Emma

Rating:
Summary: Emma- a typical Hollywood movie
Review: This review refers to the Gwyneth Paltrow version of Emma. I have seen all three versions, and I have to say that even though the Kate Beckinsale version is not totally in line with the book, it is far superior! Gwyneth comes across as a spoiled brat, trying to bring herself to some imprortance by running everyone's lives, with or without their permission. She is not that pretty to begin with, and then her hairstyles make her look positively bald! It may look very sophisticated on screen, but not in reality. Jeremy makes a wonderful short, fat, slobby Mr. Knightley, the thought of Mr. Knightley slouching in a chair is not my ideal. His dancing at the ball looked worthy of a ballet dancer dramatizing "The Dying Swan", pathetic. Mark Strong looks distinguished,even while dancing. Toni is a very SIMPLE Harriet, I know that in the book she was supposed to be simple, but she acts like a single digit IQ student! The portrait, her dancing, and the facial expressions were TOO much. She was wiping her nose with her hand everytime you (or she) turned around. Blah. The one nice thing about the movie is the scenery, but you can't focus on that, with the terrible acting!

Rating:
Summary: OK
Review: This movie is just OK. The performances were terrific--especially Jeremy Northam, Sophie Thompson and Juliet Stevenson. However, as I was watching the movie--I wanted to "accelerate" it at times. What I mean by that is the tempo of the movie is kinda slow. I'm not sure if this is an error due to the screenwriter or director or maybe both. All I can say is that this movie is OK but not nearly as good as the just released Mansfield Park. That movie really moves!

Rating:
Summary: Oh so romantical!
Review: The first time I saw "Emma", I just fell in love with it! The caracters are adorable(but I warn you: Mr. Elton may make you a bit queesy), and the costumes and music are simply beautiful! I highly recomend this movie to every one in the world! Gwyneth Paltrow is beautiful as Emma

Rating:
Summary: Simply beautiful!
Review: This is one of my favorite movies, and I feel it is my duty to recomend to any and every person I meet. Gwyneth Paltrow is charming (as always), and Jeremy Northam and Ewan Macgregor are simply to die for. Mr. Macgregor plays a bit of a rascal, but he is charming none the less. I feel required to mention him, because he does not seem to have been mentioned before, and he certainly deserves the credit. "Is your horse just washing his feet, or are the darker forces at work here?" Simply brilliant!

Rating:
Summary: Loved it!
Review: If you are a romantic you will simply eat this one up! I have watched it over and over! good job and cute humor~

Rating:
Summary: Lots of fun, well done.
Review: This is one of the better Jane Austen attempts I've seen. The actress is pegged to the right age (unlike Emma Thompson, whose character takes on a different edge by being past adolescence) and she isn't following the pompous acting traditions of the old BBC videos.

We're now getting enough Austen stories onto the screen that they're becoming individual interpretations instead of each one having to be the One and Only Dramatic Interpretation. I like the focus on Harriet that's missing from the A&E version, and the casting of Mr. Knightley makes her sudden realization of love a bit more dramatic.

Personally I grade this video down a point because it lacks a fine bit of background video material that should have been included with the DVD. The writer/director/producer put together a half hour production for one of the artsy cable channels (probably Bravo) called "What's Clueless about Emma?" It compared this version of "Emma" with the movie "Clueless," interviewed the actors in "Emma," and included some random background material about Austen and her writing. I was astonished that they left it off the DVD. Maybe another release.

Rating:
Summary: One of the worst adaptations of a classic ever!!
Review: This is one of the worst adaptations of a classic novel that I have ever seen, surpassed only by Miss Paltrow's "Great Expectations."

The costumes and set design were lovely (although we might be fooled into thinking that Regency England had a perpetual Riviera-like climate by the costumes and light!), and some of the acting quite good, especially Jeremy Northam as Knightley and Juliet Stevenson as the horrible and hysterically funny Mrs. Elton. However, having seen this and several other of her movies, I can't see why anyone thinks Gwyneth Paltrow can act. She does her best with those British accents, but she seems to have about two facial expressions -- smiling beautifully and scrunching her face up to cry. She is however, very beautiful and those Regency costumes certainly suit her, so perhaps that explains the casting. Also, Toni Collette was COMPLETELY miscast as Harriet Smith.

This aside, the worst part of this movie for me was the script! Evidently, the writers decided that the classic words of one of the greatest writers of the English language were not usable for their purposes and substituted their own idiotic language instead -- just a few examples: "Please don't shoot my dogs!" (this kind of "humor" belongs in a low-grade sitcom); Emma addresses her "Dear Diary"; Emma refers to someone as a "couple" -- I'm pretty sure that no-one in the early nineteenth century referred to "couples." In fact, in the few instances where the screenwriters deigned to use Jane Austen's own words, the contrast only pointed up their own lack of talent!

If you love "Emma" the novel, do yourself a favor and don't see this movie.

Rating:
Summary: Perfect in every particular!
Review: This is one of my favorite movies! Gwyneth Paltrow made a perfect Emma. The music, costuming and sets were perfectly intertwined to form a real 19th century atmosphere. Well done!

Rating:
Summary: Buy this movie if you love romance
Review: The cast and acting are just perfect .. particularly Mr. Knightly. (swooon) A wonderful refreshing wholesome movie ... I loved it!! Gwyneth Paltrow is lovely and very natural.

Rating:
Summary: An instant favorite!
Review: I've loved this movie from the first time that I saw it! (And not just because I'm a big fan of Gwyneth Paltrow!)It's not just a wonderful romance, but it's also got some surprisingly funny parts. They did a very good job on bringing Jane Austen's novel to life while adding her sense of humor. I love watching it over and over again so that I can catch things that I might have missed before. One of my favorite parts is when Emma says to Mr. Knightley "Your entire personality is a riddle, so I thought you over-qualified." This is a movie that needs to be owned by everyone!!