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Director: Catherine Hardwicke
Genre: Drama
Rating: Rated R for drug use, self destructive violence, language and sexuality - all involving young teens
Main Cast: Evan Rachel Wood, Nikki Reed, Holly Hunter, Jeremy Sisto, Brady Corbet

Thirteen is a 2003 autobiographical film, by Fox Searchlight Pictures, based on actress Nikki Reed’s life at age 12 and 13. Catherine Hardwicke directed the film and co-wrote it with Reed. Originally meant to be a comedy, it quickly shifted into a tale of early teen angst and self-destruction in Los Angeles. The film caused controversy upon its release, because it dealt with topics such as underage sexual behavior along with drug and alcohol abuse and self-mutilation.

*****

Tracy Freeland (Evan Rachel Wood) is a 13 year old straight A student who loves writing poetry. She and her older brother Mason (Brady Corbet) live with their single mother, Mel Freeland (Holly Hunter)who is a recovering drug addict and dating a man, Brady (Jeremy Sisto) that Tracy doesn’t like. At school, Tracy and her best friend Noel (Vanessa Hudgens), are teased for not being cool enough by the most popular girl in school, Evie Zamora (Nikki Reed) and the rest of her group.

Tracy then changes the way she dresses and transforms herself to be accepted by Evie Zamora. She starts to hang out with Evie, and starts smoking, dribking, stealing, getting pierced and doing drugs. Hanging out with the “wrong crowd”, Tracy begins to explore her sexuality and is becoming more impossible to handle at home.

Things get worse when Tracy’s grades won’t allow her to continue to the 8th grade meanwhile her friendship with Evie begins to break apart when her mother, Mel begins to step in.

*****

Both 14 years old at the time of filming, Evan Rachel Wood and Nikki Reed give out amazing breakout performances as rebellious pre-teens in this film. We also get to see a young Vanessa Hudgens in this movie as “Tracy’s former best friend”. Holly Hunter who plays Tracy’s mother, also

A film that captures teenagers “growing up so fast”, this film gives us a reality check and it urges parents to be more involved in what their teenage children are going through. Catherine Hardwicke really delivers a powerfully charged emotional drama that captures teen rebellion and teen angst to its highest. 7/10.

**Evan Rachel Wood has since appeared in many great films including indie flick, Across The Universe, 2008 Academy Award nominated movie, The Wrestler, opposite Mickey Rourke and in the Woody Allen film, Whatever Works. Meanwhile, Nikki Reed will be reprising her role as Rosalie in The Twilight Saga: New Moon.

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Director: Anne Fletcher
Genre: Romance/Comedy
Rating:
Main Cast: Sandra Bullock, Ryan Reynolds, Mary Steenburgen, Betty White, Craig T. Nelson, Malin Akerman, Denis O’ Hare.
Release Date: June 19, 2009 (U.S), July 30, 2009 (Malaysia)

*****

The Proposal is a romantic comedy directed by Anne Fletcher and screenplay written by Peter Chiarelli. The film is about Margaret Tate (Sandra Bullock), a ruthless witch of a book editor who is at risk of being deported back to Canada. Andrew Paxton (Ryan Reynolds), her lackey assistant, is a great guy who loathes his boss but is killing himself trying to stick it out, just so that he gets to build his career and in hopes of getting promoted to editor.

The two strike a deal to get married to each other so that Margaret can maintain her Visa status in the U.S. and Andrew will be promoted to editor and get his manuscript published.

In order to sell the lie, Andrew brings Margaret back to his hometown in Sitka, Alaska for a family reunion. There, Margaret is introduced to his family as his fiancee and meets the people in his life including his ex-fiancee, Gertrude (Malin Akerman).

Andrew’s mother, Grace (Mary Steenburgen) and grandmother Annie (Betty White) decides to do a wedding party during their stay meanwhile an immigration officer, Mr Gilbertson (Denis O’ Hare) - determined to unravel their sham - is invited over to Alaska by Andrew’s father, Joe (Craig T. Nelson) .

*****

As with all other rom coms, you can predict it’s ending just by watching the movie trailer. Heck, you can predict the ending without even knowing the plot. But that’s just the way it is with rom coms. It’s predictably predictable.

However, with a gorgeous scenery backdrop, great cast, believe-able and magnetic chemistry between the two leading actors with plenty of laugh out loud moments, The Proposal is charming, executed nicely and pleasantly surprises those who came in with low expectations. This above average rom com is definitely one of the better ones you’ve seen in a loooong while. 6.8/10.

p/s: Thanks Tongue in Chic for the free passes for the early screening!

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Director: David Yates
Genre: Fantasy/Adventure
Rating: Rated PG for scary images, some violence, language and mild sensuality.
Main Cast: Daniel Radcliffe (Harry Potter), Rupert Grint (Ron Weasley), Emma Watson (Hermione Granger), Michael Gambon (Prof. Albus Dumbledore), Alan Rickman (Prof. Snape), Maggie Smith (Prof. McGonnagal), Tom Felton (Draco Malfoy), Helena Bonham Carter (Bellatrix Lestrange), Dave Legeno (Fenrir Greyback)

*****

In Harry Potter and The Half Blood Prince brings us to see how Harry Potter is coping with the aftermath of the death of his godfather, Sirius Black. Although times are dangerous, the children return to Hogwarts School of Withcraft and Wizardry to continue their 6th year. Upon arriving in Professor Slughorn’s (Jim Broadbent) Potions class, he discovers an old Advanced Potions book belonging to “The Half Blood Prince” and becomes really attached to it.

Also in Half Blood Prince, the force of the Death Eaters are becoming stronger and He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named is rising. It’s dark times for everyone. However, all that aside, the trio, Harry Potter , Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger are also battling another force - LOVE.

Meanwhile, Prof. Dumbledore is more open with Harry and preps him for what dangers may lie ahead.

*****

Among all the previous Harry Potter films, I would definitely say that Half Blood Prince is one of my favorites. I have come to appreciate the movies seperately from the books and I therefore, thoroughly enjoyed the movie. Sure there are things that happened differently, some pivotal moments from the book were not included and so on..

The movie is everything but boring. Yes, there were remarks from grown men filing out of the cinema complaining how boring it was and how they made it into a “chick flick”. Man, you’ve gotta be kidding me!

Anyways, it was definitely entertaining, the cast has grown and matured with the characters and their acting has improved much throughout their years. We also get to see the development of characters like Lavender Brown (Jessie Cave), Luna Lovegood (Evanna Lynch) and Ginny Weasley (Bonnie Wright) in this film. Definitely a darker, edgier and more mature Harry Potter film.

To all Harry Potter fans out there, if you’ve managed to come to terms that the movie will never be the same as the book, you will enjoy it immensely. If you’re looking for it to be exactly like the book, then you can continue to complain just like you have for the previous 5 films. Sure it wasn’t perfect and I would have loved to see some scenes included in the film but I’ll settle for this movie and could definitely watch this a second time! 8.5/10!

So thank you David Yates for making Harry Potter and The Half Blood Prince one of the best movies I’ve seen this summer!!

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