list http://www.spout.com/ Recent community activity around Pride & Prejudice on Spout Copyright 2005-9 Spout, LLC Spout RSS http://www.spout.com/images/SpoutLogoRSS.jpg http://www.spout.com/ 136 30 http://www.spout.com/films/Pride_Prejudice/248263/default.aspx Title: Pride & Prejudice
Year: 2005
Director: Joe Wright
Plot: Jane Austen's perennially popular story of the game of love among the British upper classes returns to the screen in this polished film adaptation. The Bennetts (Brenda Blethyn and Donald Sutherland) are the parents of five daughters near the close of the 18th century. Comfortable within their means but well short of rich, Mr. and Mrs. Bennett are looking for suitable husbands for their girls, and they are encouraged to learn that an eligible young bachelor from a wealthy family, Charles Bingley (Simon Woods), has moved into a nearby estate. Eager to see if a match can be made, the Bennetts bring their daughters Elizabeth (Keira Knightley) and Jane (Rosamund Pike) to a ball thrown by their new neighbor to see if sparks will fly. Jane seems to like Charles, and he appears to feel the same, but Elizabeth takes an immediate dislike to Darcy (Matthew MacFadyen), Charles' egocentric best friend. While Elizabeth is infatuated with military man Lt. Wickham (Rupert Friend) and finds herself courted by William Collins (Tom Hollander), a well-meaning but drab man of the cloth, fate causes Elizabeth and Darcy to frequently cross paths, and while they don't care for one another, they can't stop thinking about each other, either. Pride & Prejudice also stars Jena Malone, Judi Dench, and Penelope Wilton. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
Times Tagged: 118
Number of Lists: 66
Number of blog posts: 6
Number of discussion threads: 4
SpoutRating: 3
]]>Sun, 23 Aug 2009 22:54:36 GMTPride & Prejudice2005Joe WrightJane Austen's perennially popular story of the game of love among the British upper classes returns to the screen in this polished film adaptation. The Bennetts (<a href="/players/P_____6748/default.aspx" style='text-decoration:underline'>Brenda Blethyn</a> and <a href="/players/P____69192/default.aspx" style='text-decoration:underline'>Donald Sutherland</a>) are the parents of five daughters near the close of the 18th century. Comfortable within their means but well short of rich, Mr. and Mrs. Bennett are looking for suitable husbands for their girls, and they are encouraged to learn that an eligible young bachelor from a wealthy family, Charles Bingley (Simon Woods), has moved into a nearby estate. Eager to see if a match can be made, the Bennetts bring their daughters Elizabeth (<a href="/players/P___339282/default.aspx" style='text-decoration:underline'>Keira Knightley</a>) and Jane (<a href="/players/P___328443/default.aspx" style='text-decoration:underline'>Rosamund Pike</a>) to a ball thrown by their new neighbor to see if sparks will fly. Jane seems to like Charles, and he appears to feel the same, but Elizabeth takes an immediate dislike to Darcy (Matthew MacFadyen), Charles' egocentric best friend. While Elizabeth is infatuated with military man Lt. Wickham (Rupert Friend) and finds herself courted by William Collins (<a href="/players/P___239413/default.aspx" style='text-decoration:underline'>Tom Hollander</a>), a well-meaning but drab man of the cloth, fate causes Elizabeth and Darcy to frequently cross paths, and while they don't care for one another, they can't stop thinking about each other, either. Pride & Prejudice also stars <a href="/players/P___228556/default.aspx" style='text-decoration:underline'>Jena Malone</a>, <a href="/players/P____18570/default.aspx" style='text-decoration:underline'>Judi Dench</a>, and <a href="/players/P____76837/default.aspx" style='text-decoration:underline'>Penelope Wilton</a>. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide118Tag Target (>10)66643http://www.spout.com/ProductImages/u49740lrkge.jpghttp://www.spout.com/films/Pride_Prejudice/248263/default.aspxFilm http://www.spout.com/blogs/rebelprince89/archive/2009/4/24/41729.aspx Post By: rebelprince89
Post To: rebelprince89 Blog
Post Date: 4/24/2009 2:36:32 PM
Body: Being a huge fan of period dramas, literary adaptations and Keira Knightley, I was delighted by the latest adaptation of Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice. It is everything a movie should be, and then some. Great storytelling, an amazing soundtrack, an innovative director and a splendid soundtrack, it is definitely a movie you should own. It tells a classic story of Elizabeth Bennet, a smart, boyish heroine who meets the handsome Mr. Darcy, and judging solely on first impressions, believes he is "the last man on Earth she could ever possibly be prevailed upon to marry". Of course, it wouldn't be a Jane Austen adaptation if it wasn't for numerous plot twists, complicated character connections and humorous plays on words. Keira Knightley is perfect as Elizabeth, the role which not only propelled her to stardom, but also earned her an Oscar nomination in 2005. She is everything a classic heroine should be - sensual, expressive and beautiful, maybe even a little more than she should have been. On the other hand, there is Matthew Macfadyen, who makes a great, darker Mr. Darcy. Also in the all-star cast are veterans Donald Sutherland and Dame Judy Dench. Director Joe Wright did an incredible job. Not only did he play with the source in a very respectful, yet creative way, he used many tricks to make us care for these characters and believe their plights are just as well possible today. He also uses the stunning British countryside a number of times, and it is one of the film's best props - it is able to, accompanied by a great soundtrack, reflect the characters' emotions and send chills up and down one's spine. "Pride & Prejudice" is definitely one of the best romantic movies and literary adaptations of the century, and one you should have on your shelf for sure.
]]>Fri, 24 Apr 2009 18:36:32 GMTrebelprince89rebelprince89 Blog4/24/2009 2:36:32 PMBeing a huge fan of period dramas, literary adaptations and Keira Knightley, I was delighted by the latest adaptation of Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice. It is everything a movie should be, and then some. Great storytelling, an amazing soundtrack, an innovative director and a splendid soundtrack, it is definitely a movie you should own. It tells a classic story of Elizabeth Bennet, a smart, boyish heroine who meets the handsome Mr. Darcy, and judging solely on first impressions, believes he is "the last man on Earth she could ever possibly be prevailed upon to marry". Of course, it wouldn't be a Jane Austen adaptation if it wasn't for numerous plot twists, complicated character connections and humorous plays on words. Keira Knightley is perfect as Elizabeth, the role which not only propelled her to stardom, but also earned her an Oscar nomination in 2005. She is everything a classic heroine should be - sensual, expressive and beautiful, maybe even a little more than she should have been. On the other hand, there is Matthew Macfadyen, who makes a great, darker Mr. Darcy. Also in the all-star cast are veterans Donald Sutherland and Dame Judy Dench. Director Joe Wright did an incredible job. Not only did he play with the source in a very respectful, yet creative way, he used many tricks to make us care for these characters and believe their plights are just as well possible today. He also uses the stunning British countryside a number of times, and it is one of the film's best props - it is able to, accompanied by a great soundtrack, reflect the characters' emotions and send chills up and down one's spine. "Pride &amp; Prejudice" is definitely one of the best romantic movies and literary adaptations of the century, and one you should have on your shelf for sure. http://www.spout.com/groups/Top_5/Re_Top_5_Romantic_Films/190/35892/1/ShowPost.aspx Post By: filmgal81
Post To: Top 5
Post Date: 10/4/2008 7:33:10 AM
Body: Ah, Sense & Sensibility has always been one of my personal favorites as well. I've heard the argument against chivalry before, and i think that just because the lines between chivalry and chauvinism were blurred at times doesn't mean that theer wasn't a distinction. As you said, you can be chivalrous without being patronizing. There was a politeness, a gentlemanliness then, that is sorely lacking today, in many ways. No, this does not mean women are looking/waiting to be rescued, we can cut the heads off our own dragons, but i think it nice to know that a guy would try. [quote user="rjsprague"] In order of preference: 1. Emma 2. Sense and Sensibility 3. Sleepless in Seattle 4. Pride and Prejudice 5. Memoirs of a Geisha As you can see I'm a sucker for period films, and chivalry. While feminists say that chivalry is just veiled chauvinism I personally think it was significantly more noble, an attempt to honor and respect the opposite sex. I put sleepless in there (and was considering You have mail) because it's a very classic romantic film that I enjoy thoroughly, but is certainly American. [/quote]
]]>Sat, 04 Oct 2008 11:33:10 GMTfilmgal81Top 510/4/2008 7:33:10 AMAh, Sense &amp; Sensibility has always been one of my personal favorites as well. I've heard the argument against chivalry before, and i think that just because the lines between chivalry and chauvinism were blurred at times doesn't mean that theer wasn't a distinction. As you said, you can be chivalrous without being patronizing. There was a politeness, a gentlemanliness then, that is sorely lacking today, in many ways. No, this does not mean women are looking/waiting to be rescued, we can cut the heads off our own dragons, but i think it nice to know that a guy would try. [quote user="rjsprague"] In order of preference: 1. Emma 2. Sense and Sensibility 3. Sleepless in Seattle 4. Pride and Prejudice 5. Memoirs of a Geisha As you can see I'm a sucker for period films, and chivalry. While feminists say that chivalry is just veiled chauvinism I personally think it was significantly more noble, an attempt to honor and respect the opposite sex. I put sleepless in there (and was considering You have mail) because it's a very classic romantic film that I enjoy thoroughly, but is certainly American. [/quote] http://www.spout.com/groups/Top_5/Re_Top_5_Romantic_Films/190/35872/1/ShowPost.aspx Post By: rjsprague
Post To: Top 5
Post Date: 10/3/2008 4:50:56 PM
Body: In order of preference: 1. Emma 2. Sense and Sensibility 3. Sleepless in Seattle 4. Pride and Prejudice 5. Memoirs of a Geisha As you can see I'm a sucker for period films, and chivalry. While feminists say that chivalry is just veiled chauvinism I personally think it was significantly more noble, an attempt to honor and respect the opposite sex. I put sleepless in there (and was considering You have mail) because it's a very classic romantic film that I enjoy thoroughly, but is certainly American. Lastly, memoirs of a geisha probably isn't considered a romantic film, but I felt that it depicted an aspect of traditional Japanese life where, traditionally, romance didn't exist, but romantic elements are certainly there. I also recently learned that until the Japanese came into contact with the West they didn't have a word for romance. They write the word romansu in katakana because it is a borrowed word, which essentially means that they lacked the concept most likely because marriages were arranged (and romance wasn't a factor in that arrangement). I really enjoyed this film, despite it being about Japanese life (pre and post WWII and the bombing) and using a predominantly Chinese cast! Zhang Zhiyi (pronounced jong jurii or something close to that) is definitely chinese!
]]>Fri, 03 Oct 2008 20:50:56 GMTrjspragueTop 510/3/2008 4:50:56 PMIn order of preference: 1. Emma 2. Sense and Sensibility 3. Sleepless in Seattle 4. Pride and Prejudice 5. Memoirs of a Geisha As you can see I'm a sucker for period films, and chivalry. While feminists say that chivalry is just veiled chauvinism I personally think it was significantly more noble, an attempt to honor and respect the opposite sex. I put sleepless in there (and was considering You have mail) because it's a very classic romantic film that I enjoy thoroughly, but is certainly American. Lastly, memoirs of a geisha probably isn't considered a romantic film, but I felt that it depicted an aspect of traditional Japanese life where, traditionally, romance didn't exist, but romantic elements are certainly there. I also recently learned that until the Japanese came into contact with the West they didn't have a word for romance. They write the word romansu in katakana because it is a borrowed word, which essentially means that they lacked the concept most likely because marriages were arranged (and romance wasn't a factor in that arrangement). I really enjoyed this film, despite it being about Japanese life (pre and post WWII and the bombing) and using a predominantly Chinese cast! Zhang Zhiyi (pronounced jong jurii or something close to that) is definitely chinese! http://www.spout.com/groups/Movie_Games/Re_Six_Degrees_of_Separation_1/598/32585/1/ShowPost.aspx Post By: magrebi
Post To: Movie Games
Post Date: 7/15/2008 4:36:08 PM
Body: [quote user="corvine"] Here are the rules: Two actors, actresses, or directors will be chosen. It is now your duty to try and connect the two using information on Spout (player pages and filmography). The more elaborate or funny the connections, the better. 6 degrees of separation is your goal but you are not limited to 6. Use Spout to search for the films to make your connection. Please indicate the person you are using as the connection and link the movie in which they appear. Good Luck. Here is the first one. Connect: Seann William Scott To: Judi Dench Please feel free to make your own Threads with new Connections. [/quote] ok, here we go (this was a group effort) Sean William Scott to Will Ferrel in Old School Will Ferrel to Emma Thompson in Stranger than Fiction Emma Thompson to Kiera Knightly in Love Actually Kiera to Judi Dench in Pride and Prejudice BEAT THAT!
]]>Tue, 15 Jul 2008 20:36:08 GMTmagrebiMovie Games7/15/2008 4:36:08 PM[quote user="corvine"] Here are the rules: Two actors, actresses, or directors will be chosen. It is now your duty to try and connect the two using information on Spout (player pages and filmography). The more elaborate or funny the connections, the better. 6 degrees of separation is your goal but you are not limited to 6. Use Spout to search for the films to make your connection. Please indicate the person you are using as the connection and link the movie in which they appear. Good Luck. Here is the first one. Connect: Seann William Scott To: Judi Dench Please feel free to make your own Threads with new Connections. [/quote] ok, here we go (this was a group effort) Sean William Scott to Will Ferrel in Old School Will Ferrel to Emma Thompson in Stranger than Fiction Emma Thompson to Kiera Knightly in Love Actually Kiera to Judi Dench in Pride and Prejudice BEAT THAT! http://www.spout.com/blogs/lopezdash/archive/2008/6/5/30536.aspx Post By: lopezdash
Post To: The Movie Blog
Post Date: 6/5/2008 10:12:50 AM
Body: 'Pride & Prejudice' a must watch for well lit scenes, great use of focus and visual storytelling. (via Twitter)
]]>Thu, 05 Jun 2008 14:12:50 GMTlopezdashThe Movie Blog6/5/2008 10:12:50 AM'Pride &amp; Prejudice' a must watch for well lit scenes, great use of focus and visual storytelling. (via Twitter) http://www.spout.com/blogs/windbreaker/archive/2008/2/23/25503.aspx Post By: Windbreaker
Post To: Windbreaker!
Post Date: 2/23/2008 11:22:58 AM
Body: Men - don't let your women bring this home for you to watch.Women - if you love your men, don't bring this home for them to watch. Keep this DVD on the shelves at Blockbuster and reduce the nation's divorce rate.Becoming Jane is painfully slow, not terribly interesting, and sloppily written. Since next to nothing is known about Austen's life, some genius thought that Jane Austen's life must have been a combination of her novels. So we, the movie viewing community get conned into this. I'm not an Austen hater -- Pride and Prejudice is very good (movie and TV mini versions) and I didn't mind Emma either. Here's an example of the sloppy story, which makes you unsure of how to judge the characters: Jane is furious at a boy who leaves her to take care of his family... later he comes back to her, they're both happy, then she leaves him because it's best for her family. Both times we're supposed to side with Jane. Come on. Consistency people.
]]>Sat, 23 Feb 2008 16:22:58 GMTWindbreakerWindbreaker!2/23/2008 11:22:58 AMMen - don&#39;t let your women bring this home for you to watch.Women - if you love your men, don&#39;t bring this home for them to watch. Keep this DVD on the shelves at Blockbuster and reduce the nation&#39;s divorce rate.Becoming Jane is painfully slow, not terribly interesting, and sloppily written. Since next to nothing is known about Austen&#39;s life, some genius thought that Jane Austen&#39;s life must have been a combination of her novels. So we, the movie viewing community get conned into this. I&#39;m not an Austen hater -- Pride and Prejudice is very good (movie and TV mini versions) and I didn&#39;t mind Emma either. Here&#39;s an example of the sloppy story, which makes you unsure of how to judge the characters: Jane is furious at a boy who leaves her to take care of his family... later he comes back to her, they&#39;re both happy, then she leaves him because it&#39;s best for her family. Both times we&#39;re supposed to side with Jane. Come on. Consistency people. http://www.spout.com/blogs/moviebabe/archive/2007/7/18/15213.aspx Post By: MovieBabe
Post To: MovieBabe Blog
Post Date: 7/18/2007 4:38:00 PM
Body: By Tricia Olszewski Elizabeth Bennett is not a giggler. The heroine of Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice is quick-witted and headstrong, capable of being charming and even playful but more known for sharply speaking her mind, even if it does ruin the mood. She’ll smile, she’ll laugh, but under no circumstances will Elizabeth titter like a schoolgirl. Unless, that is, she’s being played by Keira Knightley. Straight from her miscasting as a bloodthirsty tough in Domino, Knightley is charged with another girl-power portrayal in British director Joe Wright’s version of the early-19th-century classic. And though she’s much better suited to this role than her last, Knightley’s dippy interpretation of Elizabeth undercuts the strength and appeal of Austen’s character—and therefore the love/hate romance at the novel’s center. It doesn’t help that this seems to be the 100th recent retelling of the story. Actually, it’s only the second direct adaptation in 10 years—the first being the BBC’s acclaimed five-hour television series, aired in the United States in 1996—though the two Bridget Jones movies and last year’s Bride & Prejudice also recycled Austen’s characters and plot. Audience members who’ve grown weary of the protracted dance between Elizabeth and Mr. Darcy (Matthew MacFadyen) will probably find it difficult to muster any renewed interest with Knightley taking the lead. First-time feature writer Deborah Moggach pared Austen’s complex tale to just over two hours, lessening the class conflicts and virtually ignoring some subplots, most glaringly Elizabeth’s flirtation with Lt. George Wickham (Rupert Friend). She also time-trips the story from 1813, the year of Pride and Prejudice’s publication, back to 1797, the year Austen began writing the book. The big picture, however, remains the same: Hysterical mother hen Mrs. Bennett (Brenda Blethyn) wants to get each of her five daughters married off, preferably to someone wealthy. When news that the rich Mr. Bingley (Simon Woods) is coming to town, the sisters go batshit—their squeals get dangerously close to being something only dogs can hear—and put on their finery and happy faces in hope of attracting his attention at a ball. When the eldest and prettiest daughter, Jane (Rosamund Pike), does just that, Elizabeth tries to make nice with Bingley’s scowling friend Darcy—and gets shut down. But because of Jane and Bingley’s deepening romance, the now-antagonistic pair are destined to keep running into each other, with Elizabeth acting all quippy and critical and Darcy, well, scowling some more. Seemingly angry instead of aloof, MacFadyen’s Darcy is a one-note character—which makes his later declaration of ardor for Elizabeth rather unbelievable. The flip side, of course, is that he’s hardly the kind of guy who would capture Elizabeth’s attention. That blushing twitter when she catches Darcy’s eye at the ball fades during their first frosty conversation, and there’s never any demonstration of how he goes from irritating to intriguing. Bingley, too, is mischaracterized, though Woods’ portrayal of him as a cheery dope at least provides some comic relief. There are other entertaining depictions, as well: Blethyn’s chirpy Mrs. Bennett is overbearing and unapologetic in her single-minded goal, countered by Donald Sutherland’s Mr. Bennett, who’s content to linger in the background of this close-knit, chatter-filled household but occasionally serves as a slightly eye-rolling voice of reason. Among the sisters, Pike is lovely and demure as Jane, and if 15-year-old Lydia, who ends up running off with Wickham, is supposed to be brash and annoying, well, Jena Malone nailed it. Also sharp in their small roles are Tom Hollander as the unpleasant Mr. Collins, who’s to inherit the Bennett home and would like one of the daughters to come with it, and Judi Dench, who bitches it up as Darcy’s aunt, Lady Catherine de Bourg. The look of Pride & Prejudice is also impressive, with cinematographer Roman Osin lending lushness to the film’s outdoor scenes, from the dewy opening sunrise to the many rainstorms Elizabeth gets caught in. And Wright’s preference for long tracking shots, the most remarkable being an unhurried, room-to-room observation of the tiny dramas at a party, adds the grace that his film’s protagonist lacks. Such a pity, then, that Pride & Prejudice’s love story is—to be fair to Knightley—mishandled by everyone involved. Even Jane Austen would have giggled at a Pride and Prejudice that culminates not in a marriage but in moony-eyed cooing on a dock. The siblings in Zathura aren’t quite as fond of each other as the Bennett sisters are. Danny, the youngest at 6 and three-quarters, laments that he’s not as good as his older brother at such things as playing catch. Walter, 10, agrees that Danny sucks in general, and constantly antagonizes him by calling him a baby. Teenage Lisa, meanwhile, prefers to ignore both brothers, sleeping into the afternoon with headphones on even when Dad asks her to watch them. Ultimately, though, this is a story about love—with robots, reptilian monsters, and unfriendly spaceships that try to shoot the kids’ home into oblivion. Zathura is author/illustrator Chris Van Allsburg’s third book to be adapted to film, after 1995’s cool but slight Jumanji and last year’s disastrous Polar Express. Mercifully, Zathura’s big-screen version is closer to the former. The story, adapted by John Kamps and War of the Worlds scripter David Koepp, is pretty similar to Jumanji’s: After the kids’ father (Tim Robbins) steps out for a while, Danny (Jonah Bobo) finds a weird game in the basement of Dad’s creaky post-divorce home. He winds his discovery up with a key and then presses a red button, which spins a counter and makes a tiny spaceship move the corresponding number of steps on the board’s swirly path. Also, a card pops out of a slot. “Meteor shower, take evasive action,” it reads. Walter (Josh Hutcherson) turns away from the TV just long enough to tell Danny what “evasive” means before fiery meteors start destroying the living room. The onslaught, orchestrated with frightening intensity by director Jon Favreau, isn’t the only problem the boys have: When they open the front door, they discover they’re out in space. Frantic pleas for help from Lisa (Kristen Stewart) are dismissed, and the next spin of the game’s dial freezes both Sis and the upstairs bathroom as she’s making her way to the shower. When a card pops out saying, “You are visited by Zorgons,” you know it’s not going to be good. And so Zathura goes, with each turn the boys take resulting in another development, from a giant robot whose faulty programming makes him try to kill Walter to a lost astronaut (Punk’d’s Dax Shepard) seeking refuge in their floating house. This relay of predicaments keeps the film’s 101 minutes moving briskly, and with enough imaginative whiz-bang to entertain even the grown-ups in the audience. (It’s definite PG material, though, meaning all but the steeliest small children will probably be, well, too traumatized to drag out Chutes and Ladders ever again.) And excepting an unconvincing sequence in which the house is turned on its side, Zathura is aces visually, decorated with colorful planets and fireballs so brilliant it’s almost a disappointment when things stop being blown up. Though the morals about broken homes, being different, and appreciating your family are delivered rather ham-handedly—“Walter, there are some games you can’t play alone,” the astronaut tells him—the script is frequently sharp and funny. Shepard’s visitor, when not spouting Hallmarkian treacle, is especially entertaining as the sarcastic adult who takes the game as seriously as the boys do, and the older kids get to be smartasses, too. (When Dad asks Lisa not to describe dates as “hooking up,” she whines, “God! We never should have rented Thirteen!”) Little Danny, not quite ready to embrace his siblings’ pissiness but slowly catching on, gets occasional laughs from his cute insistence that he’s not a baby, such as when he declares a card that actually says, “Rescue stranded astronaut” reads, “Rest on standing Astroturf.” All three young actors are suitably bratty and completely believable as sparring siblings. If you recently made your kids sit through The Adventures of Sharkboy and Lavagirl in 3-D, here’s how to make it up to them.
]]>Wed, 18 Jul 2007 20:38:00 GMTMovieBabeMovieBabe Blog7/18/2007 4:38:00 PM By Tricia Olszewski Elizabeth Bennett is not a giggler. The heroine of Jane Austen&rsquo;s Pride and Prejudice is quick-witted and headstrong, capable of being charming and even playful but more known for sharply speaking her mind, even if it does ruin the mood. She&rsquo;ll smile, she&rsquo;ll laugh, but under no circumstances will Elizabeth titter like a schoolgirl. Unless, that is, she&rsquo;s being played by Keira Knightley. Straight from her miscasting as a bloodthirsty tough in Domino, Knightley is charged with another girl-power portrayal in British director Joe Wright&rsquo;s version of the early-19th-century classic. And though she&rsquo;s much better suited to this role than her last, Knightley&rsquo;s dippy interpretation of Elizabeth undercuts the strength and appeal of Austen&rsquo;s character&mdash;and therefore the love/hate romance at the novel&rsquo;s center. It doesn&rsquo;t help that this seems to be the 100th recent retelling of the story. Actually, it&rsquo;s only the second direct adaptation in 10 years&mdash;the first being the BBC&rsquo;s acclaimed five-hour television series, aired in the United States in 1996&mdash;though the two Bridget Jones movies and last year&rsquo;s Bride &amp; Prejudice also recycled Austen&rsquo;s characters and plot. Audience members who&rsquo;ve grown weary of the protracted dance between Elizabeth and Mr. Darcy (Matthew MacFadyen) will probably find it difficult to muster any renewed interest with Knightley taking the lead. First-time feature writer Deborah Moggach pared Austen&rsquo;s complex tale to just over two hours, lessening the class conflicts and virtually ignoring some subplots, most glaringly Elizabeth&rsquo;s flirtation with Lt. George Wickham (Rupert Friend). She also time-trips the story from 1813, the year of Pride and Prejudice&rsquo;s publication, back to 1797, the year Austen began writing the book. The big picture, however, remains the same: Hysterical mother hen Mrs. Bennett (Brenda Blethyn) wants to get each of her five daughters married off, preferably to someone wealthy. When news that the rich Mr. Bingley (Simon Woods) is coming to town, the sisters go batshit&mdash;their squeals get dangerously close to being something only dogs can hear&mdash;and put on their finery and happy faces in hope of attracting his attention at a ball. When the eldest and prettiest daughter, Jane (Rosamund Pike), does just that, Elizabeth tries to make nice with Bingley&rsquo;s scowling friend Darcy&mdash;and gets shut down. But because of Jane and Bingley&rsquo;s deepening romance, the now-antagonistic pair are destined to keep running into each other, with Elizabeth acting all quippy and critical and Darcy, well, scowling some more. Seemingly angry instead of aloof, MacFadyen&rsquo;s Darcy is a one-note character&mdash;which makes his later declaration of ardor for Elizabeth rather unbelievable. The flip side, of course, is that he&rsquo;s hardly the kind of guy who would capture Elizabeth&rsquo;s attention. That blushing twitter when she catches Darcy&rsquo;s eye at the ball fades during their first frosty conversation, and there&rsquo;s never any demonstration of how he goes from irritating to intriguing. Bingley, too, is mischaracterized, though Woods&rsquo; portrayal of him as a cheery dope at least provides some comic relief. There are other entertaining depictions, as well: Blethyn&rsquo;s chirpy Mrs. Bennett is overbearing and unapologetic in her single-minded goal, countered by Donald Sutherland&rsquo;s Mr. Bennett, who&rsquo;s content to linger in the background of this close-knit, chatter-filled household but occasionally serves as a slightly eye-rolling voice of reason. Among the sisters, Pike is lovely and demure as Jane, and if 15-year-old Lydia, who ends up running off with Wickham, is supposed to be brash and annoying, well, Jena Malone nailed it. Also sharp in their small roles are Tom Hollander as the unpleasant Mr. Collins, who&rsquo;s to inherit the Bennett home and would like one of the daughters to come with it, and Judi Dench, who bitches it up as Darcy&rsquo;s aunt, Lady Catherine de Bourg. The look of Pride &amp; Prejudice is also impressive, with cinematographer Roman Osin lending lushness to the film&rsquo;s outdoor scenes, from the dewy opening sunrise to the many rainstorms Elizabeth gets caught in. And Wright&rsquo;s preference for long tracking shots, the most remarkable being an unhurried, room-to-room observation of the tiny dramas at a party, adds the grace that his film&rsquo;s protagonist lacks. Such a pity, then, that Pride &amp; Prejudice&rsquo;s love story is&mdash;to be fair to Knightley&mdash;mishandled by everyone involved. Even Jane Austen would have giggled at a Pride and Prejudice that culminates not in a marriage but in moony-eyed cooing on a dock. The siblings in Zathura aren&rsquo;t quite as fond of each other as the Bennett sisters are. Danny, the youngest at 6 and three-quarters, laments that he&rsquo;s not as good as his older brother at such things as playing catch. Walter, 10, agrees that Danny sucks in general, and constantly antagonizes him by calling him a baby. Teenage Lisa, meanwhile, prefers to ignore both brothers, sleeping into the afternoon with headphones on even when Dad asks her to watch them. Ultimately, though, this is a story about love&mdash;with robots, reptilian monsters, and unfriendly spaceships that try to shoot the kids&rsquo; home into oblivion. Zathura is author/illustrator Chris Van Allsburg&rsquo;s third book to be adapted to film, after 1995&rsquo;s cool but slight Jumanji and last year&rsquo;s disastrous Polar Express. Mercifully, Zathura&rsquo;s big-screen version is closer to the former. The story, adapted by John Kamps and War of the Worlds scripter David Koepp, is pretty similar to Jumanji&rsquo;s: After the kids&rsquo; father (Tim Robbins) steps out for a while, Danny (Jonah Bobo) finds a weird game in the basement of Dad&rsquo;s creaky post-divorce home. He winds his discovery up with a key and then presses a red button, which spins a counter and makes a tiny spaceship move the corresponding number of steps on the board&rsquo;s swirly path. Also, a card pops out of a slot. &ldquo;Meteor shower, take evasive action,&rdquo; it reads. Walter (Josh Hutcherson) turns away from the TV just long enough to tell Danny what &ldquo;evasive&rdquo; means before fiery meteors start destroying the living room. The onslaught, orchestrated with frightening intensity by director Jon Favreau, isn&rsquo;t the only problem the boys have: When they open the front door, they discover they&rsquo;re out in space. Frantic pleas for help from Lisa (Kristen Stewart) are dismissed, and the next spin of the game&rsquo;s dial freezes both Sis and the upstairs bathroom as she&rsquo;s making her way to the shower. When a card pops out saying, &ldquo;You are visited by Zorgons,&rdquo; you know it&rsquo;s not going to be good. And so Zathura goes, with each turn the boys take resulting in another development, from a giant robot whose faulty programming makes him try to kill Walter to a lost astronaut (Punk&rsquo;d&rsquo;s Dax Shepard) seeking refuge in their floating house. This relay of predicaments keeps the film&rsquo;s 101 minutes moving briskly, and with enough imaginative whiz-bang to entertain even the grown-ups in the audience. (It&rsquo;s definite PG material, though, meaning all but the steeliest small children will probably be, well, too traumatized to drag out Chutes and Ladders ever again.) And excepting an unconvincing sequence in which the house is turned on its side, Zathura is aces visually, decorated with colorful planets and fireballs so brilliant it&rsquo;s almost a disappointment when things stop being blown up. Though the morals about broken homes, being different, and appreciating your family are delivered rather ham-handedly&mdash;&ldquo;Walter, there are some games you can&rsquo;t play alone,&rdquo; the astronaut tells him&mdash;the script is frequently sharp and funny. Shepard&rsquo;s visitor, when not spouting Hallmarkian treacle, is especially entertaining as the sarcastic adult who takes the game as seriously as the boys do, and the older kids get to be smartasses, too. (When Dad asks Lisa not to describe dates as &ldquo;hooking up,&rdquo; she whines, &ldquo;God! We never should have rented Thirteen!&rdquo;) Little Danny, not quite ready to embrace his siblings&rsquo; pissiness but slowly catching on, gets occasional laughs from his cute insistence that he&rsquo;s not a baby, such as when he declares a card that actually says, &ldquo;Rescue stranded astronaut&rdquo; reads, &ldquo;Rest on standing Astroturf.&rdquo; All three young actors are suitably bratty and completely believable as sparring siblings. If you recently made your kids sit through The Adventures of Sharkboy and Lavagirl in 3-D, here&rsquo;s how to make it up to them. http://www.spout.com/blogs/ushimu/archive/2007/7/5/13174.aspx Post By: UshiMu
Post To: UshiMu Blog
Post Date: 7/5/2007 1:36:29 PM
Body: The thing I like about this movie the most is that, as Elizabeth slowly begins to fall in love with Mr. Darcy- so does each and every member of the audience fall in love with him. By the end of the film you cant help but feel entirely satisfied. You can only call me Mrs. Darcy when you are perfectly and totally and completely incandescently happy.
]]>Thu, 05 Jul 2007 17:36:29 GMTUshiMuUshiMu Blog7/5/2007 1:36:29 PMThe thing I like about this movie the most is that, as Elizabeth slowly begins to fall in love with Mr. Darcy- so does each and every member of the audience fall in love with him. By the end of the film you cant help but feel entirely satisfied. You can only call me Mrs. Darcy when you are perfectly and totally and completely incandescently happy. http://www.spout.com/blogs/pammyk/archive/2006/5/8/1122.aspx Post By: PammyK
Post To: Pammyk's thoughts
Post Date: 5/8/2006 12:12:00 PM
Body: As I was browsing the site, I came across the "fell-asleep" tag also known as the "fellasleep" tag. I added the tag to a few films. Some movies with this tag are: Lemony Snicket's A Series of Unfortunate Events, Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl, Pride & Prejudice, The Godfather, The Matrix...what a strange list of movies. Does falling asleep during a movie say something about the movie? The sleeper? Neither? Does the "fell-asleep" tag create a list of movies that you should watch when you're not feeling sleepy? Does it create a list of people who aren't as passionate about films as others? Or does it just mean nothing to anyone except that the person who fell asleep should just be getting more sleep?
]]>Mon, 08 May 2006 16:12:00 GMTPammyKPammyk's thoughts5/8/2006 12:12:00 PMAs I was browsing the site, I came across the "fell-asleep" tag also known as the "fellasleep" tag. I added the tag to a few films. Some movies with this tag are: Lemony Snicket's A Series of Unfortunate Events, Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl, Pride &amp; Prejudice, The Godfather, The Matrix...what a strange list of movies. Does falling asleep during a movie say something about the movie? The sleeper? Neither? Does the "fell-asleep" tag create a list of movies that you should watch when you're not feeling sleepy? Does it create a list of people who aren't as passionate about films as others? Or does it just mean nothing to anyone except that the person who fell asleep should just be getting more sleep? http://www.spout.com/blogs/austen_buffs-41/archive/2006/3/1/244.aspx Post By: PammyK
Post To: Austen Buffs
Post Date: 5/5/2006 2:39:31 PM
Body: I watched Pride and Prejudice last night. I did like it a lot, more than I expected to. It was captivating...in a love story kind of way. By the end of the movie I new that I really loved Darcy too.
]]>Fri, 05 May 2006 18:39:31 GMTPammyKAusten Buffs5/5/2006 2:39:31 PMI watched Pride and Prejudice last night. I did like it a lot, more than I expected to. It was captivating...in a love story kind of way. By the end of the movie I new that I really loved Darcy too. http://www.spout.com/members/0/tags/love/MemberTagFilms.aspxlove
Number of films tagged: 12478

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]]>Wed, 02 Dec 2009 23:13:40 GMT465491Tag http://www.spout.com/members/0/tags/dancing/MemberTagFilms.aspxdancing
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Number of films tagged: 508

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]]>Tue, 24 Nov 2009 21:03:25 GMT50846145Tag http://www.spout.com/members/0/tags/england/MemberTagFilms.aspxengland
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