The Duchess

This film is a visual treat.  The costumes, the hair and jewelry quite special.  Keira Knightly gives a wonderful portrayal of a naive young woman in an unhappy marriage.

The marriage is so unhappy, the Duchess if forced to accept her husbands mistress and illegitimate children as her own.

She conveys the intense sadness of the situation and the unfairness that woman endured in the 18th century.  This film makes you want to Wikipedia her and Charles Gray to understand the politics of the time and what they achieved.

More than a chick flick, an insightful look at womans’ rights of the past.

Edge of Love

A wartime relationship drama.  Keira Knightley plays a young singer in World War 2 who is re-united with first crush and poet  ‘Dylan’ played by Matthew Rhys.

Dylan justifies his immature and self-obsessed behaviour as a means to create poetry in the midst of war-time events.  After flirting with Keira we discover he has married (Sienna Miller) and has a son.  Keira’s disappointment leads her to William a young solider, a man of good character.    The story also follows Keira and Sienna’s friendship (which is sometimes uncomfortable) as they both have attachment to the same man.

He soon is forced to go to war and comes back a changed man finding Kiera and Dylan in a ‘questionable’ relationship.  Keira chooses William a war hero struggling to adjust to civilian life.  Dylan’s selfishness causes him to try and sabotage their relationship.

Pirates of the Caribbean: At World’s End

Despite much anticipation and fanfare in waiting to see this film, it did not disappoint. This movie had everything I had hoped for, laughs, drama and relentless action.

I thought the 2nd installment Dead Man’s Chest more than equalled the original and this third feature, whilst being a little lighter in content was just as satisfying. Although it is a bit slow at times (2hrs 50min! yikes) it hardly lets up and continuously provides action and witty laughs. There are some great lines by Jack Sparrow (which I tried to remember – but there were so many – I forgot) and the same fun characters (Keira Knightley – becomes the Pirate King!) definitely an inventive and fun story, and some brilliantly staged action sequences. I loved the wedding ceremony during the fight scene – very funny. Although the rolling wheel scene from movie 2 still probably rates as my favourite laugh sequence in the trilogy.

Keith Richards (Rolling Stones) has a small cameo. But what makes his performance funny is not his part or his average acting, but the thought that maybe he just woke up and turned up on set (no makeup used here).

In summation: You must SEE IT! and see it on the big screen!

Steph’s rating: 9/10

Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man’s Chest

So much to love about this movie.

The cast are the very best… heaps of action and comedy. The beach scene was especially funny and the wheel scene – fabulous!

But why do they have to make it so scary! I didn’t like all those pirates who had coral and worms coming out their bodies…yuck.

But definately one of the best movies of 2006 so far.

Pirates 2 Movie Link

Steph’s rating: 9/10