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A Midsummer Night's Dream

A Midsummer Night's Dream

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Rating: 5 stars
Summary: astounding
Review: All through school I was exspected to understand Shakespere, now I understand what this was about.

Rating: 2 stars
Summary: A misbegotten "Night's Dream"
Review: Can Shakespeare's most magical play stand having all the magic taken out if there are at least pretty people playing the parts? I'm sorry, but no. Some have complained about the mud fights and nudity that pervade the film, which are not really a problem in a convention-defying play such as this, but every major role is so miscast as to make this movie nearly unwatchable.

The main culprit is Calista Flockhart, who has to stop McBealing her way through every role she gets. Stanley Tucci does an adequate job of acting but physically is about the last person who should play Puck. Michelle Pfeiffer and Rupert Everett do a fair job as Titania and Oberon, but as usual it's Kevin Kline who chews up the Tuscan scenery and steals the show with gusto.

The worst mistake for a movie about enchantment is to be mediocre and ordinary. You just won't remember this "Dream" for very long after it's over.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: A EXCELENT MIDSUMMER NIGHT`S DREAM!
Review: I love the film , i can`t explain it i just love it,the actors,their roles,the set the trama everything its the best 100%.

Rating: 4 stars
Summary: Not stellar, but fun.
Review: This is not the best version of A MIDSUMMER NIGHT'S DREAM out there. Once again, for some strange reason, it has been decided that Shakespeare didn't know what he was doing, and actually, the setting for the film is Italy, not Athens. And as the film opens we discover that characters like Hippolyta (Queen of the Amazons) and Theseus (Duke of Athens) actually live in a 19th century villa. Rather remarkable, that. Oh, and wait till you hear! Nick Bottom the Weaver has a wife. Where she came from, I guess we'll never know. She even has a speaking part.

There's also the mystery of the bicycles. They're definitely not from Athens or from Greek mythology. And the fairies' haunts in the woods look amazingly pre-Raphaelite.

All that aside, there are some nice performances in this film. Stanley Tucci does a wonderful Puck, Kevin Kline actually manages to do a good job with Bottom once his wife is out of the picture, and the other tradesmen are quite well done. Flockhart does a passable Helena, and Michelle Pfeiffer is ravishing as Titania.

One thing I couldn't get past in this movie is that there are at least four, count 'em, four different accents being employed. Hermia is obviously a long lost sister of Elisa Doolittle, while Lysander sounds a lot more like, oh, James Mason... meanwhile, Hippolyta seems to have gone to the Gina Lolabrigida school of diction and Calista Flockhart... well who knows WHERE she got HER accent.

Oh, while we're at it, is it REALLY necessary to have mud wrestling in bloomers? I mean, we all would have paid just to catch a glimpse of Michelle Pfeiffer and Kevin Kline.

Yes, this video is worth seeing. No, it isn't great Shakespeare. Watch it just for fun. Let's hope Branaugh is over his Hamlet fiasco and back producing SERIOUS performances of the Bard's work.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Lyrical and Truly Enchanting
Review: The village of Monte Athena, Italy, at the turn of the Nineteenth Century is the setting for this delightful version of William Shakespeare's "A Midsummer Night's Dream," directed by Michael Hoffman. Bustles are in decline, and a new invention, the bicycle, is rising in popularity; and on this one particular night in the forest, mortals and fairies come together for a mirthful interlude rife with mischief, unsolicited intercession and the pursuit of love. This is a most engaging production, highlighted by a number of outstanding performances, beautiful photography and a wonderful score by Simon Boswell which features the talents of Cecilia Bartoli, Luciano Pavarotti, Renee Fleming and Roberto Alagna. Kevin kline gives an especially noteworthy performance as bottom, while Rupert Everett (Oberon), Dominic West (Lysander), Anna Friel (Hermia) and Sam Rockwell (Flute) are also exemplary. Michelle Pfeiffer is absolutely stunning as Titania, Queen of the Fairies, and Stanley Tucci delivers a nimble Puck. There are some wonderful moments in this movie, and one especially memorable scene in which Bottom and his troop perform "Pyramus and Thisbe" for the Duke (David Strathairn) and Hippolyta (Sophie Marceau); it is hysterical. Rounding out this superb cast are Calista Flockhart (Helena), Christian Bale (Demetrius), Roger Rees (Quince), Max Wright (Starveling), Gregory Jbara (Snug), Bill Irwin (Snout), Bernard Hill (Egeus) and John Sessions (Philostrate). Extremely well done, "A Midsummer Night's Dream" is a comedy that will lift your spirits and keep you smiling for hours. A great addition to anyone's video collection, this one is not to be missed.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Shakespeare would have loved this.
Review: A Midsummer Night's Dream is a movie version of Shakespeare in the same tradition as Kenneth Brannagh's work. The wholoe plot has been set in a different, more modern time making it possible to introduce such items as bicycles ans generally bringing the story closer to the audience. Music t skill and special effects have been used with gre An excellent cast, led by such topactors as Kevin Kline, Michelle Pfeiffer, David Strathairne and Stanly Tucci as well as superb directing from Hoffman make this a must for every Shakepeare lover in the world.

Rating: 4 stars
Summary: Midsummers Whoopedooda
Review: It is a cool comedy with a funny seen at the end,

Rating: 1 stars
Summary: Confusing!
Review: This movie was confusing, to say the least, because there were two story lines which had nothing to do with each other but they combined them into one movie. Until we saw everyone together in the end, the two couples shown earlier in the story had nothing to do with the couple shown later. If this had been written as two separate stories it might not have been as confusing. The historical language made the movie even harder to follow. You had to REALLY listen closely (maybe more than once) to the poetry in order to understand the point trying to be made at any given time. The language should have been updated, with some of the historical poetry added when necessary (when necessary would not be an everyday, ordinary conversation). Michelle Pfeiffer was definitely not one of the main characters but they used her to attract an audience which probably would have otherwise been non-existent. The movie was over acted, over dramatized and under-developed. The only people who would appreciate or understand this movie would be english teachers who taught Shakespeare, history teachers or serious "historical" poetry buffs who enjoy deciphering messages. If you have insomnia, this movie will cure that even if only for a night (or how ever many times you watch it). If you're looking for an entertaining, romantic comedy, don't look this way!

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Wonderful
Review: This was a very well done adaptation of the original play. The costumes were wonderful (those make or break the film for me), they deserve five stars of their own. The one drawback to the movie, however, was the time period they set it in. At times it fit in very well but at others it just felt kind of awkward and disjointed. Other than that I thought it was fabulous. Go see it!

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: A dream of my own
Review: This movie was light and always etertaining. It was not as hard to follow as some shakespere is. It was one of the best movies iv'e ever watched in my life. I love it and can't wait til the next time i see it everytime i watch it. It is lighthearted and to the point,the acresses and actors are pheominal. I love michelle Pfeiffer she is an all time great. This is a movie evryone should own.


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