This is one of those updates that make you look again at the play as the dialogue sounds too modern. It also shows that certain themes persist and Shakespeare knew a thing or two about human psychology. There is less sense of individual stars than of a team. All characters are important as the Macbeths weren't operating in a vacuum but within power structures. The sad thing about Macbeth is the feeling that a different wife might not have encouraged him to take the fateful step that eventually led to their downfall. She seems quite ruthless but soon starts to fall apart. It's the fairy gold story. It was easy to feel that Duncan didn't deserve his fate. The children in place of witches was a nice sinister and unexpected touch. It ought to be generally available and be watched repeatedly to show that special effects are not necessary. Very good.
Reviews
3 Reviews
Liar Liar
(1997)
A waste of resources and cast
20 September 2003
This film made money? The basic idea is good but the treatment is well over the top;fascinating in its dreadfulness. I almost smiled - once. It was impossible to be feel involved with these characters (liked the secretary, though). Even the promising ending was spoiled by the reruns of the worst bits. I had liked Carrey in The Mask and The Truman Show so it's disappointing to feel like this.
A Midwinter's Tale
(1995)
Wonderful film
20 September 2003
This was really good. The coming together of a number of people who create a 'family' is so positive in an, at present, negative world. They support each other and offer positive strokes So much film and tv portrays our planet's inhabitants as violent and unpleasant. Children must have a strange idea of the environment in which they are to grow. This did have witty dialogue and no special effects because it had things to say and slightly exaggerated characters who were different from each other. Although it is British it is about eternal values of persistence, commitment which is not financially motivated and thinking about others beside self and therefore applicable to humanity generally. It certainly wouldn't do any harm in our modern world. It did no damage to the image of theatre and film either. No guns or knives, no car chases, no police or ambulances, how quaint, how rare but harder to write.
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