moonsheen

So. Right. Movies watched recently: Pride & Prejudice (the new one), The Libertine, and Stage Beauty.

Pride & Prejudice: Was no Colin Firth but the dude who played Darcy was *~HOT~* and so I am willing to forgive his not being Colin Firth. As well as this movie's not being the miniseries in general. Spent most of film giggling like girl. Possibly evidence that self is big girl. Briefly turned into puritan at end when I found myself shouting "NO NO YOU'RE NOT SUPPOSED MAKE OUT" at the screen. Plz be keeping your wet kisses out of Jane Austen. On a whole though, it was a lovely film, and I reiterate aforementioned giggling.

The Libertine: ...I think the Academy Award should go to Johnny Depp's nose for the vast amount of work it put into portraying the gradual process of falling off of his face. Egads, I wanted to take a bath after seeing this one. I DID take a bath after seeing this one. The fact that great deal of the cast from the above turned up again here was a little alarming. It wasn't a bad movie, but one that glamorizes grotesqueries, and thus a pretty difficult watch. Also, Most Uncomfortable Sex Scene ever.

Stage Beauty: Think Shakespeare in Love, except set about sixty years later, less afraid to get down in a frilly dress, the role of Queen Elizabeth being played instead by Nell Gwynn, and very willing to show dudes kissing. Are there historical nitpicks? Yes. Are there ridiculously modern sentiments spattered all over the place? Yes. Did I love this movie? Fuck yes. Plays with gender roles without being too sledge hammery about it (only a few slips here and there), and does the entirely novel thing of portraying its bisexual main character as, gasp, actually doing it with guys on occasion! (as opposed to refusing to have the balls to own up to it and leaving it to a blink and you'll miss it implication. THE LIBERTINE I AM LOOKING AT YOU) Plus: androgny is kinda hot. Plus: discussion on the means of approaching Shakespeare. Plus: Othello. Plus: a central romance that for the most part takes a back seat to the more important issues, but somehow also manages to be completely enjoyable. Plus: Zoe Tapper seriously needs to be in more movies. I APPROVE OF WOMEN WITH CURVES. However I approve of women without curves in this movie as well. Billy Crudup, I am looking at you.

But I'll admit it, one of the biggest flaws I felt was that it needed more back stage antics between the female and... female leads.

( So I wrote a How They Met ficbit. Otherwise known as: I SUPPORT FAKE FEMSLASH. )