Ballet Shoes Review

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(More customer reviews)BALLET SHOES (starring Emma Watson... celebrated for her lead roles in the Harry Potter films...along with an all-star acclaimed ensemble cast) is absolutely wonderful. I personally am in love it. Targeting a very large and underserved audience which is best defined as "moms and their daughters", Ballet Shoes is a film about realizing ambitions; a film where its tag line `dreams do come true' is really the `spot on' underlying message of the film... and the storyline. I believe it is destined to be a huge success for it is a tale of inspiration indeed.
A big-budget Granada film production, originally for the BBC, Ballet Shoes is based on the literary classic penned by Noel Streatfeild that women especially are very familiar with as key reading material from their childhood. A costume drama with absolutely stunning cinematography, the film portrays 1930's London with a sense of dreamy realism. For those who recall the box office smash "You've Got Mail", the book is the one being sought after that Meg Ryan launches into a verbal expose about. Ms. Ryan was right on the money, as is this adaptation of the tale.
Ballet Shoes is the story of three orphan girls; Petrova, Posie and Pauline (Emma Watson) who are raised as sisters after being brought together by a rich, world traveler as babies. As they grow up, each girl develops a dream of their own. Pauline wants to be an actress; Petrova longs to be an aviator; Posie wishes to dance. Circumstances bring them together, and together they vow to go down in the history books. "We three Fossils vow...". This vow launches the three Fossil sisters on their voyage, a journey that they travel individually as well as together, one that can only serve to inspire any young girl who watches the film.
On a personal note, I watched this film with my 8 year old daughter and 6 year old son. While my son fought to pay attention (not surprising), my daughter was riveted throughout the film. The appearance of `Hermoine' as a teen brought her into focus early on, and then the tale itself kept her eyes and ears wide open. She's asked repeatedly to watch Ballet Shoes again, which of course she has. My son, of course, is back to watching `his thing', Spiderman, Superman and The Adventures of the Galaxy Rangers...
Ballet Shoes, in a certain sense, is a long form faerie tale, and I recommend it with no reservations whatsoever as superb family viewing.


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Dreams do come true… Emma Watson (Hermione from Harry Potter) stars in Ballet Shoes, a heartwarming and uplifting film based on the beloved, best-selling novel by Noel Streatfeild and featuring an award-winning cast that includes Emilia Fox, Victoria Wood, Richard Griffiths and Eileen Atkins. "We three Fossils vow to put our name in the history book, because it is ours, and ours alone…" With these words, three orphans, raised as sisters, leave their sheltered lives and embark on an exhilarating journey that takes them to the heights of the stage, screen and sky! DVD EXTRAS: Exclusive 20-Minute Interview with Emma Watson Deleted Scenes, Ballet Shoes Audiobook Excerpt

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Under the Greenwood Tree (2006) Review

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(More customer reviews)I stumbled across this delightful gem of a film recently: as everything I've ever read & seen of Hardy is quite tragic, I was expecting quite the same from this...boy, was I in for a surprise! This light-hearted romance comes from the usually gloom & doom Thomas Hardy pen: well-acted & filmed, this movie is a nice treat...
When Fancy Day returns to Mellstock to care for her father & teach the local schoolchildren, she creates quite a stir: the townspeople don't quite know what to make of this educated girl & the parson's plans to replace their beloved choir with her playing of the "harmonia" (organ). Pretty soon the sweet & beautiful Fancy has attracted the eye of three men: a poor but handsome carrier, a rich but crass farmer and a gentlemanly but superior parson. Her father urges her to marry well, but Fancy wants to follow her heart: will true love win out in the end?!
For those of you worried about content, it is kept to a few stolen kisses between an unmarried couple; there is also some time when a young man is in the river with his shirt off & he & a young lady steal a kiss. There is some mild carousing, as a few of the townsfolk show up to the church a bit tipsy on cider.
I was quite impressed by this film: I kept waiting for the dark, depressing side of Hardy to come out & almost couldn't believe that the tone of the film seemed to be upbeat most of the time. Surprisingly, the film stayed on the happier side & ended quite nicely: I love Hardy's other stories, but it is quite refreshing to see that he was not always doom & gloom, and could pen such a sweet & spirited tale as this!! Highly recommended!

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In a small village in the south of England, Dick Dewy, a handsome working man, falls in love with Fancy Day, a newly arrived schoolteacher from a wealthy family who happens to be the village beauty. But other, richer men also want to win the hand of Fancy. There's Farmer Shiner, a wealthy landowner, and Reverend Maybold, the decent young vicar. Who will win Fancy's hand? And even if she agrees to marry Dick, will her father consent to the marriage? This charming, timeless story of rural life gave Thomas Hardy his first real taste of success, and with its rustic setting and moving tale of young love, it weaves a spell that still entrances today.

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City of Vice (2007) Review

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(More customer reviews)Koch Vision and BBC presents "CITY OF VICE:COMPLETE FIRST SEASON" (14 January 2008) (236 mins/Color) (Dolby Digital) --- Splendidly acted this drama is unlike any other it make you feel you are part of the mystery as it tells stories of these crimes --- But also has the makings of other crime dramas such as Cracker and Prime Suspect --- Historical true crime series CITY OF VICE pits magistrate Henry Fielding (Ian McDiarmid) and his brother John (Iain Glen) against the teeming criminal underworld of 18th century London --- The five part series follows the duo's attempts to police the city and rid its streets of prostitutes, violent gangs, and bands of thieves is dark and dusty streets and basic poverty --- But this story brought to life Georgian England, it's not your usual period drama.
Under the production staff of:
Justin Hardy - Director & Executive Producer
Dan Reed - Director
Clive Bradley - Screenwriters
Peter Harness - Screenwriters
Justin Hardy - Executive Producer
Lachlan MacKinnon - Producer
Rob Pursey - Producer
Richard Blair-Oliphant - Original Music
Story line set in the late 18th century, City of Vice tells the story of London's first police force the Bow street runners lead by John (Iain Glen) and Henry Fielding (Ian McDiarmid) --- London is a centre for debauchery with pick pockets, thieves, murderers and prostitutes, plus gang warfare combines the excitement of contemporary crime drama with actual historical events, this graphic, five part series follows magistrate and author Henry Fielding, his blind half brother John and the Bow Street Runners on their quest to clean up the streets of 18th century London amidst a population of prostitutes, pimps, gangs and villains --- Was very much impressed by the filming of the streets in that three dimensional dark style, the general Gothic- feel of depressingly, stifling despair is fantastic --- A great atmosphere! --- The two brothers are great actors and fascinating figures representing morality and justice, one Anglican one catholic, one blind one seeing. Great contrasts and characterization --- BBC and Koch Vision release.
the cast includes:
Ian McDiarmid ... Henry Fielding
Iain Glen ... John Fielding
Francis Magee ... Saunders Welch
Steve Speirs ... William Pentlow
Alice O'Connell ... Mary Fielding
Sam Spruell ... Lord Newcastle
Sean Francis ... Daniel Carne
Peter McDonald ... Tom Jones
J.D. Kelleher ... Quin
Ian Peck ... Talbot
Juliet Aubrey ... Jane Fawkland
SPECIAL FEATURES
1. The Making of Vice featurette
BIOS:
1. Ian McDiarmid
Date of Birth: 11 August 1944 - Carnoustie, Tayside, Scotland, UK
Date of Death: Still Living
2. Iain Glen
Date of Birth: 24 June 1961 - Edinburgh, Scotland, UK
Date of Death: Still Living
Great job by Koch Vision --- looking forward to more high quality titles from the BBC Collection film market --- order your copy now from Amazon or Koch Vision where there are plenty of copies available on DVD, stay tuned once again for top notch releases --- where they are experts in releasing long forgotten films and treasures to the collector.
Total Time: 236 mins on DVD ~ Koch Vision KOCV-6534 ~ (6/10/2008)

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In the mid-eighteenth century London's perilous streets were overrun by notorious gangs, prostitutes, pimps and corrupt night watchmen. Out of this dark underworld, emerged two Westminster magistrates - novelist Henry Fielding (Ian McDiarmid) and his blind half brother, John (Iain Glen). These unlikely crime-fighters organized the infamous Bow Street Runners and introduced law and order to the crime-riddled city. Combining the excitement of contemporary crime drama with the detail of actual historical research, this graphic, five-part series tells the true story of London's first police force.

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