IMDb - Fun, informative and kinda addictive!

The Internet Movie Database

IMDb. I can't believe there are people out there who don't know about it. Whether you are a movie lover looking for a review or information on a film or just a middle aged person wracking your brains for the name of some movie star ("You know...the actress with the big mouth...she was in that film from the 80s...the one about the high class prostitute...Julia Roberts!") this website is the go to spot for movies and TV.

My son loses hours on YouTube. I lose hours on IMDb. I blame my sister for this, as she introduced me to the site! Launched in 1990 and bought by the evil Amazon (who suck money out of my pockets monthly!) in 1998, it is supposedly accessed by 44 million registered users, and many more unregistered ones.

So let me demonstrate how I lose these hours! Take a recently viewed film, the adaptation of EM Forster's Where Angels Fear to Tread, which of course I had purchased a while ago from said evil Amazon corporation (probably one of those "suggestions" which always seem to be spot on. I am not hard to read).

I go to IMDb to find out when it was made (1991), how well it was rated (6.6- not so bad for an obscure period drama) and the names of all the actors.

Rupert Graves. Ooooh, I love him. What else has he been in? Click on his name. Hmmmm. Lots of stuff there for him to be my next Actor of the Week!

A Room With a View- Freddy Honeychurch
The Madness of King George- Robert Fulke Greville
The Tenant of Wildfell Hall- Huntingdon
Sweet Revenge (The Revenger's Comedies)- Oliver Knightly
The Forsyte Saga- Jolyon Forsyte Jr.
Death at a Funeral- Robert
Made in Dagenham- Peter Hopkins
Garrow's Law- Sir Arthur Hill
Sherlock- DI Lestrade

The White Queen as Lord Thomas Stanley...this is new...just filming?...what is this about? CLICK!

Tagline "Women caught up in the conflict for the throne of England". Well, that grabs my interest. A BBC television series? Who else does it star? Rebecca Ferguson as Queen Elizabeth? Never heard of her but she is very pretty. Swedish. Hmm. Her mother Rosemary is related to Sarah Ferguson? Mildly interesting.

Who else? Amanda Hale...she sounds familiar. Oh yes, Mary Musgrove from the latest Persuasion adaptation with Sally Hawkins and Rupert Penry-Jones.

Who else? Backclick, backclick...Janet McTeer! I love her too! She was so awesome as Mrs. Dashwood in Sense and Sensibility 2008, but I have seen her somewhere else recently.

Oh yes, she was Mrs. Satterthwaite in Parade's End, and Mrs. Daily in The Woman in Black and Hubert Page in Albert Nobbs. She has been busy lately! Oh, she also played Vita Sackville-West in Portrait of a Marriage. May have to check that one out. And she was in Into the Storm, playing the wife of Winston Churchill played by Brendan Gleeson.

So you see, a whole day can be spent in this manner. I hesitate to say wasted, as I always enjoy myself and usually find another topic for my blog. Look out for my next two Actors of the Week!

So that's my tribute to IMDb. I had better turn the computer off now before I fall down the rabbit hole again and disappear for hours.

Cheers!

Remains of the Day, Where Angels Fear to Tread, and other stuff

Remains of the Day is one of those films I thought I had seen, but I think I had only seen snippets of it on television. It's much better when you see the beginning and the end of it!

Based on the 1989 novel by Kazuo Ishiguro who is a Japanese born but English raised author, this Merchant Ivory film ends up being a fascinating look at English sensibility through the eyes of an outsider. Nuanced and yet intense it is a very riveting film, but I can't say it is one of my faves.

Fabulous performances from Anthony Hopkins and Emma Thompson along with some pretty gorgeous period locations certainly make this one stand out. Great supporting performances from Hugh Grant, Christopher Reeve, Tim Piggott-Smith and James Fox are absolutely worth mentioning.

The only question remains, why did it take me so long to see this film?

Where Angels Fear to Tread was one I had never heard of. I am afraid my science background didn't give me a good grounding in E.M. Forster. I certainly knew about A Room with a View, Howard's End and A Passage to India, but this, his first novel, was not on my radar.

Again, with a cast that includes Helen Mirren, Helena Bonham-Carter, Judy Davis and Rupert Graves it is certainly worth watching. And again, the setting of Italy a century ago (and the gorgeous Italian actor Giovanni Guidelli) makes it a pleasure to watch.

And yet again, this one is down in my book as well worth seeing, but not one of my faves. I think my faves all have happy endings, so perhaps this reflects more on me, than on these films.

Sweet Revenge is a silly little farce, adapted from an Alan Ayckbourn play called The Revengers' Comedies. If you like dark comedies and tongue in cheek farce then this is for you. If you don't like the idea of the two main characters plotting revenge on each others' nemeses, not stopping far short of murder (played for laughs the whole way) then give this one a pass.

Personally, this one gave me more than a few belly laughs. I was in the mood for something silly and this hit the spot. By the way, keep IMDb handy for this film as every single one of the actors save one was well known to me from other British gems. Helena Bonham Carter, Kristin Scott Thomas and Sam Neill are only the beginning of the star studded cast.

Speaking of silly comedies, Family Tree is one of the oddest and most hilarious things I have seen on TV in a while. A Christopher Guest mockumentary, it follows in the footsteps of This is Spinal Tap and Best in Show but this time he takes on genealogy, an unlikely target for comedy. Apparently the idea came from Guest himself tracing his ancestors and thinking there may be some fodder for laughs. And it works.

It is a bit twisted and bear in mind that it airs on HBO, so not appropriate for children or sensitive types. But again, if you are in the mood for some quirky British comedy starring adorable Irish actor Chris O'Dowd this is your show. I am looking forward to a new episode tonight. The sister's ventriloquist dummy monkey really cracks me up. Try to see the first show if you can, as it really explains the crazy story line. You might be lost otherwise.

Cheers and happy viewing!

Call the Midwife: The book is just as good as the series!

The miniseries' of Call the Midwife (both seasons) are great and the book Call the Midwife, A Memoir of Birth, Joy and Hard Times is just as brilliant. If you loved the BBC miniseries which just finished airing on PBS in North America, getting the book is a no brainer. And this is one you may want to pass on to a friend, so I was glad my family bought me the paperback for Mother's Day as I have already passed it on to my sister.

You will recognize all of the main characters. Trixie is given short shrift in this book but the story of Chummy conquering the bicycle with the help of her little friend is there and the story of Jenny's affair with a married man and her friendship with Jimmy is there. Miranda Hart makes the role of Chummy even better than it's written! Cynthia apparently had a really sexy, low voice in real life, so perhaps that casting didn't quite come through but I love Bryony Hannah in the role as she is just so adorable!

The casting of all of the nuns as well as Jenny Lee is perfection. As you read the book, it just fleshes out the already beloved characters from the series. Sister Evangelina, Sister Monica Joan and Sister Julienne are well represented in this book. Perhaps we will read more of cutie Sister Bernadette in some of the other books by Jennifer Worth which I have yet to read. Apparently there are four of them. Yay!!!

So if you are looking for some reading material while you wait for the third season (and we are talking next spring for that here in the colonies) you can't go wrong. And you will love the story of the Spanish mother with 28 children (OK, I can't remember the real number and my sis now has the book).

Cheers and happy reading!

Shopping, Seduction & Mr Selfridge- The Book is Better than the Miniseries!

Sometimes the book is better, sometimes the film adaptation is better and sometimes they are both great. This time, for "Mr. Selfridge" vs "Shopping, Seduction & Mr Selfridge" the book has the slight edge in my opinion. It is not a novel, but a non-fiction account of the evolution of shopping on both sides of the Atlantic.

The story of Harry Gordon Selfridge is a true American rags to riches and back to rags story of which few of us were previously aware. I have been to the Selfridges store which transformed the "wrong end of Oxford Street" when my family visited London just after the bombings in July 2005. I just thought Selfridges was a very nice department store in 2005, and a welcome reprieve from a summer downpour. I should have looked around a bit more instead of just shopping. Although I did get some lovely lingerie there! Thanks Harry! :)

Although Harry himself is interesting, it is the history of modern shopping and fashion which have really caught my imagination. Mr. Selfridge started out with Marshall Fields in Chicago, and anyone with an interest  in the history of Chicago would also find this fascinating. I could have used more pretty pictures of the merchandise. Oh, those gorgeous Victorian and Edwardian dresses!

I was fascinated to hear that there was a outdoor rooftop terrace where they held fashion shows and demonstrations of all kinds. And of course those fabulous window displays live on...

Yes, that is a gingerbread version of Selfridges with corgis in Santa hats on top and Pearly Kings on each side! Even though Selfridges has been owned by Canadian food retailer Galen Weston for a decade now, it seems to have retained it's modern British feel. It certainly isn't anything like Harrods in any case!

So even if you, like many, were left underwhelmed by the miniseries, the book is worth a look.

Iron Jawed Angels- American Suffragettes

Every woman in the world should see Iron Jawed Angels. Heck, every man in the world should see this fabulous film, while sitting beside the women in their lives. Although this is the story of women in the United States of America fighting for their right to vote in the early years of the 20th Century there is a lesson for all of us in 2013 and beyond. We are ALL equal in this world. No matter your sex, your colour, your religion or sexuality. We are ALL equal. Full stop.

You will also never skip voting again, even in a minor municipal election EVER, EVER, again if you see this film. When you see how hard these women worked a century ago to win the right for us to vote, you will never squander that chance again. You will walk through the rain, in the dark for an hour to get to the polling station if you have to.

But beyond the amazing and empowering message, this is an awesome flick!!!! Hilary Swank plays Alice Paul, an American Quaker who traveled to England to attend the University of Birmingham and brought back the more militant ideas of the Pankhurst women but without the violence. She was a Quaker after all!

Frances O'Connor plays Lucy Burns (Alma Mater- Columbia, Vassar, Yale and Oxford) who met Alice Paul in a London police station after they had both been arrested for demonstrating alongside the British Suffragettes. They bonded immediately and decided to continue their fight for women's voting rights back in America in 1912.

Alice Paul and Lucy Burns start off working within the National American Women Suffrage Association (NAWSA) headed by Carrie Chapman Catt, played by Anjelica Huston. By 1916 they broke away and formed their own political party the National Women's Party (NWP) and organized a daily picket outside the White House during Woodrow Wilson's presidency.

A real Iron Jawed Angel demonstrating against President Wilson

They ran into trouble after the US joined WWI in 1917 and picketing a wartime president was considered by some to be treasonous, however the women were breaking no laws. They were arrested instead on charges of "obstructing traffic".

The real Lucy Burns incarcerated in Occoquan  Workhouse

While incarcerated at Occoquan Workhouse in Virginia, the women asked to be treated as political prisoners and went on hunger strikes in protest. I had previously read about the force feeding of women hunger striking suffragettes in England but when you see it on film it is horrific. Again, you will never take your right to vote lightly after seeing this film.

But this is not a downer movie. It has a rockin' modern musical score and sometimes feels more like a music video than a period drama. And this works to it's advantage. It could easily be shown in high schools to both boys and girls who will be riveted by the great story. German director Katja von Garnier (who is a dead ringer for Kate Middleton) did a fab job with this film. And the supporting cast of Julia Ormond, Laura Fraser (the blacksmith from Knight's Tale), Vera Farmiga and Patrick Dempsey are a few other good reasons to see it.

So what are you waiting for? Run, don't walk to see Iron Jawed Angels right now.

By the way, the best comment ever posted on my blog was left by Bridget on my post Suffragettes in Film- "Deeds, not words!" Bridget says it way better than I ever could!

Cheers!

Gatsby IS Great! (well, in my opinion anyway!)

Just ignore the critics. Go and enjoy the spectacle that is The Great Gatsby. It was a pleasant surprise, after reading some fairly critical reviews.

The costumes were breathtaking. I mean truly breathtaking. Along with the sets. I particularly liked the way they dressed the little house next door to Gatsby's mansion where Nick Carraway lived. Arts and Crafts decor done to perfection. Makes me want to see it again. 

The acting was pretty fab too. Leo DiCaprio does have a knack for this, truly. And Tobey Maguire should be recognized for his amazing take on Gatsby's only friend, in the end. Carey Mulligan is being criticized for being too...too...vapid? But that is who Daisy Buchanan is, right? In any case she is just gorgeous to look at and that is what attracts Gatsby anyway. It certainly wasn't her scintillating conversation!

The music was wonderful (Thanks to Jay Z and friends). And although it doesn't have an uplifting ending to the story, I didn't feel depressed coming out of this one like I did with Anna Karenina. Actually it was a pretty exhilarating experience. Much better than reading the book in high school. And now I want to read the book again. That is the best compliment you can give a film adaptation of a novel methinks.

Well, let me know how you like it. There were some twenty somethings dressed in flapper/gangster garb waiting for the next show when I saw it. Fun! And just so you know, both Leo and Tobey really rocked those old black tank style bathing suits. Yup, I am seeing this one again soon.

Anne of Green Gables for a Happy Mother's Day

Recently I have been enjoying reading Anne of the Island on my e-reader (I got the Kobo Glow as it lets me read in the middle of the night without turning the light on...genius!!). I adored these books when I was a girl and although I reread Anne of Green Gables a few years ago, I hadn't reread any of the sequels. Imagine my delight when I found I could get some of them free for my Kobo! L.M. Montgomery's entire library is available at www.gutenberg.org but I haven't figured out how to get them from the epub file to my Kobo. Anyone?

Anyway, this week on an evening when I was thoroughly disgusted with the offerings on television and in need of some soul soothing after a long day, I remembered that I hadn't watched the sequels to Anne of Green Gables when I ordered the huge boxed set of DVDs about 2 years ago (I just watched the wonderful original at the time). What is it that makes me buy a DVD and then put it away for a year or two? On the upside, it's like treasure hunting sometimes when I hunt through my DVD collection!

I think maybe I thought that Anne of Green Gables: The Sequel would be a let down. Well, I am enjoying it immensely! They did mess with the story a bit and I truly lament the fact that there is no Patty's Place in this version but it is so well done otherwise and Megan Follows truly is our Canadian Anne of Prince Edward Island! We love her here in Canada and I think she has captured the hearts of viewers world wide (there is quite an Anne following in Japan!)

Well, this post (along with reading the books again and watching the films) have been my mother's day treat to myself. In closing I would like to put forth the idea that perhaps the time has come to film Anne again for another generation. What do you think my dear readers? I love the version from the 1980s but the scenery of PEI is so gorgeous and film making has gotten better over the last few decades. Do you think we could find two actors who could play Anne and Gilbert as well as Megan Follows and Jonathan Crombie?

Happy Mother's Day to you all whether you are a mother or have ever had a mother!

P.S. I believe the let down is the third installment of the Anne films called Anne of Green Gables: The Continuing Story from 2000. It was an entirely fabricated story and is not as beloved as the first two. I'll still watch it anyway!