Movie Review: Shakespeare in Love (1998)

Plot:A young Shakespeare, out of ideas and short of cash, meets his ideal woman and is inspired to write one of his most famous plays.

Rating: 8.5/10

Have you ever just wanted to write a review and start (and end) with “sooooo, I liked it”? Is that the equivalent of writer’s block for the blogging community? I’ll usually start writing it out and hope something comes from the material, something to spark my opinions, but usually I just aimlessly wander through words hoping to hit a mark.

That is where Shakespeare in Love also starts. I just uncomfortably realized that I’ve now compared myself to William Shakespeare, author of the English language. Now that that is out of the bag, I really liked this film. (See, doing it again)

Shakespeare (Joseph Fiennes) has writer’s block, and gives a bracelet to Rosalind, a lady with negotiable affections, with the hope that she will become the muse for his next play. Because she’s a lady with negotiable affections, he finds her in the arms of another man, but luckily finds it in him to pen at least a draft of a very wild idea. Through twists and turns he meets Viola (Gwyneth Paltrow), a beautiful girl who is betrothed to Lord Wessex (Colin Firth). Viola falls for Shakespeare and he for her, and they embark on an adventure of romance and intrigue.

This film won the 71st Academy Award for best film in 1998/1999. I checked the other films that went up against it, and while I would have rather awarded the award to Saving Private Ryan (I mean really, there is no comparison here), Shakespeare in Love is a solid film. It takes a significant amount of talent and dedication to make a love story worthy of Academy notice, something this film did very well, winning seven of the eleven awards it was nominated for.

Gwyneth Paltrow took one of those awards for Best Actress for her role as Viola. Now, Gwyn gets some steady hate and although I’m not always sure why, she’s not my favorite actress. I adored her in here though. She seems so clean and pure and alive, in contrast to the Queen (Judi Dench), and the insufferable Lord Wessex. Her love for Shakespeare is quick and potent, though no one can blame her – I mean just look at Joseph Fiennes’ eyes.

Now, Joseph Fiennes. A new inappropriate post needs to be up soon, but I won’t litter this review with my appreciative thoughts. Questions though: why isn’t he in more movies? He is a solid actor. Is he related to Ralph Fiennes? I hope so. Is he very beautiful? Yes. I doubt if the real Shakespeare was so beautiful, but he was likely as passionate. Fiennes is a great Shakespeare – passionate, beautiful and intelligent.

The supporting cast does a wonderful job as well, and many British actors and actresses have small parts in here that I enjoyed recognizing their faces. Judi Dench is intimidating as the Queen, and I enjoyed the silly young Ben Affleck (not English) in here – so cute! Imelda Staunton, Jim Carter and Mark Williams are all in mostly small roles, but man, they were lovely to watch.

Shakespeare in Love is quite clearly a drama/romance. It might not be for everyone – it is heavy on the sexy time, full of quite lame phrases and gestures. I however, am rather squishy at heart and really enjoy a good romantic film. John Madden was an excellent director, and the cast manages to be talented, humorous, quick-witted, sad, heartbreaking and entertaining at once.

And like I said, I really liked it 😀

Have you seen Shakespeare in Love? What did you think of it?

March 31, 2016March 26, 2016 by Natasha Categories: Movies, Reviews, Romance, UncategorizedTags: Academy Awards, Ben Affleck, Colin Firth, Gwyneth Palthrow, Imelda Staunton, Jim Carter, John Madden, Joseph Fiennes, Judi Dench, Mark Williams, Oscar, Shakespeare in Love, William Shakespeare 14 Comments

Series Review: Downton Abbey Season 6 (CONTAINS SPOILERS)

Rating: 9/10

It is a very well-known fact that I own the title to the biggest Downton Abbey fan that has ever lived. I adore everything about the show – how very British everything is, a look back into a lost era and the class systems. That and the excellent costume design, dramatic sequences and veiled sarcasm that only the British can manage? The show was designed for me. Downton Abbey came around at a time where I was desperately tired of the vulgarity of shows like Game of Thrones – yes, shoot me, I know there is an enormous fan base, but is anyone else tired of it? It has no class and it has no style and senseless violence.

Anyway, now that I’m done sounding like a pompous little prick, let me tell you what I loved about Season 6 of Downton Abbey. Clue: Nearly everything.

 

What I liked:

Anna and Bates. These two have had so many plights throughout the show that I’d been thoroughly exasperated at the end of Season 5. Like can they just stop being accused of killing people or stealing or whatever?! Sheesh. The season ended so sweet for them that this I was willing to cry of happiness for them. I was.

Mr. Carson and Mrs. Hughes. Everyone knew they should marry because Mrs. Hughes is the only one on earth that can sass Mr. Carson right back. I loved this entire story arc and they managed to pull it off in such a way that it wasn’t fake or annoying and just seemed so lovely that two people could find love nearing the end of their lives.

Edith and her Bertie. Oh, Edith. How you’ve grown on me. Arguably the most beleaguered character ever, frequently by her own design, but Edith Crawley somewhere grew a backbone and received a purpose in life. I loved her Bertie too – here was a man tailor made for her, kind, caring, and could properly assess the complexity of her relationship with her surviving sister. Their wedding is the most romantic thing I’ve seen since Mary and Matthew’s wedding SOB SOB SOB.

Mary’s incredibly attractive new counterpart, Henry Talbot (Matthew Goode). Where has this man been all my life?! Mary made me so angry. I’ve always been a Mary fan but when she nearly messed up Edith’s life (AGAIN), I was legitimately pissed at her. In my mind the best version of Mary will always be the woman she was when she was married to Matthew, but I found that Henry Talbot had all the wonderful characteristics of my beloved Matthew and could influence her as well. And I reiterate – Matthew Goode is so beautiful.

The darling boy they cast as Matthew Crawley’s son – it ripped out my still bleeding heart but that child could really be the child of Dan Stevens.

Tom returning – let’s face it, everyone loves Tom the most.

How perfectly happy everything ended. Some people will roll their eyes at how tidily every arc was wrapped up and how everyone got their happiness.

I’m mentioning Edith’s wedding again. The happiness. The romance. How deserving she was of her big moment.

The new puppy – awwwwww

What I didn’t like:

Spratt and Denker. I don’t know why these two got so much time in the show. Their quarrels were annoying and silly and it really grated on me.

Daisy. The character has always been a hit and miss for me but she truly grated on my nerves in the final season. She comes across as an ungrateful and immature child, and I just wanted to smack the petulance out of her.

That big fright with Lord Crawley’s health scare. DON’T DO THAT TO ME AGAIN, DOWNTON.

Well, there you have it. My favorite show has come to an end. I will always rewatch this show and even though I am sad that it has ended, I applaud Julian Fellows for stopping while they were ahead. Gosh Downton, I’m going to miss you.

 

February 11, 2016February 6, 2016 by Natasha Categories: 2016, Review, Series, UncategorizedTags: Allen Leech, Brendan Coyle, Downton Abbey, Downton Abbey Season 6, Edith Crawley, Elizabeth McGovern, Hugh Bonneville, Jim Carter, Joanne Froggart, Laura Carmichael, Leslie Nicol, Maggie Smith, Mary Crawley, Matthew Goode, Michelle Dockery, Phyllis Logan, Rob James-Collier, Sophie McShera 8 Comments

Series Review: Downton Abbey Season 5

Rating: 8/10

I can’t believe that I‘ve watched everything there is to watch of this show right now. When is the next season coming? Next year? Can 2016 arrive now? Sherlock AND more Downton in one year? Yes, please.

This season is better than the fourth. Everyone has dealt with Matthew Crawley’s death and almost forgiven Dan Stevens for his choice to depart from the show (It is hard to hate him after seeing The Guest and knowing that he will be the Beast in the new Disney movie – also in 2016!). Even Rose managed to not annoy me so much – although her relationship with Atticus Finch and the time frame that Downton is now entering does not even hide what the writers are planning for season six. I liked her relationship with Atticus – she is a much more manageable person with him. I still hate her mother and like her father and find their divorce in the time this show plays off very interesting.

I thought Mary’s relationship with Tony Gillingham had great potential then just fell flat. I’m not saying she should have chosen him – I said back in my review of season four that he is not her intellectual equal, but the way the story worked out felt rushed and not properly developed. Her meeting that handsome man at the end of the Season tells me that she will have yet another suitor in Season 6. How gorgeous is Matthew Goode?! I hope he becomes a series regular in Season six!

Edith is still in her perpetual bubble of misery and still annoying AF. Sorry, this girl just constantly chooses to make herself unhappy. She chooses to compare herself with Mary endlessly. I do hope that she and the man who she also met in the last episode can be happy, but we will see if Edith allows herself to be happy. The fire in her room was quite dramatic and Barrow’s heroic rescue of Edith was a great moment in the show, and then they just left it and a great story stayed underutilized.

Can we just talk about the shocking death of Isis? (No, sadly not the terrorist organisation). Who kills the dog?!?!?! I loved that beautiful animal and really felt so sorry for Lord Grantham about it.

Tom planning to leave – NO. Come back, darling. I love you and little Sybbie too much. Come back now.

As for downstairs, I really enjoyed the latest romance. The Mr. Carson and Mrs. Hughes story has been developing for quite some time now, and it was so lovely to see a strong direction with their love story. Bates and Anna kept on being Bates and Anna – drama drama drama. Barrow still keeps on being Barrow – the second you have some sympathy for him he does something and you are just certain that you will never like him. The Spratt and Barrow bitch fest was really annoying – what is the point of either of them getting such sudden limelight?

Some of the smaller story angles managed to stay surprisingly interesting. I usually hate when writers of the story deviate too far from the story surrounding the central characters, but Charles Blake setting up the reunion of Tony Gillingham and his fiance had some entertaining moments (and I do think that Charles had his own ulterior motives there). I didn’t really get the point of the Dowager Countess and Prince Kuragin. It is definitely the most unique attempt at romance this show attempted yet. I love Maggie Smith’s role in here and she is such a fantastic asset, but come on: We really don’t HAVE to give every female in this show a marriage proposal, do we?

I really enjoyed this season and am so happy they returned to the original glory of the show. I can’t wait to see season six and I really hope that the show ends on a high note, although I am sobbing with angst that this show is ending!

July 15, 2015July 14, 2015 by Natasha Categories: Reviews, SeriesTags: Allen Leech, Charles Blake, Downton Abbey, Edit Crawley, Elizabeth McGovern, Henry Talbot, Hugh Bonneville, Isobel Crawley, Jim Carter, Laura Carmichael, Maggie Smith, Mary Crawley, Matthew Goode, Michelle Dockery, Review, Series, Tom Branson, Tony Gillingham, Violet Crawley 3 Comments

Series Review: Downton Abbey Season 2

Rating: 8.5/10

What I liked:

The entire cast: Hugh Bonneville, Elizabeth McGovern, Michelle Dockery, Dan Stevens, Maggie Smith, Laura Carmichael, Jim Carter, Dan Stevens and Phyllis Logan (to name just a few) does a phenomenal task with the material they have. The cast works together perfectly and has an intimate connection that gives the impression that Downton Abbey is a real place with real people living in it.

The portrayal of the war. It was ever present with so many of the young men away all the time, but it never completely overshadowed the main plots. I thought it was excellently depicted and the filming of the war scenes was really well done.

Robert’s frustration at being a poster boy for the war but not being able to take part. I LOVE Robert. There is something he did that made me so angry at him but overall I really like his character. I’ve been on a rampage lately that older men and women should always feel like they still have a part to play in society when they retire, and Robert’s frustration at the “there-there” condescending nature of his superiors really highlighted the fact.

Lavinia Swire. I really enjoyed the character even though her sole purpose was to keep my two favourites apart from each other.

That dance scene with Matthew and Mary. Are all British women so wonderfully contained? If Dan Stevens danced with me like that and looked at me like that I would have passed out on the scene.

Sybil and Tom. I LOVE both of them so much ❤ ❤

The Christmas episode and the proposal. GAWSHHHHH ❤

What I didn’t like

Ethel. This whole storyline seemed so unnecessary and preposterous. I didn’t like the character’s entitled attitude and even though I had sympathy with her plight, what did she actually think would happen??

Isobel Crawley. What an annoying woman. She started out as quite entertaining and I enjoy her banter with the Dowager Countess, but her perstering attitude quickly got old.

The resurfacing of Patrick Crawley – it also had no point only to highlight Edith’s persistent desire to keep herself unhappy.

Bates and Anna. I love these two and their story but sheesh it gets really melodramatic in this season!

Overall this was a phenomenal season. I am so ridiculously addicted to this show it is not even funny. Even when I’m mad at the characters (I get hopelessly invested) I still can’t turn myself away!

June 17, 2015June 15, 2015 by Natasha Categories: Reviews, SeriesTags: Dan Stevens, Downton Abbey, Elizabeth McGovern, Jessica Brown Findlay, Jim Carter, Joanne Froggart, Laura Carmichael, Maggie Smith, Mary Crawley, Matthew Crawley, Michelle Dockery, Phyllis Logan, Review, Robert James-Collier, Series 12 Comments

Series review: Downton Abbey Season 1

Rating: 9/10

What I liked:

The humor: It is plentiful, intelligent, sharp, everywhere and of a higher quality that entertainment produces as a usual standard. It is dry wit properly used. I can’t get enough of it.

I now know that it is pronounced “Downton Abbey” and not “Downtown Abbey”

The costume design is gorgeous and suitable to the periodical setting

The estate – just wow. It is absolutely gorgeous and such a strong structure. I don’t often freak out about many buildings – architecture is not my greatest passion but I can really get behind a beautiful structure if it appeals to me. It was even more fascinating that this is a real holding and not just a magnificent prop stage.

The depiction of relationships between upper, middle and lower class is keeping me really intrigued. All the sides are really well developed and gets proper show time. The Class system remains one of the most amusing hierarchical systems in the world. It is not really prevalent in South-Africa so I cannot imagine how people would willingly subject to such forms of oppression. It is interesting though, and the clear line between the classes even while they are still perfectly civil to each other.

Maggie Smith slays. Just WOW. This role is so worthy of her time. The dry sarcasm, the disdain, her supreme lack of care of what people think of her, that entire character she brings so authentically to life. She’s my idol. That’s all.

There are some characters I love and some I dislike, but every cast member does a wonderful job. The characters I dislike are purely because they were written for that exact reason – as antagonists. The characters I love the most: Matthew Crawley (Dan Stevens), who I can easily devote this entire post too, Mary Crawley (Michelle Dockery), whose sad and intriguing lifestyle I can think days about,  John Bates (Brendan Coyle) – THAT FIRST SAD EPISODE WTF, The Lord Crawley, who has such a loyal heart and works so hard to save his inheritance.

Theo James, I am so sorry. HAHAHA. My demented sense of humor was way too tickled about what happened to the Middle-Eastern prince when he visited Downton. It is just…. HAHAHA. The ramifications of how that poor girl must have felt. (Not disclosing who though #notospoilers). You are absolutely gorgeous though, sir.

That kiss. OMFG I nearly went through the roof. It is so beautiful and proper and appropriate and introduced on the perfect time in the story.

Dan Stevens and his eyes. I get really irritated when people harp on other people’s pretty eyes. It seems so… false. But Dan Stevens has eyes that make me finally understand that sentiment of carrying on about it. It’s so blue and gorgeous and when he focuses on something… just hold me back haha. ❤ ❤ I also love the character that he plays. Matthew Crawley has the biggest heart and the most common sense, and I just adore his determination to stay true to who he is.

I really mostly liked all of it. The pilot episode is the weakest but it is still very good and the show picks up pace and character as it progresses through the season. It remains such an extremely cultured experience to watch, that I kid you not, I wore stockings the next day to work as a testimony of my adoration and desire to be part of 1912’s England. I really do dislike two of the characters, not for their acting, because it is wonderfully good and exceeds in making their characters exactly as unlikable as they were created to be. The relationship between Edith and Mary has so many complex layers and is quite satisfying to watch. I really sympathize with both of them – Mary has such a daunting task that goes against every grain of her personality and poor Edith is always found lacking next to her two absurdly pretty and charming sisters. They both did something that made me shake my head in exasperation – sisters should never fight like that. I see both of their sides and the vindictiveness of their actions – it’s horrid but there is an element of reason to what they do.

This is truly a wonderful show and enormous amounts of fun. It might be somewhat chaste to people who like things constantly bawdy (hey, not judging, I enjoy bawdy fun too), but it is such a lovely experience watching this DownTON Abbey and I can’t wait to get through the rest.:)

June 2, 2015May 29, 2015 by Natasha Categories: Reviews, SeriesTags: Allen Leech, Brendan Coile, Dan Stevens, Elizabeth McGovern, Hugh Bonneville, Jessica Brown Findlay, Jim Carter, Joanne Froggart, Laura Carmichael, Lesley Nichol, Maggie Smith, Michelle Dockery, Phyllis Logan, Rob James-Collier, Rose Leslie, Sophie McShera 3 Comments