Movie Review: Inception (2010)

INCEPTION (2010)
Written and Directed by: Christopher Nolan
Starring: Leonardo DiCaprio, Ellen Page, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Ken Watanabe, Tom Hardy, Cillian Murphy and Marion Cotillard

British director Christopher Nolan is on a hot streak. With his 2000 indie cult hit Memento still gaining new fans each year, he's had a string of monstrous hits, from The Prestige to The Dark Knight.

Nolan can now boast to having rebooted a once-tired comic book franchise and having one of the best films of 2010.

Domenic Cobb (Leonardo DiCaprio) is gifted in the art of extraction. The technology exists where a man may enter a person's subconscious while they are in a dream state to uncover deeply buried secrets. Cobb and his team are hired out by rich businessmen or international associates for a high fee. However, after the recent death of his wife, Mal (Marion Cotillard), Cobb is ready to retire and lead a quiet life with his two young children. Before he gets the chance to leave for good, Cobb is drawn back into one last challenge; the complex process of inception. A Japanese businessman, Saito (Ken Watanabe) hires Cobb and his team to implant an idea into the head of his young business rival, Robert Fischer (Cillian Murphy), whose father is on his deathbed and will likely pass his entire fortune onto his son. Saito's plan: to convince Fischer, while in his subconscious, to dissolve his father's empire. Cobb's challenge is to make sure the inception of the idea is convincing enough that when Fischer wakes, the dissolution of his father's company will feel like a natural thought to him.

Visually, the film is stunning. Everything has a blue, washed out feel while the CGI never feels overdone. One scene, in particular, is a standout. Watch for a hallway battle between Joseph Gordon Levitt-s character, Arthur, and one of the "military men" that represent the hostile subconscious of Cillian Murphy's character, Robert Fischer. The slanted, air-bourne battle is visually overwhelming.

That being said, Nolan never relies too heavily on the technological aspect, preferring instead to create a deeply complex film with great characters and twisted revelations. Unlike most action thriller's that depend on CGI explosions to earn them money at the box office, Nolan has no such qualms about making the visuals secondary to the plot development, which is a rare treat and something that any film fan will openly welcome. Whether you see this in IMAX or on a regular movie screen, this film needs to be viewed in theatres. The visual spectacle of it all, combined with Hans Zimmer's ominous score, can only really be fully appreciated on a giant screen in surround sound.

Nolan, as usual, makes excellent casting choices. Like Quentin Tarantino, he tends to turn to the familiar faces and prefers great actors, in general.

As Dom Cobb, Leonardo DiCaprio gives one of his finest performances. I usually find him to be a wildly uneven actor. When he's good, he's great (see What's Eating Gilbert Grape?, Romeo + Juliet and The Aviator) and when he's bad, he's pretty lousy (see The Man in the Iron Mask, Titanic and anything that requires him to have an accent of any sort). The role of Cobb seems tailor-made for his talent. DiCaprio instills Cobb with a hardened exterior that masks the heartbroken torment of the man inside. DiCaprio's Cobb can be both a violent man prone to random bouts of irrational anger and a softer, more sensitive man who is mourning the loss of his beloved wife.

Nolan surrounds DiCaprio with a fantastic supporting cast. The always wonderful Ken Watanabe, as Saito, is a standout. Despite his evil scheme of implanting the idea in Fischer's head, he's a highly sympathetic character. This is both a combination of Nolan's excellent script and Watanabe and the rest of the casts performances: all the characters are flawed human beings, yet all remain likeable and real, which is a testament to all the talent involved. As Cobb's young cohort, Arthur, Joseph Gordon-Levitt is solid in his role as the aspiring leader of the group once Cobb retires. Although still learning the ropes, he is the calm, cool and collected counterpart to DiCaprio's often-irrational and emotionally fragile Cobb.

Cillian Murphy is his usual solidly reliable self as young businessman, Robert Fischer. He manages to make Fischer into more than just some spoiled rich boy who hopes to inherit daddy's money one day. He's confused as to what his future may hold and is, almost heartbreakingly, trusting and naive when within his own subconscious (even though, as a wealthy businessman, he was trained for the possibility of extraction or inception being done on his mind). He's got daddy issues galore, which give his character a sense of vulnerability not usually found in stock characters of his type. As British shapeshifter, Eames, Tom Hardy is a welcome newcomer (at least to Hollywood). His character is both a violent tactician and a master of disguise, effortlessly weaving in an out of Fischer's subconscious with both a cocky arrogance that comes from experience and a sense of humour. As Cobb's deceased wife, Mal, Marion Cotillard is beautiful, unstable and emotionally fragile. She exists now only as Cobb's fragmented memories, yet Cotillard plays the part perfectly.

Finally, we come to Ellen Page. Initially, at the start of the film, I thought she was miscast. She felt dozens of years younger than the rest of her co-stars. Her diminutive size and youthful appearance made it seem as though DiCaprio were working alongside a twelve year old. Although she's only a few years younger than Gordon-Levitt and Murphy, it felt like there was a larger age gap between them. That being said, she does an excellent job with her role as the new "architect", Ariadne. Thanks to her talent as an actress she makes Ariadne a strong-willed and wise character who acts as both Cobb's conscious and the audience's voice (she asks Cobb all the questions we, as an audience, want answered).

Inception is one of those rare summer treats that come along every once and awhile: a film that is too good and too clever to get caught up in the summer blockbusters. It's also a film that will not be to everyone's taste and will likely require repeated viewings in order to fully grasp all of its complexities  and philosophical ponderings. However, for anyone who appreciates a flawless script, stunning visuals and a great cast will, no doubt, love every wonderfully overwhelming minute of Nolan's new masterpiece.

FINAL GRADE: A

Classic Film Review: Cabaret (1972)

CABARET (1972)
Directed By: Bob Fosse
Starring: Liza Minnelli, Michael York, Helmut Griem and Joel Grey

I've been a fan of big, bold musicals since I was first introduced, as a young child, to Rodgers and Hammerstein's The King and I (1956) with Yul Brynner and Deborah Kerr. Since then, I've loved musicals with vibrant colour, powerful voices and a side order of melodrama and sentimentality. That being said, Cabaret is no Rodgers and Hammerstein musical. 


American cabaret star, Sally Bowles (Liza Minnelli), is living in Berlin in 1931, right in the middle of the growing prominence and popularity of the Nazi Party. Completely oblivious of the social and political ramifications of the rise of Nazism, Sally engages in romances with two men, Englishman Brian Roberts (Michael York) and German millionaire Maximilian von Heune (Helmut Griem). 


There are no hills that come alive, no flight from Nazis in the cover of darkness, nor any singing nuns to portray the social upheavals of Nazism. Cabaret is a much darker musical than The Sound of Music: although both are set during the Weimar Republic era, that is where the similarities end. The former film never lets you forget the dire situation of mankind under Nazism while the latter has the tendency to move away from issues when they get too heavy, instead focusing on a governess and her large brood of children.


Right from the start, we are introduced to the Master of Ceremonies (Joel Grey, who deservedly won Best Supporting Actor for his performance). The opening number, "Willkomen", is dark and grimy, with a Lynchian nightmare quality to it (a la Blue Velvet and the famous "In Dreams" musical interlude). The diminutive Master of Ceremonies sets up the tone and overall atmosphere of Bob Fosse's film; introducing the zombie-like cabaret girls individually and prancing around the stage like a madman. His message? Inside, life is a cabaret.


This was my first Fosse film. I'd heard the name, however, I never really associated it with anything in particular. His vision for Cabaret is appropriately bleak, with a strange circus-like quality that parallels the dark, frantic upward mobility of Nazism. The choreography is amongst some of the best I've seen in a musical adaptation. Adding to the excellence of the dance routines and musical numbers is the camera-work. It gets right in the middle of it all, as though a part of the dance sequences. Great choices are made in terms of interspersing the songs being performed at the Kit Kat cabaret with scenes of violence on the streets of Berlin. 


Society is in a state of flux. Inappropriate behaviour is found in political, social and sexual spheres, all of which is appealing to young Sally and her desire for fame and the breaking down of sexual barriers. Her instant attraction to Brian is doomed from the start, despite many valiant attempts on her part, as Brian prefers the company of men. In a twisted effort to make Brian jealous, while satisfying her own sexual cravings and desire for fame, Sally brings in Maximilian. Both Sally and Brian are drawn to the German millionaire, and he to both of them in turn, resulting in an inevitably doomed love triangle. Consumed by her own selfish desire for success, Sally will do what she has to do in order to ensure her wealth and fame. 


As all this drama surrounding Sally plays out, it is all mirrored in the performances at the Kit Kat cabaret, led by the Master of Ceremonies: the love triangle is reflected in the song, "Two Ladies" and the romance between two secondary Jewish characters, Natalia and Fritz, is portrayed in the medley, "If You Could See Her Through My Eyes", among others. 


Liza Minnelli is a powerhouse of a performer and it's hard to imagine anyone else filling her  (Oscar-winning) shoes. She contrasts Sally's naivety with confident and sensual cabaret performances. My personal favourite was "Maybe This Time ", an anthem for that feeling of excitement when someone new enters your life. Minnelli owns the stage with both her presence and her vocal work. Minnelli manages to make what could have been an otherwise selfish heroine into a flawed, but likeable, human being.


Michael York (who was impossibly beautiful in his younger days) makes Brian a vulnerable man the audience can root for, whether you feel sympathy over his guilt for not doing his part in stopping the rise of Nazism or his confusion over his sexual orientation. 

However, both Minnelli and York are in danger of being completely overshadowed by the incomparable Joel Grey, who pretty much steals the film right out from under the two main stars. His Master of Ceremonies (pictured above) is hilarious, creepy and playful, all at once. He even manages to inject pathos into his characterization, which is a testament to the talent of Grey. The man can sing, dance and doesn't look all that bad dressed in drag. The man is naturally gifted performer.


The themes of decadence and unrealized dreams are at the core of Cabaret. The misunderstood threat of Nazism at the time is well-portrayed, illustrating what can ultimately happen when good man stand by and do nothing when something evil is on the rise. The tension and changing attitudes of the time is perfectly captured. 


Cabaret is unique and dark film. It deserves its place on the list of classic Hollywood musicals.


FINAL GRADE: A

30 Day Movie Meme: Day 5

Day 5: FAVOURITE LOVE STORY IN A FILM

The Princess Bride (1987)

Directed by: Rob Reiner

Starring: Robin Wright-Penn, Cary Elwes, Mandy Patinkin, Wallace Shawn, Andre the Giant and Chris Sarandon

THE PLOT

Based on the novel by William Goldman, it chronicles the love story between Princess Buttercup (Robing Wright-Penn) and her "farm boy", Wesley (Cary Elwes). Set in a fantasy world that is narrated by Grandpa (Peter Falk), who is trying to distract his sick grandson by reading him The Princess Bride, Buttercup and Wesley must overcome "three poor circus freaks", a vile prince, a six-fingered man and the R.O.U.S. (Rodents of Unusual Size).

WHY I LOVE IT
I didn't even have to stop and think about what film couple would make the cut. I could have chosen something more dramatic or obvious, but none of them compared to this ultimate fantasy couple. This is one of those films from my childhood that gets better with age. I was only 6-years-old when my parents first introduced me to this comic fantasy and I've seen it so many times since that I could probably recite it word for word.

Despite its tone, the love story between Buttercup and Wesley is something I think we all yearn to experience ourselves at some point in our lives, even the most cynical of us.

Their love is flawless, unconditional and, sadly, complete fantasy. However, despite its satirical tones and laugh-out-loud moments, neither Goldman's book nor Reiner's film can disguise the fact that, in both mediums, they've created one of the most ridiculously perfect relationships in literature and film.

The movie is excellent for so many different reasons, yet, despite being nearly overshadowed by larger-than-life secondary characters (like Andre the Giant as Fezzik or the wonderful Mandy Patinkin as one of my favourite film heroes, Inigo Montoya), Robin Wright-Penn and Cary Elwes always manage to turn the audience's attention back to their central love story.

As Mark Knopfler sings in the closing credits, it's a "Storybook Love."

Movie Review: Joyeux Noel (2005)

JOYEUX NOEL (2005)
Written and Directed By: Christian Carion
Starring: Guillaume Canet, Diane Kruger, Daniel Bruhl, Benno Furmann and Gary Lewis

I purchased this film on a whim last year and only just got around to watching it. Originally, I planned to watch it during its limited theatrical release but it passed me by.

For those of you who know me, you are aware that I'm an absolute sap for Christmas and the winter holidays, in general. I literally melt into a puddle of sentimental goop around Christmas. I figured this film, combined with the fact that it's based on an actual historical event, seemed tailor-made for my tastes.

The film chronicles the Christmas Eve and Christmas Day ceasefire between the Germans, French and Scottish on the Western Front during the early days of the First World War in 1914, when soldiers still thought they would be home by the following year at the latest. It came to be known as The Christmas Truce and is still celebrated today as an example of human decency and kindness, in the face of violence and death. These three groups of men, from three different countries and speaking three different languages, overcame all barriers and spent the holidays together in their trenches, sharing meals and stories about their homes and families. They become fast friends, causing a scandal within their higher ranks who were far away from the fighting. When word gets out that the three nations have stopped shooting at one another, against orders, all the men involved are punished by their respective nations.

Carion and his casting directors made some wonderful choices in the acting department. There's nothing better, when watching a film, than coming across an actor you've never seen before and are pleasantly surprised by how great they are. I'd never seen Guillaume Canet in anything before but this wonderful French actor is pretty much the centrepiece of the film as French commander, Audebert (pictured above). He's a young man in charge of a vast troop and his kindness towards his men, his nervousness in agreeing to the truce and his blossoming friendship with the timid and awkward Ponchel (Dany Boon) holds the film together. You almost wish the cast wasn't such a huge ensemble because his character deserves his own film.

The rest of the cast is just as stellar. As the lone female in the film, Diane Kruger (who I always find to be a much stronger actress when speaking in her native German), plays Dutch opera singer, Anna Sorensen, who is brought to the troops on Christmas Eve to sing to them with her boyfriend, German soprano Nikolaus Sprink (played by Benno Furmann, also great in his role). Rounding out the cast is Gary Lewis as Scottish piper, Palmer (most will recognize him as the father from Billy Elliot), who is such an excellent actor and is really fantastic in the scene where he plays the bagpipes to accompany the German soprano, Sprink. Without any dialogue, he conveys all the emotions of a man exhausted with war and seeking a moment of peace and relief. Daniel Bruhl (another great actor that most will recognize from Inglourious Basterds but was also excellent in the German films Love in Thoughts, Goodbye Lenin! and The Edukators) plays German commander, Horstmayer, a Jewish man who admits Christmas means next to nothing to him but, after some initial reluctance, readily embraces the truce.

This film is by no means perfect. The pacing is a little off. For a war film with a focus on peace, love and understanding between three nations at war, its slow to start. I suspect it was a struggle for the writers and director to balance such a large cast and the struggle to find a main voice. Most films benefit from the focus on one or two main protagonists, however, that would have been impossible to do in a film/historical event that has so many different sides. Initially, the main character appears to be Anna, which is odd considering the film is based on an actual historical truce. The fact that it doesn't begin with an emphasis on that point gets the film off on the wrong foot. However, after the "Silent Night" scene that bonds all three troops, the film evens out and hits its stride, focusing on the men and their shared excitement of being able to put down there guns and be young men again, if only for a little while. I still wish more emphasis had been placed on the men and less time spent with the opera singers. However, the powerful message that war is senseless and that even our enemies are just like us, is still relevant to this day. Moments like the real Christmas Truce deserve to be captured on film, if only to remind us of that fact.

FINAL GRADE: B+

On a final note, here's the scene where German soprano, Sprink, sings "Silent Night" when he is joined by Scottish bagpiper, Palmer.

Movie Review: Toy Story 3

TOY STORY 3
Directed By: Lee Unkrich
Voices By: Tom Hanks, Tim Allen, Joan Cusack, Ned Beatty and Michael Keaton

"Let's go out on a high note!" ~Buzz~

While summer sequels currently struggle at the box office, Pixar continues to show other Hollywood studios how making a sequel better than the last should be done.

Although it's been eleven years (!) since the last adventures of Woody and Buzz Lightyear, the characters are still fresh and fun. It's saying a lot when an animated film can have more believable characters than a live-action film featuring actual human beings. Pixar characters, be they bugs or fish or little robots, are richly complex personalities. The writing team continues to outdo themselves feature after feature, making each new Pixar film better than the last. Toy Story 3 is not only the best film of the summer (so far) but also one of top films of 2010. Like its two predecessors, Toy Story 3 is an instant classic that will be passed down to generation after generation.

The toys have reached a point in their lives when they are faced with a reality they must all face: a child reaching adulthood and abandoning them. Andy is now moving out of his house and into a college dorm, while his mother forces him to choose which items in his room are to be donated or sent into the attic. Andy plans to take Woody (Tom Hanks) with him to college, however, the other toys (Tim Allen as Buzz, Joan Cusack as Jessie, etc.) are stuffed into a garbage bag to be sent into the attic for storage. Due to a misunderstanding, the toys are all sent to Sunnyside Daycare Centre (which is, by no means, a utopia) where they meet Lotso' Hugs (Ned Beatty) and Ken (Michael Keaton). Shenanigans ensue as the toys try to escape the clutches of violent toddlers and return to the comfort of Andy's home, attic be damned.


The plot is more intense than the prior two films, to the point where even adults will be on the edge of their seats. It's a darker, bleaker Toy Story that still manages to have an emotionally satisfying conclusion. It's one of those rare franchises where you actually hope they continue making more sequels of the same quality as Pixar's golden standard. Any other animation studio, such as Disney or the Dreamworks branch, has a lot of catching up to do before they can even touch Pixar's level of creativity and great storytelling.

The voice-work is all perfect, as old favourites return (Rex, Slinky, Hamm, etc.) and new favourites (specifically the wonderful and hilarious Michael Keaton, who plays the sexually ambiguous Ken) join the group. Unlike a lot of recent animated films that hire famous actors as a quick cash grab, the actors lending their voices to Toy Story 3 are all also famous, granted, but also incredibly talented; creating great characters that both adults and children can enjoy. Their voice-work are actual performances.


It's the best film of the summer and, arguably, 2010 so far. Thanks to this sequel, the Toy Story trilogy can boast what so few other franchises can: a perfect threesome of sequels. It's hilarious (of that rare type where audience laughter drowns out the next few lines of dialogue), affecting and intensely dramatic at times.

GRADE: A+

Classic Film Review: Blue Velvet (1986)

BLUE VELVET (1986)

DIRECTED BY: David Lynch

STARRING: Kyle MacLachlan, Isabella Rossellini, Laura Dern and Dennis Hopper

"I'm seeing something that was always hidden. 

I'm in the middle of a mystery and it's all secret."

~Jeffrey Beaumont~

Weird has taken on small town America. College student Jeffrey Beaumont (Kyle MacLachlan) returns to his quiet little hometown of Lumberton to visit his family when his father falls ill. On his way home from a hospital visit, Jeffrey finds a severed human ear in an open field. When the police seem incapable of figuring out the mystery, Jeffrey takes matters into his own hands with the help of the lead detective's daughter, Sandy Williams (Laura Dern). What Jeffrey and Sandy uncover involves beautiful nightclub singer, Dorothy Vallens (Isabella Rossellini), and sadistic psychopath, Frank Booth (Dennis Hopper).

Like controversial art films A Clockwork Orange and Straw Dogs, to name a couple, Blue Velvet is something that has to be treated as an experience. It's one of those strange classics that will always be picked apart in university film classes, which can arguably ruin its absurdity and ominous undertones. It's a bizarrely beautiful American avant-garde classic that deserves its status as David Lynch's masterpiece. 

Lynch is a master of suspense and the surreal. He creates sinister plots, odd characters and an atmosphere that can only be described as uniquely Lynchian. The film opens to the strains of Bobby Vinton's "Blue Velvet" and the images of the idealized little town of Lumberton, full of blooming flowers, immaculate houses and friendly neighbours. Despite its outward appearance, the viewer immediately senses a dark undertone of lurking danger and death. Murder, rape, kidnapping, voyeurism, sexual awakening and one very sadistic man run rampant in the underworld of Lumberton and feature prominently in the film. That unsettling discomfort grips the viewer from start to finish. This dark mystery as the ability to intrigue as much as it can repulse.

The film is full of unforgettable, vibrantly coloured imagery, from the dark blue velvet curtain that flutters slowly during the opening credits to the limited view of Dorothy's apartment as a hidden Jeffrey watches her through the slats of her closet to the smoky atmosphere of the nightclub where Dorothy performs.

The sight of seeing a vulnerable Dorothy reaching beneath her couch for a photo of her son or Dean Stockwell's show-stopping scene where he lip-synchs to Roy Orbison's "In Dreams" (image above) are all oddly beautiful and something out of a nightmare, at the same time. Like Stanley Kubrick before him, Lynch has the gift of providing an audience with emotional atmosphere, simply through the use of objects. shadows or songs.

The casting is first-rate, specifically the four main leads. As Jeffrey, Kyle MacLachlan is all charming, college-boy cool. He portrays Jeffrey as a naive young man who is lured in by the dark nature of the mystery that surrounds him; someone who wants to break away from the manicured lawns and preppy classmates that he's grown accustomed to. Laura Dern's Sandy Williams is a soft-spoken, albeit strong-willed, young women who is less inclined to fall into the dark allure of the mystery. Her strength of character is what pulls Jeffrey back from completely losing himself to the mystery. Isabella Rossellini is not as strong an actress as her late mother, Ingrid Bergman, however, she is just as beautiful and captivating. As nightclub singer, femme fatale Dorothy Vallens, Rossellini plays her character with an open, honest vulnerability. Her deterioration is sad to witness and, more than any other character in the film,  you want to see her have a positive outcome. Finally, the late Dennis Hopper, in his second-most iconic role after Easy Rider, is outrageously over-the-top. His Frank Booth is a sadistic, cackling, profanity-laced villain who instills discomfort and fear in every frame he shares with other characters. This sadistic monster is one of American cinema's most famous villains and, in the hands of anyone other than Hopper, would likely have not been so horrifyingly memorable and perverse.

Lynch's films tend to be walking contradictions, with a dark and nasty attitude combined with moments of humour and genuine tenderness. Never is that ability to contradict more on display than it is in Blue Velvet. Lynch and his films transcend genre; they cannot be classified and very rarely can they be properly explained. His films are a genre all their own. You can debate the film with friends until you are blue in the face, however, everyone will walk away with a different interpretation of it. What is Blue Velvet about? A twisted throwback to old-school detective films? A tale of sexual awakening? The age-old story of good vs. evil?  

Lynch's ability to constantly push the boundaries of the status quo is nothing short of admirable and is exactly what that art of filmmaking should be at all times.

FINAL GRADE: A

30 Day Movie Meme: Day 4

30 DAY MOVIE MEME
Day 4: FAVOURITE FILM CLICHE

THE JANE AUSTEN EFFECT: A boy and a girl, perfect for one another (naturally), initially dislike one another because they have incorrect information about each other that affects their overall opinions. The audience knows that it's only a matter of time before the two will realize they are perfect for one another and fall in love once the air has been cleared and miscommunications are revealed in a flurry of relieved laughter.

THE PLOT IDEA:
I tend to avoid romantic comedies at all costs. When I say "romantic comedy", I'm not referring to  films of the genre that attempt to be unique and actually have something to say about relationships. For example, two superior romantic comedy films are Lost in Translation and, more recently, (500) Days of Summer.

The ones I'm referring to (the ones I will always avoid like a plague) feature the likes of Kate Hudson, Julia Roberts, Katherine Heigl, et al.

I don't usually like to have a prejudice against a certain genre of film, however, I usually feel I'm justified in wanting to see something other than frivolous fluff which solely focuses on women who just want to get married and compete with one another and men who are far too good to be true. Those films tend to feature the aforementioned actresses (and I use that term very loosely).

How is a Jane Austen ending (complete with a wedding or an engagement) any different from a film like Bride Wars, where Kate Hudson and Anne Hathaway will stop at nothing to have a bigger and better wedding than the other, sanity and feminism be damned? As it turns out, there are significant differences.

Austen wrote biting social commentary with a touch of realism, and she dressed it up as romance. She covers the everyday banalities the women of her time experienced. Her novels are pivotal to anyone studying that particular era of British history, where women stayed home waiting to be courted and men came in and out of their lives in between stops to British colonies around the globe.

Austen's heroines are always aware of how ridiculous everything is around them and they tend to shy away from falling into the same traps other women do, regarding men and their station in society. This being late-eighteenth century literature, their reward (for lack of a better word) is a man who actually embraces the quirky, stubborn and spirited person that they are, no questions asked.

These are not light and airy women, these Austen heroines. They revolt against conformity and, despite the conventional endings involving big and extravagant weddings, the reader (or viewer) never forgets that the heroine, whether it be an Elizabeth Bennet or an Emma Woodhouse, retained her identity during a time where it was easier for a woman to hide behind a curtain or her husband's shadow.

WHY I LOVE IT:
Because, deep down, I do love a good romance. I love high drama and misunderstood feelings; a soap opera atmosphere dressed up in sexy historical costumes and English accents. I love that Austen's women are unique, even from one another. They are always complex, educated and headstrong women and, unlike some of the degrading romantic comedies that are thrown at women these days, they don't have to sacrifice their identity.

I love a good love story as much as the next woman, I just prefer to see my women paired up with a man who is their male counterpart and doesn't treat them as a commodity or sex object. Call me crazy, but I love my mushy Austen endings for all their drama and tears. It's satisfying knowing those heroines wound up with great guys without losing themselves in the process.

TOP: Sense and Sensibility (1995, Alan Rickman & Kate Winslet)

MIDDLE: Emma (1996, Gwyneth Paltrow & Jeremy Northam)

BOTTOM: Pride & Prejudice (1995, Colin Firth & Jennifer Ehle)