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Post by maxx02 on Feb 24, 2007 13:38:04 GMT
Sheesh, 7 June for an Australian release! Why on earth are we always the last to get anything? I will probably have been able to buy it on dvd from Amazon before then! <grump> When Romulus, My Father comes out you can torment me if makes you feel better. ;D |
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Post by mcr5137 on Feb 24, 2007 19:42:53 GMT
Well I did get to see AG last night! OH MY GOSH!
The first two showings were sold out........so we had to go to the 9:30 one.......my husband was almost asleep when we got there, but he did stay awake! He's not a "night owl" at all!
There wasn't a dry eye in the theater by the time the bagpipes played! You could hear sniffles everywhere!
I thought AG was done beautifully. There was the hint of religion, but I never felt hit over the head with it. I never felt "preached" to at all. I think they told this story very well. And as much as I loved the whole film, it was all the little moments that made it work for me. Wilberforce shown strung out on laudanum, his makeup was incredible! His first time on the slave ship, Newton mopping the floor, Newton arriving in Parliament for that final vote, Clarkson with the baby, Clarkson showing up in Parliament and Lord Tarleton realizing something was afoot! The walk in the garden with Wilberforce and Barbara. Clarkson and Wilberforce riding the horse right up to William Pitt as he is golfing! So many moments that just made the film perfect!
It was so funny, every time Rufus appeared or we heard his voice......my hubby squeezed my hand and said, "there he is"! Of course he also said, "man, what an ugly dude" several times too!! LOL Rufus was certainly not handsome, but that voice! I actually liked it at the end when he had the short hair!
I walked away amazed at the story I had just seen, I was completely drawn in to it, completely mesmerized by it. Ioan did a fantastic job! He blew me away actually! Rufus was his usual "done-to-perfection" self as Thomas Clarkson......he could have easily over-acted in this role, but he didn't......he kept it very subdued, yet he was able to convey that Clarkson was passionate about this cause and a bit odd! It was (which is so normal for him) as if he actually BECAME Clarkson, inhabited Clarkson and wasn't just portraying him. I have to say I love the way Ruf just melds into his characters so completely!
I won't say more, until others have had a chance to see it.......and I can't wait to hear from others as you all give your impressions!
[Note to Uke: I went in thinking I would see him immediately........but it took me halfway into the film before it finally hit me that the Speaker was Silas!!!!!]
Michelle
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Post by britfan2 on Feb 24, 2007 20:02:05 GMT
I'm planning on seeing this tomorrow but just wanted to say that my reviewer gave AG an (A-)....pretty high for him. His only complaints were it was a bit too polished & narrowly focused, but he liked it a lot. No mention of Rufus in the entire piece. Apparently Finney is the scene stealer in this one. He summerizes his review with this... "Amazing Grace" arrives as Hollywood-slick, a polished British period piece. It manipulates, but then again, so does the song that gives it it's title. And movies, like hymns & history, should give us a good cry every now & again." Starter for 10 he gave a (C+) to & referred to Alice as a frothy Barbie doll with buxom charms & a great head of hair. He later refers to her as as the drop-dead-gorgeous beauty that is used as the brainy hero's fallback option....something that John Hughes (who's nostalgic work he compares this to) would never have done. But at least she got a mention.  |
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Post by mcr5137 on Feb 24, 2007 20:09:31 GMT
Our film critic gave AG 4 out of 5 stars.......and a TWO-PAGE review (he usually only does a one page review). He loved it, and he rarely likes anything "period". He liked everyone in it saying that Finney and Gruffudd are both the stars! He didn't mention Rufus by name either, but he did say that he felt like Wilberforce's followers were all played very well with attention to detail (whatever that means).
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Post by rai on Feb 24, 2007 20:17:47 GMT
Saw AG this morning (yes, the 11am show - can't beat the $5 admission) and it was absolutely brilliant. Everyone did a great job, including the many animal extras on set. Didn't know that Wilberforce founded the SPCA too! Rufus as Clarkson was wonderful - little hints of humor here & there showed his skills at both drama & comedy. And horseriding and wigwearing. All great.  Rai |
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Post by maxx02 on Feb 25, 2007 13:51:48 GMT
darn, looking at the wrong thread. I thought we'd move over to work instead of upcoming projects. Michelle, nice review. You know I'm going to be stealing that one for the webpage commentary.
And actually it was me told you about Silas not Uke. Didn't you hear his voice immediately?
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Post by mcr5137 on Feb 28, 2007 5:16:47 GMT
darn, looking at the wrong thread. I thought we'd move over to work instead of upcoming projects. Michelle, nice review. You know I'm going to be stealing that one for the webpage commentary. And actually it was me told you about Silas not Uke. Didn't you hear his voice immediately?  , if you think it's good enough to have on your site, then steal away! I'm very honored! Was it you? I'm so sorry! You know I was so mesmerized by the film overall at that point, that I didn't think of his voice. Then I remembered that I needed to look for him.........so I started watching the people in Parliament and listening for that voice. There was a scene when they lingered just a bit longer on him, and he kept on talking and that's when it hit me.......oh my gosh, there's Silas! His face was the same! And that voice was the same! |
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Post by pattirose on Feb 28, 2007 5:41:22 GMT
We don't get to see it here in Canada till March 23 - I can't wait - I'll be at the first showing!! I found this site while searching for a release date. It has a nice trailer for the movie and the William Wilberforce story. amazinggraceresource.com/ |
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Post by Tinkerdog on Mar 2, 2007 12:42:19 GMT
My sister and I saw it immediately after work on Wednesday evening and there were only about 15 people in the theater probably because of the start time of 5 pm, yes, we snuck out of work ten minutes early.
I enjoyed the movie immensely. Although he did not have an abundance of lines, again, his features, eyes, mouth did a lot of acting as is always the case. Ioan is a very good actor as well (my sister is crazy about him so it was pretty neat for the two us us to watch our actors together) I have only seen him in Horatio Hornblower. I love Albert Finney but I do not necessarily agree that he stole the movie. Michael Gambon, who I also enjoy watching in anything was more the scene stealer. I was amazed at how many of the actors in the film I have seen in so many other movies. It was like old-home week.
The description of Ruf as scruffy was right on target. Another critic remarked that he never considered Ruf as humorous in a role - this distressed me because of the perception the film industry on either side of the screen has about him. Where was this critic when TOTS was on BBC America.
My bias could see this story also as an HBO mini-series where all the characters can be more fully developed. I agree with the critic who wrote that Thomas Clarkson would have been another character to focus on. For 1 hour and 51 minutes, I was satisfied that they did develop Clarkson enough to give him more depth considering all the characters of significance in the film.
I looked specifically for Cumberbatch since Ruf did say he was someone to look out for. At first I thought him miscast but then, I was not fully aware that Pitt was 24 when he became Prime Minister. I thought he did a good job. He did not bowl me over with talent but he was exceptionally better as an actor than John Franco.
I enjoyed the movie and all the acting was high quality. I really believe that this is the direction he wants to be moving in - it isn't period pieces he is avoiding primarily, it is low quality half*** copycat roles. It was so refreshing not to see a scene which was minimally altered from another movie (i.e., AKT jousting & Zorro polo).
Rufus has focus, perseverance and direction and I am very proud of him!
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Post by combs2024 on Mar 8, 2007 4:46:36 GMT
I cant wait to see it. Finally saw a preview for it on TV today, looks like a great movie!!! Didnt see Rufus though, is he in it much???
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Post by maxx02 on Mar 8, 2007 18:55:47 GMT
Rufus maybe has 15 or 20 minutes of screen time... does that seem about right, you guys? he doesn't turn up for quite a while into the picture. It's not a large role but it certainly seems to be memorable for everyone including the critics.
It was for me.
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Post by mcr5137 on Mar 9, 2007 0:34:43 GMT
It's not a ton of screen time (20 minutes sounds about right, Maxx)......but as has been said, it's a crucial role AND you very much notice him! Not just notice......but you just linger on him every time he's onscreen. Well........that could be because we are Ruf-aholics, not necessarily because of the film................nah.....I'm going with because he's so good in this role, you just can't help but notice him!
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Post by Tinkerdog on Mar 9, 2007 17:58:16 GMT
I agree he has about 15-20 minutes and very memorable minutes. He does everything we know and love him for with the touch of humor, the laugh, his lines are limited but his sheer presence and body language make up for it. As well, his hair though bad, does grow on you - not in the literal sense. It gets better as time goes on.
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Post by etherealtb on Mar 10, 2007 0:25:27 GMT
As well, his hair though bad, does grow on you - not in the literal sense. It gets better as time goes on. Yeah, don't tell Roof, but even with the hair and nose, he sitll wasn't bad looking either. LOL. |
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Post by ree on Mar 12, 2007 8:21:36 GMT
As well, his hair though bad, does grow on you - not in the literal sense. It gets better as time goes on. Yeah, don't tell Roof, but even with the hair and nose, he sitll wasn't bad looking either. LOL. I'm confused, what about the nose? Did I miss something? I do think the longer grayer wig, first seen when he's in a field carrying the baby, was a bit more becoming than the shorter one. However, that said, after the first look at wig #1 I hardly even noticed he was wearing one. Actually I think it's easier for me to concentrate on his acting when his looks are downplayed. Maybe he should always wear an unbecoming wig! ;D Okay, Okay, I take it back, I take it all back! Help!  |
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