This section contains scans of DVDs and VHS covers. Its reviews are not written by professionals, but fans. If you're interested in writing a review (without too many spoilers) please send me an email with the review(s) you'd like to submit.
The email address is loucifer67@ themightybean.com
Kristin Battestella has an excellent blog : http://ithinkthereforeireview.blogspot.com/search/label/Sean%20Bean
Here you'll find an extensive archive of new commentaries on books, film, tv, and music-in addition to reprints of older reviews and a few screen captures. If you're looking for more than just a few hundred words on the latest film release, sit back and enjoy browsing through Kristin's TV on DVD reviews, nods to classic books and film analysis, off beat music opinions, and much more!
She gave me kind permission to post the very insightful reviews on the film’s Sean played in that she has archived there. The ones she did for the regular films will be posted here, the Sharpe reviews, will be posted in a new section on Sharpe Heaven.
Black Death Catchy and Good
By Kristin Battestella
It took me awhile to watch the 2010 historical horror thriller Black Death after it finally arrived from Netflix. Well, golly gee, I shouldn’t have waited!
English monk Osmond (Eddie Redmayne) watches the Plague come to his monastery’s doorstep and wonders if he can serve God just as well on the outside with his ladylove Averill (Kimberley Nixon). When zealous knight Ulric (Sean Bean) comes to the monastery on a quest from the Bishop, Osmond takes the opportunity as a sign from God and leaves the Abbott (David Warner). Osmond volunteers to lead Ulric and his men on their mission to a village beyond the marsh. The village, lead by Langiva (Carice van Houten) and Hob (Tim McInnerny) is strangely untouched by the Black Death. Though Ulric insists something foul or unnatural must be at work, young Osmond is not so sure and comes to question his faith, life, death, and God.
Party like its 1348! Director Christopher Smith (Creep, Severance, Triangle) and writer Dario Poloni (Wilderness) get right to it with a non-intrusive opening narration, fear of the plague, and bodies lining the street. The audience remains knee deep in the Dark Ages via emotional characters, lofty concepts, and deadly circumstances. Devout and superstitious ideologies of the time regarding if plaques and pestilences are punishment from God or demonic doings are firmly and intelligently established in what we too simply label as just a little horror film. Although Black Death is indeed styled like a scary quest film; a road trip movie with a rag tag group of warriors traveling far, duking it out, and dying in creative ways just to destroy the bad guys. There’s a bit of humor, too- blaming the plague on the French or going out with some anachronistic defiance and curses. Actually, the camaraderie among our not so merry band reminds me of Neil Marshall’s Centurion. And of course, some of Black Death’s themes can seem like a repeat now thanks to the similar but much maligned Season of the Witch (It’s 6% Rotten, that’s all I’m saying about that Nicholas Cage drivel!) Yes, Ulric and his boys run around and swordfight a lot. However, there’s a dang good story with spiritual depth, fine action and cinematography, and a stylishly spooky setting. What’s not to like? Black Death has some sweet battle fare and some nice shocks and scares. The intriguing spin here is more than the usual burn at the stake fair, which we don’t see all that much anymore anyway. The dialogue is delivered rhythmically and seriously despite talk of demons and necromancers being responsible for the plague. Performance and plot are not at the mercy of the gore, which is the easy norm and quick routine horror trend today.
Well, Sean Bean looks a little Boromir here thanks to our imprinted image of him from Lord of the Rings, sure, and his new stateside success with Game of Thrones certainly contributes. But he’s so dang good at riding in to save the day! Ulric has a job to do and believes God is on his side, and he will do anything to get it done. He tells someone to move out of his way, he moves. Ulric is a great, godly menace, righteous yet unflinching in his gruesome ways. He doesn’t think twice about a mercy killing or ordering the deaths of the ill that jeopardize his mission. Ulric also doesn’t reveal the details of the task at hand until absolutely necessary. Why does he automatically think everything is evil or at the very least, the worst, first? On Ulric’s suspicion alone we think foul things are afoot at the Circle K- and it effing works. But then… well, I can’t give it all away. Suffice to say, I was gasping at the television and covering my mouth, shocked, I tell you, shocked!
Despite Bean’s top billing and prominence on the artwork, Eddie Redmayne’s (The Pillars of the Earth, The Other Boleyn Girl) monk Osmond is the character with which the audience identifies most. His relationship with Kimberley Nixon (Cherrybomb) is believable, yet Osmond also wants to faithfully serve God in any way possible. Redmayne is a pleasant antithesis to Bean- in both stature and philosophy. However, how different are Osmond and Ulric really? Can each be both warrior and priest? Can Ulric be an action man of God laying down his sword for his beliefs? Can Osmond take up violence to save what he believes in? After all, isn’t killing in the name of the Lord still just killing? Is Ulric- believing himself to be sent by God- more religious than Osmond- who started the journey for his own desires? Is it better to hide away in a church and pray or be in the cruel world slaying evil? This is not a religious movie per se, but the questions raised by both men’s ways add an emotional and intelligent dimension to Black Death.
It may take half the movie to meet the supposed necromancer Langiva, but the budding build and fine mystery set off Carice van Houten’s (Valkyrie, Repo Men) eerie performance. Why yes, what is so wrong with a monk loving a woman? Maybe God’s divine love isn’t enough for a man after all. Maybe the plague is punishment from God, not an evil curse like the ruling Christians say. But that is just like the trickery of a witchy woman, isn’t it? Are not these temptations exactly what the too good to be true promises of the devil offer? Do we really merely need miracles or someone in which to believe? Who is on the right side in Black Death? Houten encapsulates all this juiciness perfectly. Likewise, Tim McInnerny (Blackadder) is creepy as Langriva’s would be partner in crime, Hob. John Lynch (In the Name of the Father) also stands out as Wolfstan, the voice of reason among Ulric’s troupe. However, Andy Nyman (Death at a Funeral) as Dalywag, Dutch thespian Tygo Gernandt as Ivo, and Johnny Harris (Whitechapel) as Mold are not only stuck with some really weird names; but they are cut from a little too much of the same cloth. It’s the polite way of saying they are all the same and serve the usual purposes of good swordplay or dramatic death. Does it hamper the film? Not at all- although I would have liked more from David Warner (Doctor Who, Hornblower) as the cranky Abbott instead.
Fortunately, Black Death’s design is almost a player unto itself. The scoring is on form- properly action, but also old school with Latin chants. The music and sound effects know when to be silent just as much as they put the exclamation on the big moments. Though the photography is a little dark in some spots, the video style works as if we the viewers are reporters riding along with the recording equipment. Black Death has a dirty realism- this is not the good old Knights of the Round Table shiny and spectacle fifties flair. The robes, chain mail, cool medieval kirtles and gowns, sweet churches and monastery design go a long way in creating both the lovely medieval we expect and the poor desperation of the time. Langiva is also wonderfully styled in rich red in a picture with an otherwise natural and devoid palette. The German locations- from mountains and forestry to snowscapes- look stunning. Despite its deadly subject matter, Black Death is a beautiful film. It’s both aesthetically pleasing to modern audiences who expect stylized visuals and realistically accurate enough for historical fans.
Of course, there are the obligatory and ridiculous previews on the blu-ray rental copy; but due to some of the darker photography and stunning locations, I can’t imagine seeing this on DVD. Naturally, subtitles are needed for all the wacky names and soft religious debates, too. There are also plenty of features on the blu-ray set, including deleted scenes, cast interviews, making of shorts, and behind the scenes treats. The cut scenes aren’t even the kind that are bad and deleted for a reason. They lengthen the journey and provide more detail about the beliefs and actions of our crack medieval team. At less than 5 minutes, I don’t know why they were excised from the film. It’s also nice to hear the film was shot chronologically to up the tension as they went along. You would think more films would do this and not go out of order- folks acting on meeting each other after they’ve already died and all that- but I digress.
Naturally, this is not a film for kids thanks to the violence, torture, blood, and subject matter. Actually, big surprise, Black Death is kind of a morbid movie, even a little depressing. Slice and dice heavy horror fans might not like the seriousness and debates here. However, old school audiences longing for more truth, realism, and intelligence in their scares can find what they are looking for with Black Death. In some ways, I don’t even want to call this a horror film. This is a thrilling drama with horrific events, yes, but it has equal amounts of both- enough to appease even none horror or historical and mildly gothic fans. Please please please do not let any bitter tastes left from Season of the Witch put you off here. Once again, American theatrical audiences were instead given that p.o.s. when we could have gotten a little Black Death instead. Catch it ASAP.
CA$H Juicy, Dark, and Fun
By Kristin Battestella
Well, I was supposed to go to Home Depot last weekend and buy plants for my garden, but I ended up at the movie theater next door instead. When I saw my local Regal was showing the limited released Sean Bean money fest CA$H, well then I just had to take a little detour on the tomatoes.
Chicago couple Sam (Chris Hensworth) and Leslie (Victoria Profeta) Phelan think fortune has smiled upon them when a suitcase filled with over a half a million dollars literally lands on their station wagon. They pay off their mortgage, buy a Range Rover, and get new furniture-life looks like it’s on the up! Unfortunately, Reese Kubic (Sean Bean) wants his money back. He had to ditch the loot before being arrested by the police, and now the jailed Reese calls in his twin brother Pyke (also Bean) to find the Phelans. Once Pyke finds Sam and Leslie, the obsessively stylized criminal banker isn’t content with what’s in the suitcase. Pyke insists they replace the money that was spent, forcing the once kosher couple into a dangerous life of crime.
Some promotions and trailers are all fast desensitizing blurs of action and effects. CA$H’s trailer, however, actually accurately represents writer and director Stephen Milburn Anderson’s (Dead Man Can’t Dance, South Central) analysis of greed and corruption. Though it’s labeled as a gritty American thriller-which CA$H indeed is- I found the script to be very witty. I dare say this film is meant as a black comedy, satirizing
No, I probably wouldn’t have gone to the theater to see CA$H if Sean Bean (Sharpe, Lord of the Rings, Patriot Games) wasn’t in it. However, if this film earns a nationwide release, American audiences might finally understand why there are such massive Bean followings overseas. It is a little gimmicky that Bean is playing twins, as the imprisoned brother Reese has little to do other than bookend the film by establishing the scenario. It’s somewhat odd that they would go to so much trouble to mullet and tattoo Bean up for only three scenes, but Reese’s contribution to the way things unfold is as critical as it is bemusing. The shaggy hairstyle Bean sports as Pyke also seems a little out of place-such a seriously meticulous and well kempt guy would surely have a more cropped cut. However, the need for Pyke to slick his hair and straighten his tie after some violence is a fine character tick. The attention to Pyke’s style is a great ironic reflection on how appearances can be so deceiving. As Lord of the Rings says, Pyke does look fair and feel fowler. He does yoga, never seems to sleep, is a genius with numbers, and has a thing about drinking directly from the sink tap before roughing someone up. Pyke’s expensive suits and confident style further stress that he’s really a latent sociopath. Would a normal person who could walk away with over a half a million dollars stay and insist on the retrieval of a measly $75,000? The swanky score and suave pop tunes also add a classic edge to Pyke and CA$H itself. We know something badass is about to go down when the lyrics elude it, and likewise the brassy ensembles set the mood when something sexy is onscreen. I was surprised at several mentions of this being Sean Bean’s first lead, but in many ways CA$H is his long overdue American coming out party. His slick dominating presence drives the entire film and pushes all the right buttons onscreen and off. This may even be Sean Bean’s best performance since Lord of the Rings. CA$H proves he’s worth much more than five minutes of Percy Jackson and the Lightning Thief or broad baddies like National Treasure and crap like Crusoe. It’s about ^(&*%#@ time!
I have to say, at first glance to me a lot of these young blonde and buff actors look the same. I tend to confuse the upcoming Thor actor Chris Hemsworth with his Star Trek son Chris Pine and Channing Tatum from that God-awful G.I.Joe: The Rise of Cobra. After CA$H, however, I’ll probably remember Hemsworth can act. His Sam begins as a down on his luck average Joe doing the best he can in a ho-hum life and a stilted marriage. Who can’t relate? When fortune seems to smile on him with a found half a million, who wouldn’t react in the same way? When Pyke comes along however, Sam’s marriage and manhood are called into question. Is he a coward? Is Pyke deliberately pushing him to the edge and calling him out to get what he wants? The desperate changes in Sam are well done from Hemsworth. We see the range of emotion from honesty to anger and even cruelty. CA$H is a great examination of who’s in the right or where the level of crooketry begins and ends. Sam is an upstanding citizen, isn’t he? At what point does he become a criminal, and how far is the point of no return?
Not much has been said of the relatively unknown Victoria Profeta (Push) as Leslie thus far. Although she seems way too stickly and boney thin to me, she does a fine job as the fulcrum between Sam, her husband, and Pyke, their deadly houseguest. Though equality and feminine wiles are discussed between the trio, it is an unusual part-not quite equal to the men and naturally a little kinky between them. Leslie also starts as the honest good girl, but she comes to enjoy the criminal life a little too much. When robbing a convenience store to earn back Pyke’s money, she also proudly takes some Twinkies. After all, what’s a little shoplifting at this point, right? Leslie is more angry and vocal against Pyke then Sam, and he uses the whipped factor against them. Is Leslie more dominant than Sam is? In a truly healthy marriage, wouldn’t there be no dominance? There’s even a hint that Sam doesn’t eat meat because Leslie says so- and Pyke uses all these revelations against her. Though it probably could have been any pretty blonde steaming it up between the boys, Profeta does hold her own amid the sexual angst. Leslie’s eventual- if conflicted- lean towards Pyke further represents how much money can change people-and how quickly. The adrenaline and the power money brings is indeed attractive to her, and oh how green shows a person’s true colors.
There are some violent and action oriented scenes in CA$H of course, as is the nature of a heist film. However, this is not necessarily an action piece. Had this been a big blockbuster American production, we would not have spent half the movie in quiet confined scenes revealing our three characters. A mainstream version would have to have an Ocean’s Eleven culturally balanced ensemble with an elaborate scheme and repeated robberies and chase sequences. CA$H is instead refreshingly filmed in addition to its character piece pace and plot. The
It’s actually been some time since I’ve been to the movies, believe it or not, so I was just as observant of the CA$H theater experience as the movie itself. There were only five other people in the theater, understandable for a warm Friday matinee. However, I found it ironic that with so little people, there was still someone in the theater talking, someone was on a blackberry, and someone else had a baby with him. I don’t really know why someone would bring a baby to sleep through an R rated movie, but the infant was quieter than the talking or the phone! It was also bemusing to see the previews for Robin Hood and Season of the Witch before CA$H. Rumors and wishful thinking earlier attached Bean as being part of Robin Hood, and he is also starring in his own creepy Dark Ages picture Black Death later this year. While European audiences don’t have to wait for these independent films like us Americans often do; after having seen Sean Bean on the big screen, I hope Black Death makes it to a theater near me, too. Of course, the DVD of CA$H is already available overseas- complete with plenty of extras. When the set comes to Region 1, it will certainly be more than my $9 theater ticket. I guess I should start saving my money now!
This gritty yet witty examination of money and power is not for kids of course, thanks to the obligatory blood, sexual innuendo, and F-bombs. However, intelligent crime thriller audiences and fans of the cast will adore CA$H. If you have any preconceived notions about con artist or heist and robbery action films, leave them at the door when you see CA$H. This avant-garde piece will have you examining the way your balance your own check book in addition to some great societal analysis and fine performances. Spend some CA$H and see this one ASAP.
Bean Steals The Hitcher
By Kristin Battestella
Who didn’t love to hate Sean Bean when the English actor first came onto the US radar in 1992’s Patriot Games? Following with another villainous turn in the initial Pierce Brosnan Bond flick Goldeneye (1995), it is no wonder American audiences didn’t begin to appreciate the versatile actor until Bean’s understated performance as the ill-fated Boromir in The Lord of The Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring.
Always popular overseas as Napoleonic hero Richard Sharpe in the British television series of the same name, Sean Bean’s most recent high profile American picture was this winter’s The Hitcher, a remake of the 1986 Rutger Hauer yarn about a psychotic hitchhiker who trails innocents and frames them for his crimes. Directed by famed music video helmsman Dave Meyers, The Hitcher boasts production support from mega action chairman Michael Bay (Armageddon, The Rock) and Matthew Cohan-who also fronted the edgy and popular remakes of The Amityville Horror and The Texas Chainsaw Massacre (as well as the sci-fi flick The Island-also starring Bean).
Unfortunately, The Hitcher failed to further shiver mid January movie going audiences. Incredibly short at under 1 hour 25 minutes, The Hitcher might have been over priced for theaters. Do however, look for the recent DVD release in your video store’s sale bin.
Now back to Sean Bean. Despite being a horror enthusiast, I wouldn’t have picked up The Hitcher for rising stars Sophia Bush or Zachary Knighton. Even cult favorite Neal McDonough (Star Trek: First Contact) was a pleasant surprise, but I won’t kid you-I bought The Hitcher for the 48 year old Bean. Once considered by fans as the most beloved Hauer film, The Hitcher now belongs to Sean Bean.
The Hitcher’s story begins when college cuties Grace Andrews (Bush) and Jim Halsey (Knighton) take off across the American Southwest for Spring Break-in a classic 442 no less. Unfortunately, after encountering seemingly pedestrian hitchhiker John Ryder (Bean), their lives quickly turn to carnage, terror, and high speed pursuit. Ryder initially attacks the couple, but they manage to escape him- only to find he has killed others and is framing them for his rampage. New Mexico State Police Lieutenant Eldridge (McDonough) pursues Grace and Jim-who look more and more like the killers with every turn.
I have to admit, I first though Sophia Bush to be one of President Bush’s daughters! Young starlets are so interchangeable in Hollywood today, and the B horror flick is often where new names perfect their death scene antics. The One Tree Hill star does hold her own here in the otherwise all male cast. Of course she looks the pretty for the part, but Bush carries an untraditional edge and non-blonde bimbo look that fits the ballsy chick here. Nothing against TV guester Zachary Knighton, but his performance was a dime a dozen. Screenwriter Eric Red was smart to turn this version’s focus on Grace-as opposed to the original’s hold on C. Thomas Howell’s Halsey. It’s 2007, yet Knighton’s look harkens back to the nineties grunge and skater style. I didn’t find it attractive then, and I certainly don’t believe this Jim will be the star of Spring Break any time soon. Whether it’s poor skill or by design, here Jim is a limp fish next to Bean’s Ryder.
While not exactly a sex symbol in the US in his day, Bean’s psycho turn here is nonetheless the most attractive thing in The Hitcher. Yes he’s older now, and well, he does have a big nose, but Bean’s command of these college kids is evident from the moment they almost hit him on the road. The complexity of Ryder-who is he? Where does he come from? What does he want?- is more interesting than seeing if Grace and Jim make it. It’s a horror flick-we know someone isn’t going to survive-but in some part of the back of your mind, you want that tawdry ending where Ryder walks off into the sunset to nab another wayward couple.
Although I expected the film to be billed as ‘And Sean Bean as The Hitcher’, he is rightfully given top billing, followed by Sophia Bush. He’s twice her age-old enough to be her father-yet Bean and Bush (hee) have some interesting chemistry onscreen. Maybe as a woman it’s the fear of rape, or perhaps its my one to many viewings of Bean in the steamy Lady Chatterley, but I was routing for physical action between these two for the duration. You can’t have a rugged, mean Bean and a short skirted Bush without some rough potential. Meyer does give the audience a fine balance of hints and foreplay and lots of f-bombed dialogue. Kudos also to whoever decided to give Sheffield born and bred Sean an American accent. Knowing his true and definitely British accent is being hidden here adds to Ryder’s creepiness. If even that isn’t true about Ryder, what else is there lying there, waiting?
While I haven’t seen the Rutger Hauer version of The Hitcher in some time, the 2007 version reminds me more of Stephen Spielberg’s early road rage classic Duel. Bean’s performance is akin to Duel’s crazy and dubious tractor trailer more so than Hauer. For myself, Blade Runner is the creepy Hauer flick and Ladyhawke is my favorite of his films. Hauer’s most iconic moment in The Hitcher, however, now belongs to Sean Bean. The ‘late model black thunderbird’ car chase and shoot ‘em up has even my honey rooting for villainous Bean.
I’m a bit tired of remakes and sequels, and it’s a double edged sword to know The Hitcher is in Matthew Cohan’s line of horror revisits. On one hand, the story is very familiar, but then again, Cohan and his team have seemed to perfect the art of maintaining the best of the original and infusing it with modern filmmaking. The visuals and creative deaths in this Hitcher could not have been done in the eighties. Lighting, however, seems to suffer for Meyer’s fast paced music video style. Sometimes The Hitcher is almost too dark to see anything. Sure maybe it adds to atmosphere or mood, but we want to watch the action in the creepy desert jailhouse. Equally jarring is Meyer’s cuts to outside action. Beautiful open desert shots have even the actors noticeably squinting.
Another place The Hitcher misses more than hits is its somewhat low body count. Indeed perhaps it is even too short for its own horror/car chase genre. Near the end of the film, I found myself missing ensemble horror road trip films- where one by one the nobodys and bimbos are picked off. It might have been interesting to see Grace and Jim with a buddy couple who meets their end courtesy of John Ryder-or perhaps that scenario could have put the film beyond believability. The Hitcher is also partially undone with its over simple dialogue. Some of it is really great-Eldridge’s hick cop banter and Ryder’s ambiguous one liners bring humor and food for thought, but our couple utters too many cries along the lines of ‘What does he want? Why is he doing this?’. Even the bullseye gem ‘I’ll be back in 15 minutes’ makes a cameo.
Although The Hitcher came and went in theaters, I expected the DVD release to have more features than it does. There’s an up close segment on Knighton and his definitive bloodfest scene, plus a detailed behind the scenes look with the complete cast and crew. For fans who want to know the ins and outs of all the car stunts-here it is. I was, however, disappointed with the deleted scenes and alternate ending. Outtakes would have been a real treat, but instead we get four different versions of how one hotel room scene could have gone down. Indeed deleted scenes are usually deleted for a reason, and the way that hotel room scene is finalized in the film is the superior outcome.
The alternate ending was a little over the top for theaters-as the cover promised-but not nearly as extreme as it could have been. The highlight of the features for me was Sophia Bush confessing she was really afraid of Sean Bean!
If you don’t like spooks, cars, and gore, then The Hitcher is not for you. Are there scarier and more gory horror films out there? More serious and hard core action, high speed thrillers? Of course, but you can’t find solid acting and character complexity in Jason X.
Perhaps what is the creepiest thing about The Hitcher is that this kind of road rage can happen and does happen. This film is a must see for Sean Bean fans or Sophia Bush lovers. Perhaps the question is not to purchase this DVD, but rather what would you do if one of the S.B.s was thumbing for a ride on your street?
By Kristin Battestella
After seeing
After leaving her abusive husband, Josey (Charlize Theron, Monster) takes a job
at the Pearson Mines to support her two children, Sammy (Thomas Curtis) and
Karen (Elle Peterson). Her father Hank (Richard Jenkins), also a miner,
disapproves of Joseys job, as do most of the male miners. Union representative
Glory (Frances McDormand, Fargo) tries to keeps the hazing of the new female
minors to a minimum. Unfortunately, Glory cant keep her tough exterior while
her health is failing. Her husband Kyle (Sean Bean)-previously injured at the
mine-must care for Glory. Joseys Mom Alice (Sissy Spacek) offers support where
she can, but after one too many incidents at the mine, Josey turns to ex hockey
star turned lawyer Bill (Woody Harrelson) and takes the first class action
sexual harassment lawsuit to court.
Clearly meant as a vehicle for Charlize Theron, the Oscar
winner gives a fine performance here along with other such female Oscar heavy
weights as Spacek and McDormand. The faults with
Based upon the book by Clara Bingham, this true story about
women fighting back against sexual harassment should be more moving then it
turned out onscreen. After years of courtroom reruns on television, the legal
scenes in
The North Country DVD does have a brief deleted scene reel,
and for once, these pieces should have been left in the film. Several key
conversations between each main cast member were left on the cutting room
floor. Some have dialogue, and some are just lengthy moments between the leads,
but these scenes add some of the depth needed. At exactly two hours,
Men probably wont like this attempted gun-ho womens
picture, but younger folks may not either, largely due to the eighties look of
the film. North Countrys setting is cold
Instead of directing audiences to stand up for themselves and other against
abuse by going to a website, here was another missed chance to get seriously
exhaustive about the issue of filming what is still a touchy subject. How did
Theron prepare? Was it rewarding or difficult for the real victims to see their
tale onscreen? What does the real mining company have to say about all this?
Sadly we just dont know.
Although
Flightplan: The In flight Thriller for Families
By Kristin Battestella
I didnt expect to see the airplane thriller genre to revive
anytime soon after 9/11, but the claustrophobic, understandably turbulent
action offshoot made famous by the likes of Executive Decision and Air Force
One never actually went away. Unfortunately real life events are still forcing
a fictional tone down, but the 2002 Jodi Foster thriller Flightplan embraces
the new less on action, more on brains turnabout.
Flightplan begins with former Engineer Kyle Pratt (Jodi
Foster) preparing for a flight from
While researching for this review, I was surprised to find Jodi Fosters role was intended for Sean Penn. The change is nominal-the masculine first name of Kyle is only mentioned once in the film, and although it would have been intriguing to see a father dealing with the loss of a six year old, the vigilante father theme has been done before. I wouldnt think the role out of Penns range, especially now, as an older subdued actor. For Foster however, the role comes almost too easy. Make no mistake, her performance was spot on, and no doubt about it, this is Jodis film. Her facial realizations, actions, and movements are just right, yet it seems weve seen Foster in this kind of role before with previous hits Little Man Tate and Panic Room. Yet still, she adds her own spin on this near hysterical, yet highly intelligent mother. Panic Room was more action and stunts and about strong women taking control. Here, you would have somehow expected a man to be a propulsion engineer-except Foster plays Pratt as sympathetic, yet always with her wits about her. Not an easy line to walk, and its probably Fosters Oscar winning talent that makes it seem so effortless and nonchalant.
I was impressed with the mostly unknown cast that holds its own with Foster. We see just enough of daughter Julia for the seeds of a realistic relationship, and hey, its a cute kid. Who wants to have her kidnapped, really? Ive not seen Peter Sarsgaard before, but his portrayal of the ambiguous marshal Mike is equally subdued versus Foster. Likewise, Erika Christensen becomes fishy as the lone flight attendant who may be trying to help Foster, as does contentious stewardess Stephanie (Kate Beahan). The dialogue between all is tight and real, including the swift references to Foster simply as Mrs. Pratt. They are all just trying to be so polite!
Kudos to director Robert Schwentke and writers Peter Dowling and Billy Ray for keeping the film multi cultural and languaged. On-plane video and the jets crew are often heard repeating everything thats said in English, German, and French. Making a film like this with an American protagonist and a solely American crew is simply not realistic.
Fortunately, the most obvious antagonist in Flightplan is Sean Bean as Captain Rich. His attempts at sympathy toward Pratt try his patience-and he seems quite the jerk. His flat out questioning of Pratts drinking or medication and labored indulgence of her absurd requests allude to a Twilight Zone feeling. Is there no one on Pratts side? Why does she have such blind faith in the Captains control of the plane? Thinking of his crew and passengers first makes Bean-who is very well known to American audiences for his villainous turns in Patriot Games, Goldeneye, and Dont Say A Word- look like the bad guy. His uppity British tone had a tinge of villainy, but of course, early on you learn that nothing in Flightplan is what it seems.
Flightplan excels in delighting the mind over the action. Weve seen films like Turbulence that pride themselves on how much they can make their prop plane shake, but Pratts knowledge of aeronautics and aviation provide smart set ups and believable in-flight action. The references to the 9/11 attacks are also well played. You cant not mention it or how its change airline procedures. How the crew and passengers react to these restrictions in the unusual situation of having a child onboard go missing is more suspenseful and mind thrilling than losing cabin pressure.
The believability of a child missing on a plane-How many places could there be? Its not like she could leave!- is helped by the ultra slick set of the plane. Lush bars and crew areas, double decker passenger lounges, spacious cockpit. The posh look of the common plane areas is state of the art, and the underbelly sequences are dark, cramped, full of mechanics-very realistic. If you dont know what the innards of a plane look like, you can imagine with Flightplan.
The behind the scenes features on the widescreen DVD are standard enough-and by the way, do get widescreen even if you are still clinging to full screen viewings. The scope of the plane and flying cannot be fully realized with a cropped picture. Schwentke and his team shed light on the featurettes, along with cast interviews, screen tests, and the usually movie magic reveals. What amazes me most about Flightplan is while it does have some potentially scary scenes and the obligatory plane explosions, the film is quite family friendly.
Younger children may be frightened by the kidnapping set up or death talk-especially children that might have recollections of September 11th, but thinking kids 10 and up might enjoy a night in with Flightplan. Enough action, realistic folks to root for, and very little blood or language. Parents beware, however, over a few scenes involving the stereotyping of Arab passengers. I dont suspect that is something even the smartest kid could really understand.
The conclusion of Flightplan, unfortunately, leaves a bit to desire. After showcasing Fosters intelligence, the ending relies on one the the bads cohorts to confess everything. Its also a bit foolish to have Pratt ultimately destroy the evidence that could clear her without the cohorts capture. Still, all parties carry their performances through to the end. Not only carry, but step up as the story unfolds to its inevitable- if potential let down- ending.
But hey, its tough for parents to find a film the whole family can watch. Even if you think your children are too young to understand the finer points of Flightplan, its not the kind of film you have to keep looking your shoulder for while you watch. Let the kids cheer for something-and perhaps get a lesson and some food for thought with the entertainment.
The Dark Good, But Nothing New
By Kristin Battestella
In recent years, this new chick flick styled horror has
sprung up. The Grudge, The Ring, Darkness, and The Dark. This 2005 British
production adds a few new twists to the genre, but doesnt take the next step
in standing out amid such similar films.
After separating from her artist husband James (Sean Bean),
Adelle (Maria Bello) travels to
Okay, so the chick flick horror genre really began with Jamie Lee Curtis and Halloween, but this recent trend of chick horror always has the same key pieces: An American woman in a foreign country with a child somehow involved in said horror. The Dark brings a nice twist with its Welsh mythology, but there isnt much time invested in this notion. Two scenes of the staple talking to the old person who was there and the standard lost journal/internet/microfilm montage set the intrigue but doesnt take what makes The Dark unique far enough.
Maria Bello (A History of Violence, ER) is finely cast as
the not so perfect mother on a quest to find her missing daughter. Shes the
right style; a bit edgy, off her rocker, yet hip, blonde rocker chick.
Likewise I am curious why Sean Bean (The Lord of the Rings) took two so similar parts within a year. Silent Hill and The Dark are very much the same vein, and Bean plays the searching, protective father in both. Odd that he has come down to independent horror features after such success with The Fellowship of the Ring. However, after seeing him in so many villainous roles, it is nice to see the softer side of Bean. (My husband kept suspecting he was someone involved in the evil!) Still, I cant help but chuckle during his scenes with Sophie Stuckey and Abigail Stone. Do these little girls know who he is? Were they afraid of him? Dont they say to never work with kids or dogs?
There is no question, however, about the lovely locations in
The Dark. The stunningly beautiful yet violent and creepy cliffs and oceans
onscreen add to the parental fear of the leads. My goodness how do British
people really live so close to these cliffs without fearing their kids are
going to plummet? This realistic filming adds to the creepiness of the
abattoir. Based upon the novel Sheep by Simon Maginn, the animals are also a
bit freaky; Herds of sheep surrounding folks, looking at people and baa-ing. The
Dark shows promise with these foreign and weird touches, but its not enough.
I suppose the biggest question is this: Is The Dark scary?
First viewing; maybe. Bean and
Outside of a few f-bombs, I dont see why The Dark is rated R. The child torture scenes are mild compared to other films, and the blood and gore isnt heavy. Maybe European audiences prefer the parental struggles and life versus death debates, but us Americans want Blood! Gore! Sex! And we want it Now!
The Dark does nothing wrong, in fact its foreign and mature takes add to the film, not detract. The Dark is good. Ive watched it several times, Id watch it again, and I recommended The Dark to my horror loving husband. Too many similar films and not enough umph unfortunately give The Dark a feeling of déjà vu and familiarity instead of nail biting horror.
Although the dvd only offers one extra-an alternate ending that isnt too shocking-if youre looking for a bit of weird and creepy, The Dark is an affordable show without too much commitment.
National Treasure Neat for Kids
By Kristin Battestella
Capitalizing on its Pirates of the
Acclaimed film veteran Christopher Plummer opens the tale, telling his young
grandson Ben Gates how their family holds a vital clue in finding a vast
treasure brought to the New World by the Knights Templar and protected by Free
Masons from the British. Hidden and since lost from memory, Ben (Nicholas Cage)
spends his adult life searching for the treasure, despite his fathers (Jon
Voight) bitter realization that the treasure is no more than a myth. After the
discovery of a ship buried in the
To stop his former business partner Ian Howe (Sean Bean) from stealing and
destroying the Declaration, Ben and his understudy Riley steal the Declaration
first. After interfering with their plans, historian Abigail Chase (Diane
Kruger) insists on coming along to ensure the protection of the invaluable
document. With Ian and FBI investigator (Harvey Kietel) on their trail, the
trio travels from
The premise of National Treasure is more intelligent that most, but it is
ambitious and not fully executed. Trying to ride the Da Vinci Code tail, National
Treasure resorts to basic exposition on American history with some fantastical
turns tossed in along the way. The script is too broad and witty in the wrong
places. Intellectual teens or history fans will no doubt dig Treasure, but for
smarter adults, the movie doesnt hold many repeat viewings. The first time
around, the Declaration heist,
Often shown on broadcast and basic cable channels, National Treasure is only
worth a second or third view for the cast. Justin Bartha as Riley has most of
the amusing moments as the sarcastic sidekick. His deadpan style is offbeat and
more refreshing than if the role was set up with a blatant laugh track.
Likewise, Nicholas Cage is clearly having fun with the role. The Oscar winner
and action star surely has his pick of material, so after dark pictures like
his award winning turn in Leaving Las Vegas, and more recently Snake Eyes and 8mm,
Cage delivers his historical wit with a lighthearted manner his fans will no
doubt enjoy. Relative newcomer Diane Krueger (
All the secondary characters are under written and not properly showcased- the
talented actors behind them do as much as they can within the script. Krueger
is the pretty but brainy and clearly attracted to Ben, and Harvey Keital (Pulp
Fiction) is the scary FBI agent who really isnt all that scary and in fact
helpful stereotype. Villain veteran Sean Bean (Patriot Games, Goldeneye, Dont
Say A Word) suffers greatly as the clichéd European unobstructed bad guy bent
on acquiring the treasure simply because he can. Beans sublte threats on
Rileys sidekick are some of the better played scenes in the film.
Whether he was made up to look older or was unwell during filming, Jon Voight
does not look well as Patrick Gates. Although the relationship between the
father and son is a big part of National Treasure, the script does little to
add to the oft-told scenario. Voight seems tired as the Old Dad-perhaps that is
his award winning acting range, but for someone who was also once a respected
Historian, Dads left with clichéd phrases and glib remarks. The only thing I
found rewarding in the Voight and Cage duo is that Cage was in Gone in Sixty
Seconds with Voights real life daughter Angelina Jolie and they, of course,
arent speaking to each other.
The scope of National Treasure is also a bit presumptuous for someone who has
grown up in the areas in which the film takes place. Although the Declaration
heist is very vague and undefined in most places, it also gives away real facts
and science. Would the powers that be really let a movie show how to steal the
Declaration of Independence? Likewise, the
Yes, Ive been harsh on National Treasure, and I dont expect you to see it ten
times like I have, but I expected more from a big vehicle backed with a lot of
money and starring Nicholas Cage and Sean Bean. Female fans will most
definitely watch for them, but National Treasure is more for young conspiracy
fans interested on loose coincidences and facts about Benjamin Franklin.
History teachers might benefit from a viewing followed by a fact or fiction
discussion and trip to
National Treasure is available on DVD with some fun extras for the kids, and
the film has been popular enough to warrant a sequel. National Treasure: Book
of Secrets is currently filming. Focusing on the mysterious surrounding The
Lincoln assassination, I dont see how it could top the original if it tries to
stretch its tiny premise against the originals well, national attempts.
More intelligent than The Mummy, and most definitely better than The Scorpion
King, National Treasure is the young mans Indiana Jones. And even then, Id
recommend The Young Indiana Jones Chronicles first, but *they* arent really
available on DVD yet.
Review written by Annbax.
For anyone of you who may or may not have seen this film.I
should like to share a few thoughts about it, after having received the new
version with the director's cuts included.
The Director's Cut version is 187 minutes long and tells a simplified
version of the Trojan War. Here we meet the legendary figures of Greek
mythology, or is it history?Written, perhaps from a spoken tradition in 800BC
by Homer in his epic 'The Illiad', with some additions from the much later
Roman work 'Aeneid' by Virgil.
The extras on this DVD are more about the fighting scenes, the Director's own comments and something of Diana Kruger and Brad Pitt.
This tragic story of death and destruction begins
with Paris, son of Priam, king of
The King of Sparta, seeks the help of his bother the most
powerful of all Greek Kings to rally all the Greek princes to fight for Helen's
return. Agammemnon readily agrees to help his brother for he has long
sought the destruction of
Achilles will only listen to the counsel of one man. A man he respects. That man is Odysseus, King of Ithaca. Odysseus is an extremely intelligent man with the ability to control Achilles and bring him onside.
From this point we have invasions, battles, deaths, arguments, domestic, love
scenes and every type of scene that one would expect from a big budget film
about the destruction and humiliation of a city in the Bronze Age . The
fight scenes are spectacular, the sets and costumes are excellent.
The actresses playing the leading ladies are beautiful and very acceptable in
the roles they are given.
The young male leads were handsome, bronzed and virile. But, in my opinion, it was the older men who gave us the better examples of good acting, inspite of at times a mediocre script. Brian Cox, gave us a fine performance as the omnipotent, meglomaniac Agammemnon. Whilst the legendary Peter O'Toole outshone the Princes of Troy with his performance as the wise, powerful, yet very gentle King Priam. His performance was subtle and most moving especially in the scene where he smuggles himself into the Greek camp to retrieve the body of his son Hector from Achilles.
By the end of this film only one powerful Greek prince is
alive to bury the dead and restore order in burning
It is Sean, who usually spoke the words of wisdom, it is Sean with twinkling eyes and quiet voice that captured scenes.. it is Sean with the still features that with a glance saw a soldier making a toy for his son..It is Sean who put a more humane face on the Greek army.He was the brains behind the brawn.
Review by Annbax
May I be so bold as to introduce you to a modern directors
view of the Tudor monarch King Henry V111?
In this made for TV version we are introduced to a man, with a charismatic and
dominant personality, a second son of a usurper king, a man not intended for
the throne of England, not until his elder brother had died
then his problems
were to begin.
Our story has a brief beginning. The year is 1509, King Henry V11 lies on his
death bed.. His son and heir is sent for
Henry, Prince of Wales, is told that
the most important duty he has to perform is to provide a male heir to the
throne of
We next see the mature Henry some fifteen years later, being told that one of
his mistresses has borne him a son
yet his wife, who has miscarried several
children has only produced one living child; a daughter. In Henrys mind the
problem lies in breaking church rules and marrying his brothers wife. The only
solution is to divorce Catherine and marry his new love Anne Boleyn.
Enter Cardinal Wolsey, the senior cleric of
This story concentrates on Henrys marital problems and the issues unleashed.
We see powerful families such as the Howards and the Seymours conspiring to
enhance their court positions by promoting their own female members to the
kings attention, or trying to destroy their rivals with intrigues, real or
imagined.
We see Protestants versus Catholics as they fight for the kings ear.. We see
rebellion, treason and executions. We see the King reforming the church in
This is a true story.. Not a fictional tale
It is a splendid piece of TV dramatisation.. The sets are atmospheric and the
costumes splendid. The language and concepts are contemporary as the story has
power and meaning today. A splendid cast was put together. David Suchet is the
powerful and autocratic Cardinal Wolsey, Mark Strong is excellent as the
scheming Thomas Howard, Duke of
Ray Winston puts in a stunning performance of the driven Henry.. A powerful and
volatile man.. Yet a vulnerable man, who is never quite sure if his wives love
him as a man.. And driven by his perceived need to have a legitimate son and
heir.. We see him disintegrate after the death of Jane
a man not to be crossed
a man who would execute a wife or a failed courtier or traitor almost on a
whim.
And what of Sean.. He plays the soldier and lawyer Robert Aske.. A man who
fought with his king, a devout man, who sees the horror and suffering caused by
the suppression and destruction of the monasteries. A man who leads from the
front some 50,00 men from the North of England to try to stop the destruction.
He plays a caring and confident man who is a formidable enemy, shocked ,
sickened and angry at the destruction he sees. Here Sean gives us a passionate
performance of a
Aske a courageous, intelligent, articulate man of letters and action. On a
doomed mission!
Henry VIII Fine Television Production
By Kristin Battestella
Ive always had an interest in history and British monarchy, even before this
recent resurgence with The Tudors and The Other Boleyn Girl. I like the former
greatly and heartily dislike the ladder. So I took a chance on the 2003 British
television production Henry VIII. The Verdict? Praise.
When Henry VIII (Ray Winstone) becomes the King of England, he quickly becomes
obsessed with securing a male heir. Bastard sons and daughter Princess Mary
will not do, despite the continued prayers from her mother, Queen Katherine of
Aragon (Assumpta Serna). When Anne Boleyn (Helena Bonham Carter) comes to
court, Henry is quickly smitten. He goes against the Pope and seeks to divorce
his wife, forever dividing
Henry VIII is more historically accurate than the recent youthful, sexy Tudor
adaptations. Its focus on Henry leaves some history and persons by the wayside,
but this tight style allows for more soul searching on the monarchs part. The
limited hours, however, speed the storyline up greatly. The treasonous Duke of
Buckingham is dealt with very quickly, and in brutal action sequences rather
than political talks and trials. Likewise, the jousts are brief, but loud and vicious.
The costumes, sets, looks and locales are all authentic and charming. Expenses
onscreen were not spared, thankfully, though the candlelight and colors seem
old world and saturated somehow- not as vibrant as those other shows. However,
this fits the castle sets and historical locations.
It is unfortunately tough to tell who is who at court, and the names and titles
of all the dukes and graces are not always given in Henry VIII. The Reformation
is also thrust to the viewer very suddenly with secret meetings and more people
that youre not sure who is who. I appreciate the respect the audience is
given; assuming we are all educated enough to know the back story of Mary
Boleyn, The Reformation, and Queen Katherine of Aragons marriage to Henrys
ill brother Arthur. I do fear that this also makes Henry VIII too highbrow for
the casual, young viewer.
Normally I adore Helena Bonham Carter (The Wings of the Dove, Harry Potter,
Howards End, Sweeney Todd), but it seems Im alone in feeling she is miscast
here as Anne Boleyn. She doesnt seem naturally pretty enough to charm the king
and is far too fresh and even bitchy towards Henry. She also turns from hating
him to infatuation to love far too quickly, and then were supposed to feel
happy for her when she becomes Queen. It is then, somehow pleasing, to see her
dramatic trial and subsequent dicey disposal.
Ray Winstone (Beowulf, King Arthur) is not a heartthrob like those other King
Henrys weve recently seen, but his hefty look and booming voice are more in
keeping with the historical Henry we dramatize so much. His early devotion to
Queen Katherine is beautiful and well played, unlike his obsessed letters and
shout outs over Anne Boleyn. He doesnt feel as charming when chasing after
Anne, and after this queenly switcheroo, I dont feel sorry for Henry when
Elizabeth is born-instead of the son he so eagerly desires. I like the older
King who wants a son to secure his lineage, not the lovesick horny guy chasing
a woman whose sister he has already gotten pregnant.
Assumpta Serna (Sharpe) is a delight as Katherine of Aragon. Shes a bit too humble and overly devout, but her Spanish authenticity is wonderful. I think she is also made up to look older and uglier than she is, but we see too little of her nonetheless. Cardinal Wosley (David Suchet, Poirot), Thomas Cromwell (Danny Webb, Doctor Who), and the Duke of Norfolk (Mark Strong, Sharpe) also seem wasted in this first part. Jane Seymour (Emilia Fox, Silent Witness) concludes the wives showcased in part 1 of Henry VIII, but again her plainness doesnt seem worthy of the king.
Director Pete Travis (Endgame) and scriptwriter Peter Morgan (The Other Boleyn
Girl, The Queen, Frost/Nixon) blend tight, old fashioned dialogue with swift
action, and the music from veteran composer Robert Lane (Merlin) compliments
the screen with period authenticity and classic score. While Im glad this
series is available on DVD, there are no features and subtitles on disc 1.
Despite the talented (but misused) cast, the rushed time and limited length
hinder Henry VIII. Fine production values and a strong performance from
Winstone, however, make the show. I am to say the least, eager for Part 2.
Now that second wife Anne Boleyn (Helena Bonham Carter) has been beheaded, King
Henry VIII (Ray Winstone) has found brief happiness-and a son- with Jane
Seymour (Emilia Fox). Unfortunately Catholic revolts led by soldier Robert Aske
(Sean Bean) cause trouble for the King, as does the marital meddling of Thomas
Cromwell (Danny Webb) and the Duke of Norfolk (Mark Strong).
Ray Winstone is still on form as the King torn between love, the church, wives,
and betrayal for part 2 of Henry VIII. We have brief moments of a mournful,
reflective Henry, but were also treated to an equally deceptive, ambitious,
and gluttoness ruler. Its not uneven acting on Winstones part; Henry VIII was
just that messed up. In fact, Winstones soft, gentile style mixed with his
boisterous body and voice bring life into that famous portrait we spend so much
time dramatizing.
All right, I cant help myself, so I may as well get to it. I adored Sean
Beans appearance as
Unfortunately, Jane Seymour (Emilia Fox) comes and goes too quickly in Henry
VIII. Understandable in the scope of history, but Henrys infatuation with her
is definitely rushed in comparison with all the romance given to Anne Boleyn.
Likewise Anne of Cleeves (Pia Girard) comes and goes in only a handful of
minutes, and it is again tough to tell who is who as Henrys court changes with
his wives. Thankfully, theres a bit more time spent on Catherine Howard (Emily
Blunt, The Devil Wears Prada). Ray Winstone is considerably made up and aged
for the film, so it is bizarre to see the bearded and hefty King with the
beautiful teenager Catherine. We know this odd pair will not end well. And of
course, we conclude with Catherine Parr (Clare Holman, Blood Diamond)-the lucky
one in the school phrase Divorced, beheaded, died, divorced, beheaded,
survived.
The final fifteen minutes of Henry VIII gives us a wonderful deathbed sequence
from Winstone, and of course, the obligatory fates of his children Edward,
Mary, and
Despite its lack of subtitles, disc 2 of Henry VIII fortunately has a thirty
minute behind the scenes feature with reflections on history and drama from Ray
Winstone, Helena Bonham Carter, Assumpta Serna, and Sean Bean. Henry VIII does
pack a lot in its two parts-maybe too much- but it is historically accurate for
the most part. Theres a bit of blood and violence amid all the old speaketh,
but nothing too disturbing for todays audiences. Where The Tudors and The
Other Boleyn Girl are not for the young as well as old, teachers might enjoy a
classroom showing of Henry VIII. Without all the sex and R rated romance, Henry
VIII is also just right for parents wishing to give young folks some education.
It has no doubt already been studied and dissected by Tudor aficionados. Fans
of the cast will also enjoy. Buy or rent Henry VIII for a night of family
history for you and yours. Off with her head!
Review written by Annbax.
Baker is a small town in the middle of a vast desert.. a busy highway cuts
through the town, which seems to be there for the sole purpose of aiding any
traveller. The local ladies, seem pretty and very pleasant, but the local
resident males are a little strange... there is Elroy the night manager, who
knows John is to meet Cowboy, there is Dan, concerned about the trains coming
through and there is the violent, psychotic Randy, who is obsessed with Ruthy.
Ruthy is a young lady bored with Baker. She is the adopted daughter of Stella,
who runs the local bar. Meeting these locals has a profound effect on John's
stay in this isolated community. It is his adventures and interaction with them
that results in him constantly missing Cowboy. Cowboy leaves messages
telling him to wait for him. The locals know Cowboy and each one describes him
in ever more sinister terms.. is this man to be trusted?
Meanwhile John has learned that Neely, his neighbour was murdered and
decapitated... the FBI are on his trail and looking for a man in black driving
a recreational vehicle known as an RV. Besides the blue suitcase, Cowboy has
left a blue bowling ball bag for John to keep. The FBI agent finally catches up
with John and leaves after questioning him. Finally, after many adventures with
the eccentric locals,out in the mysterious desert, John rendezvous with Cowboy,
who rescues him from a awkward situation in the nick of time.
What does John see? A man in black, wearing a black stetson, a long duster
coat, cowboy boots and driving an RV. Is this man a killer?
He is soft spoken, with a strange accent. He is handsome with piercing
blue eyes. He is quietly efficient and comanding, a man of intrigue and
adventure. Candy, the local 'lady of the night', had described him as
being a little scary and strange, yet he had paid her well and she had not been
harmed. John is given more blue cases and told to head for the desert in
the night....I shall say no more.
There are many questions, but few answers... one question is why blue?
What do the cases contain and why band-aids? Is the government involved?
The plot thickens...Take care when you are planning a trip!
I rather enjoyed this quirky little film. It was the directorial debut for Steven Anderson, who also wrote the script. He was a former cameraman, with the result that the photography and lighting are excellent. The desert scenery is also quite a stunning backdrop. The cast I thought was excellent. Kelsey Grammer played the cameo role of FBI Agent Banks. Daryl Hannah played the pragmatic and sensible bar owner Stella. My favourite Canadian actor, Adam Beach was excellent as the deeply disturbed lover Randy. John Person the actor was played by the actor/director Jon Favreau. I enjoyed his performance, but they were all very keen to work with Sean.
Again this man can dominate a scene, by just standing there in the
shadows. He smiled and you were left wondering if his thoughts were good
or evil. His voice was soft and displayed American language idioms
rendered with a hint of
Needless to say he looked magnificent in the dress of the 'bad guy' of the old
west.
I should like to add that the DVD had many extras. This included comments on
the making of the movie. Here the director and members of the cast passed
comments on their roles and the production in general. Sean again gave us
some positive thoughts on the new director and his role in the film. What
I found interesting were the cut or alternative scenes. I was annoyed
with the directors comments that some scenes were cut to ensure the movie lasted
ninety minutes. Some scenes should, in my opinion been left in. Many
included Sean's work. The director commented that Sean's acting was fabulous..
he was able to convey magnetism, mystery and aura.. some of his best
performances cut to save time.. or to shock us later. Why waste
talent? Why insult your audience by thinking that ninety minutes is long
enough?There was an alternative ending rejected for Cowboy would have been the
dominant character.
Review written by Annbax.
It is a cold,dark, snowy scene.. a large gaunt building is infront of our eyes and a small boy hides in the shadows.. he watches two men carrying a large bundle into a van, guarded by a large black and tan dog! He is spotted and chased by the huge, vicious animal...the dog is almost upon him.
Next we see a small boy woken from a disturbing dream.. he wraps himself inside his duvet and leaves his bedroom to find his father. A father concerned that his son is having nightmares about his invisible friend Tom. Soon we are aware that this film is the story of two boys or is it?
Thomas is a child with only one parent remaining to guide and guard him.
Thomas knows that he was adopted and that his mother is now dead. He lives with his father, an artist in a studio flat in
To add to the problem Thomas is being bullied at school and his grades are suffering as is his behaviour. Paul Sheppard, Thomas's father is called into school by a concerned teacher. Something has to be done.. the social worker suggests sending the child to boarding school. Paul manages to secure some money and at least treats the child to a birthday party and a trip to the space museum. They make a new friend Celia the pilot, who lives in the flat below.. Things begin to be improving for them both.
Interspersed between this story we see the life being led by Tom, a child being brought up in an institution, from which a number of children seem to have disappeared in sinister circumstances. A place where children can be bullied, beaten and forgotten about.. Tom runs away and the adventure really begins. From then on the pace quickens.. there are sinister plots, criminal activity and funny happenings...culminating in police chases and excitement on an aeroplane!
This film is delightful.. it examines the life of children and their issues and problems, as well as the stresses they too encounter. It is set in the weeks before Christmas a delightful time for some families and children.. Yet it does deal with darker issues such as loss and fear of the unknown, in both child and adult.
This is a Dutch production dating from 2002. The well balanced script was written by Esme Lammers, who also directed the film. The extras on the DVD are excellent including interviews with Esme, Sean and Aaron. The cinematography uses the classic views of
In his interview Sean explains why he was attracted to the part and how much he enjoyed a break from the hard action men that he usually is in movies. Here he plays a man struggling to come to terms with the loss of his wife, a man with a son with problems at home and at school, both of whom are lonely and feel a little isolated. A man who seeks to help his child, often he is puzzled, sometimes amused, often despairing and always kind and loving. A man who does the shopping and takes the dog for a walk and warns his child to take care going to school. He is a very warm, very human man.. a man you can have empathy with. What a delightful performance this man gives us. We see a brilliant actor not afraid to work with children and animals.. and still able to dominate the screen.
I hope that if you are lucky enough to find this movie on DVD or TV screen you may wish to view it. If I told you more I would give the game away!!!!
Tom & Thomas A Darling Little Film
By Kristin Battestella
This 2002 family drama from Dutch director Esme Lammers was actually recommended to me a few years ago. Now that the DVD is available stateside, I was finally able to take a peak at Tom & Thomas- and it’s a charming and thoughtful little caper.
Thomas (Aaron Johnson) and his adoptive father Paul (Sean Bean) are doing all right, despite the passing of Paul’s wife Laura and the usual trouble of bills and keeping the flat tidy. Thomas, however, still dreams of his imaginary friend Tom (also Johnson), who is stuck in a cruel orphanage where he is whipped by handyman Finch (Bill Stewart). Thomas begins having trouble at school himself, with falling grades and bullying thanks to strange sensations and pains when something bad happens to Tom. For unbeknownst to Thomas, Tom is a real boy who escapes his institution for the streets of
Naturally, Tom & Thomas begins with a little confusion as to which boy is which and which is even real. However, Esme Lammers (Amazones) and scriptwriter Jim Davies (Casualty) establish the latent but intimate connections between the twins, and the happy circumstance of one boy versus the unfortunate situation of the other quickly ingratiates the audience. The swift editing clarifies which child is which, leaving just enough ambiguity and speculation about what’s really going on. Lammers carefully moves us through these concurrent but separate stories, keeping us vested in each as we move to their inevitable convergence. The story is on one hand, predictable and what we expect in a separated at birth country mouse and city mouse style. However, scary real world turns keep Tom & Thomas intense-perhaps even a little too menacing or more visually sinister than the 10 and under target audience usually sees. Thankfully, the charming, heartwarming, and relatable tale keeps up the interest and suspense from beginning to end.
In all the Sean Bean films I’ve seen, I don’t think I’ve ever seen him portray such a lovable father and wholesome family gent. Paul’s a poor painter thanks to his hang up of only painting his late wife; but he’s doing right by Thomas, and the role change towards this kindhearted widower is wonderfully welcome after so many action oriented and villainous parts. Bean’s only other father figure roles from the horror flicks The Dark and Silent Hill and the class action lawsuit vehicle
Inday Ba (Casualty) is also delightful as Celia Scofield, Thomas and Paul’s new downstairs neighbor. Nothing is made of any racial issues in her budding romance with Paul, and any romantic strides come after she has befriended Thomas over their mutual love of piloting and spaceflight. Celia and Thomas’ relationship comes first, keeping the storylines charming and innocent. Right off the bat, we know there is nothing creepy in their friendship-unlike the nasty adults at Tom’s school. This was simply a wonderful piece of casting and performance-an ethnic, mature, professional Celia can be intelligent, a sassy pilot, and an independent woman whilst still taking time to play video games with a nine year old. Upon my research, I’m sorry to find that Ba has passed away too young and too soon. Her adult and mature example of being true to oneself and following one’s dreams is portrayed as inspiration, and rightfully so.
Yes, the villains are a little stereotypical, but Bill Stewart (A Touch of Frost, Richard II) and Derek de Lint (
Aaron Johnson (Nearly Famous, Kick Ass) and stand in Ryan Nelson (White Teeth) do wonders as the titular boys. For being so young and inexperienced at the time, Johnson subtly crafts different styles and mannerisms for Tom and Thomas. At first, it’s easy to differentiate the boys by location and clothing, but once they dress the same, we still know who is who thanks to smartly placed vocalization and personality. Not only does Johnson give each boy different charm with Bean, but you can’t help but love both boys’ social quirks. Yes, it’s the same actor, but we do think of Tom and Thomas as two different boys, each with youthful wishes and dreams that deserve to be fulfilled. I should rant about the
Of course, Americans might not like the assorted British accents or the
Yes, this DVD has until recently been very elusive. Fortunately, Tom & Thomas’ bare bones set is available online for purchase or rent from Netflix. The English subtitles probably go a long way for children not used to the accents; but other than a few onscreen dangers and suspense, there’s nothing here to deter a family viewing. Tom & Thomas has all the cuteness, charm, and simplicity for young and old to enjoy.
Don’t Say A Word Speaks Too Little
By Kristin Battestella
Maybe you’ve seen 2001’s Don’t Say A Word. Perhaps you don’t like thrillers or find Michael Douglas past his Fatal Attraction prime. You do, however, know one thing about director Gary Fleder’s tale: “I’ll never tell.”
I’m sure you know someone who imitates Brittany Murphy’s haunting chirp; perhaps you do a good one yourself. Don’t Say A Word is much more than a Murphy romp, but its not as much as it could be.
Michael Douglas (Wall Street) leads a fine cast as Dr. Nathan Conrad, a psychiatrist with a flare for helping troubled young folk. His wife Aggie (Famke Janssen, X-Men) is laid up at the Conrad’s posh townhouse with a broken leg and daughter Jessie (Skye McCole Bartusiak, 24). All seems just peachy until Dr. Conrad receives an emergency call on Thanksgiving Eve. Dr. Louis Sachs (Oliver Platt, The West Wing) needs Nathan’s insights on a new patient, Elisabeth Burrows (Brittany Murphy,
Based on the novel by Andrew Klavan with a screenplay from Anthony Peckham and Patrick Smith Kelly (A Perfect Murder), Don’t Say A Word certainly has an intriguing premise. The opening robbery scene and subsequent patient and family sets establish who everyone is and what is happening. The suspense and food for thought comes in the unanswered why. How did Koster come to Nathan? What is the number? The direction from Fleder (Kiss the Girls) and the performances onscreen are realistic and well played. It’s tough to have an action opening followed by seemingly random looks into a
Michael Douglas is on form as the sympathetic yet intelligent Dr. Conrad. At first we might find him uppity and smug-Nathan has left the down trodden psychiatric hospital for uptown and lucrative psychiatry. Oddly enough, you are rooting more for the opening heist. You want the double cross on Koster to succeed. Seeing how Dr. Conrad and his family get caught in Koster’s revenge scheme instantly makes the determined father likeable.
Perhaps more intriguing is Famke Janssen as Aggie, the bed bound wife. When Koster is spying on her and carrying on glib phone conversations, you feel every bit for Aggie’s pain, helplessness, and fear for herself and her abducted daughter. It’s bemusing to see Janssen and Sean Bean on opposite sides since they were so delicious as the evil duo in Goldeneye. The turnabout makes Koster seem even more dubious, and you really want Aggie to do something about it. But what can she do? Not just a pretty face, Janssen sells what could be very claustrophobic and still scenes with real tears, intense stares, angry fidgets, and subtle movements. Untraditional camera angles also work in Aggie’s storyline. She may not move, but the camera does. Likewise the cuts to Sean Bean as Koster on the phone expand Aggie’s space.
Often typecast as the villain courtesy of his vile roles in Patriot Games and Essex Boys, Bean is creepy as ever in Don’t Say A Word. We’ve seen his villainy before, but American audiences may not be as familiar with Bean’s voice, unlike his popular narration, commercial, and voice over work in the
Strangely, Brittany Murphy doesn’t have much to do beyond the ticks and chants of the stereotypical crazy person on film. Bartusiak’s Jessie is cute enough, but the strength of these characters is raised by the three leads. The Conrads want their daughter, Nathan reaches out to Elisabeth like a father to a daughter, and both the younger girls are very important to Koster and his schemes.
I would like to have seen more of the authorities’ storyline. Jennifer Esposito’s Detective Cassidy is always one step behind. It’s a shame her scenes aren’t given more weight to parallel the main focuses. Yes, another thread to conclude may not always be a good thing, but somewhere halfway through Don’t Say A Word, things get a little obvious. The intelligent layers peel down to other stereotypical themes. It turns out Elisabeth isn’t all that troubled after all, everyone has their rah rah moment and then it’s time to move onto Thanksgiving Dinner. For all the fine performances and mature set up in Don’t Say A Word, the end wraps up almost too nicely. I liked Don’t Say A Word and am still recommending it to intelligent audiences, but intrigued viewers must look to the dvd features for more in depth scenes and analysis. Cast and director commentaries, storyboards, and deleted scenes give some fulfillment.
Don’t Say A Word is an intelligent and well acted film when such movies are tough to find. Repeat watching may not be in the cards, but any thinking person audience should tune in.
By Kristin Battestella
I heard the Goodfellas comparison when I first discovered
the 2000 British crime thriller Essex Boys. I didnt think it possible. Nothing
compares to Goodfellas, not even The Godfather III. With a fine cast, brutal
violence, and a twisted story based on factual events, Essex Boys is indeed the
height of English gangster flicks.
When Jason Locke (Sean Bean) is released from his five year
prison term, he quickly returns to his criminal ways. Unfortunately, his drug
dealing crew has moved up the crime and social ladders without him. His abused
wife Lisa (Alex Kingston) in tow, Locke assembles a new dealing crew and
product by threatening former prison compatriot John Dyke (Tom Wilkinson).
Lockes driver Billy (Charlie Creed-Miles) ends up cleaning one mess after
another, and soon neither he nor Jason can escape the vile twists and turns of
crime in
Now, as much as women go gaga over rough and tumble Sean Bean (Goldeneye, The Fellowship of the Ring), his performance as Jason Locke is not for everyone. He has the range and talent for a wide variety of roles, but we must admit that Bean does villains best. After spending years on television as Napoleonic hero Sharpe, Bean went to extremes here to revitalize his vile film persona. His acid loving, drug using, rapacious-wife beating-crook is so lush and detailed and spot on that it can really put off even the most Bean inclined viewer. Locke drinks and goes crazy, but has a mastery of weapons, women, and brutality. Its a strong, heavy role thats sick and sexy in its own way. Thoughts that Bean must have gone to a very dark acting place to achieve this grit are never far behind in Essex Boys. Most actors could not- or would not- say or do some of the things portrayed here. Even my Dad (who wont watch Sharpe because he cant picture Bean as a good guy) agrees that this is one of Beans hardest hitting performances among his plethora of villains.
Alex Kingston is not a traditional beauty to me, and that
serves her well here. There arent many strong roles for older women in the
Ive seen Tom Wilkinson in a variety of roles, from The Full Monty to The Patriot. He continually surprises me with his talent and mix of humor and drama. Wilkinson has plenty of films to his credit, but I wish he did more stateside. Its great to see him and Sean Bean onscreen together, even if its a violent, uneasy alliance between the two. There is a bit of dark humor in Essex Boys, but its so sardonic and even disturbing that it would actually not be funny if it werent for Wilkinsons charm.
Amid all this crime and betrayal, Charlie Creed-Miles (The Power and the Passion of Charles II) Billy is the perfect everyman. Hes just trying to make some money and keep his girl, but he quickly sinks into an inescapable life once he meets Jason Locke. The audience can relate to Billy, yet we can see how he changes through the course of the film. Hes a little stupid or at least naïve to start, but by the end of the film, Billy knows all the criminal ins and outs. Holly Davidson (Causality-but more famously known as Sadie Frosts sister) also does well in a relatively small but critical role as the object of Jason Lockes bizarre affections. The cast is quite well rounded; and although were lead to believe Sean Bean is the star, nothing in Essex Boys is truly what it seems.
While Essex Boys has fine action sequences, shoot outs, and
chases to supplement its intricate plot and storyline, the look of the film,
is, well, less than stellar. Terry Winsor keeps his film dark, with a mostly
dull palette but for some very bad clothes and set dressings. In some ways, the
Essex Boys is certainly not for everyone. Tweens under fifteen should stay far away, and folks who dont like British accents will most likely hate such thick dialects and regional speech. I must stress, however, that one should not let the Englishness of Essex Boys deter one from this great movie. My bare bones dvd doesnt have much, but it does have subtitles! Fans looking for grit and action and sex will find it all in Essex Boys. If you love any of the cast or love crime thrillers, Essex Boys is an affordable must for your collection.
Review written by Annbax.
On many occassions I am drawn back to watching this fast
paced thriller over and over again.
This made for TV cliff hanger was screened on British TV in 1999 and
stars Sean in the multi-layered role of Neil Byrne, a role especially written
for this fabulously talented actor.
The scene is set with a speeding train heading into
The secondary theme in this thriller seems to revolve around a group of
middle-aged business people, who appear to be financiers and property
developers, but as you listen to their conversations you find that there is
more than a hint of organised crime, murder and corruption. They are certainly
hunting the convicted man as much as the police. Whilst he , in turn , seems to
be searching for them! Who is this Man?
Whilst all this action is taking place, another murder happens and it is linked
to the escapee. A man from the Taxi company is abducted and beaten.. he
too knows Spanish John and the police are closing in!
Throughout all this well directed, tightly scripted and stunningly photographed
film we see Sean in the role of Neil Byrne, a resourceful, clever, skillful
man, with some electronic know how and certainly skilled in survival techniques
and self defense. We see him as a man haunted by a dead wife and child; a
man searching for answers; a man who uses violence as a last resort; a man
hunted by gangsters and corrupt policemen and others from more shadowy areas..
a man convicted of murder..trying to make sense of it all and seek justice for
himself and his family.
The acting from all involved in this project was first rate and there was not a
weakness even in the more minor roles. All of which was enhanced by a good
script and excellent direction.Sean's performance was electrifying. There were
moments when he was cool and calm and calculating, moments of toughness,
moments of grief and joy, moments of fear and despair... the complete aspects
of the entire human condition was portrayed by him in voice, body language and
appearance.
My first impression of this movie is that it was an extention of the film 'The
Fugitive', but the story line is stronger, with far more twists and
turns. This is a film I recommend to all who admire
Sean. Enjoy it!
Eerily Disturbing and Necessary Bravo Two Zero
By Kristin Battestella
Alright I confess, I was initially interested in the 1999
war drama Bravo Two Zero because of its star Sean Bean. This disturbing Gulf
War film-based on the book by Andy McNab- however, transcends star power with
its grit and scary realism.
SAS Sergeant Andy McNab (Bean) must take his team into
Theres really no way around spoilers this time I suppose.
Since he wrote a book based on his experiences, we know McNab survives his
ordeal, and if we know he gets captured, then we also know the happy go luckily
opening of the film will soon turn grim. In Bravo Two Zero, however, its not
knowing what happens or why it happens, but the arduous getting there is how
this film gets you. Knowing the mission will go downhill, knowing the team
doesnt make it to safety, knowing the torture McNab endures-these things are
disturbing and so gut wrenching to us because these arent things we civilians
are supposed to know. War is grand and heroic! Pretty uniforms and lots of
medals, right? Bravo Two Zero begs to differ. Well known in print and on screen
across the pond, Im surprised Bravo Two Zero has received so little attention
in the
The supporting cast is in fine fashion, even though I have
no idea who most of them are. This support behind Bean looks the part of the
banged up career soldier. None of them start off pretty, and they certainly
dont end up pretty. Likewise, McNabs captors look and sound authentically
Naturally, this film is not for the faint of heart. While perhaps worthwhile in high school classrooms for viewing and discussion, Bravo Two Zero has extensive torture scenes that should not be viewed by the squeamish, children, or anyone with post traumatic stress disorder. Shedding light on the underground of war is important, yes, but no less easy to stomach.
Of course if you dont like Sean Bean, you might not like Bravo Two Zero-although any naysayer of the oft villain from Patriot Games and Goldeneye might be pleasantly surprised at the tour de force portrayal given here. Hes popular for his rugged good looks and bad ass personas, but its very easy to root for Bean during this two hours of abuse and dirty shame endured by McNab. Its astonishing the pain McNab endures-mentally and physically. The things done to him; the things he made to do. Bean displays the strength and courage that the real life McNab clung to in order to survive. In my viewings, there are times Im amazed McNab survived all he did. Beans by no means a glamorous actor, but I cant see Orlando Bloom being hosed down in a torture scene. Theres nudity yes and veiled sexual content, but if youre looking for the sexy loverboy Bean, you wont find him here. Im surprised Bean received no accolades or awards for Bravo Two Zero. Indeed die hard fans of the Beanster may find this simulated torture too tough to watch, but his acting chops shine through.
Contrary to my husbands beliefs, I dont buy every Sean
Bean movie. I do have to be interested in the subject matter, you know. What
struck me about Bravo Two Zero was its real life story stemming from the First
Gulf War. Not many Gulf War pictures seem to be made. Three Kings with George
Clooneys side war story of gold? Courage Under Fires brief segments of female
war action? Black Hawk Down captures the military mistakes of the time with
clarity not seen since Platoon, but its about the
Bravo Two Zero is on the one hand very nineties. The music, the style, the clothes; and very British as well, in slang and feel. Viewing director Tom Cleggs (Sharpe) vision today is, however, eerie and all too familiar at the same time. If Saddam Hussein was not referred to in the present tense during the films news footage, the audience could swear this is a tale from our contemporary action in the Gulf. Its a little frightening to realize these things happened then, they are most likely still happening now, and since these last two wars have not shown us the error of our ways, it will probably happen again.
Despite its ruthlessness, Sean Bean fans will no doubt tune in to Bravo Two Zero. Action and war movies fans should also take a gander. Theres plenty of background material and debate on McNab to follow up with as well. It certainly isnt pretty but Bravo Two Zero tells an important tale of grit and modern warfare. Pick up this necessary and affordable DVD today.
Review written by Annbax.
This drama-documentary format was again a BBC production,
directed by Tom Clegg, a gentleman who knows all to well the acting skills of
the star Sean Bean, for he is the man who had directed all fifteen
episodes of 'Sharpe'.
But this film is about the trials and tribulations of a group of British SAS
soldiers, who are airlifted deep into Iraqi territory to find mobile scud
launching platforms and to destroy their communications network.
We are introduced to the team as they, dressed in civilian clothing say
farewell to their wives, partners and children. They appear to be a bunch
or ordinary men just leaving for a day's work. When they arrive in Saudi,
they are dressed in desert camaflauge, they sleep in makeshift accommadation in
a storage hangar.. they are short of essential equipment and have to scrounge
it from other military units. They spend some moments writing letters to
their loved ones incase they do not return. From this , all too brief poignant
moment , they are airlifted into the desert, each man carrying more than
his body weight on their backs.
The next section of this film revolves around failures.. radios that do not
work.. the position surrounded by larger than expected enemy forces, and
shepherds... they are discovered and have to fight ... to head to
We have seen the tenderness, although briefly, in the married man and father..
we have seen the NCO and military man, bonded to his fellows in the
unit... a man capable of making difficult decisions.. a man with well
trained military skills.. a leader.
In the final part of the film we see the horror of capture, the dehumanising of
men, and those still willing to follow the rules laid down for captured
men. This is the section where we we Sean enduring these moments, with
courage and determination, even if they are to die. Even here amongst the
pain and torture there are moments of humour and hope. Luckily five of
the eight men return to
This film required the actors to participate in modern military training and
weaponary skills... they needed to be fit to work in the desert environment in
which this film was made. This is seen in the extras on the DVDs.
There was some stunning desert scenery and the script was appropriate to the
story line.. a very different setting to the Napoleonic Wars.
I thought that this was an excellent film of its genre.. it tackled some very difficult issues and showed us the barbarity of war, from an unusual angle. It was realistic without being 'Gung Ho' or jingoistic. All the actors played their roles well... and Sean.. his skill shines through dirt,blood, pain, joy and suffering. Another of Sean's many varied roles.
Review written by Annbax
The year is 1880.. the venue is Tzarist
Thus we have the main theme of this visually spectacular
movie. Levin is the man pondering the meaning of love; a love he has yet
to find. This character, wonderfully portrayed by Alfred Molina, becomes
the narrator of the story we are being shown. Firstly there is his search
for love and his devotion to Princess Kitty, which sees him going through highs
and lows of frustration and despair, as Kitty admires another man. This man is
the handsome, Count Vronsky . It is Levin who introduces us to Anna Karenina, a
beautiful young woman, married to an older man to whom she has a young son.
Anna alights alone, in
This film covers a period of three years from 1880 to 1883. It shows us the tragedy of doomed love for one couple and joy and happiness for another couple. Kittty, when she refuses Levin, discovers that Vronsky is not interested in her. She is then sent abroad to recover from a serious illness. Luckily she returns and finally rediscovers Levin. Love is rekindled and the couple marry. Their marriage survives the death of Levin's estranged brother and the pair have a child.
In contrast Vronsky and Anna try hard, at first not to continue with their
love... but she is trapped in a loveless marriage to an older, dull
authoritarian man, in an age when women had few rights. After a tragedy
at the races her husband learns the full extent to their affair and sets out to
end it. Anna almost loses her life when she loses the child she was
carrying. She is rescued by Vronsky and taken to
This 100 minutes of film, means that Tolstoy's story is cut
to the bone with time lines being shown by sub-titles. This, at times
means, that there can be some confusion, especially when there are short scenes
and obvious time gaps. It nevertheless is a visually stunning film,in
both sets and costumes, which was actually filmed in
What of the actors? James Fox was a superb, dictatorial Karenin. Mia Kirshner was fine as Kitty and Sophie Marceau played the lead role of Anna. She is a beautiful woman and, I must say I enjoyed her performance, although she can be a little bland and expressionless at times.
Last, but by no means least , there is Sean as Count Vronsky.
Here we see the RADA trained actor... handsome, impeccably dressed in stunning
uniform or formal and informal dress of a Russian Nobleman . A man who is
superb whether riding or dancing. An able and respected officer ,well
liked by his peers and adored by his mother. A mother who does
point out the perils of his romance with Anna. Sadly he is too much in
love to listen. His sentiments are honourable for he wants to marry and
cherish Anna, but he cannot cope with her growing pain and illness.
Sean's acting was superb. He has to show the restraint imposed on a 19th.
century nobleman, but with an under lying passion. There is no swearing,
even in his despair. His facial expressions were superb and the clipped,
soft English voice mesmerising.
If you can find a copy of this film... obtain it. There is far more to see then I have told you.
When Saturday Comes
By Helen Dyke
Jimmy Muir (Sean Bean) is in his 20íes, living in
I really enjoyed this film. Im not mad about football but the film is more about Jimmy and less about the beautiful game. Sean does a great job and gives an emotional performance showing anger, fear, grief, happiness and excitement. We see Jimmys journey through self-doubt and self-hatred moving into determination to do the best he can. Jimmy Muir makes a lot of mistakes and Sean puts his heart into it throughout.
The supporting cast are also great: Jimmys brother and father are a big influence on him as are his hard drinking mates. Emily Lloyd isnt afraid to be vulnerable as Annie and enjoys some tender sex-scenes with Sean. Pete Postlethwaite is magnificent as Ken. Sean and Pete have worked together before on Sharpe and the rapport between them added depth to their scenes together. (My husband who loves football but, for some reason, is less keen on Sean said he thought Pete Postlethwaite was the only good thing about the film).
When Saturday Comes was, I think designed to slot into the same genre as Billy Elliot and Brassed Off. It lacks the emotional force of these films and feels a bit light-weight in comparison. Taken on its own merits it is a heart-warming story of a young man finding he can do more than he imagined possible if he has the courage and discipline to give it his all.
GoldenEye One of the Best Bond Pictures
By Kristin Battestella
Even though I liked Timothy Daltons duo of Bond pictures in
the late eighties, I had all but forgotten about 007 by time 1995s GoldenEye came
around. After a six-year delay, Pierce Brosnan finally debuted as our man
James, resulting in one of the finest films in nearly fifty years of Bond
onscreen.
Ten years after 007 James Bond (Brosnan) loses his friend
and fellow MI6 agent 006 Alec Trevelyan (Sean Bean) during a mission in Russia,
Bond once again finds himself in the former Soviet Union. The control keys to a
powerful satellite codenamed GoldenEye have been stolen, and a reluctant M
(Judi Dench) puts Bond on the case. 007 rescues Russian computer analyst
Natalya Simonova (Izabella Scorupco) and uses the kinky Soviet pilot Xenia
Onatopp (Famke Janssen) to find Janus-the crime syndicate secretly operated by
the scarred Alec Trevelyan. Bond must stop his former comrade from using
GoldenEyes electromagnetic pulse to steal millions and decimate
When the press about GoldenEye began in 1994, I wasnt very
interested. After License to Kill, I was hoping for another
Not only do we have a fine 007, but GoldenEye also has the extra bonus of Sean Bean (Patriot Games, Sharpe) as former MI6 Agent 006 Alec Trevelyan. In the films opening sequence, we meet this pair of agents infiltrating a hidden Russian base. It may seem silly, but this duo is one of the franchises best notions. As a kid, I didnt care about plot references to 002 or 009; I thought James Bond was THE one and only big man in Her Majestys Secret Service. The fact that there are really badass agents like 006 out there brings new cool to GoldenEye. So, MI6 has skeletons in the closet, eh? Things arent always as cut and dry as previous Bonds would have us think, are they? Bean begins the picture as a cool and tragic agent too close to the edge and becomes the bane of Bonds existence. Sometimes we like a Bond picture purely for the villain, and Bean delivers one of the series slickest and most memorable bad guys.
006 has all the charm, suave, gadgets, and babes as 007-whats not to love? The
fact that he is blonde and bad against dark haired, good guy Bond is also a
subtle visual trick against our black hat bad cowboy motifs. Once upon a
time, we can believe Trevelyan was a good guy. 006 has some great lines in GoldenEye;
he tends to get the last word on Bond, and his punch lines are dry and
memorable. Im sure there are other instances in the franchise, but his Bond.
Only Bond is as close to 007s famous introduction as one can get. Its not
just the cheeky script, but Beans slick delivery that make 006 so bad its
good. We believe Sean Bean could have been Bond, and as he says, I was always
better! Were supposed to root for Bond, but Bean doesnt make it easy. I wish
it were possible for him to return to the franchise in someway, but his
perfection here is tough to beat. Imagine current Blonde Bond Craig versus Bean
as Lago in an updated remake of Thunderball... I can dream, cant I?
Although we couldnt have a blonde Bond when Bean
auditioned, we can have a woman as the head of MI6. Dame Judi Denchs (Shakespeare
in Love, Notes on A Scandal) debut as M is wonderfully cranky and hard-assed
like Bernard Lee and Robert Brown before her. The Berlin Wall is gone, the
Stalwart Desmond Llewelyn continues as Bonds gadget wizard Q, and the banter with Brosnan is on form. Theres just enough tongue in cheek and dry Brit wit to keep things funny, not stupid. The gadget debriefing scene packs in a lot of quips and bits- and all of it works. As opposed to some older Bond pictures where everyone is dubbed, unnamed, or well, weak; GoldenEye has a healthy supporting cast. From The Living Daylights veteran Joe Don Baker returning to the series as CIA ally Jack Wade to Alan Cumming (X-2: X-Men United) as quirky Janus henchman Boris Grishenko, each has a moment of charm. Robbie Coltrane (Harry Potter), Minnie Driver (Good Will Hunting), and Tchéky Karyo (The Patriot) shine as well.
GoldenEye of course continues the Bond tradition of hot international babes. Now very well known, Dutch model and actress Famke Janssen (X-Men, Dont Say A Word) steals almost all of her scenes here. Her Xenia Onatopp not only has a name worthy of her vile henchwomen predecessors, but she gets off on killing-literally. Its so twisted its cool. Again, you would think a woman who can kill people by crushing them between her legs would laugh folks right out of the theater; but this kitschy Bond Babe works. Janssen doesnt speak very much, but she holds her own against the Brosnan and Bean big boys. Equally feisty is Polish-Swedish actress Izabella Scorupco (Reign of Fire) as sassy computer tech Natalya Simonova. Scorupco is a little too pretty to be a simple computer programmer, but shes intelligent and spunky. Moreover, in a series infamous for its dubbing, her Russian accent is a-okay. Not only does Natalya get some Bond loving, but shes got some fun dialogue. Rather than being a woman merely there for looks, she figures into the plot to disarm the GoldenEye weapon. Its serious and realistic, too- not like flaky, buxom scientists before and after.
Perhaps the mid nineties styles and computers are out of date now, but GoldenEye
has an intelligent, scientific plot to go along with all the gadgets, action,
and effects. Actually, there arent many obvious effects to speak of-satellite
shots and some blue screen work-but nothing as ridiculous as the invisible car
from Die Another Day. The action here is where its at. In some ways director
Martin Campbell (The Mask of Zorro, Casino Royale) adheres to several Bond
standards-the obligatory planes, chases, and fights, of course. However, GoldenEyes
post-Iron Curtain St. Petersburg setting allows for some cool twists on the
action. Snow, communist relics, armored trains, and tanks through old world
city streets give homage to the franchise and real life history while upping
the ante onscreen. To go along with it all, we have an updated Bond Theme; an
edgy title song from U2 and Tina Turner; and sweet opening titles with plenty
of babes bashing the hammer and sickle.
I have to say, my husband is not a fan of GoldenEye. He finds it too slow. Perhaps some of technobabble talking scenes do drag in the first hour of the picture, but by the finale, writers Michael France (The Punisher), Bruce Ferstein (Tomorrow Never Dies) and Jeffrey Caine (The Chief) balance the intelligence and action nicely. GoldenEye isnt just one of the best Bond pictures; its meaty enough for generic action and adventure audiences. You want chases and explosions-its there with all the smarts and excellent performances. I would however, caution a casual fan from taking in a television viewing of GoldenEye. Though tame in that Bond only bags two babes, networks edit for time and content in all the wrong places. I was so angry that BBC America cut most of Trevelyans scene with Natalya-even the tastes like strawberries zinger. How dare they!
Several dvd editions of GoldenEye can be found at very affordable prices. Mine was under $7- a fairly risk free commitment for the hesitant Bond viewer. Collectors will of course own the special edition and package sets with extensive features, but it looks like were still waiting on GoldenEyes blu-ray release. Im trying to wait for all the Bond films to be released on blu-ray before I pick up any. What if they pull out another super special ultimate blu-ray pack of the entire series like they did with the DVDs? Nevertheless, I probably wont be able to wait once this blu-ray set comes out. I can always pass along my DVD to my dad. Ive made him watch this one so often, now he likes Brosnans Bond. Even if you arent a Bond fan, GoldenEye should be enough to convert you.
Jacob Important and Honest, But Imperfect
By Kristin Battestella
In my search for family friendly religious film, I was very
pleased to see TNTâs The Bible Collection available on DVD. Taking on the
ambitious of chronicling Biblical drama from Abraham to the Apocalypse, this
second film in the series falters on slow pacing and little action.
Jacob (Matthew Modine) is the second son of Isaac (Joss Ackland, Shadowlands) and Rebekah (Irene Papas, Z). He follows the God of Abraham and seeks to do what is best for his people, unlike his elder, hairy twin Esau (Sean Bean). Esau favors hunting and Canaanite women and trades his birthright to Jacob for some porridge. At his motherâs behest, Jacob disguises himself as Esau and takes Isaacâs dying blessing. Discovering the betrayal, the angry Esau vows to kill his brother. Jacob flees to his uncle Laban (Giancarlo Giannini, Quantum of Solace) and falls in love with Rachel (Lara Flynn Boyle). They wish to marry and return to Canaan and amend ties with Esau. Unfortunately, the deceptive Laban tricks Jacob into years of suffering with false marriages and indentured service.
Itâs a
lovely Biblical tale, and I applaud Ted Turner and his production team for not
only dramatizing the better known or frequently told Old Testament epics. However,
Jacobâs story of love, betrayal, and servitude doesnât translate well to the
screen. Writer Lionel Chetwynd (Kissinger and Nixon) gives us several quiet
two-man conversations, but these sentimental moments donât dig deep enough into
the familiar relationships of Jacob and Esau or even Jacob and the love of his
life Rachel. Director Peter Hall (The Camomile Lawn) gives us one brief and
somewhat humorous camel chase-but some implied animal death adds a bitter
exclamation point. This is an older television movie, so thereâs nothing too
scandalous, but the wedding switcheroo between Rachel and her sister Leah
(Juliet Aubrey, Primeval) is way too obvious-even for younger folks who arenât
up to date on his or her Genesis reading.
Jacob is supposed to be all about the man himself, but Matthew Modine (Vision Quest, Memphis Belle, And the Band Played On) has little material to with which to work. The tale seems thin as it is, but this telefilm also doesnât take the story deep enough. If Jacob loves Rachel so much, how can he have so many other wives and handmaidens? Is he conflicted about this? What are his relationships with his sons? Modine does his best to show love, anger, and frustration, but the bare script gives little room to maneuver. I think weâre meant to believe Jacob is quiet and stoic, but itâs not. In 1994, Modine was quite the star, and I do believe the Emmy nominee has the talent to pull of a juicy tale if given the chance.
Likewise, Sean Bean (Sharpe, Patriot Games) and Lara Flynn Boyle (The Practice,
Twin Peaks) have little development beyond their relationships to Jacob. Both
suffice as his antagonist and faithful foundation, the entire supporting cast
looks the part and delivers on form. Nevertheless, I want more of Jacob. Whereâs
Esau bringing forth the Edomites? Whereâs Rachelâs maternal strength? Thatâs
all we get of Isaac and Rebekah? Sean Bean in a cop out camel race and Lara
Flynn Boyle squatting over her dadâs stolen idol statues are not what I have in
mind. Sure, itâs only a ninety minute television production, but if given the
proper treatment and appreciation, Jacob can take its little love story and
show its proper weight against those other pillars of Jewish history. I kept
waiting for Rachel to bear Joseph and Benjamin already, but the show ends with
a rather broad montage implying the settlement of Hebron.
Though Jacob is a slight misstep, you canât quite skip it and go directly from Abraham to Joseph. The Bible Collection is a wonderful series for reflection and teen Bible study, but I do wonder if Jacobâs nudge nudge wink wink bedroom bait and switch is too much for immature youth. Jacob portrays Leah, Rachel, Bilhah, and Zilpah accordingly, but if itâs not for giggling teens making jokes about the kinky ways of the Old Testament; then for whom is this picture? Serious adults looking for Biblical reflection will find Jacob fairly broad, and teenyboppers will love or laugh at its love story mentality trumping the issues of betrayal and the struggle against the followers of the God of Abraham.
Even with its misguided direction and untapped potential, Jacob is an essential part of The Bible Collection and gives some justice where justice is due. However, parents and teachers may want to preview Jacob before a showing with the kids. Despite its slow pace and underutilized cast, lovely locales and an authentic feeling shine through. The entire Bible Collection can be found affordably enough individually, as a set, or online. For a little history and Biblical reflection, spend a night with Jacob.
Scarlett No Gone With The Wind
By Kristin Battestella
I wanted to like Alexandra Ripleys 1991 Novel Scarlett, but
the book holds little against Margaret Mitchells original or the classic film
adaptation. Likewise the 1994 miniseries Scarlett boasts lavish locales,
costumes, and all the soap opera scandals one could ask for. These visuals and
shockers are fine and dandy, but in the end William Handleys adaptation holds
little weight onscreen or off.
Now that Melanie Wilkes is buried, Scarlett OHara Butler
(Joanne Whalley-Kilmer) pursues her wayward husband Rhett (Timothy Dalton) to
While the supporting cast does well with what they are
given, no one is given that much, except Scarlett herself. Joanne Whalley
Kilmer made a name for herself somehow in the early nineties, but Ive never
seen her in a part that stole the show for me. Navy Seals?
Timothy Dalton is actually my favorite Bond (The Living
Daylights, License to Kill, and the quirky Beautician and the Beast!) but he
has precious little to do here. Everyone in Scarlett is made to look stupid.
All Rhett does is bat his eyes at Scarlett, then whisk away again. Over and
over they taunt each other. I would have liked to have seen
Two bright spots in Scarlett that earn their keep (Sean Beans rapacious self is always a keeper) are Colm Meaney as Scarletts cousin Colum and Melissa Leo (Homicide: Life on the Street) as her sister Suellen. Both are few and far between in the series, but their accurate portrayals and authentic looks lend real honesty to their scenes. Sure we love the over the top bits, but its nice to remember most of the people during this time were not like Scarlett, Rhett, or Lord Fenton. Many were poor, working class, humble folks.
Accents and dialogue may suffer, but Scarlett is the best
looking miniseries since North and South. Scarletts clothes reflect each of
her situations perfectly. Despite her somewhat humble dress in
Pretty and shiny things onscreen, however, are not enough to explain the mishmashed story presented by Hanley. The end of the novel is completely forgotten in favor of a new, murderous idiocy, and the only worthy subplot regarding the Fenian Brotherhood vanishes partway through.
The dvd presentation hinders the viewing of Scarlett as well. The six hour mini series is split over two discs, with no breaks. Its one straight mother load without even additional credits introducing the players in the second half. So if one did want to pause and return, its a matter of skipping chapters instead of having definite episode beginnings. Upon my first viewing, I thought there would be an end at which to stop. Instead I was fighting to stay awake, wondering when Scarlett would end.
Despite my complaints about Scarlett, there is an audience out there who will adore this film. Period buffs, romance fans, folks who like to see Sean Bean stripped and oiled for now matter how brief a time- Scarlett is affordable enough for these indulgences. My set was $6.99 new. Gone with the Wind it is not, but take Scarlett for what it is; guilty visuals to sleep to.
Black Beauty for Young and Old
By Kristin Battestella
Whether by choice or requirement, every school kid has
probably read Black Beauty. The 1877 novel by Anna Sewell shed light on the
mistreatment of horses, and the 1994 film adaptation written and directed by
Caroline Thompson renews this heartwarming story for all.
I bypassed Black Beauty when I was working at a video store and again when it worked its way into the $5 bin at Wal-Mart. There have been countless films, cartoons, and series taking the name (14 at imdb!) -horse movies themselves are a dime a dozen, and my favorite has always been The Man From Snowy River. This December, however, I chanced upon a second hand copy of Black Beauty. $2, Sean Beans in it, and hey, my nieces would like it.
Well, I should not have waited on my purchase. Alan Cumming
voices Beauty, a lovely black stallion who enjoys his early life with Farmer
Grey (Sean Bean) and subsequent move to
Although hes top billed, Sean Beans role as Farmer Grey is
rather small-especially considering that in 1994 he was perhaps at his height: Sharpe,
Patriot Games, Goldeneye. Nevertheless, Bean gives us a touch of how good he
can be as a good guy-its a rarity in American films and a pleasant surprise.
Also often cast as a villian, David Thewlis (Harry Potter,
At first an adult may scoff at the idea of a film narrated by a horse, but Alan Cumming (X-2, Tin Man) sells the animals innocent and loving nature. Just like the book is narrated by Beauty, I found myself waiting for the horses commentary in the films quiet moments. At some point during the viewing you are without a doubt on the animals side. It leads to much food for thought. Yes, why dont those pesky humans listen to Beauty? Why are humans cruel to animals to begin with? Why do we fail to notice when a horse is in pain or has instincts that we fail to comprehend?
Underlying the charming work onscreen is the lovely score by
Danny Elfman (The Simpsons, Charlie and The Chocolate Factory) When words or
visuals wont get you, music will. Cummings vocals and the music timing fit
the horses work perfectly. I applaud Thompson and her production team for its
work-which Im sure wasnt easy even with the best trained acting horses. The
beautiful English locales and majestic looks of the horses practically sell
themselves. Again, with such scenery its easy to be on the horses side. Nods
to the 19th century are also enchanting. The nobilitys clothes versus the
poor, Dickensian streets of
Naturally, all the visuals mean diddly if you havent got a story. Black Beauty could have been done with claymation ala Gumby and it would still turn the heart of anyone. My nieces are young and can be touchy-so I put on the DVD for a solo viewing-besides, I could get some lovely screen captures. Its been many years since my horse phase (does every kid have a horse phase?) I havent read books like The Saddle Club or King of The Wind in years. I dare say its been twenty years since Ive read Black Beauty. Even so, when my nieces borrow books from me, Sewells classic is the one I always suggest. Unfortunately, my nieces saw a cartoon version and said it was too sad. Black Beauty is very sad, down right upsetting in some parts, yet its the story my father and I always discuss when we pick up the kids at school. Its as if this kind of emotion is necessary for youth. Books and film like Old Yeller, Where The Red Fern Grows, Shane. Children ought to learn about the extremes of the human-or horse-condition. Learning how to cry can do us all a bit of good.
Thompson smartly frames Black Beauty with happy opening and closing scenes. Just in case you arent familiar with the story, you need to know it has positive outcome. There were moments in my viewing I expected, and others I had forgotten-but each brought a tear to my eye or a choke in my throat. I dont recall the reception this film received upon its release in 94, but Black Beauty is kind of like Les Miserables or The Ten Commandments. Sometimes a story is too good to mess up-too good for critics and box offices numbers to matter.
Any age, animal lovers or not, Black Beauty can be enjoyed by anyone, and such family friendly entertainment is tough to find at such an affordable price. Black Beauty is available at most retailers under $10, cheaper if you know where to shop. As much as I whole heartily endorse Black Beauty, parents should be careful with those under ten or any extra-sensitive kids. The film is rated G, but a pre-viewing without the kids is a safe way to determine when your child is ready for this heartwarming, but tough story. Be on the look out for some sad goodbye sequences and animal abuse. One upsetting horse death might want to be skipped by parents all together.
Naturally, the film comes with the standard warnings about animals on set, although the DVD is devoid of behind the scenes or interactive featurettes that might help kids separate fact from fiction. Its wise to remind younger audiences that the story does have a happy ending, and its a purely fiction film-although it brought about social changes on the mistreatment of horses. Depending on the younger folks reactions, parents could consider directing young readers to the book or the story of invalid author Anna Sewell. The wealth of material and emotion experience around Black Beauty is worth the tug at any and all heart strings. Share Black Beauty with the young and old.
Review written by AnnBax
Picture the scene a beautiful English country house and
estate, a young baronet and his beautiful wife.. a dream of a scenario for any
young family to be raised. But there are a few major problems.. We are in
the first few years of peace after the Great War, towns, villages and great
estates have lost whole generations of young fit men, the local mine is
struggling to survive and the baronet is a paralyzed and impotent man..what is
the future for Wragby Hall, it's great estate and it's ancient family?
Will Sir Clifford and his beautiful wife, Lady Constance be the last of their
line? Sir Clifford is a proud, arrogant and determined man, who will keep his
mine and estate going at whatever the cost.. He is a giver of orders and his
workers are lesser mortals. Lady Constance, the daughter of a flamboyant
and more liberal man, Sir Michael Reid, a successful artist, is careworn and
tired from nursing her husband and amusing him . Both her sister and
father are concerned about her physical and mental health, for her husband has
banned all intimacy with her , in fear of being upset.
Yet Constance still needs to care for Clifford, until the wise and resourceful
Mrs Bolton, appears on the scene as Clifford's nurse... we then see another
theme coming into the story for there appears to be a growing relationship
between Clifford and his nurse... this frees Connie, who has already been told
by Clifford that she can take lovers, to satisfy her needs, as long as they are
gentlemen, and if she becomes pregnant he will raise the child as his own. As
long as she remains his dutiful, loyal and loving wife... The centre of
Connie's world becomes the gamekeeper's domain.
Basically the director Ken Russell is giving us a different slant on a story of
forbidden love... a love story frowned on in the time period in which it was
set. Here two worlds are contrasted. Firstly we see the magnificent
house, with it's great empty rooms, furnished to perfection.. a house sitting
in a beautiful landscape..whilst the pit village is black, drab and squalid.
It's inhabitants poor and grey, whilst Sir Clifford's guests are splendidly
attired and dressed for dinner.. driving home in expensive cars. Which world
does Connie crave? The real one is her answer.
This TV mini series was filmed in 1993, and was co-written
by it's director and actor Ken Russell. It does not follow the story of
the most famous version of 'Lady Chatterly', for
The cinematography is excellent, for we see the story through the passing
seasons. The script well written and a splendid ensemble of actors
playing their parts. James Wilby is excellent as the snobbish and self centred
Sir Clifford. Shirley Anne Field plays to perfection the wise, formidable
and empathic Mrs. Bolton. Ken Russell played Connie's artistic father,
Sir Michael, whilst I enjoyed Connie's forthright sister and confidant played
by Hetty Baynes. I equally enjoyed Joely Richardson's performance as the
submissive wife, careworn and unhappy, who struggles to help her less than
understanding husband, whilst craving real love and affection.
Oliver Mellors needed to be played by a man, who could make you believe that a rich baronet was no match for a working man. A man who had to be at times rough, tough and sullen, capable of both great passion, anger and tender love. A man who could act in silence, with his eyes and face. That face had to be handsome and accompanied by a beautiful male body. Here Sean Bean can and did tick all the right boxes and produce an unforgettable performance.
Might I suggest that you watch this series and see if I have got it right?
Lady Chatterley Not All Porn (But Still Not For Everyone)
Guest Review By Leigh Wood
On The cusp of my Lord of The Rings obsession, Ive been
passing the time by watching films starring the actors from Peter Jacksons
Oscar winning epic trilogy. When my quest for Sean Bean films led me to watch Ronin-
in English and Spanish-I broke down and bought the first movie I had seen the
Boromir actor in- the 1993 BBC production of Lady Chatterley.
Sure Patriot Games and Goldeneye are great, but it was
director Ken Russells adaptation of the banned D.H. Lawrence novels that
embedded Sean Bean in my brain. Sex, adultery, class divides, and naughty
language sent not one, but three versions of D.H. Lawrences Lady Chatterleys
Lover underground. When the third and most tame version was finally published
in 1928, scandal and controversy erupted on both sides of the
I knew nothing of this history when I first saw the theatrical two hour version late at night on cable. Boy or girl, a young teen will find the soft core porn that is currently everywhere in our society. At the time, I often tuned in for Red Shoe Diaries. A few bumps and grinds, perhaps some boobs, sometimes a nice story and historical location. The Marilyn Chambers movies, however, I could do without. I sought more than weak porn. I wanted a story.
Imagine my surprise when Lady Chatterley appeared. Unlike its early 20th century/World War I contemporaries Avonlea and The Young Indiana Jones Chronicles, Lady Chatterley stars Joely Richardson as the sexually repressed young wife of a paralyzed veteran (James Wilby) who finds love in a scandalous affair with her husbands gamekeeper (Sean Bean).
Make no mistake, there are kinky folks who will tune into the second and third parts of Lady Chatterleys four hours purely for the sex scenes. To take the series only for those visuals, is however an injustice. The miniseries format allows director Russell to take the time and set up the marriage of Lady Constance and Sir Clifford. They are both intellectuals in the upper class. Connie hails from a heady and upstanding artistic family, and Sir Clifford has a long list of noble names to live up to. The couple get on well enough, but there is already strain between them when the story opens. One might wonder how and why they married in the first place. The War? Perhaps the union was an unofficially arranged one? Already we have questions, as does Lady Chatterley. She yearns for more than serving as nurse to her often grumpy (although understandably so) husband. Sir Clifford, however, doesnt want to see his title end, and invites Connie to take a lover, in hopes of claiming an illegitimate child for his own.
At first,
I dare say the serious opening and closing hours of Lady Chatterley are my
favorites. The storys setup and resolution are indeed more important than the
sex scenes, even though no sexual scene is superfluous or fluff. The
reflections on the war, striking coalminers, and class debates all give weight
to the story. Sir Clifford reads and becomes extremely intellectual while bound
to his wheelchair, yet he sees nothing wrong with the English class divides. Connie
of course disagrees with the notion that there will always be people who boss
and people to boss. Mellors is a higher servant than most, yet he still must
take orders from other household servants, and Sir Clifford mocks his accented
speech.
The absurdity of this class division is obvious to the viewer. The juxtaposition of the bright, big, and beautiful green Chatterley estate versus the cramped dirty, rocky mines is a smart move by Russell, as are the love scenes between Connie and Mellors. The natural wooded part of the estate is theirs, where class troubles cant reach them, and simplicity and innocence rule-unlike the cold, structured halls of the Wragby estate.
Russell and his co screenwriter Michael Haggaig also give
double duty to the productions dialogue. Ive not read any versions of
The acknowledgement of speech divides is also sharp. When Connies sister Hilda (Hetty Baynes) finally meets Mellors, she asks him to speak normal English. The similar but different nature of the way they talk should keep the lovers apart, but it is a treat for the audience. Listen closely, and not just for the naughty language.
Now of Nip/Tuck fame, Joely Richardson was fairly new at the
time of Lady Chatterleys release, as was future Sharpe star Sean Bean. Both
give every ounce to the production, and the delivery from the actors is also
perfect. The way Sean Bean says Your Ladyship alone shows his pent up
torment. We follow Connies perspective more, but listen closely to Mellors
speeches. Hes been a lonely misunderstood soul and now hes found an emotional
awakening with the one woman he shouldnt have. Likewise Joely Richardson is
perfect in nearly every frame. Shes so proper in the beginning, then shrinks
in illness. She looks radiant and grows in beauty as her relationship with
Mellors grows. The looks and unspoken movements between the two are
exceptional. She bites her lips and nails when observing Mellors, and he often
tilts his head or hunches away shy in her presence-as opposed to his upright
towering over the permanently seated Clifford.
The chemistry between the leads is evident, yet Russell swiftly finds ways to
symbolically divide them onscreen. Many of the scenes between Richardson and
Bean are through fences or gates, implying one or the other is always locked
out or in. Even after their relationship begins, trees or posts will cut the
two shot down the middle, leaving a divided but symmetrical shot onscreen. Subtle
but brilliant from Russell. These shots show how out of her element
Perfectly matching James Wilby is Shirley Anne Field as Mrs. Bolton. She plays the widowed nurse expertly yet with a slight air of ambiguity. Her button up style and always proper air are perfect, if a little Mrs. Danover from Rebecca. She claims to be there for both the husband and wife but clearly puts together the pieces about Lady Chatterley and Mellors. When rumors begin about their affair, Russell alludes that it might have been Mrs. Bolton leading the servant talk, yet she swiftly covers for Connie and keeps Sir Clifford in the dark. Clueless as he is anyway, Clifford doesnt doubt Mrs. Bolton, nor does Lady Chatterley. Its almost as if she might have let something slip, but not out of malice. Mrs. Bolton seems to understand that Wragby Hall isnt where Connie belongs and seeks to speed her escape to Mellors. The women talk frankly about knowing true love, warmth, and tenderness from a man. Mrs. Bolton knows that is what Connie needs, and she wont get it from Sir Clifford.
Social and sexual intrigue aside, Lady Chatterley is a
stunning period piece. The Wragby Hall location is breathtaking and takes on
the feel of a supporting character itself. When Mellors waits on its vast
steps, hes clearly out of his element. Likewise Cliffords room could seem
like a dream. Incredible bed, books everywhere, the piano and the latest
inventions. Connie, of course, fits neither in the uppity hall or the meager
shack in the woods. Joely
Sean Beans costume also says far more about his character than he does. So lowly valued, yet he wears a button collar and tie while he lurks the woods with a dog and a gun strapped to his back. The wearing or removing of his page boy hat also add depth to Mellors mood and respectfulness. Even the music and props complete every scene. By no means is Lady Chatterley some B porn production. The wind up gramophones, old time radios, candelabras, and vintage cars sell every authenticity, and the score moves between modern jazz tunes and haunting classical arrangements. Russell insisted on using English compositions, and the tunes top off the flavor of the film.
But finally I must mention what Im sure youve all been waiting for. The sex scenes in Lady Chatterley were spared nothing less than Russells best, of course. There isnt any foreplay, fondling, or even oral sex. When Connie and Mellors finally get to it, they get to it. The initial consummation is a bit awkward for both parties. They discuss and try to resist but ultimately succumb to the sort of re-virginal experience. Lady Chatterley hasnt been with a real man in some time, and Mellors confesses his demeaning wife was the only woman he had ever been with. The dialogue is indeed necessary in the kinky scenes. If whats going on isnt clear in the visuals, the characters say what they mean, and I mean they say it!
The pre and post conversations are particularly important in two ambiguous sex scenes-one that is near rape and another that is most likely anal sex. If youre not reeling and all giggles over those, prepare yourself for Part 3. I suspect Lady Chatterleys For Mature Audiences Only warning is for the full frontal nudity sequences. I dont wish to spoil it, but ladies if you go in slow motion, you will see the whole Bean.
In the end, however, Lady Chatterley isnt about the tawdry sex scenes. By part 4, sensitive types may need a box of tissues. The speeches from Connie and Mellors are so sincere, honest, and downright poetic that the audience cant help but root for the couple. Russell hold nothing back, from nasty husbands, kinky sex, and bad language so that we are raw, primed, and moved for the productions big finish. In Lady Chatterleys final fifteen minutes, you will be agonizing and cheering Connie and Mellors on to happiness. Do our fair lovers find each other at the end? I shant tell!
The Lady Chatterley DVD is available in all regional formats at a very affordable price. Usually under $30 at most retailers, or online if youre a bit shy about the purchase. The double disc set has little special features to speak of, only a brief photo gallery, trailers, and an interview with Ken Russell. Not for children of course, I also dont think men will enjoy Lady Chatterley. Despite plenty of Joelys bits, males wont be interested in the story or period costume drama. Keep Lady Chatterley for your own guilty pleasure, or for that all girls night youve been planning. All four hours in one sitting, tears, and repeat viewings- I assure you Lady Chatterley will not disappoint.
Patriot Games Better Today
By Kristin Battestella
Although I have the DVD, I cant help but tune in every time
Patriot Games comes on cable. The 1992 action thriller from Tom Clancys book
is just as awesome today as it was then.
After averting a radical IRA terrorist factions attack on
royal cousin and
I do have a few issues with Patriot Games, so Ill just get them out of the way first. Sometimes 1992 doesnt seem so long ago to me-but when you see the almost eighties looking styles here, we do remember this really was almost twenty years ago. Kathy Ryans clothes and style might have been posh at the time, but now not so much. Some of the action sequences are also a little dated in choreography. Its not that Patriot Games is small scale or ill paced by any means. Weve just been treated to a lot more effects laden and much more complex and violent films in recent years. This is an action film, but theres a lot of thought, character, and emotion behind it. Strange to say, but sometimes that seriousness isnt what a viewer wants if theyre looking for mindless, desensitizing action.
Director Phillip Noyce (Dead Calm, The Bone Collector) and screenwriters W. Peter Iliff (Point Break, Varsity Blues) and Donald Stewart (The Hunt for Red October, Clear and Present Danger) keep the best of Clancy and craft a fine blend of suspense and family drama. There arent many great one liners here, but the script is memorable and believable. Despite the extreme and sometimes improbable circumstances in Patriot Games, we believe that not only could this happen to the Ryans, but to any one of us. Even in the big action numbers, the camera is tight on the people involved. We feel the emotion whether things are rough and tumble or sad and somber.
But of course, who doesnt love Harrison Ford? He is perhaps the best actor of this generation, and Ford shows his clout in Patriot Games. Instead of the bravado hero, we meet an older, worn family man. Hes a retired Dad-well off perhaps, but just like the rest of us in most ways. Jack Ryan is not a superhero. Ryan messes up; his familys life is taken out of his control. Ford is able to deliver the sad eyes and tears when needed, but we know not to push a man to defend his castle. When Ford says, I will fucking destroy you. we believe the declaration as easy as we believe that the only thing in life that is 100% for certain is his daughters love.
Before The Lord of the Rings, if Americans knew who Sean Bean was, they knew because of Patriot Games. His intense stare and quiet revenge boil over through villainous looks and actions-Bean only speaks about ten times in the picture. Even though that little dialogue is creepy, too, the silent intensity makes Millers vengeance-especially in comparison with Harrison Ford. Prior to Patriot Games, Ford (Do I really need to infer on Star Wars, Indiana Jones, Witness, Blade Runner and all that?) was the action hero with great toys and quick quips. He starts out the funny, elder family man; but as the film progress, Fords fear for his family forces him into equally brooding and silent defense. Its perfectly acceptable for us to hate the silent killer Miller, but we root for family man Ryan to take matters into his own hands. Whats the difference between Millers revenge for his brother and Ryans defense of his family? Were the situation reversed, would we feel different? Although they arent onscreen together often, Bean and Ford make us love and love to hate their characters. You dont find this character complexity and intelligence in just any action flick. This depth keeps Patriot Games great up against more recent, flashy action yarns.
This is why Americans who know who Sean Bean is actually really hate him. You cant just shoot up Harrison Fords onscreen family and expect our love. However, Noyce smartly uses the evils of Miller to his advantage. We dont see any of Millers kill shots-the camera is always tight and up close on Beans face, showing us the cold joy he shares in murder. Miller even smiles when his prey is imminent. This isnt the frights of fictitious monsters. In the novel, there is no brotherly angle for Miller, hes merely pissed Ryan bested him. Presumably, the family efforts were added to give reason or sympathy to Millers ruthlessness, but this also implants a frightening personal question to the audience: What would you do if it were your dead brother? How would I react if my family were in danger? The reality of these questions and answers keeps the villainy real and our hatred on par. Its a fine performance by Bean-one so good that us Americans cant separate the actor from the terrorist. After all, they are both named Sean, arent they?
Patriot Games may be simplified as a man versus man vehicle,
but theres actually quite an ensemble cast here. Its another facet not often
seen in big action pictures. A superstar, maybe one or two name support
players, but then the talent pool drops. Here, however, were treated to Samuel
L. Jackson and James Earl Jones (Star Wars, anyone?), Polly Walker (
Naturally, Irish and English relations are very different
then they were in 1992. If Patriot Games was exclusively about IRA relations,
its politics would now be one of study and history. By keeping the story
personal with family and patriotism at the forefront, the politics are able to
fold and meld into our current issues, thoughts, and feelings. Thats all well
and good for a heightened movie experience, but I must warn that lovers of all
things Irish might be a little offended at the somewhat stereotypical portrayal
of
The Special Collectors Edition dvd of Patriot Games isnt necessarily as special as weve come to expect magical special editions to be, unfortunately. Theres restored film and sound, yes; but only a short interview feature with some of the cast and some trailers, whoopdeefingdo. Widescreen is a must, and a blu-ray edition is available in addition to several Jack Ryan sets. Readers of Clancys novel will find significant changes in the plot itself, and some might find the troublesome ending too far changed or rushed. Nevertheless, Patriot Games may perhaps be the most loved of the Jack Ryan film series. Of course, it is not the first. Alec Baldwin helmed The Hunt for Red October in 1990 and Ford would continue in 1994s Clear and Present Danger before Ben Affleck too over for a prequel attempt in The Sum of All Fears (2002). Each has their mistakes as well as their moments. You dont have to see all to appreciate one, but Ford fans who adore Patriot Games should pursue Clear and Present Danger.
Action fans looking for an intelligent caper need look no further than Patriot Games. Younger audiences may not grasp all the intelligence and subtleties; but outside of the built in fright of the storyline, brief sexuality, and mild language; theres isnt much to deter a family viewing-especially a television edit. Fans of the cast will also delight again and again. Great drama, action, politics, and performances- how can you not love Patriot Games?
Review written by Annbax
Professor Jack Ryan, his wife Cathy, a surgeon, plus their
daughter are on vacation, spiced with a little business and pleasure, in the
city of
Ryan and his family witness a terrorist attack on a limousine carrying
Lord Holmes and his family. Ryan, in an effort to protect his own family
becomes involved, he is wounded, but manages to shoot a masked man, and
apprehends another. The rest of the gang escapes. The man arrested
is called Sean Miller and the young man dead is his brother...this incident,
has dire repecussions for all involved...
Miller is arrested, questioned with only silence as an answer, tried and
imprisoned.. The only animated response from him is when in the dock he
threatens revenge on Ryan... Sadly for Ryan, Miller escapes with help from the
IRA cell he works with, flees the country and disappears, whilst Ryan returns
to
Jack Ryan is a man to be reckoned with.. a former CIA analyst he returns to the
fold, enlists the reluctant help of a spokesman and politician from the IRA,
who denies their involvement in the attacks on his family... Meanwhile in the
He is in a terrorist camp deep in the desert... spy satelites and the
military are used to destroy the camp. Everything seems fine until Lord
Holmes visits Ryan and his family at home in
This is a taut, pacey, action packed thriller, from the pen of Tom
Clancey.
It bears all the quality associated with a big budget motion picture put
together by an efficient team with a good track record. We have good
graphics, fine sets and a good script with plenty of action. Yet there
are moments of great stillness and silences, which add to the quality of the
film and the drama shown. There is violence, but also pictures of tenderness
and normality. The story is well balanced.
Harrison Ford, was, without doubt, the main star attraction for this
movie.
Abley assisted by Anne Archer as his long suffering but loyal wife. James
Earl Ray and Samuel Jackson are also excellent in their supporting roles.
Richard Harris gave us a commanding cameo role of Paddy O'Neil spokesman
and IRA politician, whilst Patrick Bergin was charmingly chilling as Kevin
O'Donnel , leader of the rogue IRA terrorist cell. Other British actors, worthy
of mention are Alun Armstrong , James Fox, as Lord Holmes and Hugh Fraser as
his secretary.
What can I say of Sean as the pivotal character in this story? He
was mean, lean and silent. His face, motionless,like a piece of
sculpture. His eyes dead and only animated by hate... Sean Miller was
portrayed as an angry rage and vengeance filled man.. a classic
psychopath with little or no empathy for any around him. A cold blooded
killer who few could control.. a loner, a man with no social graces, who would
kill any who stood in his way, including his fellow IRA cell. He spoke
little, but said much with his face and eyes... his voice rich with the accents
of
Sean is a master of this kind of character a consumate actor of the highest
quality.
I recommend all, who, can to see this high quality film. The newer
DVDs come with some extras added in 2002. There are interviews with the
director, producer , script writers and others involved including special
effects, Harrison Ford, Anne Archer and James Earl Jones, but sadly nothing
from the
I hope I have helped for here is adventure, car chases, boats and
helicopters with a good story attached.
Review written by Jaye
Sean Bean...............Robert Lovelace
Saskia Wickham......Clarissa Harlowe
Sean Pertwee..........Jack Belford
Jonathan Phillips......James Harlowe
"
The exhilaration of it. To carry off such a girl as
this Clarissa Harlowe in spite of all her purity and virtue. So
tantalizing." Lovelace.
Storyline: Clarissa is an independent, but virtuous young
woman, who has inherited a substantial estate from her grandfather. This makes
Clarissa's siblings, James and Bella immensely jealous and matters are not
improved when Robert Lovelace, an infamous rake, rejects Bella and turns his
attentions to Clarissa. James and Bella use the fact that Clarissa is being
wooed by Lovelace to discredit her and imprison her in their home. Knowing she
is virtuous and pious, Lovelace wagers his friend, Jack, 50 guineas that he can
bed her. Unable to live under her family's thumb, Clarissa escapes with the
help of Lovelace only to find she has exchanged one prison for another as Lovelace
becomes more and more obsessed with her. The wager fades into insignificance as
the seduction becomes a very personal challenge. Clarissa finds deception and
lies at every turn, and her letters to her only friend Anna (Hermione Norris)
are intercepted and rewritten.
Acting/Dialogue: The performances by all the actors in this production is
brilliant. Sean Bean, in possibly his most evil role, is utterly and
wonderfully despicable. Sean Pertwee is also splendid as Lovelace's best
friend, whose support for the contest wanes and then does a complete turn
around after he meets Clarissa and realizes the lengths to which Lovelace will
go to win her. Also well portrayed is James Harlowe, just as despicable and low
a character as Lovelace himself, but without any of the charisma. There are
many wonderful quotes, most of which belong to Lovelace. Probably the best from
Lovelace are, "Oh she may threaten, she may weep, she may rave 'Oh
traitor! Oh fiend!' but little by little she comes to like her little cage."
And his dying words, "Well done Jack, you have avenged her well. One man
cannot have every woman worth having..... Clarissa let this redeem my
soul.".
Historical Accuracy: Well shown is how little control women had over their
lives in that period. They had to marry exactly whom the family wanted. The
costuming was lovely, from the dresses to the gentlemen's wigs.
Believability: Based on the famous novel by Samuel Richardson this film is
excellent. It takes the time to depict the various characters and their
surrounding with great detail without detracting from the plot. The suspense is
kept up throughout. If you're not familiar with the story, then you will be
wondering up to the last minutes the fates of Clarissa, Lovelace and the
Harlowe family. The frantic, constant letter writing is a wonderful and
accurate touch.
Turn Ons: The entire four hours are brilliant. But the two scenes that struck
me most are where Lovelace asks Clarissa to help reform his character, he looks
so sincere, you almost believe him. And where Jack truly realizes the horrors
that Lovelace forced on Clarissa. I also liked the Harlowe's butler, Joe
(Matthew Wait) you never quite know whose side he's on, he takes money from
Lovelace and also seems to support James.
Turn Offs: The music at times seemed to detract or overpower the dialogue.
Whether this is due to the copy I have being not the best, or whether it was
originally like that, I don't know, but at times I could barely hear what was
being said. [EDIT] I now have Clarissa on DVD, and I was correct in that the
bad sound does seem to have been caused by a poor copy at the time. I struggle
to find anything wrong with this. It has always been my favourite Sean film and
remains so.
by Jaye, 1998
Clarissa
Delightfully Juicy and Disturbing
By Kristin
Battestella
Despite
being a Sean Bean fan and a classic literature aficionado, Ive always avoided
watching the 1991 television adaptation Clarissa for one critical reason: I
dont want to end up reading Samuel Richardsons one million word book! If The
Lord of the Rings took me four months, I cant imagine what birth Id have to
set aside for this early classic of morality and torment. Thankfully, the BBC
has given us a condensed, delightful, and tragic helping here.
Clarissa
Harlow (Saskia Wickham) is a chaste and devout daughter. Upon her grandfathers
death, she inherits most of his estate-much to the chagrin of her brother James
(Jonathan Phillips). The ruthless but handsome rogue Robert Lovelace (Bean),
meanwhile, is charming Clarissas sister Bella (Lynsey Baxter). However, once
Lovelace meets the fair and innocent Clarissa, his attentions quickly turn to
her sexual conquest, much to his and friend Jack Belfords (Sean Pertwee)
sport. Clarissas father (Jeffrey Wickham) and Uncle (Ralph Riach) plot for her
to marry the decrepit Mr. Soames (Julian Firth), and pleas to her mother
(Frances Vener) fall on deaf ears. Virtually a prisoner in her chambers,
Clarissa corresponds with Lovelace and her friend Anna (Hermione Norris) with
pleas of assistance. Despite the long line of broken ladies in Lovelaces past,
Clarissa flees from her family with him. Unfortunately, he soon confirms her
suspicions of his true nature, and Clarissa realizes her situation may have
gone from bad to worse.
Part One of
this four hour miniseries feels like a quick fifty minutes where nothing really
happens. Thankfully, Director Robert Bierman (Waking the Dead) kicks up Janet
Barron and David Nokes (The Tenant of Wildfell Hall) adaptation for Part Two. The
audience feels for Clarissa, we have no reason to like her family and learn to
like them even less as the tale moves along. However, we are also privy to
Lovelaces true colors from the start. Sometimes the pacing of the back and
forth parlor drama is more annoying than it is dramatic early on, but as the
complexity of the characters and situations are allowed to stew, Clarissa shifts
from love or money Austen ideologies and debates to gothic, almost predatory
horror. By the second half of the series, we are hooked in to seeing the
degradation of the players, despite the increasing inevitability of an unhappy
outcome.
Saskia
Wickham (Peak Practice, Demons) treads a fine line as the titular woman in
question. She is our emotional fulcrum, the one we are supposed to care about
and root for. Sometimes, however, its tough to like Clarissa amid all the
whining and back and forth highbrow discussions. We can almost understand why
cruel sister Bella, Mrs. Sinclair and the working girls despise her. Clarissa
is at times too good, too naive, and too dang annoying. How can she merely sit
at her desk and write letters rather than see how things can play to her favor?
Is she really so meek and useless? Fortunately, as Clarissa progresses, we do
appreciate Wickhams high and mighty attitudes. When she does get wise of
Lovelace, its too late. Once stripped of her gilded cage, we can relate to
Clarissa and feel for her-or at least we certainly dont want to be her. Shes
caught between two evils, and though we want to see her survive unscathed, it
doesnt seem likely.
We dont
have much of Sean Bean (Sharpe, Lord of the Rings, Patriot Games) and his
Lovelace in Part One, but the cruel rogue turns up the fictitious charm as Clarissa
develops. In some ways, he is the Vader of the piece-every use and situation is
generated by Lovelace or orchestrated into his favor. Sometimes I found myself
chuckling that any lady could fall for such an obvious lothario and snake-but
Sean Bean plays Lovelace with such tongue in cheek delight. He is juicy, and he
knows it. It is attractive, alluring, powerful, and scary all at the same time.
We have no doubt that Lovelace will see his intentions upon Clarissa fulfilled.
Its a little too freaky and we dont want to see him win, but we also know he
will and must see his conquest to fruition. The viewer wants to know how far
Lovelace will go, even if we regret going down the dark path with him. Its a
difficult part to play, a character within a character. Lovelace is slick and
pretty-but the powdered wigs and makeup are a little garish and gaudy to us. But
also, this is a very ugly role, a cruel and wicked wolf in sheeps clothing
that makes for an exceptional performance. Had Clarissa been a fancy HBO
production, Ive no doubt there would have been an Emmy nomination for Bean.
Naturally,
some of the humongous books time and players have been whittled down, but the
cruel support in Clarissa is on form. Saskias real life pop Jeffery Wickham (Sapphire
& Steel, The Remains of The Day) is wonderfully conflicted as the stern
father damning his daughter for choosing herself over her family duty, and
Jonathan Phillips (Titanic, Vanity Fair) and Lynsey Baxter (Gormenghast) are equally
creepy as the somewhat kinky and cruel siblings. I didnt even recognize
Hermione Norris (MI-5) as Clarissas good-hearted pen pal Anna, but she and
Sean Pertwee (Cleopatra, Mutant Chronicles) as Jack Belford add an extra
element to the series. Both are stuck on the sidelines between Clarissa and
Lovelace and cant do much to help. Belfords realization of how far Lovelace
is willing to go marks a fine turning point in Episode 3. Its an element of
hope for the audience, but we also see how far past the point of no return this
situation is.
Shirley
Henderson (Marie Antoinette, Miss Pettigrew Lives for a Day) is also a naughty
riot as the sassy maid Sally, and Cathryn Harrison (Soldier Soldier) as Mrs.
Sinclair is delightfully cheeky and twisted as the leader of the disguised
brothel effectively keeping Clarissa prisoner. We can see the prostitutes and
all their deceptions for what they really are, but by time they resort to full
on kidnapping, drugging, and violence with Lovelace, the writing is on the wall
for Clarissa. The conclusion of Clarissa does leave a few questions and doesnt
clarify a few of the details, but a vindication of sorts and thus a satisfying
conclusion is met. Now, I am tempted to find out which of
Clarissa is
of course, a period piece, and fans of powdered wigs and frock coats will
delight. The ladies costumes are all wonderful-even the rakish styles and
overdone looks look accurate-as do the houses and set dressings. For those of
us who see George Washington on the US Dollar Bill daily, the mens ponytails
and curly Q bangs are quickly overcome, but others might find the male opulence
somewhat humorous. Once your knee deep into Clarissa, however, the stylized
world overcomes the pomp and ceremony. Unfortunately, there are no subtitles to
help with accents and old world language, but the intelligent viewer will pick
up on the old speaketh dialogue just fine. I was surprised to see there are a
few features on the Clarissa set- -including some outtakes and screen tests. The
slides on author Samuel Richardson are also interesting reading, but its a
shame theres no behind the scenes interviews with scholars and such for the
real scoop of the novels place in literary history.
Men who love to hate Sean Bean and the women who cant get enough of him will love Clarissa. Fans of the rest of the cast, period piece lovers, costume connoisseurs, and literary scholars will also delight. Some of Clarissa second half is a little too heavy for youth or the classroom, but if youre deep enough to even consider the book, then I think one is probably mature enough for the film. Clarissa is romantic and yet disturbing, charming as well as revolting. Fine performances, great visuals, and a fine story keep this adaptation of the two hundred and fifty year old tale relevant. Get to know and love Clarissa today.
Review written by Annbax
This film is powerful. It rivals a Shakespearean drama set
in rural
Bull is a powerful man, who is feared and respected by most
of his fellow villagers. A man who has a repressed son, Tadgh, played by Sean,
and a wife, with whom he has not communicated with for eighteen years. He is
outbid for the field by an American, of Irish descent, who has plans to bring
industry to the valley. This American seems to have one ally the priest.
When Bull loses the field, his megalomania and obsessions know no bounds.. We
also get a feeling that there is a past he is hiding, for his surviving son,
did have a brother, who seems to have died in mysterious circumstances.. Bull's
journey into insanity has tragic results for all around him...
The setting for this film is wonderful, the script well written and performed
by a powerful cast. Bull McCabe, played by Richard Harris, who received an
Oscar nomination for this demanding role. Tom Berenger is the American, Brenda
Fricker the mother and John Hurt plays the simple, yet strangely cunning
go-between. With such a cast and an excellent production team the performances
are all excellent.
As Tadgh, Sean is anything but the swash-buckling soldier, or the cocky
villain. He plays a repressed, almost simple soul, who hardly says a word in
the first half of the film. He appears in almost all the scenes, silent usually
but re-acting to all the action or dialogue around him, with flashing eyes,
stooping shoulders, staggering walk, or an almost blank stare.. a character in
awe and fear of his dominating father. It is only in the last part of the film
that he begins to speak, in a soft Irish accent, questioning his father about
his actions and the death of his brother.. We see Sean as a young man and
actor, already able to perform on the same level with older, more experienced
actors. An actor capable of a stunning performance, with little dialogue to
work with.
This is a serious film... worth seeing, if you get the chance.
Irish Locales Make The Field
By Kristin Battestella
I stumbled upon The Field through a six degrees game on the imdb. The 1990 film
based upon the play by John B. Keane stars Richard Harris, Sean Bean, and Tom
Berenger, but The Field is more than a connecting degree. Stunning Irish
landscapes, potent performances, and bittersweet storylines make The Field a
delightful little film.
Bull McCabe (Richard Harris) and his son Tadgh (Sean Bean) are proud Irishmen who rent the field from the Widow (Frances Tomelty) They till the land with fertilizing seaweed and graze their animals on the field, but after years of being terrorized by Tadgh, The Widow decides to sell the field at a public auction. None of the townsfolk will dare bid against Bull, and he uses the town idiot Bird (John Heard) in his intimidation plans. Newly arrived Irish American developer (Tom Berenger) wants the field for a new roadway, and unfortunately, he doesnt take Bull threats to heart.
As refreshing as it is to see Sean Bean (Patriot Games, The Fellowship of The Ring) in a non villainous role, Richard Harris owns The Field. His Oscar nominated performance alone was worth the DVD purchase. Bull McCabe is just that, a bullheaded old school man who despises the English and those who couldnt keep their land during the potato famine. Bull and his wife havent spoken to each other since their eldest son died 15 years prior, and Harris is superb at balancing the hardened laborer with the tortured father. When the pressure of purchasing the field under legal means becomes too much, Bull is willing to sacrifice himself, whats left of his family, and anyone else who stands in his way.
As stellar as Harris performance is, the role would be diminished without worthy support. Bean is admirable as the tormented Tadgh. Hes young, not the brightest bulb, and not all that interested in the field-which puts him in direct conflict with Bull. The Elephant Man star John Hurt is unrecognizable at Bird. He puts on the town idiot role inside and out-the tattered looks, stuttering, and do-anything-for-a- drink style is a sad representation of what happens to those who lost their livelihood during the famine. As much as Bull genuinely likes Bird, hes not above manipulating him into his devious plans. Richard Harris may be the star, but each character in the field brings his or her element of tragedy.
Little seen in the
Todays American audiences might also find The Field slow or poorly directed. Naturally theres no effects to speak of, and perhaps more monologues than were used to. With little action, theres no need to move the camera either. Directors slow zooming, following shots, or vast panoramas are meant to capture the scope of the region and the inner complexities of the characters. Its not overtly art house styled, but viewers looking for something fast paced wont find it in The Field.
Perhaps not commonly available at most retailers, The Field is more affordable at online purchasers. The dvd has no features beyond the film. I would have preferred a play to screen documentary and cast commentaries, but the film speaks for itself. Fans of Irish films and any of the actors involved should not miss The Field. Likewise classic film buffs or old school studies shouldnt miss the tragic tale. Watch The Field today, ready with tissues instead of popcorn.
Let your imagination take you back in time.. The place is
the far south west, remote and wild.. You are on the borders of north Devon and
On the edges of the moor farmers earn a living raising sheep and cattle in the
hills, whilst arable farming in the well watered valleys.. Life could be good
apart from the constant threat of the Doones. Deep in a remote valley live in
exile a once aristocratic family clan, who terrorise their neighbours plundering
and killing at will.
Sir Ensor Doone is the old patriarch of the family, whilst the brigand band is
led by his son Carver ..
John Ridd is an educated prosperous, loyal and law abiding young yeoman farmer
who lives with his mother and sister, on the edge of the moor. His only enemy
are the Doones, especially Carver, who killed his father.. Whilst out fishing
he has an accident and his life is saved by Lorna.. He falls in love with this
young, beautiful woman in spite of the fact that she is a dreaded Doone.. But
he is not her only suitor.. For Carver wants her too
.
We are then taken on a roller coaster of a ride, when John Ridd sets out to
rescue Lorna from the grip of her family
is she really a Doone? An exquisite
pendant might hold the key to the mystery? We have feuding , fighting and many
adventures with the added colour of highwaymen and rebellion. Will true love
succeed?
All this is played out with the backdrop of misty moor land and stunning
scenery.
The script is an adaptation from R.D. Blackmores classic novel. This is a made
for TV movie, produced in 1990. I think that it suffers from being only of film
length, rather than being in episodes for some of the characters and historical
links have been omitted or taken out of sequence, but nevertheless there are
some excellent performances from a well balanced cast of players.
Polly Walker is beautiful and quite charming as Lorna. Sir Robert Stephens has
a cameo role of Sir Ensor Doone and the always excellent Billie Whitelaw plays
John Ridds long suffering but honest and brave mother.
The two leading young men are a joy to watch. Clive Owen plays the adult John
Ridd. The epitome of a fine English yeoman, honourable, strong and in love.. A
man who sets out to be Lornas knight in shinning armour whatever the cost.
Pitted against him is the formidable Carver Doone played by Sean. Young, lean
and mean.. a classic villain
dressed in black, leather thigh boots, long
haired and bejewelled. A character who appears on the surface to be a socio-path.
A man full of anger, nurtured in violence. Yet this story is set in a more
violent time. Sean does give him some depth of realism.. We find that he is the
illegitimate son of Ensor.. Carver resents the fact that his father did not
marry his mother. Yet Ensor has used his son to reek havoc on his neighbours.
Ensor has decided that Lorna will be his main heir, not Carver, thus further
fuelling his angst. Carver, who has a tender spot for his own young son, wants
to marry Lorna to gain his share of the inheritance. He has some tenderness for
her, for he tries to give her food when she locks herself away. Saying that no
one needs to die.. All this in a west country soft accent , with the odd
War Requiem Out There, But Good
By Kristin Battestella
At first, I wasnt interested in seeing Derek Jarmans War
Requiem when it was released on DVD in late 2008. After watching the trailer online, I had a
change of heart. Set to Benjamin Brittens opus mass (itself inspired by the
World War I poems of Wilfred Owen), the mostly dialogue-less War Requiem is
uneven and bizarre; but no less beautiful and chock full of anti war sentiments.
Now, how can I summarize a film that begins with a speech from Laurence Oliver
in his final performance and ends up with Tilda Swintons Nurse surviving the
dust? War Requiem loosely follows a dramatized Wilfred Owen (Nathanial Parker)
as he crosses paths with Swinton, a meaning well but misunderstood German
Soldier (Sean Bean), and a creepy zealot named Abraham (Nigel Terry). War
Requiem isnt so much linear as a visual representation of Brittens unaltered
1963 composition. As I said, I wouldnt go for this type of film myself, but
the charm of in your face music and pictures cant be defined.
Reuniting
most of his cast from 1986s Caravaggio, Derek Jarman again uses Tilda
Swintons (Michael Clayton, The Chronicles of Narnia) unique and striking look
to his advantage. Asking your cast not to speak is a not easy, but Swintons
mannerisms and talent relate the anguish of war and the haunting music
perfectly. Her orange hair feels like the one bright spot amid all this
violence and death, and Swinton rises and falls with the anguish of wartime
hospital life.
Were
treated to Sir Laurence (Rebecca,
Along with
the fine but silent cast, the segments of real war footage spliced into the
narrative make War Requiem. Color, black and white, World War I through
As
beautiful as War Requiem is, it is also very ugly in many respects. Sure, we
have the gritty, dirty, bloody war aspects from the archive footage and in the
drama-but this is also a little film made very much on the cheap. Some of it is
deliberately cold, dark, stark, and bare, but its a bit obvious that this is
as much out of necessity as it is for artistic statement. The costumes and
military gear look authentic enough, but the cast is made to look dirty, too. Sometimes
I just want to rush up and scrub the television screen. Being made dirty and
cheap in 1990 might also make War Requiem a tough viewing for folks used to
technical masterpieces ala Saving Private Ryan.
Lovely as this mix of music and film is, War Requiem doesnt get its score quite right. Softer, quiet moments in the music make for a lot of dead time onscreen. Do we need to see Tilda Swinton braiding her hair for a full five minutes? Some spots look like Jarman is trying too hard to make statements or be weird rather than using what the score is telling him. At other moments, the slow actions of the cast dont match the booming music. Naturally, this is not the easiest musical composition to mirror, so whatever flaws War Requiem has are artistically forgivable. Maybe you dont like the look, but the music is undeniable. If Fantasia is the perfect blend of visuals and music, then War Requiem is the underground stepchild. As unique and special as these examples are, Im surprised more big spectacular orchestral films arent made. Is there a silent film Romeo and Juliet set to Montagues and Capulets out there? People like ballet, still, dont they? Whats the difference?
Its not
perfect, but War Requiem is a lovely little mix of music, drama, war, and
silent statements. Fans of Jarman no doubt love War Requiem, but anti gay
audiences might not like some of the latent AIDS commentary here. Having said
that, a serious classroom audience might be ripe for a critical viewing- What
does War Requiem do right? Where is it wrong? What can we gain from it
visually, musically, and socially? Its been twenty years since War Requiem was
made, and we still havent learned the lessons it offers. Avante garde and not
for all, War Requiem is still a beautiful little film worthy of a look.
Stormy Monday A Smooth, Moody Film Noir
By Kristin Battestella
Ive had other actor obsessions before my current Sharpe and Sean Bean
tangent-just so you know. Sometimes I like an actor for his looks, but hes got
to have charm, talent, and charisma, too. That is why I also love Tommy Lee
Jones. When I discovered the 1988 neo noir Stormy Monday boasted both Jones and
Bean, well, you can guess how long it took me to make that purchasing decision.
Call girl Kate (Melanie Griffith) is trying to get out from under the thumb of
corrupt businessman Cosmo (Tommy Lee Jones). Kates been waiting tables, hoping
to leave
I have to say right away that my dad hated Stormy Monday. He claims its the
weakest film in which hes seen any of the four leads. If you dont like
atmospheric neo noir films, Michael Figgis 1986 moody Monday is not for you.
Nowadays I think audiences favor fast paced mystery-suspense thrillers; unlike
sixty years ago, where quiet, deliberate noirs slowly built to twists a la
Laura or The Maltese Falcon. While its brewing story and blues music have an
audience, I can see how not everyone would like Stormy Monday. Dare I say its
style is too European for us me me me Americans? Perhaps.
Thankfully we do indeed have a fine cast in Stormy Monday. In only his second
major film, the very young, very blonde, sans tattoos, and be-earringed Sean
Bean holds his own against some serious performers. Purely on an indulgent
scale, that must have been some choice to make back in the day between Sean
Bean and the equally young and pretty pouting Sting. We meet Brendan as a down
and out baby faced musician, but hes quickly drawn into this crooked
Of course, Tommy Lee Jones is his wicked self ala Under Siege. We dont get as
much of him as I might have liked, but Jones presence alone raises the level
of every scene hes in. We know the situation is dangerous because Tommy Lee
Jones says so. We know Cosmo can do whatever he wants and always has his way.
This of course, cant bode well for Stings Finney. Maybe Sting has never fully
made it on screen as an actors actor, but even today his one named star power
is a given. Instead of trying to stretch his actor chops like Dune or The
Bride, Sting plays the owner of a jazz club who has babes and occasionally
plays bass. But of course, it will be Finney who gets his way, right? Jones and
Sting play a fine cat and mouse game while Bean and Griffith inadvertently
interfere. Who has the upper hand? Who is really the star of the film? You
arent always sure.
Stormy Monday involves a secondary, largely musical and humorous plot involving
the real life Krakow Jazz Ensemble. Some of their music is good, some of it is
so bad its funny, and some of it is just plain bad. Its not all meant to be
easily listening, but you must like blues or jazz to enjoy Stormy Monday. The
on location production looks very eighties and very poor, but the music, mood,
and ambiance are very rich. Its strange that some of
Thankfully, the music touches everybody the same way. All the music onscreen
has a source, whether its being played in clubs, through the juke box, or
because everybody is listening to the same radio station. Director and writer
Figgis ingeniously unifies the entire film through song. Naturally those that
like Stormy Monday can see it as the precursor to future fine work from Michael
Figgis. Leaving Las Vegas, anyone?
My dvd was very affordable at under $10, but it has little features beyond
trailers and weak menus. The story by Figgis is perhaps a routine one, but the
atmosphere and music, along with fine lead performances and chemistry, make
Stormy Monday a must for any fan of the cast. A small indulgence for you this
Valentines Day.
Caravaggio Weird, but Good
By Kristin Battestella
Like most Italians, Ive always known of Caravaggio and his
paintings. Like most Sean Bean fans, I was very happy when the 1986 film Caravaggio
came out on DVD last year. Its weird, hot and bothered, full of layers inside
and out. It may not be for everyone, but Caravaggio is an art house lovers
dream.
Young painter with promise Caravaggio (Dexter Fletcher,
Nigel Terry) mixes business with pleasure as he sells himself and his art on
the street. Eventually hes taken in by the church and paints religious
masterpieces, all the while living a very heady and underground lifestyle. The
beautiful
When I think of Caravaggio, firstly I think of the incredible canvases onscreen. Director Derek Jarman (War Requiem, Jubilee) has recreated Caravaggios paintings in painstaking detail. The highlights of the film are the sequences showing Caravaggio painting his masterpieces from posing models. These scenes are lit perfectly and saturated with vivid colors. Its as if the art itself was on the screen. American audiences may not take to this quiet, still life look and feel, but you cant deny the breathtaking living art in Caravaggio.
On the other had, this is one very weird and out there movie! The loud and maniacal sequences are too dizzying and border on the senseless at worst and seem out of place amid the films silently beautiful scenes at best. Viewers can take their pick on production values-either considering them extremely poor and low budget or intentionally sporadic and sparse. Why couldnt Jarman make a straight, period piece costume drama detailing the life of Caravaggio? Regardless of the films finances, Jarman chose to make Caravaggio the way he did. Yes, a lot of it is incredibly weird and too over the top, but parts of the movie are also a lot of fun. The intentional anachronisms in Caravaggio add much needed humor and a light air to the film. Typewriters, motorcycles, and calculators add some fun class to this abstract time and place. These pieces also add commentary and statements without words, much as a painting would. Obsessive muckrakers clicking away on typewriters and priests chachinging on their silver calculators-these subtlies say more than exposition ever could.
Despite its lovely look and bizarre feel, the cast of Caravaggio
is what makes the movie. Nigel Terry (Excalibur) is fittingly weird and heady
as the adult Caravaggio. He is perfect as the X factor and catalyst between
Sure, I like Sean Bean, but you cant often call his villainous performances or rough heroes beautiful. In Caravaggio, however, Beans Ranuccio is hot, aggressive, statuesque- but severely flawed at the same time. It is no wonder Caravaggio falls prey and preys upon these two misguided young lovers. The cast and the silent symbolism of power and wealth make the film-particularly during one lovely modeling scene between Bean and Terry and the subsequent hammock scene between Swinton and Bean. Yowza!
Naturally, it is easy to see the parallels between director Derek Jarman and his onscreen Caravaggio here. Yes, theres a lot of subtext and statements both veiled and exposed, but theres so much more to this film than speculation about Jarmans controversial life and style. I myself am not a big fan of directors or writers knocking on audiences heads with obvious statements and commentary. Thankfully, Caravaggio can be enjoyed for its weird and beautiful style onscreen without any heavy handedness from Jarman. If youre looking for it, youll find it, but you dont have to adore Jarman to appreciate the vision here. Some of that vision is, in a way, coming from the titular sixteenth century Italian painter himself. His paintings and style dominate the screen- adding to his art and genius and his bittersweet life.
The dvd presentation mirrors the portrait-esque style of Caravaggio with interactive, moving menus. The subtitles are essential in picking up the films soft dialogue. There are plenty of interviews and commentary, conceptual art, storyboards, trailers, and galleries to immerse the viewer with Jarman and Caravaggio himself. My DVD also came with a lovely write about the film.
I think it goes without saying that not every is going to like Caravaggio. Although there is nothing extremely overt, prudes or anti art house folks should avoid anything by Derek Jarman. If you have a problem with homoeroticism or anti Catholicism on film, you should also skip Caravaggio. That being said, fans of the titular painter and Jarmans work probably already adore this film. Bean and Swinton fans should tune in as well. Some of its bad, some of its good-and some of it you may not fully get the first time around, but Caravaggio is a beautiful film with a talented cast. Take a chance on this gem today.