The Danish Girl

Yes. I like him a lot, but I'm not sure about this role. I've only seen the trailers though. I think it's a true story though isn't it?It seems to be all about this lesbian/gay/transgender thing in show biz at the moment. The critics rave about it.

About the film, that is.

Ooh! Ben Wishaw's in it! Now I do like him.

Yes it is a true story Jing and a moving one, but for me the Director concentrated on too many close ups of ER and at times it seemed like a tableau with s** all happening.

I have a close relative who is transgender who has gone through hell and back to achieve her wish of becoming a woman, so I wanted to see this film in particular.

but I noticed that I kept looking at my watch to see when it would end

This is something I increasingly find happening even when I am really enjoying a film, play or talk. It bothers me because after a lifetime of being too busy to leave a lot of time to my own interests, I can at long last "treat" myself.

Is my attention span reducing because of age?

I will never forgive Eddie Redmayne for mumbling all through Birdsong. Does he speak properly in this?

Yes Alima you can hear what he says between sobs and tears coursing down his cheeks.

I loved his velvet clothes and his wigs.

Yes Alea I am with you about a shortened attention span. There are only a few programmes I can watch in one go, that's why I like Catch Up so I can break up the programmes into bite size pieces.

Glad it's not just me, I've noticed it in recent months. Sometimes it's a real effort to sit through a film or two-hour drama even though I'm enjoying it...

NanKate; just got back from seeing it and agree with you entirely. It was an incredibly beautiful film [which made it bearable] and Alicia Vikander was wonderful [as was the actor who was in Far From The Madding Crowd]; she was in a film a few years back called A Royal Affair and I made a mental note to follow her career. Eddie Redmayne, in the Hawking film 'was' Hawking, but in this he was always Eddie Redmayne. I'm glad that I saw it but wouldn't recommend it to anyone. I may try to read Lili's diaries, though. I'm ashamed to say [it makes me so shallow] that I loved the costumes in it .

So pleased Tegan that you are I agreement about this film.

I don't quite understand why it should make you shallow, liking the costumes. The gorgeous velvet dresses in soft muted colours were fabulous.

I agree in The Theory of Everything ER was quite magnificent, but his portrayal was just not for me, far too weepy and slow.

I meant to say his portrayal of Lili was too weepy and slow.

Glad to see everyone's comments. I was thinking of going to see it and (dragging) taking dh. He is not very comfortable with the subject matter so if the film itself is not particularly recommended perhaps will give dh a break.

He seemed to have one 'look' which was the sideways simpering one. I did cry at the end, though. I don't think that it was just relief that the film had ended. When my mind starts wandering off into thoughts of 'who's looking after the dog at this moment in time' I know that a film isn't working for me. The S.O. and I both gave it a 6/10. It was very very beautiful; I'm sure will win an Oscar for lighting and costumes; and it's made me want to visit Copenhagen as well. A glutton for punishment, I'm going to see The Revenant next week, albeit seeing Brooklyn in between.

At times, during the Danish Girl, I was thinking "what's wrong with him?" as Eddie Redmayne simpered and looked coyly through his lashes, at times when it didn't seem appropriate for either a woman or a man to do that.
The story was very moving, though, especially Alicia Vikander's portrayal of the bewildered wife who stays devoted to her husband, while he is ceasing to exist before her eyes.

Do let me know what the Revenant is like Tegan as that one is next on my list. I like Leo Di Caprio. I saw him interviewed and he comes over well, not at all brash.

I read up on the real Lili Elbe last night which made me realise why the film didn't ring true, albeit being based on a true story. To be fair to the film, I am still thinking about it today. The real Lili Elbe was actually quite feminine [even when she was a man]and Eddie Redmayne, no matter how much he acts with his face can't disguise a rather tall body. Had a shock about The Revenant whilst reading a review on my racing forum; it said it was 256 minutes long. Thankfully it's 156 minutes! I was going to take a packed lunch!I, too, like di Caprio; he's always wanted to be acknowledged as a good actor but suffered from having a pretty, boyish face imo. And I love Tom Hardy, having 'discovered' him in the tv adaptation of Elizabeth I when he played 'Robbie'.

Saw the revenant last night - beautiful and brutal. Absolutely fantastic. both leo and tom hardy were so believable and it gave you such a sense of just what a hard life those people were living out there

I've been told that the bear is pretty good also. I'm really looking forward to this one!

Oh, that bear scene!! -faints-

Heard a film programme on R4 earlier this week. The Revenant didn't initially appeal to me but I'll certainly see it after listening to that. The circumstances of making it were gruelling and very hard on all concerned, many left. The extended takes, in such circumstances, were a huge achievement.
I've first saw di Caprio in Whatever's Wrong With Gilbert Grape and thought his acting impressive.

The S.O. wants to see the new Tarantino film which I'm not sure about. Find his films too long. Most films these days could do with @ 15-20 minutes lopping off, no matter how good they are. As I always need to go to the loo at least once during a film, are there any tips as to when I can have a loo break during The Revenant without missing anything important [I usually end up missing a key scene].

This is slightly off piste, but did you see my thread Tegan about my purchase of a Shewee which is simple device for women who want to avoid public loos or being caught short. I bought mine so that I can go to the loo in the bedroom when staying at DS's house to avoid me waking the children when I walk to their loo. It's brilliant but I suspect you would be ejected from the cinema if you used it there.

Back to the films.

I enjoyed the Danish Girl. The costumes were fabulous as were the shots of old Copenhagen. Eddie Redmayne's acting of the character evolved through the film, I thought he was brilliant. My DH did not end the film as much as I did and that distracted me whilst the lady next to me was in floods of tears towards the end!

I saw The Danish Girl last week and thoroughly enjoyed it. I thought ER was fantastic. An even more subtle performance than TToE(fewer prosthetics, more ACTING) - for which he got the best actor Oscar. Yes, it is a beautiful film. I have read both of the books it is based on and I think they caught the essence of the story, although the ending was changed. Alicia Vikander is superb too.