Rating: 
Summary: 'Man is a giddy thing'---and this movie made me giddy!
Review: For an English major, Shakespeare is treated like a Bible, and any adaptation of a play scrutinized to death. This version of Shakespeare's classic comedy however is very cleverly done and highly entertaining. The scenery and music are incredible. I was hooked from the opening sequence, with the men riding into town in slow motion. The rest of the film is a brilliant mix of comedy, drama, and villainy. I love to watch the war of words between Benedick and Beatrice (you just know those two are made for each other!) and I cringe when Hero is rejected on her wedding day when her honor is questioned. During that scene, I just want to reach right through the television and slap the men for being so silly and mean. The cast is excellent to-- a steady international cast who vary in age and culture. I really am not convinced that Keanu Reeves was the best choice to play the villainous Don John, but the rest of the cast is superb, especially Michael Keaton as the clownish Dogberry. This movie makes me want to laugh and cry everytime I see it. I would recommend it to everyone who enjoys a romantic comedy where the romance is not overly sappy and dull.
Rating: 
Summary: A little ado about not much
Review: I believe that the reading of this book/play shouls be encouraged for students across the country, because it shows a comical yet realistic view of love, and the effects it has on people.
When Shakespeare wrote this play, I believe that his purpose was to show the two differing sides of love. He uses two examples, the first being Hero and Claudio, who embody the spirit of romantic, superficial love. The two of them never seem to talk, and as far as the reader knows, they don't have a whole lot in common. Claudio puts so much stock in his "love" for Hero that he overreacts too easily. For example, at a party where Don Pedro agrees to woo Hero for Claudio, Don Pedro's bastard brother Don John tricks Claudio into believing Pedro wants Hero for his own. WIth this fresh in his mind, Claudio stomps off in a huff, without even checking the facts. This kind of love is based on gazing wistfully at the one's partner across the room, and sunshine, lollipops and rainbows.
The other kind of love that Shakespeare chooses to display in this play is the realistic kind of love that is displayed more often in society around us. This is shown in the couple of Benedick and Beatrice. These two quick wits are constantly bickering and at each other's throats, until they are tricked by their friends into each believing the otehr loves them. At this, all of their criticisms of love and claims to remain unmarried until death go right out the window. Suddenly, they are seized by a desire to be with each other, and their true feelings come out. It shows how love actually works in real lifeI would reccommend this play to anyone who enjoys a good comedy with just a twinge of love intrest in it.
Rating: 
Summary: much ado about nothing
Review: I thought Much Ado About Nothing made no sense really because it seemed shorter than Antigone, and there was a little too much love going on. I couldn't handle it all, especially the deception by Don John. The first love between Claudio and Hero were like two teenagers in puppy love, and Benedick and Beatrice who had crazy love, which means that they liked each other, but didn't confess about their feelings.William Shakespeare's main purpose was I think showing what kind of loves there were through different types of people. The first of which is Claudio, the desperate type only looking for a girl to look cool. Whenever Don John told Claudio a lie, he would get all mad and act like he could never forgive Hero. He would whine like a little girl. I think the purpose didn't really click into to me because I am too young and don't understand love. What I have personally learned from this is to not rush into love because even though Don John made up those lies and false judgments about Hero, those could really happen in real life, plus the fact that we are two young to understand it. We get into that high school puppy love which isn't the same as real love. When we are older we will understand because we will be at that stage where all of us will understand the true meaning of love. I would not recommend this book because I think it had really no point but to show us what kind of loves there are and, how we should treat them with the person we love. The comedy in this was really good, but in this book, I didn't see the mix of comedy and love.
Rating:
Summary: Best Movie Ever!! by melmcc13
Review: I'm no fan of the original play and this film version is even worse. The film adds pointless scenes (nudity, along with others) not in Shakespeare's work and twists others; all aimed at an audience that doesn't care about solid acting--of which this film has none (spoiling the few interesting bits of the play)--to begin with and many of the actors simply shouldn't have even been considered-both Reeves (who can't act at all), and Keaton could never work out in a drama movie.
It should be said that nearly every big-screen Shakespeare translation (apart from Zeffirelli's version of Hamlet and Branagh's Henry V) have stunk. Parker's Othello is just as bad as this piece of trash to say nothing of Luhrmann's Romeo and Juliet or Hoffman's A Midsummer Night's Dream. It's my suggestion, that if you really want to see Shakespeare off the stage, then look for BBC material.
Rating:
Summary: Scrumptiously Devious
Review: If your mind is longing for a Shakespeare production, this is an excellent adaptation of the highest order. Not only is this one of the best romantic comedies ever written, it is set in the Tuscan sun and reaches its full comic potential in all the lustiness and witty dialogue only Shakespeare could create. At a sensuous picnic, Beatrice reads: Sign no more, ladies, sign no more,
Men were deceivers ever,
One foot in sea, and one on shore,
To one thing constant never.
Then sigh not so, but let them go,
And be you blithe and bonny,
Converting all your sounds of woe
Into hey (nonny nonny). (brief translation: what the heck). Act 2, scene 3, 62-69 In Messina, the governor Leonato, his daughter Hero, and her cousin Beatrice (Antonio's daughter) learn from a messenger that Don Pedro has won victory in a battle and is returning home. Denzel Washington as the Prince Don Pedro really adds sex appeal to this movie! When he arrives with his soldiers from war there is a moment of excitement when everyone lets their inner child escape and there is a feeling of giddy anticipation and the movie takes on a vigorous life of its own. This is pure escapism for sure. The Italian villa with lush landscapes, fountains and plenty of shrubs to hide behind for eavesdropping on crucial conversations is just enchanting. It is the perfect place for the story to unfold. Here the prince and his warriors decide to vacation for a month. The main plot involves two love stories. Hero (Kate Beckinsale) and Claudio (Robert Sean Leonard) are in love and hardly need to be pressured into matrimony. Benedick (Kenneth Branagh) and Beatrice (Emma Thompson) have a hilarious adversarial type courtship in neither can decide what they really want. "Thou and I are too wise to woo peaceably." They have both declared they will never marry. In fact, one assumes it was their desire of their wild hearts all along, but was only revealed in a tortured path of wit and intrigue. Claudio: [to Hero] Lady, as you are mine, I am yours; I give away myself for you and dote upon the exchange.
Beatrice: Speak, cousin, or (if you cannot) stop his mouth with a kiss, and let not him speak neither. Don John ("yummy" Keanu Reaves) is of course the evil villan in this story and sets out to destroy the relationship between the beautiful Hero and the handsome Claudio. Like a devil, he manages to create mayhem and then leaves the tortured souls to figure out the details of their salvation. With the sweet Hero slandered and presumed dead, one assumes as sure as there is a thought or a soul, there is no turning back. There are so many great lines in this play that were included with such flair. This is now my favorite Shakespeare adaptation. You will laugh with absolute delight
at the antics these characters get up to! Universal appeal!
Rating:
Summary: Does love always win?
Review: Much Ado About Nothing, a play written by William Shakespeare, is about two couples, who through a series of trials and schemes, fall in love with each other. This is a romantic play, and it contrasts two types of love, romantic and realistic love.
Benedick and Beatrice portray realistic love. They have a solid foundation for each other, they can tease each other, get mad at each other, and love each other at the same time. They are down to earth and practical about love. Once they fall in love, they cannot be swayed in their decisions even though they try to ignore their feelings. Claudio and Hero, on the other hand, represent romantic love. They live on Cloud 9, and their love is based on physical attraction. In the play they fall in love with each before talking. As soon as their relationship gats rocky, though, Claudio bails out, leaving a heartbroken Hero.
I think that Shakespeare wrote this play to show how comical love is. Benedick and Beatrice, who both swore mutual hate for each other, and pledged they would never get marry, fall desperately in love with each other after overhearing their friend's schemes to get them together. Claudio, who swears his undying affection to Hero, mentally dumps her once in the movie, and then leaves her at the wedding altar, because Don John plays tricks on his mind, and easily sways him to quit loving Hero. I think Shakespeare also tried to show us that true love conquers any obstacle in its way.
There are many life lessons in this play. The title, Much Ado About Nothing, relays one of the most important messages. Claudio constantly makes mountains out of molehills in this play. He is quick to jump to conclusions, and does not stop to verify the facts. He bases his judgments on perceptions, instead of reality.
I would highly recommend this book. Although it was written about 400 years ago, it is still applicable to real life. It was a good book, and it contained drama, action, romance, comedy, and deception. One of its downfalls was that it was hard to understand the language because it was written so long ago.
Rating:
Summary: much ado about nothing sharon
Review: My Critique of "A Midsummer Nights Dream"
I recently read "A Midsummer Nights Dream" by William Shakespeare, I enjoyed reading this play, I thought it was hilarious how Shakespeare would toy around with the characters and make fun of the actors who were alive at the time this play was written. When reading this play was assigned, I thought man what is he thinking? I did not want to read this play because I thought it would be very feminine and I am not normally a touchy feely kinda guy. I would much rather read something that is funny or has a lot of martial arts in it. My opinion of Shakespeare was that he was an old fart, that he was too mushy and liked to say "Thy" entirely too often. But after reading the play, I feel more upbeat about reading more Shakespeare stuff.
I think that his main purpose for writing this play was to show people how love will cause you to do crazy, crazy things. Two of the main characters Lysander and Demetrius fall in love with the same girl, Hermia. They both know the other is in love with Hermia, and they compete for her affection. Lysander, sings for her, he gives her gawds (fancy presents) and anything else that he thinks she will like. Hermia has a friend named Helena who is in love with Demetrius, and Hermia wants her friend to marry Demetrius. However, Hermia's father wants Hermia to marry Demetrius, so Lysander and Hermia run away into the woods so they can escape to Lysander's Aunts house outside of Athens. Lysander's Aunt is very wealthy and considers Lysander to be like a son to her. But when they are in the woods, they fall asleep and the King of the Fairies servant, Puck, finds them. The King of the Fairies, Oberon, tells Puck to cast a spell on Demetrius so he will be in love with Helena. Puck messes up and casts the spell on Lysander making him fall in love with Helena. Helena thinks that Lysander is playing a cruel joke and does not believe that Lysander is in Love with her. Puck then casts a spell on Demetrius making him fall in love with Helena. When Hermia wakes up in the woods she tries going to Lysander, but he is already in "love" with Helena. So, Hermia and Helena get angry with each other. Hermia thinks Helena stole her man and Helena thinks that Hermia and Lysander are playing a cruel joke on her. In the end, Hermia falls in love with Lysander and Demetrius falls in love with Helena and everyone gets married.
This is kinda Disneyish.
I personally learned from reading this play that love will make you make sacrifice for the person you love. When you love a person you will be willing to do many things for them. A good example of this is how Hermia and Lysander were willing to run away to be together and how Hermia was willing to fight Helena for Lysander when he was under Pucks misguided spell.
I would highly recommend this play, it is the finest play by Shakespeare that I have ever read. I think this play has totally flipped my opinion of Shakespeare upside down. I no longer think that he is a pansy, tight wearing, geeky kinda guy. In fact, after reading this play I would give him the benefit of the doubt that if they had football back in his day that he may have even been able to catch it. I was really amazed that Shakespeare had a sense of humor. I thought all of these plays were boring love stories full of poetry and other romantic scmitty schmatt. Given the opportunity, I would like to attend a performance of this play.
Rating:
Summary: Excellent analysis, little hard to follow
Review: The footnotes to this text, while excellent, are not specifically noted in the lines. I would find myself adding the footnote markers to the text myself; it was tedious. I would recommend the Washington Square Press version, which is consistently good and reader-friendly.
Rating:
Summary: Best Movie Ever!! by melmcc13
Review: This movie is one of my favorite movies of all time!! I am a huge fan of of Keneth Branagh and Emma Thompson and think they are both wonderful! I absolutely loved this movie and thought that all the actors did a very good job. There were absolutely no confusing parts, and everything from drama to comedy in this film was perfectly displayed. The directing was excellent, and Kneth Branagh makes the movie seem very real. This movie does an excellent job at making Shakespeare fun and exciting!!
Rating:
Summary: funny and just plain enjoyable! by a 14 year old
Review: This movie is so, as I said, enjoyable! It's hilarious - it has both physical and oral comedy. The scenes with Benedick and Beatrice are great. Shakespeare's play is about two romances. One with a young, innocent, beautiful Hero and a naiive guy (I forget his name). The other is with Beatrice and Benedick, a couple who love to hate each other and don't realize their true feelings without a little help from some friends. Unfortunately, all is not completely happy. Someone is trying to put a damper on everyone's fun with lies and false accusations. But don't worry! Much Ado About Nothing isn't a tragedy. The music and scenery is beautiful and the who feel is the movie is sprightly and energetic. I think everyone did a good job. Branagh and Thompson obviously were wonderful. Everybody says Michael Keaten (spelling?) and Keanu Reeves were terrible, but I strongly disagree. Perhaps they were a little prejudiced by former viewings of the actors. Keaten was so funny - I am sure Shakespeare was not always refined - and Reeves was evil. They both were fine! I recommend this movie to Shakespeare lovers (though it may not be COMPLETELY true to the original text) and to anyone who wants a good laugh.
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