I sit here in the thunder, the green on the grey

[sovay]

Me: I should rewatch Sense and Sensibility (1995). It might pair illuminatingly with Persuasion (1995); I haven't seen it in nine years and I've never written about it; I saw it for the first time in 1996 with someone who didn't like it. That was a point in my life when I saw very few movies and did not think critically about them if I did. Those can be interesting to revisit.

*half an hour of movie later*

My critical faculties: FUCK, Alan Rickman is BEAUTIFUL.

Ladies and gentlepeople, that may be the review.

Comments

[movingfinger]

Yes!

Is it time for an Alan Rickman film festival?

[sovay]

Is it time for an Alan Rickman film festival?

I mean, I did just watch six Harry Potter movies in a row and I'm not sure I'll ever be able to watch Truly, Madly, Deeply (1990) again, but I'll take suggestions.

[alexxkay]

Kes and I recently saw The January Man, which we can't actually recommend (incoherent plot and tone). But Rickman was, as usual, great, and the film did afford some fun opportunity for contemplating slash/fixfic between Rickman and Kevin Kline's characters.

[kore]

Haha, is that the one where he is a computer hacker in truly tragic eighties sweaters?

(I have seen so many bad movies for Alan Rickman. Including the one where he was Rasputin.)

[alexxkay]

I tend not to notice clothing, but, yeah 80s hacker / painter / sculptor.

[sovay]

But Rickman was, as usual, great, and the film did afford some fun opportunity for contemplating slash/fixfic between Rickman and Kevin Kline's characters.

I am glad it wasn't a dead loss.

January Man et al

[lauradi7dw]

January Man was a bit of a train-wreck (with some really famous actors). Someone has kindly spliced together Rickman's scenes
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tcOxoyYrm4Y

While rummaging around, I found this. Talk about ugly 1980s clothes
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P4WbDqiZPuU

1980 jogging clothes are better
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w0DcUU_z0pY

[kore]

WHATEVER YOU DO, do not watch An Awfully Big Adventure which is billed as "Grant and Rickman in another romcom!", but has actual fridged Mom, incest, and surprise!suicide at the very end.

(I feel fully justified in spoiling this movie for people because I watched it unspoiled and it was like being trapped in a horror movie. "Things are....not good? Oh wow. Very not good. THAT bad? SHIT.")

[sovay]

(I feel fully justified in spoiling this movie for people because I watched it unspoiled and it was like being trapped in a horror movie. "Things are....not good? Oh wow. Very not good. THAT bad? SHIT.")

I've read the novel. I didn't think Stella's mother was dead, though, just nationally recorded and otherwise absent.

[movingfinger]

Well, I continue to like Bottle Shock, but his role is not a lead there. It's a lumpy movie otherwise.

[sovay]

Well, I continue to like Bottle Shock, but his role is not a lead there. It's a lumpy movie otherwise.

I've seen him in plenty of things where he wasn't a lead. It's an occupational hazard of following character actors. What else do you like about the movie?

[movingfinger]

I like the winemaking story line. (I dislike the way the woman winemaking intern is treated in the script, but, sigh...) I feel they could have made an equally good movie without that, but it got bolted on because apparently the script needed romantic subplot. The twist moment is wonderful, and the landscapes are lovely (I think other people might find the helicopter shots annoying?) and Gustavo Brambila, played by Freddy Rodriguez, is for me the person the movie is really about, obliquely. As a whole, it is hokey, it runs on a fair bit of stereotyping, but somehow I can't dislike it. The movie feels sincere to me somehow? As though the actors respect the real/unreal people they are portraying.

[sovay]

I feel they could have made an equally good movie without that, but it got bolted on because apparently the script needed romantic subplot.

I hate bolted-on romantic subplot and the things it does to female characters. It didn't ruin The Finest Hours (2016) for me, but it severely damaged my enjoyment of the movie, and honestly every time I think about it it annoys me more.

The movie feels sincere to me somehow? As though the actors respect the real/unreal people they are portraying.

I can see how that would make a story stick with you. Thanks. That's neat.