Maurice Contrasts Societal-Ingrained Loneliness With Romantic Unity

Maurice begins on a highly amusing note. An eleven-year-old version of the titular protagonist is talking with a schoolteacher on the beach. The teacher begins to explain to the youngster that he's about to underdog the process of puberty. To illustrate this point, the schoolteacher proceeds to grab a stick and use it to make a variety of drawings of human genitalia in the sand. Now he's got a visual aid for his overall point. After their conversation, the two characters begin to walk away only for Maurice to realize that the drawings are still etched into the sand. Just as the schoolteacher hopes the tide has washed them away, a family comes upon the doodles and becomes aghast.

The Spectacular Feature Sense & Sensibility is a Great Example of Using Big-Name Talent Right

Ang Lee is not content to do just one type of movie. The filmography of this Oscar-winning filmmaker spans all kinds of movies inhabiting a variety of genres and exploring different scopes of storytelling. Sometimes he goes small and intimate, other times he does sweeping visual effects heavy allegorical exercises and other times still he does a Marvel Comics superhero movie that explores the long-term effects of parental abuse. Ang Lee goes in such bold directions as a filmmaker that even a more lackluster film like Billy Lynn's Long Halftime Walk has individual elements one can admire. No wonder then that pairing this kind of filmmaker with a collection of top-notch British actors and one of the most acclaimed works by Jane Austen resulted in a truly special film.

A Very English Scandal Is An Overly Hurried But Well-Acted TV Series

A Very English Scandal is...good, but it's one of those pop culture properties I found myself wishing I liked more. It's got a whole bunch of stuff I absolutely love in it, namely actors Ben Whishaw & Hugh Grant, unbelievable true stories and stories about LGBTQA+ individuals, but the resulting end product is more agreeable than unforgettable. Before delving into why exactly that's the case, allow me to first clarify what exactly the scandal of A Very English Scandal is. Back in the early 1960's, Jeremy Thorpe (Hugh Grant) was a high-profile member of the British Parliament when he carried out an extended sexual and romantic relationship with Norman Scott (Ben Whishaw), one that came to a heated end before the 60's themselves wrapped up.

Prepare For Oodles of Laughs And Kindness, Paddington 2 Is Here!

This perception (which is, as so many pieces of entertainment from decades past can attest, is far from new) that films or tv shows aimed at children must be as loud, grating and hip as possible to attract their attention is a thoroughly insulting concept, especially in regards to children themselves. Yes, there are programs that fit such a bill that kids like but it's not the only way to create pieces of pop culture that youngsters enjoy. The first Paddington movie, about a small bear from Peru who goes to London to live with a human family, from three years ago threw off the shackles of default family entertainment and embraced with, charm and an infectious sense of sweetness instead. The result was something shockingly enjoyable that succeeded as much as a comedy as it did as a family movie.

Florence Foster Jenkins Just Can't Quite Carry A Tune Or Its Story

It's pretty clear that Florence Foster Jenkins wants to be the new watermark for inspirational cinema, the kind of film that's a feel-good adventure that inspires individuals to embrace their own talents and not let the obstacles of the world get in their way. A noble artistic goal, but one that's distinctly at odds with the true-ish story it's presenting that concerns a woman named Florence Foster Jenkins (Meryl Streep) who has dreams of singing in super public places, despite her vocal talent not being the best around.