Roald Dahl’s Matilda: the Musical is a movie directed by Matthew Warchus starring Alisha Weir and Emma Thompson.
‘Roald Dahl’s Matilda: the Musical’ is now streaming on Netflix. A musical film that succeeds in entertaining. Its musical numbers are perfectly orchestrated and choreographed, in this excellent production with performances that, in all their deliberate theatricality, are amusing.
Roald Dahl’s Matilda: the Musical
A very theatrical movie for this Christmas, in this adaptation of the Roald Dahl classic children’s novel.
Roald Dahl’s Matilda: the Musical has the advantage of knowing what it wants, and especially whom it is for, and counts on the brilliant Dahl story. It adapts the rhythm well with a number of surprises in the script.
It is a “film” that works best due the scenes than the sequences, following the theatrical structures.
Roald Dahl’s Matilda: the Musical
Of course, counting on the performance by Emma Thomson,...
‘Roald Dahl’s Matilda: the Musical’ is now streaming on Netflix. A musical film that succeeds in entertaining. Its musical numbers are perfectly orchestrated and choreographed, in this excellent production with performances that, in all their deliberate theatricality, are amusing.
Roald Dahl’s Matilda: the Musical
A very theatrical movie for this Christmas, in this adaptation of the Roald Dahl classic children’s novel.
Roald Dahl’s Matilda: the Musical has the advantage of knowing what it wants, and especially whom it is for, and counts on the brilliant Dahl story. It adapts the rhythm well with a number of surprises in the script.
It is a “film” that works best due the scenes than the sequences, following the theatrical structures.
Roald Dahl’s Matilda: the Musical
Of course, counting on the performance by Emma Thomson,...
- 12/25/2022
- by Martin Cid
- Martin Cid Magazine - Movies
Dame Emma Thompson (born 15 April 1959) is a British actress and screenwriter. Described as one of the best actresses of her generation, she portrays reticent women in period dramas and literary adaptations. She has received various accolades throughout her career spanning four decades, including two Academy Awards, two British Academy Film Awards, two Golden Globe Awards, a British Academy Television Award, and a Primetime Emmy Award.
Emma Thompson at the Academy Of Motion Picture Arts And Sciences’ Governors Awards, Ray Dolby Ballroom, Hollywood, CA 11-16-13. Depositphotos
Born in London to English actor Eric Thompson and Scottish actress Phyllida Law, Thompson was educated at Newnham College, University of Cambridge, where she became a member of the Footlights troupe, and appeared in the comedy sketch series Alfresco (1983–1984). In 1985, she starred in the West End revival of the musical Me and My Girl, which was a breakthrough in her career. In 1987, she came...
Emma Thompson at the Academy Of Motion Picture Arts And Sciences’ Governors Awards, Ray Dolby Ballroom, Hollywood, CA 11-16-13. Depositphotos
Born in London to English actor Eric Thompson and Scottish actress Phyllida Law, Thompson was educated at Newnham College, University of Cambridge, where she became a member of the Footlights troupe, and appeared in the comedy sketch series Alfresco (1983–1984). In 1985, she starred in the West End revival of the musical Me and My Girl, which was a breakthrough in her career. In 1987, she came...
- 12/25/2022
- by Movies Martin Cid Magazine
- Martin Cid Magazine - Movies
“The One Show” had quite the surprise for Emma Thompson on Tuesday.
Thompson, who has been promoting “Matilda the Musical”, was appearing as a guest on the show when hosts Zoe Ball and Jermaine Jenas handed her a letter that her late father Eric had written.
Eric, who passed away in 1982, had written the letter to the BBC after leaving the army.
Jenas told the actress, “There’s this letter from your dad to the BBC. So he says he’s just left the army and that he’s been advised to write a letter to ask for an audition with the BBC.
“And I’ll tell you what it says, so it says: ‘I have no broadcasting experience apart from an audition in Birmingham some years ago, but I have had stage experience both amateur and repertory.'”
Read More: How Emma Thompson’s Advice Helped Lupita Nyong’o Conquer...
Thompson, who has been promoting “Matilda the Musical”, was appearing as a guest on the show when hosts Zoe Ball and Jermaine Jenas handed her a letter that her late father Eric had written.
Eric, who passed away in 1982, had written the letter to the BBC after leaving the army.
Jenas told the actress, “There’s this letter from your dad to the BBC. So he says he’s just left the army and that he’s been advised to write a letter to ask for an audition with the BBC.
“And I’ll tell you what it says, so it says: ‘I have no broadcasting experience apart from an audition in Birmingham some years ago, but I have had stage experience both amateur and repertory.'”
Read More: How Emma Thompson’s Advice Helped Lupita Nyong’o Conquer...
- 10/26/2022
- by Becca Longmire
- ET Canada
"You keep a dead husband inside a box of chocolates?" Vertical Ent. has released the first official trailer for an indie comedy titled Then Came You, from filmmaker Adriana Trigiani with a screenplay written by Kathie Lee Gifford. The romcom film is about a lonely who widow plans a trip around the world with her husband's ashes, to visit the places they loved in the movies. The first stop on the journey changes her life forever as she meets a Scottish man and falls hard for him, but struggles to let go of her dead husband and move on. This stars Kathie Lee Gifford as Annabelle, with Craig Ferguson, Ford Kiernan, Phyllida Law, and Brett James. This looks extra campy and extra schmaltzy, with all the usual "can't move on" tropes and cringe-inducing dialogue. Not to mention one of the worst song choices for a trailer ever? Eeesh. Here's the...
- 9/15/2020
- by Alex Billington
- firstshowing.net
Few latecomer ’60s spy movies were big successes. This amusing Brit effort sank without a trace, perhaps taking with it the career of the talented Tom Courtenay as a leading man. The comic tale pits an underachieving, cheeky London lad against an intelligence conspiracy that wouldn’t be doing anybody much harm — if they didn’t insist on murdering people.
Otley
Blu-ray
Powerhouse Indicator (UK)
1969 / Color / 1:85 widescreen / 92 min. / Available at The Ph page / Street Date March 19, 2018 / £15.99
Starring: Tom Courtenay, Romy Schneider, Alan Badel, James Villiers, Leonard Rossiter, James Bolam, Fiona Lewis, Freddie Jones, James Cossins, James Maxwell, Edward Hardwicke, Ronald Lacey, Phyllida Law, Geoffrey Bayldon, Frank Middlemass.
Cinematography: Austin Dempster
Film Editor: Richard Best
Art Direction: Carmen Dillon
Original Music: Stanley Myers
Written by Dick Clement, Ian la Frenais from a book by Martin Waddell
Produced by Bruce Cohn Curtis, Carl Foreman
Directed by Dick Clement
The British film...
Otley
Blu-ray
Powerhouse Indicator (UK)
1969 / Color / 1:85 widescreen / 92 min. / Available at The Ph page / Street Date March 19, 2018 / £15.99
Starring: Tom Courtenay, Romy Schneider, Alan Badel, James Villiers, Leonard Rossiter, James Bolam, Fiona Lewis, Freddie Jones, James Cossins, James Maxwell, Edward Hardwicke, Ronald Lacey, Phyllida Law, Geoffrey Bayldon, Frank Middlemass.
Cinematography: Austin Dempster
Film Editor: Richard Best
Art Direction: Carmen Dillon
Original Music: Stanley Myers
Written by Dick Clement, Ian la Frenais from a book by Martin Waddell
Produced by Bruce Cohn Curtis, Carl Foreman
Directed by Dick Clement
The British film...
- 3/24/2018
- by Glenn Erickson
- Trailers from Hell
(Photo by Evan Agostini/Invision/AP, File)
The world has lost British great, Alan Rickman. The actor sadly died at the age of 69.
From the AP:
Rickman’s family said Thursday that the actor had died after a battle with cancer.
Born to a working-class London family in 1946 and trained at the prestigious Royal Academy of Dramatic Art, Rickman was often cast as the bad guy; with his rich, languid voice he could invest evil with wicked, irresistible relish.
His breakout role was as scheming French aristocrat the Vicomte de Valmont in an acclaimed 1985 Royal Shakespeare Company production of Christopher Hampton’s “Les Liaisons Dangereuses.”
Film roles included the psychopathic villain Hans Gruber who tormented Bruce Willis in “Die Hard” in 1988; a deceased lover who consoles his bereaved partner in 1990’s “Truly Madly Deeply”; the wicked Sheriff of Nottingham in “Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves” in 1991; and a wayward husband in 2003 romantic comedy “Love Actually.
The world has lost British great, Alan Rickman. The actor sadly died at the age of 69.
From the AP:
Rickman’s family said Thursday that the actor had died after a battle with cancer.
Born to a working-class London family in 1946 and trained at the prestigious Royal Academy of Dramatic Art, Rickman was often cast as the bad guy; with his rich, languid voice he could invest evil with wicked, irresistible relish.
His breakout role was as scheming French aristocrat the Vicomte de Valmont in an acclaimed 1985 Royal Shakespeare Company production of Christopher Hampton’s “Les Liaisons Dangereuses.”
Film roles included the psychopathic villain Hans Gruber who tormented Bruce Willis in “Die Hard” in 1988; a deceased lover who consoles his bereaved partner in 1990’s “Truly Madly Deeply”; the wicked Sheriff of Nottingham in “Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves” in 1991; and a wayward husband in 2003 romantic comedy “Love Actually.
- 1/14/2016
- by Movie Geeks
- WeAreMovieGeeks.com
The British actor and director had been suffering from cancer.
Alan Rickman, the British actor best known for his roles in Die Hard, Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves and the Harry Potter films, has died in London aged 69.
His death was confirmed on Thursday by his family, according to The Guardian, which reported that Rickman had been suffering from cancer.
Rickman began his acting career in theatre, where his credits include a Tony nomination for his performance in the Royal Shakespeare Company production of Les Liaisons Dangereuses.
His feature film debut came in 1988 alongside Bruce Willis in Die Hard, playing scene-stealing villain Hans Gruber. Rickman went on to appear in more than 40 films, including the entire Harry Potter series, Sweeney Todd and Love Actually.
Rickman was awarded a BAFTA in 1992 for his role as the Sheriff of Nottingham in Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves. In the same year, he was also BAFTA-nominated for his lead role in...
Alan Rickman, the British actor best known for his roles in Die Hard, Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves and the Harry Potter films, has died in London aged 69.
His death was confirmed on Thursday by his family, according to The Guardian, which reported that Rickman had been suffering from cancer.
Rickman began his acting career in theatre, where his credits include a Tony nomination for his performance in the Royal Shakespeare Company production of Les Liaisons Dangereuses.
His feature film debut came in 1988 alongside Bruce Willis in Die Hard, playing scene-stealing villain Hans Gruber. Rickman went on to appear in more than 40 films, including the entire Harry Potter series, Sweeney Todd and Love Actually.
Rickman was awarded a BAFTA in 1992 for his role as the Sheriff of Nottingham in Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves. In the same year, he was also BAFTA-nominated for his lead role in...
- 1/14/2016
- by michael.rosser@screendaily.com (Michael Rosser)
- ScreenDaily
The last time Alan Rickman took on director duties was in 1997 for The Winter Guest starring Phyllida Law, Emma Thompson, which Fine Line released on Christmas day of that year, eventually grossing over $870K. The Golden Globe winner waited almost a decade-and-a-half to do it a second time with A Little Chaos, which Focus World will open day and date beginning this weekend. A Little Chaos will be joined by a sizable number of newcomers this weekend, though many — not all…...
- 6/26/2015
- Deadline
Veteran British actor, who recently directed his second feature A Little Chaos, to give on stage interview in London.
Actor Alan Rickman is to discuss his craft and career at a ‘BAFTA A Life in Pictures’ event in London on April 15.
The event, to be held at BAFTA’s HQ in London’s Piccadilly, is the latest in a series of onstage interviews in which some of the film world’s leading talent share insights into the experiences that helped them hone and develop their craft.
The series has hosted such figures as Kenneth Branagh, Cate Blanchett, Jim Broadbent, David Fincher, Tom Hanks, Ethan Hawke, Dustin Hoffman, Helen Mirren, Martin Scorsese, Meryl Streep, Quentin Tarantino, Emma Thompson and Ray Winstone.
Rickman began his acting career in theatre, where his credits include a Tony nomination for his performance in the Royal Shakespeare Company production of Les Liaisons Dangereuses.
His feature film debut came in 1988 alongside Bruce Willis in [link...
Actor Alan Rickman is to discuss his craft and career at a ‘BAFTA A Life in Pictures’ event in London on April 15.
The event, to be held at BAFTA’s HQ in London’s Piccadilly, is the latest in a series of onstage interviews in which some of the film world’s leading talent share insights into the experiences that helped them hone and develop their craft.
The series has hosted such figures as Kenneth Branagh, Cate Blanchett, Jim Broadbent, David Fincher, Tom Hanks, Ethan Hawke, Dustin Hoffman, Helen Mirren, Martin Scorsese, Meryl Streep, Quentin Tarantino, Emma Thompson and Ray Winstone.
Rickman began his acting career in theatre, where his credits include a Tony nomination for his performance in the Royal Shakespeare Company production of Les Liaisons Dangereuses.
His feature film debut came in 1988 alongside Bruce Willis in [link...
- 3/26/2015
- by michael.rosser@screendaily.com (Michael Rosser)
- ScreenDaily
The Toronto International Film Festival might be starting to wind down, but there's still a few days left and a few big movies to come. Among them: closing film "A Little Chaos," which marks the second directing effort from everyone's favorite Germanic thief/sneering potions professor Alan Rickman. Coming a whopping seventeen years after its predecessor, 1997's "The Winter Guest," the film, written by first-timer Alison Deegan, also stars Rickman as King Louis Xiv of France. The Sun King is looking to make over his garden, and he finds himself with two major candidates for the job: barrier-breaking landscape gardener Sabine De Barra (Kate Winslet), and her rival/potential love interest Andre Le Nottre (Matthias Schoenaerts). Stanley Tucci, Jennifer Ehle, Helen McCrory and Phyllida Law are among the supporting cast as well, so Rickman's certainly been able to attact some talent to the project. The film press screens today before closing the festival on.
- 9/10/2014
- by Oliver Lyttelton
- The Playlist
The Toronto Film Festival is only half over, and though several promising festival films have already emerged as Oscar contenders—like Foxcatcher, The Theory of Everything, and Wild—there are still several curious and intriguing movies yet to debut. One of them is A Little Chaos, Alan Rickman’s period romantic-drama that will be Tiff’s closing-night film on Sept. 14. Kate Winslet stars as Sabine De Barra, a strong-willed 17th-century French gardener who challenges sexual and class barriers when she vies to design and build one of the main showcase attractions at King Louis’s Xiv’s new palace at Versailles.
- 9/9/2014
- by Jeff Labrecque
- EW - Inside Movies
Daly, who is also chairman of BAFTA La, is honoured for services to film and TV industry.
Nigel Daly, Screen International’s vice president of business development, has been recognised with an Order of the British Empire (OBE) as part of the Queen’s Birthday Honours today.
Los Angeles-based Daly, who is also Chairman of BAFTA La, was awarded “for services to the British film and television industry.”
Other honorees related to the film world include Maggie Smith (Companion of Honour), Daniel Day-Lewis (knighthood), Damian Lewis (OBE), Phyllida Law (OBE), and John Barrowman (MBE).
Angelina Jolie was given an honorary damehood, for services to UK foreign policy and the campaign to end war zone sexual violence.
Nigel Daly, Screen International’s vice president of business development, has been recognised with an Order of the British Empire (OBE) as part of the Queen’s Birthday Honours today.
Los Angeles-based Daly, who is also Chairman of BAFTA La, was awarded “for services to the British film and television industry.”
Other honorees related to the film world include Maggie Smith (Companion of Honour), Daniel Day-Lewis (knighthood), Damian Lewis (OBE), Phyllida Law (OBE), and John Barrowman (MBE).
Angelina Jolie was given an honorary damehood, for services to UK foreign policy and the campaign to end war zone sexual violence.
- 6/14/2014
- by wendy.mitchell@screendaily.com (Wendy Mitchell)
- ScreenDaily
Icymi over the weekend, I finally unveiled the first round of Oscar charts and pontificating and naturally Best Actress generated the most commentary from you though I readily admit I expected a little more discussion than we got on Screenplay (wah-wah). But maybe that's because I find that topic inherently interesting.
When I'm working on reviews or charts or any topic that involves opinion-making (*cough*) I tend to avoid reading other people on the same topic until I'm finished. Naturally this approach has drawbacks because I forget things. For instance, Sasha Stone recently talked up Best Actress and threw out some names that aren't on my chart (like Diane Keaton in And So It Goes...) and Kris, Guy, and Gregory at In Contention also talked up '20 movies that aren't on your radar' and my biggest miss there from the Oscar charts is surely the civil rights drama Selma from...
When I'm working on reviews or charts or any topic that involves opinion-making (*cough*) I tend to avoid reading other people on the same topic until I'm finished. Naturally this approach has drawbacks because I forget things. For instance, Sasha Stone recently talked up Best Actress and threw out some names that aren't on my chart (like Diane Keaton in And So It Goes...) and Kris, Guy, and Gregory at In Contention also talked up '20 movies that aren't on your radar' and my biggest miss there from the Oscar charts is surely the civil rights drama Selma from...
- 6/3/2014
- by NATHANIEL R
- FilmExperience
Emma Thompson has already solidified her status as one of the funniest, most brutally honest actresses around, telling salacious stories and being all-around awesome at every opportunity. Turns out, Thompson's mother is pretty great herself, revealing in a new essay that as a young girl, her daughter got an abrupt lesson about sex from an unlikely (and super-famous) source.
Phyllida Law, Thompson's mother and a fellow actress, wrote in the U.K.'s Sunday Times that she brought Thompson, then a young girl, along with her on the set of 1957's "The Bridge on the River Kwai." There, Thompson precociously asked Law's costar, an acting legend and soon-to-be-Oscar-winner, to explain sex.
"Emma, aged eight, once asked Alec Guinness about the details and he gave her a calm and accurate response: very helpful, though I felt a bit faint," Law recalled.
Law added that Thompson's sister Sophie, then 5, was also present for the exchange,...
Phyllida Law, Thompson's mother and a fellow actress, wrote in the U.K.'s Sunday Times that she brought Thompson, then a young girl, along with her on the set of 1957's "The Bridge on the River Kwai." There, Thompson precociously asked Law's costar, an acting legend and soon-to-be-Oscar-winner, to explain sex.
"Emma, aged eight, once asked Alec Guinness about the details and he gave her a calm and accurate response: very helpful, though I felt a bit faint," Law recalled.
Law added that Thompson's sister Sophie, then 5, was also present for the exchange,...
- 3/25/2014
- by Katie Roberts
- Moviefone
Fresh from a triumph in New York, one of our most extravagantly talented stars will soon unveil one of her most cherished projects to date, Effie, a film about John Ruskin – lawyers permitting.
Picture gallery here
It was only a matter of time until the BBC broadcast images of Emma Thompson's downstairs lavatory. The combination of her larky sense of humour and love of a theatrical flourish made it somehow inevitable. And so last month it came to pass. The actress, having been overlooked for an Oscar nomination, was televised at her home receiving a "Mark"; a golden statuette in the likeness of the Observer's film critic, which was offered in recognition of her screen portrayal of the author of Mary Poppins, Pamela Travers.
She was, Kermode said, "sheer perfection in the complex role of 'Mrs Pl', never allowing the author to descend into crotchety caricature, constantly suggesting a...
Picture gallery here
It was only a matter of time until the BBC broadcast images of Emma Thompson's downstairs lavatory. The combination of her larky sense of humour and love of a theatrical flourish made it somehow inevitable. And so last month it came to pass. The actress, having been overlooked for an Oscar nomination, was televised at her home receiving a "Mark"; a golden statuette in the likeness of the Observer's film critic, which was offered in recognition of her screen portrayal of the author of Mary Poppins, Pamela Travers.
She was, Kermode said, "sheer perfection in the complex role of 'Mrs Pl', never allowing the author to descend into crotchety caricature, constantly suggesting a...
- 3/23/2014
- by Vanessa Thorpe
- The Guardian - Film News
For ease of explanation, if you happen to be a fan of Doc Martin, Kingdom is a show you’re almost guaranteed to enjoy. It doesn’t have the snarkiness (Stephen Fry‘s Peter Kingdom is the most jovial fellow you’re going to run into) but there are a lot of similarities. Most obvious, before you know anything, is the inclusion of a wildly popular British comedian in a role that leans toward drama. Both shows also take place in small towns, and both main characters are professionals occupied mostly by the curious antics of the local eccentrics.
Fry plays a solicitor, which opens more doors, and he has an assistant, Lyle (Karl Davies), whose youthful ambition and spunky disposition are as much a hinderance as a virtue. Where Doc Martin incorporates a mildly crazy populace (like the chemist with the permanent neckbrace), Kingdom not only brings them from the outside,...
Fry plays a solicitor, which opens more doors, and he has an assistant, Lyle (Karl Davies), whose youthful ambition and spunky disposition are as much a hinderance as a virtue. Where Doc Martin incorporates a mildly crazy populace (like the chemist with the permanent neckbrace), Kingdom not only brings them from the outside,...
- 4/10/2013
- by Marc Eastman
- AreYouScreening.com
Kate Winslet has joined the cast of the Alan Rickman-directed A Little Chaos.
The Titanic star will appear alongside Matthias Schoenaerts in the historical drama, which is currently in the works at Lionsgate.
Winslet and Schoenaerts will play rival garden designers competing for the right to design a fountain at Versailles for Louis Xiv. Rickman will also star in the movie, reportedly as the 17th- and 18th-century monarch.
"We are delighted to be working with the best of British actors and directors like Kate Winslet and Alan Rickman as we move forward in doubling our investment in British films in 2014," said Lionsgate's Zygi Kamasa.
Rickman made his directorial debut in 1997 with The Winter Guest, an adaptation of Sharman Macdonald's play, starring Phyllida Law and Emma Thompson.
A Little Chaos will be released in cinemas next year.
Watch a trailer for The Winter Guest below:...
The Titanic star will appear alongside Matthias Schoenaerts in the historical drama, which is currently in the works at Lionsgate.
Winslet and Schoenaerts will play rival garden designers competing for the right to design a fountain at Versailles for Louis Xiv. Rickman will also star in the movie, reportedly as the 17th- and 18th-century monarch.
"We are delighted to be working with the best of British actors and directors like Kate Winslet and Alan Rickman as we move forward in doubling our investment in British films in 2014," said Lionsgate's Zygi Kamasa.
Rickman made his directorial debut in 1997 with The Winter Guest, an adaptation of Sharman Macdonald's play, starring Phyllida Law and Emma Thompson.
A Little Chaos will be released in cinemas next year.
Watch a trailer for The Winter Guest below:...
- 3/8/2013
- Digital Spy
Midsomer Murders ITV
By Kieran Kinsella
Amazon.com Widgets
Back in the UK, Neil Dudgeon has well and truly established himself as the face of Midsomer Murders. Now fans of the show in the U.S. can get their first look at the man who replaced John Nettles (remember him?) with the release of Acorn Media’s Midsomer Murders set 21. The four stories in this four-disc set were aired in the UK just last year and have never been broadcast on U.S. TV.
Death in the Slow Lane is the first feature length story in Midsomer Murders set 21. The episode begins with John Barnaby (Neil Dudgeon) arriving in Britain’s most dangerous village as the heir apparent to his cousin Tom. DS Jones (Jason Hughes) isn’t exactly enamored with his new Dci who mocks his attempts to restore an old race car. Their differences are quickly forgotten when...
By Kieran Kinsella
Amazon.com Widgets
Back in the UK, Neil Dudgeon has well and truly established himself as the face of Midsomer Murders. Now fans of the show in the U.S. can get their first look at the man who replaced John Nettles (remember him?) with the release of Acorn Media’s Midsomer Murders set 21. The four stories in this four-disc set were aired in the UK just last year and have never been broadcast on U.S. TV.
Death in the Slow Lane is the first feature length story in Midsomer Murders set 21. The episode begins with John Barnaby (Neil Dudgeon) arriving in Britain’s most dangerous village as the heir apparent to his cousin Tom. DS Jones (Jason Hughes) isn’t exactly enamored with his new Dci who mocks his attempts to restore an old race car. Their differences are quickly forgotten when...
- 1/10/2013
- by Edited by K Kinsella
Acorn.s top series, Midsomer Murders, debuts Set 21 on January 8. British TV specialist Acorn Media has the newest episodes of Midsomer Murders, Set 21 on DVD/Blu-ray. The cozy villages of Midsomer County reveal their most sinister secrets in these contemporary British television mysteries. Inspired by the novels of Caroline Graham, modern master of the English village mystery, the series stars Neil Dudgeon (Life of Riley) as the capable Detective Chief Inspector John Barnaby, with Jason Hughes (This Life) as his young partner, Detective Sergeant Ben Jones. Guest stars include Samantha Bond (Downton Abbey), David Warner (Titanic), Edward Fox (Ghandi), Phyllida Law (Love at First Sight), and Pam Ferris (Rosemary & Thyme). Called .Simply the most entertaining...
- 12/31/2012
- by April MacIntyre
- Monsters and Critics
Ah, sweet mystery of two nations divided by a common language. When this flick was released in the U.K. last summer, it was called simply Arrietty and sported a classy English-language voice cast including Mark Strong, Olivia Colman, Phyllida Law, Geraldine McEwan, and Saoirse Ronan as Arrietty. Yeah, Hanna herself. But Disney moves the flick over the U.S., and suddenly there’s a Secret World of attached to the title, and an American voice cast that includes Amy Poehler, Will Arnett, and Carol Burnett. Oh, and some kid from Disney TV as Arrietty. The film itself is only mediocre. But is it just me, or is the British trailer a lot more magical than the North American trailer is trying to be?...
- 1/31/2012
- by MaryAnn Johanson
- www.flickfilosopher.com
London, Dec 17: Meryl Streep almost turned down the starring role in 'The Iron Lady' that made the acclaimed actress to win her third Oscar because she dislike the policies of Margaret Thatcher.
The 62-year-old actress is firmly on the other side of the political divide to Britain's former Tory Prime Minister - and she took a lot of persuading to play Thatcher.
"I was not thrilled with her policies or her politics because my friends and I were all playing for the other team," the Mirror quoted Streep as saying.
It was only after hours of talks with director Phyllida Law, who filmed her in 'Mamma Mia' that Streep.
The 62-year-old actress is firmly on the other side of the political divide to Britain's former Tory Prime Minister - and she took a lot of persuading to play Thatcher.
"I was not thrilled with her policies or her politics because my friends and I were all playing for the other team," the Mirror quoted Streep as saying.
It was only after hours of talks with director Phyllida Law, who filmed her in 'Mamma Mia' that Streep.
- 12/17/2011
- by Diksha Singh
- RealBollywood.com
Yesterday the finalist list for short films was announced. This is, of course, much bigger news for the filmmakers in question than the general public who rarely gets the chance to see their work, but it's very much worth noting. In order to qualify to begin with a film must pass numerous gauntlets and be an awards magnet. Who knows. We could all be obsessed with one or three of these filmmakers in 5 to 10 years time if their careers bloom.
The Ten Finalists
Je Pourrais Être Votre Grand-Mère (I Could Be Your Grandmother) (19 min)
Trailer • France • Directed and produced by Bernard Tanguy
Official Synopsis: "A young business lawyer finds that the old Rumanian homeless person, in front of his flat, looks like his grandmother. One night, he makes her a cardboard card: I could be your grandmother. The passers-by become suddenly very generous. Other homeless people ask him a cardboard card.
The Ten Finalists
Je Pourrais Être Votre Grand-Mère (I Could Be Your Grandmother) (19 min)
Trailer • France • Directed and produced by Bernard Tanguy
Official Synopsis: "A young business lawyer finds that the old Rumanian homeless person, in front of his flat, looks like his grandmother. One night, he makes her a cardboard card: I could be your grandmother. The passers-by become suddenly very generous. Other homeless people ask him a cardboard card.
- 12/15/2011
- by NATHANIEL R
- FilmExperience
It's Love At First Sight for Best Short Film
Michael Davies' romantic drama Love At First Sights, which stars John Hurt and Phyllida Law, has taken the Best Short Film prize at this year's Rushes Soho Shorts Festival. The Long Form award has gone to the BAFTA-nominated Rite, directed by Michael Pearce as part of the Digicult programme.
John Hurt and Phyllida Law in Love at First...
Michael Davies' romantic drama Love At First Sights, which stars John Hurt and Phyllida Law, has taken the Best Short Film prize at this year's Rushes Soho Shorts Festival. The Long Form award has gone to the BAFTA-nominated Rite, directed by Michael Pearce as part of the Digicult programme.
John Hurt and Phyllida Law in Love at First...
- 7/29/2011
- by Jennie Kermode
- eyeforfilm.co.uk
Great voice cast! Mark Strong, Saoirse Ronan, Phyllida Law, Geraldine McEwan, Olivia Colman. For reasons mysterious, they will all be replaced in the U.S. release next year: Will Arnett and Amy Poehler will voice Arrietty’s parents, which suggests that the film will have a very different tone, a more comedic one. (Seriously, who replaces Mark Strong with Will Arnett in anything?) Saoirse Ronan as Arrietty will be replaced by Bridgit Mendler of Wizards of Waverly Place. Wtf?...
- 7/29/2011
- by MaryAnn Johanson
- www.flickfilosopher.com
The latest film from the legendary anime producers Studio Ghibli, Arrietty is based on the The Borrowers by Mary Norton, which has already been a TV show and big budget Hollywood movie – but trust me, this is something altogether more magical, especially when you consider it is written by Ghibli founder and anime stalwart Hayao Miyazaki and directed by long-time animator Hiromasa Yonebayashi…
The international release of Arrietty, which is out in the UK on Friday, is set to feature a voice cast that includes: Saoirse Ronan, Tom Holland, Mark Strong, Olivia Colman, Phyllida Law, and Geraldine McEwan and thanks to the folks at Optimum Releasing here’s an exclusive clip from the film:
Click here to view the embedded video.
This is a story of a family of “little” people. Beneath the floorboards of a sprawling mansion set in a magical, overgrown garden in the suburbs of Tokyo, tiny...
The international release of Arrietty, which is out in the UK on Friday, is set to feature a voice cast that includes: Saoirse Ronan, Tom Holland, Mark Strong, Olivia Colman, Phyllida Law, and Geraldine McEwan and thanks to the folks at Optimum Releasing here’s an exclusive clip from the film:
Click here to view the embedded video.
This is a story of a family of “little” people. Beneath the floorboards of a sprawling mansion set in a magical, overgrown garden in the suburbs of Tokyo, tiny...
- 7/27/2011
- by Phil
- Nerdly
As everyone knows, Studio Ghibli is Japan's magic kingdom, a powerhouse that's consistently wowed Japanese and Western audiences alike with its stunning, heartfelt visions. Nothing brings back memories of childhood faster than a Ghibli movie and Arrietty possibly more than most. Its source material - Mary Norton's The Borrowers - has been a childhood favourite for generations. Arrietty may not be quite as cheese-dreamy as Howl's Moving Castle or Spirited Away but, judging by this new clip, it should be just as captivating for human beans of all ages.Unusually, Ghibli has gone to the trouble of using two English-language voicecasts. The UK and Irish version here features the talents of Saoirse Ronan as Arrietty herself, the tiny Borrower, with Mark Strong voicing Pod, a role played by Ian Holm in the '90s BBC version. brightcove.createExperiences(); Olivia Coleman, Phyllida Law and Geraldine McEwan also lend their voices...
- 7/27/2011
- EmpireOnline
Martin Scorsese's Paradiso Outdoor Cinema, St Germans
Scorsese isn't the first person you picture paddling in a Cornish estuary, but Port Eliot Festival has persuaded him to curate a season of evening double bills. His selection is defiantly old school – 1974's Murder On The Orient Express is the most recent. There are sumptuous epics such as The Leopard and The Red Shoes, and classic noirs Human Desire and The Narrow Margin. For more up-to-date fare (and more shelter), the parallel Paradiso Piccolo indoor event has newer documentaries and features including Project Nim, Velvet Goldmine and author Kevin Sampson introducing his rock'n'roll saga Powder.
Port Eliot, Thu to 24 Jul
The Flipside With Jenny Agutter, London
From The Railway Children to Walkabout, Logan's Run to An American Werewolf In London, Jenny Agutter has long occupied a special place in the hearts (and fantasies) of a certain demographic. Those foragers of the...
Scorsese isn't the first person you picture paddling in a Cornish estuary, but Port Eliot Festival has persuaded him to curate a season of evening double bills. His selection is defiantly old school – 1974's Murder On The Orient Express is the most recent. There are sumptuous epics such as The Leopard and The Red Shoes, and classic noirs Human Desire and The Narrow Margin. For more up-to-date fare (and more shelter), the parallel Paradiso Piccolo indoor event has newer documentaries and features including Project Nim, Velvet Goldmine and author Kevin Sampson introducing his rock'n'roll saga Powder.
Port Eliot, Thu to 24 Jul
The Flipside With Jenny Agutter, London
From The Railway Children to Walkabout, Logan's Run to An American Werewolf In London, Jenny Agutter has long occupied a special place in the hearts (and fantasies) of a certain demographic. Those foragers of the...
- 7/15/2011
- by Steve Rose
- The Guardian - Film News
Photo: Walt Disney Pictures Co-written and exec-produced by Hayao Miyazaki, we now have a new, English-language trailer for Arrietty (Kari-gurashi no Arietti), the directorial debut of Hiromasa Yonebayashi and based on Mary Norton's novel of the same name.
The story centers on a sickly little boy named Sho (voiced by Tom Holland) who comes to live with his great aunt Sadako (voiced by Carol Burnett). Seeing a cat chasing something in the bushes, he comes across a tiny borrower - so called because they 'borrow' everything they need from humans up above. She's Arrietty (voiced by Saoirse Ronan), whose mother Homily (voiced by Olivia Colman) warns her about befriending Sho, since borrowers are not supposed to be seen by humans. But Arietty disobeys her mother and becomes firm friends with Sho. Realizing they have been discovered, Arrietty's father, Pod (voiced by Mark Strong), makes plans to move out of the house.
The story centers on a sickly little boy named Sho (voiced by Tom Holland) who comes to live with his great aunt Sadako (voiced by Carol Burnett). Seeing a cat chasing something in the bushes, he comes across a tiny borrower - so called because they 'borrow' everything they need from humans up above. She's Arrietty (voiced by Saoirse Ronan), whose mother Homily (voiced by Olivia Colman) warns her about befriending Sho, since borrowers are not supposed to be seen by humans. But Arietty disobeys her mother and becomes firm friends with Sho. Realizing they have been discovered, Arrietty's father, Pod (voiced by Mark Strong), makes plans to move out of the house.
- 7/2/2011
- by Brad Brevet
- Rope of Silicon
Arrietty
Review by Joe Cronin
Stars (the voices of): Saoirse Ronan, Tom Holland, Mark Strong, Olivia Colman, Phyllida Law, Geraldine McEwan | Written by Hayao Miyazaki | Directed by Hiromasa Yonebayashi
With hindsight, it’s a wonder that the famed story of The Borrowers by Mary Norton has not been touched by the magic of Studio Ghibli already. The world of fantasy that the studio usually creates has been replaced by a world just as enchanting, but here based on real-world objects. Director Yonebayashi has created a work of art that lives up to the Ghibli name, with impressive scaled-up soundscapes accompanying lush visuals.
The film follows the antics of Arrietty, a curious teenage Borrower who longs to explore the wider world. She lives with her father, Pod, and her nervous mother Harmony. Her curious nature leads her to encounter a young ‘human-being’ called Sho, who gains her trust by attempting...
Review by Joe Cronin
Stars (the voices of): Saoirse Ronan, Tom Holland, Mark Strong, Olivia Colman, Phyllida Law, Geraldine McEwan | Written by Hayao Miyazaki | Directed by Hiromasa Yonebayashi
With hindsight, it’s a wonder that the famed story of The Borrowers by Mary Norton has not been touched by the magic of Studio Ghibli already. The world of fantasy that the studio usually creates has been replaced by a world just as enchanting, but here based on real-world objects. Director Yonebayashi has created a work of art that lives up to the Ghibli name, with impressive scaled-up soundscapes accompanying lush visuals.
The film follows the antics of Arrietty, a curious teenage Borrower who longs to explore the wider world. She lives with her father, Pod, and her nervous mother Harmony. Her curious nature leads her to encounter a young ‘human-being’ called Sho, who gains her trust by attempting...
- 7/1/2011
- by Phil
- Nerdly
The latest film from the legendary anime producers Studio Ghibli, Arrietty is based on the story by Mary Norton, The Borrowers, which has already been a TV show and big budget Hollywood movie – but trust me, this is something altogether more magical, especially when you consider it is written by Ghibli founder and anime stalwart Hayao Miyazaki and directed by long-time animator Hiromasa Yonebayashi…
The international release of Arrietty is set to feature a voice cast that includes: Saoirse Ronan, Tom Holland, Mark Strong, Olivia Colman, Phyllida Law, and Geraldine McEwan; and whilst the film is not scheduled for a UK release until July 29th, we do have the first look at the poster courtesy of the folks at Optimum Releasing:
This is a story of a family of “little” people. Beneath the floorboards of a sprawling mansion set in a magical, overgrown garden in the suburbs of Tokyo,...
The international release of Arrietty is set to feature a voice cast that includes: Saoirse Ronan, Tom Holland, Mark Strong, Olivia Colman, Phyllida Law, and Geraldine McEwan; and whilst the film is not scheduled for a UK release until July 29th, we do have the first look at the poster courtesy of the folks at Optimum Releasing:
This is a story of a family of “little” people. Beneath the floorboards of a sprawling mansion set in a magical, overgrown garden in the suburbs of Tokyo,...
- 6/23/2011
- by Phil
- Nerdly
Scottish star Phyllida Law forces her actress daughters Sophie and Emma Thompson to undergo regular medical check-ups in a bid to catch early signs of glaucoma.
The 78 year old's mother, Megsie, suffered from the eye disease, which causes gradual loss of vision, and she was herself diagnosed with glaucoma in 1980.
But Law admits her worst fear is passing the condition on to her children.
She says, "To be honest, I'm grateful that my glaucoma was diagnosed relatively early and for the drops that keep my eyes healthy. I wouldn't want to lose my sight, but I don't like to know any details about the condition, or the prognosis. I'm not inclined to poke about or panic. But of course, I am concerned about my daughters...
"My concern is for my family - it is definitely passing through the maternal line. But they're good - they all go to the opticians for check-ups regularly. I tell them, you have to look after your eyes the way you look after your teeth - regular check-ups. It would be easy to put any changes down to old age, but glaucoma is serious and a major issue."...
The 78 year old's mother, Megsie, suffered from the eye disease, which causes gradual loss of vision, and she was herself diagnosed with glaucoma in 1980.
But Law admits her worst fear is passing the condition on to her children.
She says, "To be honest, I'm grateful that my glaucoma was diagnosed relatively early and for the drops that keep my eyes healthy. I wouldn't want to lose my sight, but I don't like to know any details about the condition, or the prognosis. I'm not inclined to poke about or panic. But of course, I am concerned about my daughters...
"My concern is for my family - it is definitely passing through the maternal line. But they're good - they all go to the opticians for check-ups regularly. I tell them, you have to look after your eyes the way you look after your teeth - regular check-ups. It would be easy to put any changes down to old age, but glaucoma is serious and a major issue."...
- 3/7/2011
- WENN
Actress reveals on Desert Island Discs how split from Kenneth Branagh affected her state of mind
The actress Emma Thompson today talks candidly about her battle with depression during the split from her first husband, Kenneth Branagh, and reveals her continued efforts to escape the critical "voices in her head".
Speaking on the BBC Radio 4 show Desert Island Discs, she tells host Kirsty Young that only work and the start of a long romance with the actor Greg Wise, her husband of seven years, enabled her to get through a "very rough" period. "I don't think I did stay sane," she says. "I should have sought professional help. Divorce. Ghastly, painful business."
Living alone as her marriage fell apart and dressed in an old black dressing gown that Branagh had left behind, Thompson struggled to produce her first screenplay, an Oscar-winning adaptation of a Jane Austen novel. "I used to...
The actress Emma Thompson today talks candidly about her battle with depression during the split from her first husband, Kenneth Branagh, and reveals her continued efforts to escape the critical "voices in her head".
Speaking on the BBC Radio 4 show Desert Island Discs, she tells host Kirsty Young that only work and the start of a long romance with the actor Greg Wise, her husband of seven years, enabled her to get through a "very rough" period. "I don't think I did stay sane," she says. "I should have sought professional help. Divorce. Ghastly, painful business."
Living alone as her marriage fell apart and dressed in an old black dressing gown that Branagh had left behind, Thompson struggled to produce her first screenplay, an Oscar-winning adaptation of a Jane Austen novel. "I used to...
- 3/28/2010
- by Vanessa Thorpe
- The Guardian - Film News
Emma Thompson is as unstarry a film star as you will find. She lives in the street she grew up in and her extended family is the core of her life. She tells Joanna Moorhead how it all works, and about the young Rwandan who joined this close clan as her son
An unremarkable row of Victorian houses, a quiet suburban street, parked Fords and Vauxhalls. Nothing remotely fancy, which is why it seems incongruous to be suddenly face to face with not just one but two famous actors: Emma Thompson, and her mother, Phyllida Law. The person I'm here to see is Thompson; but I've pressed the wrong doorbell and disturbed Law, who lives next door. Thompson, though, has heard the noise, guessed at my mistake, and seconds later is opening her front door too. Which is how I come to find myself, on a mundane grey morning in north London,...
An unremarkable row of Victorian houses, a quiet suburban street, parked Fords and Vauxhalls. Nothing remotely fancy, which is why it seems incongruous to be suddenly face to face with not just one but two famous actors: Emma Thompson, and her mother, Phyllida Law. The person I'm here to see is Thompson; but I've pressed the wrong doorbell and disturbed Law, who lives next door. Thompson, though, has heard the noise, guessed at my mistake, and seconds later is opening her front door too. Which is how I come to find myself, on a mundane grey morning in north London,...
- 3/20/2010
- The Guardian - Film News
Chicago – It’s the most wonderful time of the year for Blu-Ray and DVD collectors. Every holiday season, studios pull out their most beloved films, polish up the picture, maybe add a special feature or two, and usually throw in a few collectibles for a gift set. Recent gift set releases include limited edition boxes for “Gone With the Wind,” “The Wizard of Oz,” and “Christmas Vacation”. The gleefully campy “Mamma Mia! The Movie” seems like a perfect fit and “The Gimme! Gimme! Gimme! More Gift Set” should make fans of the movie happy but is clearly the lowest rung on the ladder when it comes to these season releases.
Blu-Ray Rating: 2.5/5.0
Before we even get to the movie, what qualifies as a gift set? With recent releases including such unusual items as a watch (“Wizard of Oz”) and fake snow (“Christmas Vacation”), don’t you think a film as weird as “Mamma Mia!
Blu-Ray Rating: 2.5/5.0
Before we even get to the movie, what qualifies as a gift set? With recent releases including such unusual items as a watch (“Wizard of Oz”) and fake snow (“Christmas Vacation”), don’t you think a film as weird as “Mamma Mia!
- 11/25/2009
- by adam@hollywoodchicago.com (Adam Fendelman)
- HollywoodChicago.com
London -- Greta Scacchi, Ben Chaplin, Emilia Fox and Phyllida Law have assembled to star in "Ways To Live Forever," a movie based on Sally Nicholl's debut novel of the same name about a boy with leukemia who wants to live out all his dreams before he dies.
The £2 million ($3.6 million) budgeted project is co-produced by Life & Soul Productions, the company established in 2007 by producers Martyn Auty and Javier Gazulla, and Spanish-based El Capitan Pictures.
Due to start shooting next week on location in the North East of England, the picture will be directed by Gustavo Ron from his own script adaptation. Ron's previous credits include "Mia Sarah."
Based on Nicholls' novel it tells the story of 12-year-old leukemia sufferer who loves collecting fascinating facts, scary movies and spaceships and wants to try his first beer and kiss a girl. He also wants to know what happens when you die.
The £2 million ($3.6 million) budgeted project is co-produced by Life & Soul Productions, the company established in 2007 by producers Martyn Auty and Javier Gazulla, and Spanish-based El Capitan Pictures.
Due to start shooting next week on location in the North East of England, the picture will be directed by Gustavo Ron from his own script adaptation. Ron's previous credits include "Mia Sarah."
Based on Nicholls' novel it tells the story of 12-year-old leukemia sufferer who loves collecting fascinating facts, scary movies and spaceships and wants to try his first beer and kiss a girl. He also wants to know what happens when you die.
- 10/29/2009
- by By Stuart Kemp
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
The Sarah Jane Adventures has been the destination for a myriad of esteemed character actors and leading lights since it began, and Series 3 appears to be no different! It has recently been announced in Doctor Who Magazine that Miriam Margolyes and Simon Callow will both appear in the next run of the Cbbc show, and they join David Tennant, Nigel Havers, Brian Miller and Suranne Jones in the 2009 run of the show. Previous series meanwhile saw Samantha Bond, Jane Asher, Phyllida Law, Russ...
- 10/2/2009
- by Christian Cawley info@kasterborous.com
- Kasterborous.com
Chicago – To some people, a “Sing-Along” version of “Mamma Mia!: The Movie” might sound like a threat. “No, Timmy, you can’t watch The Dark Knight for the hundredth time and if you don’t do your chores, I’m going to make you sing along with Pierce Brosnan again.” But “Mamma Mia!” has a very specific, very satisfied audience and they will be giddy with Abba glee at the Blu-Ray release of their favorite movie of 2008.
It might have slipped under your radar while film goers were deluged with superheroes this summer. Maybe you didn’t notice that the Abba musical with Meryl Streep, Amanda Seyfried, Brosnan, Colin Firth, and dozens of singing-and-dancing Greeks made over $140 million domestically and over half-a-billion worldwide. It’s the number one film in the history of the United Kingdom, passing “Titanic” just last month. Yes, ever. I always knew those Brits were different.
It might have slipped under your radar while film goers were deluged with superheroes this summer. Maybe you didn’t notice that the Abba musical with Meryl Streep, Amanda Seyfried, Brosnan, Colin Firth, and dozens of singing-and-dancing Greeks made over $140 million domestically and over half-a-billion worldwide. It’s the number one film in the history of the United Kingdom, passing “Titanic” just last month. Yes, ever. I always knew those Brits were different.
- 12/16/2008
- by adam@hollywoodchicago.com (Adam Fendelman)
- HollywoodChicago.com
Screened at the Hollywood International Film Festival
Purportedly based on actual events, Guerilla Films' "Two Men Went to War" is a wobbly comedy-drama about two misfit members of England's World War II Army Dental Corps on an unconventional mission to take on the enemy.
Although the performances are solid enough, the direction (by John Henderson) and script (credited to Richard Everett, Christopher Villiers and Raymond Foxall, from Foxall's book "Amateur Commandos") are engaged in an ongoing tonal battle, with the upshot being that the film can never decide if it wants to be "Kelly's Heroes" or "Hogan's Heroes".
Deemed too old for active duty, a crusty sergeant (Kenneth Cranham) recruits a wet-behind-the-ears private (Leo Bill) to join him on an unsanctioned mission into occupied France.
Nothing goes as planned, but somehow the bumbling duo ends up stumbling across a German radar station and saving the day for the good guys, despite having gone AWOL in the process.
It's all quite inoffensive, and the rest of the cast -- including old pros Derek Jacobi, Phyllida Law (Emma Thompson's mum) and David Ryall as an amusing Winston Churchill -- are their usual capable selves. But in the end, the picture comes up sufficiently short on both the wit and action fronts to be declared a keeper.
Purportedly based on actual events, Guerilla Films' "Two Men Went to War" is a wobbly comedy-drama about two misfit members of England's World War II Army Dental Corps on an unconventional mission to take on the enemy.
Although the performances are solid enough, the direction (by John Henderson) and script (credited to Richard Everett, Christopher Villiers and Raymond Foxall, from Foxall's book "Amateur Commandos") are engaged in an ongoing tonal battle, with the upshot being that the film can never decide if it wants to be "Kelly's Heroes" or "Hogan's Heroes".
Deemed too old for active duty, a crusty sergeant (Kenneth Cranham) recruits a wet-behind-the-ears private (Leo Bill) to join him on an unsanctioned mission into occupied France.
Nothing goes as planned, but somehow the bumbling duo ends up stumbling across a German radar station and saving the day for the good guys, despite having gone AWOL in the process.
It's all quite inoffensive, and the rest of the cast -- including old pros Derek Jacobi, Phyllida Law (Emma Thompson's mum) and David Ryall as an amusing Winston Churchill -- are their usual capable selves. But in the end, the picture comes up sufficiently short on both the wit and action fronts to be declared a keeper.
Screened at the Hollywood International Film Festival
Purportedly based on actual events, Guerilla Films' "Two Men Went to War" is a wobbly comedy-drama about two misfit members of England's World War II Army Dental Corps on an unconventional mission to take on the enemy.
Although the performances are solid enough, the direction (by John Henderson) and script (credited to Richard Everett, Christopher Villiers and Raymond Foxall, from Foxall's book "Amateur Commandos") are engaged in an ongoing tonal battle, with the upshot being that the film can never decide if it wants to be "Kelly's Heroes" or "Hogan's Heroes".
Deemed too old for active duty, a crusty sergeant (Kenneth Cranham) recruits a wet-behind-the-ears private (Leo Bill) to join him on an unsanctioned mission into occupied France.
Nothing goes as planned, but somehow the bumbling duo ends up stumbling across a German radar station and saving the day for the good guys, despite having gone AWOL in the process.
It's all quite inoffensive, and the rest of the cast -- including old pros Derek Jacobi, Phyllida Law (Emma Thompson's mum) and David Ryall as an amusing Winston Churchill -- are their usual capable selves. But in the end, the picture comes up sufficiently short on both the wit and action fronts to be declared a keeper.
Purportedly based on actual events, Guerilla Films' "Two Men Went to War" is a wobbly comedy-drama about two misfit members of England's World War II Army Dental Corps on an unconventional mission to take on the enemy.
Although the performances are solid enough, the direction (by John Henderson) and script (credited to Richard Everett, Christopher Villiers and Raymond Foxall, from Foxall's book "Amateur Commandos") are engaged in an ongoing tonal battle, with the upshot being that the film can never decide if it wants to be "Kelly's Heroes" or "Hogan's Heroes".
Deemed too old for active duty, a crusty sergeant (Kenneth Cranham) recruits a wet-behind-the-ears private (Leo Bill) to join him on an unsanctioned mission into occupied France.
Nothing goes as planned, but somehow the bumbling duo ends up stumbling across a German radar station and saving the day for the good guys, despite having gone AWOL in the process.
It's all quite inoffensive, and the rest of the cast -- including old pros Derek Jacobi, Phyllida Law (Emma Thompson's mum) and David Ryall as an amusing Winston Churchill -- are their usual capable selves. But in the end, the picture comes up sufficiently short on both the wit and action fronts to be declared a keeper.
- 10/22/2003
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Oscar-winning actress Emma Thompson is turning her back on the silver screen to spend a year in Africa. The 42-year-old is to spend the sabbatical undertaking charitable work in the stricken continent, and will travel in a bus with her partner, actor Greg Wise, their baby daughter Gaia and Thompson's mother, actress Phyllida Law. Emma made the announcement at a campaign launch by the charity Actionaid, "It's something I have always wanted to do. I just think we have to go out and do it." A spokeswoman for Actionaid reports, "She could be working on water projects, helping to build a new well, teaching children the basic reading and writing skills or providing agricultural training to farmers." The trip is unlikely to take place until next year, because Thompson is already committed to work on four films.
- 5/30/2001
- WENN
'The Winter Guest'
By Frank Scheck
MONTREAL -- Alan Rickman's directorial debut is the antithesis of the talented actor's juicy performances in films such as "Robin Hood" and "Die Hard". Solemn and marked by British restraint and understatement, "The Winter Guest" boasts superb acting from the real-life mother-daughter team of Phyllida Law and Emma Thompson.
Unfortunately, it is also extremely slow and contains practically no narrative drive whatsoever. This is the kind of "Masterpiece Theatre"-type effort in which a character's taking a bath serves as a dramatic high point. The film recently was showcased in the official competition at the Montreal World Film Festival, and a commercial release will come this year, courtesy of Fine Line.
"The Winter Guest" is set in a remote seaside town in Scotland during a harsh winter and is filled with a profusion of beautifully photographed images depicting the bleak landscape. They reflect the emotional despair of the film's leading characters, especially Frances Thompson), a photographer who is still grieving over the death of her handsome husband, a man seen in an endless series of photographs draped throughout her house.
The central drama of the film revolves around the prickly relationship between Frances and her elderly mother, Elspeth (Law), who we shortly discover is apparently suffering from the early stages of Alzheimer's disease.
Juxtaposed against their bickering are the doings of several other pairs of characters. They include two elderly women doddering around the town, two young boys engaging in a series of minor misadventures and Frances' son and his new girlfriend.
The film is largely composed of a series of low-key conversations, as the characters wander around one of the more depressing cinematic settings in recent memory.
"The Winter Guest" is subtle and restrained to such a degree that dramatic immediacy is sacrificed, although there are isolated moments that are powerfully moving.
There is no fault to be found in the performances, however: Thompson and Law work beautifully together, and their striking physical resemblance adds much resonance to their characters' interactions. The rest of the cast is equally effective, with particularly sterling work coming from young Douglas Murphy and Sean Biggerstaff as the rambunctious boys.
The film certainly looks beautiful, with Rickman getting the maximum dramatic mileage out of the wintry setting. Sometimes, too much mileage: Like many first-time directors, he betrays an overreliance on helicopter shots and lingering landscape views to create a bit of atmosphere.
THE WINTER GUEST
Fine Line Features
Director Alan Rickman
Screenwriters Alan Rickman,
Sharman Macdonald
Producers Ken Lipper,
Edward R. Pressman, Steve Clark-Hall
Director of photography Seamus McGarvey
Editor Scott Thomas
Composer Michael Kamen
Color/stereo
Cast:
Elspeth Phyllida Law
Frances Emma Thompson
Alex Gary Hollywood
Nita Arlene Cockburn
Lily Sheila Reid
Chloe Sandra Voe
Sam Douglas Murphy
Tom Sean Biggerstaff
Running time -- 110 minutes
No MPAA rating...
By Frank Scheck
MONTREAL -- Alan Rickman's directorial debut is the antithesis of the talented actor's juicy performances in films such as "Robin Hood" and "Die Hard". Solemn and marked by British restraint and understatement, "The Winter Guest" boasts superb acting from the real-life mother-daughter team of Phyllida Law and Emma Thompson.
Unfortunately, it is also extremely slow and contains practically no narrative drive whatsoever. This is the kind of "Masterpiece Theatre"-type effort in which a character's taking a bath serves as a dramatic high point. The film recently was showcased in the official competition at the Montreal World Film Festival, and a commercial release will come this year, courtesy of Fine Line.
"The Winter Guest" is set in a remote seaside town in Scotland during a harsh winter and is filled with a profusion of beautifully photographed images depicting the bleak landscape. They reflect the emotional despair of the film's leading characters, especially Frances Thompson), a photographer who is still grieving over the death of her handsome husband, a man seen in an endless series of photographs draped throughout her house.
The central drama of the film revolves around the prickly relationship between Frances and her elderly mother, Elspeth (Law), who we shortly discover is apparently suffering from the early stages of Alzheimer's disease.
Juxtaposed against their bickering are the doings of several other pairs of characters. They include two elderly women doddering around the town, two young boys engaging in a series of minor misadventures and Frances' son and his new girlfriend.
The film is largely composed of a series of low-key conversations, as the characters wander around one of the more depressing cinematic settings in recent memory.
"The Winter Guest" is subtle and restrained to such a degree that dramatic immediacy is sacrificed, although there are isolated moments that are powerfully moving.
There is no fault to be found in the performances, however: Thompson and Law work beautifully together, and their striking physical resemblance adds much resonance to their characters' interactions. The rest of the cast is equally effective, with particularly sterling work coming from young Douglas Murphy and Sean Biggerstaff as the rambunctious boys.
The film certainly looks beautiful, with Rickman getting the maximum dramatic mileage out of the wintry setting. Sometimes, too much mileage: Like many first-time directors, he betrays an overreliance on helicopter shots and lingering landscape views to create a bit of atmosphere.
THE WINTER GUEST
Fine Line Features
Director Alan Rickman
Screenwriters Alan Rickman,
Sharman Macdonald
Producers Ken Lipper,
Edward R. Pressman, Steve Clark-Hall
Director of photography Seamus McGarvey
Editor Scott Thomas
Composer Michael Kamen
Color/stereo
Cast:
Elspeth Phyllida Law
Frances Emma Thompson
Alex Gary Hollywood
Nita Arlene Cockburn
Lily Sheila Reid
Chloe Sandra Voe
Sam Douglas Murphy
Tom Sean Biggerstaff
Running time -- 110 minutes
No MPAA rating...
This film was originally reviewed on Sept. 18 at the Toronto Festival of Festivals. It opens Christmas Day.
In Hollywood-ese, it might be dismissed as ''The Return of the Oxford Six'' or ''The Big Fog, '' but ''Peter's Friends'' is a bubbly rebottling of a new-vintage story form -- the reunion of old college mates. Stylish, witty and smartly framed by Kenneth Branagh, this Samuel Goldwyn Co. film is likely to shine on the select-site circuit.
This time the get-together is at an English country estate, the recent inheritance of Peter Stephen Fry), a 30-ish bachelor who lives alone, looked after only by his longtime cook and servant (Phyllida Law). An unsold playwright, Peter gamely calls six college chums, all fellow artsy types, to gather to bring in the New Year 1992.
It's been 10 long years since they've all been together and all have gone in different but predictable directions: Recovering-alcoholic writer Andrew (Branagh) brings along his hideous, Hollywood-star wife (Rita Rudner); sexually insatiable costume designer Sarah (Alphonsia Emmanuel) tosses in with her latest conquest (Tony Slattery); songsters Roger (Hugh Laurie) and Mary (Imelda Staunton), now married, tote along the grief of a child loss; while lonely book editor Maggie (Emma Thompson) arrives light, with her smidgen of self-esteem.
While spoilsports may niggle that some of the main characters' personal and emotional baggage seem lifted from a trendy trunk of pop psychology books, screenwriters Rita Rudner and Martin Bergman have brilliantly and thoughtfully presented a full house of credible and sympathetic human beings. Befitting the brainy and talented characters, the dialogue is terrifically balmy and clever but the wit and verbal alacrity are not merely cosmetic sheens for a surface entertainment -- ''Peter's Friends, '' at its story core, is a kind but piercing look at some very troubled hearts.
Branagh's direction is diffidently dazzling: in this case, a stiff upper lip properly braced by an impish wit. Throughout, ''Peter's Friends'' is devilishly alive and kicking, expertly goosed by the top-notch technical team. Tim Harvey's production design is hilariously resonant in its individual particulars, while Susan Coates and Stephanie Collie's smart and silly costuming makes true and lasting character impressions. Under Branagh's deft and playful hand, the musical selections, from Cyndi Lauper to Tina Turner, kick in some playfully telling contrapuntal punch.
The superbly selected ensemble is a uniform delight, everyone wondrously capturing their characters' being, warts and all. Special plaudits to Fry as the gracious but burdened host and to Emmanuel as the desperately promiscuous costumer. In the grand old tradition of wise and dry English servantry, Law is a droll delight.
(c) The Hollywood Reporter...
In Hollywood-ese, it might be dismissed as ''The Return of the Oxford Six'' or ''The Big Fog, '' but ''Peter's Friends'' is a bubbly rebottling of a new-vintage story form -- the reunion of old college mates. Stylish, witty and smartly framed by Kenneth Branagh, this Samuel Goldwyn Co. film is likely to shine on the select-site circuit.
This time the get-together is at an English country estate, the recent inheritance of Peter Stephen Fry), a 30-ish bachelor who lives alone, looked after only by his longtime cook and servant (Phyllida Law). An unsold playwright, Peter gamely calls six college chums, all fellow artsy types, to gather to bring in the New Year 1992.
It's been 10 long years since they've all been together and all have gone in different but predictable directions: Recovering-alcoholic writer Andrew (Branagh) brings along his hideous, Hollywood-star wife (Rita Rudner); sexually insatiable costume designer Sarah (Alphonsia Emmanuel) tosses in with her latest conquest (Tony Slattery); songsters Roger (Hugh Laurie) and Mary (Imelda Staunton), now married, tote along the grief of a child loss; while lonely book editor Maggie (Emma Thompson) arrives light, with her smidgen of self-esteem.
While spoilsports may niggle that some of the main characters' personal and emotional baggage seem lifted from a trendy trunk of pop psychology books, screenwriters Rita Rudner and Martin Bergman have brilliantly and thoughtfully presented a full house of credible and sympathetic human beings. Befitting the brainy and talented characters, the dialogue is terrifically balmy and clever but the wit and verbal alacrity are not merely cosmetic sheens for a surface entertainment -- ''Peter's Friends, '' at its story core, is a kind but piercing look at some very troubled hearts.
Branagh's direction is diffidently dazzling: in this case, a stiff upper lip properly braced by an impish wit. Throughout, ''Peter's Friends'' is devilishly alive and kicking, expertly goosed by the top-notch technical team. Tim Harvey's production design is hilariously resonant in its individual particulars, while Susan Coates and Stephanie Collie's smart and silly costuming makes true and lasting character impressions. Under Branagh's deft and playful hand, the musical selections, from Cyndi Lauper to Tina Turner, kick in some playfully telling contrapuntal punch.
The superbly selected ensemble is a uniform delight, everyone wondrously capturing their characters' being, warts and all. Special plaudits to Fry as the gracious but burdened host and to Emmanuel as the desperately promiscuous costumer. In the grand old tradition of wise and dry English servantry, Law is a droll delight.
(c) The Hollywood Reporter...
- 12/23/1992
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
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