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| Movie Review: Bright Star Alternate Title: Poetry in Motion
Story: Roses are red, violets
are blue, if you like poetry, this film is for you. This film is also
for all movie lovers who adore exceptionally made period pieces. It
will transport you to a quieter time where the Romance poets sat about
dreaming of odes, love and all things earthly and spiritual. It is a
love story in the purest of forms. Kudos to writer and director Jane
Campion for a masterful piece of filmmaking. It is 1818 - Hampstead London. Impoverished,
young John Keats comes to live near the engaging Fanny Brawne. Their
doomed from the start relationship builds slowly over a three year period
of time. I became totally enveloped in their budding courtship, the
poetry and the romance. The chemistry between the two actors was palpable. The attention to every detail of the period,
the wonderful cinematography, the lighting, the music and the understated
acting make this a first rate, must see film for all (unless of course
your choice in movies must include explosions, monsters and digital
special effects). A thing of beauty is a joy forever . For more
information on John Keats go to: http://englishhistory.net/keats.html Watch the trailer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lTetIodauIM Acting: Abbie Cornish as Fanny Brawne was spectacular.
She reminded me of a young Charlize Theron. Ben Whishaw as
John Keats was exceptional too. Paul Schneider as Mr.
Brown was delightfully abrupt. The entire ensemble cast was wonderful. Trivia: Jane Campion became the second female to
be nominated for an Oscar in the Best Director category for her film
The Piano (1993). The first being Lina Wertmüller for her film
Pasqualino Settebellezze (1975). FYI - Anna Paquin, the young Canadian
who grew up in New Zealand and whose only acting experience was as a
skunk at a school play, stunned movie-goers from all over the world
with her performance as Holly Hunter's angry young daughter in the acclaimed
film The Piano (1993). Anna, who received an Oscar for her performance
(the second youngest Oscar winner ever), has proven that The Piano (1993)
was only the beginning of a fabulous career. She is now Sookie Stackouse
in True Blood. Ben Whishaw beat out Leonardo DiCaprio
and Orlando Bloom for the role of Jean-Baptiste Grenouille in Perfume:
The Story of a Murderer (2006). Abbie Cornish met boyfriend
Ryan Phillippe while filming Stop-Loss (2008) in August 2006. They have
been together ever since.
Predilection: None
Critters: A fabulous tuxedo cat named Topper, geese
and street dogs.
Food: There were scenes in the kitchen that showed
food, including some sort of fowl, but I do not remember anyone eating
anything other than some sort of cookie.
Sex Spectrum: Keats and Brawne have the purest of
relationships.
Soundtrack: Who can complain about Mozart?
Opening Titles: A lovely opening with a close up
of Fanny doing some lovely stitch work.
Visual Art: Kudos to director of photography, Greig
Fraser.
Theater Audience: I was alone in the secret balcony
but did hear rustling downstairs.
Weather: All of the seasons are beautifully depicted.
Sappy Factor: 0
Quirky Meter: 0
Squirm Scale: 0
Drift Factor: I was riveted throughout.
Predictability Level: I knew what happens to John
Keats.
Tissue Usage: 0
Oscar Worthy: Yes
Big Screen or Rental: Instead of a movie, how about
reading something by one of the Big Six of English romantic literature
- William Blake - The Marriage of Heaven and Hell, William Wordsworth
- The Prelude, Samuel Taylor Coleridge - Rime of the Ancient Mariner,
George Gordon, Lord Byron - Don Juan, Percy Bysshe Shelley - Prometheus
Unbound and John Keats - Ode on a Grecian Urn.
Length: Two hours
LOBO HOWLS: 9 |