Hundreds of movies are released each year.  If you are fans of a particular genre, you can narrow that number down a bit.  The problem is that many movie fans go through a dry spell where the really good movies that they fall in love with and enjoy over and over again are few and far between.  But in 2008 a hit was scored in the movie, Inkheart, that will have you watching it time and again.

This fantasy movie centers around the unique power of a storyteller, Silvertongue, played by Brandon Frasier.  Unbeknownst to him as he reads aloud books to his baby daughter he brings into this world characters or items from the book he is reading from.  While reading about Little Red Riding Hood, a red cloak appears in the bushes outside their home.  It is only when his wife disappears that he realizes what is happening.  When something comes into this world, something has to also leave it and return to the book world.  What a Pandora’s box it all becomes! 

The years go by in which no one but him realizes what happened to his wife.  He begins a journey with his daughter across the world to find her.  How could he find her when she is in a book?  By finding that same book and reading it aloud in hopes that she is the object to be returned.  Unfortunately, the book is a rare one and not easily found.  Silvertongue uses his job of restoring old books to help him find the rare Inkheart and try to bring his wife back.

A good story has to have an antagonist, and you are not let down.  Andy Serkis plays the perfect villain, Capricorn, that comes from the reading of Inkheart that Silvertongue read many years that resulted in his wife’s disappearance.  He has discovered that this world has a lot to offer a man of no morals or ethics.  His goal is to have the ultimate evil read from the book into this world so that he can take over.

The movie takes the watcher through the cities of Europe as Silvertongue along with his daughter, an aunt, and a few other characters from stories read as well as the author of Inkheart try to find his wife, find the book, and defeat Capricorn.  There is excitement, suspense, and romance as the unlikely group bonds to fight and right both worlds again.

This is a great family movie to watch over and over again.  Words can be powerful and this movie tries to show the watcher how powerful they really can be.  When used in the right way, mountains can be moved and families reunited.

This review was based on renting Inkheart and watching it with my family.  No one solicited this review of paid for the movie.