Frozen (on DVD)

Frozen
[DVD j Frozen]

Anna, a princess, ventures up a snowy mountain to find her sister Elsa--a queen with magical icy powers. Elsa has left Arendelle kingdom in eternal winter, and it is up to Anna and Kristoff to help find her sister and save the kingdom. Along the way they meet a laughable Snowman, Olaf, and other characters. The movie is clever, very funny at times, contains a great storyline and plot with a great ending. But what really makes the movie is the music. Clearly inspired from Broadway style tunes, several hits and awards have came from the music, including the hit song "Let it Go" performed by Idina Menzel, which won an Oscar for Best Original Song. Other hits include: "Fixer-Upper," "Love is an Open Door," and "For the First Time in Forever" Overall, the film is great especially for kids!. -- recommended by Jeremiah J. - Bennett Martin Public Library

[If you enjoy this, you may also wish to try Tangled, Brave.]

[ Internet Movie Database entry for this film ] | [ official Frozen web site ]

Have you seen this one? What did you think? Did you find this review helpful?

New reviews appear every month on the Staff Recommendations page of the BookGuide website. You can visit that page to see them all, or watch them appear here in the BookGuide blog individually over the course of the entire month. Click the tag for the reviewer's name to see more of this reviewers recommendations!

Silver Linings Playbook (on DVD)

Silver Linings Playbook
[DVD Silver]

After beating up his wife's lover, Pat Solitano (played by Bradley Cooper) is diagnosed with bipolar and is forced to stay at a mental institution in Maryland. After 8 months his mother brings him home to live with her and his father (played by Robert De Niro) who also suffers from a mental disease. Because of a restraining order Pat is not allowed to contact his wife Nikki, but wants to get in shape for when they will get back together. Pat's new life motto is "excelsior" where he looks for the silver linings in life. He spends his days running and reading books that are on Nikki's high school English syllabus. While running one day Pat sees his old friend Ronnie who invites him over for dinner. There he meets Tiffany, (played by Jennifer Lawrence) Ronnie's sister-in-law whose husband has just died. After a disastrous dinner Tiffany asks Pat to walk her home, then over the next few weeks begins to follow Pat when he runs. Since Pat is not allowed to talk to Nikki Tiffany promises to deliver her a letter if Pat will become her dance partner in a local competition. As they train for the competition things become interesting between them. This movie is made up of an all-star cast who deserve every award they were given. There is humor, but not too much, and you learn a lot about OCD and bipolar as the movie goes on. [If you enjoy this, you may also wish to try the book Silver Linings Playbook by Matthew Quick.] -- recommended by Carrie K. - Bennett Martin Public Library
[Also available in traditional print format.]

[ Internet Movie Database entry for this film ] | [ official Silver Linings Playbook web site ] 

Have you watched this one, or read the shooting script? What did you think? Did you find this review helpful?

New reviews appear every month on the Staff Recommendations page of the BookGuide website. You can visit that page to see them all, or watch them appear here in the BookGuide blog individually over the course of the entire month. Click the tag for the reviewer's name to see more of this reviewers recommendations!

Rango and The Oscars

Enjoy tonight's Oscar telecast, celebrating the best in motion picture entertainment for 2011! While you're waiting for the show to begin, enjoy the following review of one of tonight's five films nominated for Best Animated Feature Film, then check out the You've Enjoyed the Movie...Now Enjoy the Book! booklist on BookGuide, featuring the books that Oscar-winning films have been based upon.

Rango

[DVD j Rango]

I wasn't sure what to expect from this film -- the trailers and DVD cover made the art seem vaguely grotesque in some ways, but in the end I fell in love with this film. Though marketed as a film for kids, I really believe the majority of this film's references and humor were aimed at a more nostalgic adult audience. Rango is the tale of a pet chameleon with aspirations of being an actor, who ends up abandoned in the desert. In search of civilization and precious water, our main character stumbles across a nearly-dead western town in need of a heroic sheriff, and decides to "act" the part. What he doesn't expect is the need to truly become a hero to the townsfolk as they face a serious struggle. This film is full of wonderful tributes to traditional western tropes, and has some terrific voice performances from actors such as Johnny Depp, Ned Beatty, Harry Dean Stanton and many more. The animation, both on the characters and their environments, was stunning, both in quiet emotional scenes and slam-bang action sequences. Highly recommended! -- recommended by Scott C. - Bennett Martin Public Library

[Also available: various kids books and videogames based on Rango.]

[ Internet Movie Database entry for this film ] | [ official Rango web site ]

Have you seen this one? What did you think? Did you find this review helpful?

New reviews appear every month on the Staff Recommendations page of the BookGuide web site. You can visit that page to see them all, or watch them appear here in the BookGuide blog individually over the course of the entire month.

2010 Oscars - Which Would You Vote For?

The announcements of the winners of the 2010 Academy Awards are coming later tonight. Most of the ten films nominated for Best Picture are already out on DVD (and available through the libraries' collection)!

Which of last year's Best Picture nominees did you you like best (or which do you most want to see)? (click the links below to place holds on any of the nominated films...for free!)

• Avatar (not yet released to DVD)
• The Blind Side
• District 9
• An Education
• The Hurt Locker
• Inglorious Basterds
• Precious: Based on the novel Push by Sapphire
• A Serious Man (not yet released to DVD)
• Up
• Up in the Air

On a related note -- check out the You've Seen the Movie...Now Read the Book! booklist on BookGuide, for a list of the novels which have served as the source material for past Oscar-winning Best Pictures!