Film Review: Albert Nobbs (2011)

Albert Nobbs is based on a short story by Irish novelist George Moore.  In the story, Albert is actually a woman who has chosen to pose as a man.  As such, Albert opens the film by working as a hotel waiter, which he has done for almost his entire life at Morrison's hotel.  With the passage of time, Albert obviously wishes for a different life, one where he can own his own business and have his own family. 

From this we get a complicated story that was quietly played out over the course of the film.  We watch as Albert tries to figure out how to make his dreams come, and we are left wondering why and how Albert could play out this charade for so long.

In a strange Upstairs, Downstairs meets an Irish Downton Abbey, Albert Nobbs takes the viewer through a complex set of issues that really boil down to the desperation of lives lived in silence and hiding.  This was a film that made you question a lot of things, but answer very few of them.  Some of the ways the film sets up the story lead us to believe, quite early on, that perhaps Albert isn't a woman desperate to care for herself in a man's world, but is actually a person confused about their gender and identity.  With that in mind, the film gets more and more complex.  And maybe it shouldn't, but it does.  In the end, it feels as though Albert should just be able to find peace and truth somewhere.

Personally, I really appreciated the thought that went into this film.  This is a "thinking man's film," as I like to call them, which means that it tackles some gritty, complex issues.  In my opinion, the subtly in Albert that others found creepy, was not creepy, but more unsure.  Albert was a character that was so simple in his desire for love and acceptance, yet so fearful of it, that I couldn't help but feel sympathy for him.  He really chooses to spend a life letting no one in. 

In short, if you're not into art house style films, this might not be a good fit for you.  For me, it was an interesting and thought-provoking film that tugged at the proverbial heartstrings.

Late Sunday Blatherings

Today has definitely been a lazy day, which is perfect for reading and relaxing.  I'm not 100% sure why last week was so difficult, especially since I've finished up my online classes that kept me so busy at night, but it was one of those weeks that seemed to never end!  On Friday, I wanted to shut the door to my classroom and just walk out on time, but I decided to stick it out and get my giant stack of late and absent work all put in the computer and a stack of projects all graded.  As much as I hate that, I love coming home to no big project hanging over my head.

This weekend I've been trying to finish up Dreaming of Mr. Darcy, which I started last week.  It's really good so far, although I've been tweeting about my thoughts on the "romance" that isn't seeming to be all that romantic.  I have high hopes that it's going to get better though, since it has so many awesome Austen themes mixed in with the modern story that is set in Lyme.  I love the mood of the novel and am now dying to spend a huge chunk of time in England, traveling to some of the towns mentioned in the book.

Outside of doing a bit of reading, I cleaned my house from top to bottom on Saturday.  I love how it smells, feels, and looks now!  I had done some surface cleaning, but I really gave it a good scrubbing on Saturday and can now face another work week with things put in order.

Well, that's my pretty boring weekend.  I have been a little out of sorts though, so I'm going to embrace life's small moments of boring-ness when I get it!  I like nesting a bit, with some nice chunks of time built in for reading.  What about you?  What has your weekend entailed? 

Now.  Off to get ready for the fourth installment of Downton Abbey!  I understand that I need a stack of Kleenexes ready for this particular episode, so I'll be ready. 

Film Review: Agora (2009)

It feels like it's been awhile since I've posted about a film, mainly because I haven't watched anything new!  Seriously, I've been watching TV on DVD and rewatching period dramas I love.  I did check out the film Agora several weeks ago, mainly because I was curious about the subject matter and love anything that has captured this time period well.

Synopsis:  The film is set in Ancient Egypt under Roman rule at the time of great religious upheaval with Christianity taking a stronger hold in these ancient kingdoms.  As part of this tension, Christianity questioned any old ways of thinking and learning.  Seeing the earth as the center of the universe, they came in direct conflict with the teachings of philosophy professor and atheist Hypatia of Alexandria, who labored to understand the universe and the way it worked, not from religious perspective, but from reasoning and science.

With the conflict in Egypt, Hypatia's life and learning is put in danger except from the love of a Christian student who seems to feel torn between his new religion and the powerful learning experiences he has had with his teacher.  Regardless, Hypatia's passion for knowledge seems to clash with all that has been introduced into their world with religion.

Review:  Before picking up the film, I actually knew a little about Hypatia from history.  She was considered one of the first female mathematicians and scholars, who was an inventor, mathematician, philosopher, and teacher.  From what we know of her, she even refused to dress as the women of her day, preferring to dress in the standards for teachers and other scholars. Her behavior often put her up for criticism and historians believe that she was dragged from her own chariot and dismembered for her beliefs and disregard for social politics.  Sounds like a brave woman, doesn't she?  (You can read a bit more about  her at Encyclopedia Britanica, along with many other great sources on the net.)

Having said that, I think that the film did capture a lot of the passion that this early scholar must have had.  The conflict in the city was gruesome, and really built up the tension that must have existed between the "pagans" of Egypt and the ancient world, and the changing face of Christianity.  I loved some of the open, panoramic scenes of the city, and many of the scenes where Hypatia was teaching her pupils.  From there, it was a bit scattered and lost me a time or two.  The fighting felt a bit much, maybe trying to draw on the crowds who like Gladiator-type film violence?  Yes, it showed the conflict between the Christians and the other religions and philosophers, but it really played out for quite awhile, and I wasn't sure where it was headed.  On the flip side, I loved the scenes that depicted Hypatia singlemindedly searching for an understanding of the universe.  The process that was shown for her reasoning and philosophy were really amazing and inspiring at times.

On the whole, I can't say this was a great film.  Interesting, yes.  For the sake of catching a snippet of history, and considering what it might have been like to be this early female scholar, it was a nice historical drama.

If you're interested, see the trailer below:

The Oscars After Blog

I make no apologies for the fact that I'm a total Oscar fan.  I will, however, apologize if you got caught in my avalanche of tweets @mjmbecky during the Oscar show!  I'll refrain from critiquing the show, as I think those will come out en force this next week.  The show had its interesting moments and montages (how about the musicals for Harry Potter and Eclipse), but it seemed that The King's Speech, Inception, The Fighter, and The Social Network took home the majority of the awards.

Although I'd seen many of the films featured in the show this year,  my favorite was The King's Speech.  As a longtime Colin Firth fan, I have long thought he deserved more recognition for the range of roles he has played.  In fact, if you had a chance to see him on 60 Minutes last Sunday (I linked it here in my Sunday blog post) or on Inside the Actor's Studio, you know that he has played in films ranging from period pieces such as Pride and Prejudice (1995) and A Girl With a Peal Earring to Bridget Jones Diary, Mama Mia!, and The Single Man.  When an actor can continue to film roles across the board and allow us to forget the actor and escape into the role, you know they are a master at their craft.  Kudos and congratulations to Colin Firth for Best Actor and to The King's Speech for Best Picture, Best Original Screenplay, and Best Director.

For a nice and easy list of complete winners, check out The Associated Press: "List of 83rd Oscar Winners".

Film Review: Lady Jane (1986)

Thank goodness for the occasional three-day weekend to save my sanity!  Over the weekend, I watched a couple of period films and thought I'd pass along one of them.

I recently was recommended the film Lady Jane through Netflix.  The film was about Lady Jane Grey, who was asked to step forward and take the throne of England during the tumult of the Reformation that occurred after Henry VIII's death, and sickness of his son Edward.  Along the way, she is forced into marriage with Guilford Dudley, the son of one of the king's ministers.

I'm a total sucker for these dramas surrounding royalty.  Besides, this particular film stars Helena Bonham Carter as Lady Jane, who needs no introduction!  Helena is a fantastic actress, and according to my students, she's "hot" as Bellatrix LeStrange in the Harry Potter series.  (Yes, that one makes me laugh.)  Playing her husband Guilford, on arrangement of her family, is Cary Elwes.  If you're not familiar with him, no fear.  I didn't know him by name, but will admit that I instantly knew him as Westley in Princess Bride.  (Who didn't have a thing for Westley and his "As you wish"-silent-brooding hot guy act? As a young teen when that film first came out, I can honestly say that Westley was an early heart throb!)  In Lady Jane, he plays the ultimate love interest to this spirited, soon-to-be monarch. 

The relationship between Lady Jane and Guilford is funny and has a very 80's feel to it's development.  There is appropriate tension and conflict between them, but it is offset by the type of filming that involved what felt like dream sequences that had me giggling a little at their silliness.  Just as a warning, there is some female nudity, but is all done in those dream sequence moments and is not long.  Overall though, I thought it was worth my time and was an interesting story.

If You Liked Downton Abbey...

If you find yourself wanting more Edwardian fare since Downton Abbey concluded last Sunday (2nd season is still to come), then you might try out the PBS reality series Manor House.  I know I've mentioned these PBS House series before, but really can't begin to say how much I enjoy them!  While they are not scripted dramas, but rather follow a group of modern day folks who agree to live the culture of the day, they are extremely engaging and full of historical information.

In Manor House we follow the people who play staff and aristocrats at Manderston, a grand Edwardian house located near the Scottish-English border.  While the "downstairs" help slave away seven days a week for upwards of 16 to 18 hours a day, their "upstairs" nouveau-rich aristocratic family learn to deal with the subtleties of standings and titles (not to mention doing absolutely nothing, including putting on their own socks and underwear).

The docu-drama series is highly entertaining and engaging.  There are maids who think they see ghosts, a rotating door of scullery maids who quit after a couple of days, footmen who get drunk and can't wake for work the next morning, a crazy-mad French chef who insists on authenticity, and a little bit of fancy loving going on behind the scenes.  Honestly, this is a highly entertaining series and a great follow-up to Downton Abbey if you are feeling a bit down now that its over!

If you think you might enjoy Manor House, you might check out the following PBS series that are also set in England:

Regency House Party (which also appeared on PBS) for an interesting romp into Regency romance.

The 1900s House for its look at the average urban lifestyle at the turn of the century in London during the Victorian Era.

The 1940s House set in London around the time of WWII with its food rations, bomb raids, and blackout curtains.

Check them out!  They are fantastic and do a great job of mixing the drama of reality television with the history of a great period drama or documentary.   (There are also three set in the United States, if you are interested:  Frontier House, Texas Ranch House, and Colonial House.)

Film Review: Dorian Gray (2009)

I've been on a bit of a Colin Firth kick lately, after viewing The King's Speech.  I was so very excited for Firth when he won the Golden Globe for Best Actor!  (You can view his gracious and funny acceptance speech at this link:  "Colin Firth Wins at Golden Globes 2011".  Even more fun, watch him in a post-award interview on E! speaking Italian.)  He was absolutely deserving of this award, and from the body of work he has acted in, how can you not love everything about Colin Firth?  I know I'm still in love with this versatile actor.

Having gushed just a smidge about Firth's acting abilities, I took some time this past weekend to watch Dorian Gray, based on Oscar Wilde's novel The Picture of Dorian Gray.  I actually read the novel back when I first started "One Literature Nut," but didn't ever write a review.  Now I wish I had, as the film reminded me of the subtlety of Oscar Wilde's writing about such a startling downfall.

In the film, a young and handsome Dorian Gray (played by Ben Barnes) played directly against the standards of his Victorian society by trading his beauty in a portrait for that of his own.  Goaded on by Lord Henry Wotton (played by Firth), Dorian is urged to live a life of pleasure, as Lord Henry convinces Dorian that the only way to avoid being pressured by one's vices is to give into them.  From this, Dorian begins to explore his senses, giving up what could have been his one true love for a hedonistic lifestyle, giving into every vice known to man.  As Dorian sank deeper and deeper into his lifestyle, he noticed that the portrait began to show signs of deep ugliness to the point of frightening him.  The portrait of Dorian began to look haggard, cruel, debased, and pock-marked with the deepest, most ghoulish signs of ugliness.  Not only had the portrait aged, but it had taken on the hideous characteristics buried within his soul.

Through the film, we are artistically drawn into much deeper questions about the importance of physical beauty, living with restraint, and the distortion of social values. More outright in its depiction of Dorian's pursuit of pleasure, often shocking in its breadth, we really get a sense for how far he was willing to go as he delved farther into his lifestyle. The acting was  superb, losing us in these characters and their experiences.  Although I love Firth for so many of the endearing characters he has played (Darcy in P&P and Bridget Jones Diary, in Nanny McPhee, etc.), I was completely lost in his role as scandalous villain Lord Henry Wotton; rarely did I feel that he was anything other than Lord Henry himself.  Ben Barnes also played what felt like a flawless Dorian, showing the cunning side of evil with a pretty face to hide behind.  In fact, I shuddered at his ability to show evil with such beauty.

Without giving anything away, I have to admit that the last thirty minutes of the film were by far the most gripping.  There is this Edgar Alan Poe meets Alfred Hitchcock moment where you have to rethink the entire film!  Honestly, the last moments were priceless and bear mentioning.

Dorian Gray is not a film I'll be sharing with any of my students, but will say that for anyone who likes period pieces or films based on literature (with a gritty edge), this is a great film.  The themes in this film bear considering and are presented in such a dark, freaky way that you can't help thinking about them once the film is over.  In fact, one of Dorian's lines near the end of the film has echoed in my head ever since, "Pleasure is different from happiness."

If you're curious, here is the link to the trailer for Dorian Gray.