Tag Archives: Keira Knightley

Keira Knightley’s Top Ten Films

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Keira Knightley , top ten, films, best filmsBritish actress Keira Knightley has accumulated a hugely impressive resume in her 29 years, showing incredible skill and development as an actress, as well as breathtaking movie star looks. With a wonderful aptitude for period pieces, she has a particular talent for portraying brilliant, conflicted and nuanced women- and her depiction of brilliant cryptanalyst Joan Clarke in The Imitation Game, is no exception. To celebrate the home entertainment release of The Imitation Game, we count down some of her most memorable roles.

 

The Imitation Game (2015)
Based on the true story of legendary cryptanalyst Alan Turing, this historical biopic recounts the nail-biting race against time by Turing (Benedict Cumberbatch) and his brilliant team of code-breakers at Bletchley Park during World War II. The film spans key periods in Turing’s life, from his unhappy years at boarding school and the triumph of his secret work on the revolutionary electro-mechanical ‘Bombe’, which broke the Enigma code, to the tragedy of his post-war decline following his conviction for a now outdated criminal offence. Knightley provides a superb Oscar-nominated supporting turn as Joan Clarke, a fellow cryptanalyst, and Turing’s close friend and confidante.

 

Begin Again (2013)
Knightley shows off some impressive singing talents in this enchanting romantic musical drama, based on the hit musical Once. It follows the repercussions after down-and-out music executive Dan (Mark Ruffallo) chances upon young singer-songwriter Gretta (Knightley) at an open-mic night. Gretta, still reeling from the break up with her rock-star ex Dave (Adam Levine), agrees to collaborate with Dan on an album- recording each of the songs in a different location in Manhattan.

 

Anna Karenina (2012)
The third collaboration between director Joe Wright and Knightley, this adaptation of Tolstoy’s classic novel offered an experimental approach to the source material. Wright chose to set the majority of scenes were shot on a rundown theatre built from scratch in Shepperton. The various locations in the film, such as the train station, and horse stables, were actually built on top of the stage. Knightley takes the lead as the tragic heroine, opposite a stellar cast that includes Jude Law, Domhnall Gleeson, Aaron Taylor-Johnson and Emily Watson.

 

A Dangerous Method (2011)
Knightley takes on the daring role of Sabina Spielrein in this David Cronenberg- directed historical drama which focuses on the tense professional relationship between Carl Jung (Michael Fassbender) and Sigmund Freud (Viggo Mortensen), as well as Jung’s relationship with Spielrein. Knightley gives a brilliant, sensitive portrayal of the psychologically disturbed Spielrein, who eventually went on to become a talented and respected psychoanalyst in her own right.

 

Last Night (2010)
This little-known ensemble piece, directed by Massy Tadjedin and starring Keira Knightley, Sam Worthington, Eva Mendes and Guillaume Canet, offers a slow-burning and understated study on the nature of monogamy. Joanna (Knightley) and Michael Reed (Worthington) are seven years into a happy, stable marriage when he is sent on a business trip with a colleague he is fighting an attraction to (Mendes). That same evening, Joanna runs into an old flame and spends the evening considering how things might have been.

 

Never Let Me Go (2010)
This haunting, dystopian drama based on Kazuo Ishiguru’s novel of the same name stars Knightley alongside Andrew Garfield and Carey Mulligan, and recounts the lives of Ruth (Knightley), Kathy (Mulligan) and Tommy (Garfield), three friends who grow up together in an idyllic English boarding school. However, after they leave the school the horrific truth of their fate becomes apparent, and they are forced to confront the inevitable, while dealing with the ever-present love triangle hanging over them.

 

The Duchess (2008)
This biographical drama chronicles the life of 18th century aristocrat Georgiana, Duchess of Devonshire, played by Knightley. A celebrity of the time, Georgiana’s charm, kindness, activism and fashion bring her high regard everywhere she goes. But the oppressive restraints of her controlling husband (Ralph Fiennes) lead her into a passionate affair with the younger Charles Grey (Dominic Cooper) highlighting the stark, appalling differences in treatment between men and women in the aristocracy of the 18th century.

 

The Edge of Love (2008)
Written by Knightley’s mother, Sharman Macdonald, this historical drama is loosely based on real events, and focuses on the friendship between two married couples- the poet Dylan Thomas (Matthew Rhys) and his wife Caitlin Thomas (Sienna Miller) and Thomas’s old flame Vera Phillips (Knightley) and her husband William Cillick (Cillian Murphy). Both Knightley and Miller garnered rave reviews for their nuanced portrayals of two women whose genuine, close friendship was built on a fragile foundation of suppressed feelings and suspicion.

 

Atonement (2007)
This heartbreaking wartime drama based on Ian McEwan’s bestselling novel boasts a stellar cast, including Knightley, James McAvoy, Saiorse Ronan, Benedict Cumberbatch and Vanessa Redgrave. When the budding romance between Cecilia Tallis (Knightley) and Robbie Turner (McAvoy) is cut brutally short following a lie told by Bryony Tallis (Ronan), the repercussions span several decades. Knightley provides a masterfully reserved and heartbreaking turn as the stoic Cecilia, and Wright’s tackling of the novel’s twist ending is a particular masterstroke.

 

Pride & Prejudice (2005)
Joe Wright’s adaptation of Jane Austen’s most famous work earned him a BAFTA for most promising newcomer and follows the trials and tribulations of the five Bennett sisters after two eligible bachelors move into town- Mr Darcy (Matthew MacFayden) and Mr Bingley (Simon Woods). Wright was famously reluctant to cast Knightley in the lead role of Elizabeth Bennett, deeming her ‘too attractive’… until he met her, and realised her tomboyish attitude was ideal for the role. Knightley provides a brilliantly fresh portrayal of a beloved literary character, which led to her first Academy Award nomination.

 

The Imitation Game, arrives on Blu-ray™, DVD and digital platforms on 9th March 2015, courtesy of StudioCanal

 

 

 

Imitation Game Film Review

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iimitationgameCast: Benedict Cumberbatch, Keira Knightley, Matthew Goode, Charles Dance, Mark Strong

I was very excited about seeing this film. The cracking of the enigma code is one of Britain’s greatest accomplishments, saving millions of lives and ending a war. Alan Turing is one of the most underrated and greatest Britons that ever lived. Played by Benedict Cumberbatch, Cumberbatch does an excellent job of portraying the man who essentially invented the computer. He could have just done another Sherlock-type performance but his performance is astounding, believable and as good as expected from an actor who is fast becoming one of our true greats. It is just subtle enough. The script is great, the entire film just works very well. Strong performances are given from the rest of the cast too and Keira Knightley’s performance gives Joan Clarke, a woman who did great work and contributed to history when too many were never given the chance, the credit she deserves.

Whilst I watched this film, myself and the rest of the audience were engaged and laughed many times. But the overwhelming feeling at the end was of injustice. The injustice of homosexuality ever being illegal, the injustice of one of our greatest, who helped stop a war and saved tens of millions of lives. is hard to take. Forced to take pills that chemically castrated him. Turing ended his life when he was only 41 after being forced to take these pills or face prison. His ‘crime’ was his sexuality and being caught with a young man. No one helped him or stopped the appalling behaviour. It wasn’t until 2013 that he was posthumously pardoned by Queen Elizabeth II. This film is a must watch. It tells an essential part of our history, but it also says far too much about the brutality of injustice and hate.

Based on the real life story of Alan Turing, who is credited with cracking the German Enigma code, the film portrays the nail-biting race against time by Turing and his brilliant team at Britain’s top-secret code-breaking centre, Bletchley Park, during the darkest days of World War II. Turing, whose contributions and genius significantly shortened the war, saving thousands of lives, was the eventual victim of an unenlightened British Establishment, but his work and legacy live on.

The Imitation Game is out now. 

 

Get The Perfect Brows

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The ‘Scouse Brow’, Cara Delevingne’s Power Brow, and Keira Knightley’s are amongst the most enviable brows around. When correctly matched with the shape of your face, your eyebrows can be the ultimate beauty statement.

Leading permanent makeup artists Karen Betts, has worked on the brows of the stars, and gives her guide to shaping your face effortlessly with the correct brows.

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Due to an emphasis on the upper portion of the face, and the small jaw line, it is important to have well-groomed brows. A curved brow will balance with your chin and achieve a youthful look

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SQUARE

Softly rounded brows are the ideal solution to an angular face. Be sure to create a sharp peak at the top of the brow for them to appear stronger.

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ROUND

A high arch, and angular style will help make the face appear longer and slimmer. Avoid rounded brows as these will only add volume to the face.

 

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DIAMOND

Soft, curved eyebrows will reduce the widest part of the face and soften the angular look. Be careful not to arch them too severely as this will accentuate your narrow jaw.

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Treatments with Karen Betts start from £395, call 0844 8016838 or visit http://www.karenbetts.co.uk/

 

UNICEF famous faces join campaigners to speak up for children at Rio

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UNICEF famous faces join campaigners calling on government to speak up for children at Rio

Ewan McGregor, Rio Ferdinand, Eddie Izzard, Keira Knightley & more get involved

Ewan McGregor, Keira Knightley, Rio Ferdinand, Eddie Izzard, Keeley Hawes, Simon Reeve and Martin Bell are just some of the high profile figures who have joined UNICEF UK’s campaign calling on the government to speak up for children at this week’s Rio Earth Summit.

* McGregor, Knightley, Izzard, Hawes and Bell all filmed video messages for UNICEF UK’s Speak Up campaign.
* On 7th June, broadcaster and UNICEF supporter Simon Reeve joined young UNICEF supporters at a Rio discussion event with environment minister, Caroline Spelman.
* On 12th June Rio Ferdinand tweeted a series of comedy twitpics under the hashtag #Rio4Rio, urging his 2.8 million followers to sign UNICEF UK’s Speak Up petition.
* On 13th June, young campaigners met with Nick Clegg in Whitehall and handed him a list of the thousands of signatories who have signed the petition so far.

Rio Ferdinand, a long term UNICEF supporter, caused a Twitter stir last Tuesday when he tweeted a cryptic twitpic which read “Everyone’s asking ‘What’s happening with Rio?’” alongside a picture of him looking quizzical. Only from his later tweets – which included an image of the footballer wearing a feathered carnival head dress – did it become clear that Ferdinand was tweeting to raise awareness of UNICEF UK’s Speak Up campaign to ensure children are at the heart of the Rio Earth Summit’s agenda.

UNICEF supporters Keira Knightley, Eddie Izzard, and Keeley Hawes joined UNICEF Ambassadors Ewan McGregor and Martin Bell in recording special video messages stating that they are “speaking up for children at the Rio Earth Summit.”

Rio Ferdinand said:

“Speaking as a Rio, I know life isn’t all carnivals, beaches and playing football. At the Earth Summit in Rio de Janeiro global leaders will discuss the future of the planet and we want them to think about the world’s children. That’s why I’m speaking up for children with UNICEF UK and hope that everyone who follows me on Twitter will do the same.”

Simon Reeve said:

”We have to think more long-term and protect our planet for future generations. And so of course we have to get youngsters and children involved, and make them central to the debates and discussions that take place in Rio.”

Eddie Izzard said

“There is a massive opportunity for the UK government to put children at the heart of the Rio Earth summit. Children should be at the top of the summit agenda.”

Sign the Speak Up For Children petition at www.unicef.org.uk/speakup

A Dangerous Method | Film Review

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This film about the birth of psychoanalysis is a triumph. An intelligent and though-provoking film with wonderful performances by Michael Fassbender, Viggo Mortensen and Keira Knightley. Fassbender plays Jung when he was 29 and just married to a wealthy women called Emma. He was working at a hospital in Zurich in 1904 when he met Sabina Spielrein, an 18-year-old Russian Jew who is admitted in a deeply distressed condition.

Jung is attracted and fascinated by Sabina and after Freud sends him Otto Gross, (Vincent Cassel), as a patient, Jung comes under his influence and enters into an unprofessional relationship with Sabina. Gross was himself a psychiatrist in his 20s and suffered from dementia praecox (as schizophrenia was then known).

Jung cures Sabina with the “talking cure”, or psychoanalysis, then being used in Vienna by the 48-year-old Sigmund Freud (Viggo Mortensen), a well-established but highly controversial figure.

Sigmund Freud thought of Carl Jung as his natural heir, but relationships between the two men became strained.

This film is a very good historical film from David Cronenberg. I believe this film is the best Cronenberg has ever made.

Freud sees himself as the father that Jung wishes to destroy. Jung believes that psychoanalysis may save the world.

As the film ends Jung tells Sabina about dreams of the apocalypse. This film ends just before the first world war so Jung was accurate about an apocalypse. The legacy of Freud and Jung is evident in the film. They still affect not only psychoanalysis but our everyday lives. Sabina becomes a celebrated psychologist in the Soviet Union, but, sadly, becomes an early victim of the holocaust along with her two daughters.

A Dangerous Method is available on DVD and Digital Download from June 25th.

This Month’s Magazines, September Part 2: Sarah Jessica Parker Takes Red, Instyle Turns 10.

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This Month’s Magazines, September Part 2: Sarah Jessica Parker Takes Red, Instyle Turns 10.

Keira Knightley is on the cover of Marie Claire looking gorgeous. She tells Marie Claire that ‘Jealousy is the only emotion that has no positive side to it’ and tells of her tomboy ways by saying; ‘I didn’t wear skirts until I was 14. I hated them’.

There is a lot of Autumn clothing and shoes, a fashionista dream. Natalia Vodianova gives her style list, Robert Cavalli tells the secrets of relaunching his fashion label, 18 beauty secrets supermodels swear by, Catwalk beauty section, Is your body better than you think? A good article that shows women are usually in better shape than they think they are, The history of the vibrator, Faces of addicted women, how drugs destroys looks.

Love at first site or slow burn?, Amy Winehouse remembered, How a good ‘To Do’ list can change your life, Article on teaching women how to be good mothers, Tom Hardy interview, Mentors, Jordan AKA Katie Price interview, little white lies; are they okay?, Surviving domestic abuse, Annie Lennox, Hollywood stylists, Jessica Chastain, Anna Faris, Eva Green, Adele Parks, Scarlett Johanson tells her beauty rules, 24 hours to better skin, Staying in with Alex James, Diary of an emotional eater, Breast cancer awareness month.

It is Instyle’s 10th Anniversary and Diane Kruger is on the cover. It is a beautiful cover, with Diane in gold. Diane is interviewed inside. Diane on her style: “I don’t have my own stylist. And I like to be a little different – in LA, everyone wears the same dresses. I think my background as a model helps, because I like experimenting and I’m not afraid of fashion or what other people think of me. What you wear is one of the only things about yourself you can manipulate.”

There are a lot of wonderful articles about the history of Instyle, comments from Instyle cover girls, 10 years of style crushes, when we were 10, What I have learnt about style, party people, are you too old for your moisturiser, The easy way to perfect skin, Emma Watson on beauty, top ten celebrity homes, Eliza Doolittle.

The New Power List, 100 people to watch and all under 25. Diana Vickers talks style, 15 minutes Viktor & Rolf, Georgina Chapman’s Top 10 party list, Blake Lively is Instyle’s beauty crush,

There is a High Street Style special; guest edited by Daisy Lowe, Gemma Atterton is interviewed and talks about being okay with being a size 10, she says: “I don’t have to be skinny”, Jessica Szohr interview.

Sarah Jessica Parker takes the cover of Red. She is interviewed inside and tells Red that ‘I don’t read anything about me. I’ve never googled myself. I don’t have the constitution for it”.

There is a very good article on Tamara Mellon, and she shows her wardrobe, prepare for wardrobe envy. She is on the Red fashion power list alongside Natalie Massenet amongst others.

Two writers debate whether or not it’s good to settle, Isabel Ashdown talks about her fathers alcoholism, The women behind the Outnet talks to Red, the rise of the middle class drug addictions, What I’D save in a fire, Does career plus kids mean compromise?, The denim detox, How making little differences can change your life, What I see when I look in the mirror (Includes Jane Fallon, a brilliant author), KT Tunstall tells of the soundtrack to her life, Joan Collins interview; she announces she has never had plastic surgery, How to make peace with your hair, Pie recipes, The baby recession: Red’s annual fertility survey, cooking with apples. What is your fertility sell-by date?, An end to eye bags, Boot camp for the soul, Eva Green’s best things in life.

PART ONE IS HERE