Wives and Daughters (2002) Review

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(More customer reviews)This is a superlative period piece and a brilliant adaptation of Elizabeth Gaskell's 1865 novel of the same name. This BBC mini-series is a superb costume drama with stellar performances by the entire cast. Set in rural England, the film centers around Molly Gibson, the seventeen year old daughter of a country doctor. Richly drawn portraits of Molly's neighbors and friends quickly emerge and weave an absorbing tapestry of nineteenth century life.
Molly and her father, a widower for most of Molly's life, have an exceptionally close and loving relationship. Their relationship is put to the test when he decides to marry a widow and former governess, Hyacinth, who is a pretentious, self absorbed, ridiculous woman. She has a grown daughter named Cynthia, a beautiful young woman, close to Molly in age, but as different from Molly as night and day. Cynthia is best described as a Marilyn Monroe of the Victorian age. Cynthia and Molly become fast friends, while Molly barely tolerates her nigh intolerable step-mother.
The series really revolves around Molly's relationships with all the characters in the production and her handling of the various everyday situations in which she finds herself. Richly drawn, memorable characters, as well as intrigues, secrets, and romance, make this a highly absorbing drama and one that those who love period pieces and lush, well acted costume dramas will enjoy. It is simply a masterpiece.
With stunningly crisp visuals and beautiful clarity of sound, the production value of this three disc, five hour DVD is simply first rate. It is also value laden with some very interesting features. There is an engaging fifty five minute portrait of Elizabeth Gaskell, the author of the novel upon which this mini-series is based. There is a also a twenty minute documentary on the making of the film which is entertaining, as it gives a bird's eye view of the thought that went into the making of the film and the development of the characters. There is also a who's who guide to the performers. This DVD is well worth having in one's collection.

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From the team that brought you "Pride and Prejudice." Set in a richly portrayed society well-stocked with eccentric nobles and gossipy villagers, the story centers around 17-year-old Molly Gibson, the only daughter of a respected country Doctor.

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My Girl (2006) Review

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(More customer reviews)Excellent cast. Wonderful acting. Lee Da Hae pulled off the comedic scenes nicely, and everyone else within the drama also did a very good job. From the get-go I was immersed into the story of what is "My Girl". The plotline is your typical drama, with quarreling, jealously, lovers left and right and whatnot, but this is a must see if you are a fan of any of the actors. Being rated as one of the top ten dramas in Korea in 2006, I can see why this has made it up there. Check it out and I am assured you shall be pleased. Read plently of summaries, reviews; get a feel for this drama and you'll fall in love with it.

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Feast Of All Saints (2001) Review

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(More customer reviews)i [tried] to read this book, but couldn't get past the first 250 pages or so. while it was fascinating to read and i found the characters intriguing, i didn't have the TIME to sit down and read it through: the pacing was entirely too slow. so, i put it down and promised myself to 'come back to it,' wishing SOMEONE would adapt it to film so that i could have time for the actual STORY.
i was thrilled when i discovered this dvd at the local blockbuster.
the film, which outlines the lives of one french-creole-haitian family in louisiana who--by a series of questionable and irreversible decisions made through generations--enjoyed the privilege of being part of the 18,000-strong community of those both black and free in early-1800's louisiana, is paced WONDERFULLY.
i found that the film adaptation was true to what i'd read in the book and the characters, except for anna bella who i thought would look more african, were just as i had imagined them in my mind. this is def. the best book-to-film I'VE ever seen. the movie was beautiful to look at and of altogether intriguing subject matter. I WAS NOT DISAPPOINTED. on the contrary, because it was a made-for-tv movie, i was expecting quality far LESS than that which i actually saw. the relationships between the characters were believable, as was the plot of the film. it's about 3 1/2 to 4 hours long, but it certainly didn't feel that way. in fact, i was disappointed when it ended.
the acting was great (the accents, less so). and my goodness, the cast read like a who's who in black hollywood. forest whitaker, pam grier, jasmine guy, ruby dee, ozzie davis, james earl jones, eartha kitt, goodness...the list goes on. however, those that were newer to me, such as the films protagonist marcelle (robert richard) did as well--sometimes better--than the veterans.
i love historical movies, especially those about wwii and america in the 1800s. this is the best movie of the latter category i've ever seen. it neither over-dramatizes or under-dramatizes the situation of the people it depicts (which is more than what u can say for classics such as 'gone with the wind').
i'd recommend this one to anyone.

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Anne Rice’s The Feast of All Saints is a tale set in 1840’s New Orleans about "free people of color", who formed their own class at a time when the predominant role of blacks in society was as slaves. The film focuses on the ordeal of one young man named Marcel Ste. Marie (Ri’chard), who searches for the truth about his heritage. As he finds his individual path into the future, Marcel is fully aware that he is a child of African and European descent, but his story is uniquely American.

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Palace (2006) Review

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(More customer reviews)I love this Kdrama. It has everything--great characters, gorgeous costumes and sets, an interesting storyline, and lots of fun! In a fanciful tale set in modern day South Korea, the country's crown prince and an ordinary schoolgirl find themselves in an arranged marriage thanks to their grandfathers' whims. Now two opposite personalities must somehow come together in this 'political marriage' and stand the test of jealous rivals, scheming royalty, and the media always following their every move. Filmed in beautiful locations with an exquisite production design, this modern-day fairy tale is sure to please anyone--whether Korean or not. I was pleased to see that this U.S. release by YA Entertainment did justice to the series; not only is the packaging beautiful, but there are also quality English subtitles and a fairly wide array of bonus features. I would recommend this show to anyone who loves a fairy tale romance with a beautiful cast and lots of comedy along the way. However, I would recommend purchasing Palace through another source such as [...].

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Under the Greenwood Tree (2006) Review

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(More customer reviews)I stumbled across this delightful gem of a film recently: as everything I've ever read & seen of Hardy is quite tragic, I was expecting quite the same from this...boy, was I in for a surprise! This light-hearted romance comes from the usually gloom & doom Thomas Hardy pen: well-acted & filmed, this movie is a nice treat...
When Fancy Day returns to Mellstock to care for her father & teach the local schoolchildren, she creates quite a stir: the townspeople don't quite know what to make of this educated girl & the parson's plans to replace their beloved choir with her playing of the "harmonia" (organ). Pretty soon the sweet & beautiful Fancy has attracted the eye of three men: a poor but handsome carrier, a rich but crass farmer and a gentlemanly but superior parson. Her father urges her to marry well, but Fancy wants to follow her heart: will true love win out in the end?!
For those of you worried about content, it is kept to a few stolen kisses between an unmarried couple; there is also some time when a young man is in the river with his shirt off & he & a young lady steal a kiss. There is some mild carousing, as a few of the townsfolk show up to the church a bit tipsy on cider.
I was quite impressed by this film: I kept waiting for the dark, depressing side of Hardy to come out & almost couldn't believe that the tone of the film seemed to be upbeat most of the time. Surprisingly, the film stayed on the happier side & ended quite nicely: I love Hardy's other stories, but it is quite refreshing to see that he was not always doom & gloom, and could pen such a sweet & spirited tale as this!! Highly recommended!

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In a small village in the south of England, Dick Dewy, a handsome working man, falls in love with Fancy Day, a newly arrived schoolteacher from a wealthy family who happens to be the village beauty. But other, richer men also want to win the hand of Fancy. There's Farmer Shiner, a wealthy landowner, and Reverend Maybold, the decent young vicar. Who will win Fancy's hand? And even if she agrees to marry Dick, will her father consent to the marriage? This charming, timeless story of rural life gave Thomas Hardy his first real taste of success, and with its rustic setting and moving tale of young love, it weaves a spell that still entrances today.

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Her Best Friend's Husband (2002) Review

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(More customer reviews)Cheryl Ladd, Bess Armstrong and William Moses are great. Jane Thorton (ladd) is a very good attorney who has lost her husband five years before. Jane gets invited to visit for her best friend Mandy (Armstrong) for her birthday as a surprise by her husband Will (Moses). while visting Mandy tells Will she wants a divorce. Will asks Jane to double with him in a tennis came because Mandy won't. after a few days Jane leaves and knowing she is attracted to Will but she wants her two bestfriends to get back together over how she feels about will. so jane is gone for a while but comes back for the opening of mandy's shop where will tells jane that mandy and him are through and they sleep together.you will have to get the movie to find out what happends. this movie was on Lifetime and i just loved it. this is worth getting.

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Some things you just don't share.

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Dracula - The Dark Prince (2000) Review

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(More customer reviews)Or so they would have us believe. This film is strongly influenced by the Bram Stoker novel in mood and menace, but it is still highly entertaining and quite well done. Meant to be a historical drama about the real life of Vlad the Impaler, Dracula: The Dark Prince takes us to Romania in the 1400's, to see what made the man the legend he is today. The story is told from Vlad's point of view, as he recounts the story of his life before an Orthodox Ecclesiastical Court in defense of his crown. We first see Vlad as a child, training for battle with his father and younger brother, Radu. But soon after, Vlad's father is killed by the noblemen of his own country, who are constantly looking after their own interests above anything else. His brother kidnapped and brainwashed by a perverted Turkish Sultan, and himself believed to be long dead, Vlad eventually raises an army to help him take back the throne that rightfully belongs to him from the noblemen and their hand picked NEW prince. Once back in power, Vlad and his beautiful, new, young wife commence to having a son. Simultaneously, Vlad takes his revenge on the noblemen of his country who were responsible for the death of his father and so many others. With that matter taken care of, Vlad focuses on his main interest, dealing with the accursed Turks that have plagued him all his life. This brings up the problem of his younger brother, who is now one of them, and matters are not helped by the failing mental state of Vlad`s wife, who is disturbed more and more as she discovers the brutality of her husband`s style of government.
While the film does mention and even depict Vlad's more legendary and gruesome exploits, those that were less likely to be true were presented only as rumors amongst the people and noblemen of Romania that the Prince himself always denied. The film doesn't really take much of a fantasy angle, it simply drops hints here and there to remind you that this is the man known as Dracula. True, in the end the possibility that Vlad did become one of the undead is left open, but even the act that many have claimed ruined the reality of the film could easily be interpreted as the hallucination of a dying man. Overall, this is a pretty good film for what it is, and I recommend it to all fans of Dracula, real or imaginary.

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