Rating: 
Summary: Expectations Exceeded
Review: This is a movie that you can watch again and again. The music is haunting and the film is put together artfully. This is a modern remake of Dicken's book and has been crafted with the skill befitting of a classic. It is a tale of a love that continues from childhood through adulthood like of game of cat and mouse. The young boy grows into a young man and looses track of his childhood friend until he meets her on the streets of New York later. He's an artist whose favorite subject and obsession is her. Someone has anonymously paid for him to exhibit his art in repayment for a kind deed from his childhood. The past catches up to the future and blends together in a way only possible in great fiction.
Rating:
Summary: One of the best movies ever....
Review: "Great Expectations" novel by Charles Dickens.Well, this DVD is amazing. Director Alfonso Cuarón really is succesfull in modernizing the novel to our time. And giving his own touch of "green" to the movie. Amazing escenographies, a script that even though written from a novel is still quite original, great music. "One of De Niros' best performances". "Ethan Hawke and Gwyneth Pawltrow really shine together", and with great performances from Chris Cooper, and Anne Bancroft. This movie is an instant classic.
Without a doubt One of the best movies ever.
Rating: 
Summary: A gorgeous adaptation
Review: Any modern adaptation of a classic novel always seems to get a bad press from some corner, no matter how good it is Having had the benefit of reading the book I can firmly say that I absolutely loved this adaptation. The story, whilst perhaps different in detail retains much of Dickens's original themes. Hawke plays Finn, a simple fisherman until a mystery benefactor turns his dreams of becoming a a young woman who has been emotionally stunted by her bitter Aunt Dinsmore. The problem is, now she's engaged and has a whole new life all of her own. Many people may complain about the fact that the movie focuses more on the couple's romance (or lack of it) rather than that of society that Dickens expressed in his novel. However, it is still true that this really was the centrepiece of the entire story in the first place. Anyway, the world of law and business of the book is perfectly transformed into the fickle art world that Finn enters into. The acting is, quite simply, sublime. Hawke plays Finn well enough to make us understand his judgement, either good or bad. Yet it is Paltrow who really shines, as she is every bit the Estella of the book - mysterious, beautiful and sorrowful all at the same time. Crucially she delivers one of the book's key monologues comparing her situation to a girl who is afraid of sunlight with a tearful logic that is just perfect. The rest of the big name cast do well too, with a gloriously over-the-top Anne Bancroft and a menacing Robert DeNiro as Magwitch. Cuarón directs the movie with great style, bringing real beauty to the tragic lives of the characters. On top of that there is a truly amazing set piece in Miss Dinsmore's overgrown mansion. It all flows along magnificently, transforming all of Dickens's themes to modern day with a panache that it is certainly unusual of most movies moving classic literature to modern day.
Rating:
Summary: Great update
Review: Good directing, excellent camera shots, beautiful color and setting. DeNiro is fantastic as always, Gwyneth is beautiful, and Hawke is wonderfully understated. The plot is no doubt familiar so I will say this: A wonderful love story that most everyone can enjoy. See it, you will not be disappointed.
Rating:
Summary: Just Absolutely Outstanding!
Review: This is an absolutely wonderful movie. Everything is done very well. I could watch it over and over. Every actor and actress does a stupendous job. Gwyneth Paltrow captures Estella very well and Ethan Hawke is superb. Robert DeNiro rocks. Anne Bancroft is awesome in her portrayal of Mrs. Haversham. I really identified with Ethan Hawke's character Finn. I felt every emotion the character was expressing all through the movie. If you are thinking about buying this DVD...do it. This is a wonderful 5 star superb film.
Rating:
Summary: Very Sexy!
Review: I love this Sexy remake of Dicken's classic "Great Expectations".
Paltrow and Hawke sizzle as the more modern version of Estelle and Pip. The story line is basically the same as the classic, with a few modern touches. Ms. Dinsmoor, played by Anne Bancroft gives one of the best performances of her career, even considering her brief role in this film (She reminded me, oddly, of Bette Davis in "What Ever happened to Baby Jane?"). I truly found myself looking at her pitiful character through the dismal light of insanity, much like her jilted-lover counterpart, Miss Havisham. This tale of poor Boy meets rich, heart-breaking Girl is timeless, often reminiscent of "Wuthering Heights". I particularly enjoyed certain surprises such as DiNiro as the escape convict and the whole movie taking place in NYC. Very original ideas and concepts renew this old favorite love story. Where was Anne Bancroft in 1998 when the Academy Awards rolled through?
Perfomances by the entire cast were notable as well.
This is one to own, not just rent. If you like this movie, you also might want to check out Gwenneth Paltrow in "A Perfect Murder" as well. Both films will soon be added to MY wish list. Enjoy.
Rating:
Summary: Excellent!!
Review: I love this movie!!! i`ve seen it like 10 times and I could watch it over and over again! Beautiful story, terrific actors and visually stunning!!!! It really is on of the best movies I`ve ever seen!! I also read the book and they couldn`t have done it better!! so don`t miss this amazing movie!!!!!
Rating:
Summary: Excellent !!
Review: I love this movie!! it really is one of the best movies i`ve ever seen! the story, the actors....AMAZING!
I also read the book and they couldn`t have done it better!
So don`t miss that movie!!!
Rating: 
Summary: Eyes are the Windows to the Soul
Review: Finnegan Bell/originally Pip (Ethan Hawke) has very low expectations for his future and as a child nurtures his artistic nature. The story starts rather peacefully as he sketches the fish swimming about in the warm water of Florida's Gulf Coast. Suddenly an escaped convict (Robert De Niro) appears from the water and threatens him with his life if he does not help him escape his leg irons. In the original story the convict appears in a graveyard. A rather wealthy and eccentric Ms. Dinsmoor/originally Miss Havisham (Anne Bancroft) requests his company at her rather overgrown mansion. Everything is just as it was on the day she was deserted by her true love. She is obsessed with paying men back for this travesty and educates Estella in the ways of destroying men. Here he meets Estella (Raquel Beaudene) as a child and later falls in love with her/Estella (Gwyneth Paltrow) as young woman. The soundtrack is magical, especially, "Paradiso Perduto" at the start of the movie. During this time Estella rejects his attempts at forming a relationship, believing it is her duty to punish men for their deceit. Fin is a fisherman and Estella is one fish in the sea of his life he can't quite figure out how to catch although she desperately wants him to catch her. When Estella is sent away, Fin pursues his dream as an artist with the help of a mysterious benefactor. Once in New York, he find success and yet still is obsessed with Estella. He sketches her portrait in some rather playful scenes. There are also scenes of Fin running in the rain to find Estella that are just quite romantic. If you can overlook some unsophisticated moments that really are out of place in an artistic movie, the water images are inspirational. Fin and Estella are just drawn to one another by the forces of nature. They are a drink for one another's souls and while this was not quite what I expected, it is emotionally satisfying on many levels. A romantic story of Art and Obsessions
woven with the threads of a classic tale.
Rating:
Summary: Great Expectations
Review: Although I first watched this movie in an attempt to avoid reading the wretched Charles Dickens novel, after seeing it, I wished I had viewed it for more respectable reasons. Everything about this movie was wonderful. Robert DeNiro was incredibly intense as the criminal (the scene where he hisses, "Whisper!" still gives me goosebumps). Gwenyth Paltrow was every bit Estella; she was equally painfully beautiful and coldhearted. Ethan Hawke also played an excellent Finn/Pip. The scene where he stands drunk outside of Estella's apartment and gives the "Everything good in me...is you" speech still comes vividly to mind. Plus, "Estella's Theme" (the guitar instemental that plays in the movie and over the main menu screen) perfectly chacterized every wonderful, longing moment of this film. Rising from the ashes of on of the most overrated books of all time, Great Expectations will blow you away. The bottom line is this is a perfect date movie, or for whenever you are feeling romantic.
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