The Roses

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The cinematic climate in which we currently live is rife with remakes. While I am primarily of the opinion that there is a wealth of unexplored stories out there that could benefit from a screen adaptation, I am also inclined to believe that there is absolutely nothing wrong with a remake, as long as it’s done well. Doing a remake could arguably be as much of a gamble as adapting a heretofore unadapted novel, the pressure lies with the director, writer and everyone on the film’s credit list… and hinges on what is chosen to be updated.

Comedy, as a genre, is a tricky playing field, as what is considered funny today could well be downright offensive tomorrow. It’s the fastest-changing genre of cinema as well as the truest supportive evidence that art imitates life, so making the choice to remake a comedy is ballsy and tactical. We’ve seen a number of reasonably successful comedies remade: Fun With Dick and Jane (2005), Ghostbusters (2016), The Naked Gun (2025) etc; all chosen because the stories lend themselves to a brand of comedy that has managed to remain popular. Recently sprouted to add to this lush forest of comedy remakes is The Roses, an updated version of the dark comedy War of the Roses (1989) which starred Micheal Douglas and Kathleen Turner.

When architect Theo Rose (Benedict Cumberbatch) met chef Ivy (Olivia Coleman), it was love at first sight. A raucous trip to the restaurant cool room quickly escalated into a ten-year marriage in which Ivy takes care of the kids and cooks part-time in her restaurant while Theo designs a historic museum building. When a hurricane destroys the museum, Theo’s career is ruined, while Ivy’s takes off as her struggling restaurant serves as a storm-escape for a popular food critic. Suddenly, the roles are reversed with Ivy working full-time and Theo looking after the kids. But as Ivy’s career as a popular chef and restaurateur takes off, jealousy and resentment between her and Theo starts to bubble to the surface and soon the two are locked in a vicious divorce, trying to drive the other out of their dream house.

I did not realise that this was a remake when I settled down for an afternoon with Disney+. I am inclined to now check out the original because while I did enjoy this movie, I can’t really identify how I feel about it and would like to see if the original differs or fills I any little craters that The Roses was pitted with.

For the majority, the film is a delightfully modern, dark, and witty verbal jousting match between the two romantic leads. Cumberbatch begins the film as an ethical and idealistic gentleman whose inflated ego then takes a battering and inspires him to push other people to achieve their potential. Coleman is a charming and eloquently crass British take on the manic pixie dream girl who then becomes the classic displaced, sardonic mother figure. The two are delightful together, matching each other’s energy and delivering a very eloquent and darkly funny script with mesmerising, scathing finesse. It’s like watching a boxing match or fencing tourney in slow-motion; a compilation of when all the best and brutal blows are landed that is disturbing, yet you can’t tear your eyes away from it.

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I think the film falls down during the third act where the all-out war breaks. The theatrical trailer shows all the best bits of the insane battle that ensues. Audiences hoping for even more vicious and absurd shenanigans are surprised during the height of the third act where the drama of the entire film explosively rushes to the surface. We are aggressively shoved into an anxious spiral of lost hope for a happy ending or any sort of closure. And then the film ends on a shock-gasp shot that provides the perfect mental space for the underlying depressing aspects of the movie – and indeed life and nature of relationships - to cover our brains like a weighted blanket. The credits roll on a mellow cover of ‘Happy Together’ that suddenly seems really dark, while we stare unblinkingly at the screen, having mentally blue-screened.

While The Roses leaves a lasting impression, I feel that the ending counteracts the hopeful threat of a happy ending throughout the film and perhaps it would have had more of a profound impact if the film had been marketed more as a drama with some comedic elements. Funnily, it reminded me of Remember Me.

But, aside from the bombshell ending that tears everything asunder, The Roses is a fun and entertaining look at the transformative intricacies of modern relationships, the dangers of career-addiction, and the romance of finding that someone who will have an EpiPen handy when you go into anaphylactic shock.

Director: Jay Roach, 2025

Cast: Benedict Cumberbatch, Olivia Colmen, Andy Samberg, Kate McKinnon, Ncuti Gatwa, Sunita Mani, Zoe Chao, Jamie Demetriou & Allison Janney

Persuasion

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As a member of the human race who really enjoys movies, there is something very dispiriting when you go through a movie funk. We all go through them and they are never particularly fun – having that drive and excitement of curling up to watch a new movie severed or just no longer there. I’ve been going through one for the past couple of months, but I recently got to enjoy the uplifting feeling of randomly breaking it one day. I had a Saturday afternoon where I just really fancied curling up with a cup of tea and a new movie. The film of choice: Persuasion staring Dakota Johnson.

Witty and smart Anne Elliot (Dakota Johnson) was once in love but was persuaded by her family to break the engagement due to her beloved’s humble standing in society. Eight years later Anne is still unmarried and regrets that decision every day. But fate gives her another chance when Frederick Wentworth (Cosmo Jarvis), now an upstanding Captain in the navy, reappears in her life. Will pride, regret, and embarrassment prevent Anne from following her heart a second time?

Based on the novel by Jane Austen, this 2022 adaptation is a delightfully light and witty retelling of a classic love story. True to the narrative style of Austen, the film is filled with cheeky asides and fourth wall breaks, as well as an entertaining and memorable cast of subtly caricatured supporting characters.

We feel immediate sympathy and connection to Anne thanks to Johnson’s beguiling performance, which then goes through a compelling series of changes as she shares scenes with her ex. The morphing stages of the relationship are subtle, but very well acted out with Anne providing drama and comedy while Wentworth goes through scenes like a lovelorn puppy.

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There really isn’t much to say about a Jane Austen period romance that has not already been said before. We are instantly transported into another era, but still able to follow all that is happening thanks to the film’s modern camera tricks and actors’ engagements with the audience.

Persuasion is sweet and romantic, a very lovely little film to while away a cold winter’s afternoon with.

Director: Carrie Cracknell, 2022

Cast: Dakota Johnson, Cosmo Jarvis, Henry Golding, Ben Bailey Smith, Yolanda Kettle, Lydia Rose Bewley, Nikki Amuka-Bird, Mia McKenna-Bruce, Nia Towle, Izuka Hoyle, & Richard E. Grant

Bride & Prejudice

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Fresh and upgraded interpretations of a classic tale are always enjoyable; a testament to the cleverness, power, and longevity of the base narrative. While I certainly did not enjoy studying Shakespeare in English class, I cannot deny that the stories he came out with are timeless. It proves to be the same with Jane Austen, one of my favourite authors. For movie night a couple of weeks ago, best friend and myself settled in for a night of vibrant colours, costumes, music, and banter: we did Bride & Prejudice.

Lalita Bakshi and her sisters live happily with their parents in India. But there is a wider would out there with fortunes to be gained and security to be established. The marriage of a friend brings Lalita, Jaya, Maya, and Lakhi into the orbit of rich English and American developers and conflict ensues when cultural, socio-economic, and geographical preferences clash. Lalita draws the eye of William Darcy, and an unusual courtship takes place, fuelled by prejudice, pride, wealth, and cultural appropriation.

Celebrating the splendour of Bollywood, Bride & Prejudice is a fun and fresh retelling of a classic tale of romance, social conflict, and political standings. The fact that it’s a retelling of Pride and Prejudice works for itself and the film heightens this delightful story with an incredible wardrobe, breathtaking dance sequences, and a banging musical soundtrack.

The performances are all great, with Aishwarya Rai Bachchan being sassy, smart, and gorgeous as Lalita, Nitin Ganatra bringing new life to the Mr. Collins character, and Nadira Babbar delivers a brilliant portrayal of the mother.

Image credit: Into Film

Filled with witty banter, amazing costumes, catchy tunes, and romance, Bride & Prejudice is a very fun and fresh retelling of a classic love story. If you’re a fan of Austen and Pride and Prejudice, then it’s worth a watch.

Director: Gurinder Chadha (2005)

Cast: Martin Henderson, Aishwarya Rai Bachchan, Nadira Babbar, Anupam Kher, Naveen Andrews, Namrata Shirodkar, Daniel Gillies, Indira Varma, Sonali Kulkarni, Nitin Ganatra, Meghna Kothari, Peeya Rai Chowdhary, Marsha Mason, Alexis Bledel & Ashanti

Poor Things

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There are any number of things that make us want to go and see a particular film. The genre, the director, the actors, etc... One of the most interesting things in the world is when one reason to go and see a film cancels out a reason not to. I have this sort of relationship with Yorgos Lanthimos. While I do enjoy a strange and off-centre movie, Lanthimos’ works have often left me feeling unsettled and disturbed and this was the reason I put off going to see his latest for so long. But I do love Emma Stone and Willem Dafoe. The Favourite was the first film in which my love for the actors (Stone and Olivia Coleman) cancelled out my hesitation to sit through another Lanthimos film and now it has happened again with Poor Things. And I am glad that I decided to take myself to the movies and give the film a try because it’s truly a gem, absolutely deserving of all the great praise it’s been getting.

Poor Things tells the story of Bella Baxter (Emma Stone), a reanimated corpse brought back to life with the brain of her unborn child in her adult body. Found after her suicide by eccentric and unorthodox scientist Dr. Godwin Baxter, Bella is resurrected and then raised in his home with her mental faculties growing at a fascinating speed. When she begins to reach sexual maturity, Godwin decides that she should marry his assistant, but this plan is thrown into disarray when the lawyer hired to finalise the unique contracts becomes besotted with Bella and whisks her away to travel with him. As Bella sees more of the world and the way it works, she becomes fascinated, horrified, and inspired to leave her mark and make the world better, regardless of anyone says.

While Poor Things still has a dark and twisted edge that is very unique to Lanthimos’ films, I found that I was not so unsettled by this film, rather much more fascinated and curious to see where the story would take its compelling heroine. The outlandish setting, narrative, costumes, and cinematic techniques give it a particularly heightened sense of voyeurism, which in turn piques a delightful cinematic experience: bubbles in the stomach and a heady buzz knowing that you’re peeking into a world that you maybe shouldn’t. Lanthimos uses a fascinating fade-in from black and white, to sepia, to overbright colour to tell the various chapters of the story and mark the milestones of the heroine and the use of the fishbowl lens during particular scenes really heightens the sense that we’re peeping in at something that’s not for us. It’s devilish and delightful.

We then have these absolutely incredible costumes by Holly Wadington and set and art design, decoration, and direction by a team of absolute maestros that add to the eccentric vibe and make the film the visual treat that it is.

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But truth be told it is the performances that really snatch and hold the attention and wonder of the audience. Stone is phenomenal beginning the film as a sweet and naive child you want to protect and then transforming into a smart woman that you want to support. Throughout the film she retains this fantastic carte blanche that’s adorable when she’s in her child-brain stage and both hilarious and cutting in her adult stage. Willem Dafoe is very sweetly paternal and loving toward Bella and manages to express so much emotion that pushes past the impressive makeup that disfigures his face. This then adds a delicious layer of humour to his performance, as many of his scenes are delivered with a blunt and seemingly unfeeling, scientific, tone. Mark Ruffalo as the rakish lawyer is brilliantly hilarious and ridiculous, showcasing a fabulous fall from grace that really satisfies. Half the time you don’t know whether to slap him senseless or feel sorry for him.

Poor Things is a devilishly delightful film that I would thoroughly recommend. It’s a visual treat filled with romance, drama, and plenty of dark and twisted comedy. I loved it.

Director: Yorgos Lanthimos, 2023

Cast: Emma Stone, Willem Dafoe, Mark Ruffalo, Ramy Youssef, Kathryn Hunter, Vicki Pepperdine, Christopher Abbott, Jerrod Carmichael, Suzy Bemba & Hanna Schygulla

The Little Mermaid

 

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It’s a weird feeling that is becoming ever-increasing nowadays as studios, primarily Disney, decide to take animated classics and make ‘live-action’ versions. On the one hand there are many that lend themselves to being brought into the fleshy, 3D world we live in, whereas others might be best suited to be left alone. This phenomenon has a tendency to cause strong and conflicting feelings within the hearts of audiences, with some being for, some being against, and some being of the opinion that we won’t know how we feel about it until we see it. The latter is how I’ve felt about Disney’s latest classic to receive a revamp: The Little Mermaid.

 Young Ariel is a spirited mermaid with an obsession for the world above the waves. Forbidden by her father to venture to the surface, Ariel satisfies her curiosity with collecting trinkets from shipwrecks. But when the lure of the surface becomes too much, she defies her father’s wishes and saves a human prince from drowning. Quickly falling in love with him Ariel goes to Ursula the Sea Witch for help and is granted legs and a chance to become human. But the deal comes with a price and Ariel has only 3 days to get true love’s kiss or else belong to the Sea Witch forever.

Honestly, I was expecting to dislike this much more. I was pleasantly surprised and impressed by this revamp of a classic. It was a mixed bag of highs and lows, ebbs and flows, but overall a very enjoyable night out at the movies.

The story takes a on a bit more of a cultural narrative, exploring the traditional beliefs about mermaids and sirens much more openly than the original animated classic. I also enjoyed the symmetry between the two royal families of the land and sea. Both Eric and Ariel are similar characters, as well as their parents and there’s a nice look at the discourses in politics between the generations as well as other cultures. Triton’s multicultural family is a little bit of a PC handwave, but at least it does make an effort to explain why some of his daughters are Asian, African, Caucasian, Mediterranean etc.

The performances were all fine, but nothing outstanding. Indeed the two people who shine in this movie are Halle Bailey who brings a new life to Ariel, although I felt that her performance was shaky until she got onto land, and Awkwafina who does the voice of Skuttle and brings a lot of fresh comedy to the show. Javier Bardem as Triton was formidable and impressive, but didn’t have fatherly warmth, Daveed Diggs as Sebastian was funny, but a copy of Samuel L. Wright with a higher voice, and Melissa McCarthy as Ursula – one of the greatest Disney villains ever – needed a little salt. This saddened me the most because I rather like Melissa and I absolutely adore Ursula. McCarthy’s performance was almost a carbon copy of Pat Carroll’s, minus some notes on the diva scale. For the first half of the film it felt like McCarthy just wasn’t having any fun being this fantastic character, but I will say that she did a very good job of ‘Poor Unfortunate Souls’ and that’s when she started to really sink into the role.

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Then we have the special effects. Creating the vibrancy of an underwater world has gotten a lot easier over the years, as nature documentaries and underwater geographical exploration has brought wondrous images to the surface that can now be recreated in fantasy films. While the colour and splendour of under the sea is definitely gorgeous here, the interaction between the characters and their surroundings still seems a little off. There’s still a level of ‘fake’ that slides about the screen during the first half, set underwater. The way the merpeoples’ hair moves, for example. Perhaps it’s because we’re already primed with the knowledge that green screens are everywhere, but it’s hard to get beyond the weird CG film that coats everything in the more fantastical, otherworldly scenes, and this sadly does influence the cinematic experience.

This all sounds worse than it actually was however. At the end of the day, I had a really nice cinematic experience from this movie. It delivered wave upon wave of nostalgia and voyeurism, the addition of a few new songs were a nice surprise, and while the performances felt lacklustre in the first half, everyone came into their own in the end. I honestly do think that everyone involved did a really good job and deserve congratulations because this is a tricky film to flesh out of the realm of animation, and I do believe that everyone did accomplish that.

For a nice night out at the movies, you could do worse than The Little Mermaid.

Director: Rob Marshall, 2023

Cast: Halle Bailey, Jonah Hauer-King, Javier Bardem, Noma Dumezweni, Art Malik, Daveed Diggs, Awkwafina, Jacob Tremblay, & Melissa McCarthy.

Becoming Jane

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 There is something so comforting and inspiring about a crisp, autumn morning. The warmth of summer has certainly left Sydney this Saturday morn, and when I woke up to the warm embraces of my partner, I was gripped with the desire for a scene: a picturesque, English country scene. And so I have just finished watching Becoming Jane. 

Based on the romantic portion of the life of one of my all-time favourite authors, the film follows young Jane Austen (Anne Hathaway), a penniless woman with an independent mind and a talent with the pen. Confined by social duties and norms concerning everything from family to fortune, Jane’s world gets turned upside down when she meets and falls for the handsome upcoming lawyer, Thomas LeFroy. A passionate romance ensues, but can love without fortune possibly be enough to ensure a prolonged life of happiness?

This film does not have the feel of a biopic, rather a biographic romantic comedy. The story itself is something straight out of one of Austen’s novels, and we can see characteristics recognisable in Austen’s famous characters in all the people involved. I suppose that the main purpose of the film is to illustrate a singular point that is brought up early on: that experience is needed to write great fiction, and the entire film is definitely a journey of identity.

The performances are all very good, though nothing particularly incredible. Indeed the strongest attraction for me was the beautiful cinematography: the breathtaking scenes of the English countryside. Rolling hills, pretty wildernesses, woods and rivers
abound with a crisp, cool air. 

Image credit: Hanway Films

While I adore Jane Austen, I am the type of fan who reads and revels in her novels, but does not extend myself to learn about the woman who wrote them. I should. Because if I did, then I would be better able to ascertain whether the narrative of this film was close or loose in relation to the truth. Regardless, as I mentioned before this film does not feel like a biopic and therefore I can’t label it as one. It’s a very pretty film nonetheless and I would recommend it to anyone who enjoys this sort of period piece. 

Director: Julian Jarrold, 2007

Cast: Anne Hathaway, James McAvoy, Julie Walters, James Cromwell, Anna Maxwell Martin, Lucy Cohu, Laurence Fox, Ian Richardson, Leo Bill, Joe Anderson, Jessica Ashworth & Maggie Smith

Wuthering Heights

 

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Romantic tales, both tragic and uplifting, are a staple of cinema. While there are new rom-coms and dramas being written all the time, sometimes what you’re really after is a classic. And literature is full of them. It seems that I am now going on a bit of an iconic-literature-adaptation binge because this afternoon, to pass a few hours, I curled up with Robert Fuest’s 1970 adaptation of Emily Bronte’s gothic tragedy, Wuthering Heights.

Chronicling a love that begins when Cathy Earnshaw and adopted brother Heathcliff are but children, the film favours the romantic tragedy of the story as opposed to its more gothic nature. When Cathy comes back from a stay witch a rich family transformed into a lady, Heathcliff feels the sting of betrayal and while Cathy determines that all her choices are for the betterment of their relationship (including her marriage into the family who transformed her) disaster strikes again and again as the two grow further and further apart. 

Fuest’s adaptation focuses on the doomed relationship of the two lovers with money and social standing being the manipulative villain behind its demise. Both Cathy and Heathcliff (both of whom are horrible in the book, by my memory) are victims of the brutalities of society: their wild romance (depicted by their constant forays into the moors) being muzzled by money and the status that comes with it. While Cathy tries to manipulate this to their advantage, Heathcliff seeks to destroy it, which he does by gaining wealth himself and then reducing the family of Wuthering Heights to little more than beggars and savages. 

The film’s modest budget accommodates the power of the story and its allegorical aims perfectly with only costume, cinematography, and the cast’s performances to create the drama, romance, and despair. All of which is achieved incredibly.

Image credit: IMDb

Timothy Dalton and Anna Calder-Marshall as the freedom-seeking lovers work wonders together with each performance standing strong and toe-to-toe with the other. There is absolutely no weaker sex here, and indeed the battle between the genders ends equally well/tragically for both of them.

Filled with drama, remorse, despair, and occasionally hope, Wuthering Heights is a captivating adaptation of story that’s iconic for a reason. 

Director: Robert Fuest (1970)

Cast: Anna Calder-Marshall, Timothy Dalton, Harry Andrews, Pamela Brown, Judy Cornewell, James Cossins, Rosalie Crutchley, Hilary Heath, Julian Glover & Ian Ogilvy

Emma

Image credit: IMDb

 Everyone has their own guilty pleasures in absolutely everything: food, literature, movies, etc. Of course, these tastes are subject to change: they grow as we grow. Five years ago, if you asked me what my guilty pleasure was when it came to movies, I would have said something along the lines of Rock of Ages or some trashy rom-com. Times have changed. Nowadays I have discovered that my guilty pleasures when it comes to movies are Jane Austen adaptations. Whether it’s the stories or the period setting, something about them just makes me feel better when I am stressed or down. Last week, during a particularly ‘meh’ mood, I surfed a few streaming services and came across Hollywood’s 1996 adaptation of Emma. 

Emma Woodhouse (Gwyneth Paltrow) is a celebrated matchmaker, but soon finds herself in over her head when she determines to match up social nobody Harriet Smith to charming Mr. Elton. Against warnings from her family friend Mr. Knightly, Emma embarks on a little scheme to bring to the two together. But when things don’t go according to her plans, Emma’s own confidence in her kindness and her ability to read society are shaken; even more so when she discovers love for herself.

A classic and comedic tale of misread signals and romantic misinterpretations between the sexes, Emma is always going to make a good movie. Honestly, Jane Austen is kind of hard to screw up. And while this adaptation is indeed very enjoyable, it is by no means the most stirring of romantic comedies. 

The ‘90s was a strange period for period adaptations, especially romantic comedies. I can’t quite put my finger on it, but there is something about period rom-coms that was just a little bit off. It’s as though the direction and some of the cinematographic choices were too modern to blend with the vintage setting and thus some weird feeling of modernity creeps into the mix, ever so slightly disrupting the voyeuristic vibe. 

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But this is not to say that this version of Emma is bad. The film has a very interesting cast, all of who give wonderful performances, the music is perfect, and the achievements in set and costume design steals the show.  All in all, this is a true and very entertaining adaptation of a classic piece of romantic literature, it’s sweet, and funny, and just mindless enough to make for a perfect afternoon-filler. 

Director: Douglas McGrath, 1996

Cast: Gwyneth Paltrow, Greta Scacchi, Denys Hawthorne, Jeremy Northam, Alan Cumming, Toni Collette, Sophie Thompson, Polly Walker, & Ewan McGregor

The Thief of Bagdad

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We know that fantasy is timeless; wondrous narratives filled with magic, drama, and heroic quests transcend generations and will continue to so do until all mediums for expressing them are extinguished. This fact has been proven time and time again with various films, however I am still amazed just how much the love for such tales and their own longevity can keep something afloat when the tides of time wash everything else away. 

This afternoon, my film of choice was The Thief of Bagdad, thus the stimulant for my current awe and train of thought. 

The film tells the story of Ahmed, a common thief living in Bagdad who one night sneaks into the palace to plunder it. But once inside his love for treasure is surpassed when he beholds the beautiful princess and he decides to steal her instead. Pretending to be a prince, Ahmed wins the princess’ heart, but his true identity is quickly revealed and he barely escapes with his life. To save her from a forced marriage, Ahmed travels through great lands of wonder and peril to find a rare treasure that will prove his love and worth.

The exotic and romantically erotic setting of Arabia remains tried and true to this day. The gorgeous and extravagant set pieces for this film form a world entirely their own. Despite the grainy, black and white filter and the overblown acting, The Thief of Bagdad still proves to be a cinematic giant capable of grabbing an audience of thousands in one hand squeezing the collective breath out of it.

Without a doubt, the triumphant awe factor of the film is its incredible set: six and a half acres and the biggest set in Hollywood history. Each set from the Caliph’s palace to the underwater cavern of the sirens is absolutely jaw dropping, made all the more incredible by the achievements in costume design. Silks, satins, sequins, and jewels adorn even the commonest thieves in this movie, making the central Bagdad a realm of fantasy. 

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But amidst its rich and exotic aesthetic, the film serves a succinct and powerful narrative of a person’s ability to change. A moral story lies at the centre of the swashbuckling action and political drama and the character arc of Ahmed is both predictable and satisfying. 

While the film itself is quite outdated, and many of the ‘special effects’ had not held up all that well, there is still an awful lot of enjoyment to be taken from this 1920s classic and one can easily see why it has remained in cinema’s classics canon. 

Director: Raoul Walsh, 1924

Cast: Douglas Fairbanks, Snitz Edwards, Charles Belcher, Julanne Johnston, Sojin, Anna May Wong, Brandon Hurst, Tote Du Crow, & Noble Johnson

Emma

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And so I am put into the most fairest and brightest of moods this morning because the film of choice with coffee and cake was a delightful romp of misinterpreted romantic signals, vanity, and hilarious consequences… I am of course referring to Austen’s most admired of all romantic comedies –indeed the matriarch of the genre itself – Emma.

The film follows Miss Emma Woodhouse (Kate Beckinsale), a sweet, but ambitious country heiress who finds no pleasure in personal romantic pursuits, but takes complete pleasure and pride in her abilities to match-make everyone else in her acquaintance. Her latest project is a pretty young woman of no consequence, Harriet Smith, whom Emma determines to set up with the village pastor. With one highly successful match under her belt, Emma is convinced of her talents, but karma rears its head when each and every one of her plans regarding Harriet Smith completely backfires.

Emma has to be one of the most timeless and celebrated romantic comedies. It’s been remade and remastered time and time again -each time as classic and hilarious as ever- and has always retained its incredible relativity, humour, and delightful irony.

This adaptation proves to be just as timeless and enjoyable as all those that have come before, taking on the tone of the most romantic of dramas –complete with in-film fantasy sequences and romantic nightmares. All set against a lovely rural backdrop depicting English country elegance of a time long past.

Kate Beckinsale as the titular heroine is absolutely delightful: though manipulative, she is completely sincere and not unfeeling towards her fellow sex and it’s lovely to watch unlikely friendships blossom despite the social standing. Backinsale is all elegance and charm with a slight cheekiness in her sophistication that makes her impossible not to fall in love with.

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Boasting a strange, but agreeable cast including Mark Strong and Prunella Scales, Emma is filled with wonderful humour, misdemeanours, and delicious disasters that all tie up neatly in the end. It’s the ultimate romantic comedy, virtually indestructible, and this adaptation proves to be a charming and faithful one.

Director: Diarmuid Lawrence, 1996

Cast: Kate Beckinsale, Mark Strong, Bernard Hepton, Samantha Bond, James Hazeldine, Dominic Rowan, Samantha Morton, Prunella Scales, Guy Henry, Raymond Coulthard, and Olivia Williams

Northanger Abbey

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Continuing on with my great Austen adventure, this evening was spent in the company of naïve sweethearts, flirtatious sociopaths, tyrannical patriarchs, and lustrous men… it could only be Northanger Abbey.

The film tells of the exciting adventures of young Catherine Morland (Felicity Jones) whom is requested to accompany rich family friends to Bath as their favoured companion. Excited and terrified to be introduced into society, Catherine’s innocence and naivety attract the attentions of two men, one of whom she finds herself holding a strong affection towards. But when her crush’s father invites her to stay with them at the infamous mansion of Northanger Abbey, Catherine’s overactive imagination, coupled a friend’s gossiping, and a passion for gothic romance novels, jeopardise Catherine’s already fragile footing in society.

I remember reading Northanger Abbey for my Gothic Literature course at university and absolutely falling love with it. Truth be told, I have a weakness for gothic romances, rather like the heroines in this film, which already earns this delightful adaptation a special place in my heart and film collection.

The novel itself stands aside from Austen’s other romantic dramas and comedies, as it dapples in the dream sequence and breaks up the narrative with tantalising bursts of adventure and active excitement. This film does the same, being just like any other period drama, but then broken up and made more exciting by the unexpected dream sequences of abduction, murder, rape, and patriarchal tyranny.

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Felicity Jones as Catherine is absolutely gorgeous, perfectly playing one of Austen’s more excitable and complicated heroines, as she is all smiles, sweetness, and gentility in society, but has fantasies of abduction and rape when alone at night. Jones is positively mesmerising from beginning to end and you cannot help but fall in love with her right from the start.

The debauched, degrading, and dark side of society is prominently displayed rather then merely alluded to, like some of the softer romantic comedies and, indeed, in more than one shot I was reminded of Hitchcock’s adaptation of Rebecca. It’s another classic Austen adaptation that I just adored!

Director: Jon Jones, 2007

Cast: Felicity Jones, Carey Mulligan, Sylvestra Le Touzel, Desmond Barrit, William Beck, J J Feild, Hugh O’Conor, Catherine Walker, and Liam Cunningham

Mansfield Park

Image credit: London By Gaslight

Just a quick forewarning, dear reader, that the next couple of reviews are going to be of the Austen variety, as I am currently feeling a little stressed and fragile from working in a consumer’s essential retail outlet during a pandemic; yesterday I treated myself and bought a triple pack of Jane Austen telemovies so be prepared for a bit of an Austen bender… starting with Mansfield Park.

Starring Austen’s favourite heroine, Mansfield Park tells the story of Fanny Price (Billie Piper), a sweet-natured and humble girl who is taken from her life of poverty and sent to Mansfield Park to be raised by her rich relatives. Growing up, her Uncle Bertram, Aunt Norris, and cousins always treated her as the outsider; her cousin Edmund (Blake Ritson) becoming her only ally. She soon falls in love with Edmund, but disaster strikes when the charismatic and stylish Crawfords come to Mansfield Park and wreak havoc on its inhabitants.

Having only recently read Mansfield Park for the first time, it quickly became a favourite of mine and I am glad that this adaptation is a faithful, albeit somewhat cheaply condensed, one. Opening on a perfectly dramatic tone with voice-over narration, it quickly gains some warmth and heart, which paves the way for the delicious scandal and drama that ensues.

Mansfield Park is one of Austen’s darker romances –in my personal opinion- and while there is a happy ending that leaves audiences warm and pleased, I do feel that it was a little saccharinely sweet in this movie, trying to be more like Sense & Sensibility or Pride & Prejudice: the most celebrated of Austen's romantic comedies. However, this is a tiny complaint against an otherwise lovely film to while away the afternoon with.

Every Woman Dreams

The cast is very intriguing with Billie Piper being quite an interesting Fanny, with her strong and determined features and presence somewhat contrasting with the genteel nature of the character. However, she does the role really well, with a gorgeous glow of innocence, humbleness, and decorum.

Playing against our sweet and gentle heroine is Hayley Atwell as the stylish, manipulative, and overtly frank ‘villainess’, Marianne Crawford. With her soft features and an endearing gentleness in her voice and manner, she is truly the human equivalent of the witch’s gingerbread house: all sweetness and pleasing to the eye, but completely soulless horror within. Atwell does the role beautifully.

Those audience feelings of warmth, engagement, and easiness that accompany any Austen adaptation are here in abundance, making this adaptation a perfect one to curl up with a cup of tea and enjoy. It’s classic British romance, a real treat.

Director: Iain B. MacDonald, 2007

Cast: Billie Piper, Maggie O’Neil, Douglas Hodge, Blake Ritson, James D’Arcy, Michelle Ryan, Rory Kinnear, Catherine Steadman, Hayley Atwell, Joseph Beattie, Joseph Morgan, and Jemma Redgrave

Little Women

Image credit: Poster Ninja

While period films are certainly not for everyone, I have discovered in recent years that they have replaced trashy rom-coms as my new guilty pleasure. It may sound pretentious, but this is a definite improvement. Recently, I indulged and had a little ‘me day’, taking myself to the movies to see Greta Gerwig’s Little Women.

Based on the timeless story by Louisa May Alcott, Little Women follows Jo March (Saoirse Ronan) as she struggles to be a female writer in a man’s world, whilst reflecting on the many marvellous adventures and missteps of her childhood with her mother and three sisters: each a strong woman determined to live the life she wants and not have it dictated by society.

Greta Gerwig has to be one of the finest and most versatile female writer/director of this day and age! Having secured Oscar nominations for her biographical film Lady Bird last season, she follows it up with this simply gorgeous adaptation of a timeless classic, which has already secured its nominations for the gold statuette!

Jumping back and forth between past and present, the film is both delightfully period in its stunning achievements in wardrobe, hair and makeup design, and refreshingly modern in the strength and delightful variety of its leading cast. Saoirse Ronan delivers a stunning performance as the girl struggling to retain the innocence and independence of girlhood whilst trying to carry herself as a strong and independent woman in the world of men. 

Image credit: Refinery29

Indeed the cast in its entirety was absolutely delightful with Emma Watson being perfectly humble, Florence Pugh doing a remarkable job of the being the snobbish sister you love to hate, and Eliza Scanlen as the perfect, sweet, selfless, introverted Beth. To top if off, Laura Dern is the absolute epitome of motherly love and nurturing nature as Marmee! The cast chemistry is what makes this film so beautiful and it is indeed, one of the strongest and most seriously gorgeous female casts to grace the screen!

With multiple narratives of drama, romance, comedy, and tragedy, Little Women is a must-see for literature-lovers, romantics, cinephiles, and those in between. It’s absolutely beautiful!

Director: Greta Gerwig, 2019

Cast: Emma Watson, Saoirse Ronan, Florence Pugh, Eliza Scanlen, Laura Dern, Timothee Chalamet, Tracy Letts, Chris Cooper, and Meryl Streep

Les Miserables

Image credit: IMDb

Ever had one of those days where you feel that you need to watch a grandiose and ambitious venture of musical theatre? That was me today and, deciding to watch the only adaptation on Netflix of a musical that I have never seen before, I combated the feeling with Les Misberables.

A cinematic adaptation of the stage musical, based on Victor Hugo’s immense novel, the film tells the story of Jean Valjean (Hugh Jackman) who has served as a slave for nineteen years for the crime of stealing bread. When he is freed, he breaks his parole and disappears to start a new life. Always behind him is the ruthless policeman Javert (Russell Crowe), determined to bring him to justice. Alongside this central cat-and-mouse story is the parallel story of love and revolution as Valjean’s adopted ward Cosette (Amanda Seyfried) falls in love with a revolutionary (Eddie Redmayne).

I have always been interested in the story of Les Mis and its complexity as a highly theatrical example of musical theatre. Closer in nature to soft opera, this movie is really not the best adaptation to start with. Cinematically, it’s clumsy, crude, and brutal with harsh lighting and a strange montage of camera shots that are good for the certain scenes they are depicting, but stand alone and don’t blend with the majority of the film.

While the story speaks for itself; a classic and moving tale of love, hope, and redemption, the films is brought down by director Tom Hooper’s (interesting?) decision to have the actors sing their songs live. Still giving screen performances, but with the added pressure of singing over the top proves to only work when the characters are standing still and not having to cry or stamp around in a passion. The imbalance in volume of the backing orchestral score takes away a fair portion of the romance and drama that accompanies the musical, which in turns strips the story of its more moving and emotionally stimulating perks.

Image credit: Hollywood Reporter

However, despite this imbalance, the talent of the central cast cannot be denied. Hugh Jackman, Anne Hathaway, and Samantha Barks all exhibit their chops to great effect, which certainly works as a somewhat redeeming feature.

But, at the end of the day, the grandiosity that springs to mind whenever the words Les Mis are uttered is completely lacking in this film and one is left with the conclusion that, in order to appreciate it properly, one might just have save the dough and go to the theatre.

Director: Tom Hooper, 2012

Cast: Hugh Jackman, Russell Crowe, Anne Hathaway, Amanda Seyfried, Eddie Redmayne, Sacha Baron Cohen, Helena Bonham Carter, Aaron Tveit, Samantha Barks, and Daniel Huttlestone

Within Our Gates

Image credit: IMDb

Perhaps now, more than ever, there is a heftier demand for stigmas and taboos surrounding people who were not born old, white, males to be abolished and for all industries to come to the realisation that the talents within those industries, whether they come from a woman, an African-American, an Asian, or a transgender person, are just as great and important as the white man’s.

Green Book may have snagged the Oscar this year, but its triumph is hardly a celebration of colour, race, and the changing times (some would argue it’s exactly the opposite). The ridiculousness of the whole conservative white power within the Academy becomes even more frustrating and stupid when you consider that African-American cinema has been around since the 1920s!

This brings me to my film of choice this afternoon: Within Our Gates.

Written, produced, and directed by Oscar Micheaux, the film tells a moving and tragic story of a black teacher (Evelyn Preer) who travels north to raise money for her rural school in the south that educates black children. Alongside this central story are several others including a severed romance, a murder, and the hunt for an underworld crime boss.

Within Our Gates is s significant piece of cinema. Not only is it a brutal depiction of racial prejudice and oppression in 1920s America (both in the north and south) it is the earliest surviving feature from an African-American director. Micheaux proves that art can be achieved by anyone regardless of race, gender, or religion with this film that both violently and succinctly reflects the times. What is most impressive about Within Our Gates is that it’s a brutal and searing depiction of clashing cultural attitudes as well as open racism whilst at the same time being a stirring melodrama and fusion of popular movie genres that offer something for a wide audience. It’s a romance, it’s a tragedy, it’s even a little bit of a thriller at one point and this fantastic fusion of genres makes for a really fulfilling movie experience within the space of just over an hour.

Image credit: Movies Silently

Dramatic and mesmerising performances keep eyes on screens, along with the haunting orchestral soundtrack, and the captions (which double as the credits) are particularly nice, taking a leaf from Huckleberry Finn and being written in a unique phonetic dialect of the Deep South.

Considering that the film was lost for seventy years –it was rediscovered at the Filmoteca Espanola in Madrid and restored shortly after- none of its cultural significance or relevance has faded and it might be time to resurrect a few of these old classics.

Director: Oscar Micheaux, 1920

Cast: Evelyn Preer, Flo Clements, James D. Ruffin, Jack Chenault, William Smith, Charles D. Lucas, Bernice Ladd, Mrs. Evelyn, William Stark, Mattie Edwards, Ralph Johnson, E.G. Tatum, Grant Edwards, Grant Gorman, and Leigh Whipper

The Guernsey Literary & Potato Peel Pie Society

Image credit: Amazon UK

Though I have never actually been part of one, I honestly think that the invention of the book club is probably one of the most important and significantly underappreciated achievements in all of human history, next to the creation of novel itself. The idea of the binding power of literature is one that really strikes a cord with me personally and is also the central theme in Mike Newell’s charming British romance, The Guernsey Literary & Potato Peel Pie Society.

The film tells the story of free-spirited writer Juliet Ashton (Lily James) who travels to the island of Guernsey after she is contacted by one of its inhabitants asking for a book. Through correspondence she learns of the Guernsey Literary & Potato Peel Pie Society, a book club established during the island’s occupation by German troops during the war, and she decides to write the society’s quirky story for an article. However, the members don’t wish their story to be told and Juliet soon finds herself trying to solve a wartime mystery that still haunts the island.

This has to be one of the sweetest and most wondrous films that I have seen in a long time. The Guernsey Literary & Potato Peel Pie Society is one of those impeccable British romances that treads the fine line between drama and comedy so gently and so beautifully that it makes you feel both elated and blissfully calm and happy by the end.

The film blends genres that we know go together as well as fuses them with others that one would not have considered working, and the entire thing proves to be a delicious recipe –unlike the featured potato peel pie. It begins as a light post-war drama, which then takes all the steps to become a romantic comedy. However, it takes a turn in the second act with the addition of the mystery of one of the central characters, which morphs it into this fascinating, almost gothic, romance: something that becomes even more interesting as this twist in the narrative reflects the plots of a few of the novels the book club discusses (e.g. Wuthering Heights and Jane Eyre).

Image credit: Vulture

While the central romantic narrative is predictable, despite the number of curve balls it throws to the audience, the true relationship the film explores is the one forged between the heroine and the society, each individual member as well as a whole unit. These darling friendships are formed solely on the appreciation for books and the love of reading as well as the idea that everyone has a story to tell and this warm and deeply beautiful, human message is what makes the film so sweet, and delightful, and inspiring.

The charming and genuine performances mixed with a beautiful instrumental score and breathtaking scenic locations on the coast and the lush island cliffs makes you wish you could slip through the screen and be there, be part of it.

The Guernsey Literary & Potato Peel Pie Society is a film that I adored not for the way in which it was made, although that certainly plays a strong hand, but in the way it made me feel. It’s one of those truly gorgeous movies that takes you away from the stress of life and inspires you to continue to tackle it. A beautiful, beautiful film!

Director: Mike Newell, 2018

Cast: Lily James, Jessica Brown Findlay, Tom Courtenay, Michiel Huisman, Katherine Parkinson, Matthew Goode, Glen Powell, Kit Connor, Florence Keen, and Penelope Wilton