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Taylor Tomlinson: Have It All (2024)
Laughed so hard I almost threw up 😂
Another great special from Taylor - she knows her lane and she sticks to it. She has recurrent themes but she's always got fresh material and doesn't flog every topic to death.
I think Taylor's humour lands especially hard for me because we loosely have a similar background and are of a similar demographic, but the way she delivers personal anecdotes (especially heavy stuff) and a hilarious way is amazing. It's a great outlet to watch, as well as being entertaining, and I'm saying that as an annoying married person, not a fellow single person 🤣
I've enjoyed each special and hope she keeps coming back with more!
Love, Guaranteed (2020)
Went in hopeful for light entertainment, was disappointed
I wasn't expecting this to be anymore than what it was, a feel good cheesy rom-com.
Unfortunately it was so poorly executed that it wasn't good light entertainment.
Sadly the acting was the biggest letdown for me.
If you're looking for light, easy, cheesy fun, try something else.
Ballet Shoes (2007)
Mixed feelings - good elements, and others not so good
This was a fairly enjoyable adaptation of Streatfeild's Ballet Shoes. In the beginning there were a few minor details that strayed from the novel, which didn't bother me too much, as they made little difference to the plot overall. However, as the film progressed there were more little things, and a couple of big things that differed from the plot that bothered me.
The only big change that did not overly bother me, that I in fact quite liked, was Mr Simpson being a widower, and his slow burn relationship with Sylvia (Garnie). It added something to the storyline, which I feel was probably a helpful addition in the transition from novel to film.
The casting was quite good (although Nanna did not age much...). I found Emma Watson looked exactly as I'd imagined Pauline, when reading Ballet Shoes as a child. Her performance was good, better than others make it out to be. Lucy Boynton was appropriately precocious as Posy. I rather enjoyed Emilia Fox's portrayal of Garnie/Sylvia. The other cast were all pleasing enough in their roles.
The film on the whole is family friendly, and if you're not very familiar with the book, it should be quite enjoyable.
Persuasion (2007)
Really disappointing, if you're expecting a good likeness to the book
This is the first adaption of Jane Austen's Persuasion that I have watched, so I am judging it solely off its representation of the book, with no reference to any other film interpretations.
There are not any particular spoilers below, I just wanted to be on the safe side.
I was really disappointed on the whole when I watched it. In fact, I started making note every time something happened in the film that did not happen in the book. I am very familiar with the book, having read it many times, as it is a favourite of mine.
Anne's character was distorted in an unflattering way, Captain Wentworth was not explored enough in depth. His relationship with Anne, both past, and current was distorted. The section of the film that took place in Bath was really quite terrible. There were a number of events that were distorted in an impractical, unrealistic way, and quite unnecessarily.
I did not like the way the characters were given lines in the film that took the place of the narrator in the book. This was obviously a tool used to impart the information shared by the narrator in the book, but it was just another distortion.
Sir Walter was really the redeeming feature of this film, I thought Anthony Head portrayed him very well. I found Sally Hawkins as Anne to be not likable enough, and not accurate of Austen's Anne. Anne was sweet, and gentle, with a hint of faded prettiness. Hawkins' Anne merely came across as awkward, spinsterly and dumpy. I could not see anything in her that would have made a young Captain Wentworth fall in love with her, for she was supposed to have been quite pretty when she 'bloomed' when she was younger. Rupert Penry-Jones was fair enough as Captain Wentworth, but not overwhelming or compelling.
The viewing was not a complete waste of time, but I won't be watching it again, or recommending to anyone, if they want an accurate representation of the book. It does not measure up to other film interpretations of Austen's other works, by far.