Hubby is working late today. That means I can pick whatever movie I want for my Friday movie night on the big screen. This means I can go one of two ways: sci-fi action or chick-flick with cinematography.
I was tempted by "Sound of Thunder" which I think is an adaptation of a Ray Bradbury story about a time-traveler who screws up the time line by not following the rules of a dinosaur hunt. I loved that short story, but I wasn't really in the mood for dinosaurs go metro. I really want to watch season 2 for "Supernatural" but it isn't in the video stores yet and I don't feel like coughing up the dough for a box set when I could buy a new camera lens for just a wee bit more.
Though I'd already seen it, I decided to rent "Pride and Prejudice" starring Matthew McFadyen and Kiera Knightly. Jane Austen and great cinematography. I think "Sense and Sensibility" directed by Ang Lee had better cinematography but both movies fill me with this really big desire to go to England and check out the countryside. It's probably not as idyllic, as the portray it but after living in Japan for 10 years, I appreciate any bit of nature tucked into whatever obscure location.
I enjoyed the movie except for the strong buzzing of the soundtrack and the speech not matching the mouth movements. If the voice and mouth movement isn't going to be in synch I prefer to hear a foreign language instead of English. This was really a pity, because the pacing of the language really illuminates the meaning and intent of the words. Okay, that kind of seems like a "Duh!" statement, but Austen's language (and I know that the movie is a screen play based on the novel, not the novel) is so textured that the lightness of the intent can get blurred behind the wit.
Knightly played a great Elizabeth Bennet, but I think McFadyen was a brilliant Mr. Darcy. I think he really pulled off that air of someone who's prideful disdain hides a deeper and shyer personality. I also think that in that role he's just way more attractive than Colin Firth. I've never really been able to watch the BBC version of "Pand P" because of Firth. This is mostly just because of all that stuff I've heard about how good he was via "Bridget Jones' Diary." I did totally enjoy Colin Firth in "Bridget Jones."
I also enjoyed that the movie was remniscent of a Merchant Ivory film in terms of the detail of the props. To this day, "Howard's End" is one of my favorite visual treats. Different period but loved the sumptious visual details.
Hmmm. I think I found my next movie to watch when hubby's not home. "Howard's End" is just not his kind of flick. Not enough shooting, explosions and no multi-million dollar heist. Can we say "Die Hard" or "Ocean's Eleven?"