JANE EYRE

Romantic drama

PRINCIPAL CAST MEMBERS
Mia Wasikowska: 19-year-old Jane Eyre (pronounced jane air)
Jamie Bell: Reverend St. John Rivers
Holliday Grainger: one of his sisters Diana
Tamzin Merchant: the other sister Mary
Michael Fassbender: wealthy Edward Fairfax Rochester
Judi Dench: his housekeeper Mrs. Fairfax
Romy Settbon Moore: 10-year-old or so Adele

REVIEW
Full disclosure: the story definitely has more appeal to women so keep that in mind when considering the following “unbiased” review.

This latest effort from the BBC Studios proves once again that no one does period drama better than the British in terms of high production values.

However it comes up short in four other areas:
1. The English poet Samuel Taylor Coleridge said that “if a writer could infuse human interest and a semblance of truth into a fantastic tale then likely the reader would suspend judgment concerning the implausibility of the narrative”. Certainly that is a requirement with regard to the romantic aspect of the story. In a word, it does not ring true.
2. The acting is all over the place: Wasikowska and Judi Dench are great, Fassbender does a decent job but Sally Hawkins is rather lacklustre.
3. The film goes on far too long at just over two hours.
4. But worst than that they squandered away a key element as one audience member so succinctly put it “the ending is far too abrupt and not nearly as satisfying as in the original novel by Charlotte Brontë”.

CLASSIFICATION
for some thematic elements including a nude image (it’s a painting for Pete’s sake, why so harsh?) and brief violent content (very brief and not very violent).

LOVE AND SAVAGERY

Drama, romance

F.Y.I.
The Burren (Irish for “great rock”) is a region in northwest County Clare characterised by its distinctive karst topography, the result of the geological process over thousands of years of water dissolving the carbonate limestone bedrock.

PRINCIPAL CAST MEMBERS
Allan Hawco: Canadian geologist Michael McCarthy
Sarah Greene: barmaid Cathleen O'Connell
Macdara O'Fatharta: one of the locals who befriends Michael
Martha Burns: the Mother Superior
Sean Panting: Michael’s pal Wilfred

REVIEW
Right from the onset you know you’re in for a treat: along with the stunning views of the Irish west coast there is the ambient sound that so often gets lost amidst all the other elements of a movie.

And speaking of sound, the musical score is well done too and nicely complements this story of love set in the late ‘60’s, when traditional Irish values had yet to be supplanted by more modern ones.

I loved the pace at which things evolve, very much like real life instead of the all- pervasive hurry-up, frantic, “let’s get to it quick” style.

So if you expect to take in just one movie of this sort this year, make it this one. This film is definitely for the discerning viewer and their patience will be well rewarded with great performances in the telling of an absorbing story.

CLASSIFICATION
for some sexuality and violence.

FOR NITPICKERS ONLY
Cathleen sets her teacup down on a small piece of paper. With each change in camera angle the teacup hops on or off the paper.

ATONEMENT

2008 Best Original Score


Romantic drama

PRINCIPAL CAST MEMBERS
Saoirse Ronan: 13-year old Briony Tallis, an aspiring writer
Kiera Knightley: her older sister Cecilia
James McAvoy: the housekeeper's son Robbie
Patrick Kennedy: Leon Tallis, the older brother
Benedict Cumberbatch: Leon’s wealthy friend Paul
Romola Garai: 18-year old Briony, a nurse in training
Vanessa Redgrave: the much older Briony

REVIEW
Right from the opening scene this period piece is beautifully photographed and nicely edited and so the two-hours do not seem that long. As with all beautifully made films the lighting is bang-on, the costumes are just right, the performances are uniformly excellent. What sets this one apart is the effective use of sound: time and again whether it is the music or the clattering of the typewriter or whatever, what is heard adds an element to the viewing experience that is solely lacking in so many movies.

The technique of replaying scenes first seen from Briony's perspective and then from someone else’s point of view allows us to appreciate how her imagination sometimes distorts things. It is left for us to judge which is real.

CLASSIFICATION
for disturbing war images, language and some sexuality.

FOR NITPICKERS ONLY
 During the summer of 1935 Robbie is laying on his back and sees a bomber fly over. Throughout the 1930s, the Royal Air Force was interested primarily in twin-engine bombers. The first four-engine British bomber made its maiden flight in 1938.
 When Robbie leaves in the black car standing behind Briony quietly watching him go are Leon and Paul. When seen again from Robbie’s point of view Paul is missing.
 The British Expedionary Force fighting in France was manned by volunteers not by conscripted prisioners.
 During her interview on television the Older Briony refers to “the evacuation to Dunkirk”. The evacuation FROM Dunkirk (not TO Dunkirk) by a hastily assembled fleet of seven hundred boats took nine days and saved the lives of some 300,000 soldiers.

P.S.
If they ever give an Academy Award for “the longest takes in filmmaking” the one of the beach at Dunkirk would be a real contender. It must be 3 minutes long.