The standout film discussed this month was Hamnet, although there were others some of the class saw and enjoyed.
Hamnet: After losing their son Hamnet to plague, Agnes (Anne) and William Shakespeare grapple with grief in 16th-century England. The film tells the powerful story of love and loss that inspired the creation of Shakespeare's Hamlet. This was an amazing exploration of grief. The performances were outstanding – all the speaking roles were great. Hamnet had a twin sister and the connection between the two was portrayed well. Costuming and cinematography were also very well done. It was an interesting take on the story of the relationship & the different way in which they handled their grief.We rated it as 4.0-4.5/5.
Hamnet: After losing their son Hamnet to plague, Agnes (Anne) and William Shakespeare grapple with grief in 16th-century England. The film tells the powerful story of love and loss that inspired the creation of Shakespeare's Hamlet. This was an amazing exploration of grief. The performances were outstanding – all the speaking roles were great. Hamnet had a twin sister and the connection between the two was portrayed well. Costuming and cinematography were also very well done. It was an interesting take on the story of the relationship & the different way in which they handled their grief.We rated it as 4.0-4.5/5.
Addition: Discussion of this film was held over from our February class to give more people a chance to see the film. It is an Australian film set in Melbourne. It tells the story of a woman who holds her world together by counting everything. Things always had to be in sets of ten. As the story unfolds, we see the cause of her mental issues: PTSD arising from the death of a brother. We see the impacts of treatment she receives on her personality, all handled sensitively. It was realistic, without going over the top. We rated it as 3.0-4.0/5.
“Wuthering Heights”: this was not really based on the book, but more the reaction of the Director when she had read the book as a teenager. Comments were around it being dark and based on obsession rather than a romance.
Send Help: An employee and her insufferable boss become stranded on an island. She had been a fan of various survivor television series and books. She was obsessed with her boss and worked to help them survive and keep them stranded. The first half of the film had possibilities, but it then turned strange and brutal. She became a psychopath in trying to keep her former boss to herself. A disappointing film overall. We rated it as 2.0-2.5/5.
Elvis: Elvis Presley in Concert: Footage of concerts and comments by Elvis Presley were brought together in this documentary. The footage was well restored and showed Elvis during his good times. We received insights into his personality and behind the scenes activities. We rated it as 3.0-4.0/5.
How to Make a Killing: With his mother disowned by her obscenely rich family before his birth, Becket sets out to reclaim his inheritance, even if it means killing all those who stood in his way. We hear his story while he waits for execution for the one murder he did not commit. Some humour with a few twists that make it interesting. The only likable characters are Becket and his fiancé. We rated it as 3.0/5.
Joy Shirley
“Wuthering Heights”: this was not really based on the book, but more the reaction of the Director when she had read the book as a teenager. Comments were around it being dark and based on obsession rather than a romance.
Send Help: An employee and her insufferable boss become stranded on an island. She had been a fan of various survivor television series and books. She was obsessed with her boss and worked to help them survive and keep them stranded. The first half of the film had possibilities, but it then turned strange and brutal. She became a psychopath in trying to keep her former boss to herself. A disappointing film overall. We rated it as 2.0-2.5/5.
Elvis: Elvis Presley in Concert: Footage of concerts and comments by Elvis Presley were brought together in this documentary. The footage was well restored and showed Elvis during his good times. We received insights into his personality and behind the scenes activities. We rated it as 3.0-4.0/5.
How to Make a Killing: With his mother disowned by her obscenely rich family before his birth, Becket sets out to reclaim his inheritance, even if it means killing all those who stood in his way. We hear his story while he waits for execution for the one murder he did not commit. Some humour with a few twists that make it interesting. The only likable characters are Becket and his fiancé. We rated it as 3.0/5.
Joy Shirley
