All 2 entries tagged Films

Becoming Jane is the one to see

Alright, so I'm going a bit Jane Austen MAD here, but recently I saw the film Becoming Jane and since I loved it I think a little mention of it on the old blog won't hurt. Plus James McAvoy is so very very handsome.

Alright, so perhaps not so much as the lovable faun in The Chronicles of Narnia, but that was a dreary film so lets not think about it too much.

So, Becoming Jane:

Hathaway was lovely, although my father said she let her accent slip at times (this comment was made only after I had told him she was American), and I felt that she and McAvoy acted beautifully together. Not just because they're both lovely to look at, but because they clearly portrayed their character's passion for one other. My heart was pounding whenever they were in each other's company. Their chemistry was outstanding. If you like Jane Austen, costume dramas in general, druel-worthy cinematography, fabulous acting or just a good romance full of sexual tension, then this film is for you.

Not as much could be said about ITV's adaptation of Mansfield Park. 'Twas really rather sad. Billie Piper was alright, but she wasn't quite shy enough, and her hair pissed me off - seriously whoever did the hair for it was an idiot. No woman would wander around with their hair looking exactly as we have it today. Growl. The camera work was tragic, as per usual for TV, with all the dodgy 'wobbly vision, but on purpose' bollocks.

'But why do you insist on wobbling the camera?'
'It looks good. It's fashionable. It's modern and styalistic.'
'Yes, but it gives the viewer a headache.'
'Hm. Your loss if you don't understand our genius visions of artistic briliance.'

ARGH. But there was a consolation ... Edmund was played by Blake Ritson, and he did it rather well ... actually the acting over all was good, really. It was the camera work that let it down. Also the music, like the hairstyling, was too modern at many points. I'm sure it was all on purpose, but it just didn't fit. And for some reason the plot didn't seem to work, either. They skimmed it down too much. Damn ITV, I was looking forward to it so much and they went and ruined it.

: 19 Mar 2007 17:02 |  Tags: Films |  Comments (6) |  Close comments |  Report a problem

Sense and Sensibility

Many things have happened to me since the last time I saw the film version of Jane Austen's classic. I've had many more experiences concerning love, physical attraction, and venturing the world as a lone adult.

I have to say the depth of emotions I empathised with while watching the film exceeded my expecations. Feelings that didn't even occur to me existed to the extent that they do the last time I saw the film popped up everywhere. The overiding emotions were 1) the sheer thrill of the encapsulated moment when everthing seems just right,

followed by 2) the maturing aftermath of pain which seems deep and eternal and just plain nasty when you realise how very perfect things were, and how you've lost them.

Nice and cheery for a sunny day, eh?

Of course, as time moves on, you move on with it and find Alan Rickman to replace the passion of your life, or discover that Hugh Grant really did love you after all. And through it all the strength of the emotion you once felt stays with you.

Blimey, re-reading this post it sounds as though some incredible relationship of mine has just ended. Ha, no worries. My experience of the emotions in the film are not all restricted to one relationship or another, but more of a montage of about five years. Just so people know I'm not aiming this post at anyone! :)

: 14 Mar 2007 17:22 |  Tags: Films |  Comments (1) |  Close comments |  Report a problem