Review some stuff (LIKE A BOSS!).

So I saw this today:


It was...incredible. It was such a good movie. Everything about it was really fantastic. It was touching without being sentimental, funny without being absurd and heartwarming/inspirational in all the best ways. There was really nothing in it. False. There is some spewing of Tourette's-like language. But it's one of the rare instances where the foul language actually SERVES a purpose. It's not just thrown in there haphazardly because of the writers' lack of creativity. One of the things I liked best about it is that it's true, and it had a wonderfully happy ending. Even though the film stops short of actually showing you, you know that Hitler was defeated and the King's daughter, Elizabeth, took the throne (and is still there). And oh my word. If Colin Firth doesn't nab an Oscar for this, I'm not sure what the Academy expects him to do next to top this. It was one of those really rare, truly moving performances where you feel the actor was MADE to play the role. Like Keira Knightley in "The Duchess" or Stephen Fry in "Wilde." If you're a fan of the British monarchy, historical films, Colin Firth/Geoffrey Rush/Helena Bonham Carter/that guy who played Peter Pettigrew, or all of the above, GO SEE IT. So underrated.


Also, I received a number of books for Christmas, which I'm not really sure how to categorize. Fiction, obviously. But it's like, fiction about fiction. Books people write based off other books, either sequels, prequels or off-shoots. One of these books was The Phantom of Pemberley based on, you guessed it, Pride and Prejudice.

I was super skeptical, because those who know me know P&P ties with Wuthering Heights as my favorite novel. Naturally, you shouldn't tamper with things that are already nigh perfect. So I went into this the way I go into all books of this sort: I tend to think of them as glorified fanfiction. Not that there is anything wrong with fanfiction. I think it's a really wonderful way for timid writers to come into their skins and get practice at writing before moving on to original material (it's also a nice diversion for "serious writers"--as if there is such a thing--to just write something fun and likely silly). Anyway, that's how I think of these books. Because that's what they are, really. Fanfic that someone decided was good enough to bind and publish.

And in keeping with that, the book lived up to my expectations. It is unapologetically silly. It's like Clue, but in Pemberley. Darcy and Elizabeth have been married for like, a year, and then they end up taking in a grand party of like 10 people in during a blizzard. Then people start dying and no one can escape because of the shite weather, so they're just heaping dead bodies in the attic. And Darcy's way of dealing with it? Bedding Elizabeth, naturally. It's just one of those kinds of books. It is so silly, but engaging and highly entertaining. Nothing deep here--the plot was predictable and the villain highly cliched, but I read it cover to cover in about two days just because it was FUN. So if you like P&P, go for it. It'd be hard to read if you're not familiar with the original, so I'd suggest having a base knowledge of Austen's original beforehand. Otherwise, if you're looking for something unbelievably goofy, fun and amusing, GO FOR IT.


I'm currently reading another out of the same heap, Mistress Shakespeare. I'm about halfway through and will review it, too. Since I know you guys won't do ANYTHING unless I say it's okay. ;)