Quartet with Maggie Smith directed by Dustin Hoffman

Quartet- just go and see it. If you are reading my blog, you will love this film. This film will not win any Academy Awards, nor should it. It will however have you leaving the theatre with a spring in your step and humming operatic tunes. By the way, you need to know nothing about opera or classical music to watch this.

"Getting old is not for sissies." Bette Davis

Maggie Smith stars as Jean Horton, an aging opera diva waiting for a new hip (again! same premise as Best Exotic Marigold Hotel) who has run out of money to pay for her incredibly gorgeous London flat and so has to move to Beecham House, opulent retirement home for aged musicians.

She arrives to a standing ovation, to find that her ex-husband, a few old friends and one rival diva rank amongst the inhabitants of  the home.

Tom Courtenay is Reginald Paget, Jean's ex and is particularly wonderful and moving I thought. Billy Connolly is randy old Wilf Bond, there for comic effect (brilliant move Dustin) and Pauline Collins is perfect as the adorable but slightly demented Cissy Robson.

Don't believe some of the cynical reviews out there. This one is a keeper and will be purchased by me to pull out regularly when I need a little lift. It is not a realistic film (if you have spent any time around a real retirement/nursing home you will know what I mean) but it is not meant to be. It is meant to be an uplifting, inspirational film about how to age gracefully, supported by good friends and continuing to pursue your passions. Kind of like hanging around with the coolest grandparents in England!

Don't confuse this film with A Late Quartet, also a very good film but about a string quartet, not an operatic quartet. The filmmakers used real musicians for all of the residents in the supporting cast, and Hoffman deftly gets around the fact that the titular Quartet are actors not singers. Here is a little taste to whet your appetite.

Ripper Street, Parade's End, Mr. Selfridge and more

Any fans of Matthew Macfadyen out there? You may want to check out Ripper Street, a BBC production coming to BBC America this Saturday January 19th at 9 pm. Called CSI Victorian London by The Telegraph, this is apparently a fairly gory but interesting and well produced crime drama, which just happens to be set in the 1880s.

There seem to be mixed reviews on this one. Some are really loving it, others are not so impressed. It is airing on Sunday nights in the UK right now and Mr. Selfridge, the much lighter-hearted story of the great retailer (ITV and Andrew Davies) is beating it out in ratings for the after Sunday dinner crowd. Any Brits out there who can weigh in on Ripper Street?

Parade's End, which airs on HBO on Tuesday February 26th is another one which is hard to make out. There are fabulous reviews and others ones which are lukewarm. Sumptuously filmed by the BBC, this adaptation of a classic English novel about the Great War may draw a few of us viewers just to see the gorgeous chameleon Benedict Cumberbatch. Apparently his fans in America (The Cumberbitches) will be thrilled. It is also packed with other stars such as Rebecca Hall, Rupert Everett, Miranda Richardson, Rufus Sewell, etc, etc. Too many to list!

I caught a snatch of this on YouTube before it was yanked and I liked it. However one viewer called it Parade Never Ends, so perhaps it drags toward the end. Again, anyone seen this and like to weigh in?

I am going to stick my neck out and predict that Mr. Selfridge, an ITV production written by the wonderful Andrew Davies (Pride and Prejudice, Bleak House, Sense and Sensibility) will be a little more universally appealing than the previous two offerings. Described as Downton in a department store, this one follows Harry Selfridge (Jeremy Piven) "The Showman Behind the Retail Empire" of Selfridges.

This one airs on PBS in March in 10 episodes (!!!) so all of a sudden, the winter looks shorter to me. Lots to look forward to.

The Bletchley Circle doesn't air until April 21 on PBS, but this story of 4 former code cracking ladies from Bletchley Park who find post-war Britain very dull and so move into solving a murder sounds like fun. Anna Maxwell Martin (Bleak House and Becoming Jane) is always wonderful to watch. We get the second season of Call the Midwife around the same time in the spring as well.

Not a period drama (but truly my cup of tea), Quartet is a light dramedy about the residents of a "retirement castle" (it is truly sumptuous) for classical musicians. The entire supporting cast are actually talented retirees and the stars are some of the best "experienced" actors that Britain has to offer. Dustin Hoffman directed this one and apparently had his hands full keeping Maggie Smith in line. I will be seeing this soon and will post a review.

Anyhow, there you have a sneak peek at some coming attractions. Anything else you are looking forward to that I neglected to mention? Or opinions on the above? Please comment below. We ALL want to hear from ALL of you!

Barney's Version -A really great flick

Barney's Version Poster

Barney's Version is a truly wonderful film. I'll go light on details so as not to spoil it, but basically, Barney is a Jewish guy living in Montreal and a book has been written about part of his life which Barney disputes, so he wants to tell "his version" of his life story. This film is based on the Giller Prize winning book of the same name by Mordecai Richler.

Barney marrying heavily pregnant wife #1 (Rachelle Lefevre) with best friend Boogie (Scott Speedman)

The main plot is about how 3 gorgeous women fall for this hard drinking, cigar chomping, schlub of a guy, played to a tee by Paul Giamatti. This film is funny, it's heartbreaking and most of all very entertaining. Minnie Driver gives an absolutely hilarious performance as his second wife (with a MASTERS degree) and Rosamund Pike is luminous as Barney's long suffering third wife.

Barney (Paul Giamatti) and his dad (Dustin Hoffman)

An interesting piece of casting has Barney's father played by Dustin Hoffman, thankfully back from the land of the Fockers for this wonderful performance and Hoffman's real life son, actor Jake Hoffman, playing Barney's son.

Barney wooing wife #3 (Rosamund Pike)

I always find that the best films are the ones which mix humour with tragedy and give you a script where you cannot predict where the film is going. This one gives all of that and more. Toss in some gorgeous Canadian scenery both of Montreal and of cottage country (or the "Bush" as Shania Twain likes to call it) and you have a thoroughly satisfying flick.

Barney's second wife (Minnie Driver at her all time best)

Kick back and have a good laugh and a good cry over this one my friends.

P.S. If you don't understand the twist at the end, post a comment and I'll help you out.