Movie: Revolutionary Road

Hi Everyone, Have you heard about the upcoming movie Revolutionary Road, directed by Sam Mendes and starring Leonardo DiCaprio and Kate Winslet?

We received an email from their promoters asking us to give it a mention, presumably because of the dilemma of moving abroad and keeping your relationship together etc. (...or maybe they were just being creative in who they were targeting, smile).

Anyway, we watched the trailer: it looks good. Whilst it's not an 'expat' movie, it might strike a chord with some of you - especially those who have encountered resistance to moving abroad - or struggles in their own relationship. Here is the official storyline:

"Adapted from the revealing novel by Richard Yates, Revolutionary Road is an incisive portrait of an American marriage seen through the eyes of Frank (DiCaprio) and April (Winslet) Wheeler. Yates' story of 1950's America poses a question that has been reverberating through modern relationships ever since: can two people break away from the ordinary without breaking apart?

Frank and April have always seen themselves as special, different, ready and willing to live their lives based on higher ideals. So, as soon as they move into their new house on Revolutionary Road, they proudly declare their independence from the suburban inertia that surrounds them and determine never to be trapped by the social confines of their era.

Yet for all of their charm, beauty and irreverence, the Wheelers find themselves becoming exactly what they didn't expect: a good man with a meaningless job whose nerve has gone missing; a less-than-happy homemaker starving for fulfillment and passion; an American family with lost dream, like any other.

Driven to change their fates, April hatches an audacious plan to start all over again, to leave the comforts of Connecticut behind for the great unknown of Paris. But when the plan is put in motion, each spouse is pushed to extremes - one to escape whatever the cost, the other to save all that they have, no matter the compromises."

You watch the trailer here. Have a wonderful weekend!

Kick Like A Girl: The Movie

Thanks to an anonymous comment on this blog, I learnt today about the Kick Like A Girl movie.

"Kick Like A Girl is the story of what happens when “The Mighty Cheetahs”, an undefeated third grade girls soccer team competes in the boys division. With humor and honesty this documentary reveals the reality of the boy-girl issues and what "Kick Like A Girl" really means on and off the playing field. The film is narrated by 8 year old Lizzie, a self-described soccer girl, who doesn't let juvenile diabetes, elbow blocks or grass stains interfere with her desire to compete. Refreshing and triumphant, Kick Like A Girl reminds us all of the lessons learned in competitive athletics and how sports has been one of the most effective instruments of social change in our lifetime."

The online trailer for this movie is very inspirational. After watching the trailer several times and reading every word on their website, I contacted the director of the film, Jenny Mackenzie to find out more.

Jenny advised that the film is currently playing at International Film Festivals and they will have a broadcast premiere on HBO in early 2009. DVDs will be for sale shortly after the premiere. In the meantime, if you are interested in putting your name on their notification list, just drop them a line. Or, if you are interested in Jenny's touring and speaking engagements, email Jenny here.

Thanks Everyone - and enjoy the two-minute-trailer. Andrea :-)