2019 Film Year in Review

This year I decided to keep track of my viewing stats a little differently. In the past, I only kept track of the new to me classic films in  my tally. But for 2019 I chose to also include re-watches, newer films and television series. I continued to leave out television films from my total count. All told, I watched about 300 films and series which is quite a lot.

NEW CLASSIC FILMS – 143 Total 

I continued on from last year in watching the films of Marlon Brando, Robert Mitchum and George Brent. I also actively sought out the films of Shirley Temple, Margaret O’Brien, Kay Francis, Greta Garbo, Jane Powell, Marion Davies and John Garfield. 2019 will also go down as the year I watched my first Elvis film.

Kay Francis & George Brent

Some of the more popular classics I finally made time for were Murder My Sweet, The Stranger, I Know Where I’m Going, Angel and the Badman, Ryan’s Daughter and Becket. Cleopatra was as much of a slog as I expected. However, I was happily surprised by great experiences with The Picture of Dorian Gray and Cat People. I had also put off watching the famous silent film The Big Parade but it completely wowed me! Continue reading “2019 Film Year in Review”

December 2019 Quickie Film Reviews

December was a month for indulging myself. Just over a third of my entertainment choices this month were re-watches, mostly of my favorite Christmas films. And still, I didn’t get to see all the holiday films I wanted to.

I also spoiled myself by going to the theater four times this month. I can’t remember the last time there were that many new releases I actually wanted to see. In fact, I think these four may account for a third of my total new release viewings for the whole year.

decemBER 2019 BREAKDOWN
  • 30 Films/Series Total
  • 12 Christmas movies (including While You Were Sleeping)
  • 11 Re-watches
  • 6 New Classics
  • 5 TV Series
  • 4 Theater Releases
  • 1 Documentary

Biggest Disappointment: Stand Up and Cheer – Shirley Temple’s brief presence was not enough to save this one.

Favorite Discovery: Virgin River & Little Women  –  Both of these surprised me in a great way. Continue reading “December 2019 Quickie Film Reviews”

Top Ten Tuesday – Books or Series I Would Like to See Adapted for the Screen

Today’s Topic: Page to Screen Freebie (Books that became movies/TV shows, movies that became books, great adaptations, bad ones, books you need to read before watching their movie/TV show, movies you loved based on books you hated or vice versa, books you want to read because you saw the movie or vice versa, etc.)

Hosted by: That Artsy Reader Girl

Sometimes having too many options does not work in my favor. It takes me forever to make a decision This week’s open ended prompt left me debating what I wanted to focus on. I considered listing my favorite book to film adaptations. Then, I thought about naming all the films which have inspired me to read classic literature, (I’m looking at you North and South, Little Women, The Scarlet Pimpernel and Phantom of the Opera). But in the end I decided to feature books or series that I would really love to see adapted for the screen. Continue reading “Top Ten Tuesday – Books or Series I Would Like to See Adapted for the Screen”

Series Review – Vanity Fair (2018)

Vanity Fair is arguably the crowning achievement of British author William Makepeace Thackeray. In it, he created perhaps the greatest anti-heroine in English literature, Becky Sharp. The name of the novel is an allusion to a place found in Pilgrim’s Progress where travelers’ find themselves lured in by a fascination of material things. It can also be read as a satire on English society of that time. Thackeray’s masterpiece has been adapted for both the big and small screen many times. But despite having seen two film versions, it is iTV’s recent adaptation which finally introduced me to the brilliance of Vanity Fair.

SYNOPSIS

Vanity Fair follows the journey of two young ladies from their friendship at school, through  a decade of their lives.

Becky Sharp and Amelia Sedley cannot be more different. Becky is orphaned and without fortune, but uses her education, charm and beauty to make the most of her paltry connections. Above all she desires financial security and the influence of social position. She has no conscience about how she achieves these things. In her ruthless betterment of self, Becky manipulates various members of the Crawley family, Amelia’s brother Jos and eventually the Marquis de Steyne. Though she eventually obtains her objectives, it comes at a higher price than she expects.

In contrast, Amelia is sweet-natured but passive and completely naïve to the true natures of those she loves best. Unlike Becky, her only real wish is to settle down with her fiancé George Osborn to a life of happy domesticity. William Dobbin an army captain and friend to George secretly assists her in gaining her heart’s desire. Like Becky, Amelia eventually realizes her dream, but it also comes at a high cost.

As these women navigate ambition, romance, war and disappointment they must eventually face the truth and consequences of their choices. They must also decide if they are willing to change.

For the full review, please follow me over to The Silver Petticoat Review.

 

 

Book Review -Phantom of the Opera

Having recently written reviews for both Andrew Lloyd Webber’s film version of The Phantom of the Opera as well as a sequel novel, I decided it was high time I actually read Gaston Leroux’s original novel.  As I’ve written in an earlier post, I don’t usually enjoy classic literature. I generally find it long-winded and with dour hidden message about the evils of life.  But when writing about film adaptations and book sequels, reading the source material is a must.

SUMMARY

For those unfamiliar with the story it is somewhat of a Beauty and the Beast type tale. The orphaned Christine Daae works as a dancer at the Paris Opera House, but has secretly been taking lessons from a figure she knows as the Angel of Music.  At the same time the opera’s new managers are under the impression that the stories of the Opera’s ghost are just an elaborate practical joke perpetrated by the former owners. Rumors and tragic events which have occurred are all linked to this mysterious ghost.

Meanwhile, a young Raoul, Vicomte de Chagny returns to Paris and notices his old playmate Christine. Initially Christine ignores him and then sends him mixed signals which drives the immature but lovelorn Raoul to distraction. He is never quite assured of Christine’s affection, but eventually they play at an engagement. Christine finally confesses her love, knowing it is for naught since she is bound to her music tutor.

Everything comes to a head when Christine disappears from the stage in the middle of a performance. Continue reading “Book Review -Phantom of the Opera”

Foreign Film Friday -Il Paradiso delle Signore (2015)

Il Paradiso delle Signore is an Italian television drama series loosely based on Emile Zola’s novel Au Bonheur Des Dames.

SUMMARY

After breaking her engagement with the mayor’s son, Teresa escapes her small village and heads to Milan to visit her uncle. On her very first day in the city, she happens to run into Pietro Mori. A man with a very mysterious past, he also happens to be the owner of the ladies department store, Il Paradiso delle Signore. Teresa also meets Mori’s right hand man, long time friend and the store’s genius ad-man, Vittorio Conti.

Both men are instantly smitten with her and a love triangle forms when Teresa begins work as a sales girl in the store. But Mori is hiding a dark secret which is threatening his business and Vittorio is quite the ladies man. Continue reading “Foreign Film Friday -Il Paradiso delle Signore (2015)”