If you have cable and the SciFi Channel, you may have had the
pleasure of catching this little gem. I kept seeing it in parts and
even in the little snippets, it drew me in and had such a haunting
quality. It was on the other night and I just sat and watched it all the
way through and despite the fact that I'd seen some scenes
before, it still held such a wonderful presence. It's hard to really
describe the movie -- part love story, part fantasy, with a little bit of
the Big Question over exactly what the afterlife is. The
cinematography is absolutely picturesque, almost like watching a
Merchant Ivory production, but with a bit of fairy magic thrown in.
Ben Kingsley is an interesting addition to the cast. I wish there
was more characterization done on all the main roles. You get a
sense of where everyone comes from in terms of motivation, but
more background would have made for a richer film. The pace is
sometimes inconsistent, moving quickly in the beginning, then
slowing, then speeding up again. But the film's dry English wit
makes for enjoyable moments of irreverence. It's still just an
overall beautiful film. Very bittersweet and heartbreaking in
moments. The end is shot with such care and emotion. As
fantastic as the premise is, the heart of the movie is something
everyone can understand -- the loss of a loved one and the chance
to rekindle a spirit burdened with sorrow. A funny bit of irony -- the
actor who played Watson in the BBC Sherlock Holmes series is in
this movie and he plays (har har har) Sir Arthur Conan Doyle.
