Books + Movies Cont.

So today, I decided to continue my books and movies 'advice'.
Movies

Australia: For those of you who haven't seen this, it's about a woman whose husband owns land in Australia to raise cattle. It's the only piece of land that some other big company doesn't own, and so she (Nicole Kidman) has to go down there to make sure she keeps it. The Drover (Hugh Jackman) helps her make the decision that they should sell it to the war people (this is during one of the World Wars), and then keeping the land. They'd make more money this way, but not if the competition can keep them from getting it. Very cute, and lasts about two and a half hours.


Howl's Moving Castle: This is an anime, just so you know (Japanese-made). It actually was originally a book, though I have yet to read it. It's about a sorcerer (Howl, voiced by Christian Bale), who owns, guess what? A moving 'castle'. Along comes Sophie (Emily Mortimer), who is cursed by a witch (Lauren Bacall), who happens to love Howl. Sophie becomes old (played by Jean Simmons), and has to find a way to fight her curse, as well as return Howl's 'missing' heart. Other actors include Billy Crystal, Josh Hutcherson, and others. Hayao Miyazaki does extremely well with this.

Books!

Pellinor Series: This is a series consisting of four books of young Maerad who has been discovered by Cadvan in a small little place. He believes she has extraordinary powers, although she does not know what he sees in her. She does need to defeat an evil, a major character called "The Nameless One", who fears death above everything. As I was reading it, it reminded me of the Lord of the Rings. Everyone does end up happily ever after. (Alison Croggon is the author)

Looking Glass Wars: There are two books out so far, but it is really quite good. I couldn't put the first one down (titled Looking Glass Wars) when I first read it. I finished it in one day (it was in the summer). It's a twisted tale of Alice in Wonderland. Wonderland is her kingdom, and her aunt Redd comes at some celebration they're having, and promptly rids of Alyss' (as she is named in the book) parents. Alyss leaves behind her 'childhood' sweetheart, Dodge Anders, and runs with Hatter Madigan. She jumps through a lake of sorts, called the Pool of Tears. She comes to Earth, where she lives until she is about 20 or so. She returns to find her land in complete chaos, and her tutor, Bibwit Hart, as well as handsome young Dodge Anders, have started a rebellion group, named the Alyssians. In the first book, she manages to rid of her aunt, who jumps through what they call the Glass Heart, which gives power to Alyss' imagination, which is quite powerful.

No one can quite say that Redd and her evil sidekick, The Cat, are dead, though. In "Seeing Redd", Redd manages to return. Alyss continues to try to rule her kingdom in peace, as well as continue what she and Dodge had so long ago. Alyss now has a 'sidekick' as well, Homburg Molly, who discovers a scary secret about her mother and her father.

These are all good books, and the Looking Glass Wars has one more book before it actually finishes the series. The author, Frank Beddor, actually has a whole other 'series' or 'comic book' or something like that on Hatter Madigan. Quite interesting.