Sorry. The wounds are probably still fresh if you've just finished Season 3. But I finished it last fall when it came out in Britain (thanks to my London-based VPN, changed solely for watching Downton Abbey, btw), and I'm calloused now.
It was a pretty painful withdrawal those first few weeks after the Christmas special, though. I needed something, ANYTHING, to get my fix of romantic period pieces. I went through a bunch on Netflix, and for a while I was on a pretty winning streak! Occasionally it would recommend some crappy chick-flick, but once I saw the opening scene of a desperately lonely writer/journalist in New York City, I'd just stop right there.
But I did find a few I'd like to recommend.
My new favorite movie? The Young Victoria
I've watched it three times in the last few months, and I'm feeling like it's been too long since I last watched it.
I also really loved Miss Potter.
I'd like to recommend Gosford Park, with the one caveat that it is rated R.
I really REALLY don't like watching R-rated movies, but the allure of watching another one of Julian Fellowes's pieces was just too much. I read the reviews, and besides some F-bombs and a scene involving "thrusting," it wasn't terribly scandalous.
This has the same feel of Downton Abbey, with the story bouncing around between upstairs and downstairs. It even has Maggie Smith in it, though her character is a lot more shallow and silly than Granny in Downton Abbey, whom I love.
So... I liked it and I recommend it, but with a grain of salt.
Lost in Austen
Basic premise: a modern-day Jane Austen fan switches places with Elizabeth Bennet, and the story of Pride and Prejudice unfolds around her. Her presence and interactions cause some... changes... in the story.
I was a little wary that it would be too hokey and cheesy, but really, once the story gets going, I thought the writers did a great job with it! The story may change a bit, but I thought they stayed true to the characters and gave them some fun interpretations!
And my last recommendation for tonight: My Girlfriend's Boyfriend
So there you have it. I've watched a few other movies as well (North & South, Pride and Prejudice, Emma), which are well-known favorites. These are ones I've recently discovered for myself.
Is there anything I should add to this list?
5 comments:
Add these to your list:
The Forsythe Saga
Upstairs Downstairs
Cranford
Lark Rise to Candleford
Wuthering Heights (2009)
If you like your period pieces with a little mystery:
Foyle's War
If you like your period pieces with a little adventure:
Horatio Hornblower
Have you seen North and South? You would love it.
I also liked Little Dorrit, but not as much as North and South.
Oh, good tips! I'll have to check out a few of these ones. I just discovered Roman Holiday last week (Audrey Hepburn + Gregory Peck), and really got into it. I just wish the ending was less realistic and more romantic.
Thanks for these recommendations! We checked out and enjoyed Miss Potter and Young Victoria because of your post and I really liked them both. Best new-to-me movies I've seen in awhile! I especially enjoyed Young Victoria for similar reasons you described (I felt smart watching it). That and the dresses are swoon-worthy. I usually don't notice that kind of thing but I LOVED the costumes in this movie. There were a couple of bonnets that she wore that made me wish that bonnets were in style. (I wouldn't be able to pull them off, surely.)
I think I saw Lost in Austen before (is it really rated R?? I might have used my DVD's skip option so maybe that's why I don't remember). I for sure saw My Girlfriend's Boyfriend -- after reading the novel. (This is one instance where the novel came after the movie, though -- it was written by Elodia Strain, who was in my BYU ward back in the day! All three of her books are very fun.)
Against the recommendations of pretty much everybody I know, I haven't started Downton Abbey! What's wrong with me? I've had the series checked out from the library twice now (waiting through a very long hold list) but there is something about watching hours worth of a show that makes me wary.
But speaking of watching hours worth of shows ... please tell me you've seen the Lizzie Bennet Diaries on Youtube? Now that I have been watching, just because it's five-minute episodes at a time! Very fun!
Oh wait; I just realized I misread your post and that Lost in Austen isn't the R-rated one you were talking about. My bad!
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