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Reviews
The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe (2005)
Poor score the only fault
I am a great fan of the books and I was very satisfied with this film. I don't think it could have been done any better or more faithfully than it was EXCEPT for the score. Yawn. In a couple of places it sounded like LOTR wannabe. In a couple of other places, PASSION OF Christ wannabe. Mostly, it was instantly forgettable. Can you hum a single tune from the score a month after seeing the movie? Neither can I. How about some fantastic music next time around? Loved the kids, the faun, the professor, the centaurs, the witch, and the beautiful scenery. Aslan was as good as a CG lion can be, though he is still fake-looking...I'm not sure it's possible to perfectly portray a feline deity.
A Performance of Macbeth (1979)
Riveting, chilling, WOW!
This TV version of Macbeth is absolutely fabulous. I was skeptical at first - thought the play couldn't be done well to a camera, but I was dead wrong. Review the story (you can google it online) before watching, to make sure you have all the characters straight, and then you'll be ready to sit back (or I should say SIT UP!) and enjoy this chilling story of what happens when ambition becomes lust.
The witch scenes are as creepy as I've ever seen them done, almost Satanic. The "Out out, damned spot" scene is frightening, pitiful, spooky...Judy Dench is the BEST!! And the most outstanding scene of all is the dining scene, when Macbeth sees Banquo's ghost - I've never seen it done this way, and it was awesome, disturbing, scary, and satisfying. Gotta love the Scottish play!!
Added bonus, if you get the DVD, is a long interview with Ian McKellen - a Shakespeare education in a nutshell from one of the great British actors of our time. That alone is worth the price. This would be great in a classroom.
The Merchant of Venice (2004)
Better than sleeping pills
Last week I watched a Royal Shakespeare Company production of Macbeth. It was 25 years old, filmed w/no props except swords, no furniture except chairs. It was RIVETING. The acting was super - all the actors trained Brits. Contrast that performance to this...yawn yawn yawn. Al Pacino, as Shylock, was tragic, heavy, and couldn't quite lose the New Yorker accent, despite the long....pauses....between.....lines.... The whole thing was soporific, even the "comic" scenes were barely even worth a smile, let a lone a belly laugh. This is supposed to be funny. They tried to make it tragic. It was neither, just boring. I give it four points for costumes, scenery, and Jeremy Irons, who is good at playing a dull, depressed, deep-voiced guy (can he be anything else???)