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Iris, a review by Rich

Iris



The powerful true story based on John Bayley's novels that earned Jim Broadbent (Moulin Rouge) an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor, Judi Dench (Shakespeare In Love) a BAFTA Award for Best Leading Actress and Kate Winslet (Titanic) an Academy Award Nomination for Best Supporting Actress.
Judi Dench and Kate Winslet bring to the screen one of the most extraordinary women of the 20th Century, celebrated English author Iris Murdoch. As told by her unlikely soulmate, husband John Bayley, Iris first became known as a brilliant young scholar at Oxford whose boundless spirit dazzled those around her. During a remarkable career as a novelist and philosopher, she continued to prove herself a woman ahead of her time. Even in later life, as age and illness robbed Iris of her remarkable gifts, nothing could diminish her immense influence or weaken the bond with her devoted husband.

Sensitive, moving and emotional classy movie from the UK, a film that portrays perhaps 2 of the best actors in recent history at their finest, Judi Dench and Jim Broadbent. If tears do not come to the viewer at many times in the 2nd half of this film, they must have concrete hearts. Based on the true story of Iris Murdoch, the movie captivates from start to finish, and tackles a really difficult subject of Alzheimers in a touching and focussed manner. The affectionate devoted relationship between the 2 is heart-warming, and the wonderful way the director switches between the young couple and then the old, makes you feel totally part of the story and understanding the frightening confusion and desperation that hits Iris.
Painfully honest portrayal of not just a celebrity, but a frightening illness. Please buy it.
 

** Kate Winslet mini-marathon


(From Riches Random Reviews on August 2nd, 2009)

Alice in Wonderland, a review by Dragonfire

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Miss Congeniality Legs waxed. Lips glossed. Gun ready. FBI Agent Gracie Hart is going undercover as a hopeful eager to be the next Miss United States. But Gracie doesn't have a beauty-pageant bone in her body. Sandra Bullock gets physical in Miss Congeniality, bringing her powerhouse talent for physical comedy to the role of an operative posing as a pageant contestant in order to ferret out a terrorist targeting the event. Michael Caine deliciously plays the frustrated consultant hired to turn the FBI's Dirty Harriet into a poised beauty. And Benjamin Bratt, Candice Bergen, William Shatner and Ernie Hudson also score points for hilarity in this box-office smash. From big laughs to sly quips, Miss hits.

Alice in Wonderland

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I recently rewatched both of these movies.  I know I've posted about both of them here before, so that's why I'm putting them together in one post.

I really like both of them and I still enjoyed them even though I've seen them multiple times.  Both of them are a little silly at times, but that's part of what I like about them.  These are just fun movies for me.

(From Marie's Random Movie Viewing on August 3rd, 2011)

Tom's Random Star Trek Reviews, a review by Tom

VOY 7.19 Author, Author
Writer: Phyllis Strong (Screenwriter), Mike Sussman (Screenwriter), Brannon Braga (Original Material By)
Director: David Livingston
Cast: Kate Mulgrew (Captain Kathryn Janeway), Robert Beltran (Chakotay), Roxann Dawson (B'Elanna Torres), Robert Duncan McNeill (Tom Paris), Ethan Phillips (Neelix), Robert Picardo (The Doctor), Tim Russ (Tuvok), Jeri Ryan (Seven of Nine), Garrett Wang (Harry Kim), Richard Herd (Admiral Paris), Barry Gordon (Broht), Joseph Campanella (Arbitrator), Lorinne Vozoff (Irene Hansen), Juan Garcia (John Torres), Robert Ito (John Kim), Irene Tsu (Mary Kim), Dwight Schultz (Barclay), Brock Burnett (Male N.D.), Jennifer Hammon (Female N.D.), Heather Young (Sickbay N.D.), Majel Barrett (Computer Voice (voice))

This episode starts out as pure fun, with a new holonovel the doctor has written about his life. He based the novel on Voyager and its crew, but very out-of-character of all involved (it could almost count as an Voyager mirror-universe episode. Tuvok even has a beard like the evil Spock ). Though I must say, that the portrayed Janeway is not too far from the truth in my opinion
Towards the end this episode becomes Voyager's "The Measure of a Man" episode (a TNG episode which is about Data's rights as a person). A trial begins, if the doctor has a right on his novel like a normal person. In the end it is decided, that the doctor has the rights as an artist, but they didn't want yet to decide on the fact if he should be considered a person in general. This is a question which is left unanswered in Voyager.

P/T moment:
One story-line in this episode is about the crew being able to have real-time communication with the Alpha Quadrant and thus their families for the first time.
B'Elanna and Tom are talking to her father, who wants to make amends.

Rating:

(From Tom's Random Star Trek Reviews on October 3rd, 2009)