Yes, I Too Love Downton Abbey

Like the rest of Western civilization, I love Downton Abbey. I watched the first season this past January, and then watched the second season when it aired on PBS.

I did (though) miss the Christmas special when it aired, thereby missing the interviews with cast members that were aired immediately following the special.

I watched the Christmas special a few days later online, but the interviews were nowhere to be seen. So I turned to Google. I found a few interviews, which were fun to see.

And I found this lovely photo of of Dan Stevens, Michelle Dockery, and Sophie McShera (otherwise known as Matthew, Lady Mary, and Daisy) at Derby Day at Epsom Downs on June 4th, 2011.

Isn't Sophie McShera's dress divine!?!

Any Human Heart

As I write, I'm watching the BBC mini-series Any Human Heart for the third time. I love this mini-series, and not just because of Matthew Macfadyen, though he is quite a draw. In fact, I first watched it because of Tom Hollander, who plays the Duke of Windsor. Both he and Gillian Anderson (who plays his wife, Wallace Simpson) are splendid in their roles.

Matthew Macfadyen, Sam Claflin, and Jim Broadbent all play the main character, Logan Mountstuart, at different times in his life.

And Hayley Atwell plays the lovely, charming, funny Freya, wife and true love to Logan, mother to little Stella. She's a very refreshing actress, Hayley Atwell. And beautiful in an equally refreshing way.

I adore Any Human Heart. It's charming, funny, romantic, and bittersweet. And there is something very special and unique about the way in which the three actors portray the same man. It's difficult to put into words, honestly...

I suppose I'll close by saying this: Any Human Heart is without a doubt fantastic. Inspiring. And something of a must see.

Little Dorrit

As part of my recent (and continued) hibernation, I've watched (and very much enjoyed) the new-ish BBC production of Charles Dickens' Little Dorrit. My favorite characters are pictured above: the always good, morally upstanding Arthur Clennam (love interest to Little Dorrit), and the adorable and vibrant Maggy (best friend to Little Dorrit). I highly recommend this series to anyone who loves Dickens, lush period dramas, or simply a great story full of humor, romance, and fantastic characters.

Eighteen Year-Old Crush

I was 13 years-old when the movie Dead Again came out in theaters, and subsequently when (my now) 18 year-old crush on Kenneth Branagh began. He was my first intense actor crush, and at that point he would been have somewhere around 30 or 31, which is where I am now. I LOVED the movie, and went to see it multiple times in the theater. I fell in love with the character of Roman Strauss, and with the mystery surrounding the seemingly doomed-past-lives-romance that forms the basis for the movie. I remember a photo that I treasured of Branagh, from a magazine. He was sitting in a throne looking very handsome and brooding. I had that one of my wall.

My crush remained pretty intense for a few years. Like all matters of the heart, it would change as I changed. Hamlet was a favorite of mine, and to this day I tend to watch pretty much any movie that he's a part of. BUT, my recent experience with the BBC series Wallander has brought my crush back in a big way. I can't pinpoint why exactly. All I can say with certainty is that this series is excellent. I really enjoyed all three episodes, and recommend it to anyone who likes crime stories set in Scandinavia. Of course, there IS the fact that no one in the series speaks with a Swedish accent. Mostly British. But then most of the written words that appear in the series are in Swedish??? I don't know what better way the producers could have have handled this. It didn't bother me as much as make me giggle.