Top 5: Jane Austen-esque Movies

The Pride and Prejudice 'Classic Smackdown' at Meet Me at Mike's has been a landslide, with almost everyone preferring the BBC mini-series starring Colin Firth to the 2005 film. The consensus is that you can not capture enough of the book in two hours.

Which got me thinking, if you only have two hours free for a Jane Austen-fix, what are some fun options that won't just leave you feeling like corners have been cut? These are my picks (that will surely have you reaching for a book afterwards too!)

#1 Bridget Jones's Diary (Inspired by: Pride and Prejudice)
One of the best romantic comedies ever. Bonus points for the definitive Mr Darcy playing Mr Darcy. Perfection.

#2 Bride and Prejudice (Inspired by: Pride and Prejudice)
Ok, it looks silly, and it is... but in the best way - colourful, fun, musical, and actually very faithful to the story. Martin Henderson may seem like an odd choice for Darcy but he does arrogant and aloof well. Bonus point for Gilmore Girl cameo (Gilmore Girls will be another post...)

#3 Clueless (Inspired by: Emma)
Relive the 90s and laugh at the fashion, slang, and some great one-liners. If you want traditional and pretty, the Gwyneth Paltrow version of Emma is sweet, but this one is a clever adaptation. Bonus point for Paul Rudd who really doesn't look very different!

#4 The Jane Austen Book Club
I think I watched this as an insomniac early one morning during my second pregnancy. I cried a lot, but I enjoy a good movie-cry. The characters are pretty one-dimensional but the idea is genius - 6 people, 6 Austen books, 6 months. Their passion for Jane Austen will make you hunt out a book immediately.

#5 Becoming Jane
I haven't seen this one but it has been recommended to me as an enjoyable watch, and sounds like a good candidate for a movie-cry... young Jane Austen (Anne Hathaway) dreams of marrying for love until issues of wealth and class arise.

I have a very good friend who has a passion for 'P&P', are you a big Austen fan too?

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Pirates of the Caribbean - AGAIN!

Hooray! This summer we will be able to see Captain Jack Sparrow again on the big screen. I know I can't wait ... (though I must admit that I will miss Will Turner) ... check it out ...

So, now I am swooning over my upcoming date with Sparrow (May 20th) ... and my enthusiasm for the film has inspired some crafty goodness ...

Pirates of the Caribbean Fabric Banners ...

... for parties, bedroom decor, the office, etc.

Want one? I can custom make one or more for you. They are about 4 feet long ... well sewn ... washable ... and so much fun. Just $15 each plus shipping. Or come by The Studio (170 Park Street in Bangor, ME) to pick one up!

Want a different theme? I can do that too :)

Love,

Jodi

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The Blind Side.

Every time I watch the following trailers, I cry. Truly. Ask my husband. And I haven't even seen the movie yet ...

I cry because:

* I am an adoptive mother who is fiercely protective of my son. I relate to Leigh Anne Tuohy in this way ... for sure :)

* I think of every child who is sleeping in an orphanage tonight --- waiting for parents. I cry because I have seen these children with my own eyes --- and have witnessed their pain.

* I remember all the wonderful people who I KNOW make a difference in the lives of young men just like Michael Oher. Particularly Father Michael ... who I am honored to call a friend (you can see his work here as well as in the link above).

* I know what it is to change the life of a person --- through love, guidance and education. I have seen lives changed when a young person finds someone who believes in them --- and will fight for them. I had the pleasure of meeting a young boy in Haiti who had lived as a slave in a wealthy Haitian home for many years. He was rescued by a French woman and brought to St. Joseph's Home for Boys in Port-au-Prince. I watched as his rescuer visited him there at Christmas - over a year after she had brought him to the home. It was an amazing reunion to witness. The woman was overjoyed at how well the then 8-year-old boy was doing now that he had love, guidance and an education. It was amazing.

* I cry because it is THAT EASY to change lives ... with Love. Love. Love. And I am eternally grateful for women like Leigh Anne Tuohy ... who show the rest of the world what love can do.

* And perhaps what brings me to tears most is Sandra Bullocks response to the woman who says "I think what you are doing is so great. You are changing that boy's life." And Sandra's heartfelt response just sends me to tears ... "No, he's changing mine." I can't tell you how many times people tell Halis and I what a wonderful thing we did to take Isaac in. First of all --- our love for Isaac is REAL, not charity. And he does more for us than we could ever do for him. Seeing Isaac as anything other than TRUE family is an insult.

I had no idea who Michael Oher was until I researched him AFTER watching these trailers. I am no football fan. So, I shed tears over this story thinking that it was a work of fiction. To know that it is REAL just makes me even more emotional about it. And to see just how real it is, check out this featurette:

Now --- if you have seen this movie --- please tell me what you think of it. And if you haven't seen it --- maybe you should! I know I will be at the theatre this weekend. With Kleenex!

Love,
Jodi

P.S. You can also read the book before or after seeing the movie. I know I will.

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I <3 the Weekend!

I loved this weekend. Mostly because my house was filled with kids. And my husband (who was recently in California for longer than either one of us liked).

First, I took the plunge on Friday and bought myself an IPhone. Let me start out by saying that I have not owned a cell phone in a loooong time. So to go from nothing to carrying around a little hand-held computer/phone amped up to the max ... is quite a difference. I now don't know how I lived without it. I mean, I can "plug" into anything in the world in seconds. "Hey kids --- want to go the movies? Well, let me just press this little button on my IPhone screen and I can tell you what is playing --- where and when. I can also read you the reviews of the movie ... tell you how much the popcorn will cost ... and exactly how many miles it takes to get to said movie." Seriously.

"Then, while we are waiting in line for said movie, I can videotape your wisecracks..."




"Later, as soon as I finish videotaping your antics, I can instantly e-mail it to anyone in the world. YouTube included .... mwuuuuaahaahaaahaaaahaaaaaa."

Oh how I love hanging out with the kiddos. And how I love my new IPhone.

Also ... while we were away having our fun Mr. Daddy/Uncle Halis was busy building new walls in our home to prepare for .... (drum roll please )..... our next adoption! We are building bedrooms in an otherwise "open" home in order to get adoption approval again (separate bedrooms for the kids, etc.). Lots of changes in the house that make it more conventional ... something I normally don't like at all. But I will do whatever it takes to bring more babies into our family :)

(OK, so IPhone pics are not the greatest, but you get the idea...)

By the way, Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs was a GREAT movie. Very funny, sweet and insightful. Perfect for the whole family to see together. I was laughing out loud so often that I lost track of all the funny parts (you know --- the parts that you all talk about as you leave the theatre). Definitely a movie I will buy on DVD.

We also spent some time at the park and two trips to Dunkin Donuts (not wanting to cook at home due to construction). Lots of fun ...

(more IPhone pics)

I hope you all had a great weekend ... full of laughs and love.

Chat with ya tomorrow ;)

Jodi

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Just When I Thought Life Couldn't Get Any Better ... (A Giveaway)...

Have I told you already that there is a Toy Story 3 coming out next year? I seem to be telling everyone. We are huge fans of Pixar ... and especially of the Toy Story films ... and every one of us is looking forward to seeing Woody, Buzz, Jessie and the gang again. So, if you haven't heard the "buzz" (pun intended) surrounding this upcoming movie ... check this out:

And to celebrate this momentous occasion (okay - so the movie is still a year away ...) I am going to host a Toy Story giveaway. The prize will be kept secret (for now) and here is how you enter : Tell us one of your favorite lines from Toy Story 1 or 2. Leave it in the comment section of this post via the blog (not Facebook or Twitter). And be sure to include your current e-mail address so I can contact you if you are the lucky winner!

Share the Toy Story love my friends.

Love,

Jodi

P.S. Entries will be accepted till midnight Sept. 6th. Winner announced Sept. 7th.

P.P.S. If you cannot remember a particular line, please share something you love about the Toy Story movies, or some other related tidbit :) All comments will be welcome and entered into the drawing!

UPDATE: Here is the picture of what is being given away ... a handmade Toy Story journal made from an upcycled Golden Book. For details see here.

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The Way We Get By.

This film was created in the Bangor, Maine area (my hometown) ... and is so incredibly moving. Please check out the trailer.

Love,
Jodi

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Fred Claus.

I rented this movie yesterday and have already watched it 3 times. I am actually laughing harder with each viewing. And Isaac loves it too. I think I may be developing a crush on Vince Vaughn :)

Hilarious!


Fred Claus Trailer - Watch today’s top amazing videos here

Love, Jodi

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TV / Movie Reviews (sort of) ...

Our family has a love/hate relationship with television and movies.

We love the storytelling of great movies and programs. We love the education that really great, well-thought and well-intentioned programs can offer : introduction to various cultures, reinforcement of positive values, insights into various human conditions, explorations of the world-at-large, etc...

However, we "hate" those programs and movies that offer our children the following: reinforcement of commercialization, violence, overly sexualized stimuli, negative stereotyping, relentless flashy stimuli (often found in cartoons), etc ...

At first becoming parents, we were going to do away with television altogether - especially considering that even when we appreciate a program that is offered, we have no control over the commercials that are displayed. (Halis would love to have Isaac watch football with him - but the "boob & butt" / "T & A" commercials are ridiculous!) So, we opted for PBS (commercial free & educational) programming and movies that meet our approval. This seems to be working for us. However, it took alot of movie previewing to figure out which ones we would allow into our family! And we had to let go of some of our very favorite movies (i.e. Elf) when they did not meet our basic standards.

My parents and some friends picked on us a bit for being so careful and critical in deciding what our kids watch (we include Meg in this - thus the plural "kids"). But what you allow into your child's brain & consciousness may have a profound effect on who they become, what their values are, and how they view the world. So, this is VERY important to us. Some may argue that we could do away with TV & movies altogether (I have read all those Waldorf articles) but we firmly believe in the benefits of great programming, and plan to use television as a positive tool (how could our son possibly grow up without having Mr. Rogers as his neighbor?).

As a result, we have come up with some very specific opinions on what is worth watching. And now I'd like to share our thoughts with you, with the idea that some of you may be as concerned as we are about what goes into our kids brains :) Certainly, you may disagree with our opinions, as every family is different. I share our thoughts with you merely as a catalyst for discussion and not as a sermon. Your thoughts are most welcome!

Here are our faves:

"The Nice":

Babe : our favorite movie of all. Frankly, there are too many reasons why. Just watch it :)

Sesame Street : love, community, diversity, education, respect, etc. We love almost everything Sesame related.

Secret of Roan Inish : ahhh ... this movie has me believing in fairy tales! It is so refreshing. Great for showing kids that their family/ cultural history matters and is worth preserving.

Disney's Cars: generosity & community will serve you better than narcissism and isolation. History is worth preserving. Folks from all walks of life can live together with respect and harmony.

The Little Bear Movie : such a gentle movie. Shows that we can learn much from one another's differences.

Finding Nemo : a parents love can defeat all odds. We decide how our "handicaps" affect our abilities.

Ever After : (Meg) evil deeds beget negative consequences ... and being true to yourself has its rewards.

Mr. Rogers : He likes you just the way you are because you are special and there is no one else like you. He loves the diversity of life and shows you things you might never see otherwise.

Dancing with the Stars : people learning to master something they never comprehended trying. Full of art, beauty and dedication.

Super Why : my 2.5 year old son is learning to recognize his letters & to solve personal trials through literature. Yes.

Nanny McPhee : talk to your kids. listen to your parents. respect one another. family comes first.

A Series of Unfortunate Events : siblings coming together to thwart evil & to protect one another --- using their brains rather than violence.

Extreme Home Makeover : Thank God we don't need their help. And Thank God they are helping others.

Whale Rider : Believe in yourself. Appreciate your culture. Seek to understand others. Participate in life. Honor your elders.

The Tigger Movie : Family is not necessarily created by blood ... but by love. Great adoption film!

March of the Penguins : A beautiful and educational film that provides an amazing view of the life of penguins.

"The Naughty":

Elf : was a fave of ours until we adopted a child. Terrible depiction of adoption. Makes a total mockery of adoption. Sad.

Hoodwinked : ultra flashy cartoon that would dizzy a race car driver & violence that is most unnecessary to the plot.

The Chronicles of Narnia : children fighting bloody battles? no thanks.

Shrek : all of them. Violent, highly sexualized, unnecessary adult innuendo.

SpongeBob SquarePants : Can someone please tell me what the value is in my child wasting a half-hour of his time with the program??? (How's that for an opinion?)

Meet the Robinsons : Too much flash, not enough content ... adoption messages are "iffy" at best.

Happy Feet : see my scathing review here.

So, there are the views of our family. We would love to hear about yours! Of course, our opinion is that "It's A Wonderful Life" is the best movie ever made ... and we are getting geared up to watch it several times this holiday season. Thank God for movies like this & for a television to watch them on :)

Love,

Jodi

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