Sense and Sensibility

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Summary: Sense and Sensibility
Review: Pure perfection! This is an extraordinary, beautifully crafted film. Kate Winslet is amazing, Emma Thompson, brilliant as screenplay author and actor, and Hugh Grant marvelous, as well. All characters are artfully played and the film is a in a word a gem. I view it as a special treat for myself! A "must have" for the sophisticated video collector.

Rating:
Summary: A great book made into a great movie
Review: Jane Austen's Sense and Sensibility is a wonderful book that transcends the ages. It's a wonderful story and well acted by Emma Thompson, and Kate Winslet. Not many movie adaptations even come close to the quality of the books they are taken from, but this one does. None of the quality is lost in this film. This S&S along with BBC's Pride and Prejudice are the best Austen adaptations ever made. Any Austen fan will love this film.

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Summary: Stunning, picturesque and poignant, but overall just GREAT!
Review: Warning!!! This is a biased review because this is my all time favorite movie. But here goes: Anyone who loves to be both visually and emotionally stimulated, you will love this adaptation of Jane Austen's wonderful novel. You don't have to be an avid Jane Austen fan to like this film. The costumes and especially the scenery were breathtaking. Kate Winslet's performance was spectacular and fit Jane Austen's description perfectly as did Emma Thompson. The score is to die for, subtle but moving. Everything about this movie is touching, but it is not too soppy or saccharine sweet. It is simple, yet outstanding. If you like this movie, I also recommend any period miniseris run by the BBC. Definitly avoid this movie if you do not like period movies, or movies with english sensibilities/language. But if you love great plots, actors, costumes and seeing the english countryside, WORSHIP THIS MOVIE!!!

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Summary: The story transcends the centuries
Review: Starring Emma Thompson, who also wrote the screenplay for this 1995 adaptation of Jane Austen's first novel, this is a big beautiful sweeping film that transcends the centuries.

Under the very excellent direction of Ang Lee, a Taiwanese native whose career started with Chinese language films such as The Wedding Banquet" and has since directed "The Ice Storm" and "Ride With the Devil," his sense of Britain in the 1790s is excellent. He manages to convey every nuance of the manners of that time and keeps the story as fresh to the modern audience as when it was first written.

Basically, it is a story of a formerly wealthy widow who is left in very moderate circumstances and who needs to marry off her two oldest daughters. Emma Thompson is cast as Elinor Dashwood, the older of the two sisters and the most "sensible". Kate Winslet, who later rose to fame in Titanic, is the younger and more impetuous one. Both are excellent actresses and their performances ring with absolute nuanced perfection.

Hugh Grant is cast as Elinor Dashword's love interest, and Kate Winslet is romanced by both Alan Rickman as the older and serious landowner and Greg Wise as the dashing young man who sweeps her off her feet. The road to true love, however, is rife with obstacles, and there is tension throughout because the characters rarely say what they mean as the plot twists and turns and keeps the audience on edge. I was totally caught up in the story, feeling the emotions of the characters and actually finding myself weeping at the very satisfying conclusion.

Emma Thompson was nominated for two academy awards for this film -- one for her writing and one for her acting. She won for her writing the best screenplay based on material from another medium. Kate Winslet was also nominated for an academy award as best supporting actress. The movie won the Golden Globe as best motion picture and the list of other awards and nominations are just too numerous to mention.

Don't miss this video! It is an absolute joy from beginning to end. I give it my highest recommendation.

Rating:
Summary: As all Jane Austen's books, it's great!
Review: As many of the other reviews are long, I'll make mine short and simple. This is an excellent book and movie that shows the attitude and decorum of the day. If you are looking for a good movie, and have good taste, Sense and Sensibility will be an enjoyment. If you enjoy other Jane Austen movies, this will be a favorite. However, I doubt that anything can compare to Austen's Pride and Prejudice, my personal favorite, it is a VERY close second!

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Summary: A MASTERPIECE
Review: Man! That Jane Austin knew what she was doing! This film is beautiful. Starring my personal favorite; Kate Winslet as Marianne Dashwood. Emma Thompson and Hugh Grant are BRILLIANT as well. Alan Rickman plays the timid Colonel Brandon. A must see for all romantics who thought all was lost because of rejection by a lover. This is an amazing film!

Rating:
Summary: Loved it- watched it twice in a row the first time
Review: Wonderful story, wonderful film. Emma Thompson more than deserved her Oscar for her novel-to-screenplay adaptation. Eleanor Dashwood (Thompson) along with her mother (Gemma Jones- one to watch in the upcoming "Bridget Jones' Diary" movie)and her sisters Marian (Kate Winslet) and Margaret are grieving the loss if their father. The father also has a son from a previous marriage, and his greedy wife, Fanny Farely, convinces her husband to give the Dashwood women far less a yearly allowance than his father's will requested him to do. This leaves the poor Dashwood ladies in a predicament: they must leave their lovely home and watch as Fanny moves herself right in. However, once Eleanor meets Fanny's brother Edward (Hugh Grant), a spark ignites, and Eleanor is touched and drawn to Edward's kindness and total lack of prentiousness, which is a stark contrast to his sister. The Dashwood women are offered a run-down cottage by Mrs. Dashwood's cousin, Sir John, and it is here that they are introduced to Colonel Brandon (the yummy Alan Rickman- remember him as the Sherrif of Nottingham in "Prince of Theives"?)who falls immediately in love with Marian. He knows, however, that her young, impetuous spirit is probably not looking for a man like him, so he keeps his distance and hopes from afar. Marian, meanwhile, meets Willoughby (Greg Wise- more eye candy!), a dashing young rogue who is dependent on his wealthy Aunt, but falls head-over-heels for Marian despite his Aunt's obvious disappointment that the Dashwood's are penniless. How do all these world's collide? You'll just have to watch the movie or read the book to find out. There are so many plots and twists in this lovely, simple tale that you won't be disappointed.

Rating:
Summary: My favorite film
Review: Economically, this is probably the wisest video purchase I ever made, as every couple of months I will pop this film into the VCR. I never seem to tire of it.

Perhaps it's a bit odd that I adore this film so much; at first glance, it seems far removed from my own life. If I ever consider abject poverty to be living in a grand stone house in the countryside, then I am a very lucky woman indeed. Social niceties that make demands on my behavior are more along the lines of filling up everyone's margarita glass rather than curtseying upon entering a drawing room.

However, the major themes of the film are timeless indeed. Sometimes, money is still a deterrent to love and love is still a game. The fact that societal and familial constraints, not to mention scheming underlings, can keep true lovers apart is still an atrocity.

Moreover, Jane Austen lamented the limitations placed upon women in her time and wrote passionately of women coping within these confines. Elinor quietly laments her inability to choose a profession while Marianne learns that too passionate a temper does not benefit a lady. Young Margaret is an extreme example of a young girl not yet jaded by the desperate urge to marry well. She longs for travel, her prized possession is her atlas, her eyes sparkle when Colonel Brandon speaks of the East Indies. It is sad to consider that Margaret will have a hard time pursing her dreams in a world with few female ship captains.

A hint: if any women are having difficulty recommending this film to members of the male persuasion, tell 'em Alan Rickman plays a pivotal role. True, his lovestruck Colonel Brandon is a far cry from the fantastic villains he portrayed in Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves and Die Hard, but this amazing actor is still a huge draw. ;)

Rating:
Summary: I really liked the movie
Review: Although I felt the cast a bit weak in parts, the movie was overall a strong and engaging film. The soundtrack was simply LOVELY. Kate Winslet gives a masterful performance as young Marianne, a talented and love struck girl who is almost too romantic for her own good. You'll love following her story. Elenor, played by Emma Thompson, is a little dry at times, but she gives an excellent performance. I felt Hugh Grant played a good Henry, a shy and quiet suitor, but I felt that it could have been a bit more exciting...at times I felt like his portrayal of the character truly took away from the scene itself. Good movie, I highly recommend it!

Rating:
Summary: A great movie
Review: I honestly loved this movie from start to finish again and again. I rented it several times and then bought my own copy once I realized it would probably be cheaper that way. :) Its very close to the jane austen novel and a real treat to watch. I thoroughly reccommend this to everyone, jane austen fan or not.