Movie Review: ***^Jack Ryan: Shadow Recruit (2014)

This is a movie based on the Tom Clancy characters, but seems out of order in terms of the time line and the story.  Other than that, this is a very good story.  Jack Ryan versus a plot to start on economic catastrophe in America with a terrorist attack and then a dumping of U.S. dollars.  Keira Knightly is Jack's fiancé if she says yes.  She wants to see what he is up to and follows Jack on his trip, and becomes and impromptu agent.  Crazy stuff.  This of course doesn't go well when she is taken hostage.  Lots of action to the end here.  Very entertaining.
Does anyone have an explanation for the out-of-sequence nature of this movie.  Is this Jack Jr., or just taking liberty.

Movie Review: ***^King Arthur (2004)

This is a different take on the King Arthur story.  I presents King Arthur (Clive Owen) and his knights as persons beholden to the Romans for military service.  They spend their time defending the Romans from their own people who are fighting off tyranny.  Guinevere (Keira Knightly) and Merlin are the rebels they fight against.  However the Romans are leaving the area, and forces from the north are coming to rape the countryside.  It is after King Arthur and his men are free from further service that they must decide if they will stay and defend the people, and help them fight for freedom.
Some great action scenes, and I sort of like the different spin on the story.

Movie Review: ****Jack Ryan: Shadow Recruit (2014)

This is another Tom Clancy (obvious from the name) but it has Jack Ryan in the post 911 era.  Sheri says that Clancy wrote about Jack Ryan's son, and perhaps that is where this material comes from.  Jack (Chris Pine) is recruited as an analyst for the CIA by Thomas Harper (Kevin Costner).  At the same time he has fallen in love with Dr. Muller (Keira Knightly).  Then we fast forward three years.  Jack thinks he will just be an employee on Wall Street, while actually working for the CIA.  He notices files hid from them by a Russian firm, and feels he is onto a plot.  He is asked to go to Russia by the CIA to meet with the president of the Russian Company with which they are doing business.  His journey to Russia gets off to a bad start.  His bodyguard (Nonso Anozie) tries to kill him, and Ryan has to kill him instead.  He has now gone active.  They have to get into the Russian director's computer.  He is planning a plot for a terrorist attack against the U.S. as well as a dollar dump, which likely will bring on a depression.  The Russians are mad at the U.S. over lack of support at the U.N.
This show has tension on two levels.  Can Jack, and his fiance who follows him to Moscow, survive, and can the CIA stop the Russian terrorist.  This movie keeps you tense in your seat.  I thought the theater was cold, but it was just my body reaction to the tension which lasts through most of the second half of the movie.
This is good Tom Clancy fun.

Movie Review: *****Pride and Prejudice X 4

*****^Pride and Prejudice(1995) ****^(1940) *****(2005) *****(1980)

This is not  review in the traditional sense, but a comparison of four different versions of Pride and Prejudice.  These four include the first one I saw, which is the 1995 six tape series with Jennifer Ehle and Colin Firth in the lead roles.  I then saw the new movie, 2005, with Keira Knightley and Mathew Macfadyen in the lead roles.  I have recently been introduced to two new versions via Netflix.  One is 1980 BBC with Elizabeth Garvie and David Rintoul in the lead roles which is available through Instant Netflix. The other was a Netflix DVD, 1940 with Greer Garson and Laurence Olivier.

First generally reviewing of these movies.  They are all classics, and the story is classic. The first version actually takes the most liberties with the story.  Lady DuBourg is in league with Mr. Darcy, rather than actually upset.  The 1980 BBC version is actually the most modest.  However the version I first saw was the Jennifer Ehle and Colin Firth.  This one highlights the figures of the women in a very pleasing manner.  And the Keira Knightley has a more rural feel to it, with pigs on the screen, and Keira Knightley is always beautiful, but no miracle bra is going to do wonders, so this version is more modest as well.

Eliza  I love Jennifer Ehle in this role, and her walking every place.  However the character in the 1940 version, captures much more passion for me.  So I must vote for Greer Garson as my favorite Eliza.

Mr. Darcy  In similar fashion I must say Laurence Olivier captures the romance of the film in the most placing manner.  I was introduced to this role form Colin Firth, who is a great actor, and one of my favorite.  However the way this role is played by Laurence Olivier is classic.  

Mr. Bennet is a wonderful character, who actually grows and matures from the experiences with regards to Lydia.  I must admit I prefer the character from the 2005 movie best from Donald Sutherland, just based on the way he presents one of my favorite lines, "If any other men come to marry any my daughters, send them in; I am quite at my leisure." Classic!  His smile is just perfect.

Mr Bingley  I like the Mr. Bingley from the six tape series.  He is just a happy young man, no one can help but like him. Lydia is such a clueless wonder in this version I have to love her. Mrs Bennet with her loud laughing and talking takes the day in this version as well.  Mr Collins, the cousin who is set to entail the estate, is such a nerd and brown noser in this version he is funny.  And his wife, Charlotte, is played in just the perfect fashion. Kitty is so good lamenting at her father's rebuke in this version.  Her cry is just perfect. 

Mr Darcy's cousin, Colonel Fitzwilliams is most enjoyable in the 1940 version as the actor is in a kilt.  Fun.  Miss Jane Bennet is the most beautiful in the 1940 version.  The last scene where Mr. Bingley proposes, and she cries through it.  That is fun.

Mr. Bingley's sister is the most sinister in the 1940 version.  Mary is at her worse in such a  truly delightful way in the version as well.

The bottom line is I love this story, and each of these version is a pleasure to watch.

Movie Review: **^The Duchess

This is a movie from 2008 starring Keira Knightly (Pirates of the Caribbean and Pride and Prejudice) and Ralph Fiennes (Voldemort from Harry Potter.)  It portrays the upper class in England and is reported to be a true story about the Duchess of Davenport.  The Duchess enters a hasty marriage relationship, and later discovers that the Duke is  philanderer.  He keeps the duchess to sire an heir.  Of course the first two babies are girls, intermingled with a couple stillborn boys.  She finally sires an heir, and then has her own fling and becomes pregnant.  Because of the Duke's influence, he arranges for her to be on vacation to cover up the pregnancy, while forcing her to leave her lover under threat of not seeing her children again.

The movie portrays the difference between laws surrounding men and women.  The Duke takes a live-in lover, and expects his wife to just deal with it.

The movie shows the impressive wealth of the few in England at this time.  It portrays several castles in which the Duke resided.

It also shows the love of a mother, and what a mother will sacrifice to keep her children.  I would mildly recommend this movie.