Beyond Jane Austen: Period British Mini-Series & Movies

For fans of period British movies or mini-series, here's some titles beyond the Jane Austen fare. Hopefully some will be new to you. These are my title/version preferences; please share your favorites in the comments below! 

Jane Eyre – 2007 version staring Ruth Wilson and Toby Stephens. In high school I read Jane Eyre (by Charlotte Brontë) and wasn't enamored. Once I watched this version I finally understood the hype. Mark my words, Ruth Wilson will win many, many awards in her career.

North & South – starring Daniela Denby-Ashe and Richard Armitage. Based on the book by Elizabeth Gaskell, this is a bit of a cult-classic (no, this is not the Civil War TV mini-series from the 80s...). The north and south in the title refers to the lifestyle of the more gentile south and the industrial north, which is of course, a metaphor for our main characters. The chemistry between the two is perfection.

The Buccaneers – starring Carla Gugino and Mira Sorvino. New-money American young ladies are brought to England to make matches with the cash-strapped ton. Carla Gugino shines in this early role where her character turns from a naive young lady to a morose married woman.

Little Dorritt – starring Claire Foy and Mathew Macfayden. Based on Charles Dickens' novel, Amy Dorritt (Foy) is one of the more sympathetic female characters in  Dickens' oeuvre. She braves the challenges of living in debtor's prison with her father, who is a bit of a high-maintenance diva really. Great ensemble work here. 

Wives and Daughters – starring Justine Waddell and Anthony Howell. Another story by Elizabeth Gaskell about the rocky relationship between a step-daughter and step-mother. The romance aspect is well-played.

Twelfth Night, Or What You Will - starring Imogen Stubbs and Toby Stephens. This is probably my favorite piece by Shakespeare (what can I say, I like farces). Also, Toby Stephens is really dreamy in this.

Must-See Miniseries: The Hour

The Hour (2011).  
The Hour. Season 2 (2013). 

If you are looking for something new to watch now that most of the network TV shows have ended for the summer, check out the BBC miniseries The Hour.  Set in mid-1950s in London The Hour is about the creation of an current affairs news show for the BBC.   Hardscrabble journalist Freddie Lyon (Ben Whishaw) is tired of his job covering entertainment news (which he views as beneath him).  Lucky for him, his best friend/ creative partner Bel Rowley (Romola Garai) is recruited by their mentor Clarence Fendley (Anton Lesser) to help produce a brand new news program called The Hour.  Clarence decides on the upper-class, handsome news anchor Hector Madden (Dominic West aka. McNulty from the Wire) to host the program. 

The Hour is full of Cold War paranoia and intrigue, yet the stories covered have clear parallels to modern day.  As a huge Broadcast News fan,  I really enjoyed the love triangle plot between Freddie, Bel, and Hector.  There's definitely a clearer choice here than in Broadcast News, but it was nice to see a more sympathetic portrayal of the Aaron Altman character.  Garai, Whishaw and West all give excellent performances. I particularly enjoyed the chemistry between Garai and Whishaw as friends in the first season.  It was interesting to see West with his native British accent, since my main exposure to him was on the Wire.  He definitely comes off as far more gentlemanly than Jimmy McNulty.  I was also interested in the 1950s fashion aspect of the show.  Whishaw looks even cuter than usual in his tweed business wear, and Garai's wardrobe had me perusing Boden USA for similar styles of dresses.  Check it out!

Comfort Food Cinema: Broadcast News

 Cranky Network Manager:  "It must be nice to always believe that you know better, to always think you're the smartest person in the room."

Jane Craig:  "No. It's awful."


Broadcast News (1987).
Call No.:  DVD COMEDY BROADCAST
Find it in the catalog!

For many people the hey day of romantic comedies was in the 1930s and 40s.  And while I'm a huge fan of rom-coms from this period (His Girl Friday, The Philadelphia Story, anything with Jimmy Stewart), I'm also partial to romantic comedies from the 1980s.  While Broadcast News doesn't exactly fit the mold of romantic comedy perfectly; it's one of my favorites of the era. 

The film follows Jane Craig (Holly Hunter), a gifted, but neurotic news producer.  Her friend and frequent collaborator is Aaron Altman (Albert Brooks), a talented writer and investigative journalist who also has secret feelings for Jane.  However, her relationship with Altman, is challenged when her network hires the hunky, but less substantial journalist Tom Grunick (William Hurt).  Tom is a former sports reporter turned anchor  Though he is quickly promoted, he lacks the knowledge and integrity of a journalist like Jane or Aaron.  In spite of their different perspectives on journalism, Jane finds herself falling for Tom.

Albert Brooks really steals the show as Aaron Altman.  He's got some of the funniest lines in the movie.  Even though Altman can be smug and manipulative, it's really hard not to feel for the guy.  He's gifted, super smart, but gets passed over for a promotion because he lacks the charm and attractiveness of Tom.  This jealously towards Tom is only intensified because of his feelings for Jane, and her preference for Tom in spite of all the similarities she and Aaron share and their great chemistry as friends.  In one of the most cringe-inducing scenes of the movie, Aaron gets his shot at becoming an anchor, only to ruin it with an incredible flop sweat attack.

From the fashion to the technology, the film definitely is of the 80s.  Jane has one scene where she's dressed to impress, which does not translate at all to today's fashion.  However, the themes and relationships in the movie are still fresh today.  This is a wickedly funny movie that also has some real heartbreaking moments in it.  If you have not seen it before, or haven't watched it for a while, it's definitely worth checking out!

Valentine's Day Movie Guide

Valentine's Day seems like a divisive holiday.  Some people go all out for it, and for other people it just reminds them of how lonely they are, or how much they hate watching Nicholas Sparks movies with their significant other.  Personally, I'm pretty indifferent towards the day, but it doesn't stop me from participating in it.  I like to celebrate with a nice bottle of red wine, some chocolate, and a fun, romantic movie.  Below are some film suggestions for celebrating Valentine's Day, whether you love or hate it:

If you are in love with someone you can't have:  Brief Encounter.  This short but sweet 1945 British melodrama centers on the forbidden romance between housewife Laura (Celia Johnson) and doctor Alec (Trevor Howard) who meet a train station cafe.  Both are married and have children, but they soon get sweep up in an intense emotional affair.  Brief Encounter definitely shows the hardship of loving someone you can't be with.

Also recommended: Lets be honest, forbidden love is way more romantic than boring old requited love, so you have lots of good options here:  In the Mood for Love, Roman Holiday, Brokeback Mountain, The Royal Tenenbaums, and so on. 

If your significant other is a film snob:  The Before Trilogy:  Before Sunrise, Before Sunset, and Before Midnight.  This super talky series follows American Jesse (Ethan Hawke) and French Celine (Julie Delpy), who fall in love after meeting on a train to Vienna.  The films manage to be both funny and heartfelt, plus there's lots of great European scenery (Vienna, Paris, Greece).  My favorite of the bunch is the second one, Before Sunset. 

If your significant other loves The Notebook, but you CAN'T GO THROUGH THAT AGAIN THIS YEAR!:  Awww...congratulations, you've got yourself a hopeless romantic!  Titanic would probably work, but really, do you want to have to watch that?  Instead, I recommend ruining The Notebook for them by choosing one of Gosling's less appealing roles.  Perhaps, Only God Forgives or Blue Valentine (balding Gosling with a mustache, ouch). 

If you just recently broke up with someone:  Annie Hall. This classic Woody Allen movie follows the sweet, but mismatched relationship between Alvy Singer (Allen) and Annie Hall (Diane Keaton). 

Also recommended:  High Fidelity, 500 Days of Summer.

If you are happily single: Bridget Jones Diary.  Seriously is there any harder decision than choosing between Colin Firth and Hugh Grant?  This movie is a super cute update on Pride and Prejudice.  And if you're single, pat yourself on the back, because you don't have to listen to your boyfriend whine throughout the entire movie!

Also recommended:  13 Going on 30.

If your girlfriend is a librarian:Nothing says romance to a librarian like a little Jane Austen, so I highly recommend the Colin Firth Pride and Prejudice.  But pretty much any Austen will do.  My favorite is the Ang Lee classic Sense and Sensibility.  

If you are in an on-again, off-again relationship: Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind.  Joel Barish (Jim Carey) is heartbroken when his ex-girlfriend Clementine undergoes a procedure to erase their relationship from her memory.  Bitter, he decides to have him memories of her erased as well.  However, during the process of having his mind wiped, Joel realizes that he is still in love with Clementine and fights to keep her in his memories.

If you are unhappily in a relationship: Sleep Walk With Me.  On top of dealing with a struggling comedy career and a recently diagnosed sleepwalking disorder, Mike Pandamiglo (Mike Birbiglia) begins to have some doubts about his long-time girlfriend Abby (Lauren Ambrose).

If you're in a long distance relationship: Like Crazy.  Anna (Felcity Jones) is a British student who attended college in the United States.  While there, she fell for her T.A. Jacob (Anton Yelchin).  After graduation, Anna decides to spend the summer with Jacob, overstaying her visa.  After she returns home to England for a family engagement, Anna is shocked when she is denied reentry to the United States and deported to England.  The two lovers then try to keep their relationship together in spite of being an ocean apart. 

If you want wallow in misery, because you'll never find anyone ever:  Probably the best bet here is to play the Smiths on repeat and wash down your sorrows with some whiskey.  However, if you don't quite want to be THAT miserable on Valentine's Day, I recommend checking out a Michelango Antonioni film and watch really, really good looking people (or Jack Nicholson) suffer from loneliness and alienation in beautiful locales.  Check out his alienation trilogy: L'Avventura, L'Eclisse, and La Notte.

Also recommended:  Anything by Ingmar Bergman or any film adaptations of Kazuo Ishiguro novels.

If you're in love with a friend, but you don't know how to tell them:  Tootsie.  Talk about awkward situations, Michael Dorsey (Dustin Hoffman) is in love with his beautiful coworker Julie Nichols (Jessica Lange).  However, she only knows him as his female alter-ego Dorothy Michaels.   This movie is probably my all time favorite romantic comedy and features my ultra crush, young Bill Murray, as Dustin Hoffman's roommate.

Also Recommended:  My Best Friend's Wedding, Pretty in Pink.

You are falling fast for someone:  Weekend.  Russell (Tom Cullen) and Glen (Chris New), meet at club in Nottingham.  The two go home together and begin an intense relationship.  However, Glen is soon to be leaving the country for an art course in America.

Also recommended: Once, Lost in Translation, Out of Sight.

Pick Me Up Pictures: Moonstruck

Moonstruck (1987)
Call No.: DVD COMEDY MOONSTRUCK
Find in the Catalog!

In spite of having a big soft spot for 80s romantic comedies (i.e. Tootsie, Broadcast News, anything with John Cusack), I had never gotten around to watching Moonstruck.  I blame it partly on not really seeing Nicholas Cage as a convincing romantic hero and partly on some skepticism about Cher's acting abilities (I should have known not to doubt Cher!).  However, recently I was in the mood to watch something light and fun after watching lots of depressing romance movies from the Guardian's 25 best romance films of all time list (I'm looking at you, Brief Encounter).  So I checked out Moonstruck and was immediately cast under its spell. 

Loretta (Cher) is a widowed bookkeeper in her late 30s.   Her first husband was hit by a bus.  Loretta believes this is because of curse put on her marriage due to getting hitched in City Hall.  When her boyfriend, Johnny Cammareri (Danny Aiello) proposes, she accepts but decides to do everything right this time.  Johnny is a nice, middle-aged mamma's boy who Loretta likes but doesn't love.  When he flies off to Sicily to look after his dying mom, Loretta tries to honor his wish to have his estranged brother Ronny (Nicholas Cage) attend their wedding.   However, things become a wee-bit complicated when Loretta and Ronny wind up in bed together.

Moonstruck gives off the vibe of a modern fairy tale.  From Loretta's strange Italian grandfather walking around with a million dogs to the giant, over-sized full (Cosmo's) moon, the movie definitely has a quirky, magical quality to it.   Probably my favorite aspect of the movie is Loretta's tight knit family.  Olympia Dukakis gives an inspired performance as Loretta's practical but heartbroken mom.  She has some great lines, including advising Loretta that it's good that she doesn't love Johnny because "When you love them, they drive you crazy because they know that they can."  I also really liked that Loretta is a really strong character.  Whether she's making Johnny propose to her on his knees or telly Ronny to "snap out of it" when he confesses his love for her, Loretta certainly doesn't kowtow to the men in her life. 

Overall, this is a super cute movie! Definitely check it out if you want a movie that's light, funny, romantic but also smart and well acted.  

A Room With A View

 

A Room with A View (1985).
Call No.:  DVD DRAMA ROOM
Find it in the catalog!

 I've been on an Italy kick lately, because I have been planning a trip there later on this year.  So while I was initially worried that this Merchant Ivory film might be a little bit on the slow and tedious side, I decided to watch it anyway for the spectacular scenery in Florence.  Luckily, A Room with a View proved to be a lively and enjoyable film.  

Set during the Edwardian era and based off an E.M. Forester novel, this 1985 film adaption follows a young British woman, Lucy Honeychurch (Helena Bonham Carter), as she vacations in Florence for the first time under the supervision of her much older and tightly-wound cousin Charlotte (Maggie Smith).  At their hotel in Italy, Lucy and Charlotte become close with several other English travelers including novelist Eleanor Lavish (Judi Dench), Reverend Beebe (Simon Callow), and most importantly, the free-spirited Mr. Emerson (Denholm Elliot) and his son, George (Julian Sands).  While on the trip, Lucy begins to long for more freedom and finds herself increasing drawn to George, but she is confused by her feelings.  When George passionately kisses Lucy in a field, their embrace is interrupted by a horrified Charlotte, who insists Lucy must leave Florence at once and makes Lucy promise to keep the kiss a secret (lest she be blamed).

 After returning to England, Lucy accepts the proposal of the extremely nerdy Cyril Vyse (Daniel Day-Lewis).   Cyril is a more socially suitable match for Lucy than George, but he lacks passion.  Lucy and Cyril share one of the most comically awkward kisses in cinema history, thanks in part to Cyril's pince-nez glasses.  However, her engagement gets tested when Mr. Emerson and George rent a cottage in Lucy's town.  Will Lucy choose George with his enviable bone-structure and vastly superior kisses?  Or stay true to her commitments and marry the annoyingly stuffy Cyril? 

Though the film is almost 30 years old, it still feels fresh.  The cast is superb and it was fun to see these big names actors when they were much younger.  I didn't recognize Daniel Day-Lewis at first and was totally jealous of Helena Bonham Carter's marvelously gigantic hair.  Not being a big Merchant Ivory fan, I was surprised by how much humor was in the film.  There are lots of laughs, including a famous bathing sequence featuring George, Reverend Beebe, and Lucy's brother Freddy (Rupert Graves).  The film is beautiful to look at, very romantic, and I appreciated how all of the characters were treated with empathy.   Even though Cyril's priggishness is often played for laughs, his character is not entirely dismissible and it's obvious that he does genuinely care for Lucy.   Whether you're a fan of well-acted historical dramas, want to armchair travel to Florence, or you just want an excuse to stare at Julian Sands's cheekbones for two hours, A Room With View is definitely worth watching!

Films featuring Libraries and Librarians

 In honor of National Library Week, check out a movie about libraries!  Below are some famous movies featuring libraries and librarians:

The Time Traveler's Wife (2010):  Based off the Audrey Niffenegger weeper, this movie follows the tortured but passionate romance of artist Claire and librarian Henry.  Personally, I'd recommend reading the book over watching this movie, but Rachel McAdams and Eric Bana do look fantastic!
Find this film in the catalog!

The Hollywood Librarian (2009):  This documentary looks that different images of librarians and libraries in American movies.
Find this film in the catalog!

The Station Agent (2004):  The so-hot-right-now Peter Dinklage made his big break in this indie sleeper.  Michelle Williams plays his love interest, a local librarian who is unhappily pregnant by her good-for-nothing boyfriend.
Find this film in the catalog!

Miranda (2003):   John Simms (from the British miniseries State of Play) plays a librarian who falls for a mysterious but comely library patron (Christina Ricci). 
Find this film in the catalog!

The Mummy (1999):  In this action thriller,  Rachel Weisz plays a beautiful but clumsy librarian at the library of Alexandra.
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Wings of Desire (1987):  This Wim Wenders masterpiece features one of the most famous library scenes ever in  the Berlin State Libary (Staatsbibliothek zu Berlin). For the angels in the film, who can hear humans' thoughts, the library is one of the loudest places in the city.  This is a spectacularly beautiful film, highly recommended!
Find this film in the catalog!

Breakfast Club (1985):  What's a fate worth than death for a high school student?  Having to spend Saturday in the school library!  Check out this John Hughes classic and have Simple Minds stuck in your head all day.
Find this film in the catalog!

Ghostbusters (1984):  This classic 80s sci-fi comedy has lots of great scenes in the New York Public Library, including a librarian ghost who mysteriously stacks books!
Find this film in the catalog!

The Music Man (1962):  Featuring Marian the Librarian, queen of all librarian stereotypes.  She shushes, wears her hair up in a bun, and has spiffy glasses.  But when she takes down her hair, she's a total babe!
Find this film in the catalog!

Desk Set (1957):  Watch the sparks fly between Katherine Hepburn and Spencer Tracy in this romance set in television reference library!
Find this film in the catalog!

It's a Wonderful Life (1956):  Without George Bailey around, Mary Hatch (Donna Reed) is forced to live her life as a librarian.  The horror!  The horror!
Find this film in the catalog!

For further celebration, check out some fiction and non-fiction books featuring libraries and librarians!

Nicholas Sparks: Who Dies? Safe Haven edition.

 Disclaimer: It goes without saying, you shouldn't read this post if you haven't seen the movie and knowing the deceased party will ruin it for you.  Also, you probably shouldn't read it if you think The Notebook is one the most romantic books/ movies ever.    

There's a new Nicholas Sparks movie out just in time in Valentine's Day!.  So those of you in happy coupledom get to endure two hours of beaches, kissing in the rain, shirtless Josh Duhamel, and emotional manipulation! But lest you decide to break up with your significant other so you don't have see Safe Haven, this Nicholas Sparks movie has a twist!*  It's a thriller-- well a Sparksian-take on a thriller anyway.  It's like The Notebook as written by M. Night Shamymalan.

Premise:  Katie (Julianne Hough) flees Boston to a sunny, coastal town in North Carolina (of course) after she maybe killed a guy (or at least hurt him).  But hey, she totally had her reasons, okay?  However, a meanie Boston police detective (David Lyons) just won't let sleeping dogs lie and is trying to track down Katie.  Once in North Carolina, Katie immediately finds work as a waitress and rents a shabby chic cabin in the woods.  Even though she's trying her best to avoid all human connection (smart girl), she quickly becomes friends with her neighbor Jo (Cobie Smothers aka. Robin from How I Met Your Mother), whom no one else in the town talks to or knows about.  Katie soon finds herself falling for a handsome store owner Alex (Josh Duhamel), who lost his wife to cancer and has two cute kids.  However, because of Katie's dark past, she's not sure if entering into a relationship with Alex is a good idea.

Who dies?:  Alex does.  Katie kills him because she's really a crazy murderess. No, just kidding.  The truth is wayyyyy weirder.  So, it turns out the detective isn't interested in finding Katie just because she's a (possible) murderer on the lam.  It's really because he's her abusive ex-husband, whom she stabbed but didn't kill. Predictably, he catches up with her in NC and a messy fight ensues.  Alex's store starts ablaze and the evil ex dies in the scuffle.  Everybody else makes it out okay, though most of Alex's store is destroyed.

But that's not even the craziest twist!  Cue the theremin, because Jo is really Alex's dead wife. SHE'S REALLY DEAD! I know that sounds like I'm making that up.  But that actually happens!  She just wanted to make sure Alex chose the right replacement.  Now that he's happily ever after with Katie, Jo can cross over.

For more Nicholas Sparks spoilers, check out my earlier posts.   Or if I haven't totally ruined it, you can check out the book!


*Seriously though, you definitely should break up with them.  Unless you want to have to see every Nicholas Sparks adaptation for the rest of your life.  Doesn't dying alone sound more pleasant?

Happy St. Patrick's Day!: The Films of Michael Fassbender

In honor of St. Patrick's Day, check out a film by Ireland's finest countryman- Michael Fassbender: 

300 (2006):  Does the thought of lots of ancient Greeks and Persians fighting sound like fun?  Then you are the perfect audience for this movie.  Warning though, you'll probably feel really self-conscious about your abs after watching it.

Angel (2007):  This is definitely a strange movie to watch.  It reminded me of a melodrama from the 1940s.  There's lots of lavish scenery and swelling music, but with an unlikeable protagonist, Angel- a snotty and overly self-assured romance author.  Fassbender plays Esmé- a struggling  and self-involved artist with gold-digger tendencies.  

Hunger (2008):  Fassbender gives an impressive performance as IRA prisoner Bobby Sands who goes on a hunger strike.  This is a pretty brutal movie to watch, but a good one.  Director Steve McQueen (not of Bullitt fame) also worked with Fassbender on Shame. 

Fish Tank (2009): In this gritty, British slice-of-life drama, Fassbender plays Connor, the boyfriend of Mia's (the protagonist) mother and the only person whom seems to look out for Mia.  Connor does some detestable things in the movie, but Fassbender brings out the charismatic and sympathetic elements of the character too.

Inglourious Basterds (2009):  Quentin Tarantino's World War II masterpiece.  Fassbender plays a Scotch-drinking British film critic turned spy against the Germans.  If you only have time to watch one Fassbender movie, this is the best!

Centurion (2010):  If 300 didn't give you enough a chance to ogle Fassbender's abs, here's your second chance. Evidentially ancient warriors were allergic to shirts. 

Jonah Hex (2010):   I haven't seen this, so no word on whether it's so bad it's good...or just sleep inducing.  Definitely not the best movie with Fassbender and Christoph Waltz though.

Jane Eyre (2011): Fans of the book may prefer the BBC version, because it is a more faithful adaptation.  But this adaptation has the handsomest Rochester ever. 

X-Men: First Class (2011):  This is a well-done adaptation of a comic book.  But more importantly- it has Fassbender and James McAvoy in one movie!  Now if only they could make an Austen adaptation together!

Coming Soon: A Dangerous Method (2011).  David Croenberg's drama about Freud (Viggo Mortensen) and Jung (Fassbender).

Take My Breath Away: Love Songs

I generally prefer my music to be sad, with the occasional twist of bitter, but that doesn't mean I don't occasionally fall for a nice love song. In honor of St. Valentine's Day, below is a list of some of my favorite romantic songs.  This is not a list of the greatest love songs of all time, so don't be offended that I didn't include "Take My Breath Away" or "In Your Eyes."  Also, the author is not responsible for the repercussions of putting any of these songs on a mix tape for your lady friend.

That Teenage Feeling- Neko Case
From: Fox Confessor Brings the Flood (2006).
Find it in the catalog!

This song nicely contrasts a skeptical, but mature outlook on love with a naive, but romantic teenage one:

Now that we've met, we can only laugh at these regrets
Common as a cold, They are telephone poles
They follow each other, one after another,
After another...
But now my heart is green, like weeds
Grown to outlive the season
And nothing comforts me the same
As my brave friend who says:
"I don't care if forever never comes,
Because I'm holding out for that teenage feeling."

Slow Show- The National
From: Boxer (2007). 
Find it in the catalog!

Like any song from the National, it's hard to tell exactly what it's about.  However, there definitely some angst in this song.  I couldn't help myself though, because there is a lot of sweetness in the song too:

I want to hurry home to you
Put on a slow, dumb show for you
and crack you up
So you can put a blue ribbon around my brain
God, I'm very very frightened
I'll over do it
You know I dreamed about you
For 29 years before I saw you
You know I dreamed about you
I missed you for, for 29 years

Johnsburg, Illinois/ Shore Leave- Tom Waits
From: Swordfishtrombones (1983). 
Find it in the catalog!

This is kind of a toss up for me.  Both songs are about his wife and from the same album.  But I'm leaning more towards "Johnsburg, Illinois," because I grew up in the next town over.  And that song is definitely the coolest thing about Johnsburg. 

She's my true love 
She's all that I think of
Look here is my wallet 
That's her 
She grew up on a farm there 
There is a place on my arm
Where I've written her name
Next to mine
(from "Johnsburg, Illinois")

And I wondered how the same moon outside
Over this Chinatown fair
Could look down on Illinois
And find you there
And you know I love you, baby
And I'm so far away from home
And I miss my baby so
And I can't make it by myself
I love you so
(from "Shore Leave")

Higher Power- Jonathan Richman.
From: I, Jonathan (1992). 
Find it in the catalog!

Jonathan may have a childlike outlook on romance and well, pretty much everything else, but he's awesome and this song will give you a case of the awwws...

They say that magic and the science world collide
But Einstein saw me looking at her and he joined my side
And I knew how it would be the way she hated me
And there must be a higher power somewhere

It's magic It's magic the way we got together
It's magic It's freedom, it's fair
It's magic It's magic no not at random
And there must be a higher power somewhere

Gulity Pleasure Pick: Holiday Movies, part 1: Love Actually

Love Actually (2003).
Call Number: DVD COMEDY LOVE
 Find it in the catalog!


Holiday movies for me are like pizza; not something you'd serve to someone you want to impress and certainly not the best thing you've ever ingested, but perfect for the end of the week when you are too lazy and brain dead to cook.

Love Actually is an amalgamation of several different cinematic dealbreakers for me: it's a holiday movie, a romantic comedy, and it interweaves several different stories with similar themes Crash-style.  Yet, I still watch it practically every holiday season.  It does have a great cast: Bill Nighy, Laura Linney,  Liam Neeson, Emma Thompson, Chiewetel Ejiofor, Martin Freeman and so on.  Basically the who's who of British cinema minus James McAvoy and Martin Sheen.  Some of the plot line are tracing paper thin and downright depressing, but thankfully, you never stick to one story too long.  The film is set primarily in London and it has dry, ironic Brit humor going for it.  Below are my top 5 favorite things about Love Actually: 

1).  Bill Nighy as Billy Mack:  Bill Nighy's performance as a washed up former rock star is by far the most entertaining part of the film.  Most likely modeled after Keith Richards, Mack struggled for years with substance abuse and pretty much says whatever enters his brain. However, Mack reminds me more of a mild-aged Russell Brand, as he revels in being randy and inappropriate and he only wears tight leather clothing.

2).  Prime Minister Hugh Grant's dance:  This is probably the most iconic moment for the film.  Joyful about all the positive press he is getting for telling off the Bill Clinton-esque American president (Billy Bob Thorton), after the president hits on Grant's pretty assistant, he does a happy dance to the Pointer Sisters' "Jump."  Like Sam Rockwell, Hugh Grant knows how to dance in a way that both skilled and hilarious.

Cinematic Aphrodisiacs: A Guide to Good Date Movies

Choosing the perfect movie for a date can be a delicate art, especially if you and your date have mismatched taste.  You don't want to bring a Guy Maddin film to a date with a person whose all time favorite movie is Miss Congeniality 2: Armed and Fabulous or the Scorpion King (though you might question why you are going out with them in the first place).  You also want something that sets the mood properly-  light, fun, slightly offbeat, and romantic but not setting the bar too high.  Compiled below are movies that I would proudly take to a date. Not all titles will appeal to everyone, but would you really want to date someone who didn't like The Apartment?  I'm just doing you a favor! 

All the Real Girls (2003).  It's risky to watch a movie that is, in part, about love gone wrong.  But All the Real Girls also shows the fun of falling in love.  And it stars two of cinemas most crush worthy actors: Paul Schneider and Zooey Deschanel.  Plus you'll get major indie cred for a choosing a movie directed by David Gordon Greene. Oh, and the love scenes are pretty hot too. 
Find it in the catalog! 

Annie Hall (1977). If you and your date are just the slight bit neurotic or bookish, odds are you will relate immensely to this movie.  This is Woody Allen at his most charming; you almost understand why the ditsy but beautiful Annie (Diane Keaton) would fall for him.  Annie Hall is full of relationship foibles, but still optimistic and funny.
Find it in the catalog!  

The Apartment (1960).  You can't really go wrong with Billy Wilder and this is my favorite of his films.  A romantic comedy about poor lovelorn C.C. Baxter (Jack Lemon), who lets the higher ups in his office use his apartment to carry out their extramarital affairs. This helps him get ahead at work, but he starts to question the morality of his actions when he sees how infidelity affects the elevator operator of his dreams (Shirley MacLaine).
Find it in the catalog!  

Paul Schneider

Handsome in a laid-back, scruffy sort of way, Paul Schneider has played his share of lady-killers in film (All the Real Girls, the Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford) and on TV (Parks and Recreation). Based partly on his real life, his role in David Gordon Green's All the Real Girls was his break-out performance and the reason I'll always be just a little bit in love with him.  He plays the town Lothario who decides to take it slow with his best friend's sister.  Paul's performance is sweet, tender, and occasionally swoon-worthy, but he doesn't shy away from his character's angry and insensitive tendencies either.  If you haven't seen the movie, I highly recommend it.  It's one of the best dramas about young people in love.  Look for before-they-were-famous performances by Danny McBride and Zooey Deschanel too.

He has also given several interesting performances in supporting roles.  In Lars and the Real Girl, he played Lars's brother, Gus, who is the only character in the movie that seems disturbed by Lars's relationship with the Real Girl doll.  Gus is sort of a stand in for the audience with his skepticism towards the relationship and Paul gives a funny and realistic performance.  Director Jane Campion was so impressed with his performance in the western epic Assassination of Jesse James that she cast him as the Scottish poet Charles Brown in Bright Star.   Brown was a close friend to poet John Keats, who tries to sabotage Keats relationship with neighbor Fanny Brawne.  His performance as Brown earned him a National Society of Film Critics award for best supporting actor. 

Paul Schneider's star is definitely on the rise.  Recently he decided to leave Parks and Recreation after this season so he can act in more movie roles. Check him out in one of the DVDs we have available at the library:

Parks and Recreation: Season 1.
Find it in the Catalog.

Away We Go.
Find it in the Catalog.

Bright Star.
Find it in the Catalog.

Drunk History: Episode 4.
Find it on the Web.

Lars and the Real Girl.
Find it in the Catalog.

The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford.
Find it in the Catalog.

The Family Stone.
Find it in the Catalog.

Elizabethtown.
Find it in the Catalog.

All the Real Girls.
Find it in the Catalog.

George Washington.
Find it in the Catalog.

Nicholas Sparks movies: Who's going to die? (Spoilers Ahead!)

 Disclaimer: It goes without saying, you shouldn't read this post if you haven't seen the movie and knowing the deceased party will ruin it for you.  Also, you probably shouldn't read it if you think The Notebook is one the most romantic books/ movies ever.   

It's seems like in all of Nicholas Sparks's books (and the movies based off them), characters fall in love only to meet some sort of tragic end.  So why waste time watching the movie when you can just find out who dies?  Spare the sap, the movie is just going to make you cry anyway!  After the jump, read the break-down of who kicks the bucket:

Cornish and Whishaw make Bright Star shine

Bright Star, written and directed by Jane Campion, tells the story of the romance between the poet John Keats (Ben Whishaw from Brideshead Revisited) and his neighbor Fanny Brawne (Abbie Cornish from Stop-Loss). Despite the sad ending I knew was coming (Keats died at the age of 25) I really enjoyed watching this movie; the cinematography is so amazing that the beautiful images remain clear in my mind.

Keats' friend Charles Brown (Paul Schneider of TV's Park and Recreation) and Fanny's family say that Keats is poor and cannot offer Fanny a stable life. But they share a strong connection and cannot help how they feel. The chemistry between Cornish and Whishaw makes this movie special. Even during the silences the viewer can feel the passion between them. In one scene, after being away, Keats watches as Fanny opens a trunk of clothes for him. The look on his face is that of pure admiration and love. In another scene Keats and Fanny weave their hands together while sitting next to each other and the impact is ten times as powerful as any heavy make-out session found in any number of romantic comedies or dramas. I think both Cornish and Whishaw deserve Oscar nominations for their performances; the movie wouldn't be the same without them. Bright Star had been playing at the AMC in South Barrington but has already disappeared, which I found disappointing; I was able to catch a show at the Glen Art in Glen Ellyn. I'm willing to bet that when Oscar season rolls around more theaters will book it again.

• Now playing at the Glen Art Theatre (540 Crescent Blvd, Glen Ellyn) and Loews Pipers Alley 4 (1608 N. Wells St, Chicago)
• 1 hour 59 minutes
• Rated PG