Rating: 
Summary: A Magical 'Dream'!
Review: Hollywood's continuing love affair with William Shakespeare is well-served in this excellent new adaptation! Released shortly after the film adaptation of the Royal Shakespeake Theatre's revival, this production offers dazzling special effects; a terrific score, borrowing heavily from classical sources; and performances ranging from the sublime (Kevin Kline, Rupert Everett, Stanley Tucci), to the suprisingly good (Calista Flockhart, Michelle Pfeiffer), to 'Window Dressing' (Sophie Marceau), to laughably bad, but so what? (David Strathairn).This is a film that will draw you into a world where Magic lives, where Romance is ignited by whim, and where Happy Endings may take a while, but are as certain as tomorrow's sunrise! Certainly, Shakespeare's text has been edited heavily, and the settings have been changed, but one reason the Bard works so well cinematically is that his themes are universal, and timeless ('Richard III' has been filmed as a '30s Nazi-like drama, 'Hamlet' in a dozen time periods...Recent adaptations have placed 'Romeo and Juliet' in 90's California, and 'The Taming of the Shrew' and 'Othello' at suburban high schools!). This latest adaptation, while changing the locale and century, sacrifices none of Shakespeare's intent! If you're a Dreamer, who still believes in Magic, and the power of Love, THIS is the film for you!
Rating:
Summary: A Midsummer Nights Dream
Review: I loved this movie! I love all movies based on shakespeare's plays. This one was very well done. All the actors did a wonderful job. Shakespeare truly had a gift for writing and this is just one of his beautiful stories.
Rating: 
Summary: The View of a Shakespeare "Purist"
Review: It always amazes me that people think that a Shakespeare "purist," a true lover of Shakespeare, won't like any new version. I teach a Shakespeare course, I've studied Shakespeare at Oxford, I've seen 30 or so productions by the Royal Shakespeare Company, and I've got news for you. This video is just fine! True Shakespeare buffs are theater people, not dusty curmudgeons so old they fart dust. I have seen about 15 versions of AMND, and this certainly holds its own. The setting is a fantasy world anyway, so putting it in Tuscany does not violate any "rule." There are some niggling complaints: Kline's Bottom is a little too sad, and Callista Flockhart is supposed to be playing the ugly one. She is not convincing. There are many gems as well, Rupert Everett's lithe,sensuous Oberon foremost among them. A bit of trivia: one of Christian Bale's earliest roles was as the boy in Branagh's Henry V, and he continues to delight. You may watch this video, enjoy it, AND consider yourself a Shakespearean. Don't let anyone tell you otherwise. Enjoy.
Rating:
Summary: one o' the best
Review: Kevin Kline's best role since "A Fish Called Wanda", the music was great (and this from someone who hates opera normally) and went right with the action. Calista Flockhart seems to have been typecast as the flaky blonde, a role which, although she does very well, she needs to try to escape from. Superb adaptation of one of Shakespeare's most brilliant comedies.
Rating:
Summary: Five More Stars
Review: I echo most of the kind words previously offered to this version, but want to add a few additional observations. First, rather like "Shakespeare In Love," it amply rewards a second viewing, and a third. Also as in the case of "S.I.L.," it was a film that the makers obviously had fun making. Cheers, of course, to Kevin Kline (given an opportunity to combine some serious acting with his patented eye-rolling mania), Calista Flockhart (a sublime comedienne), Stanley Tucci, and many of the minor roles, such as Roger Rees as Quince. The gorgeous Sophie Marceau doesn't have much to do, but just looking at her is ample reward. The production values are exalted, and the insertion of opera vocals by such as Renee Fleming and Cecilia Bartoli delightful...if distracting, I can't resist singing along with them. They even made up one extra as a dead ringer for Giuseppi Verdi, stovepipe hat and all. Pure Shakespeare? Of course not. But an elegant and entertaining variation on his theme, YES.
Rating: 
Summary: Forgettable
Review: While it is nice to have such a beautiful, shining representation of Shakespeare's very fine comedy, A Midsummer Night's Dream is not really a beautiful, shining play. Rife with frustration, jealousy, ugly spats between furious couples, and a general impression that these fairies are not the lovey-dovey creatures they ought to be, this version of the play is a little too sweet for my tastes. Despite all of the praise she's gotten, Calista Flockhart gives a poor performance of a wonderful role. Kevin Kline's Bottom, who is quiet, self-pitying, and generally sorry, is one of the biggest midreadings of a Shakespeare part in a long, long time. The redeeming acting job comes from a Rupert Everett as a dark, hungry, gorgeous Oberon. The play within a play is funny and cute, but there's a lot of potential that's not taken advantage of. In short, the movie is a lovely rendition of Shakespeare's best comedy, but underneath the film's attractive surface is a total void; it lacks madness, joy, or the intense darkness that makes the play so wonderful.
Rating:
Summary: This DVD has subtitles! (optional)
Review: I've always had trouble understanding the words in Shakespeare performances, and found the text alone too boring to read straight up. But watching this on DVD with subtitles was fantastic! I could finally follow everything that happened in the story, all the dialog! The DVD format is extremely easy to pause and rewind as well, for the trickier scenes. I hope more Shakespeare performances make in onto DVD. This is really the ideal format, although this particular DVD would have been better if contained additional material beyond the performance video, such as footnoted annotations from a Shakespeare scholar, and notes about what parts were edited. (I suspect this is an abridged version of the play, although I'm no scholar).
Rating:
Summary: a classic shakespeare
Review: Now, after Romeo and Juliet, and Much ado about Nothing, this is another Shakespeare. It is a fine movie by all standards, not as daring as Romeo and Juliet, which was transferred into the present, but nevertheless a great entertainment film. The cast is excellent, and the Pyramus et Thisbe scene excells. The parts of the fae are perfectly played by Michelle Pfeiffer and Antonio Banderas. Those of you who watch Callista Flockheart in Ally McBeal will be surprised and delighted at how well she fits into this classic piece. Sophie Marceau plays a great part when she is seen (which isn't all that often, but hey, that's her part). Overall, this movie is great and I think worth watching.
Rating:
Summary: Modified, but still absolutely wonderful
Review: The only major modification is the fact that this movie is set in Victoria times in Italy, while the original Midsummer Night's Dream is set in Athens, Greece, but the way it is done it all works out beautifully, even the bicycles, which add a nice touch of humor to Helena's pursuit of Demetrius. I really don't understand why people are making such a fuss over this movie. Yes, it is modified, but it keeps it's magical touch. Even Puck, portrayed *ahem* a little bit older, works in my opinion, because he is played wonderfully. Calista Flockhart delivers a wonderful (and hysterical) performance as Helena, and Kevin Kline captures Bottom in all of his aloof qualities. A must-see, wven if you are a Shakespeare purist!
Rating:
Summary: A nice Rendition...
Review: I just finished reading the play by Shakespeare, and saw a performance of it in Central Park, and couldn't wait to see this version. Overall, it was wonderfully performed. The scenery and music were to DIE for, and the actors executed their parts perfectly. I do have a few little nitpicks, though: Bicycles? Maby. With Lights? NO. I doubt that in Shakespeare's time they had lights. And Why on earth is it not set in Athens? It looks more like England! And the Hippolyta in this version is completely un-Amazonian. Also, if you're real familiar with the words of the play, you'll notice that they left some parts and words out of this version. But, like I said, It's a great movie, and it does say "based" on the Play by W.S., so they didn't >have< to follow it exactly. And I will say that Kevin Kline was wonderful in this, as well as Calista Flockhart (albiet pulling off the 'Desperate Helena' part perfect!)
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