romance – NZ Film Freak

Emma

Emma movie 2020 poster

Director: Autumn de Wilde
Writer: Eleanor Catton (Based on Jane Austen’s novel, Emma)
Released: February 2020
Starring: Anya Taylor-Joy, Johnny Flynn, Josh O’Connor, Callum Turner, Mia Goth, Miranda Hart and Bill Nighy
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I took a little too long to get around to writing this review! So I’ll try to remember my first impressions…

I am a Jane Austen fan – despite reading all of zero of her books. But I do own the complete book series, which I might get around to reading one day.

It was actually the 2005 movie Pride & Prejudice featuring Kiera Knightley that got me hooked, followed with the 2007 movie The Jane Austen Book Club. Both movies have stuck with me ever since.

That’s why the movie Emma appealed to me so much. Also, the hilarity of Miranda Hart in the trailer.

Emma movie miranda hart

Thanks to The Jane Austen Book Club, I knew the rough storyline already – that Emma was a match-maker who was too oblivious to notice her one true love was standing before her the whole time.

This version of the story certainly keeps the quirkiness and humour that I understand the book has, but the colour and dramatic stage play essence that director Autumn de Wilde brought to her debut film was brilliant.

I would have laid money on it that the director was Wes Anderson because of the similarity between Emma and The Grand Budapest Hotel. Identical in terms of pastel colours and swift camerawork.

Emma movie

I thought this was the debut movie for Anya Taylor-Joy who played Emma as well. But then I realised that I had seen her before; she’s in Split/Glass!

The only downside of Emma was that the funniest moments were in the trailer. The pacing was also a lot slower than I expected.

Nevertheless, the costumes were spectacular and the characters were all bright and bold!

Jodie’s rating: 5/10

Top 21: Romantic Film Quotes

Feeling flowery and happy and romantic? Or are you just here to get inspiration for an anniversary card? Either way, here are some beautifully romantic quotes from movies…

They say when you meet the love of your life, time stops. And that’s true. –Big Fish

Good mood, bad mood, ugly, pretty… The right person is still going to think the sun shines out of your ass –Juno

The greatest thing you’ll ever learn is just to love, and be loved in return –Moulin Rouge (although, technically a song lyric)

When you realise you want to spend the rest of your life with somebody, you want the rest of your life to start as soon as possible. –When Harry Met Sally

You had me at hello –Jerry Maguire

I love you. You complete me –Jerry Maguire

I’m also just a girl, standing in front of a boy, asking him to love her –Notting Hill

I wanted it to be you, I wanted it to be you so badly –You’ve Got Mail

It’s like in that moment the whole universe existed just to bring us together –Serendipity

You have bewitched me, body and soul, and I love you. And wish from this day forth never to be parted from you –Pride & Prejudice

Choose me. Marry me. Let me make you happy –My Best Friend’s Wedding

It was a million tiny little things that, when you added them all up, they meant we were supposed to be together –Sleepless in Seattle

I wish I had done everything on earth with you –The Great Gatsby

I have loved her even when I hated her… –Crazy, Stupid, Love

Promise me that whenever you’re sad, or unsure, or you lose complete faith, that you’ll try to see yourself through my eyes –P.S I Love You

I am nothing special; just a common man with common thoughts, and I’ve led a common life. There are no monuments dedicated to me and my name will soon be forgotten. But in one respect I have succeeded as gloriously as anyone who’s ever lived: I’ve loved another with all my heart and soul; and to me, this has always been enough –The Notebook

…most of all I’m scared of walking out of this room and never feeling the rest of my whole life the way I feel when I’m with you –Dirty Dancing

I’m just exactly where I want to be –Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind

Love is too weak a word for what I feel –Annie Hall

I think I’d miss you even if we’d never met –The Wedding Date

You’re not perfect… She’s not perfect either. But the question is whether or not you’re perfect for each other –Good Will Hunting

Never lie, steal, cheat, or drink. But if you must lie, lie in the arms of the one you love. If you must steal, steal away from bad company. If you must cheat, cheat death. –Hitch

You’ve Got Mail

Director: Nora Ephron
Writer: Nora Ephron and Delia Ephron
Released: December 1998
Starring: Tom Hanks, Meg Ryan, Parker Posey, Jean Stapleton, Dave Chappelle, Steve Zahn, Greg Kinnear
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A classic 1990s rom-com! Featuring the mum and dad of 90s rom-coms – Tom Hanks and Meg Ryan.

It’s from the writer/director Nora Ephron – the brain behind When Harry Met Sally, the similar 90s story of Sleepless in Seattle, and Julie & Julia. (She must have really loved Meg Ryan – I wonder if Nora considered her for Julie & Julia because she has a striking resemblance to Amy Adams.)

You’ve Got Mail is the ultimate feel-good film. It’s everyone’s daydream; realising the love of your life has been in front of you the entire time. In this movie, Kathleen Kelly (Meg Ryan) owns a quaint book shop, until a giant book-selling conglomerate – owned by Joe Fox (Tom Hanks) – moves right up the road from her.

Kathleen: [writing to “NY152”] People are always telling you that change is a good thing. But all they’re really saying is that something you didn’t want to happen at all… has happened.

This threatens her family business, so Kathleen takes comfort in a stranger online – known as NY152 – whom she confides in. Developing feelings for the stranger, and vice versa, they decide to meet and you’ll never guess who NY152 turns out to be.

(Meanwhile, Kathleen is dating a complete arse (Greg Kinnear) who I absolutely adore hating.)

Kathleen: [in an email to “NY152”] The odd thing about this form of communication is that you’re more likely to talk about nothing than something. But I just want to say that all this nothing has meant more to me than so many somethings.

It’s got just the right amount of cheese for this outlandish twist of fate to be believable and enjoyable. It reminds me of Serendipity in that way.

I love the nonsense that Kathleen talks about. She really does have her head in a book even when she’s not reading:

Kathleen: [writing to “NY152”] Once I read a story about a butterfly in the subway, and today, I saw one! It got on at 42nd and off at 59th, where, I assume, it was going to Bloomingdales to buy a hat that will turn out to be a mistake, as almost all hats are.

It’s the perfect rainy Sunday watch. Its happiness and joy will make the sun come out in your life!

Jodie’s rating: 6/10

Kathleen: I love daisies.
Joe: You told me.
Kathleen: They’re so friendly. Don’t you think daisies are the friendliest flower?

I agree! ❤️

One Hot Summer – Kat French

Writer: Kat French
Genre: Romance
Released: 2016
Blurb: Alice McBride’s husband Brad is super famous, totally gorgeous… and having an affair with his co-star. And now it’s splashed across all the newspapers. After kicking Brad out, Alice decides to rent out her beloved home for the summer, but the last person she expects to arrive at Borne Manor is a sexy cowboy called Robinson. Country music star Robinson has had his own share of heartache, and he’s come to Borne Manor to escape from it all. Neither Alice nor Robinson are looking for romance, but the spark between them can’t be ignored. Could a holiday romance help heal their broken hearts? And what will happen when their long hot summer together comes to an end?

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I’m no longer ashamed! I will read the books I enjoy, and I enjoy a cheesey romance.

I haven’t heard of Kat French before, but the gist of the theme sort of reminded me of Nora Roberts’ books (of which I’ve read one: The MacGregor Brides – review coming soon!).

I love how this book is set in an old English village. Alice lives in a manor and her best friends live in the smaller dwellings that she owns next door. It’s the perfect life.

But straight off the bat we are in the depths of a scandal! Alice is staring at her husband’s pictures splashed over the front pages of the newspapers: he’s banging his super hot co-star, and this is how Alice finds out.

Now, I was hoping she would live out everyone’s fantasy of slamming doors and throwing frozen Mars Bars at the unfaithful man’s head, but I guess this book is realistic in that way. Alice, in a state of shock, calmly shows him the door despite his pleading.

Her best friends are eccentric and quite funny, who help Alice get back on her feet. They are unrealistically supportive and attentive, but having such close friends who would jump in front of a bus for you is a warm and cozy idea to flirt with in this book.

Due to money issues, Alice has to rent the manor out while she stays in an old RV in the garden, and guess who becomes her tenant… A gentlemanly King of Leon-esk country singer named Robinson. He’s a brilliantly talented musician with a sultry southern accent, chiselled features, rock-hard abs and he love kids and animals. He too is nursing a broken heart, so what could possibly happen when a beautiful single man moves into the beautiful house of a beautiful single woman?

Apart from the fact that it includes a horse, my favourite thing about this book is that nothing really bad happens. It’s just a nice story about falling in love and the bumps along the way. It is such an easy read.

While I am usually up for a MASSIVE scandal with lots of heartbreak and backstabbing and bitchiness, sometimes it’s good to kick the summer off with a sizzling hot romance – no strings attached, no negativity.

It’s hard to not feel happy reading this book. It’s the perfect pick-me-up.

Jodie’s rating: 7/10

Eat Pray Love

Director: Ryan Murphy
Writer: Ryan Murphy Jennifer Salt (screenplay), Elizabeth Gilbert (novel)
Released: August 2010
Starring: Julia Roberts, James Franco, Richard Jenkins, Viola Davis, Billy Crudup, Javier Bardem
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I have avoided writing this review for years because the thought of it exhausts me, as did the film.

Eat Pray Love is about Elizabeth Gilbert (Julia Roberts) who has a large home, a husband and a great job, but she feels empty and without an ‘appetite’ for life. She soon instigates a divorce from her husband (Billy Crudup) whom she feels no connection to, before having a rebound relationship with David (James Franco).

Elizabeth: Hadn’t I wanted this? I had actively participated in every moment of the creation of this life. So why didn’t I see myself in any of it? The only thing more impossible than staying… was leaving. I didn’t want to hurt anybody, I wanted to slip quietly out the back door and not stop running until I reached Greenland.

A comment in the early part of the film that sticks in my head is by Elizabeth’s best friend Delia (Viola Davis). She says that Elizabeth used to look like Steven (her ex-husband), and now she looked like David (her rebound boyfriend).

As in, she was trying to find herself in others and consequently copying the way they dressed. I thought that was insightful and very relatable because when you don’t know who you are, you pretend to be someone else.

So Elizabeth decides to go travelling for a year to Italy to find her appetite again (eat), then India to experience peace (pray), and then Bali for balance, which turns into love.

Elizabeth: I used to have this appetite for my life, and now it’s gone! …I want to go somewhere where I can marvel at something.

Julia Roberts was the perfect choice because she plays a down-to-earth, complicated and romantic character. Her character is also quite inspirational as she does exactly what she tells everyone she’s going to do; travel!

She’s especially inspirational in comparison to her rebound actor boyfriend David who talks a lot about what he’s going to do but never actually does it.

Elizabeth: If you’re brave enough to leave behind everything familiar and comforting, which can be anything from your house to bitter, old resentments, and set out on a truth-seeking journey… then the truth will not be withheld from you.

Eat Love Pray does have a particularly ‘privileged, rich, skinny, white woman is feeling sad’ kind of vibe. So I can imagine this detracts from the message significantly. Especially when the slim characters supposedly get ‘muffin tops’ from eating too much pizza and pasta. Like, girl, there’s nothing to you!

Nevertheless, there are a lot of philosophical lessons that are learnt by Elizabeth along the way, which I enjoy. It truly is a very personal discovery that she goes through, with her self-reflection and life lessons being relatable and aspirational.

In Italy, she learns to enjoy herself and not worry about her waistline. She learns to taste, enjoy, not feel guilty and to not deny herself of feeling good.

Luca Spaghetti: Americans! You work too hard. …you don’t know pleasure. You have to be told you’ve earned it. You see a commercial that says, “It’s Miller time”… and you say, “That’s right. Now I will go to buy a six-pack”. And drink the whole thing and wake up the next morning and you feel terrible.
But an Italian doesn’t need to be told. He walks by a sign that says, “You deserve a break today”… and he says, “Yeah, I know. That’s why I’m planning on taking a break at noon… to go over to your house and sleep with your wife”.

In India, she learns to block out the noise and to live in the moment. She learns to make peace with her past and let resentment go.

Richard from Texas: Big deal. So you fell in love with someone
Elizabeth: But I miss him.
Richard from Texas: So Miss him! Send him light and love when you think of him and then drop it!

Finally, in Bali, she discovers true love.

Filipe: You don’t need a man, Liz. You need a champion.

While in theory this should be a film I absolutely adore, unfortunately it is simply far too long (two and a half hours) with too many complicated internal conflicts to digest.

But I do appreciate that a lot of people can relate to running away from a ‘perfect’ life to search for themselves across the world.

Overall, it’s got strong messages but by the end I felt like I had travelled the world myself. I was exhausted.

Jodie’s rating: 5/10

Top 5: On-Screen Lovers Who Disliked Each Other Off-Screen

After finding out that Kathleen Turner and Nicholas Cage weren’t the best of friends in Peggy Sue Got Married, I decided to find out what other on-screen romances were less than genuine. Apparently there are a few!

It’s a shame that our favourite on-screen couples turn out to be played by people who strongly dislike one another. But from their point of view, what an awful situation to be in! It’s hard enough working with annoying or difficult people, but imagine having to pretend to be in love with them. Ugh. I guess that’s why actors are paid so much.

Ryan Gosling and Rachel McAdams as Noah Calhoun and Allie Hamilton in The Notebook (2004)
Arguably the most romantic film out there. (I would personally argue against this.) But according to the director, Nick Cassavetes, these lovebirds got into a massive argument on set. Ryan Gosling even asking the director to get a different actress to read Rachel McAdam’s lines off camera. But apparently once the two hashed it out, they got on with it. Then later started dating. Hollywood, eh!

Jamie Dornan and Dakota Johnson as Christian Grey and Ana Steele in 50 Shade of Grey (2015)
A raunchy romance (which I can honestly say I have not watched or read) with this erotic pair was reportedly not a very convincing one. Jamie Dornan and Dakota Johnson’s lack of authenticity resulted in multiple retakes, and off-screen they are apparently very cold toward each other.

Leonardo DiCaprio and Claire Danes as Romeo Montague and Juliet Capulet in Romeo + Juliet (1996)
Allegedly these star-crossed lovers were anything but. Although if true, I’m not entirely surprised. Claire Danes – 16-years-old at the time – apparently simply got fed up with 22-year-old Leonardo DiCaprio, who was constantly playing pranks on set. Seems like a bit of a playground spat to me.

Patrick Swayze and Jennifer Grey as Johnny Castle and Baby Houseman in Dirty Dancing (1987)
Dirty Dancing is a favourite for many (although, not mine). While the on-screen romance seemed authentic, apparently Patrick Swayze got fed up with Jennifer Grey’s ‘silly moods‘, and Grey needed convincing to work with Swayze again. (They had worked together before, and didn’t like each other much then either.)

Nick Nolte and Julia Roberts as Peter Brackett and Sabrina Peterson in I Love Trouble (1994)
I haven’t heard of this film before, actually. But the lack of on-screen chemistry between Nick Nolte and Julia Roberts is apparently obvious. They clashed on set, resulting in many scenes being filmed separately. Allegedly, Roberts called Nolte ‘disgusting’, and Nolte said Roberts is ‘not a nice person’, and they have never made-up.

Serendipity

Director: Peter Chelsom
Writer: Marc Klein
Released: October 2001
Starring: John Cusack, Kate Beckinsale
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Sara: [Serendipity is] such a nice sounding word for what it means: a fortunate accident.

This is our Christmas film because it’s set at Christmas time in snowy New York – so magical!

It’s a fantasy romance film about fate, and whether you should act on impulse or allow life to take the wheel. When Sara (Kate Beckinsale) and Jonathan (John Cusack) meet on Christmas Eve by chance, Jonathan falls in love with her straight away, but Sara believes they must leave it to fate.

If they are meant to be together, then fate will bring them back together. So, Sara leaves after a beautiful night together in hopes of seeing him again.

Ten years on, fate couldn’t have directed them further apart. But, they can’t stop thinking about each other despite not having been in touch since that one magical night. They go about trying to find each other again, and a comedic adventure ensues!

It’s an easy-to-watch romance with a ‘too good to be true’ magical storyline. Which, I am in no way complaining about. I love magical romances.

John Cusack has a brilliant comedic energy about him, and Kate Beckinsale has a wonderful elegance to her without being too ‘perfect’.

I love how both characters have philosophical sidekicks (Jonathan’s friend Dean (Jeremy Piven) and Sara’s friend Eve (Molly Shannon)) to put their ridiculous missions into perspective.

Eve: And if you’re smart enough, you learn from your mistakes. You figure it out. You… you think. You realize that life isn’t some elaborate stage play with directions for the actors. Life’s a mess, Sara. It’s… it’s chaos personified.

I love the deep and meaningful nature of this film. The underlying tone is one of strength and empowerment to do what you want, and to get what you want.

Eve: You see, that is what happens when people get hooked on the new-age life. They end up sitting at home burning candles for mister right, when mister good-enough-for-right-now is waiting at the corner bar!

You’ll walk away feeling nothing but happiness with a new-found faith in love, and a new-found sense of power over your life.

Dean: You know the Greeks didn’t write obituaries. They only asked one question after a man died: “Did he have passion?”.

It’s one of my favourite rom-coms, even though you need a decent amount of suspension of disbelief! The only thing missing was an inspirational soundtrack, I think.

Jodie’s rating: 7/10

The Reader

the reader film

Director: Stephen Daldry
Writer: Screenplay by David Hare, based on Der Vorleser by Bernhard Schlink
Released: 2008
Starring: Kate Winslet, Ralph Fiennes, David Kross, Lena Olin and Bruno Ganz
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I’ve been thinking about this movie for days.

A gripping tale in post-war Germany, about a woman name Hanna Schmitz (Kate Winslet) who has a summer affair with a teenage boy named Michael Berg (David Kross). Their romance centres around the novels Berg is reading at school, which Schmitz asks him to read aloud to her everyday. Their passionate relationship soon ends when Schmitz mysteriously disappears, heartbroken Berg is hugely impacted by the relationship and its abrupt end.

A few years later, Berg is a law student and is sitting in on a Nazi war crime trial in court where he is stunned to see Schmitz. She is accused of being wholly responsible for mass murder during the war, but Berg knows a certain bit of information that could reduce her sentence significantly. Should he reveal it to the courts to save a former lover? Or does she not deserve his help?

The Reader film with Kate Winslet

The Reader is about the guilt innocent people feel for the bad things loved ones have done. The guilt of loving someone who is guilty of major crimes. The betrayal and shame felt of a loved one’s poor decisions.

Professor Rohl (Michael Berg’s law professor): Societies think they operate by something called morality, but they don’t. They operate by something called law. 8000 people worked at Auschwitz. Precisely 19 have been convicted, and only 6 of murder. The question is never “Was it wrong”, but “Was it legal”. And not by our laws, no. By the laws at the time.

This was inspired by the writer’s experience of post-war Germany where his beloved and respected professors revealed the text books they had written during Hitler’s reign, and how he felt betrayed by the people he thought were perfect.

The first half of the film made me feel uncomfortable because the love affair is between a woman who is twice the age of the boy. The nudity and intimate scenes is typical of European movies – who find no shame in the human body, or with sex. Whereas, English and American films are far less comfortable with nudity and increasingly at ease with violence, blood and gore. A strange cultural divide that’s influenced their films.

The second half of the film, however, is absolutely gripping. The war-crime trial in the courtroom, and the tangible tension between the main characters; the emotional extremes of innocence and guilt, love and regret. There is such a build-up to this point that I really felt I was looking through the eyes of Michael Berg.

The writers did an amazing job of never telling the audience how to feel. Because it’s based in post-Nazi Germany, they intended the story to steer clear of blame, justice and forgiveness in respect for the survivors and victims.

Michael Berg doesn’t have a monologue, but you can feel the responsibility and guilt easily; the guilt is so easily transferred to the audience. This makes you feel uncomfortable, because of the guilt you feel for feeling sorry for Hanna.

The Reader Film - michael Berg

The whole time I was in Berg’s head, trying to figure out what the right thing to do was: ‘I surely shouldn’t feel sorry for a murderer… But I’ve only known her as a lover this entire time. I also know she’s being unfairly charged… But why should I care? She’s a murderer. But I’m a law student and fair justice comes first…’ As I said, it is a heavy film that stayed with me for days.

The film follows Michael Berg right the way through to when he’s middle-aged (Ralph Fiennes), showing how guilt and secrets have affected him later on in life.

The Reader will leave you with more questions than answers, which was the intention. You’re toying with your emotions just as much as Michael Berg is – what’s right and wrong, what punishment guilty people deserve and what they don’t, and when the truth should and shouldn’t be told.

Michael Berg: I have a piece of information, concerning one of the defendants. Something they do not admitting.

Professor Rohl: What information? You don’t need to tell me. It’s perfectly clear you have a moral obligation to disclose it to the court.

Michael: It happens this information is favourable to the defendant. It can help her case. It may even affect the outcome, certainly the sentencing.

Professor Rohl: So? …what we feel isn’t important. It’s utterly unimportant. The only question is what we do. If people like you don’t learn from what happened to people like me, then what the hell is the point of anything?

A fascinating watch. My wish is only that it wasn’t a romance/drama, and that is was a courtroom drama like A Few Good Men. It would have a totally different movie of course, but it was the courtroom scenes that were the most compelling.

Jodie’s rating: 7/10

The Time Traveler’s Wife

The Time Traveller's Wife film review poster

Director: Robert Schwentke
Writer: Bruce Joel Rubin. Based on the novel by Audrey Niffeneger
Released: August 2009
Starring: Rachel McAdams, Eric Bana, Ron Livingston
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A heart-breaking story about, not the person who leaves, but the person who’s perpetually left behind.

I like this unusual perspective, particularly since time travel is such an attractive, but foreign concept. Yet, the story is focused on the more human and deeply relatable themes.

The Time Traveller's Wife review in library I’ve heard the book is fantastic – I’m going to read it this summer. But, the movie is exquisite. If you haven’t seen or read The Time Traveler’s Wife, the low-down is that a man is a time traveller and his wife is not. The time traveller, named Henry (Eric Bana) can’t control his travelling, so his impromptu disappearances and reappearances become a way of life for his wife Clare Abshire (Rachel McAdams).

Clare: I’ve been here for two weeks wanting to talk to you. What do you want to talk about? How bad it feels to sit here and wait for you?

My favourite song in the movie is Love Will Tear Us Apart by Broken Social Scene. It plays during the wedding, where Clare is to marry Henry – currently a nervous, attractive young man. But just before he is to be at the alter, he time travels. Within minutes, his grey-haired, older self appears to take his place – becoming the person Clare marries. The Time Traveller's Wife film review at wedding

I love time travel, so the intricacies and non-linear storyline is like cotton candy and lollipops and rainbows and unicorns for me.

Even if you’re not a time travel nut, most people will appreciate how well the movie portrays the sense of loss. As when a loved one goes away, it’s usually harder for the person left behind to pick up the pieces and carry on. The Time Traveller's Wife film review at restaurant
Every time Henry disappears, the camera stays on Clare; left to finish dinner by herself, left to spend Christmas on her own, left to unpack in their new house by herself – unsure whether to sit and wait, or to continue regardless.

On a shallow note, Rachel McAdams is so gorgeous in this film, I can’t even look at myself in the mirror after watching this movie without despairing.

A beautiful, tragic and magical tale, of two people who try to have a normal life, in the most abnormal of circumstances. Told in a straight-forward, beginning to end fashion, but with a non-linear character. A classic “big ball of wibbly wobbly, timey-wimey… Stuff.” (Dr. Who reference there…)

For people who love romance and drama, but who find chick-flicks boring.

Jodie’s rating: 8/10

In the Mood for Love

In the Mood for Love film poster Directed: Wong Kar-Wai
Written: Wong Kar-Wai
Released: September 2000
Starring: Maggie Cheung and Tony Leung
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Because this movie isn’t in English, I’m just going to do a fat dissection of the visuals… Enjoy!

A story about two married couples who move into an apartment next door from one another. One couple is Chow Mo-wan, a journalist, and his wife. The other is Su Li-zhen, a secretary, and her husband.

Chow and Su both have a spouse who works over-time often, leaving them alone in their rooms most nights. However, their absence slowly brings Chow and Su together, and they speculate over unfaithfulness in their respective spouses.

In the Mood for Love Japanese film scene Based in Hong-Kong during the 1960s, their closeness is frowned upon so, even though only friends, Su and Chow begin a more secretive relationship.

I love how the director portrays the story visually. The spouses of Chow and Su are never seen, their faces are forever unrecognisable, with only their voices heard. This reinforces their lack of identity within their respective marriages, and their lack of presence.

I’m not familiar with Asian film, but it is a fantastically shot movie, although veeeery slow in pace.

The use of slow-motion is used often, emphasising Chan and Su waiting for their spouses to come home every night. A great scene is when the two begin to work out that both of their spouses are having an affair with each other. The camera movements get faster and closer while sitting in a cafe, and then Chan and Su leave together in slow motion, emphasising their shared heartbreak and unity.

The slow motion scenes occur regularly to mark chapters, married with the same piece of suspicious/melancholy music. Although repetitive, it works well to portray the characters growing and moving closer.

In the Mood for Love Japanese film scene Food is a very important symbol in the film. Chan’s and Su’s first meal together parallels them coming to terms with their spouses infidelity. Where they used to get take-out from the same place and eat alone, this first meal is an important milestone.

Chan orders for Su, picking out a dish his wife likes, and Su picks out a dish for Chan that her husband would usually eat. They frequently ‘play’ each other’s spouses, almost as though to keep their growing friendship a make-believe, so as not to take responsibility.

Food is something to share and something that expresses themselves. Where Chan enjoys noodles and sesame soup, his cheating wife prefers steak with hot mustard, for example.

This is a story about coincidence, and people who have the courage to pursue chance encounters and near-missed opportunities. Chan and Su are both frequently referred to as being too polite. Their almost cowardliness natures lead to them being perpetually unhappy in their already broken marriages, too scared to make the first move.

A film that perfectly illustrates the tug-of-war between, ‘what’s meant to be, will be’ and ‘make it what you want’. A right to be happy and honest, versus secrets and unhappiness.

That turned out to be a bit longer than expected! It’s worth a watch, the full movie can be found on Youtube at the moment.

In the same way that English and American films are completely different in tone and humour, even if in the same genre, this Chinese film is different again. I’m having difficulty rating it as I’m not familiar with the culture, humour or film production, with nothing for comparison. 6/10 perhaps?

The Jane Austen Book Club

Directed: Robin Swicord

Written: Robin Swicord. Based on the book of the same name written by Karen Joy Fowler

Released: September 2007

Starring: Maria Bello, Emily Blunt, Kathy Baker, Amy Brenneman, Maggie Grace, Hugh Dancy, Kevin Zegers, Marc Blucas, Jimmy Smits and Lynn Redgrave

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This film is up there with Bridget Jones’ Diary, I reckon.

I got this DVD because there was a ‘buy two, get one free’ deal on. Since the choice was limited, I thought I’d give this a whirl.

I was concerned because I had no interest in any of Jane Austen’s romance novels and had little knowledge of the stories and characters. So I wondered if a film about people discussing these books would be confusing…

Not the case, surprisingly!

The first time I watched it, I was just like ‘meh’, better than a chick flick… But kind of average. So it gathered dust on my shelf until one day, boredom and exhaustion from watching my DVD collection five times over resulted in me indulging in The Jane Austen Book Club once again.

I have to say, I really love this film now. The six main characters are empowering and strong, they all relate to at least some part of your own personality or life experiences. I could literally write an entire in depth essay of each character if necessary, they are that ‘real’!

I’m loathed to say they are ‘very human’, but you get where I’m coming from… They are likeable and relatable.

This is a character-based film where each character has some sort of hurdle to overcome, or growth.

Maria Bello as Jocelyn

Jocelyn is my favourite! She’s never fallen in love, which she says is “all like fiction to me anyway”. She’s a dog-breeder, and if you catch onto her mannerisms early enough, you’ll notice she treats men like dogs – she’s strict, short-tempered and dominant with them. Jocelyn is known as the ‘match-maker’, always on the look-out on who she can pair people up with. She’s drawn to ‘Grigg’ because he’s “eager to please” and “tries hard”… Sort of like a dog.

“Alone’s not the end of the world. For as many years as you’ve been married I’ve been quite happily unmarried.”

Emily Blunt as Prudie

Prudie gets on my nerves SO much! But I can’t help but admire her. She is so elegant, controlled and feminine. Her mother was a hippy, so she has a systematic and professional lifestyle to distance herself from her past. However, she is falling for a rebellious student…

Prudie: Trey, you really shouldn’t come on to me.

Trey: Why? Because you’re a teacher? We’ll go back to my place…

Prudie: Let’s not and just wish we did.

Kathy Baker as Bernadette

I would love to have a best friend like Bernadette. She is optimistic and loves people. Bernadette is a free spirit and probably doesn’t think things through very much, she has been married and divorced six times. But she is totally in love with the idea of love and brags about her previous husbands like they are trophies – not regretting any of them.

“My first husband was a politician. He was embarrassed by every move I made. He said I was rude and loud. “Stop pointing your breasts everywhere,” he’d say to me. I was 17… I married the first man who looked at me… But I’d like to get married again, maybe just once more.”

Hugh Dancy as Grigg

Aww, Grigg! You almost feel sorry for him because he is so excitable and happy all the time. You just want to take him under your wing and look after him. He stumbled into the Jane Austen Club because Jocelyn was trying to set Sylvia up with him.

“Hi! Well, I’m excited. Never read anything by Jane Austen before. What is it? I went to the bookstore to buy a copy of each one of the novels, and I saw this. And I thought, ‘Well, maybe they’re sequels’. So, I figured it might be a good idea to keep them all together in one book, in case I needed to refer back…”

Amy Brenneman as Sylvia

Sylvia is a woman who is an amazing mother and best friend. Her husband who she has been with since highschool recently asked her for a divorce and she is devastated. However, toward the end of the film, she realises how much she has grown and changed – perhaps something she was never able to explore in her younger years.

“I don’t want to meet someone [else]. I wanna pull the covers over my head and read novels. And eat. I’m starving. Allegra, go get me a dozen eggs. I’m gonna make a flan.”

Maggie Grace as Allegra

Allegra is the daughter of Sylvia. She is a fresh-faced, alternative, out-doorsy young lady who immediately clashes with the tightly-laced Prudie. Allegra falls in love and trusts “too quickly” causing her strife. She is close to her mother and quickly becomes a strong component to the book club.

Bernadette: How’s Sylvia doing without Daniel?

Allegra: She’s still stuck in the wounded stage. When she’s ready for anger, I’m so there.

Each Austen novel has a curious relevance to each character’s life. The details are subtly interwoven into the story, so even if you haven’t read any Austen, you can guess pretty easily. If you are an Austen fan, you’ll relish the tibits they reference all through the script!

This ‘review’ is more of a character bio, so please excuse that! However, I have to say, the film relies on these characters so heavily, they really ARE the story.

I am so buying the soundtrack! Amazing songs! Particularly “Save Me” by Aimee Mann.

As a side note – I am such a fan of Robin Swicord now. She’s worked on Matilda, and even collaborated with the writers of The Curious Case of Benjamin Button!

Awesome watch! But obviously not for everybody.

Jodie’s rating: 7.5/10

The Great Gatsby

Director: Baz Luhrmann
Writers: Baz Luhrmann and Craig Pearce. Based on F. Scott Fitzgerald’s The Great Gatsby
Released: May 2013
Starring: Leonardo DiCaprio, Tobey Maguire, Carey Mulligan, Joel Edgerton, Isla Fisher and Jason Clarke
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Visually, this film was MIND BLOWING! This is Moulin Rouge! on steroids.

The party scenes are phenomenal! The lights, the atmosphere, colours, fashion, music… It is ground breaking. Just beautiful sets, like we’re being sent to another world.

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The overall feel of the movie is very similar to the likes of The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, Edward Scissorhands (the garden scenes) and of course, Luhrmann’s Moulin Rouge! and Romeo + Juliet. I think it’s because all of these movies are fantastical and out of this world.

The actors were very convincing, Leonardo DiCaprio gave another ground-breaking performance. Although his accent was a little confusing on occasion, his dialogue was incredible! I feel like speaking formally, like an upper class person from the 1920s now.

Gatsby: Come on, old sport!

I wasn’t expecting much from Toby Maguire, and for a while believed that Ewan McGregor could have done a better job, until it was mentioned to me that his “pluckiness” was what made his character convincing. Which, I thought was a good point.

I’ve never been a huge fan of Carey Mulligan, but I have to say she did a pretty decent job in this film – her eyes are incredible! Like, she plays such a depressed character, and her eyes tell you that from the first scene. Carey Mulligan has since become one of my favourite actors.

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The music was perfectly selected. Florence + the Machine’s Over Your Love is my new favourite song at the moment. But, the coolest track was Lana Del Rey’s 1920s Jazz version of the popular Young and Beautiful.

However, there were some major disappointments.

This is a film that is based strongly on characters. They fuel the story almost conclusively. Therefore, it was so disappointing that I did not become attached to any of the characters. I was not rooting for or against any of them – I didn’t feel like I had gotten to know them properly.

People are complicated, these characters were not, considering it was such a ‘people story’. Too many of their thoughts and emotions were not portrayed clearly. Most of the time there was a lot of emotion without obvious reasoning behind them.

I was forever looking too deep into the plot, expecting complicated and unforeseen twists. When in fact, the plot is too easy to figure out. I think it is supposed to be very mysterious, which was not portrayed in this film.

They should have kept the audience one step behind – like in the Sherlock Holmes films – until the end for a huge “I did not see that coming!” moment.

I wish the character development was more insightful, and the plot line more curious and unexpected.

Nevertheless, as I said at the beginning, the aesthetics were simply candy for the eyeballs. It enforces the idea that Baz Luhrmann was the ideal director for the film; the parties, grand interior shots and wonderland-esk exterior shots, simply gorgeous.

Oh, I bet Baz Luhrmann could have done an amazing version of Alice In Wonderland…

Jodie’s rating: 6.5/10

Water For Elephants

Director: Francis Lawrence
Writer: Richard LaGravenese. Based on Sara Guen’s novel of the same name
Released: April 2011
Starring: Reese Witherspoon, Robert Pattinson, Christoph Waltz
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I bought this DVD as a bit of a whim. After stumbling across the trailer on YouTube I thought that the look of the whole film resembled the circus scenes in Big Fish.

It is the story of the dark side of the circus during the early 1930s, with a forbidden love story between Jacob (Robert Pattinson) and Marlena (Reese Witherspoon) intertwined. Jacob runs away with the circus and poses as a certified vet to continue travelling with them, but discovers that there’s much more to performing that the magic the audience sees.

On the way, he experiences the control and under handed acts that go on in order to keep the circus from failing during the depression. Staff would go missing in the night if the boss and husband of Marlena, August (Christoph Waltz), was unable to pay.

horses_water_for_elephants — Beautiful animals and amazing stunts

The climax did have me holding my breath, but the over all story seemed somewhat watered down, with the lack of suspense throughout most of the heavier scenes.

Of course, my terrible habit is that I hype movies up before I’ve even seen them. I did think that Water For Elephants was going to be more dramatic and horrific, perhaps I would have been right if it was an R17 rating or something like that. But, it wasn’t a bad story by any stretch and it was an enjoyable romance drama – despite there being more romance that drama for my taste.

However, it was very well shot! The director, Francis Lawrence shows his talent for lighting in previous films including I Am Legend and has carried it through to Water For Elephants. I am excited to see how he portrays The Hunger Games sequels!

The acting was great for the most part! Christoph Waltz… Need I say more? He was amazing as usual, and one of the most compelling reasons to buy this movie, he was convincingly intense. Robert Pattinson was pretty decent too, possibly a little monotone..? Reese Witherspoon was AV-ER-AGE to say the least. Shallow acting.

A cool tale that explores the fantasy of running away with the circus.

Jodie’s Rating: 6.5/10

The Notebook

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Writers: Jeremy Leven and Jan Sardi. Based on The Notebook by Nicholas Sparks
Director: Nick Cassavetes
Released: 2004
Starring: Ryan Gosling and Rachel McAdams
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If you haven’t watched this movie, it is basically about a wealthy girl, Allison (Rachel McAdams), who fell in love with a poor country boy, Noah (Ryan Gosling), whom her parents did not approve of. She was taken away and after a few years was engaged to marry a more ‘appropriate’ man of wealth and status.

That is until Noah comes back into the picture which forces Allison to choose between a respectable, kind young wealthy man or a free spirited, kind young poor man.

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As I have mentioned many times in previous posts, romance is not my cup of tea. I don’t enjoy the predictability of them, the smooching, the overly-perfect and much-too-good-looking characters, as well as the either typically happily ever after or tragic endings.

NoahTheNotebook OR the mamsy-pamsy emotional blubbering characters who through the fog of their infatuation are unable to reach logical decisions.

For example, when Noah writes to Allie every day for 365 days after she leaves (he could have just said ‘one year’, but he kept having to make a point of saying “365 days” – for effect I suppose).

Surely, after two weeks maximum, he would have rung her, visited her or at least double checked the address. I. Mean. Seriously! You silly love drunk people…

TheNotebookallie

The Notebook is no exception to my lack of support for the romance genre.

Although I do think that Rachel McAdams is what many women want to look like, and Ryan Gosling is the pin-up boy for Hollywood’s ideal.

He’s not me though; apparently he waxes his whole body on a regular basis because he doesn’t like body hair. Also, he’s too muscley, like, to the point where he looks uncomfortable to hug. Like a rock would be.

I know what you’re thinking; “but Jodie, you gave Moulin Rouge! – the most romantic film – 9.5/10. Isn’t that hypocritical?”

Well, no, because Moulin Rouge! has integrity making it more believable with various other themes other than love. Plus, its whole basis of ‘the denial of true love’ is ironic since the Bohemian era that it was based in promoted that very thing!

The Notebook and Moulin Rouge! are two very different story lines that are portrayed completely differently with various depths and convincing content. Although their genres overlap, they are apples and oranges.

The Notebook is a Nicholas Sparks story, who has written romance novels including Dear John and The Lucky One. I am lead to believe they all strive to follow very similar story lines with similar characters.

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Admittedly, for a romance genre it is a tasteful portrayal of the characters falling in love – it’s no 50 Shade of Grey! It’s more intimate than a chick flick but still tame enough for most people to enjoy.

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I can definitely agree that the era that The Notebook was set in was pretty awesome. It was based in the 1940s so the dresses, shoes and hair-dos were rather spectacular! I love all of Allie’s wardrobe for sure.

The sets are beautiful, from the house referred to as the “Labour of Love”, to the incredible dream-like lake. The town looks like it is straight out of the forties too.

However, the ridiculously short war scene let the authenticity down. The director obviously forgot to take down notes from the shocking war film Saving Private Ryan. But I guess romance films don’t like having accurate fighting scenes as it may loose their audience who want to be taken away to a land of perfection.

I like having to think about story lines and The Notebook is two dimensional and too simple/predictable – almost cringe-worthy at times.

But, if you love romance, I’m sure you’ll love The Notebook too. It plays out very idealistic love interests with people who are certainly easy on the eye.

Jodie’s rating: 5/10

Moulin Rouge!

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Director: Baz Luhrmann
Writer: Baz Luhrmann and Craig Pearce
Released: 2001
Starring: Jim Broadbent, Nicole Kidman and Ewen McGregor
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Truth, beauty, freedom and love.

I have never been a fan of sappy romance, and I still am not. Because Moulin Rouge! is not at all sappy or unbelievable, nor does the music break the suspension of disbelief. I think that it is because the acting is not over the top or overly theatrical at all.

Ewan McGregor plays the protagonist, Christian, a writer who wants to write about love, but the problem being that he has never been in love. That is until he meets Nicole Kidman’s character, Satine, a courtesan at the Moulin Rouge. Satine is forbidden to fall in love, so they must keep their relationship secret.

Christian_Satine Unfortunately, the fairytale romance unravels due to the Duke (Richard Roxburgh) – an investor in Satine and the Moulin Rouge – attempts to put an end to their love affair. Christian and Satine’s love turns into a concoction of “desire, suspicion, jealously, anger and betrayal”.

Yet, “the show must go on!”, as a beautiful parallel between the new production that the Moulin Rouge is performing called Spectacular, Spectacular and the couple’s forbidden love is intertwined with the on-stage play, which results in disastrous consequences.

Moulin-Rouge-moulin It is full of colour and energy! It feels like you’re right there in the Moulin Rouge with them. The lighting is incredible along with Baz Lurhmann’s trademark choppy edits and steadicam footage. This all adds to the excitement on the dance floor with the colourful dresses and cabaret dancers.

Throughout this is the serious and unfortunate events for each character, which is again reflected in lighting and music with very fantastical scenes. Some are metaphors such as the feeling of being on top of the world being acted quite literally.

Plus, the over all performance by the people who run the Moulin Rouge show such as Jim Broadbent’s character Harold Zidler who, although a father figure to Satine, has the priority of keeping the facade of the shows convincing to the paying customers, which is at the expense of Satine’s love for Christian.

ewan_moulinrouge The music is fantastic! They’re not songs that describe mundane things, it’s music that supports the emotion of it all. They’re modern songs by incredible artists such as Bowie, Rufus Wainwright and Elton John, as well as bands such as T.Rex, Queen and Nirvana, in an orchestral fashion, and/or medley mash-up of multiple songs, sometimes in aMoulin Rouge party style.

I have many favourite songs in this film including Your Song originally written and performed by Elton John and The Show Must Go On originally by Queen. But I have to say, I prefer the Moulin Rouge! version of every song. Elephant Love Medley is very cleverly put together with lyrics from various songs including All You Need Is Love by The Beatles, Silly Love Songs by Wings and Heroes by Bowie – the collage of twelve infamous songs is seamless!

See if you can pick out various lines from the different songs. It really picks up 2 minutes in, which is my favourite part of the song:

An example of the more serious scenes is the El Tango de Roxanne scene where some of the best dancing shown. Absolutely amazing lighting too.

Moulin Rouge! is a tragedy that reminds me of a Shakepeare play, – ironic since the director Baz Lurhmann also directed Romeo + Juliet – but the sincere romance is based within the “underworld” of cheap, make-believe love. It is layered with so much detail to notice in every scene.

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Forget that it’s a musical, it’s more of a movie with a ton of music in it. Each song sung very well by Nicole Kidman and Ewan McGregor, and with convincing sincerity to keep the audience hooked.

Moulin Rouge! is a pretty heavy and emotional story – so certainly not a movie you would unwind to, despite there being some comedic scenes that almost mock the life of theatre. However, I think there is something in this film for every person to appreciate whether it’s the incredible costumes, the music, the romance or Ewan McGregor’s face.

McGregor

This has always been in my top five favourite movies, its an uplifting wonderland with a deeply moving story acted out by authentic and convincing actors.

Clearly, romance is not everybody’s cup of tea – it certainly isn’t mine – but this is not just another silly Hollywood love story.

Jodie’s rating: 9/10

This is the WORST trailer of all time.

In Time

Director: Andrew Niccol
Writer: Andrew Niccol
Released: 2011
Starring: Justin Timberlake, Amanda Seyfried
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I think this is going to be a short entry today. Because I’ve been mulling this film over and over in my head for a good few months since I watched it.

It’s a film about how in the future everybody would be paid in time. With a count-down timer on our arm (which would make a pretty cool tattoo) we have to use that time to pay for things we need such as bus rides and food.

This film does have some powerful points, such as the rich getting richer while the poor get poorer. It does make a stand how unfair it is that the few wealthy and powerful people in the world have total control over 99% of the planet’s population. It’s a film about greed which is parallel to real life.

Unfortunately, this become secondary to the romance, which dilutes the impact of the potentially strong and shocking political statement trying to be made.

Quite simply, this thought-provoking Matrix/Inception–like film could have been a decent action/thriller if it wasn’t for the following three things:

NUMBER 1: If the story line wasn’t so obviously and devoted to the old-age tale of Robin Hood. Stealing from the rich and giving to the poor. Justin Timberlake wasn’t a bad actor, but his character was too unrealistic. Will Salas (Justin Timberlake) was a worker with just enough income to survive, until a ‘rich’ man donates all of his time to him. Sales then gets into top security places and eventually steels most of the money to donate to the poor sections of the world which he continues to do until every body is equally rich.

Not very original, is it, if you replace the guns with bow and arrows and the city with a forrest.

NUMBER 2: This turned into a romance. Like, I would say that this film was not a “Mystery & Suspense, Science Fiction & Fantasy” (according to Rotten Tomatoes), but a Romance/Action. How the love interest (Amanda Seyfried) could run in those six-inch heels and still rob banks… I do not know.

NUMBER 3: It is quite simply too far-fetched. They should have stuck to developing the lifestyle and internal struggles of watching our life tick away from you. I think that would have been way more interesting…

Intime Arm Count down

I was pretty disappointed with this one, actually… But perhaps I was wanting to see a deep and meaningful movie when In Time was essentially a chick-flick disguised as a sci-fi/action in the trailer.

Jodie’s Rating: 5/10