Mid-Sept and I'm at 50 movies for the year!

By no means is 50 movies on DVD or in theater a big deal, but it's the most movies I've seen in a year and the year isn't even finished! Most have been on DVD, but with the price of movie ticket and how most movies are not theater must-sees, it's not a big surprise.

So what was my 50th movie? My 50th movie is the 2011 adaptation of Jane Eyre starring Mia Wasikowska (Alice in Alice in Wonderland) and Michael Fassbender (Magneto in X-Men: First Class). Other noteables are Jamie Bell (St John Rivers -- I recognize him from King Kong) and Judi Dench (Mrs. Fairfax). It's a fair adaptation, though my remembrance of the book is a little hazy as it was my senior year in high school that I read the book (so this fall it makes 8 years), but things came back to me as the movie progressed. The most confusing thing for me was how the movie actually starts in the middle and then flashes back to her childhood and then ending up as a Governess at Thornfield Hall. Once I figured out everything was taking place in flashbacks, it made loads more sense. Wasikowska is an excellent Jane Eyre and I do appreciate the fact she looks the age of Jane Eyre (as intended by the director or producers). Fassbender doesn't look like a Mr. Rochester, but the director or producers knew that and said his spirit reflected Rochester better. He was okay. Once again, having read the book so long ago, it's really hard to say. I think the biggest problem I had with the adaptation is it felt like the romance was obvious after the 3rd meeting, which is much too quick (seems out of the blue); however, it's a 2 hour movie and you can't get everything paced correctly to get in all the other necessities too. Other than that, though, I enjoyed it and I enjoyed how they tried to keep some of the gothic feel of the book in the movie too. I remember being slightly creeped out as Jane walked down the hallway after hearing someone outside her door. So, it works in the movie. It's not overly done and it's not completely omitted either. Rochester and Jane do seem to kiss a lot, but it's nothing that makes it modern or anything. Some reviews say this adaptation of Jane Eyre is the best one ever and I haven't seen enough of them to give a comparison, but this one was enjoyable. It does lack a certain "oomph" for me, but I was never a big fan of Jane Eyre (the book) either. So maybe I just feel the same way towards the movie as the book it's adapted from. Grade: B