Monday, January 03, 2005

Movies: Lemony Snicket & Finding Neverland

I have seen two movies during the break. Lemony Snicket's Series of Unfortunate Events was a great deal of fun and perfectly captured the tone and feel of the books. I may get around to reading the rest of them now.

Finding Neverland is a movie that is staying with me. It is a lovely story and beautifully acted. Johnny Depp gives James Barrie a quiet dignity, Kate Winslet is a mother devoted to her sons' happiness, and the boys are wonderfully played. Watching Barrie create the play Peter Pan was fun. His friendship with the Llewelyn Davies family is the inspiration for his play. The opening night scene was very touching. It is fun to imagine what it must have been like to have been in the first audience to see a "classic" like this. (My favorite part of the movie Shakespeare in Love is when they perform Romeo and Juliet for the very first time. )
Finding Neverland is a low key and gentle film but very moving.
Interesting interview with Johnny Depp about the movie in the Northern Territory News.

Dustin Hoffman is Barrie's producer and he also appears in a cameo in the Lemony Snicket movie.

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