Another Life

I recently saw Another Life. The film is set in Edwardian London. It follows Edith Thompson over a period of several years. She is in love with Percy. After marriage, everything changes. Percy wants her to be everything that a traditional and subservient wife should be. Edith is a dreamer and wishes for more. She soon meets Frederick. Everything ends with a murder trial.

There was not a lot to this film, but it is definitely worth checking out. It is currently available at hulu. It is the kind of film that ends exactly where it starts. None of the plot points were hugely unexpected. I was probably most surprised with Ioan Gruffudd. He gave a performance that I definitely did not expect. This character was unlike any other that he has ever played.

This film is not really a must-see, but I would still recommend it.

Fireflies in the Garden

I recently saw Fireflies in the Garden and really loved it. The film is based on the poem by Robert Frost and was written and directed by Dennis Lee. The film centers around Michael in both the present and future. The film has a simple story at the forefront. Upon arriving home for the graduation of his mother, he finds that his mother has died in a crash. The more complicated story comes in the form of flashbacks. Through these flashbacks, Michael must deal with his mothers death and hope to fix the very flawed relationship that he has with his father.

Although Michael is at the center of this film, it is truly an ensemble effort. There there many strong and recognizable actors. The true surprise is that many of the more recognizable names were in very unexpected roles. Michael is played by Ryan Reynolds. His aunt and best friend is played by Emily Watson and Hayden Penettiere. Michael's parents are played by Julia Roberts and Willem Dafoe. Carrie-Anne Moss and Ioan Gruffudd play small but very powerful supporting roles.

I would definitely recommend this film. It is definitely a must-see!

Dream Cast Thursday! King Arthur

I'm sorry that this one is so late. Things have been pretty crazy this week. For this week's Dream Cast Thursday, I will be recasting the King Arthur legend. There have been very many adaptations of this story. I looked at several adaptations when making my decisions. I looked at Camelot (1967), First Knight (1995), Merlin (1998), The Mists of Avalon (2001), and King Arthur (2004).

The first character that I recast was Arthur. He has been played by Richard Harris, Sean Connery, Paul Curran, Edward Atterron, and Clive Owen.For my adaptation, I recast Michael Fassbender.

The second character that I recast was Guinevere. She has been played by Vanessa Redgrave, Julia Ormond, Lena Headey, Samantha Mathis, and Keira Knightley.For my adaptation, I cast Anna Friel.

The third character that I recast was Lancelot. He has been played by Franco Nero, Richard Gere, Jeremy Sheffield, Michael Vartan, and Ioan Gruffudd.For my adaptation, I cast Henry Cavill.

The fourth character that I recast was Merlin. He has been played by Laurence Naismith, Sam Neill, Michael Byrne, and Stephen Dillane. For my adaptation, I cast Peter O'Toole. 

The fifth character that I recast was Morgaine. She has been played by Helena Bonham Carter and Julianna Margulies.For my adaptation, I cast Polly Walker.

The last character that I recast was Mordred. He has been played by David Hemmings, Jason Done, and Hans Matheson.For my adaptation, I cast Rupert Friend.

So what do you all think? Do you like the King Arthur legend? Which is your favorite adaptation? Who would be in your remake?

Dream Cast Thursday! Great Expectations

This week's Dream Cast Thursday is Great Expectations. It was originally published as a serial in 1860 by Charles Dickens. I will be looking at two adaptations. The first adaptation of Great Expectations came out in 1998. The second Great Expectations adaptation came out in 1999.

The first character that I recast was Pip (Finnegan in the 1998 adaptation. He is the protagonist of the novel. He is born an orphan and eventually goes from being a blacksmith to a gentleman. He has been played by Ethan Hawke and Ioan Gruffudd. For my adaptation, I cast Max Brown.

The second character that I recast was Estella. She is Miss Havisham's adopted daughter and the object of Pip's affection. She has been played by Gwyneth Paltrow and Justine Waddell. For my adaptation, I cast Kelly Reilly.

The last character that I recast was Miss Havisham (Miss Dinsmoor in 1998 adaptation). She is a wealthy spinster that has taken on Pip as her companion. She has been played by Anne Bancroft and Charlotte Rampling. For my adaptation, I cast Helen Mirren.

So what do you all think? Have you read the novel? Have you seen the adaptations? What do you think? Who would you recast?