War Horse (2011)

A teenage farmer boy Albert (Jeremy Irvine) falls in love with a horse Joey. When in WWI Joey is sold to the cavalry, Albert volunteers in the army in order to find his horse.
Steven Spielberg has created ac movie that seems to come from 60's. Colours, plot,scenes,  characters, ways of acting and talking reminded a good old movie. Most main characters except the horse Joey were played by children. If not violent war scenes the movie could be rated as children's. Spielberg knows all the right buttons to make one emotional and teary. In conclusion, the movie was too sweet, too predictable, too childish.
Rating 5 of 10.

Sebbe (2010)

A Swedish movie tells about a middle class family. A teenage boy Sebastian is bullied in a school. His mother Eva does a low paid job and likes beer too much. Sebbe likes to create things from a garbage such as a motorbike. Conflicts with mom and continues bulling in the school leads boy to the edge.
The movie realistically pictures teenage life and makes think of where things go wrong and how it could have been prevented.
Rating 8 of 10.

Exam (2009)

Eight candidates are taking a final exam in order to get a dream job. They have eighty minutes to answer one question. The question is what is the question?
The  movie has a very promising start but in time the excitement dies away. The solution was not satisfying. Sad that a script with a very good potential had a very weak culmination.
Rating 6 of 10

Night Night Blessings

By Amy Parker , illustrated by Marijan Ramljak
Published by Thomas Nelson

Night Night Blessings by Amy Parker is a beautiful children’s bedtime prayer book.  Blessings stated by Amy Parker, the author, are simple, funny and appropriate for small children. Marijan Ramljak, the illustrator, has created a colorful and delightful painting for each blessing.

My children love to browse through the book and pick a blessing appropriate for their feelings of that day. Hard pages of the book make this task easy and enjoyable. Especially they like to look at pictures carefully. Their favorite character is a little toy giraffe that appears in several pictures.

The pictures are paintings in calm and pastel colors. The illustrator has managed to add softness to his paintings. Each picture has beautiful, well-painted details.

Blessings remind of all kinds of daily situations that every kid experiences, meals, friends, family, pets, toys, bedtime. These blessings are good start for kids to form prayers in their own words. 

My kids defiantly would love to share Night Nigh Blessings with their friends. If you like artistic children’s books this one is for you. My kids and I would give five stars to this book.

I received this book from Thomas Nelson’s Booksneeze program but I am under no obligation to provide a positive review.

The Girl with the Dragon Tatto (2011)

Journalist Mikael Blomkvist (Daniel Craig) is asked to find truth about the disappearance of Harriet Vanger forty years ago. During investigation he is joined by Lisbeth Salander (Rooney Mara), who is a hacker.
This movie has the most amazing begging where music and computer graphic leaves unforgettable impression. These few minutes alone are worth whole movie. Movie's soundtrack is so well created that gives one more dimension to the movie.
Rooney Mara is great choice for Lisbeth. Her play is honest, powerful and memorable.
This is the movie in a category of 'must see.'
Rating 10 of 10.

Coriolanus (2011)

Based on a play of William Shakespeare the movie is set in today's world. Coriolanus (Ralph Fiennes), a war hero in Rome, is banished by his people. In revenge he allies with his greatest enemy.
Shakespearean lines and plot felt out of place in the modern setting. It seemed too theatrical. However, Ralph Fiennes and Vanessa Redgrave as mother, showed brilliant play of dramatical actors.
Rating 6 of 10.

The Rum Diary (2011)

Based on a novel of a journalist Hunter.S. Thompson the movie pictures young journalist Paul Kemp (Johnny Depp) who takes freelance in a financially troubled local newspaper in Puerto Rico in 1950s. Kemp finds himself between self-destructive colleagues who most of their days spend drinking rum.
Beauty of Puerto Rico and charm of Johnny Depp make the movie endurable otherwise it is quite poor.
Rating 5 of 10.