Today is the first day in awhile with Sunshine and no rain! It also got up to 60 degrees, so I was able to take a walk in the neighborhood AND do some yard work! I LOVED being out in the sunshine!
I have also been watching movies during this time of Social Distancing. Today, I am going to give you a brief summary of some of what I've seen so you can decide if you want to watch also!
Most of my readers will remember that in 1613 the Globe Theatre burned down during a performance of Shakespeare's production of Henry VIII. After that, William "retired" from his life in London Theatre and moved back to Stratford-Upon-Avon where he lived with his wife Anne and his now adult children. This movie starts with the big fire and then shows us his life back in Stratford for the 3 years that he lived until his death in 1616. To my knowledge, this is the first movie to explore this part of Shakespeare's life.
Kenneth Branagh plays the role of Shakespeare and also directed the film. Judy Dench plays his wife Anne, and as always her performance is worth watching. Ian McKellan is the other big name who also gives a stellar performance as the Earl of Southampton.
If you are able to get the DVD of this, (I got mine through Netflix) there are several interesting "extras" on the disc that discuss the making of the movie. One is an interview with Branagh where he talks about the historical research that the script was built on. I found this fascinating. They actually had more facts than I expected them to have. Of course, they had to sort of fill in some gaps in the storyline, but just knowing what is true was amazing to me!
I really enjoyed this movie and highly recommend it - 2 thumbs up!
Mary Shelley Trailer Starring Elle Fanning and Douglas Booth, this movie gives us a glimpse into the life of the young daughter of Mary Wollstonecraft, who at the age of 16 began a whirlwind relationship with Percy Bysshe Shelley, a famous poet of the Romantic Era in English poetry. The focus is on Mary as a writer and the relationship that she had with Shelley as well as with Lord Byron. We don't hear much about the specifics of the writings of either of the male Romantic poets.
The two leads and their group of friends led quite the Bohemian lifestyle as they gallivanted around Europe, at times dealing with financial hardships, and at other times living in the height of luxury. The movie is lovely with great scenery, costumes, etc... It is hard to know how accurate the story is. One inaccuracy that I noticed was that Lord Byron was not shown with any foot problems, which is one of the facts about him that has always been stressed. This makes me wonder how much of the rest is accurate. Regardless, the movie was entertaining, and I appreciated the focus being on Mary Shelley as a renowned writer rather than on the famous male Romantic poets.
I recommend this for the basic entertainment factor if nothing else!
Join me again on another day for more reviews! Happy Viewing!
Now, go wash your hands! ;)
:)Amy
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