100 Movie Challenge 2017 - # 63: Bright Star

Director: Jane Campion
Genre: Drama/ Romance
Runtime: 90 minutes
Year: 2009
Starring: Ben Whishaw, Abbie Cornish, Thomas Sangster, Paul Schneider, Samuel Barnett, Kerry Fox, Roger Ashton-Griffiths, Samuel Roukin, Antonia Campbell-Hughes, Sebastian Armesto, Olly Alexander, Jonathan Aris, Joyia Fitch, Adrian Schiller, Alfred Harmsworth, Sam Gaukroger, Edie Martin, Sally Reeve, Gerard Monaco, Will Garthwaite, Guy Mannerings

Description: The three-year romance between 19th-century poet John Keats (Ben Wishaw) and Fanny Brawne (Abbie Cornish) near the end of his life.

Review: Only if you’re a really romantic, this is a movie for you. It’s a movie about love and this will definitely scare off people. It’s not a romantic comedy with a predictable happy ending, it’s a heart ripping portrait of two people who love each other so much that it hurts more than it brings them happiness. Because that is also what love is.
The relationship between poet John Keats and his great love, his muse, Fanny Brawne. That’s the base of the story. Director Jane Campion didn’t want a standard biopic about Keats, so she decided to tell it from Fanny’s perspective. Result is that Keats will stay a mystery and challenges the viewers to get to know him through his poetry.
Between Keats and Fanny a passionate love develops. Off course the people around them don’t approve. Their love is limited because of that. Campion manages to show the purest form of love, by enhancing the unfulfilled longing they both have.
“Bright Star” is a visual beauty, but it can drag a bit. Even though the film is only 90 minutes long, it feels a lot longer.

Rating: 3,5/ 5

100 Movie Challenge 2016 - # 63: Lars and the Real Girl

Director: Craig Gillespie
Genre: Drama/ Comedy
Runtime: 106 minutes
Year: 2007
Starring: Ryan Gosling, Emily Mortimer, Paul Schneider, Kelli Garner, Patricia Clarkson

Description: A delusional young man (Ryan Gosling) strikes up an unconventional relationship with a doll he finds on the Internet.
Review: Lars is different. He is afraid of human contact, he says it even hurts him physically when they touch him. Off course this stands in the way of a relationship for Lars. A co-worker shows him a website where they seel real life dolls. In a scene that is both very endearing and hilarious, Lars introduces his new ‘girlfriend’ Bianca to his brother Gus and sister in law Karen. Gus thinks Lars has lost his mind and they take him to a doctor. She advices them to play along, because to Lars, Bianca is real.
It’s funny to see the ‘relationship’ between Lars and Bianca. But at the same time you see how happy Lars is and how he is slowly coming out of his shell and is opening up more. And I love the fact that his family, his co-workers and everyone in his town play along and accept Lars for who he is. At first they don’t know what to do with the situation, but out of love for Lars they go with it.
Ryan Gosling delivers a wonderful performance as Lars. Gosling is a very handsome, okay sexy, man. It’s great to see him as a shy, dorky, character. It’s really hard not to like Lars, even with his quirks. Emily Mortimer, Paul Schneider and Patricia Clarkson are all very strong as well.
“Lars and the Real Girl” is a fantasticly heartfelt film, whimsical and touching at the same time.

Rating: 5/ 5