The Three Musketeers (2011) - Reviewed

My Overall Rating - 6.5/10

The Three Musketeers (2011)

I was long waiting for this one to hit the screens and I watched it today, "Soda without fizz"! The Three Musketeers was supposed to be a big movie, atleast I thought so but its disappointing.

The movie stars Mathew Macfadyen (Athos), Luke Evans (Aramis), Ray Stevenson (Porthos), Milla Jovovich (Milady de Winters), Orlando Bloom (Duke of Buckingham), Logan Lerman (D'Artagnan) and others. With a cast this impressive you think that the movie is going to be so worthy but its only-just-acceptable.

The opening shots are very impressive, the introduction to the three musketeers and Milady are shot with some style. The three musketeers have played their part well but D'Artagnan was the 'sore of eyes' for me, through out, you may even say that Logan Lerman is simply 'REPULSIVE'. An actor who is half a foot shorter than the others, gets to capture all the screen in a movie like this, well that's not fair by my standards. It looks like the three musketeers have been left behind by a mouse man.

Orlando Bloom was good to watch, something different from his regular gallant self but there's a lot of room for improvement, I think. Milla Jovovich has done what was expected from her, fight scenes and corset, truly herself. 3-D effects are being highly appreciated, but I think I would have liked it the same even in 2-D.

If you have sometime, some gap to fill in or if you are the type who would watch anything in the name of action and sword fencing, then you must go and watch this movie. In case you're looking for something refreshingly new in the old story, I think you'll be disappointed.

IMDb Link- The Three Musketeers
Wikipedia Link - The Three Musketeers

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Period Movies - Handsome Heroes

I just checked this post on Most Handsome Men from Period Dramas and thought I will compile my own list.
I like them partly because of the roles they have played and partly because of their looks, of course!
Here's the original list, Most Handsome Period Drama Men and down here is my list -

1. Mr. Darcy from Pride and Prejudice (2005)

Mr. Darcy - Pride and Prejudice

Mr. Darcy, I might not be your Elizabeth but my quiz result says that I am like her and I'll remain loyal to you, always.

2. Mathew Crawley from Downton Abbey

Capt. Matthew Crawley - Downton Abbey

Mathew, Lady Mary is a fool and she knows that, I wouldn't have given you up even for Kamal Pamuk!

3. John Thornton from North and South

John Thornton - North and South

Mr. Thornton, you're such a gentlemen and in the end we all realized it.

4. Edward Ferrars from Sense and Sensibility (1995)

Edward Ferrars - Sense and Sensibility

You're an eye-candy Mr. Ferrars and you shouldn't be that shy, please.

5. Jacob from Water for Elephants

Jacob - Water for Elephants

I like you when you are Edward and now I like more when you are JACOB!

6. Count Laszlo de Almasy from The English Patient

Count Laszlo de Almasy - The English Patient

I love army men and somebody as handsome as you are in the movie, I can only *sigh*

7. Robert Crawley from Downton Abbey

Earl of Grantham - Downton Abbey

Your Lordship, you are kind to your subjects and loving to your family and every bit the Earl of Grantham!

8. Mr. Rochester from Jane Eyre (1996)

Mr. Rochester - Jane Eyre

I thank God for saving you from your dreadful devil wife!

9. King George from King's Speech

King George - The King's Speech

You're definitely all the royalty women need and you stammer so beautifully.

10. Theodore Lawrence from Little Women (1994)

Theodore 'Laurie' Lawrence - Little Women

Laurie, you're the sweetest and will always remain to be so!


SO, these are my favorite period drama heroes and I think I'll freeze this list now. Please do tell me about this list and your own favorites. Comments are most invited.

Vanity Fair (2004) - Reviewed

My Overall Rating - 6.5/10

Vanity Fair

Vanity Fair is the screen adaptation of the novel of the same name by William Makepeace Thackeray. The movie has been directed by Mira Nair and casts Reese Witherspoon as Becky Sharpe, Romola Garai, Jonathan Rhys Meyers, Rhys Ifans, James Purefoy, Gabriel Byrne and others.

The story is about Becky Sharpe (Reese Witherspoon), a girl from humble social background and how she reaches high English society with her charm. As one of the characters says, "I thought she was a social climber, turns out she's a social mountaineer".

Mira Nair has done a decent job and I was happy to catch glimpses from India and traditional Indian music in the background but I think it has been overdone. There is something missing in the movie, I would say its not very compelling.

Romola Garai and Reese Witherspoon
 (Vanity Fair)

Reese Witherspoon looks and speaks every bit like a true English and all the actors have done well, costumes are good, the thing is I couldn't really connect. At some points it looks like it is not period drama but a poor comedy. Aunt Matilda (Eileen Atkins) was fun to watch and so Biju.



All in all, don't expect too high and you won' be disappointed, its a nice watch.

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IMDb Link - Vanity Fair (2004)

Wikipedia Link - Vanity Fair (2004) 

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Oliver Twist (2005) - Reviewed

My Overall Rating - 7/10

Another Charles Dickens story and I think the most famous of them all, for me atleast. Oliver Twist is the retelling of the classic story, movie directed by Roman Polanski, which means you can have high expectations.

Ben Kingsley as Fagin

Surprisingly, this story has been made and remade over twenty times for TV and big screens and therefore it faces much competition and critics. Oliver Twist is a very well made movie, very good casting and story telling, it actually takes you back to early 1800s. Some of the characters which stood out were Ben Kingsley as Fagin, Leanne Rowe as Nancy and Barney Clark as Oliver Twist.

Barney Clark as Oliver Twist (center)

All of us are familiar with the story, its Charles Dickens typical gloomy tale which ends well. If you don't know the story, a word of caution for you, its not about Queen or other royalties so you won't be watching palaces and garden, its a story of a poor and polite orphan, Oliver Twist. The performances and screenplay are both very good and I think you'll enjoy the movie just as I did.

IMDb Link - Oliver Twist
Wikipedia Link - Oliver Twist 

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Little Dorrit (2008) - Reviewed

My Overall Rating - 7/10

Little Dorrit - Period Movies Box

Little Dorrit is the screen adaptation of the novel Little Dorrit by Charles Dickens. I just finished watching it and after those 13 episodes of suspense, the last one wasn't very rewarding as I thought it would be. The series stars Claire Foy as Amy Dorrit, Mathew Macfadyen as Arthur Clennam, Tom Courtenay, Eddie Marsan, Andy Serkis, among others.

Since I have been following Downton Abbey regularly I might tend to be partial towards it but I didn't find Little Dorrit up to the mark. I know that all Charles Dickens's stories are gloomy and full of sorrow, yet this was very dark and dirty, if I may say so. In fact, the Circumlocution Office was dingier than Hogwarts' Owlery, really.

The saving grace of the series were performances by Claire Foy, Mathew Macfadyen, Tom Courtenay and Russell Tovey. Others were simply loud and exaggerated. The episodes seem to be long and boring even when they are just 30 minutes long because the maturity is lacking in the direction of course with three or four different directors directing different episodes.

Still, if you're looking for some light headed period drama series you can watch Little Dorrit and you'll not be very disappointed.

IMDb Link - Little Dorrit
Wikipedia Link - Little Dorrit

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