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9/27/2011 03:09 am
ENTRTNMNT Forgotten Flicks 2
Bethany Joy Lenz

When most of us think of a young Christian Bale, we think NEWSIES.  I dont know if it gets any better than scrappy/dreamy Jack Kelly singing on a fire escape in 1890s New York.  If you think back further, you may have a vague recollection of a Spielberg movie about WWII and a little boy. One of my favorite films of all time – and one I haven’t heard talked about in far too long -  is EMPIRE OF THE SUN, starring a 13-year-old Christian Bale.

Bale is Jim Graham, a rich, English kid living in Shanghai.  He is separated from his parents and winds up in a Japanese internment camp with shady folks like John Malkovich’s stranded steward, Basie.  It’s a profound tale of the loss of innocence and the perseverance of the human spirit. Funny, heartwarming, devastating, inspiring and all those themes of which Spielberg has become the master in translating to film, Empire of the Sun is not to be missed.

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9/27/2011 03:09 am
Bethany Joy Lenzview all posts by Bethany Joy

Bethany Joy Lenz is a wife & mom, as well as an actress, writer, director and musician by trade.  She is currently seen as Haley James Scott on The CW's One Tree Hill and is one half of the indie-band Everly.  She is also a Sci-Fi nerd, probably should have been around in the 40s and has a sewing room full of arts and crafts that she hardly ever gets to. However, she has great and noble intentions to create many, many things, including more children and maybe a self-sustaining organic farm commune... maybe. You can read her blog at bethanyjoy.com.

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  		1.

    such an INCREDIBLE story!!!! I love this movie. I didn’t see it until about 3 years ago, but I had wanted to LONG ago and could never find it.

    Victoria Tiedemann | 12/24/2011 08:12 am

  2. Oops, make that P-51, Cadillac of the Sky! (comment above)

    M. Stacey Shaffer | 9/27/2011 04:09 pm

  3. I absolutely love this movie but most people don’t even know about it!

    Nichole Ovington | 9/27/2011 04:09 pm

  4. I saw this in the cinema at least five times when it was first released. I was stunned at Bale’s performance and felt he got robbed at Oscar time. I still play the soundtrack, my second CD ever bought, and I have Suo-Gan, the Welsh hymn sung in the film, on my mp3 player.

    I took a friend to the movie, but I knew she wasn’t as engaged when, during the “B52s! Cadillac of the Skies!” scene, she started eating a banana.

    M. Stacey Shaffer | 9/27/2011 12:09 pm

  5. Excellent film. A Spielberg classic that often gets overlooked. Also with a fine performance from John Malkovich.

    Lee Prew | 9/27/2011 11:09 am

  6. Love, love, love this movie. Has always been one of my favorites.

    Ian Cook | 9/27/2011 11:09 am

  7. When I became obsessed with Newsies (and of course all the actors involved) I hunted down a copy of Empire of the Sun. It’s been awhile since I’ve seen it though.

    Madeline D Bro | 9/27/2011 08:09 am

  8. I remember being shown this movie in school as part of our History lessons and being so touched. Bale was also a brilliant Laurie in Little Women!

    Nicola Mahood | 9/27/2011 06:09 am
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