Well, hello there, kind folks. If you’re visiting this blog of mine, I presume that you have a certain interest in the cinema. As for me, even since my early childhood, I have had a deep love of everything related to movies and television. As far as I can remember, I have been more at ease in front of a screen than in the yard, outside, playing. It is a great way to travel, though other people’s stories, without having to foot any kind of steep bill. Over the years, I feel that movie-watching has even fuelled my own creativity.

All that being said, I welcome you in my Cinephile’s Nest. I hope you enjoy it here, feel free to come back at any time. Here you will find reviews of current movies and older ones. TV shows also. Some classics that have remained some of my favourites, some that have disappointed me. I will use a very basic star (*) system to grade them from 1 to 5 (5 being sliced bread level). Remember, these are just my tastes. I will try to explain in each review what I liked about these particular movies, without giving spoilers.

Il y aura aussi des critiques en français pour les films francophones, car j'aime également le cinéma dans ma langue maternelle. Avant d'apprendre l'anglais, plus jeune, je louais des tonnes de films traduits en français, surtout ceux de Bud Spencer et Terrence Hill. Ma mère a eu le choc de sa vie lorsqu'un jour, dans la boîte d'un de ces films, Deep Throat avait malencontreusement inséré. Une expérience formatrice pour le jeune cinéphile que je suis.

Bienvenue à tous, amusez-vous bien.

I welcome you all here, enjoy yourself.

Tuesday, June 14, 2016

John Adams (2008)

Genre: TV / Historical
Directed by: Tom Hooper
Cast: Paul Giamatti, Laura Linney, Stephen Dillane
Number of episodes: 7



This seven episode TV miniseries covers the life and times of John Adams, the second president of the United States of America. Over the course of approximately 500 hours, we are taken through a long journey that starts in the Boston colony, where Adams is a lawyer who sticks to his principles in spite of outside pressures. Then, we see his role in the signing of the Declaration of Independence and the road that lead to him becoming the first vice-president of the US, under George Washington, and then the second president.

John Adams has been a controversial figure in American history and his importance in the signing of the Declaration of Independence has been somewhat eclipsed by characters such as Benjamin Franklin and Thomas Jefferson. I feel that the point of this miniseries was in large part to fix that. In doing so, it seems that a lot of poetic license has been taken by the makers, which is unfortunate. It is especially ironic since, in a scene, we have John Adams complaining about people revising history.

Nonetheless, in spite of the few historical inaccuracies in this TV miniseries, the subject matter is a very important part of American history and the performances offered by Paul Giamatti and Laura Linney, as John Adams and his wife Abigail, was magnificent enough to carry this historical drama to greatness. The sets and costumes also made this work of art very realistic; it feels as if you are transported back in time.

Overall, for people interested in history and for those who appreciate great actors at work, I recommend John Adams.


Rating: ««««

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