TV Meme, Day 17: My Favourite Mini-Series TV Movie

I don’t know why this question didn’t appeal to me, I don’t feel like writing on any of the few miniseries I’ve seen (really Angels in America does little for me outside of Emma Thompson). The thing is I’m writing about two shows, for entirely different reasons…well almost. The thing that always strikes me about films on television is how ignored they are. See, if it weren’t for my rebelliousness then they wouldn’t have been featured on this meme. I’m focusing on two films, one I consider to be the best Iraq film even though it occurs a decade before any ostensible moves for war was made. It is also one of my favourite movies. The second – though faulty at times – is what I consider to be the greatest adaptation of a classic play. Here they are, in reverse order.

A Raisin in the Sun (2008)

I was interested in this before any signs of a film were imminent. You know how angry I get about my lack of exposure to Broadway…and the Broadway revival of A Raisin in the Sun with Phylicia Rashad, Audra McDonald and Sanaa Lathan. So when ABC (sometimes wise, sometimes not) decided to bring it to the television. I was elated…I watched it the night and I was doubly impressed by everyone but Sean Combes (what’s his alias now Poofy, Puffy, Diddy, Daddy, PD…) who I was just glad did not obliterate all the goodness of the rest of the cast. In fact were it not for Combes this incarnation would be twice as good as the excellent film adaptation with Mr. Poitier….I don’t know why someone like Don Cheadle could not have gotten the role (but who am I kidding, Combes is a big name)…but in all other aspects the film towers above past incarnations. Reel Whore paid some attention to Sanaa a few weeks back, and I wondered why this woman isn’t getting better roles. I’d like to believe it’s more than the stock answer that she’s black…is it really that simple? Sanaaa is too old for the role of the irrepressible hell raiser Beneatha, but you’d never know watching her here. It’s more than Beneatha being irresponsible at times and Sanaa knows that.

              

Watching her play against Rashad as her mother is lovely. Always known for her quietness Phylicia puts it to good use here turning Lena into a lovely creation that’s still flawed enough to be believed. She really is all you could hope for in the character of sedate Lena Younger. But, in a film boasting a trio of excellent female performances it is four time Tony Award winner and double Emmy nominee Audra McDonald who gives the the film’s best performance. She is more Lena’s daughter than daughter-in-law and the rapport between her and everyone around her is exceptional. A pivotal scene (not from the play) where Ruth attempts to have an abortion is played out excellently as Audra utters not a single work but still manages to exude all we could hope for. Really, A Raisin in the Sun is something lovely to watch…with a cast of principally black actors it is credit to the play and to the talent (even Combes).

B+/A-

                

Live From Baghdad (2002)

Helena Bonham Carter is an actress who constantly amazes with her eclectic talent. Live From Baghdad would rank as one of my seven favourite HBC performances, even though she is not the lead (only a strong supporter). Michael Keaton (at his best) plays Bon Wiener a journalist who gets sent to cover the rising conflict between US and Iraq in the very early nineties. Bonham Carter’s Ingrid Fromaneck is one of his journalist allies. What makes Live From Baghdad so excellent is the fact that it defies labels. It’s natural is more humorous than many “comedies”, it’s honesty is more intense and dramatic than many “dramas” and though it never reaches a war it touches more on the issues of war more than many “war films”. In short – it is what I consider to be one of the strongest contemporary films and one of the best films of the decade (TV or otherwise).

          

Backed my an excellent supporting cast Live From Baghdad points now fingers, and it tries to wrongfully implicate no one - in that way it is like journalism, it doesn't take sides. But it's humanistic too. Each of these journalists have their issues and David Suchet gives a subtle performance as an Iraqui minister managing to hold his own against Bonham Carter and Keaton. Truly, HBO would have done well to release this on the big screen...

A+

           

There you go, have you seen either of the two or do you not go in for films on TV?

        

This is all for the MEME.

Helena Bonham Carter...I Love You...

Back when no one was reading, I posted my thoughts on Helena Bonham Carter. Here is the post in its entirety...

I was going to write about Kristin Scott Thomas, but I saw Harry Potter & the Half Blood Prince yesterday and all my adoration of Helena Bonham Carter [or HBC] came rushing back and I decided I'd do her instead. While writing this post I realised that even though I have a few of her films on DVD, I don't have enough. I've got Sweeney Todd, Merlin, Live From Baghdad, Hamlet and Howards End. I don't know where the hell my copy of Fight Club is [somebody's got some explaining to do!]. But alas, I have never owned a copy of her best work - The Wings of the Dove on DVD, because it is unavailable in my country. Horrors. But I'm getting way ahead of myself. Let us take a walk down memory lane as we celebrate the beloved Helena Bonham Carter, Mrs. Tim Burton, Ms. Bellatrix Lestrange, Mrs. Lovett and so much more. She also happens to be Gemini like me which makes her extra special.
I'm not sure what my first meeting with HBC was, but I'll start with one of her early triumphs in A Room With A View where she played Lucy Honeychurch opposite Dame Maggie Smith. I suppose she was in a way overshadowed by her costars [it was her first film], but I still think HBC was wonderfully dainty as the London misfit travelling with her chaperone and cousin Charlotte. A Room With A View is a good film to check out if you haven't seen. And Twif you haven't seen...ummm why, not? Moving on about four years later when HBC tackles Shakespeare. For the record I will always prefers Branagh's Hamlet to Gibson's Hamlet. But I do enjoy HBC in the role. This was back in the day's when Mel Gibson was not a joke, but they did have good chemistry... and thank God she didn't play Ophelia like some simpering fool. Two years later she returns to Merchant Ivory gloriousness with Howards End which is one of my favourite films. It's also the best film Helena has been in, so you should check it out. She plays the sister of Emma Thompson as middle class 19th century Londoners who deal with the injustices of their society. Helena is completely mesmerising as Helen Schlegel. Once again no Oscar love was forthcoming despite the year being VERY weak. Still, she won in my heart. She continued for the next few years playing in some low key fare, earning a Golden Globe nod for a TV movie as the wife of Lee Harvey Oswald, and then playing Woody Allen's wife in Mighty Aphrodite.
But in was in 1997 that HBC gave her greatest performance earning her only Oscar nomination for The Wings of the Dove as a complex character Kate Croy. I have only seen this film once and if you have not seen it you should, if you have a chance to buy it, do so. It's delightful. One of the best of 1997 and despite not winning the Oscar Helena did win the NBR and some other critics awards. The next year she played Morgan Le Fey in the miniseries Merlin. That movie is rather gruelling but it's good and HBC is delightful as the lisping, demonic woman/child Morgan. This was actually the beginning of a whole line of revolting/freaky/outrageoys/crazy characters. Take for instance her work as Marla Singer in Fight Club... a performance that was worthy of an Oscar nomination I might add. HBC is all kinds of hot with Brad Pitt, despite a very strange character.

She earned a second Emmy nod for her performance in Live From Baghdad (pictures here), a political thriller of sorts but a good film nonetheless. It's a pity this couldn't have been a big screen hit. She soon got involved with Tim Burton and his pet projects, some were not right for her but she was outstanding in Big Fish, Sweeney Todd and Corpse Bride. If it's possible, this is her second best performance ever for me. I know this is an animated film but her performance as The Bride is so haunting. I wish this could have been a live action film, it could have been a great career opportunity for her.
Today I have to be satisfied with snatches of my beloved in Harry Potter films or whenever Tim Burton lets her out for play. Hopefully that TV production of Enid Blyton does not suck. Who knows? Maybe it could be Emmy bound since it seems that her Oscar hopes have all but gone. Still I continue to adore... and you should too. She's brilliant.

 I don't know what became of Enid Blyton, but HBC has The King's Speech coming out this year and I cannot wait...I adore her, and today is her birthday - she turns 44. If you could only watch one incarnation of dear Helen...which would it be?
         
REMEMBER this post is automated, I'll respond to your comments on Friday.