Sometimes a little film comes along that grabs your emotions and won’t let go. Such is the case for “Cheri,” a period film with some of the best period actors around.
It takes place in the decadent world of Paris at the dawn of the 20th century. Michelle Pfeiffer plays Lea, a legendary courtesan who agrees to undertake the romantic education of Chéri (Rupert Friend), the 19-year-old son of a former rival (Kathy Bates).
Lea is 30 years older than Chéri and the former lover of some of France’s wealthiest and most powerful men. The last thing she expects is to …read more

Time to resurrect Jane’s Favorite Movie Tunes with this lovely song from “Peter’s Friends,” a 1992 film about six former college friends who gather for a New Year’s Eve weekend reunion at a large English countryside manor. The film stars Hugh Laurie (loving him on “House” this season), Kenneth Branagh, Stephen Fry, Alphonsia Emmanuel, Emma Thompson, and Imelda Staunton. Have a listen …

The stars shone brightly at the screening of “Cheri” at the DGA Theater in New York City this week. Directed by Stephen Frears, the romantic drama is set in 1920s Paris and follows the son of a courtesan who escapes into a fantasy world after being forced to end a relationship with an older woman.
Frears has several British films to his directorial credits, including “The Queen” and “Mrs. Henderson Presents,” not to mention “The Grifters,” “Mary Reilly,” and “High Fidelity,” to name a few. And you couldn’t get a better cast, including Michelle Pfeiffer, Kathy Bates, and Rupert Friend. …read more

Here’s a movie that made the film festival circuit last year and was released in the U.K. in June 2008. As I understand it, "The Edge of Love" is now on DVD, but also getting a theater release in the U.S. on March 20, 2009.
It stars Keira Knightley and Sienna Miller as two free-spirited women both connected by the charismatic poet Dylan Thomas, who lived from 1914 to 1953. It looks like a great look into the Bohemian underground of London during and after World War II. 
Directed by John Maybury, "The Edge of Love" doesn’t have a U.S. …read more

“Death at a Funeral” has been on my To-Watch list for eons, but I’ve yet to get there yet. Has anyone seen the 2007 British flick?
I should watch it soon, so I can compare with the remake coming up. Chris Rock is on board to produce, star, and co-write the script with Aeysha Carr. Sidney Kimmel is part of the producing team.
According to The Hollywood Reporter, the new movie is an ensemble comedy that takes place in urban American. It centers on a funeral that devolves into a debacle of misplaced cadavers, indecent exposure and family …read more