Anna and the King
The trailers I saw for this looked grandoise, and the whole thing had a Last Emperor look to it. I was kinda interested, but what really got us into the seats was my wife's insistence. I could have spent these two hours better, but at least it wasn't like suffering through The Informer (the only movie I have ever walked out on).
If you've seen "The King and I", then you know the plot of this movie. Anna, a proper British lady, is taken on by the then-King of Siam to tutor his children in English and the ways of the western world. In the process, they discover they are attracted to each other.
What strikes me most about this movie is the set. This is the largest set ever built for a movie, and actually is larger than the original imperial palace of Siam. There is a lot of really beautiful cinematography in this movie, but there are no sparks between Jodie and Chow and the main theme of their romance is played on a harmonica. Yes, after the 40th shot, we get the picture: Jodie has fantastic eyes. Now show us something a little more interesting...
Apparently, this movie is based on the actual memoirs of the real Anna. If so, she has done herself proud as a tight-lipped, irritatingly rigid Brit. Tell your girlfriend/wife to wait for this one on video.
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