Calendar Girls | | Cast : | Helen Mirren, Julie Walters, Penelope Wilton | | Director : | Nigel Cole | | Studio : | Buena Vista Home Vid | | Format : | Color, Widescreen, Dolby | | Released Date : | January 01, 2003 | | DVD Released Date : | April 05, 2005 | | Language : | English (Dubbed), French (Dubbed), Spanish (Subtitled), English (Original Language) | | Audience Rating : | PG-13 (Parental Guidance Suggested) | | | BUY THIS DVD FROM AMAZON |
Customer Reviews
| Rating |  | | Date | August 01, 2005 | | Summary | A treat for all women and the men who love them | Content
 | This is a magnificent British comedy that is all heart. From the stodgy weekly W.I. meetings to the globe trotting gals with a cause, the story of Chris and Annie will truly show why we do the things we do for those we love.
Based on a true story, these women brought art and humor to what is traditionally a difficult time. After Annie lost her brave husband to leukemia, she and Chris set out to make a difference for those who will have to face the same in the future. Told from the point of view of Chris, who masterminds the photo shoots, press releases and gives a stirring speech in front of the congress of the W.I., Helen Mirren delivers a top notch performance that will have you rooting for the girls in no time.
There comes to be a bit of a rift that the celebrity status the women gain to those who chose to be on the calendar. In the small town in England where they live, many people shook their heads and said the most unpleasant things. As we all know this can be difficult on families and we see the bond the women have to help triumph the greater cause while coming together to support one another.
I must also mention the bonus material on the dvd. It includes interviews with the real women and some background on the calendar that the film was unable to cover. The material is very well done and adds a delightful bonus to see the actual women that brought this all together.
The performances in this film were excellent and the English countryside that we are treated to as the ladies do their Tai Chi is breathtaking. I thoroughly enjoyed this film and would proudly stage the same rally for such a worthy cause. |
| Rating | | | Date | May 28, 2005 | | Summary | Good | Content
| I'm resisting all the arty-farty movies so with so many DVDs sitting on my shelf, I started off with Calendar Girls. It was the same old feel old trash about finding oneself, then losing oneself, then refinding oneself.
I love trash. Bittersweet trash.
|
| Rating | | | Date | March 15, 2005 | | Summary | long but heartwarming | Content
| This film gets to be a little long and drags itself to a slow end. In it, a woman loses her husband and decides to organize some kind of benefit. Her local women's society is dull as ever, and finally she and her friends agree on a rather unorthodox benefit: a nude calendar of the middle-aged local women's group. Interesting premise (based on a true story) and excellent performances with individuals defying stuffy expectations in the spirit of "charity" and of freeing and surprising themselves. As the hubbub around their "achievement" escalates, some of the attention goes to their heads, and the friendships start to come undone and families start to suffer. In the end core values of friendship and what friends mean come back into play, but not before edges are frayed. Julie Walters is especially good in her role here, although Helen Mirren (just as in the story itself) will get most of the attention and accolades. |
| Rating | | | Date | March 11, 2005 | | Summary | A lovely telling of a true story. | Content
| The story of the WI in a sleepy Yorkshire village trying to raise money for their local hospital's oncology unit, intially to buy a sofa for the visitor's room, following the death by cancer of one their flock's husband. Walters, the bereaved woman, is exquiste in her expression of deep seated pain and she is uncharacteristicly not playing the funny lady. Mirren has the joker role here and does it very well. It's a heart warming and funny film and the woman's good intentions pay huge dividends when the idea to make a nude calender is hit upon. They raise hundreds of thousands of pounds, eventually millions!
Like all good innocent things the venture is almost destroyed by the intrusion of a greedy and muck raking press.
There are tender and beautiful performances on mass here, particularly the woman's roles played by some of the UK's most outstanding actresses.
A must see and a great gift for your Mum! I can also tell you as a native of Yorkshire that the village at the centre of the story really is that pretty! |
| Rating | | | Date | March 08, 2005 | | Summary | Shows a woman's true beauty, add another 5 stars | Content
| I don't think "Calender Girls" got ever got the credit it deserved. The movie had all the important elements to make it a hit. It was funny, sad, daring, creative, unique, a true story and it had partial nudity. What was missing was special effects, improbable story lines, obnoxious characters and expensive sets, all things I do well without. Helen Mirren (Prime Suspect 1-6, Teaching Mrs. Tingle, Gosford Park, Raising Helen) and Julie Walters (Harry Potter, Educating Rita) were fantastic and exuded beauty that transcends beyond age. This is an uplifting movie that I first rented but then bought to keep in my collection. It's not just for baby boomers and above, both my kids, ages 15 and 10 enjoyed it too. My ten year old, a boy, roars with belly laughter at the movie's most famous line
"I think we're going to need significantly bigger buns."
This is a must-see for anyone who has ever truly loved a woman. "Calendar Girls" makes a great Mother's Day gift too! |
|
Picture 01 (20)
