Calendar Girls (2003) | Helen Mirren, Julie Walters | A treat for all women and the men who love...

Calendar Girls (2003) | Helen Mirren, Julie Walters | Life in Rural Britain

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Calendar Girls (2003)

	Calendar Girls (2003) Helen Mirren, Julie Walters Walt Disney Video, 2004 average customer review:based on 99 reviews view larger image
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highly recommended

A treat for all women and the men who love them

This is a magnificent British comedy that is all heart. From the stodgy weekly W.I. meetings to the globe trotting gals with a cause, the story of Chris and Annie will truly show why we do the things we do for those we love.

Based on a true story, these women brought art and humor to what is traditionally a difficult time. After Annie lost her brave husband to leukemia, she and Chris set out to make a difference for those who will have to face the same in the future. Told from the point of view of Chris, who masterminds the photo shoots, press releases and gives a stirring speech in front of the congress of the W.I., Helen Mirren delivers a top notch performance that will have you rooting for the girls in no time.

There comes to be a bit of a rift that the celebrity status the women gain to those who chose to be on the calendar. In the small town in England where they live, many people shook their heads and said the most unpleasant things. As we all know this can be difficult on families and we see the bond the women have to help triumph the greater cause while coming together to support one another.

I must also mention the bonus material on the dvd. It includes interviews with the real women and some background on the calendar that the film was unable to cover. The material is very well done and adds a delightful bonus to see the actual women that brought this all together.

The performances in this film were excellent and the English countryside that we are treated to as the ladies do their Tai Chi is breathtaking. I thoroughly enjoyed this film and would proudly stage the same rally for such a worthy cause.

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Life in Rural Britain

The movie is based on a true story,it is very funny,true to life,defining friendship in times of need,and gives a superb insite into life in Rural Britain.

Don't. Touch. The buns.

I really enjoyed this film. There was something about this film that just brought a smile to my face. There wasn't any CGI, there weren't any explosions or curse words, and there wasn't any sex, just women doing whatever they could to raise money for a friend. The theme of friendship was so relevant in this movie that it brought joy to me to know that this sort of friendship exists all over the world. That people are willing to sacrifice everything to ensure that their "friend" is helped in every way possible. This was a joy to see. Living in the world that we do, hatred lurking around every dark corner, it was a pleasure just to enjoy a film that had a theme of happiness and friendship, instead of sex, booze, and violence. It was a warm welcome in our "action movie" society. These were real people conquering real problems using only their minds, words, and friends. Perhaps it is a lesson for all of us next time we consider the option of violence to solve whatever problem ails us.

Continuing with the idea of reality, I would like to stress another reason why this film was so good. The genuine emotion behind the film was strong. There was a sense of love in every shot, even those where you think it could not exist, it is there. This film felt very real to me. While I know it was based on a true story, there was something about the characters and the way that it was filmed that had me rooting for these women from the beginning. Perhaps it is the element of community that is built early on in the film, or again, the theme of friendship that is a driving force behind most of the action in Calendar Girls, but this film gave me that warm fuzzy sensation that had not been felt by any other film watched this weekend.

What are the elements that I think made this film into an amazing picture? I would have to go with the believability of the story. As I mentioned above, the realism was apparent throughout all the actions that these ladies do. I really felt this could happen ... and it did! The acting was superb. Helen Mirren and Julie Walters do an exceptional job of playing best friends. I could see it from the moment they first spoke. Words were not needed to see the bond between these two characters, which ultimately made for enjoyable viewing. With these two key players in place, the rest of the ladies seemed like sheer perfection. They each fit their part to the "T". They made me laugh, tear up at times, and bring out a real emotion that other films could not. Then finally, there was the background. This was set in one of the most beautiful locations in England, and it only helps solidify the rest of the story. My only complaint was that there wasn't enough between Chris and her son. He was hugely defying her in many ways, but instead she chose to ignore it and pursue her dream in Hollywood. I needed more from this back-story, but unfortunately it never arrived.

Grade: **** out of *****

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Good

I'm resisting all the arty-farty movies so with so many DVDs sitting on my shelf, I started off with Calendar Girls. It was the same old feel old trash about finding oneself, then losing oneself, then refinding oneself.

I love trash. Bittersweet trash.

reviews: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, page 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17

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