Iris
If you’re wondering why Dame Judi gets so much acclaim, this movie will show you why very well.
It’s another terribly depressing but wonderful movie. I seem to have a knack for picking those lately. Or maybe that’s just my reaction to a lot of the movies I’m choosing. No matter. I would watch this again and again just to see Judi Dench deliver.
The description of this movie both on Netflix and the IMDB isn’t correct, in my opinion. They both make it sound like the movie focuses on Iris’ younger years and tells her whole life story. In truth, while are several scenes with Kate Winslet portraying Iris Murdoch as a young writer, before her first novel was published (and Kate Winslet does a great job with them), there are almost no scenes whatsoever between that time and the period the movie mainly focuses on, which is her post-Alzheimer’s life. And that is where Dame Judi’s skills as an actress really shine through, because that vacant, lostness that comes from Alzheimer’s is really hard to duplicate, and she does it magnificently.
Jim Broadbent also does a wonderful job playing her frustrated, barely-coping husband, John Bayley, and the supporting cast also did their job very well.
Now for my embarrassing admissions - I have not read the books the screenplay was based on, nor have I read any of Ms. Murdoch’s novels. I’m interested enough from the movie that I probably will seek them out. I found the character intimidating, especially since I love words but I’m nowhere near the word-crafter most of you all are.
Underworld
Kate Becksinsale is pretty. Actually, everyone in this is pretty, even when they’re dirty and bloody. The costumes and sets are fun. None of the acting or writing is notable. Overall, Underworld is an okay way to spend two hours, with a nice anti-bigotry/ pro-interracial relationship message at the bottom of it. My one complaint is that there are a few two many fight scenes. They are all well choreographed, but there are so many that they start to run together in the middle. I feel asleep for about 20 minutes.
D did not like the loud noises, especially the thunder in the opening scene, but he seemed to get used to it as the movie went on and slept almost as well as I did during my nap.
I don’t remember the sequel being released, but it was quite obvious from the ending that there was going to be one.