Movie Review: Sleepless in Seattle

Length: 105 mins
Released: 1993
Genre: Romantic Comedy, Drama
Rating: PG for some bad language
Directed By: Nora Ephron
Where I Got It: My Shelf (Christmas gift)


Sleepless in Seattle is about two different people from opposite sides of the United States who are made for each, but they don't know it. They also never met each other. However, the two are connected when Sam's (from Seattle) son, Jonah, calls a radio talk show and asks for a new wife for the newly widowed Sam. On the other end, Annie is listening to radio and for some reason feels extremely connected to this Sam guy. Will true love prevail half a country away? 


 In this little romance, the amazing Tom Hanks (Saving Private Ryan, The Green Mile) plays Sam, Meg Ryan (When Harry Meet Sally, You've Got Mail) plays Annie, Ross Malinger (Sudden Death, Recess) as the adorable Jonah, Bill Pullman (While You Were Sleeping, Independence Day) as Walter, and Rosie O'Donnell (A League of Their Own) as Becky. 


The original plan was to watch this as I did some homework, but that failed because I couldn't keep my eyes of the screen. I've seen bits and pieces of this in my youth, but I never actually sat down and watched, so I felt it to be fate when I received this as a gift from my Aunt Kelly. I'm so glad I decided to watch this!


I was a little unsure how I would like this, but my doubts were laid to waste when Tom Hanks first opened his mouth. Tom Hanks is one of my many heroes and I look up to him. Plus, I had forgotten how good-looking he was in his youth. ^.^ 

Anyways...this was a cute movie. I doubt this would ever really happen, but heck, we romantics can dream can't we? The dialogue was extremely well and the humor was light and a little dry, but dry in a good way. If you understand what I'm trying to say? The humor wasn't over the top and it seemed these events really did happen. I must applaud the screen writings and the actors who carried the dialogue out very well.


Even though its a romance, there isn't much romance between the two to-be lovers. This upset me a little bit...I know this is the point of the movie, but there was only one spark of love and chemistry between the two. I also wish that they would've had an epilogue of sorts at the very end. The ending...just ended. There was a lot of unanswered questions. For example, where did they decide to move? Did they stay together? Did they get married? What did Victoria say when Sam "broke up" with her?


Other than those two negative points, I really liked this movie. It was cute, funny, and fed my hopeless romantic inside of me. Tom Hanks and Meg Ryan were wonderful. I rooted for their characters throughout the whole movie. Overall, I grant this movie 4 stars out of 5. I would recommend this to other hopeless romantics out there or for those looking for a cute movie to watch. I'm sorry this is a slightly short review, but I'm not sure what else to say.


Favorite Character(s):  Sam (yummah), Annie, Walter, and Jonah
Not-so Favorite Character(s): Victoria (whenever she laughed I flinched *shudders*)
Favorite Quote(s): "Well, it was a million little things that, when you added them up, they meant we were suppose to be together...and I knew it. I knew it the very first time I touched her. It was like coming home...only to no home I'd ever known...I was just taking her hand to help her out of a car and I knew. It was...like magic." - Sam

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<3CaroleRae

Random Time: Phobia & Fears

Hey everyone! You all doing okay? 
I know I usually post 'Wordless Wednesday' on today (or whatever), but I'm feeling like posting something different. Why? There are a few reasons: 1) I've been reading a lot of non-book/non-movie posts that have inspired the writer in me to branch out and 2) Last night I was attacked by a spider!


Yes, last night I was attacked! After I got home from work, I decided to take a shower (which is normal behavior). The water was all heated up and I jumped in. Next thing I see on my shower curtain is a huge, nasty spider! I gasped (I don't scream, odd, eh?), jumped out, and grabbed a dirty pair of PJ bottoms and got in my battle poise. Slowly, but surely the spider began coming after me. I killed the little bugger and continued to shower in terror. Once I was clean and my anxiety attack was finished, I got changed and began to think. Why am I so afraid of spiders? Why do I have all the phobias I have? Why does anyone really experience this phenomenon? 

Yes, I took Psychology a couple semester ago, but we barely touched base on it. I understand some phobias come out of horrible experiences we've lived through. For example, when I was extremely young I was nearly kidnapped right from my mom's hand and so now I experience a phobia of being kidnapped. However, I was never really hurt by spiders in my youth, so why do I fear them? So many questions and a lot of answers, I bet.

Here's a snipbit from a BBC News article on phobias:


"An estimated 13% of the adult population will develop a phobia at some point in their life, according to one study. But why do people develop phobias?
It is all related to anxiety, which is a normal response to stress or danger and often called the "flight or fight" response. It involves adrenalin being quickly pumped through the body enabling it to cope with whatever comes its way.
Problems start when this response is out of proportion to the actual danger or is generated when there is no danger present. That is when it can become an anxiety disorder, of which phobias are a category.

There are several factors that can trigger such a disorder, according to the National Phobics Society (NPS):

-Stress
-childhood environment
-genetic predispostions

-physical factors, such as thyroid problems

-biochemical imbalance and changes in the levels of chemical messengers in the brain

For some people it can be one of these factors that results in a phobia, while for others it can be a combination. It is also quite common for people to suffer from more than one phobia at the same time.While no one trigger is related to a particular phobia, often the more bizarre fears are caused by stress, while more common ones - such as the fear of spiders - are more likely to be linked to childhood environment."

There is also another theory that the article doesn't mention. For some it may be completely nuts, but hey, anything is possible. Right? I read about this theory from one of Sylvia Browne's many books. She believes that some fears/phobias (some, not all) are caused from a past life experience. This would suggest that one of my fears/phobias are caused from an event from another life I "lived".

Which could explain my fear of falling backwards, having my neck touched with objects (besides for necklaces), or my phobia of spiders. I've never been bitten by a spider, but I'm deathly afraid of them. Also, I may be clumsy, but why have a fear of falling backwards? I've never been choked or whatever in this life, so maybe events from my past lives could still be affecting me today? Who knows? Nothing is 100% proved and set in stone. That's why they're called "theories". 

Anything is possible, even reincarnation or Big Foot. However, these subjects will be brought to life sooner or later. Haha. I'm such a tease.

What phobias/fears do you have?

Thanks for listening to my ramblings.

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<3CaroleRae

Dusty Reads (3)

~This is a weekly meme created by Xpressoreads that showcases books that have been sitting on your shelf for a while and is a little dusty...~

Hey everyone! Guess what today is? Today is the first day of the winter semester for this little college kid! Yayy! -.- As you can probably tell, I'm not looking forward to it...oh well.


Anyways...this week the book I'm dusting off is Daughters of Rome by Kate Quinn. 

"A.D. 69. Nero is dead. 

The Roman Empire is up for the taking. With bloodshed spilling out of the palace and into the streets of Rome, chaos has become the status quo. The Year of Four Emperors will change everything—especially the lives of two sisters with a very personal stake in the outcome…. 

Elegant and ambitious, Cornelia embodies the essence of the perfect Roman wife. She lives to one day see her loyal husband as Emperor. Her sister, Marcella, is more withdrawn, content to witness history rather than make it. Even so, Marcella has her share of distinguished suitors, from a cutthroat contender for the throne to a politician’s son who swears that someday he will be Emperor. 

But when a bloody coup turns their world upside down, Cornelia and Marcella—along with their cousins, one a collector of husbands and lovers, the other a horse-mad beauty with no interest in romance—must maneuver carefully just to stay alive. As Cornelia tries to pick up the pieces of her shattered dreams, Marcella discovers a hidden talent for influencing the most powerful men in Rome. In the end, though, there can only be one Emperor … and one Empress."

It's been sitting on my shelf for a few months now and so far I've read just the first five pages. As you all may or may not know, I simply adored Mistress of Rome by Kate Quinn and I even announced it as my Book of the Year. With this fact, a question arises; why haven't I jumped into the next book yet? I don't have an answer. Well, have any of you read this and did you like it or not? Or am I right by ignoring this one for now? 

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<3CaroleRae

Book Review: Pemberley Ranch

Author:  Jack Caldwell
Title: Pemberley Ranch
Genre: Historical Romance, Western, Historical Fiction, Austen re-make
Pages: e-book
First Published: December 1st, 2010
Where I Got It: My Shelf (http://www.sourcebooks.com/)


"In the aftermath of the Civil War, the Bennet family has just moved from Ohio to the town of Rosings, Texas, set on creating a fresh start. But their daughter Beth still prefers the familiarity of Ohio to the plains of Texas-that is, until she encounters Will Darcy, the reclusive owner of Pemberley Ranch. Will and Beth are instantly smitten, but pride, prejudice, and a gang of villains determined to take over Rosings threaten to keep them apart. This fresh idea in the world of Jane Austen retellings brings together the world of Pride and Prejudice with the struggles of the antebellum South."


Mr. Darcy + cowboy + soldier + southern accent + part Native America = Carole is hooked! 


Sorry for the math equation. But anyways...this is the first Austen remake that I've read in a while. After finishing this, my love for the remakes has been rekindled. Not only was this a very interesting take on the beloved P&P novel by Jane Austen, but it was also a little risky. If not done correctly, the story would've ended cheesy. HOWEVER, Jack Caldwell did a wonderful job! The balance of similarities and differences was nice and balanced. 


Mr. Whitehead (Mr Wickham) was even more of a scoundrel and bastard, Charlotte Lucas and Ms. Anne Burroughes are tougher and are actually characters I would like to meet. Billy Collins (Mr. Collins)..well...is even more of an idiot, Fitzwilliam is a sexy cowhand who finds the love of his life, Cate Burroughes is a "bitchy" ranch owner, and Jack Caldwell even included some other characters from other Austen novels; which was rather clever of him. I loved how he played on the weaknesses and strengths of the original characters and molded them into what they would like if they lived in the Wild, Wild west...not the country of England. 


The story was a cute read and I could barely put it down. Yes, the beginning was a little slow, but hey...most beginnings are. Thinking on what I said earlier...it wasn't a "cute read" all the times, because some parts were very emotional and heartbreaking. Like the tale of Caroline Bingley or the story behind what Whitehead did to Charles and Darcy during the war...also Jack Caldwell brought up many points and historical facts about the Civil War that people may not know about. For instance, the core of the war wasn't about freeing the slaves. That was the moral justification that the North put on the war to keep men joining. Yes, it was a big part of the war, but it was just a small puzzle piece.


Anywho...too be honest, I preferred Darcy's POV much better than Beth's or the other characters. I'm a sucker for Darcy and other tortured heroes. However, the love he has for Beth isn't his only inner turmoil. He still suffers from the war and from the knowledge that Whitehead is around town. I didn't like this version of Lizzy. I can't explain it, but she was annoying and I don't know.   


The only thing I really winced at this book was the huge time jumps. Yes, I know time jumps are important, but in between those jumps events would occur and we missed them! For instance, Fitzwilliam and his lover/future bride went from crushing to making out in a cemetery! When did this happen? Oh yeah, there was a month gap, I forgot. That's not the only time that happened. It happened a few times and it annoyed me.


 Overall, this was good read. I could barely put the book down! Jack Caldwell did a wonderful job blending the Wild, Wild West with P&P. Out of all the P&P remakes, this was my favorite. The only thing that annoyed me was the time jumps and missing important events. Even though I loathed that, I enjoyed everything else! Out of five star, I grant this one 4 stars. 


Favorite Character(s): Mr. Darcy (he's even more yummah in this one), Charlotte Lucas (never thought I would say that...), and Fitzwilliam (now everything I read P&P I'll imagine this sexy cowhand, haha).
Not-so-Favorite Character(s): Mr. Whitehead/Wickham (he's a bad coconut), Denny the Kid, and Cate Burroughes (wench)

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<3CR