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• Dennis A. Amith (kndy)
  July 27th, 2010 on 2:47 am

  Review by Dennis A. Amith (kndy) for Hannah Montana The Movie
  Rating:
  Since 2006, “Hannah Montana” has not only been a popular television series for the Disney Channel but a series that has definitely made Miley Cyrus, daughter of country music star Billy Ray Cyrus, a bonafide star.

  It was one thing to watch this young teenager who was 13-years old at the time, grow up and become a popular television star and music talent that would sell out many concert venues, has had her music on top of the Billboard charts and now has two Disney films under her belt.

  The first film from Disney focused on a 3D version of her concert and television show personality but this time around, “Hannah Montana: The Movie” takes to the big screen and takes a more serious look at Miley Cyrus’s character as her pop star identity has now affected her family and he friendship and has come to the point that the lifestyle of a popstar has gotten to her head.

  The film is directed by Peter Chelsom (“Shall We Dance”, “Serendipity” and “Town & Country”), a screenplay by Daniel Berendsen (“Sabrina, the Teenage Witch”, “The Cheetah Girls: One World”) , composer John Debney (“The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor”, “Spider-Man 3″ and “Sin City”) and cinematographer David Hennings (“Strange Wilderness”, “Blue Crush” and “Ice Princess”).

  For those not familiar with the television series, former music artist Robby Ray Stewart (Billy Ray Cyrus) has moved his family (which include Miley, played by Miley Cyrus, and her older brother Jackson, played by Jason Earles) from Tennessee to Malibu in order to manage his daughter Miley’s music career. But in order to keep sanity at their home and keep their family together, he and Miley has kept secret identities and Miley dons a blonde wig and goes by the name Hannah Montana. Along with her best friend Lilly Truscott (Emily Osment) and friend Oliver Oken (Mitchel Musso), who also take on disguises, help protect Miley’s secret.

  In “Hannah Montana: The Movie”, the film picks up with Hannah Montana’s career doing quite well and is now managed by Vita (Vanessa Williams). While Vita is successfully booking Hannah in various, major events, the fame has kept her busy to be with family (to celebrate Jackson’s entrance to college) and Lilly’s birthday party. To make things worse, a member of the paparazzi is trying to figure out Hannah Montana’s secret.

  After Hannah ends up getting into fight with Tyra Banks over some shoes and getting plastered on the newspapers and disrupting Lilly’s birthday party by coming as Hannah Montana, Robby Ray feels that his daughter Miley can’t balance her time as a family member and friend and is focusing too much of her life as Hannah Montana and thus tricks her to going to Tennessee (instead of an award ceremony in New York).

  Hannah is not pleased that her father has tricked her and prevented her from attending the award show and is upset that he dragged her to the farmlife in Tennessee. But Robby Ray wants her to remember where she came from and that Tennessee was their home before California.

  While in Tennessee, Miley tries to adjust to the slow-paced life and meets an old friend when she was younger named Travis Brody (Lucas Till) who she becomes closer too, while her father Robby Ray gets closer to Lorelai (Melora Hardin), but with both of them having to live secret lives, can Miley or Robby Ray ever be able to have a normal life?

  “Hannah Montana: The Movie” comes with three discs. The first is the Blu-ray Disc, the second being the Digital Copy and the third is the DVD.

  VIDEO & AUDIO:

  “Hannah Montana: The Movie” is featured in 1080p High Definition with an aspect ration of 1:85:1. For the most part, the film is absolutely vibrant. There are many outdoor scenes that showcase the film’s color. May it be the shot at Lilly’s birthday party at Santa Monica Beach to the lush area of Tennessee. The film definitely showcases a broad spectrum of colors, all of which are sharp, clear and absolutely eye-popping. For the most part, David Hennings did a great job with utilizing the environment with this film and overall, picture quality is magnificent.

  As for audio, this is probably the first time I have seen Disney sport an English 7.1 DTS-HD Master Audio soundtrack (the film is also presented in French and Spanish 5.1 Dolby Digital). The dialogue is crystal clear and as much as this film is dialogue driven, with it also being somewhat of a musical as well, music plays a big part of this film and sounds fantastic. Definitely good utilization of surrounds to pick up crowd ambiance or the animals at the farm but for the most part, this is a film where dialogue is king and music is also a big part of the film. Thus the soundtrack is quite crystal clear, the lossless audio definitely makes the music come alive.

  As for subtitles, “Hannah Montana: The Movie is presented in English SDH, French and Spanish.

  A DVD is included and sports a widescreen (1:85:1) – enhanced for 16×9 televisions and an audio soundtrack sporting a Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround Sound soundtrack.

  SPECIAL FEATURES:

  “Hannah Montana: The Movie” features the following special features with some in 1080p High Definition or 480i Standard Definition:

  * Audio Commentary by Director Peter Chelsom – Peter Chelsom is the type of director who utilizes his commentary to thoroughly setup a scene and give credit to who came up with the ideas in pulling them off. From utilizing scenes from Miley Cyrus’s first film and inserting scenes into the film to how animals were brought in to the film and managing over a thousand extras, this is a very thorough commentary.
  
  * Deleted Scenes – (10:35) A total of four deleted scenes which features an introduction by director Peter Chelsom discussing why they were removed. But for the most part, Chelsom says the film is the final cut and mostly all footage was utilized in the film. But the four deleted scenes included are: “Jackson: I’m Pretending to Be at University…”, “How Are We Going to Get Hannah Down to Crowley Corners?”, “Oswald and the Hannah Wigs” and “Oswald, The Ostrich and the Alligator”
  
  * Music Videos – (9:30) There are a total of seven music videos included. Music videos featured are: “The Climb” by Miley Cyrus (3:52), “Back to Tennessee” by Billy Ray Cyrus (4:22), “You’ll Always Find Your Way Back Home” by Miley Cyrus (3:49), “Let’s Get Crazy” by Miley Cyrus (2:59), “The Climb” (movie version) by Miley Cyrus (4:06), “Bless the Broken Road” by Rascal Flatts (4:17) and “Crazier” by Taylor Swift (3:15).
  
  * The Hoedown Throwdown Home Experience – A Blu-ray exclusive only. This featurette is learning the popular dance created for the film (featured during the fundraising event and the ending credits) and features the full featurette titled “Everybody Now” (14:39) featuring how all the cast members (and crew) learned the dance by choreographer Jamal Sims. While, for those who just want to watch “how to do the dance”, they can watch the “Learn the Moves (9:47) featuring choreographer Jamal Sims with “Hannah Montana” talents Mitchel Musso and Moises Arias.
  
  * Find Your Way Back Home – (15:05) A featurette with three segments. The first features Miley Cyrus and mother Trish showing us around Franklin, Tennessee and the various shops and eateries. The second is Billy Ray Cyrus showing us Tennessee and talking about how it’s home for the Cyrus family. While the final segment features Emily Osment showing us Los Angeles and Hollywood and the key spots to visit.
  
  * I Should Have Gone to Film School with Jason Earles – (15:18) Jason Earles takes us behind-the-scenes of the “Hannah Montana: The Movie” film and introduces us to the crew and what their responsibilities are. Especially for “Best Man”, “Grip” and “Gaffer” and differences between a Assistant Director and a Director’s Assistant.
  
  * Fun with Hannah and the Gang – (3:53) The blooper reel from the film.
  
  * B Disney Live – Fans can connect with family and friends through the innovative movie-watching experience! People will need a profile 2.0 Blu-ray player to take advantage of this capability.

  JUDGMENT CALL:

  When it comes to “Hannah Montana: The Movie”, it’s almost similar to what I had to say about “The Jonas Brothers: 3-D Concert Experience” in that these films are created for their fans.

  “Hannah Montana” is a popular children’s television show with a large following and I have watched many television shows with my son and although I’m not as familiar with her music, every decade there are shows that will appeal to their young fans and many of those who scratch their heads and just don’t get why people find it so appealing. In the 80’s we had “Kids Incorporated”, in the 90’s we had “Saved By the Bell” and although Saturday morning teen shows and afternoon teen shows on network television are a thing of the past, these shows have continued on the Disney Channel and “Hannah Montana” is simply a popular series with a lot of merchandising behind the series and its star Miley Cyrus.

  And those who are not fans, they are going to criticize and those who never cared for Hannah Montana or Miley Cyrus, it’s a given that they are not going to give a care for this film.

  But how did I feel about the film? As a guy who tends to write a lot about teen or young entertainment worldwide, may it be their music or television careers, I enjoyed the film. Of course, it all comes from my knowledge of the series and knowing how quarky the television series is but also knowing the difficult the character of Miley Stewart has in juggling both worlds of a normal teenager and a pop star.

  But what I found more interesting is seeing Robby Ray stepping down and knocking Miley off her high horse. He notices that the fame is getting to her head and that if he doesn’t change things now, he’s going to lose that daughter who was always caring for her family and her friends.

  So, when it comes to the dramatic scenes, I enjoyed watching that part. As for the music, this is more geared for her fans. Obviously, with her single “The Climb” and the soundtrack of this film doing so well on the Billboard Charts, it’s quite evident that she has a strong fandom of fans that are passionate for her music. The film is not “High School Musical” and every scene is full of music and a little on drama, it’s quite the opposite where there are more acting scenes and music plays a more important part towards the second half of the film. Also, you get music from Taylor Swift and Rascal Flatts and both offer an incentive to check out the film as well.

  There was a superhero-esque (or more like “Spider-Man 2″) type of storyline near the end which I won’t get into but overall, I suppose that those who have watched her television show will find out if Miley Stewart or Hannah Montana will be the last persona standing.

  For the most part, I found the film to be enjoyable, fun and it was good to see Miley Cyrus take on an emotional scene. I thought that the ending scene with the talent and film crew doing “The Hoedown Throwdown Dance” was hilarious and fun and for the most part, I’m quite confident that fans of Miley Cyrus and Hannah Montana are going to have a great time with this release.

  As for the Blu-ray release, you get a ton of special features and as typical of Walt Disney Studio Home Entertainment releases, its one company where you know that their releases are going to be given absolute awesome picture and audio quality. And I can definitely tell you that this 3-Disc release will definitely be well worth it for the Miley Cyrus and Hannah Montana fans.

  Overall, presentation and audio wise and the content included on this release is magnificent but as for the film, it all comes down to whether or not you are a fan of Miley Cyrus or her television show. Otherwise, if you had no care in the world for her music or the show, then you know this release is not for you. But for those who are passionate about her music and her series, then I can tell you that this Blu-ray release is highly recommended!
• Alexander M. Walker
  July 27th, 2010 on 3:43 am

  Review by Alexander M. Walker for Hannah Montana The Movie
  Rating:
  Following little more than a month on the heels of the Jonas Brothers movie, Hannah Montana: The Movie easily overshadows its predecessor while still doing little more than highlighting one of Disney’s rising stars. Hannah Montana: The Movie benefits from a decent plot which continues the television show’s story while still providing a simple plot that functions autonomously from the pre-existing Hannah Montana timeline – which was important for this reviewer. It takes its place in the long line of fish out of water films and, for what it is, delivers a watchable film for the kiddies and the parents who bought it for them.

  Miley Stewart (Miley Cyrus) lives a double life; in everyday life she’s a normal teenage girl going to high school and working through all the drama that brings, but with her publicist by her side she hops a limo to crowded concert halls where she performs as the pop sensation Hannah Montana. It’s an act she’s been keeping up for a few years now, and while it may not be the first time, Miley has lost sight of what’s important. After a public feud with Tyra Banks and a late arrival at her best friend’s birthday party (where she steals the show as her popular alter ego), Miley is kidnapped by her father Robby (Billy Ray Cyrus) and brother Jackson (Jason Earles) back to Crowley Corners, Tennessee to help her get back in touch with her roots. Her family members, like grandma Ruby (Margo Martindale), give her a heaping dose of country living as skuzzy tabloid reporter Oswald Granger (Peter Gunn) sneaks about in the background trying to discover the secret of Miley’s double life. But what would this movie be without a love interest for Miley? So tossed in to the mix is a rustic ranch hand Travis (Lucas Till), who teaches Miley how to love the countryside once again. The whole situation comes to a “climax” when Miley agrees to “ask” Hannah Montana to come to their sleepy little town to put on a benefit concert to save the local downtown from becoming a modern strip mall, a change advocated by Mr. Bradley (Barry Bostwick) – a storyline which just peters out with no real resolution after the big musical ending.

  It’s easily a few steps above the Jonas Brothers Concert Experience, but what is that really saying? The music of Hannah Montana is nothing special and she would have been overshadowed by Taylor Swift’s guest appearance, like the Jonas Brothers were in their own movie, had it not been for an above par square dance number somewhere in the film’s midsection. While obviously not the focus of the film, the veteran actors give the film a badly needed respectability that the younger cast really can’t bring themselves. Miley Cyrus may be a Disney-drone sweetheart, but beyond an inherited singing voice she doesn’t really have much going for her in the acting department.

  Yes, there are plot holes abound and young actors struggling to leave a good impression in the shadow of better character actors, but the kids will enjoy it and the parents won’t be numbed to the core.

  The Blu-ray factor does little to kick up the film’s quality as few moments really take advantage of the high resolution capabilities of the format. A concert in the film’s opening moments and a few sweeping country scenes look great, but otherwise you’d enjoy it just as well in standard definition – which is coincidentally included twice in the form of a supplementary DVD and digital copy. The audio does sound fantastic though, and the musical numbers do have a nice oomph. Yes, an oomph. A crisp, well balanced oomph.

  Blu-ray Extra Features:

  Once you’re done learning the dance number from the film’s hoedown scene, as taught in one of the better featurettes (because it’ll keep your kids busy), you can watch the cast learn the number in the featurette following it. Then you have the typical extras like deleted scenes, a gag reel, an audio commentary from Director Peter Chelsom and a behind the scenes piece led by co-star Jason Earles. Finally, and this is easily the more interesting for the adults, “Find Your Way Back Home” takes the stars back to their hometowns where they give the at-home audience a tour of where they grew up. Riveting? No. But it’s something.
• Pumpkin Man
  July 27th, 2010 on 3:48 am

  Review by Pumpkin Man for Hannah Montana The Movie
  Rating:
  On April 25th, I treated myself to a double feature at my theater. I saw this and Crank: High Voltage. I’m really glad I saw this movie. I’m a 19 year old guy, and I enjoyed it! I love when she sings Let’s Get Crazy and the Hoedown Throwdown. After upsetting Lilly at her 16th Birthday party, Robby takes Miley back to Tennessee to find her true self. She meets a childhood friend from 1st grade, Travis who still has a crush on her. After having fun in Tennessee with her friends and family, Miley thinks of letting her alter ego, Hannah Montana go for good. I loved when Miley had to be two places at once. What will she choose? I highly recommend that you get crazy, get up and dance, and see HANNAH MONTANA: THE MOVIE!!!

  p.s. It’s been awesome writing 600 reviews, and can’t wait for 600 more!
  
• Bradley G. Carter
  July 27th, 2010 on 4:45 am

  Review by Bradley G. Carter for Hannah Montana The Movie
  Rating:
  Hey I am A Eighteen year old male. I Went to see this movie in theaters and it was such an amazing movie Mostly Because Miley Cyrus And Billy Ray Cyrus was Great Actors. This Movie was very good for all ages. Ive been waiting for this To come out on blu-ray and everyone should definetely buy this movie you will love it!Hannah Montana: The Movie [Blu-ray]
• Darren Thornton
  July 27th, 2010 on 4:50 am

  Review by Darren Thornton for Hannah Montana The Movie
  Rating:
  I can’t believe that I’m reviewing this movie! But Disney products are hard to avoid. Who else has seen several episodes of the series? It may not be Shakespeare. But the show is usually fun to watch. There should be three rules for movie adaptations of TV series. One, don’t just offer us a 90 minute episode. Two, don’t contradict what we’ve already seen on the small screen. Three, don’t make a movie that requires knowledge of the TV series. This movie mostly follows two of these rules. The plotline of the series is the same as this movie. Miley Stewart is torn between being a rock star and normal teenager. Sometimes this conflict can be overwhelming. Yet she usually makes both worlds work. The movie opens up with Miley and her best friend Lily frantically rushing to a Hannah Montana concert. I found this part a little unbelievable. By now she should know about being a professional. Also, we’ve seen Lily backstage in her own disguise as Lola. A lot of the problems with Miley/Hannah come from her new publicist. Vanessa Williams does a great job as this character. But I kept wondering why Robby Ray, Miley’s dad/manager didn’t just fire her. A later sequence suggests that the publicist doesn’t directly work for them. Miley mentions wishing that she could be Hannah all the time. Someone forgot about Disney’s wish gone wrong bit. The theme ran through several of their series. Miley, along with Raven, Zack, and Cody, wished on a shooting star. Being Hannah all the time was a nightmare. Incidentally, where is her bodyguard Roxy? Miley blows off the really important people in her life. She misses seeing her brother Jackson leave for college. (The series later had him going closer to home.) She accidentally attends Lily’s birthday party as Hannah. That was one of my biggest beefs with this movie. Some of the series actors only get cameos. Mitchel Musso and Moses Arias are two. Note: Arias’ character doesn’t know her secret. Hannah and Tyra Banks get in a fight over shoes. Then she wants to blow off her grandmother’s birthday party for an awards show. Robby Ray’s had enough. This could be the end. I imagine that he owns the Hannah character. The plane doesn’t land in New York, but back in Tennessee. Jackson’s waiting in the truck. Miley gets two weeks to detox from Hannah. During this time she reconnects with her family and old friends. There’s her horse BlueJeans. It’s too bad no one thought to include some flashbacks. We could have learned more about the Hannah back story. Brooke Shields has played her mom on the series. Her photo is shown in one scene. I have something in common with Miley. One of my grandmothers was also named Ruby. She was from Tennessee! This is her maternal one. Vicki Lawrence has played her paternal one on the series. When Miley is starting to readjust, Hannah comes back. Her home town of Crowley Corners is in financial trouble. A developer wants to change the place big time. Someone suggests a concert. She gets Lily to come help. At one point Lily even pretends to be Hannah. Later we have Miley doing some quick change bits. She’s having dinner with the friend, and mayor. Some parts of this movie do fall flat. I didn’t care much for the romances. We have Miley reconnecting with an old friend. Robby Ray also finds love. I’ve often thought that Hannah’s secret seemed too open. Her father and even hometown are well known. Various family members have mentioned it a little too openly. One episode had a lookalike cousin, also played by Miley, threaten to expose her. This movie has her grandmother mention it on a public street. Thankfully no one else was close enough to hear. The bit about the tabloid reporter seemed very silly. His having teenage daughters should have been enough for him not to touch it. There are three really good things about this movie. One, we have some nice songs. A few are done by other famous stars. It makes you wonder. Miley Stewart could do what Miley Cyrus has done. Just have two separate musical identities. She wouldn’t be the first. Ever heard of Luke the Drifter, Chris Gaines, or even Lester “Roadhog” Moran? Two, there is some beautiful scenery of Tennessee. Who else feels like paying a visit? Three, the chemistry between real-life father and daughter Cyrus is great on the big screen too. There will obviously be no sequel to this movie. The series is currently in its last season. But I hope that we haven’t seen the last of Hannah Montana. At the very least, Miley Cyrus should stay true to her youngest fans. She can mature as a performer and still stay family friendly.
• Joseph Haschka
  July 27th, 2010 on 5:17 am

  Review by Joseph Haschka for The Notebook (New Line Platinum Series)
  Rating:
  THE NOTEBOOK is an old-fashioned love story with the topical subject of Alzheimer’s Disease thrown in to heighten the Hankie Factor.The film opens in the present at a genteel, riverside, Southern facility for the long-term care of the aged. An old man, “Duke” (James Garner), is in the habit of reading from a book to an elegant, but chronically confused and distant, lady (Gena Rowlands) of equal antiquity. The story concerns two teenagers during a hot, carefree, South Carolina summer preceding World War II. They are (in extended flashback) Noah Calhoun (Ryan Gosling) and Allie (Rachel McAdams). Noah, working in the local sawmill, is the uneducated son of a dirt-poor father (Sam Shephard). Allie, in these months before she’s off to a prestigious New York college, is the only daughter of snobbishly wealthy parents, John (David Thornton) and Anne (Joan Allen) Hamilton. The book’s plot is that hoary one about two young lovers of disparate backgrounds and financial resources, who are subsequently separated by circumstances, objection and obstruction by the wealthy parents, and the subsequent engagement of one to another – in this case, Allie to a devilishly handsome and perfectly decent, rich, young, Army officer wounded during WWII, whom she meets while serving as a volunteer nurse in a Stateside military hospital. Will Noah and Allie ever get back together? That’s what Duke’s lone listener wants to know.At midpoint point in this review, and midway through the film, it should be apparent that Duke and his lady friend are Noah and Allie in the winter of their lives. The latter is now suffering from Alzheimer’s and only occasionally recognizes her husband, who reads her the story of their courtship over and over in the hope of stimulating her memory. THE NOTEBOOK is an engaging love story that even Guys might enjoy. I did. James Garner is one of the most beloved screen veterans, and Ryan Gosling as Noah’s younger self is totally likable. McAdams as Allie is effervescent and positively radiant. As a period piece, i.e. that part taking place before and immediately after the war, it’s sumptuously photographed with contemporary costumes, hairstyles, music, and lots of vintage automobiles. And the sequence shot in the sunken forest amidst the migrating waterfowl was breathtaking in its beauty.The film does stumble occasionally. While Joan Allen is superb as the witch mother you love to hate, at least until she reveals a secret of her own late in the movie, the John Hamilton character is a virtual non-entity. And I didn’t believe his moustache for a second. (It reminded me of the beards in the Civil War epic GETTYSBURG.) Then, in a very brief sequence showing Noah off at war with Patton’s Third Army, he barely bats an eye when his best friend is killed. What was that all about? Finally, the Hollywood ending, written by a screenwriter who must have wet him/herself out of giddiness in the melodrama of the moment, was absurd. Under the circumstances, such a passing is a good trick if one can pull it off, but it’s sadly not the case, I fear, for most people in Real Life. Just ask Nancy Reagan.I doubt that THE NOTEBOOK will receive any Oscar nominations, except for perhaps adapted screenplay (from the novel). But the admission price is still money well spent if you’re weary of special FX-laden silliness and you want to see a couple of aging pros, Garner and Rowlands, before they, too, leave us. And girls, take an entire box of Kleenex.
• Antoinette Klein
  July 27th, 2010 on 6:03 am

  Review by Antoinette Klein for The Notebook (New Line Platinum Series)
  Rating:
  THE NOTEBOOK has long been my favorite of Nicholas Sparks’ many books, so it is a happy surprise to me that the wonderful story transferred to the big screen with all the sweetness, warmth, and tenderness that made the book a runaway best seller. The best part of this movie was the incredible chemistry between Rachel McAdams and Ryan Gosling as the young lovers Allie and Noah. Their story was told by an elderly couple in a nursing home. James Garner and Gena Rowlands were outstanding as the devoted “Duke” and the woman with irreversible dementia. As Duke recounted the story of Allie and Noah from the notebook he carried with him, the lady’s memory began to come back and she could remember.The movie always changes the book but the one major change (the ending) which had the audience letting out a collective gasp and reaching for the nearest tissue was, in my opinion, really good even if it was pure Hollywood melodrama. Why does a movie like THE NOTEBOOK appeal to so many? Is it that every woman longs for a man who loves as deeply as Noah? Is it that every one wants a love that transcends all problems—those of class, education, family objection—-and lasts forever? Or just maybe in a world of high-tech gizmos and high security alerts, it’s nice to get back to basics with a really good love story….and this is definitely that.
• Tucker Andersen
  July 27th, 2010 on 6:53 am

  Review by Tucker Andersen for The Notebook (New Line Platinum Series)
  Rating:
  This screen adaptation of Nicholas Sparks’ bestseller is a deeply emotional story of young love, the process of maturity, the crucial choices in our lives, and the frailty of old age. I have not read the book, and thus cannot comment upon the fealty of this film to Sparks’ manuscript, but its emotional tone and import is certainly consistent with his other works with which I am familiar. In the opening scene we meet Duke (James Garner), who resides in a nursing home and apparently spends most of his time befriending another resident there, Allie Calhoun (Gena Rowlands), who is captivated by a 1940’s story of young love which he reads in installments to her from THE NOTEBOOK which is his constant companion. Allie is suffering from some variety of dementia and these interludes provide some small comfort to an otherwise apparently colorless and bland existence.The moviegoer is then transported to the 1940’s, and the relatively brief appearances of the elderly Duke’s and Allie alternate within the film with the enactment of the story contained in THE NOTEBOOK. That story is centered in Seabrook, N.C., where a local young man named Noah Calhoun (Ryan Gosling) is captivated by a beautiful summer visitor from Charleston named Allie Hamilton (Rachel McAdams). (Of course, the viewer immediately wonders if indeed this notebook contains the story of the elderly Allie’s life, and if so what part Duke will play.) As you no doubt have guessed, since this is an old fashioned romance they eventually fall in love. The relationship is eventually ended by Allie’s mother Anne (wonderfully played by Joan Allen), who, in order to separate her society daughter from the local boy whose career aspirations are success in the local lumberyard, forces an early family return to Charleston to prepare for Allie’s freshman year at college. (Do not judge Anne Hamilton too early in this film, however!) The war years intervene, and Noah, with the help of his poetry loving small town father Frank (Sam Shepard) who has taught him to appreciate the beauty of Walt Whitman’s work, withdraws into himself and concentrates on the restoration of the tumbledown waterfront mansion that he had once hoped to share with Allie. Meanwhile, she meets and gradually becomes attracted to a wounded veteran, Lon ( James Marsden); since he is both handsome and rich their eventual marriage seems preordained. However, fate intervenes with a wonderfully deft touch and suddenly the lives of Allie and Noah intersect again. We then watch as Allie is forced to decide whether someone can recapture their past or if only the memories remain after the fork in the road has been taken? Her dilemma is clear, Lon is the apparent right choice, yet – her wonderful interlude with Noah never had a proper conclusion.This is a movie to attend when you want to bathe in your sentimentality, yet there are enough bittersweet moments to keep the viewer from being overwhelmed by the sickly sweetness that often is the result of such cinematic ventures. The acting is excellent, the story is told with restraint, and the cinematography is wonderful. My favorite visual scene was when Noah takes Allie out in a boat on the lake to his secret spot with all the swans; I found it breathtakingly beautiful. Interestingly enough, despite the film’s two hour length most of the audience stayed in their seats talking or contemplating the conclusion when it ended and the credits rolled. Why not five stars? Two reasons, first, I am not sure that the movie quite achieves my usual criteria for that rating, wanting to own the DVD and view it multiple times. Second, I found the conclusion a little too contrived in an attempt to bring closure to both the characters and the audience. One final note, read the inscription on the flyleaf of THE NOTEBOOK carefully at the conclusion, it completely explains the origin and its power to entrance Allie.(…)
• J. Williams
  July 27th, 2010 on 7:40 am

  Review by J. Williams for The Notebook (New Line Platinum Series)
  Rating:
  I got to see the sneak preview of this movie this past Saturday (6/12/04) and I absolutely loved it. I’ve seen Ryan Gosling on television before (Breaker High), but I hadn’t seen Rachel McAdams until now. Their characters were so real and so believable. Even though the end may be predictable, this film lacks the typical structure of most romantic movies I’ve seen. It was interesting to see how the characters evolved and came together. The film begins with James Garner reading pages out of a notebook to alzheimer(?) patient Gena Rowlands. As the story unfolds, we meet Allie and Noah. Allie comes from a wealthy Southern family. Noah works in the lumber yard. We see their joys as well as their struggles. Though they seem like complete opposites, they fall in love only to be torn apart when Noah leaves for World War 2 and Allie becomes engaged to another man. I won’t spoil the ending, but the two lovers reunite and Allie is faced with the decision of whether to keep her promise to her fiance or to go back to the man she left behind.
• Diane Moore
  July 27th, 2010 on 8:31 am

  Review by Diane Moore for The Notebook (New Line Platinum Series)
  Rating:
  but…

  Having said that, I couldn’t stop crying!!! This is not an exaggeration! When I first found the book, I gave it away because it was “not my type of book.” Now, I’m sorry I did, because I saw the movie tonight, and it was amazing!

  Of course it was sappy and romantic. Of course Hollywood got a hold of it. But, the important thing is that it made me feel things I haven’t felt in a long time. Made me believe it.

  Noah and Allie meet when they are 17, and she doesn’t like him at first, but he takes her out anyway. He is from the “wrong side of the tracks,” and she is just in the South for the summer. Her parents have a lot of money and he is more the down to earth type who works in a lumberyard and wants to build his own house someday.

  Time passes and (of course) they fall in love. But, as star crossed as Romeo and Juliet, her parents don’t agree, and they take her away from him and her mom keeps his letters a secret. Every day for a year. Will she choose the privileged life where everything is decided for her, or will she make her own with Noah and break all of the rules?

  The story is being told by Duke, to a woman who is suffering from Dementia. He comes by every day in the hospital and reads to her.

  This is one of the most touching and beautiful movies I have ever seen. I have never cried so much watching a movie as I did tonight. The acting was amazing as well. Gena Rowlands and James Garner were great. The two that played Allie and Noah had so much beautiful chemistry, that I believed them! I also read that this story is loosely based on Nicolas Sparks (author) grandparents.

  See it, you won’t be disappointed.