The Notebook is one of the most moving and emotionally successful romantic movies released in the last 20 years. It frequently appears as a top contender for most popular movie amongst women. It was directed by Nick Cassavetes and is based on the bestselling novel, of the same name, by Nicholas Sparks. It was produced on a surprisingly low budget of only $30 million.
The structure of the movie adds considerably to the story’s successful development as the plot deals basically with the fate of two young, star-crossed lovers along the lines of ‘Romeo and Juliet’. In ‘The Notebook’, 17 year old Allie (Rachel McAdams), the daughter of a wealthy family, falls in love with a local country boy, Noah (Ryan Gosling), while on vacation in the early 1940s.
However, the narrative is told from the perspective of an elderly male patient in a nursing home (James Garner), named Duke, who is reading the story of the two young lovers to a fellow patient (Gena Rowlands). She is suffering from dementia and has lost her memory.
The story of Noah and Allie begins at a carnival on Seabrook Island in North Carolina. After well-meaning friends help them to get better acquainted, their feelings deepen throughout the summer they spend together.
During one scene, they visit an abandoned house called the Windsor Plantation and Noah reveals his intention to one day own and renovate the property.
Allie’s parents are less impressed with Noah’s prospects as a likely husband for their daughter and forbid her to see Noah, who reluctantly believes her parents to be right and that he is not good enough for her. As a result, they break up and Allie returns to her home.
Noah is devastated by the separation and writes to Allie every day for a year, without receiving a reply. Eventually, he enlists to fight in World War II, while Allie attends Sarah Lawrence College in NY State.
After the war, in 1947, Noah manages to buy the Windsor Plantation and sets about restoring its earlier splendor. In the meantime, has met an injured soldier named Lon, a handsome young lawyer from a well-connected family. He also impresses Allie’s parents and the two young people get engaged.
The story of Allie, Noah and Lon is deftly woven and the emotional tension is high throughout the movie as the viewer identifies and sympathizes with the plight and reluctant acceptance of their fate which descends on both Noah and Allie.
The tension is skillfully raised again when Allie reads an article in a newspaper about the work Noah has carried out on Windsor Plantation.
The director handles the feelings of those involved with careful craftsmanship and sensitivity. The focus is strong, without distracting sub plots as the characters’ lives unfold. The young actors – as well as the older ones – handle the roles with an ease and grace that the story demands.
The Notebook probably doesn’t attract many of the fans who would rather be attending films from the ‘Terminator’ saga. However, for its intended audience, it is a winner.
The final closing scenes of The Notebook are among the most moving and satisfying to be found on film and deserve the tears and cheers of the viewers.
People get confused when they need to replace their notebook laptop, they are often overwhelmed by the amount of choices on offer when they are shopping either online or in a physical shop. What is the best way to filter out the competition?
First, think about what you used your old notebook laptop for and where you saw the best benefits. It is human nature to look at your friends and peers and at what they have and what they use their computers for but it is important to only think about what you want to use it for. For example do you need it to connect to a specific mobile or cell phone? Your friend might have specific needs which you simply do not have.
Secondly, are there any upgrades that you need? This does not only apply to technology but also to you. If you are using an operating system that functions from your hard drive, could you learn to use an operating system that operates in the cloud? If so, you could dramatically reduce the weight and cost of your new Notebook laptop as well as speeding up your systems.
Thirdly, who is paying for it? If your company is paying for your new Notebook laptop then the price will be fixed but if it is coming out of your pocket then the possibility of getting a really good deal is enormous. Phone around your local shops, tell the proprietor what you are looking for and that you are asking his competition. You can be sure that he will want your business and will probably bend over backwards to get it.
Other places you might look are at the online auctions and in Google but beware of shady dealers; look for signs that you can trust like customer reviews. Buying a new Notebook laptop need not be hard; know what you want, know what is out there and know your price limitations. Good luck.
Which laptop computer has the best video quality, the best wireless internet options, the most hard drive space, the fastest processor, the most memory and the best price? These are considerations every computer buying consumer takes when finding the best rated laptops is important, and it is always important. There is no reason you should have to spend more than you can afford to buy a new laptop computer when you can find the best deals online for brands like Toshiba, Dell, HP, Sony, Acer, Apple and Gateway laptop computers.
You can shop and compare by reading reviews and ratings on the best cheap top rated laptop and notebook computers. The information you get from reading websites that help you with finding the best rated laptops can also include information about laptop wireless internet access, laptop wireless internet connections, how to make laptop computer wireless methods, notebook integrated wireless technology, refurbishes laptop computers, batteries, laptop computer temperature monitor features as well as expert and user reviews and ratings.
You want to be a well-informed laptop shopper so that you can ensure you are getting what you want at the price you can afford to pay. The Toshiba line of laptops include the Satellite, Satellite Pro, Portege, Tecra and Qosmio models provide various levels of performance from average use to optimal gaming use and business solutions to the consumer. The Satellite models are great for the college bound student when you include the MSOffice Student Edition with the package. Apple laptops may seem more expensive, but if you look at the specs on PCs and Apples, you will notice that Apple provides more of the fully featured software you need as opposed to trials that end within 30, 60 or 90 days with most PC laptops. It really just depends on whether you prefer a PC or an Apple. You can find out more from websites that guide you for finding the best rated laptops.
No matter what level user you are from novice to power user, you still need to get the latest information on new advanced technology in order to be sure to get the laptop you really want. Since many laptops today offer some form of advanced technology like voice, face or fingerprint recognition software, you can also find a laptop that is more secure than the older models. When finding the best rated laptops online, take the above information into consideration before you buy and make sure you know what you are looking for in a new or refurbished laptop.
If you are currently thinking of getting a high-performance, full-sized laptop, you have to check you have to check out the new 15.6-inch ASUS K50AF-X1 laptop. This model has a set of very competent specs, good design and a modest price tag to match.
The ASUS K50AF-X1 comes with an AMD Turio II M520 (2.3Ghz) processor. For memory, it has 4GB of RAM and then 500GB for storage. The 15.6-inch screen is a HD display, 16:9 wide screen. For graphics, this laptop has an ATI Mobility Radeon HD 5145 graphics card. With this set of specs, you will be able to have a breezy multitasking performance and a dreamy multimedia experience.
For audio, the ASUS K50AF-X1 comes with a set of Altec Lansing stereo speakers with SRS Premium Sound technology. Other features in include a 0.3MP web cam and a double layer DVD optical drive. Connectivity wise, this model comes with 4 USB ports, a memory card reader, and 802.11n wi-fi.
The ASUS K50AF-X1 also has great looks to match the great set of specs. Instead of the usual plain glossy external casing, this model has subtle fine dot patters on its casing that gives it a texture look. It measures at 14.82 x 9.95 x 1.39 inches in dimensions and weighs 5.73 pounds.
I have always been a fan of Asus laptops because they often come with a set of cool Asus-exclusive features and this laptop model is of no exception. For instance, there is the Asus FastBoot feature that boots up the Windows 7 OS at a much quicker pace. Then there is the Ice-Cool features that keeps the pal rest area under the keyboard cool for comfortable typing, even after prolonged hours of use. All in all, the ASUS K50AF-X1 is a very versatile laptop model, and would serve as a great desktop replacement laptop. At the moment, it is selling for just around $674 per unit.
Several of the major computer manufacturers now offer ultra thin, very sleek and, above all, fantastic looking small laptops. Sony recently launched their TZ Ultraportable and in January 2008 Apple unveiled the MacBook Air. These laptops are at the cutting edge of available consumer computer technology and their unique selling point is how portable and lightweight they are. However, these are expensive laptops and the question remains – will you be getting good value for money?
The first thing to consider is exactly what you will be using your new laptop for. These ultra thin laptops maybe small, but this comes at the expense of power. They are not the most powerful laptops available because the manufacturers have had to closely pack all the components in. If you are going to be editing movies or running other power hungry applications you should go for the most powerful laptop you can get for your budget.
Secondly you should consider how much you travel with your computer, how long for and what you do with it when you do travel. These ultra portable laptops are extremely thin and particularly easy to transport, but how hard is your current laptop to carry around? For example, if you were to buy a MacBook Air you have to consider that it does not have an interchangeable battery. If you travel for long periods of time without access to power then after the battery runs out you have to wait to charge it. With a larger, more traditional laptop you could simply replace the battery with a spare one. There is a great deal of compromise in these ultra portable laptops and you need to truly assess your requirements (everything from connection ports to screen size) before committing. It may be that a laptop just ½ an inch thicker is more suitable.
Finally, there is one more important aesthetic to consider before you purchase a new laptop and that is the style factor. Ultra portable laptops are at the lead edge of personal computer technology and they look sensational. Do you want to be just another commuter with a standard laptop on the train, or would you prefer to stand out from the crowd with an laptop so compact it oozed style and design cool. The answer to that question can only be decided by you.