efaldk-349-274444 Reviews

Flesh and Blood (2020)

A Family Affair?

[10/10 · 16 July 2020]

If you are a sucker for British tv-series like me, "Flesh and Blood" is highly recommendable. It has all the right ingredients: Interesting and psychological complex characters, an intriguing plot, and last but not least great acting.

The plot centers on Vivien, a recently widowed mother of three adult children,. Vivien longs for love and affection, and she is ready for new adventures.. When Mark, a retired surgeon and widower, comes along, she decides to marry him. Her children are not happy about it, and when Vivien also plans to sell their childhood home, a lovely house by the sea, the siblings decide to investigate Mark's past life. Was his first wife's death really an act of suicide, and what if their new stepfather only is after their mother's money?

In contrast to Vivien's sudden happiness the three siblings are going through a bad patch. The oldest sister has neglected her marriage for her new job as a hospital manager, and her husband has left her. Jake, the brother, is deep in debt due to gambling problems, and is fighting hard to get his family back. The youngest sister has a long term affair with her boss, who has promised to leave his wife, and marry her, but will he ever do that?

The main character of the drama, however, is not a member of the family. It is Mary, the loveable, but prying next door neighbour, played by the excellent Imelda Staunton. She is an old friend of Vivien, and perhaps her feelings for Vivien are more than just friendly? Anyway, Mary is not happy to lose her old friend either. Will things work out in the end? My lips are sealed.

Paula (2017)

Brilliant thriller mini-series from BBC

[9/10 · 23 August 2017]

Everything is falling apart in Paula's life. She is having an affair with a married teacher colleague, and now her headmaster has found out about it. Her younger brother is having serious problems (drugs, alcohol?) and is living in a garage. Moreover she has discovered rats in her basement, and when she hires a handyman to take care of the problem, he turns out to be a psychopath. No wonder Paula has to swallow a lot of pills to avoid a breakdown.

This is the outline of the brilliant thriller TV-series "Paula" from BBC, which is a movement away from "tedious realism" towards an embracement of the supernatural and elements from old horror movies such as haunting ghosts, rats in basement of your house, and children locked up in a cupboard. It's all really a bit over the top, but I love it. The acting is very convincing. Paula i played by one of the upcoming actresses in British film, Denise Gough and the sexy but dangerous handy man, which Paula hires to fix the basement of her house, is played by Tom Hughes.

Bright Star (2009)

Jane Campion's biggest achievement is the visual beauty and the dreamlike quality, which matches Keat's poetry perfectly.

[9/10 · 17 July 2012]

For anyone who has studied English literature, the name John Keats is well known. He is one of the finest and most celebrated of the romantic poets from the beginning of the 19th century, and besides the fact that he wrote he wrote brilliant poetry, his personal biography personifies most of the important features of the romantic age: The poor poet who devotes his life to art, but is not appreciated by the critics or the public until after his death. A passionate love affair that cannot lead to marriage, because he is unable to support a family. Finally his death at a young age (25) of tuberculosis - the "romantic disease".

The film takes place over a period of three years. The main theme of the film is the passionate love story between John Keats and Fanny Brawne. When they first meet Keats is 22 and Fanny is 17. Keats has moved into in a cottage near the Brawn family with his mentor and friend Mr. Brown. Their love develops slowly, because Keats is painfully aware that he is not a suitable match for a young girl of a respectable middle class family, and so is Fanny's mother. Fanny is a cheerful girl who likes to dance and sew fine dresses, and Keat's poetry does not immediately appeal to her. Keats moves back and forth from the cottage and Fanny, but being apart only makes their feelings stronger. They write passionate love letters to each other, and when they meet again, they cannot hide their feelings, and decide to get engaged. Shortly afterwards Keats falls ill with tuberculosis, and is advised to move to the warmer climate of Italy. Keats dies a few months later in Rome.

Jane Campion is an excellent film director and besides "The Piano" from 1993, "Bright Star" is her best film so far. Her biggest achievement is the visual beauty, and the dreamlike quality of the film which matches Keats' poetry perfectly, but it is also a very modern film with people of flesh and blood, who share passionate kisses and warm embraces.