Tag: films

ness talks movies

EMMA.

nesskingsley

A new adaption of Jane Austen’s Emma has come out. Last weekend, I saw it with my sister and eldest niece. (What a blast we had!) Yesterday evening, my best friend came with me to watch it. (Sitting in the comfiest chairs with white chocolate, drinks and warm popcorn … it was THERAPY.) I am fighting the impulse to see it a third time.

Let me tell you why. And – as a fair warning – this post will be written in the style of what I like to call ‘INCOHERENT RAMBLINGS OF A STARRY-EYED NESS’. You have been warned.

THE VISUALS

Everything is so pretty and also so very tongue-in-cheek. The font at the beginning of the film – even the font is pretty – and the PASTELS! EVERYTHING IS IN PASTELS!!

Emma’s outfits … they are divine (except for the ones with that random frill/collar around her neck. Like, did she forgot to put the other part of the dress on?)

Though, Mr. Knightley and Mr. Churchill and Emma wear yellow coats at one point or other in the film and I haven’t worked out if this is some sort of subliminal messaging trying to get me to like the colour of gone-off sunshine, but kudos for trying.

I’m not sure how period-correct the costumes were, but my gosh, it felt as if they were; I could easily imagine a Heyer heroine wearing some of them

THE MUSIC

I’ve listened to the entire soundtrack three or four times through in the past two days. Yes, this may be the reflection on the shortness of the soundtrack or it’s a reflection on how perfect it is. It’s so frothy and delightful and is sparkling lemonade in your ear. And then BLAM! a folk song hits or an old hymn is sung with gusto by a hundred throats (my mind filled in ‘throats’ with ‘goats’ and … yes. You’re welcome for that visual.)

Clearly it’s doing something to me; I’ve cleaned, am wearing a skirt, have folded the contents of two drawers (not brilliantly but still), and delicately nibbled on oat biscuits and sipped herbal tea.

I’m not sure what this means.

THE CHARACTERS

Facial expressions – they are done so well. Mr. Elton can reduce you to hysterics – HYS-TER-ICS. The glances are a second script in themselves.

Anya Taylor-Joy does a fantastic job as Emma; you can see her character growth and the realization about Mr. Knightley through her eyes. Harriet Smith is a BLAST. Mr. Knightley … *le sigh* I thought he was brilliant. Also, there’s this scene between him and Frank Churchill that is played so awkwardly. It was perfection. Miss Bates is BRILLIANT and whoever thought of casting Miranda as in that needs a medal. NO. THREE MEDALS. I could watch an entire film of Miss Bates describing Jane’s adventures to Emma.

Mr. Wodehouse kills me. (I am Being Dramatic, I know.) He steals every scene. Every. Scene. If there was a T.V show with just he and Miss. Bates, I’d watch it. I’d watch it all.

I adore the casting – everyone looked interesting and not as if they’d just come off a run way.

Also, Mr. Knightley’s walk in the very beginning reminded me of the Beast’s when he’s coming down the staircase in the live adaption of Beauty and the Beast.

Robert Martin made me want to giggle in every scene he was in; I’m not entirely sure why but I thought he was hilarious.

THE ROMANCE & SUNDRY

THE ROMANCE WAS BEAUTIFUL! And the grand confession scene? I shan’t spoil it for you but it is quite something. It reminds you of the ending bit of The Grand Sophy with the ducklings.

[Side note – THE POINTED COLLARS!!! I get why some Heyer characters can barely turn their head because their collars are so stiffly starched! Poor men. How they must have suffered.]

EMMA. is almost farcical, definitely beautifully shot, scripted and scored, and on the whole a sheer delight to indulge in. I foresee many a rewatch.

Let’s recap:

  1. I adored this film (you may have guessed) and while it may not be everyone’s cup of tea – it’s certainly mine. If there are flaws, I am currently blind to them.
  2. There is a possibility that I have may overworn such adjectives as ‘perfect’ and ‘brilliant’ in this post. I make no apologies.
  3. Autumn de Wilde needs to adapt a few Georgette Heyer novels – it would be magic, I swear!
books, ness talks about life

films swooning (and Wodehouse)

nesskingsley

I’ve just finished a long week of work. My brain is a little frazzled and glitchy, but that’s okay. I’m sure I’ll survive. (BUT WILL EVERYONE ELSE? HUH? HUH?!)

musick

My place of work is less than ten minutes away, and on the way there, I find myself listening to a few songs of Imagine Dragons – chiefly, Bleeding Out.

I’ve got the lyrics mostly memorised. Which means I can sing every other line. I’m dreadfully pleased with myself.

(I’m not entirely sure what the song is about – someone bleeding out? Probably. Maybe?)

benchingarden

reading

I’ve finished Ukridge (NOT pronounced Uk-bridge. Learn to read, Ness) by P.G Wodehouse. I have to say three things about this book:

  1. Ukridge is infuriating in that you want to hate him, you know you ought to hate him … but you can’t quite bring yourself to say that he is the most loathesomely selfish character in the history of ever.
  2. He has little redeeming qualities, other than being a creation of Wodehouse, and so therefore, inherently funny.
  3. Corky needed a romance, and a medal for being such a good friend – for valiantly attempting to intercede with Ukridge’s aunt on his behalf, for putting up with Cecil, and yes – even and especially Ukridge himself.

Cecil, by the way, is a young boy who wants to see the sites of London. And by ‘sites’ I mean ‘the sites where all the gory murders have taken place’.

Then, again, Cecil’s was not one of those personalities which become more attractive with familiarity. I should say at a venture that those who liked him best were those who saw the least of him.

Wodehouse always comes out with these one liners that catch you off guard and induce great merriment:

“”I’m not saying that Cecil doesn’t take a bit of knowing. He’s the sort of boy you have to be patient with and bring out, if you know what I mean. I think he grows on you.”

“If he ever grows on me, I’ll have him amputated.”

watching

Recently, I watched Last Knights and honestly … this movie. Why? Why was it made? When was it set? What was its point?

Related image
“Why’d you put us in this film?!!”

I just … they took all the cultures and put them in a blender, added tons of epic high fantasy stills from DeviantArt, grabbed Morgan Freeman and gave him Wise Man Dialogue and *boom!* a movie. And then – just to make it that more interesting, they shoved in so many fade to blacks, it’s like the movie is constantly swooning.

Oh, and the hero? No reason to like him. No reason to sympathise with him. GIVE ME REASONS TO CARE MOVIE! But they gave me none. Zilch. Nada. They made him irredeemable and then *haha* just pretending.

But no. OOOHHH NOOOO!! THAT IS NOT HOW YOU DO IT MOVIE! THAT IS NOT HOW YOU DO IT! No. There is a line, movie. You just nuked it. It’s glass now. GLASS!

And the final shot? THE FINAL SHOT?!! He closes his eyes … and everyone sighs with relief. The movie is over. The ending wasn’t so-

BUT THEN!! His eyes flash open and it’s like the character is like:

OH SHOOT! THE OVEN! I FORGOT TO TURN IT OFF!

BAM!

*fade to black*

ness writes about writing, things about research

Great, Great Grandfather’s Bones!

nesskingsley

I am always thoroughly delighted to find new pieces of ‘writing’ music. The first, Eliza’s Aria from the Wild Swans ballet, I knew previously from a Lloyds Bank ad on T.V. But oh, it does make my fingers skip across the keyboard.

It is possible to grow tired of this piece … but only if you have played it as many times as myself (I won’t tell you just how many times that is).

Have you ever found a track which fits a character just so? I heard this one and thought … why, this is Kyssa!*

This one … ah, yes. Cheerful and upbeat. This one is from a Jackie Chan film – Chinese Zodiac. And don’t for a moment form a bias as to what the movie is about because it isn’t quite like anything that the title suggests. There are randonmly appearing pirates with Afros, frightened French men in fluorescent flowered shirts and a woman beating up her attacker with her ‘gweat, gweat gwanfather’s’ bones and that is only one part of the movie.

Have a great weekend!

*character has yet to be fully introduced on this blog.