Swoon:

I am very happy with movies this year... so many great ones, and it looks like 2009 will end with a bang! One of the "bangs" will come on December 18 when The Young Victoria will open in limited release. Oh the stars: Emily Blunt, Rupert Friend, Paul Bettany (my very favorite star hunk -- swoon, swoon), Miranda Richardson, Jim Broadbent, etc. I hope the movie will be as fantastic as it deserves to be -- from the reviews I've read so far, it is!

Years ago when I saw the movie Mrs. Brown, I became intrigued with the life of Queen Victoria, especially her marriage to Prince Albert. Her husband's early death was her undoing and she fell into a deep depression, basically disappearing from public life. But it is incredible to note that her reign as Queen lasted 63 years and 7 months -- longer than any other British monarch before or since -- and longest of any female monarch in history! I've read "Queen Victoria: A Personal History" by Christopher Hibbert (which I highly recommend) and Victoria: The Young Queen by Monica Charlot. Alexandrina Victoria was an amazing woman!