Change Your Image
davidurieli
Reviews
School for Seduction (2004)
A group of city women take a course in seduction given by an Italian sex goddess
This brilliant film is typical of the low budget type involving no special effect or set and needing no well known actors. It is in the same style as 4 weddings and a funeral, letter to Brezhnev, the full Monty, groundhog day, etc. very well written, funny and uplifting. A group of friends are in dead end jobs or relationships or suffer chronic lack of self confidence and are shown how to act the part even if they can't be the part until their life really changes. Can't understand the low rating some people gave it. This is way above the general popular run of the mill, blockbuster for sheer enjoyment and actually tells you something useful too. Added to that it is spoken in broad Geordie, my favourite accent in the world. Feminists might hate it for the mixed messages on sexuality, partly about female empowerment, partly about looking good for your man. I think it comes down decidedly on the former side.
Twelfth Night, or What You Will (2003)
unprepossessing set but wonderful acting
As a rather hard line traditionalist I tend to hate modern adaptations of Shakespeare but in this lovely 2003 TV adaptation of the 12th Night I forgot the modern jetsam and got lost in the play. The explanation of the modern context I found irrelevant but once Parminder Nagra came on the scene I was entranced. Once again Shakespeare shows his absolute timelessness, where, whatever the dress, furniture, architecture and scenery his brilliant lines taken up with sensitivity and skill still have the power to move you to tears again and again. Even though the 1996 adaptation with Imogen Stubbs was quite brilliantly acted it pales before gentle sincerity of emotion shown by Nagra. Probably not a performance for the uninitiated but for a Shakespeareophile pure bliss.