"Letters to Juliet" Movie Review

Letters to Juliet” was predicted to be one of this year’s cutest, romantic comedies and while its cast was relatively unknown, besides its female counterparts—Amanda Seyfried and Vanessa Redgrave, it fulfilled its prophecy. “Letters to Juliet” is set in the year of 2010, yet radiates the feeling of being a classic film. The movie reveals timeless romantic notions of destiny, fate and above all true love.

It tells the story of an aspiring journalist—Sophie, played by Seyfried, who travels to Verona and stumbles upon one of Italy’s most romantic and cherished traditions. Sophie’s character goes to Juliet Capulet’s home, the beloved character from William Shakespeare’s “Romeo and Juliet,” where lovelorn travelers write letters to Juliet asking for her help or advice on love. Obviously, Juliet Capulet is unable to respond—her being a fictional character and all, however the Secretaries of Juliet write back, on her behalf. Meeting these women, Sophie becomes enamored by the custom and a contributor to Juliet’s advice

Sophie finds a 50-year-old letter hidden in the wall and writes back. Even though Sophie does not really believe that her letter will find Claire, played by Redgrave, the author of the letter, she becomes captivated by the by the story. When in fact, Sophie’s letter finds Claire and Claire’s grandson Charlie, played by Christopher Egan, the three start out on an epic love adventure, to reunite Claire and her true love Lorenzo.

While, Sophie and Claire share the same idealistic pursuit of rekindling true love, it is Charlie’s character that plays the realistic and sometimes ill-mannered male equivalent that grounds the two women. However, this not only adds depth and reveals emotional bonds between the characters, but also leaves the story with a possible romantic connection.

At times “Letters to Juliet” can be corny or even hokey, but it reveals an underlining message of hope and longing. Although the main storyline is dedicated to the pursuit of love, “Letters to Juliet” uncovers the notion of discovering what you want and seizing the opportunity when it comes. Overall, “Letters to Juliet” is charming film that will have its female audience traveling to Italy to discover the power of the Secretaries of Juliet.

"Arcade Fire" Music Review

Arcade Fire, the Canadian indie rock band, has recently released its highly anticipated third album The Suburbs. The band’s previous albums Funeral and Neon Blue showcase their unique and distinct sound—their use of instrumental strumming combined with smooth vocals, compliments their intoxicating lyrics.

The Suburbs stays true to the band’s melancholy sound while branching out into a strong beat and up-tempo bass. Yet, The Suburbs incorporates a set of forthcoming lyrics that exposes the internal emotions of the band, despite the album’s songs being relentlessly chorale. The music strings together as if it is telling a story. The band’s inspiration for the album’s lyrical content was Win and William Butler's upbringing in the suburbs of Houston. According to NME Magazine and Win Butler, the album "is neither a love letter to, nor an indictment of, the suburbs - it's a letter from the suburbs."

“Ready to Start” utilizes a multi-layered rhythm that stirs their audiences’ attitude. While “Half- Light I” is a softer down-beat song that balances out the dramatic tracks of the “My Body is a Cage” or “Rococo.”

Overall, The Suburbs is a solid album that combines tradition and strong levels of musical content. Arcade Fire’s third album starts off strong and grows stronger. It is a collection of songs that challenges the previous set and continuous to evolve.