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Reviews
Emma. (2020)
Loved it!
My goodness. Have read some reviews and I see no middle ground....2s or 9s..Someone mentions that Mr. Elton is a caricature...this is true so was Mr. Collins. Methinks, Ms. Austen liked to poke fun at the clergy.
The nudity reminded me of the wet shirt scene in Pride & Prejudice in 1995 TV adaptation. Didn't bother me. They were naked under all those clothes back then too.
I commend the casting, the performances, the costumes, and much more. I always approach Austen movies with trepidation. I always fear disappointment, but that rarely happens and this no exception.
The director is a photographer and approached the scenes with a photographer's eye. If you look at the frames, many are beautifully symmetrical photographic portraits. Loved the visuals. I compare it to CHIMES AT MIDNIGHT just in this respect. If you really watch that fabulous Orson Welles movie, the framing looks like the paintings of Dutch Masters (especially the scenes with Fallstaff, Silence, and Shallow out at the country house).
No chemistry between the two leads? Well, if you read Austen you know that Knightley is considerably older than Emma and watched her grow up due to the family's connections. Emma and Knightley's siblings are married to each other.
Knightley admires her from afar and is betwixt friendship, sibling, buddy, et. al. with Emma. This is played well in the earlier parts of the movie. The attraction develops into more and as Emma ages it is more appropriate. The nuance of this progression is well done.
I don't know if I should call certain little gems, Easter Eggs, or hidden meanings. But, I found Harriet's moaning and sighing on the couch after twisting her ankle, well, you know...as Knightley is attending to her foot so clever. I laughed out loud.
Well done by all. And I guess after reading some reviews, not all found it thus. I recommend a second viewing.
It's Suppertime! (2017)
He's the Greatest!!
Wow! A cooking show that entertains and teaches....... Is there a season 2 coming? I watch on Viceland and find it stupendous. I cut the acid in tomato sauce with sugar too!! It works! Keep on Cookin' and showing us how!!!
Two and a Half Men (2003)
Bring Back Charlie Sheen
It went from my favorite show on television to my not watching it anymore after the first new episode. Gratuitous nudity, bad chemistry....need I go on?
Now, I like Ashton Kutcher, he is just in an untenable position trying to replace the genius of Charlie Sheen, as well as, the character of Charlie Harper.
The interaction between Charlie, Alan, Jake, Berta, Evelyn, and all the other regulars cannot be recreated. It just doesn't work for me without the chemistry that was there prior to this season.
I don't approve or disapprove of Charlie Sheen's personal lifestyle. But, the show was HIS and his alone. He is irreplaceable.
Please find Charlie alive and living in Encino...
Bring him back.
Enchanted April (1991)
A Vacation in Italy
If you need a vacation in January, pop this video in and relax. The atmosphere and heart of this movie are its best parts. Not to detract from the story and the performances, because they are stupendous. This film makes me happy just watching it.
After the storm and on the first day in Italy, the window opens (ala "The Wizard of Oz") but, this is no fantasy. This film is perfection as it shows the development of the characters through love and kindness.
Every aspect of this film satisfies. The acting, screenplay, original story, cinematography, and so on...
I can't say enough about this movie. One of my all-time favorites. Hope it is yours too! Do yourself a favor and watch it.
The Ladykillers (1955)
Katie Johnson steals the movie
I would think it almost impossible to steal a movie from Alec Guinness, but, as good as he is, Katie Johnson does steal this movie.
One of the best comedies ever made by one of the best British studios, Ealing.
The funniest part for me is watching Ms. Johnson wander quietly around amid the chaos (most of which she creates in her wake).
Beautifully shot, great locations, great cast, great script...just great.
The humor comes out subtly as the film is carefully constructed in the early goings, but, then watch the fun begin.
A 10 out of 10 and a must see.
Poirot: Murder on the Orient Express (2010)
Where is Hastings when you need him?
I, too, was waiting with bated breath for this incarnation of MURDER ON THE ORIENT EXPRESS. I love Poirot. I love David Suchet. I did not love this filming of the Agatha Christie classic. It was so dark, both visually and emotionally. And Poirot himself seems to be more jaded given to darkness and explosions of anger. His hardness seems out of character especially regarding the stoning of the unfaithful woman prior to boarding the train.
The essence of Poirot is his compassion in the midst of his seeming aloofness. This episode shocked me in the changes in his character. Poirot and his "little grey cells" are above the maudlin religious scene, the anger at Mary Debenham, the aforementioned agreement regarding the punishment of the infidel.
I know the later stories did not include Japp, Hastings, and Miss Lemon, but, these later episodes make me see how much their characters kept Poirot human in the context of the stories.
I am giving 5 stars for the production values....always true to the time period.
I am going back to watch my tapes of the earlier episodes...THE ABC MURDERS, POIROT'S Christmas, and many, many more wonderful stories that I thank David Suchet for starring in....
Just hope the next ones show the debonair, fussy, human Poirot to us again.
Longford (2006)
I got it!
******some spoilers********
I live across the pond and watched this on HBO. I taped it and watched it a couple times. Had to go to wikipedia to look up some background stuff. But, someone from Britain who commented wondered if we would get it. I got it! And the acting was magnificent.
Jim Broadbent was unbelievable and accomplished the most important thing an actor can. I believed him. I saw the compassion of the man (although misguided at times) it seems that Lord Longford was always true to himself and his beliefs.
Samantha Morton was so good that I was feeling sympathy for her character for some of the movie. That sympathy left me in the scene when she reveals to Lord Longford, the truth. It was chilling.
I always feel that movies can no longer surprise or shock me...so when she tells Lord Longford at the end of the movie "evil can be a spiritual experience, too", I was FLOORED!! So powerful, and unexpected! I noticed also, that her character changed looks like a chameleon. This was a neat trick as it gave us warnings that her internal self was also a chameleon.
Tragic, senseless, and heartbreaking murders! What was the motive? I cannot fathom it.
Bravo! And keep sending your quality projects over...gives me something to watch! And they took home a few Emmys for this one...I was rooting for them!
I Can Make You Love Me (1993)
Stalking is a real sickness!
Richard Thomas was excellent playing a really sick individual. Brooke Shields was good and too gorgeous for words.
Just a word re: a previous reviewer saying she should have just gone out with him once and that she was a snob.. No, no, no...that just encourages stalkers and can actually make it worse. She did nothing wrong...she was the VICTIM!! It gets kind of blurred sometimes...(Sorry to sound preachy, but, I teach health and healthy relationships in HS and I try so hard to help the kids know the difference).
Anyway, good docudrama and can help give some insight into these potentially dangerous situations.
Father Ted (1995)
I own them all!!
Words cannot describe how hilarious this show is. My favorite episode is when they are protesting the "filum". Luckily, Father Jack retained the bishop's bag with the incriminating tape..he he...
I now have a 5-way tie for the best sitcoms ever made: Cheers, All in the Family, Mary Tyler Moore, Seinfeld, and FATHER TED!!!
So, sad that no more can be made...Go Ireland!!
My House in Umbria (2003)
I'd watch Maggie Smith read the phone book!!
Beautiful scenery, good actors, but what was the theme? It was all over the map. I didn't get the point. Ideas and character plots were introduced and then dropped. For instance, Timothy Spall's character and the maid. Terrorism, childhood trauma, friendship, alcoholism, old age, lost opportunity, estrangement, forgiveness, guilt, love, death, etc. etc. Way too many themes and then the threads were lost.
But it was beautifully filmed and as I said, I would watch Dame Maggie read the phone book.