Movie Review: The Time Traveler's Wife

I reviewed the novel here. When I heard it was going to be a movie, I wondered how the story would be handled. There's a lot of jumping around and changes in point-of-view, switching from Henry to Clare and back again. How would a movie audience not become confused?

Screenwriter Bruce Joel Rubin did an excellent job. The movie begins with young Henry DeTamble in the car with his mother, an opera singer, on a fateful Christmas Eve, when Henry discovers his ability to move through time. An older Henry (Eric Bana) meets him at the side of the road, bringing a blanket, and reassuring young Henry that, although this experience is strange, it will be okay.

Flash forward several years. A young student, Clare Abshire (Rachel McAdams), needs a book in the Collections section. She is referred to the librarian, whom she recognizes as Henry. However, Henry hasn't met her yet, so he's confused. Over dinner, Clare explains how she knows Henry from her childhood. And why his time-traveling doesn't surprise her.

It does surprise the boyfriend of her roommate, however. Gomez (Ron Livingston) is very protective of Clare. When he sees Henry fighting in alley while wearing a pink ruffled top and cutoff shorts, he has a few questions. He has a few more when Henry breaks into a surplus store and when Henry disappears. Gomez tries to tell Clare, but, of course, she knows all about Henry's traveling.

Henry's travel causes several awkward moments, especially since he seems to "travel" during times of stress. His traveling has also created a rift with his father (Arliss Howard), who wants to know why Henry can't prevent his mother's death. And, apparently, time traveling is genetic. Clare has several miscarriages as the developing fetus "travels" out of her uterus. (Why this didn't happen with Henry--or where his time travel gene came from--is never explained, which bugs me a bit.)

The emotions and relationships among the characters are well done and realistic, especially when Henry and Clare deal with the miscarriages. There is one, almost obligatory, slam against Clare's father who is "a Republican and he hunts." Of course, the fact that this particular Republican paid for Clare to study art in college is never mentioned. Ignore that and the miscarriage/gene plot hole and enjoy the movie.

The ending, although different from the book, is poignant and satisfactory.

There are some sex scenes which are more sensual than sex. When Henry time travels, he arrives nude, but these are also tastefully done. There is one phrase ("Oh, sh..!") that recurs, but usually in situations where I'd say the same thing. It's rated PG-13, which seems appropriate, but I don't think many younger teens would enjoy it.

I made Hubs take me to this movie. To quote him, "This is a chick flick a guy can enjoy!" There's the science fiction element, it's not mushy, and there is some action--Henry is definitely not a beta male.

On the March Hare scale: 4.5 out of 5 Golden Tickets

Crossposted at The Mad Tea Party

Book Review: The Rossetti Letter

One of my favorite genres is historical fiction. So how could I resist a novel that describes itself as "A novel of seventeenth-century Venice and a modern woman's search for a courtesan's secret history"? And it was on the Bargain Table at Barnes & Noble as well!

So I traded spaceships for gondolas.

The novel begins on 3 March 1618. A young courtesan is delivering a letter exposing the plot of the Spanish ambassador and the Spanish Viceroy of Naples to take over the Republic of Venice. She knows her letter puts the one she loves in mortal danger. But to not deliver the letter could mean the end of her City-State.

Flash forward: Claire Donovan, doctoral candidate in Medieval European history is delivering a lecture about the "Spanish Conspiracy" to a local historical society. Key to her lecture, and her doctoral thesis, is the Rossetti Letter--the letter written by the aforementioned young courtesan, Alessandra Rossetti. The lecture does not go well. In fact, Claire faints. This rather sums up the last two years of her life. She took time off to care for her mother, who was stricken with cancer, delaying her doctoral thesis, and her husband asked for a divorce the day of her mother's funeral. Claire has become a hermit, living in her pajamas while she looks through the available records trying to find out if Alessandra was a pawn in the Conspiracy or a patriot, and what happened to her after she delivers the letter to the Venetian Doge and Council.

Claire discovers there is a conference about the Conspiracy scheduled in Venice. At the conference, another researcher will present a talk based on a book she is writing about Alessandra Rossetti. If this book is published before Claire has finished her thesis, especially if the book refutes Claire's thesis, then all of Claire's work will be for naught. Unfortunately, Claire can't afford to travel to Venice.

A friend comes up with a solution. A young high-school student needs a chaperone for a week while her father and new stepmother are on their honeymoon in Nice. Claire can take the girl to Venice, then deliver the girl to her parents in Paris a week later. Claire accepts.

The girl, Gwendolyn, is a modern wealthy 14-year-old: pampered, privileged, and insecure. She and Claire don't hit it off, but they're stuck with each other for a week.

Meanwhile, back in the early 17th Century, Alessandra has problems of her own. Her father and brother have gone down in a shipwreck and her patron has mismanaged what little money she had. She does not have enough money for a dowry, either for marriage or for the convent, unless she wants to become one of the servant class nuns. Alessandra does not have the temperament for the convent nor does she relish becoming a common prostitute. A legendary courtesan, La Celestia, comes to her rescue with a third alternative: becoming a courtesan. Alessandra has the looks, she has the learning, what she needs is the polish. Under La Celestia's tutelage, Alessandra becomes renown, with five powerful men as her lovers. One of these men is the Spanish Ambassador.

But things in Venice are not always what they seem--not in 1618 nor in the present day. Claire chases the ghost of Alessandra while we see what she is doing. Meanwhile, Claire is coming out of her hibernation and learning to enjoy life, especially the attention of men. Gwendolyn, of course, turns out not to be a total brat and even begins to appreciate some of the history that surrounds her.

The author, Christi Phillips, did a great deal of research into European history and wrote a couple of pages about what is actually known about the Spanish Conspiracy and life in Venice during that era. I appreciate that--it's so easy to forget that this is fiction, that there is no Alessandra Rossetti and no letter. The Rossetti Letter is Ms. Phillips' first novel and that sort of shows in her style, which is a little rough in places. But I like the way the book ended--not all the loose ends are neatly tied up, leading me to wonder if another Claire Donovan novel is on the horizon. I kind of hope so.

This is a good vacation/beach/airplane novel. Just enough sex (Alessandra is a courtesan, after all!), lots of description of Venice, some intrigue, some violence (it's the early 17th-Century and life is cheap), no foul language.

On the March Hare scale: 4 out of 5 Golden Bookmarks

Stardust, the Movie: An Adult Fairy Tale

There are some fantasy adventure films, based on literary classics like Lord of the Rings that keep you on the edge of your seat and challenge your imagination, while there are others that are unbelievably boring and put you to sleep. Stardust falls into neither of these categories, but falls somewhere in the middle. It is an adventurous film that holds your interest and attention, but doesn’t quite live up to your expectations. Nevertheless, it is an entertaining and enjoyable diversion.

Stardust is a whimsical fantasy based on the popular novel by Neil Gaiman. The fairy tale begins with Ian McKellen (Lord of the Rings) telling the story of a young man who has a yen to leave his hometown, the sleepy English village of Wall, and cross the forbidden cobblestone wall to enter into the strange, mystical land of Stormhold. Successfully distracting the gate guard, the young man enters into this forbidden world, where he becomes intimately involved with a desirable young woman, who claims to be a captive princess. Nine months later, he receives a basket containing the fruit of their union – his newborn son.

Fast forward eighteen years, and we see a naive and awkward peasant teenage boy, Tristan (Charlie Cox), who is unsuccessfully attempting to win the affections of a self-centered beautiful maiden (Sienna Miller). When Tristan finally manages to get her alone, together they see a falling star, which he promises to retrieve for her, to win her love. Like his father before him, Trystan also crosses the forbidden wall to collect his meteorite. Once there, he discovers that his fallen star is actually a celestial beauty in human form named Yvaine (Claire Danes.)

There are others who are after the beautiful Yvaine as well, including the King's (Peter O'Toole) scheming sons for whom only her secret powers can secure the throne, and an ugly old witch Lamia (Michelle Pfeiffer), who seeks to steal Yvane’s eternal youth and beauty for herself and sister witches, so it is up to Tristan to protect her.

In the course of their adventures in the mystical world, the couple encounters Captain Shakespeare (Robert DeNiro), a pirate who commands a flying ship, and assists them in their escape. While he pretends to be tough, putting on a gruff exterior, the Captain actually has a gentler, softer side. However, the director goes overboard on this, when in one scene, we are shown Captain Shakespeare frolicking about his cabin in women’s clothing. Of course, this is done for laughs, but I found this scene distasteful, offensive, and unnecessary. In fact, I found this pirate ship escapade to be a distraction that doesn’t seem to fit in well with the rest of the film.

The two leading actors, Claire Danes and Charlie Cox, their innocence and their romance are what made this film work for me. Charlie Cox did an excellent job portraying Tristan, the naïve, awkward, and lovesick peasant boy who grows into a confident young man, who learns how to love and what it is all about. As Yvaine, Claire Danes assists her leading man with this transformation as she herself effectively portrays a spirited and cranky star who learns to share her radiant inner light with him. Both follow their heart’s desires and go where the journey of life takes them, which lifts them to beautiful new heights. This is a film worth seeing, although it falls short of what it could have been.

Stardust is an adult fairy tale which I do not recommend for children or for young teens. In addition to the cross-dressing scene, it contains violence, a flamboyant homosexual in one scene, a child conceived out of wedlock, sexual innuendos, and implied sexual relationships between unmarried people. It is rated PG-13 for violence and risqué humor.

My Top Ten Favorite Films for 2007

1. Into Great Silence - I predict that it will be a spiritual classic and be loved by audiences for many years to come. Into Great Silence answers the most frequently googled question, "Who is God?" as well as "How can I find Him?" It also answers, "How can I find true happiness?" All this is explained using minimal dialogue, but just by watching the way these monks live their lives. This is a must - see movie for everyone! The DVD is now out.

2. Bella is a beautiful film that has had a powerful impact on our culture! As a result of this film, lives have been saved. Bella was responsible for the birth of seven babies. And, this was all possible through a grassroots effort -- promoted by the culture of life.

3. Amazing Grace is a movie which emphasizes character, Christian values, and yes, even virtues – something that you rarely see in Hollywood films nowadays.

4. Ratatouille - Like a great recipe, this film has all the right ingredients – humor, drama, romance – which, blended together, offer a delicious and delightful treat.

5. Juno is a film I would like to watch again to laugh again, to cry again, to listen to the music again, and to analyze just a bit more. I enjoyed it that much and I think you will, too.

6. The Bridge to Terebithia is a a beautiful reality-based story, which focuses primarily on the friendship between a boy and girl whose lively and vivid imaginations take them on an exciting adventure into a shared fantasy world.

7. The Ultimate Gift is an excellent movie with a straightforward spiritual message that will tug at your heartstrings. There is a wonderful pro-life message included in this values - oriented film, which is an added treat.

8. Spiderman III To me, this is the best of the trilogy. The powerful themes that run through the film are good vs. evil, friendship, forgiveness, and healing. It was indeed a deeply spiritual film.

9. Meet the Robinsons is an animated film adapted from William Joyce's children's book, A Day With Wilbur Robinson," about a futuristic family, with a time-travel plot and a comical villain. To me, it resembled a slightly more whimsical and wacky animated version of "Back to the Future."

10. Miss Potter is the charming and enchanting tale of Beatrix Potter (Rene Zellweger), a beautiful and creative woman who delighted generations of children with her books. It is well-crafted and contains lovely music, great whimsical animation, as well as some humorous escapades. The scenery of the English countryside is beautiful and the acting is superb.

Cross - posted at Catholic Fire.