Emma. 2020

 

Hello, my lovelies! So yeah, I have finally watched the newest version of Emma. I actually first watched it several weeks ago and after a rewatch or three I decided I should really get my thoughts down in print. :)

So here's the deal. I was excited for a new Jane Austen adaptation, I really was! But I was a whole lot uncertain. As I've been pondering that uncertainty since, I've decided there were several things that played into it:

• I read the book for the very first time only a couple years ago and while I enjoyed it, I didn't love it like I expected to. So I think my disappointment was affecting me even this long while later. (Incidentally, now that I've watched the film, I really want to reread the book!)
• I tried watching both the Gwyneth Paltrow version and the Kate Beckinsale version years upon years ago and rather disliked them both. It wasn't until I saw the Romola Garai version that I fell in love with the story. And I haven't even watched that one for a couple years. So perhaps I was fearful of more disappointment...? Or maybe even that I might like this one better...? I don't know. (Side note: SO many of my reader friends LOVE the Paltrow version! I'm thinking I should really give it another chance as I can't even remember what it was that I didn't like about it...)
• I LOVE Jonny Lee Miller's Mr. Knightley. So much so, I think I just didn't want to even imagine someone else in the role...
• SO much talk about the bloody nose scene. And I will have more to say on that later, but all I heard about this scene before watching it simply put me off.
• And lastly, I read and listened to a lot of reviews once the film officially came out. There was a mixed bag of thoughts. Some loved it, some hated it, some couldn't stand the bloody nose scene but liked everything else, some liked this or that part better or this over here was awful. Suffice it to say, I think I overdid it on reviews and just should've watched it for myself.

One weekend I decided it was now or never and bit the bullet. And what do you know but that I really loved it! All my silly worries and here I ended up really enjoying myself. :D I'm not sure it overtakes the Garai version as my very favorite, but it certainly stands tall right next to it!

What I loved:

• The humor. This version is hilarious! I was not expecting to laugh quite so much. The Garai version is funny, but I think the length of it means that we get a mix of light and serious moments (as is appropriate!). This one has its serious moments to be sure, but there is simply a general feel of lightheartedness about it that I felt right from the beginning all the way through to the end.
• Since I liked the humor, I ended up LOVING the bloody nose scene! Go figure, right? :D (I know, I laugh at myself. ;) Once I was into the flow of the story, by the time we get to that scene I figured out just what it was going for. As a reviewer I listened to stated it, in every other version that scene is played for romance. The great romantic moment, the climax so to speak. But in this one, the great romantic moment comes later, so this scene just flows hilariously onward and after numerous rewatches of it (yes, I rewound just that scene multiple times, I confess it) I still laugh at Emma's messy and real portrayal. As another reviewer stated, it showcases just how much of a mess she is and yet why we love her by this point of the story. And certainly why Knightley loves her because if he can deal with Emma and her dramatics, bloody nose and all, then he's truly in love! :D
• The Emma and Harriet friendship. I confess to having struggles with all the different versions of actually liking Harriet all that much. But Mia Goth did an excellent job of walking the fine line between naive (rather than idiotic) and just simply being a good friend to Emma. One of the reviews I read said the focus of this one is really the love story between Emma and Harriet and I have to agree. It was beautifully played out between those two actresses.
• Johnny Flynn as Mr. Knightley. I already admitted that I LOVED Jonny Lee Miller's portrayal, so I really wasn't expecting to love this new guy. But it worked. I'm pretty sure I love them both equally now. The way they each play their interactions with Emma herself and watching as they figure out they're in love with her...they each work perfectly in their particular versions. So I am happy to rewatch either and both again and again and again. :D
• All the actors and actresses actually. I thought they all did a fantastic job with each of their characters. Not going too over the top, but yet keeping with the lighthearted and real feel of the story.
• Okay, I also admit Bill Nighy as Mr. Woodhouse was fabulous! He was a lot more nimble than I usually picture Mr. Woodhouse but it worked. There are two scenes where I absolutely loved him the most: 
• when Emma is crying right after the Box Hill scene and the tenderness and fatherly-ness of his clear desire to comfort her yet he awkwardly doesn't quite know how so he ends up simply sitting with her in her sorrow. SUCH a beautiful moment!
• the big romantic scene at the end when he remarks about the "draft" and then totally sets up the moment for Emma and Knightley. :D His sly looks at the beginning of the scene just crack me up! He knows precisely what's going on, even if he pretends he doesn't.
• The colors and the costumes! SO much color and glorious costumes! There are several of Emma's outfits that are just gorgeous.

What I could've done without:

• The particular scene with Mr Knightley at the very beginning. Luckily, it is easily skip-over-able.
• The awful relationship between Emma's sister and her husband. It did make for some funny moments, but I definitely prefer the way the Garai version portrayed them!
• This isn't really a thing I wished for less of, I actually wish there were even more scenes with Ms Taylor/Mrs. Weston. The first scene between her and Emma is so sweet and then she's barely in the film from there on out. I get that there were likely time constraints and all sorts of things that played into that decision, but still. I wish she'd showed up a bit more. And Mr. Weston too!

So there you have it. I laugh at all my worries about what I imagined this version would be like. Because clearly I rather enjoyed myself overall based on the lengthiness of my thoughts! :D Now. I am off to do another rewatch. (My birthday was this past week, so I can still celebrate with Jane Awesomeness, right?? I agree completely! ;)

Currently...

Hello, my lovelies! Why yes, it has been ages, hasn't it? To the maybe three people who are still reading this little blog of mine, it's good to "see" you! ;) I let my posting go VERY sporadic in recent months due to being overseas and all my available time being spent studying. I had high hopes that I'd be able to keep up the blogging thing to a certain degree, but alas... I barely kept up with my reading while I was over there! But I am home in America now and it has been DELIGHTFUL to see all my beloved stories again, sitting on their shelves looking all pretty and pleasing.

The last month and a half has been a mix of trying to come to grips with being back in my own culture again after 8 months (I know!), find a new job (which I did, yay!), and reading all the books I can get my hands on. It's been crazy, chaotic, and loads of fun.

Anyhoo! I thought I'd just do a general check in with y'all and let you know what all the latest is. So! On the fun stuff...

Listening to: This particular song has been on repeat loads of times when I've had homework to do or papers to write for classes. Even back home, it's still a fave. It's incredibly soothing while I'm doing something that requires my brain, yet also requires some noise in the background to help keep me focused.

Reading: Over this past weekend, I read 5 books. No, that is not an exaggeration. I pretty much didn't have any other plans, so I stayed in the entire weekend and read. #bliss Next up for me is The Number of Love by Roseanna M. White, which I have for review...

Enjoying: My chocolate stash! Friends gave me a sweet welcome home party a few weeks ago and when they asked me to make a list of what I wanted and what I'd missed while I was gone...you know my fave Lindor milk chocolate truffles was at the top! I've been trying to ration them out so they last a long time, but it's actually really hard. (go figure)

Watching: I recently rewatched Pride and Prejudice and Zombies and man, did I ever miss that movie. I did very little movie watching while I was gone and this one was a delight to see again.

Feeling: Happy. I've had lots of reconnecting with friends since I've been home. As well as have a new job, which is a huge answer to prayer! There have been hard moments and times when dear friends have had struggles that have reminded me that this life is not all puppies and rainbows all the time. But ultimately, I'm a pretty happy lady right this second...

Craving: Flavor in my food! I was in Thailand the most during my overseas time and let me just say that the Thai people LOVE their spice. I have now realized just how much I adjusted to that because there have been multiple times since being home where I feel desperate for some extra spice in my foodie life. And I never, ever imagined such a thing happening, I've always been a wimp when it came to spicy food... Craziness, I tell you. :D

Loving: Seeing old friends and reconnecting. Friends are life, people. And don't you forget it.

Anticipating: More books. More music. More life. Whatever that looks like in the coming days.

Eating: Guacamole. I personally made a batch the other night and it is...delish...mmmmm.... :D

Missing: Life in Thailand. It's wonderful to be home, but there's so much I miss about my life there. Khao soi (deliciousness), the ease of getting around on public transportation, riding motorbikes, the coffee shops (they were everywhere), and most especially my dearest friends who I may not see again for a long, long time, if ever. THAT'S one of the hard parts about life overseas...the friends you make when your homes are so far apart....


Yet even with the missing, I'm still thankful for the experience and happy to be home again. So! How about you? Life still trotting along swimmingly for you as well?? :)

The BEST Part of my Trip to Biltmore

Some friends and I visited Biltmore Estate the other weekend and I hadn't realized they had period drama costumes on special display right now. BEST surprise ever! Because those lovely costumes you see up there? Tell me y'all know who had the privilege of wearing them!

Yes! Jennifer Ehle and Colin Firth in Pride and Prejudice '95. (!!!!!!) As soon as I stepped into the library and caught a glimpse of them, I knew immediately what they were. To say that I was dancing on the inside would be an understatement! (It was a busy day and there were far too many people around me to make dancing for realsies actually possible. ;) Needless to say, this Jane Austen fangirl was very, very happy. :D

I don't know if any of y'all have ever visited Biltmore yourselves or happen to know any of the history. Delightful author Pepper Basham is always posting pictures of her numerous visits to the estate on social media, so I knew a tiny bit from what she's shared. But I had no idea that George Vanderbilt (the original owner of the house) was such a huge reader.

BECAUSE THAT LIBRARY IS AMAZING.

I mean, look at all those books...

(Yes, that is a balcony up there. It went around the entire room.) I think we were told that there were upwards of at least 10,000 books in there, in several different languages. Can you imagine owning such a library?! I wanted SO badly to have hours to wander that room and look at all the beautiful stories encased within. If only... *daydreams*

I also enjoyed seeing one of Mia Wasikowska (and yes, I did just go and google how to spell her last name) and Michael Fassbender's costumes from Jane Eyre '11.

Also, I learned that Alicia Vikander (I had to go look up her last name too) is much shorter than I. And definitely much shorter than Matthew MacFadyen! (Although I'm thinking that lots of people are probably much shorter than he. ;) Seeing their costumes from Anna Karenina side by side, the difference in height is quite obvious. I haven't watched that movie, but I did like the costumes they chose to display.

And lastly, this is Carey Mulligan and Matthias Schoenaerts' costumes from Far From the Madding Crowd. I haven't seen that movie either (I've heard really good things about it, so I'm hoping to watch it one day soon), but I've seen lots of pictures and that particular pose is familiar. I knew who it was even before I read the sign! :)

There were many more costumes throughout the house, but I didn't recognize any of the movies or period dramas they were from, so I took no other pictures. Still, my period drama and especially Jane Austen fangirl heart was absolutely delighted! :) The estate itself is incredible and the costumes were the icing on the cake of the entire day. Not to mention it was wonderful to hang out with dear friends the whole time.

Best weekend of the year! (So far. :)

My {current} Favorite Period Drama Couples

HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY! 

Hello, my lovelies! I hope your Valentine's Day is filled with warmth and happiness. And chocolate, of course! ;) Whether it's with dear friends or with your significant other, I hope you have lots of reasons to smile today.

Y'all know I love period dramas, so I figured this was a good day to list a few of my favorite period drama couples that make me swoon. I could've kept going and going, but decided I'd better stop with 15. Have I listed any of your favorites?

1. John Thornton & Margaret Hale 

{North and South} 

Richard Armitage & Daniela Denby-Ashe

2. Gilbert Blythe & Anne Shirley 

{Anne of Green Gables} 

Jonathan Crombie & Megan Follows

3. Captain Frederick Wentworth & Anne Elliot 

{Persuasion} 

Rupert Penry-Jones & Sally Hawkins 

Ciaran Hinds & Amanda Root

4. George Knightley & Emma Woodhouse 

{Emma} 

Jonny Lee Miller & Romola Garai (2009)

5. Fitzwilliam Darcy & Elizabeth Bennet 

{Pride & Prejudice} 

all adaptations!

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6. Henry Tilney & Catherine Morland 

{Northanger Abbey} 

JJ Feild & Felicity Jones (2007)

7. Edward Ferrars & Elinor Dashwood 

{Sense & Sensibility} 

Dan Stevens & Hattie Morahan (2008)

8. William Buxton & Peggy Bell 

{Return to Cranford} 

Tom Hiddleston & Jodie Whittaker

9. Daniel Parish & Laura Timmons 

{Lark Rise to Candleford} 

Ben Aldridge & Olivia Hallinan

10. Detective Inspector Jack Robinson & Phryne Fisher 

{Miss Fisher's Murder Mysteries} 

Nathan Page & Essie Davis

11. Roger Hamley & Molly Gibson 

{Wives & Daughters} 

Anthony Howell & Justine Waddell

12. Matthew Crawley & Lady Mary Crawley 

{Downton Abbey} 

Dan Stevens & Michelle Dockery

13. Dick Dewy & Fancy Day 

{Under the Greenwood Tree} 

James Murray & Keeley Hawes

14. Captain Thomas Gillan & Kitty Trevelyan 

{The Crimson Field} 

Richard Rankin & Oona Chaplin

15. James Percy & Edith Adelon 

{The Inheritance} 

Thomas Gibson & Cari Shayne

My Thoughts on Doctor Thorne

So! I finally had the chance to watch this miniseries last weekend. After reading a few raving reviews, I'd had it on my radar for several months but hadn't sought it out at the library (my go to for period dramas that I'm uncertain whether I'll enjoy). That changed when I was reminded again the other day and lo and behold my library had a copy all ready for me! Love it when that happens, especially as it happens so rarely. And I proceeded to thoroughly enjoy all three hours with these characters. :)

{Also, I'm terrible about talking about these sorts of things without a few spoilers, so beware!}

Firstly, it didn't take long for me to decide I liked Doctor Thorne himself. He is played so wonderfully by Tom Hollander, who I've seen in other things but hadn't liked him as well as I do this character. In fact, I think the last one I'd watched him portray was Mr. Collins from P&P '05, so you can imagine that I was perfectly willing to see him as a very different character! I do enjoy him as Osborne Hamley in Wives and Daughters, but I believe that this is my new favorite character for him. :) Doctor Thorne is just so very gentle and kind. Yet when his niece is hurting, he is well able to become as fierce a protector as needed! One of my favorite scenes with him is when he is defending Mary against Lady Arabella. He knows just how to make Lady Arabella aware of how awful she is! I loved how he is always proper in his responses, yet there is no doubt the severity of his choice of words. He will not stand having Mary hurt and his love for her is so fatherly and wonderful. Time and time again he stands between her and those who would potentially hurt her and it just made me so happy. Knowing the circumstances of how she came to live with him, especially when he had to have made those choices when he was still young and could've chosen differently, well that just proves to me how amazing he truly is. He also has this hilarious, sarcastic sort of wit. He'll be so quiet, just listening to whomever is talking, when suddenly he throws out this little rejoinder that makes you laugh! Also, he is quite observant, with a lot of wisdom. Definitely someone to be counted on for careful advice. He is absolutely the highlight of this miniseries for me! :)

Then there's Mary, herself, and Frank. I'm lumping them together because so much of the plotline revolves around separating these two lovers. Both actors (Stefani Martini and Harry Richardson) do a fine job, they're newbies so this is the first time I've watched them. I enjoyed their interactions, especially as both are simply nice characters. The only qualm I have is that the falling in love part of their relationship happened off screen, prior to the opening scene, so while I appreciated that they were in love, I could never fully invest in their desperation, especially Frank's. Perhaps it was just me (probably so), but their romance just didn't hold me as captive as I wished, it simply didn't ring totally true. That doesn't mean they weren't all kinds of cute though! Because they were. And I was definitely rooting for their happy ever after. So while I wasn't blown away by the romantic parts of the miniseries, I was impressed with Stefanie and Harry and will certainly look forward to (hopefully) watching them in future projects!

There's also Lady Arabella (who is perfectly horrid and I absolutely laughed and laughed when she got her comeuppance! :), her husband whose name I forget (but who I liked, especially his friendship with Doctor Thorne. I just wish he would've had a bit more of a backbone, or at least shown it a lot earlier), the mysterious Miss Dunstable (played by Alison Brie, who held her own very well against all these English actors/actresses), and Sir Roger Scratcherd (played by the awesome Ian McShane, and while his character wasn't entirely likeable, he had a good heart. And his final scenes were heart-wrenching and beautifully played, so I easily forgave his alcoholic tendencies. Plus his friendship with Doctor Thorne was fun, they danced around each other like old friends do and I simply loved their interactions, even as I would get frustrated with Sir Roger himself). Other minor characters make an impact whether good (Sir Roger's sweet and funny little wife) or horrible (Louis Scratcherd, Sir Roger's son who I could've done without. But then, I suppose we wouldn't have a story, would we? ;). Also, Frank's sisters are sweet, if a bit silly (especially Augusta, I did rather like Beatrice though!).

Moving into the other parts of the story besides characters, the cinematography is beautiful (naturally, it's the English countryside after all!). The plotline itself is intriguing. It definitely went in different ways than I was expecting, although there were several things that I figured out pretty quickly (which is abnormal for me actually. I'm not usually so smart when it comes to figuring out what's going to happen next!). It's based on a book by Anthony Trollope, who's had books adapted before but I haven't watched them. Now I'm convinced perhaps I should give them a try! I laughed quite a lot during my watch, and there's the proper amount of romance to bring a few swoons your way, plus the mysteries sufficiently drew my curiosity, so all in all I really liked this miniseries. I'm thinking it'll be added to my personal library someday. Perhaps! :) Definitely worth a watch, if you enjoy these sorts of period dramas. Watch it for Tom Hollander's Doctor Thorne, if nothing else! :)

A Period Drama Tag

The lovely Hamlette tagged me with this the other day. It's certainly no secret that I love period dramas, so this is perfect for me! Plus, as y'all well know, I am always happy to gush over my favorites. :)

1. What's your favorite Period Drama movie?

Like 95% of my favorites are miniseries, now that I'm thinking about it. So out of the actual movies that I've seen, I'll go with the Pride and Prejudice, 2005. I have watched just about all of the adaptations of her books that are out there and P&P still remains a fave.

2. What's your favorite Period Drama series?

North and South, of course!!! I have rewatched that miniseries countless times and I have yet to get tired of it. :)

3. Which Period Drama do you dislike the most?

I'm not sure I'd say I dislike it the most, but the first one that comes to mind is Northanger Abbey, 1986. I've tried watching it and have yet to be able to actually finish. There just wasn't anything I liked about it, which made me very wary about reading the book. But! The newer version from 2007 is one of my favorites! So I hope to finish the book soon. (I started it earlier this year, got distracted, and haven't gotten back to it yet.)

4. Anne of Green Gables or Little Dorrit?

Anne of Green Gables, for sure! I love Anne. I love Gilbert. I love Matthew and Marilla. There simply isn't much about the miniseries that I don't love! :)

5. Your favorite Period Drama dresses?

I have to confess I don't remember specific ones very well. But! I do know I love this one on Margaret, during that delightful train station scene. :)

OH! And I like this one on Anne. It's not a dress, it's an outer garment (the name is escaping me), but I admire it every time I watch this movie.

6. Who's your favorite Period Drama character? (Okay, pick at least five)

John Thornton {North and South} - I love his steady devotion to Margaret Hale, even in the face of her rejection. I love how he cares for his family and his workers. His heart is one of the best! (And okay, so it probably has a whole lot to do with Richard Armitage too. ;)

Anne Elliot {Persuasion} - I love so much about her! She's one of those characters who has such tremendous depth, that with each reread, I see a new aspect to her that I never noticed before. As Hamlette so eloquently said, "I prefer to think of her as strong. It takes a lot of inner strength to do something you don't want to do, and Anne does things she dislikes over and over."

Dorcas Lane {Lark Rise to Candleford} - I admit that it took well into the second season for me to really like Dorcas, but by season four she was one of my favorite characters on the show. Her love and care for all those around her is wonderful, and even if she does tend to be a bit of a busybody, it's always with the best of intentions. (And actually, I love all the characters from this show! If you haven't watched it, you really should. :)

Anne Shirley {Anne of Green Gables} - I love her vivid imagination! "Her imagination takes her out of her dismal world and puts her in a glorious and wonderful place. Even though it's only in her mind, the mere fact that she chooses to look at the bright side, when she's known nothing but clouds, is really incredible." Her way of seeing the best in the world, no matter her circumstances, is one of my favorite things about her.

All the "Amazons" {Cranford, & Return to Cranford} - I couldn't pick just one of these ladies! I love their friendships. They may hurt each other and at times not understand each other, but when push comes to shove, they always stay true to each other. No matter what any of them may be going through, their loyalty to one another comes through every single time. Plus they just make me laugh! :D They are each so very different, yet awesome in their own way. I simply can't love one more than another! (Well...except maybe for Miss Matty. I do love her quite a bit! :)

7. If you could join a royal ball, which dress would you wear? (Pick a Period Drama dress)

I had to go searching to try and find one, but I like either of these (from The Importance of Being Earnest).

8. What's your favorite Jane Austen movie?

Oh boy, I don't know if I can pick just one! I love all of them. :) But if I have to narrow it down, I'm going to go with these:

Persuasion ~ 2007 - I couldn't not mention my favorite Austen story! I'd probably say this one over the 1995 version simply because I love Rupert Penry-Jones as Captain Wentworth. :)

Emma ~ 2009 - This is the version that made me love Emma! Specifically the storyline, because I just couldn't seem to like the earlier versions much as I tried to. Let's just say that Jonny Lee Miller's Mr. Knightley convinced me.

Pride and Prejudice and Zombies ~ 2016 - I know, I know. But I love it! What can I say? I was trying to decide between this and The Lizzie Bennet Diaries, but since that one technically isn't a movie... For traditional P&P, I'd probably choose the 1995 version over the 2005, but I love both pretty equally for the record! :)

9. Downton Abbey or Call the Midwife?

Call the Midwife! I love the storylines, much better than the dramatics of Downton. (I still love Downton though! Just not as much as Call the Midwife.) The characters are unforgettable, especially the nuns. And Chummy! :) For more of my thoughts on the series, read this post.

10. Sybil Crawley, Jenny Lee, Emma Woodhouse, or Marian of Knighton?

I've not ever "met" Marian, so of the other three, I'll go with Jenny Lee. I loved how she grew and changed over the course of three seasons and her final episode was a nice send off for her.

11. Which couples of a Period Drama do you like the most? (Pick at least four)

John Thornton and Margaret Hale {North and South}

Captain Wentworth and Anne Elliot {Persuasion}

Gilbert Blythe and Anne Shirley {Anne of Green Gables}

Molly Gibson and Roger Hamley {Wives and Daughters}

12. And last, which Period Drama villain do you like the most?

Actually I'm going to mention North and South again, because one thing I love about that story is the fact that there isn't really a villain. I guess you could say that Hannah Thornton, John's mother, kind of is, but she's not truly villainous. The biggest hindrance to the storyline is really the characters themselves. Characters who start out antagonistically, have grown and changed by the end, and some have even become friends with their "enemy" (like John and Nicholas! :).

I'm not quite sure who to tag, so feel free to join in if you like! The more the merrier, especially when it comes to gushing over period dramas. :)