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The first time I heard they were making a feature length version of Pride & Prejudice I was mystified; the book is one of my favorites and after seeing the BBC mini series based on the book I really didn’t see how a feature length version could be made that would rival the BBC version and stay true to the book – it’s a really complex book. Of course, as I loved the book I was hopeful.

I adore this version of Pride & Prejudice. I think that it was brilliantly cast, visually stunning and kept the right amount of imformation in the book and changed certain things in a way that still kept them true to the book but made them work better for a two hour movie. This was an insane challenge for a writer and a director and I think that both mastered it and were able to create a wonderful adaptation.

Pride & Prejudice focuses on Lizzie Bennet and her family in the 19th century. They are a proper British family living in the countryside and are unfortunately burdened by having five daughters and no sons. As such the family is focused on one thing – getting the daughters married and hopefully married well. The two eldest daughters Jane & Lizze fall into the path of a new neighbor Mr. Bingley and his friend Mr. Darcy and their lives are changed forever. Bingley and Jane fall in love but are forced apart by his friends and family who believe her inferior and Darcy falls in love with Lizzie who does not return his affections. This story is classic and one of the romance films I actually enjoy shockingly enough – probably because it is populated with genuine characters that are fully developed.

I cannot review this film without giving props to Joe Wright. I had never heard of him before this film but will undoubtedly try to see his movies more. This film is beautiful visually and as I have already stated spot on in its translation, acting and every other element. This film is so well put together that you forget that it is put together at all – you don’t think about the editing, the score the acting, the costumes, and that is the goal of making a good movie.

Director: Joe Wright
Writer: Deborah Moggach
Lizzie: Kiera Knightly
Jane: Rosamund Pike
Mary: Talulah Riley
Lydia: Jena Malone
Kitty: Carey Mulligan
Mr. Bennet: Donald Sutherland
Mrs. Bennet: Brenda Blethyn
Charlotte Lucas: Claudie Blakley
Mr. Bingley: Simon Woods
Caroline Bingley: Kelly Reilly
Mr. Darcy: Matthew Macfadyen
Mr. Wickham: Rupert Friend
Mr. Collins: Tom Hollander
Lady Catherine de bourg: Judi Dench

Elizabeth Bennet: And that put paid to it. I wonder who first discovered the power of poetry in driving away love?
Mr. Darcy: I thought that poetry was the food of love.
Elizabeth Bennet: Of a fine stout love, it may. But if it is only a vague inclination I'm convinced one poor sonnet will kill it stone dead
Mr. Darcy: So what do you recommend to encourage affection?
Elizabeth Bennet: Dancing. Even if one's partner is barely tolerable

When I saw Penelope in the theatre I thought that it would be either a pointless chick flick (which I hate) or a guilty pleasure movie; luckily, the film surprised me and turned out to be a thoroughly modern fairy tale.

Penelope follows the plight of Penelope Wilhern who had the misfortune to be born into a family curse; due to the dalliances of a distant relative far back in the aristocratic family line the town witch cursed the Wilhern family so that the next daughter would be born with the face of a pig and would remain that way until she was accepted by “one of her own kind” – another blue blood. Like any responsible parents, the Wilhern’s lock Penelope away from the outside world to help her escape ridicule and as soon as she is of age they begin to work on breaking the curse by finding an eligible blue blood man who will marry her.

Unfortunately, no blue blood can stand the sight of her and all run in terror –but are caught by the butler and made to sign a gag agreement until one day blue blood Edward manages to get away; he then teams up with Lemon a photographer to track down the truth about Penelope and expose her to the public. Along the line they bring in Max, a down and out blue blood to infiltrate the Wilhern’s system and help expose Penelope only something goes terribly wrong with their plan – Max begins to have feelings for Penelope but when she asks him to marry her he refuses. This leads Penelope to run away, discover herself, and continue to break the curse in this thoroughly contemporary fairy tale.

I think my favorite part of Penelope (other than James McAvoy & Christina Ricci) is the production design. I know it sounds little crazy, but there was no part of this movie that was not fully flushed out and created on a visual level, from Resse Witherspoon’s hair and winged vespa to Penelope’s scarf and room every detail was attended to, designed and placed to underscore the special world that Penelope takes place in. The costume designer too needs to be lauded and praised for what they did within the style of this film. All of the elements truly are things of beauty.

I highly recommend this film to anyone that enjoys a fairy tale, young or old. Penelope is a world that should be experienced by a great many people.

Director: Mark Palansky
Writer: Leslie Caveny
Penelope: Christina Ricci
Max: James McAvoy
Jessica Wilhern: Catherine O’Hara
Annie: Reese Witherspoon
Lemon: Peter Drinklage
Frank Wilhern: Richard E. Grant
Edward Vanderman III: Simon Woods

Penelope: Helaborasoreantalis. They're amazing; they bloom even in the winter.
Annie: That's cool.
Penelope: They just pop up without any help from anyone.
Annie: [laughs] Kind of like my ex-boyfriend, if you know what I mean.