In the Valley of Ellah

. . . with Tommy Lee Jones and Charilize Theron, is a sad little take on what happens when boys go to war and get really screwed up. Charilize's character investigates a killing that happens near a military base, the brutal murder of Jones' son. They try to make Charlize look like a tough no-nonsense cop with sensible shoes and pulled back brown hair, but let's face it, how can she not look beautiful. The movie definitely makes a statement about how screwed up the Iraq War is and has some really good performances. One warning, it did cause three people I was watching it with to fall asleep -- they were really tired though.

The Jane Austen Book Club

I know, I know, it seems my blog has been taken over by Jane Austen. Oh well, I think the season will be over soon. The Jane Austen Book Club, based on the book of the same name, is actually better than the book. It's so light and peppy and fun -- I was thrilled. All the female characters are charming and enjoyable to watch and the main lead male, Hugh Dancy is, well, yummy. I thought it would hardly have anything to do with Jane, but I was pleasantly surprised by all the Jane Austen references, and the way the characters showed why Jane is so great. The bit about Ursula Le Guin was funny. I have always been resistant to science fiction and fantasy novels, so people are always telling me that I should read Ursula LeGuin, and so far I have resisted -- I liked how the romantic pair showed how they loved the other by reading each other's favorite books. This is a movie about and for book lovers. How can that be bad?

Two movies with Sienna Miller

I didn't plan it by I just saw two movies with Sienna Miller, Interview and Factory Girl. Both movies explore how a messed up, druggy famous beauty deals with her fame. Factory Girl is about Edie Sedwick, an Andy Warhol groupie in the 60s who dies too young. Interview is a strange little film with Steve Buscemi who stars and directs with Sienna Miller. The whole movie is basically those two talking; he is a political reporter slummin' it by interviewing a B-movie actress. It's based on a Danish movie and really just kind of strange. One thing for sure is that Sienna Miller is lovely and magnetic, but both movies are just kinda so-so.

Oh and I also saw Eastern Promises with the studly Viggo Mortenson as a tatooed Russian mafia thug. Pretty violent and not as good as The History of Violence by the same director, but you do get see Vigo all nude and stuff in a steam room hopping around killing people. So if you're into that.

Jane Just Plain Rules

Now I feel sad -- Miss Austen Regrets' portrayal of my dear Jane made me lament her short life once again. This Jane seemed more like the Jane of my imaginings than, well certainly more than Becoming Jane. I liked her snippy and funny comments -- many of the lines came straight out of her letters to Cassandra ("shocking acts of dancing") -- and her hunger to write and find solitude. This Jane wanted to have fun and dance and have too much to drink; she even had a hangover. When Cassandra burned Jane's letters after her death, I wanted to grab the letters out of the fire and save all the rich wonderfulness of her words. Ah me -- and then her problems with money and the position that she is put in to try to help her sister and her mother. "I'm to be my own husband, it seems" she complains about her situation. I think I will reread Persuasion now and try to hear the voice of Jane reflecting on her life.

As You Like It
I also saw the HBO movie version of this Shakespeare play -- one of my favorites. I'm pretty sure it is only a movie that English teachers and their students will watch.

Jane Lite Rules Mansfield Park

After viewing my third of the new PBS Jane movies, I've decided this ensemble should be called Lite -- as in fat free -- just the bare bones romance. This Mansfield Park in particular really stripped away of all of the funny characters and side stories. Mrs. Norris isn't so awful, Mary Crawford not so bitchy, and Fanny's brother and seaside family are barely a blip on the screen. That's ok I guess, but one of the main things I love about Jane Austen is all of the odd-ball self-involved characters that riddle her novels. Oh well. Jane Austen Lite is better than no Jane Austen at all.

Atonement in the theater

It's always nice to see a movie in the theater; it seems like I do that less and less and watch DVDs more. Probably due to my Netflix compulsion. Anyway, I just saw Atonement after hearing mixed reviews from friends and critics. I had read the book (although I did some paging through the boring parts like the war scenes) and knew pretty much what to expect. While I could see why some people thought the movie was boring, I was not bored because it was so nice to look at -- it is so lush and beautiful -- beautiful mansion and gardens and actors. Keira Knightly and James McAvoy are both stunning and the young actress who played Briony is entrancing as well. The war scene on the beach is bizarre and marvelous, like a dream sequence. Each little scene is glorious in some way -- but maybe it's that the movie just doesn't hang together very well and seems a little flabby in parts, but it is definitely something to look at.

I also saw on DVD Hoax about the writer who pretended to know Howard Hughes and write his biography. It's a pretty outrageous story.

And I recently saw Jeff Tweedy, Sunken Treasure Live, a concert film. I liked watching and love Tweedy of Wilco's music and his fantastic voice. You got a glimpse of what kind of person Tweedy is and well he comes off kinda jerky at times but not so jerky that you don't still admire his music.

Jane Rules Northanger Abbey

Northanger Abbey has always been my least favorite Jane Austen. In it's favor last night's PBS version had a cute Katherine Moreland, a charming George Tilney, and an imposing castle. Both Persuasion and Northanger Abbey move at a quick pace and are likable, but I didn't feel like I got to know the great quirky side characters that make Jane Austen so great.

This weekend I also saw Savages with Laura Linney and Phillip Seymour Hoffman. It's about a brother and sister who have to care for their ailing father. The previews made this move seem whimsical and charming, so I was not expecting it to be as grim as it was. I think it's going to be one of those films that needs mulling over.

Last I saw the A&E miniseries about Charles II called The Last King with Rufus Sewell as Charles. It's a bit of a boddice ripper, but those who like movies about the English monarchy will like it, I think.