Let’s get this out of the way – Clueless remains the best film adaptation of Emma, the novel by Jane Austen, to date, in terms of capturing the essence of the novel’s title character. Having said that, the current (2020) version offers sumptuous scenery, costuming, and staging, gorgeous cinematography, some adept historical touches, and nuanced acting. I sometimes disagreed with the film’s interpretation of Emma Woodhouse, but never with actress Anya Taylor-Joy’s actual performance, in … Continue reading Movie Review: Emma (2020) →
If I Loved You Less takes on a tricky Austen story (Emma) and fails to hit the right tone in retelling it. In Emma, the heroine is clueless but well-meaning as she tries (and fails) to play matchmaker. She makes mistakes, but with the help of the love interest (her older neighbor, Mr. Knightley) she learns from those mistakes and grows as a person. Unfortunately, the heroine in If I Loved You Less is annoying … Continue reading If I Loved You Less by Tamsen Parker →
How the Cowboy Was Won very loosely retells Emma in a modern day Texan town. As a retelling of Emma, it wasn’t great, but as a “friends to lovers” romance I liked it a lot. Ember Alzate is a woman of Irish-Native American descent who makes a good living selling real estate. She also has a knack for matchmaking – so much so that people say she should consider it as a second career. Ember … Continue reading How the Cowboy Was Won by Lori Wilde →
