtime: 103 Mins.

I bought it on ebay a few months ago. I, initially, bought it, because Jessica Napier, who played Becky Howard on McLeod’s Daughters was in it. I wanted to see some of her other work and this was very cheap, only 5 euros, so I thought why not.

Turns out it was not a waste of money. It is a low budget movie, which, as you might have read before, I love. It is a typically Aussie movie.

The movie is gritty and realistic. It is about a girl who gets gang raped and killed on the beach, during a party and the main character Jared witnesses it. The rapists are people he knows and he is torn. Does he have to go to the police or protect his friends. He, eventually, runs away from home and breaks up with his girlfriend, played by Jessica.

It is a very realistic movie. Even though it is a movie for teenagers it actually has a plot and it looks great. Camera work and the locations are amazing. The rape scene is one that sticks with you for a long time. I kept thinking of it for days, after watching it. It is haunting and not for the faint of heart.

It is interesting to see how one person’s world can totally fall apart when he realizes his friends are not who he thinks they are. The dilemma that Jared is dealing with is portrayed amazing well and Laurence Breuls does an amazing job. I am surprised he hasn’t got the kind of career Heath Ledger has now. He is great as the torn Jared, who is angry with himself for not helping the girl.

Jessica Napier does a great job too. She does not have that big a part, but she is the one who first finds the girl. My fave scene of her is when her character is not allowed to go to the party and she tells her father it must be because she is a girl, because her brother can go. The anger over the double standard is very apparent in her eyes.

I recently found out that this movie is actually based on a real story and apparently there also is a play version of it. I would like to see it, but I’m not sure if they still perform it. The movie I give a 8.5/10

Title: Bend It Like Beckham (2002)
Director: Gurinder Chadha
Actors: Keira Knightley, Parminder Nagra, Jonathan Rhys Meyers, Juliet Stevenson a.o.
Runtime: 112 Mins.

I recently watched this cute movie again. I have seen this one several times. This is the movie that sparked my interest in Keira Knightley (her acting, I swear ;) ).
It is still good after watching it a couple of times. It has typical British humor and that is one kind of humor I really like. It all starts out with an Indian girl, Jessminder, played by Parminder Nagra, who wants to play soccer. Her parents, however, do not want her to play soccer. They want her to learn how to cook and basically be the perfect housewife.

One day, she gets approached by Jules, this is where Keira comes in, and she asks her to join a girls soccer team. She agrees and when asked by the coach (Cool Irishman Jonathan Rhys Meyers) if her parents are okay with it, she says yes.
Meanwhile, Jules has got troubles of her own, when her mom wants her to be more feminine and go out on dates. But Jules seems to be more interested in football. Her father, however, does not seem to mind. This brings some tension between her parents.

Still, with all the troubles, they seem to cope well. Until they both fall in love with Joe, the coach. And Jessminder has to make a choice: play that important match or go to her sister's wedding, which both are on the same day...

I thought this was a pretty cool movie. It is very simple, does not require a lot of thinking. This is the ultimate sit back and relax type of movie. An hour and a half of pure fun, upbeat music and jokes about racial differences ('British girls have such short hair' and Jules' mom asking Jess if her parents have found her a guy to marry yet.) and lesbians (Jules' mom thinks Jules and Jess are dating.). If you are easily offended these jokes might put you off a bit

I once read that Jess and Jules, in the original draft, were actually dating, but I think the movie is so much funnier this way. The suggestion, sometimes, is funnier than actual actions. And the lesbian suggestion really works well in this movie. Having them actually date would have ruined the jokes.

I give this movie a 8/10. I actually prefer the new Keira movies. You can really see she has grown as an actress and Parminder Nagra, now, shines on ER. Check it out!