"War and Peace"
The latest adaptation of Leo Tolstoy’s much beloved novel is this BBC produced mini-series, which features an all-star ensemble of international talent. The cast is led by “Cinderella” star Lily James, acclaimed “Love and Mercy” actor Paul Dano, and rounded out by cult favorite Gillian Anderson (“The X-Files”, “The Fall”).They are not the only big names starring in this adaptation. “War and Peace” features just about every actor who’s already made a mark or is primed to. Oscar winner Jim Broadbent, Oscar nominee Stephen Rae, revered thespian Brian Cox, rising British talent James Norton and fan fave “White Queen” actor Aneurin Barnard, also star.
For those unfamiliar with the plotline, Tolstoy’s epic tome follows
the tangled lives of five (5) aristocratic Russian families as they face the life-altering tides of war and home-born conflict. The series will be broken up into
four (4) parts, each running two (2) hours. Every piece will be simulcast on three (3) networks: A and E, History Channel
and Lifetime. The premiere installment debuted this week and it was a
compelling watch.
The digital cinematography and ambitious camera work takes some getting used to. While the blinding lighting is much more difficult to get past, as it constantly overpowers the color palette of every scene with a snowy wash that drains every ounce of warmth that tries to emerge. The lack of authentic Russian accents being utilized is another distraction one must overlook.
The digital cinematography and ambitious camera work takes some getting used to. While the blinding lighting is much more difficult to get past, as it constantly overpowers the color palette of every scene with a snowy wash that drains every ounce of warmth that tries to emerge. The lack of authentic Russian accents being utilized is another distraction one must overlook.
The opening hour mainly focused on Dano’s Pierre and James Norton’s
Andrei. Dano’s casting is pitch perfect, as he captures the newly appointed
Count’s bustling intellect, awkward social graces and tender heart, to magnificent
effect. An impressive early breakout among the high-profile cast is Tuppence
Middleton, whose flashy role as the scandalous Helene oozes all of the
requisite dark charm and vixen-y cunning, one would hope to see exuded in such
a portrayal.
Hers is a scene stealing role and she plays it for all its worth. After showing great promise with her roles in the movies: “Tormented”, “Chatroom” and “Trap for Cinderella”; it’s nice to see her getting the chance to command such a character.
Hers is a scene stealing role and she plays it for all its worth. After showing great promise with her roles in the movies: “Tormented”, “Chatroom” and “Trap for Cinderella”; it’s nice to see her getting the chance to command such a character.
For anyone wondering how the mini-series compares to King
Vidor’s sweeping 1956 adaptation starring Audrey Hepburn as the vivacious Natasha
and Henry Fonda and Mel Ferrer as Pierre and Andrei, respectively; the answer
is it’s too soon to tell. Vidor’s had all of the hallmarks of a grandiose
classic, though the miscasting of Fonda is too glaring to ignore, as it cut into
the film’s quality exponentially.
Viewers have yet to see much of Lily James’ Natasha so there’s much more in store to see before making a firm comparison. So far 2016’s “War & Peace” can be credited for imbuing a modern stylistic edge to its classical foundation. That said, the long shadow cast by 2015’s banner showcase of costume dramas has given it a strong comparative context to overcome.
Viewers have yet to see much of Lily James’ Natasha so there’s much more in store to see before making a firm comparison. So far 2016’s “War & Peace” can be credited for imbuing a modern stylistic edge to its classical foundation. That said, the long shadow cast by 2015’s banner showcase of costume dramas has given it a strong comparative context to overcome.
When to Watch: Mondays at 9/8c
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| [Image by The CW] |
"Legends of Tomorrow"
The best thing about the rocky third season of “Arrow” was Brandon Routh and his unflappably charismatic incarnation of Ray Palmer, the businessman/scientist/inventor/tech wizard/aspiring superhero extraordinaire who temporarily swept Felicity off her feet.If there’s one character that has earned the right to a spin-off series, it's been Routh/Ray. So when news broke that an Atom spin-off was actually happening, personal excitement went through the roof and then…the plot summary was released. Unfortunately for fans who desired a standalone, starring spin-off for the incredible character, that isn’t in the cards.
Palmer will instead be relegated to sharing lead status with a (frustratingly) back from the dead Sara Lance/White Canary (Caity Lotz) and the villainous gruesome twosome: Captain Cold (Wentworth Miller) and Heat Wave (Dominic Purcell). If ever there were characters that didn't deserve to be featured in a spin-off it is the latter three. The good news is the always entertaining Prof. Martin Stein/Firestorm (Victor
Garber) will be around to counteract their presence.
New characters set to comprise the "Legends of Tomorrow" were recently introduced on episodes of "The Flash" and "Arrow". They include Jefferson "Jax" Jackson/Firestorm (Franz Drameh), Kendra Saunders/Hawkgirl (Ciara Renee) and Carter Hall/Hawkman (Falk Hentschel).
Making his franchise debut is Rip Hunter (Arthur Darvill), the time traveler who brings the “Legends of Tomorrow” together to save the world from Vandal Savage (Casper Crump). The resurrection of Sara Lance is enough to make this viewer want to skip this entirely but the hope of seeing Ray Palmer and others spring into action; makes it too tempting to not at least try once.
New characters set to comprise the "Legends of Tomorrow" were recently introduced on episodes of "The Flash" and "Arrow". They include Jefferson "Jax" Jackson/Firestorm (Franz Drameh), Kendra Saunders/Hawkgirl (Ciara Renee) and Carter Hall/Hawkman (Falk Hentschel).
Making his franchise debut is Rip Hunter (Arthur Darvill), the time traveler who brings the “Legends of Tomorrow” together to save the world from Vandal Savage (Casper Crump). The resurrection of Sara Lance is enough to make this viewer want to skip this entirely but the hope of seeing Ray Palmer and others spring into action; makes it too tempting to not at least try once.
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