Emma

Rating:
Summary: If you've seen clueless the story is the same
Review: Its a good movie if one doesn't mind the stuffy british setting. The storyline is exaclty the same as the movie clueless. Emma (gweneth paltrow)pretty much plays the same character as cher from clueless except Emma is a victorian lady. Ewan Mcgregor does a wonderful job as always playing a charming role where he even gets to sing. The movie is very romantic with a sweet ending

Rating:
Summary: "Badly Done Emma!....badly done"
Review: What a wonderful and colorful movie! Gwyneth Paltrow is superb as Emma! It seems if I look closely, the actor who plays Mr. Knightley looks like Paul Rudd in Clueless. Gwyneth plays a convincing role as vain and overconfident Emma. This movie is a gem and should be watched with a lighthearted mind.

Rating:
Summary: flat
Review: this picture has little arc in its story. it's not clear where the story's heading, there's little dramatic tension, as a result it's rather dull. thankfully, the people and places are pretty to look at, and there is some humor here, but huh??? it's no pride and prejudice, or even persuasion. it certainly doesn't make me want to read the book.

Rating:
Summary: Perhaps not perfect Austen, but an absolutely lovely movie!
Review: Gwyneth Paltrow does an admirable job as Emma. She is charming, witty, and utterly engrossed in her matchmaking activities, even if her accent isn't perfect. (I don't know why people expect Americans to get the accent absolutely correct anyway. Try to do better yourself.)

While "Emma" may not be perfect Austen (the A&E/BBC versions of all movies are wonderful), I find this movie delightful and probably one of the most romantic films I've ever seen.

I am NOT a chick flick person. I abhor sappy romance. "Emma" is neither. Movies are so much more fun when the romantic entanglements are a perfect riot of Austenian theatrics, and as this IS Austen, it's a joy to watch.

Mr. Knightley is the perfect prince/hero/knight simply because he is the "guy next door", yet he displays such wisdom and prudence in the matters of life. My favorite line (of course) is, "I rode through the rain..." I have trouble keeping myself from breaking out into a huge grin at that part, even if I'm watching the movie by myself (or in front of people!)

Hilarious, romantic, and entirely refreshing, "Emma" is near topping my list of "chick flicks" even though I hold that it is NOT one at all! :-)

Rating:
Summary: more for Paltrow fans than for Austen devotees
Review: Emma is a wealthy and bored young woman in Regency England. She lives the good life in her rural manse, where she lives with her hypochondriac father, and she has just successfully seen a match she's made lead to the altar. Flushed with success, she is determined to continue her role as Cupid, which leads to disaster and comedy at every turn.

Director McGrath proves to have a good eye for exterior shots and comedic elements. The script is delightful, the cast superb, and Rachel Portman's score is faultless. The real problem with this adaptation is dear Gwyneth. Paltrow is absolutely lovely and charming as the heroine here, but she is not Emma as written by Jane Austen, and the discrepancy changes the story entirely. To see this character played to perfection, you must see her played by Kate Beckinsale. Before you click the "No" button, hear me out: watch both films' version of the pivotal scene of the picnic on Boxer Hill, where Emma insults poor chatty Miss Bates. Austen's Emma is intelligent but thoughtless, generous but as yet unkind, in the way that young people can sometimes be. The essential drama of Austen's story lies in Emma's realization that she has been mistaken about oh! so many things, in her growth as she internalizes that realization, and in her discovering love when she becomes worthy of it. By contrast, Gwyneth Paltrow is perfect from the first scene. She exudes sophistication; she cannot help it. You never feel that she does not know what's what and who's who, and therefore she cannot develop as Austen means her to. And that precludes her from playing Emma to perfection. That said, if you are a Paltrow fan, you will love her in this charming film. She is effervescent. If, however, you are an Austen purist, then you MUST see the Beckinsale version instead.

Regardless of your opinion of the film, you WILL be disappointed in this DVD. Apparently Miramax's Harvey Weinstein has heard of neither bells nor whistles. Special features listed are: a theatrical trailer, subtitles in English and chapter selection. And that accurately sums it up. There's really no excuse for such a trifling package.

Now I've had my say and you, dear reader, may click away.

Rating:
Summary: Light Austen
Review: Those looking for the subtlely of Pride and Predjudice or the emotional richness of Sense and Sensibility might be disappointed with this lighter comedy about an upstart young match-maker who thinks she knows all about falling in love from the sidelines. Needless to say, she is "clueless" of the approach of her own fall, not to mention the true feelings of those she is trying to manipulate. The movie itself seems to have no higher aims than to make a good match, biding its time along the way with silly foibles; but when that's what you're craving, it should satisfy the sweet tooth.

Actually, much of its charm nowadays will come from revisiting some of our now better-known actors in young starter roles. For instance, this may have been my first exposure to Gwyneth Paltrow; and while I don't think she's as interesting as Francis O'Conner in Mansfield Park, or Kate Winslet in Sense and Sensibility, I can see here in retrospect the makings of her world-seducing performance in Shakespeare In Love: a kind of whole-body lightness and effusion that makes up for Emma's fundamental immaturity. In addition, a wigged Ewan McGregor, unrecognizable before Moulin Rouge, gives his first singing performance, and the still-upcoming Jeremy Northam, who has since been able to show a little more of his chops (Enigma, An Ideal Husband, Godsford Park,) gives the first promise of leading-man material.

(Interestingly, I recently saw Northam and Paltrow and Pride and Predjudice's Jennifer Ehle together in a newer literary film called Possession. The film was pretty bad, but Northam and Ehle were wonderful in flashbacks as Victorian poet-lovers, doing the full-on romance routine that they have to restrain in Austen. Seeing what use Hollywood makes of its initiates gives these theatrical, period-piece starting roles a kind of innocent nostalgia that I think is sometimes part of the sweet-tooth appeal. After all, there is something to be said for being able to make your name in film through dialogue alone.)

Rating:
Summary: A Sweet lovestory
Review: I loved this movie!! I wish I could give it more than 5 stars. My all time favorite movie is Sabrina with Harrison Ford and Emma is now right along side. This is a movie that just makes you smile all the way through and leaves you with a tingle when it is over. It's not a movie for anyone other than those who like the light romantic movies of Meg Ryan and Julia Roberts. I fell in love with Jeremy Northam. He is absolutely gorgeous! Buy this movie--you will watch it over and over and love it more each time!

Rating:
Summary: Where is My Mr. Knightley?
Review: Is he right next door? NOT! If I am at a loss for words it is because they escape me. I could not be more pleased with this version of Jane Austen's Emma. I will forever keep this dvd close to my heart.

Rating:
Summary: WASP tries yenta gig
Review: I suspect that EMMA is more a must for Gwyneth Paltrow fans than devotees of Jane Austen. I understand from one of the latter that this film isn't faithful to the original book. No matter - GP is the reason to see it.

Paltrow plays Emma Woodhouse, who lives with her father at Hartfield, an example of the country manor house obligatory to Austen storylines. Having just been instrumental in getting her governess married off to a rich neighbor, the 21- year old Emma decides to take up match making as a career. After all, it's Regency England and there's not much for a genteel single lady to do with her time. Toiling at the local McFish and Chips to build up the college fund isn't an option. Anyway, most needful of assistance is best friend Harriet Smith (Toni Collette), a respectable enough girl of dubious lineage for whom Emma has plans. Perhaps she can maneuver Harriet into marrying the vicar, Reverend Elton (Alan Cumming), rather than the local farmer whom she loves. Meddling in affairs of the heart is a sticky wicket, but someone has to do it, especially in the absence of a licensed yenta.

And what of Emma's own romantic prospects? There appear to be none. True, Hatfield hosts the frequent visits of the 30-something Mr. Knightley (Jeremy Northam), a well-mannered and well-heeled bachelor from down the carriage road. But he's Emma's brother-in-law, a long standing relationship that seems to preclude anything steamier. However, in one of the film's best scenes early on as Emma and Knightley practice their archery, the two begin bickering over the former's lack of good sense in her handling of the Smith affair. Emma becomes so agitated that she misses the target so widely as to cause Knightley to dryly remark, "Try not to kill my dogs." Why, at this point, they seem perfect for each other. One might have thought they were already married.

I know this may be hard to believe, but EMMA has less substance than those other fine film adaptations of Austen novels: PRIDE & PREJUDICE (1996), SENSE & SENSIBILITY (1995), and MANSFIELD PARK (1999). Perhaps it's because the heroines of these other romantic comedies, Elizabeth Bennet (Jennifer Ehle), Elinor Dashwood (Emma Thompson), and Fannie Price (Frances O'Connor) respectively, demonstrate characters of greater pluck, which win the viewer's greater admiration. EMMA's Emma seems flighty and shallow in comparison, and the beguiling Ms. Paltrow plays her to perfection. Northam is superb as Knightley, a gentleman so gentlemanly as to be almost boring. (C'mon, ladies, admit it. Wouldn't a touch of the scoundrel or rake make for a more appealing Mr. Right?)

Any of the Austen screen adaptations will never replace a good Sean Connery or Clint Eastwood flick. But all, including EMMA, are light and entertaining. And for a guy like me, watching them leaves female acquaintances believing that I'm truly a Sensitive New Age Fella.

Rating:
Summary: a romantic sort of movie, but ...
Review: The problem in that movie is that nothing happens! It is not a bad movie, but I found the story too long. At least the movie shows how to improve one's own life by helping others improve theirs!