Watching: Dreamer--Inspired by a True Story

Disclaimer: This review does contain spoilers, so read at your own discretion!

Ben Crane (Kurt Russell) trains horses. He listens to horses. He talks to horses. He has a gift. His father calls him the best horseman around. But when Ben loses his job and finds himself with an injured 2-year-old filly who should have been one of the greatest race horses of her day, he begins to believe he's lost his touch. His daughter, Cale (Dakota Fanning), and his wife, Lily (Elisabeth Shue), however, refuse to believe Ben has lost. As the Crane family faces trial after trial, confronting bankruptcy and complete financial ruin, it is Cale's dreams of racing Sonador, the injured filly, that finally put the family back on its feet again.

Is it cliched? Of course it is. Is it still worth watching? Without a doubt.

Story:
The story is beautiful; simple and unimposing, but magical. Although it's easy to predict how everything will turn out in the end, it is still heartwarming to watch the way the Crane family finally comes back together again. Yes, it's a story that has been told before in many ways, but at the same time, there's a freshness and originality about it that makes the film thoroughly enjoyable. Cale's wry wit and big heart, as portrayed by the ever-increasingly-talented Fanning, steal the spotlight and win the viewer over completely.

Ultimately, it's a story about courage and the desire to pursue life's biggest dreams. When Ben tells his wife that Cale's dream cannot possibly come true, Lily responds, "So what? So what? Just let it carry her as far as it can." Ben agrees, and the magic of the story truly begins. Sometimes the innocent and trusting heart of a child can have a firmer grasp on reality than we might realize, and the story proves this from start to finish. 9/10

Cinematography:
Wonderful. The opening scenes of the film include glorious aerial photography of the Kentucky farmlands, and the cinematography and film style throughout is seamless. Camera angles make for an up-close experience, and the filming is beautiful. 10/10

Acting:
After a nearly-flawless performance in the summer blockbuster War of the Worlds, Dakota Fanning turns in yet another heartwarming portrayal. She's been described as "Hollywood's most powerful actress," and roles such as this one make the viewer anxious to see where she will be in another five or ten years. One of the most heart-wrenching moments in the film comes when Cale has a tearful conversation with Ben after Sonador has been claimed after a race; Fanning's performance in this scene alone proves that her ability is far beyond her years.

Kurt Russell delivers a strong, genuine portrayal of Ben Crane. Not many actors could have effectively conveyed the emotional journey Ben travels throughout the course of the story. Russell is perfect.

Kris Kristofferson, as Pop Crane, gives a somewhat rough-edged but very effective portrayal of a man beaten down by life's struggles, yet still with enough imagination and kindness to rise beyond the past when push comes to shove.

Elisabeth Shue, David Morse, Freddy Rodriguez, and Luis Guzman all turn in solid performances as the supporting characters who fulfill the rest of the story's drama.
10/10 overall

Score:
John Debney's score, accented by some phenomenal violin solos performed by Joshua Bell, perfectly compliments the sweetness and lighthearted feel of the film. The music helps carry the emotion when needed, but Debney knows when to push it to the background and let the actors take center stage. The result? A lovely score, which is not only highly effective in the film, but also makes for some wonderful listening music apart from the movie. 10/10

Overall:
As stated before, yes, there are some cliched moments, but the story has true heart. In the midst of over-publicized and over-rated films coming out of Hollywood these days, it is truly refreshing to see such a simple, fresh, family-friendly little story break through onto the scene. More than just a story about an injured horse and a race, it's a story about family, about trust, about relationships, about forgiveness, and ultimately, about love. Go rent it. You won't be disappointed. 10/10 overall.

Just for fun. . .

I don't usually do this sort of thing, but for once, I will. ^_^

1. Find the book nearest you, flip to page 18, and find line 4. "The most difficult aspect of this method is..." (from a drawing book =P)
2. Stretch your left arm out as far as you can. What can you touch? The back of my sister's head. =D
3. What is the last thing you watched on TV? Probably the news broadcast of the huge storm we had two weeks ago. I think that would be the last thing.
4. Without looking, guess what time it is: 11:45am.
5. Now look at the clock. What is the actual time? 11:47am.
6. With the exception of the computer, what can you hear? The dishwasher in the kitchen, my sister talking, one of our dogs growling, and my brother typing on his keyboard.
7. When did you last step outside? What were you doing? Last night to do some outside chores.
8. Before you started this survey, what did you look at? My brother's blog, and then my sis's.
9. What are you wearing? My PJ's. What of it? =P
10. Did you dream last night? Yeah... some really bizarre thing that I can't even remember now.
11. When did you last laugh? About two minutes ago, talking to my sis.
12. What is on the walls of the room you are in? Four posters (three LotR and one Narnia), my hat box, seven pictures, my picture board, and a printed Harry Potter picture.
13. Seen anything weird lately? Not necessarily weird per se, but I saw some really awesome clouds and sunlight over the hills yesterday.
14. What do you think of this quiz? It's random. Which is always good. =D
15. What is the last film you saw? Ladder 49 on Monday. Which was really good, but really sad and rather depressing.
16. If you became a multi-millionaire overnight, what would you buy? I would give a big portion to my church, and then I'd probably buy a huge piece of property big enough for my whole family to live on. . . and I'd most certainly make some air traffic happen between here and WI. . . and I'd probably buy a grand piano at some point. ^_^
17. Tell me something about you that I don't know. If I tell you, then how can you not know? =P
18. If you could change one thing about the world, regardless of guilt or politics, what would you do? It's a bizarre thing to think about because it would never happen, but I guess I would say that I would want to see God's kingdom come in power over the whole world.
19. Do you like to dance? Definitely.
20. George Bush: I profoundly admire and respect him, and I think he's done so many great things for our country.
21. Imagine your first child is a girl, what do you call her? Wow. That's tough. I've always loved Elisabeth. . . But I honestly have no idea at this point.
22. Imagine your first child is a boy, what do you call him? I like Robert. . . but again, I haven't really thought about it that much.
23. Would you ever consider living abroad? Depends where specifically, but most likely yes.
24. What do you want God to say to you when you reach the pearly gates? "Well done, good and faithful servant."
25. 4 people who must also do this quiz in THEIR journal: Whoever wants to--how about that? =D

Blogger to now replace Xanga

Most of you will now by now that I've essentially shut down my Xanga. I'm switching over to Blogger, but I intend to keep to "literary" pursuits in my blog from now on. For example, I'll probably write movie reviews from time to time, discuss books I'm currently reading, ask for feedback on literary matters, etc. =D

I do prefer the look of Blogger rather than Xanga, even though, as my sister says, "You can't have cool backgrounds and cool music!" It's more streamlined than Xanga, though, and I like that.

I probably will be sporadic in posting here, but keep checking back for more.

Living life Coram Deo,
Genevieve