Shakespeare – Matthew Liedke on Film

The life of William Shakespeare is once again explored in this film, but in this movie, the focus is on the playwright’s wife.

Agnes Shakespeare, portrayed by Jessie Buckley, is introduced as a young woman in “Hamnet” when she first meets William (Paul Mescal). Following a short courtship, the two conceive a child and choose to get married.

The movie then picks up with the couple having a family, including two daughters and their son, Hamnet (Jacobi Jupe). As the film goes on, William and Agnes lose Hamnet to the plague and are left in a state of grief. The situation is made even more stressful as William is away from the family in London to write.

Continue reading “REVIEW: ‘Hamnet’ boasts great performances but pacing is off”

I felt like I was drinking a 40 oz in the auditorium, because this film has a whole lot of Olde English.

Based on William Shakespeare’s play Macbeth,” “Tragedy” was written and directed by Joel Coen, with Denzel Washington playing the titular character. The film is a fairly straightforward retelling of the story, with Washington’s Lord Macbeth having a vision of ascending to the throne of Scotland.

That prophecy becomes fulfilled, and as the story goes, Macbeth’s reign turns out to be a difficult one. Soon after he takes the crown, he becomes paranoid and begins taking actions that only lead to more trouble.

Continue reading “REVIEW: Technically sound ‘Tragedy of Macbeth’ too inaccessible at times”