Enchanted April. Film reviews by Chartreuse at Heypressto at Health & Happiness Magazine.

Alfred Molina is tipped to become Time Magazine’s Person of the Year 2016. Over twenty years ago he appeared in a supporting role in an obscure gem of a food-for-the-soul film: Enchanted April.

It is raining on a day in 1920’s London and Lottie’s (Josie Lawrence) life feels bleak. Lottie tries to be thankful for her blessings but her overbearing, penny-pinching, socially aspiring husband (Alfred Molina) and the monotony of life oppress her. On a bus ride home, an advertisement for a magical Mediterranean castle presents itself to Lottie on a newspaper being read by a lady, Rose (Miranda Richardson) who looks equally downhearted. In that moment a plan of escape is conceived and Lottie finds hidden reserves of courage to bring it to fruition.

This magical film may help you if you feel trapped, in a rut, and long for a life filled with love, warmth and beauty.

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More film reviews at Health & Happiness by Chartreuse:

 

Chocolat

Chocolat film poster.

Juliette Binoche was honoured at the Hungarian Miskolc International Film Festival in September 2016 and the previous year set up a new film company, We Do It Together, focussing on the empowerment of women. The feel-better film that made her famous was Chocolat.

Vianne’s (Juliette Binoche) constant relocation takes its toll on little daughter Anouk and her imaginary kangaroo Pantouffle. In each place they establish a business and a home, and make friends before the North Wind blows them out and onward. They repeat the process until they come to a sleepy French town with an autocratic count (Alfred Molina), a grandmother (Judy Dench) and grandson who need uniting, an elderly dog owner who admires his lady from afar, a burgeoning artistic talent, a down-trodden wife, a couple who have lost touch with passion, assorted townsfolk and pirates who need Vianne’s special brand of kindness, strength, sweetness and a hint of chilli.

This award winning film may help you if you have relocated or feel you will never belong.

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The Park Bench

The Park Bench film poster.

A touching, comical story of a tutor and student who find unexpected friendship and romance through their sessions on a park bench. Over a college year Emily helps undergraduate Mateo with his studies and learns some lessons about herself. Emily’s perfectly planned future begins to blur as she discovers what it is like to really connect with another person through stories a dance and a wedding day. A lovingly made, budget movie that won an award the Toronto Film Festival and was recently released on DVD.
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New Year Feel-better film choice: Peter’s Friends

Peter's Friends film poster. Stephen Fry throws a New Year’s Eve party at his newly inherited stately home to share some news with loving lovies reunited for the first time in 10 years since their last student song-and-dance performance. Maggie (Emma Thompson) is on a quest for love, couple Mary and Roger (Imela Staunton and Hugh Laurie) find relief and resolution, US resident Andrew (Kenneth Brannagh) and wife (Rita Rudner) fly in for some moments of truth and Sarah (Alphonsia Emmanuel) discovers her relationship to a hamster in a leather skirt on a weekend with fish out of water (Tony Slattery). Delightful, humorous and transformational.
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Winter comedy pick: Cold Comfort Farm

Cold Comfort Farm film poster. Youthful Kate Beckinsale in a hilarious 1920’s comedy. Orphaned Londoner, Flora, opts to move in with country relatives, the Starkadders, to ‘tidy up’ and collect ‘life’ to put in her great novel. There she meets talkies fan and sultry cousin Seth (Rufus Sewell), doom-laden aunt Judith (Eileen Atkins), ardent preacher to the Quivering Brethren uncle Amos (Ian McKellan), dashing neighbour Dick Hawk-Monitor (Rupert Penry-Jones) and a mud-drenched dilapidated farm. Fortunately Flora has moral support in the form of Mary Smiling (Joanna Lumley). Engaging spoof of the rural novel.
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Halloween favourite supernatural comedy: Practical Magic

Practical Magic film poster.Sandra Bullock and Nicole Kidman star as sisters Sally and Gillian, descendants of a family of witches. Together with eccentric aunts, Stockard Channing and Dianne Wiest, they take on a curse and an embarrassing problem under the rose bush. Wild child Gillian’s flirtation with danger and Sally’s rescue mission end in a risky spell with awkward consequences. Sally’s wish-list hero (Aiden Quinn) comes to investigate and casts an enchantment of his own as he seeks to unearth the truth. Magical, whimsical entertainment.
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Selection from Spiritual Cinema Circle: Orbit Ever After

Orbit Ever After film poster.A science-fiction romance starring Thomas Sangster (Love Actually). Space recyling, love, aspiration and a shooting star.
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About

Chartreuse

Chartreuse is a freelance writer, editor, photographer and promotional videographer. She has written a feel-better film review column for Heath & Happiness Magazine, and is the owner of Heypressto.
Chartreuse’ greatest inspiration is Abraham-Hicks. Her favourite quote is ‘You can be, do or have anything you want’.

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