Michelle Dockery – We Are Movie Geeks

DOWNTON ABBEY: THE GRAND FINALE – Review

(L to R) Laura Carmichael stars as Lady Edith, Harry Hadden-Paton as Bertie Hexham, Elizabeth McGovern as Cora Grantham, Hugh Bonneville stars as Robert Grantham and Michelle Dockery as Lady Mary in DOWNTON ABBEY: The Grand Finale, a Focus Features release. Credit: Rory Mulvey / © 2025 FOCUS FEATURES LLC

It has been a good, long run but DOWNTON ABBEY: THE GRAND FINALE is the final bow for the British world of the aristocratic Crawley family and their servants, which fans have followed through several seasons on British TV (and PBS here) and then three movies, which have continued the saga.

Series creator/writer Julian Fellowes followed up his successful film GOSFORD PARK and followed the lead of earlier British series “Upstairs, Downstairs” in crafting this tale of a likable noble family in Yorkshire and their equally appealing servants, but made it so much more, by following the changes in Britain in the early 20th century. Starting in 1912 and ending in 1930, the tale of the Crawley family is set in a period of great change in Britain for both the aristocratic class and, with expanding democracy and opportunities, for the people who worked for them.

So many things came together just right in this series to make it both entertaining and engrossing. Julian Fellowes’ great writing and historical research, and a great cast, made this combination of historic storytelling, family drama, and character-driver stories (spiked with plenty of humor) into a surprisingly enjoyable ride, even if costume drama is not your cup of tea. Add to that the incomparable late Maggie Smith as the Dowager Countess, whose smart, snappy comebacks and biting, sharply observed comments, became the highlight of many an episode. The mostly British cast was outstanding, included American ex-pat Elizabeth McGovern and Hugh Bonneville, and launching the careers of Michelle Dockery and Dan Stevens, and others. Plus there were all those fabulous British manor house locations and wonderful early 20th century fashions (especially in the 1920s), and it made for great escapist fun. The popular TV show was such a hit that the actual manor house where it was filmed, Highclere Castle, became a tourist destination.

But the time finally comes to say goodbye, and DOWNTON ABBEY: THE GRAND FINALE is a good an exit as one could hope for. In this final chapter, the Crawley family is in a kind of holding pattern, as Lady Mary is poised to take over the estate from her father, Lord Grantham, Robert Crawley (Hugh Bonneville), but with dad a bit reluctant to let go. But there is something else to deal with: visitors from America. Lady Grantham, Cora Crawley’s (Elizabeth McGovern) brother Harold Levinson (Paul Giamatti) has arrived from the States, with a friend Gus Sambrook (Alessandro Nivola), a financial advisor of sorts, and some bad financial news. While the British Crawleys’ fortune survived the Crash, the brother has not done as well. The brother’s American companion is charming if bold, and is also in Britain to see his horse race at Ascot, while helping the brother with his financial mess after the stock market crash.

While the Crawley’s try to sort out Harold’s financial mess, there are subplots aplenty, with is a little scandal with Lady Mary, a truce of sorts from oft- battling sisters, and updates on all the characters’ lives. The story lets us check in with the family, daughters Lady Mary Talbot (Michelle Dockery) and Edith, Lady Hexham, and son-in-law Tom Branson (Allen Leech), as well as beloved servants, Anna (Joanne Froggatt) and Bates (Brendan Coyle), and butler Mr. Carson (Jim Carter) and housekeeper Mrs. Hughes (Phyllis Logan), and more. There are also returns of earlier characters who have gone on to other things, like Thomas Barrow (Robert James-Collier), now a theatrical director, and movie star Guy Dexter (Dominic West), who have arrived with playwright Noel Coward (Arty Froushan).

Fellowes weaves the story elements together well, and director Simon Curtis gives us plenty of eye candy with elegant fashions, particularly on Michelle Dockery as Lady Mary, and shots of gorgeous locations and period decor, as the aristocratic Crawley family makes the rounds of upper crust London, back home at Downton Abbey, and capped with a trip to Ascot. Meanwhile, the servants’ lives are working out well, with many set to retire to comfortable cottages and with their newfound spouses, and a country fair sequence near the end lets everyone mingle.

This final chapter captures all the charm of the series, TV and film, and even gives a grand outing at the Ascot races as a last big splashy fling, and ties up all the stories nicely. In fact, this third film is better than the last one as storytelling. The show’s creator Julian Fellowes cleverly sets this final chapter in 1930, not long after the stock market crash of October 1929 that began the Great Depression but before its effects are yet widely felt. That choice puts the characters in a comfortable bubble, where they are unaware of the economic hardships ahead, although viewers are aware that the old high life is coming to an end. The early 1930 time period allows the audience to enjoy a bit more of the fashions and fun of the Downton Abbey world before the darkness of the 1930s Great Depression really descends on their world.

While there are twists and surprises, some tight spots and difficult moments, enough to give the film some tension, things are generally tied up nicely by the story’s end, leaving the audience satisfied that the characters’ lives, while profoundly changed, will go on, with no need for a sequel.

DOWNTON ABBEY THE GRAND FINALE opens in theaters on Friday, Sept. 12, 2025.

RATING: 3 out of 4 stars

See Tom Hanks And Robin Wright In First Look For Robert Zemeckis’ HERE

Tom Hanks and Robin Wright star in HERE.

Opening theater this fall, and during awards season, is the upcoming movie HERE.

Reuniting the director, writer and stars of Forrest Gump, HERE is an original film about multiple families and a special place they inhabit. The story travels through generations, capturing the most relatable of human experiences. Robert Zemeckis (Forrest Gump, Castaway, Who Framed Roger Rabbit, Contact, Back to the Future) directs from a screenplay by Eric Roth (Forrest Gump, Killers of the Flower Moon, Dune, A Star is Born) and him.

Watch the trailer now.

Told much in the style of the acclaimed graphic novel by Richard McGuire on which it is based, Tom Hanks and Robin Wright star in a tale of love, loss, laughter and life, all of which happen right HERE.

Sony Pictures has also released a second video in which Zemeckis, Wright and Hanks discuss their latest collaboration.

The cast includes Tom Hanks, Robin Wright, Kelly Reilly, Michelle Dockery and Paul Bettany.

HERE opens on November 15, 2024.

This film is rated PG-13 by the Motion Picture Association for the following reasons: thematic material, some suggestive material, brief strong language and smoking.

FLIGHT RISK Trailer Stars Mark Wahlberg As A Bald Hitman

Michelle Dockery as Madolyn and Mark Wahlberg as Daryl in Flight Risk. Photo Credit: Courtesy of Lionsgate

Here’s your first look at Lionsgate’s upcoming movie FLIGHT RISK.

In this high-stakes suspense thriller, Academy Award nominee Mark Wahlberg (Actor in a Supporting Role, 2006 – The Departed) plays a pilot transporting an Air Marshal (Michelle Dockery) accompanying a fugitive (Topher Grace) to trial. As they cross the Alaskan wilderness, tensions soar and trust is tested, as not everyone on board is who they seem.

From Oscar Winning Director Mel Gibson (BRAVEHEART, HACKSAW RIDGE), check out the brand new trailer below.

FLIGHT RISK opens in theaters October 18.

BOY KILLS WORLD – Review

Whew, it’s not even May, and the cinematic “body count” rises up considerably with another lone, determined warrior facing nearly insurmountable odds. I suppose this is more of the “JOHN WICK” effect, as filmmakers try to “up the ante” and deliver a flick with near wall-to-wall frenetic action. So far this year we’ve gone from the spy showdowns of ARGYLE to the avenger of the elderly THE BEEKEEPER, and winding up a couple of weeks ago with the manic MONKEY MAN (not to mention the ballistic ballerina ABIGAIL and THE MINISTRY OF UNGENTLEMANLY WARFARE, which wasn’t shown to the press). For this week’s thriller we’re sent to a near future time in an exotic foreign land as, in a nod either to old Variety newspaper headlines or the beloved ABC TGIF sitcom, BOY KILLS WORLD.

And it is a nasty dystopian world for the preteen boy (Cameron and Nicholas Crovetti), who is being trained in the jungle by the surly, “slave-driving” Shaman (Yayan Ruhian). And just what is he being trained for? Revenge, natch’, against the leader (mayor, or perhaps president) of the nearby city-state Hilda Van Der Koy (Famke Janssen). It seems there’s been an annual event during her 25 years in office, a big ceremony/celebration known as “The Culling”. Basically, her thug army rounds up a dozen or so troublemakers for a public execution. Recently Hilda took out the boy’s kid sister Mina and their underground rebel mother. Somehow the Shaman whisked the boy into the woods and deprived him of his hearing and speech before the mentoring began. The years pass and the lad becomes an adult (Bill Skarsgard). He and the Shaman head to the city’s market on “Culling Eve” and witness an attack on the populace by Hilda’s forces led by her flashy, sleazy spokesman son-in-law Gideon (Sharlito Copley) and her speech-writing son Glen (Bret Gelman). During the melee, the “Boy” breaks from the Shaman and makes his way to a secret hidden weapons factory. After a furious battle, he teams with an enslaved worker, Basho (Andrew Koji) and the last of the “resistance” Benny (Isaiah Mustafa) to infiltrate the Van Der Koy mansion. But do they stand a chance against the minions commanded by daughter Melanie (Michelle Dockery) and spearheaded by the mysterious, savage June 27 (Jessica Rothe)? Maybe, if the boy can ignore the taunts of the ghost of his kid sister Mina (Quinn Copeland) and heed his inner voice (H. Jon Benjamin)…

After terrifying audiences as the child-killing clown Pennywise in the recent pair of IT flicks, Skarsgard puts those expressive dark eyes to good use as the film’s silent “wrecking ball”. And he communicates thoroughly whether he’s filled with adrenaline prior to battle, or must quickly formulate a new plan as things inevitably go awry. Most importantly Skarsgard conveys Boy’s sadness and his yearning for a time before the violence and the heartbreaking loss. We see that in his scenes with Copeland who goes from cute to snarky to coldly savage as the ghostly kid sister Mina (perhaps a nod to the Dracula heroine). The actors having the most fun might be the crew playing members of the Van Der Koy dynasty. Dockery is pure unbridled ambition as the calculating Melanie. Gelman is an erudite murderous “poison pen” as the pompous scribe Glen, a great sparring partner with the equally arrogant “showboat” Gideon. But none are more chilling than Mama played as an unpredictable unhinged “hair-trigger” by the aloof, slinky Janssen. Though he’s teaching and aiding the boy in his quest for justice, Ruhian could also be considered a “bad guy” as he appears to delight in his tasks of torture and agony. Rothe makes a compelling enforcer (with standards) as the enigmatic 6/27. And I must single out the snarky narration of Benjamin, mixing the Boy’s sense of wonder with the bravado of an old-style action hero.

Director Moritz Mohr, who co-wrote the film based upon his previous self-tittled short, has a kinetic frenetic visual style, which may be what attracted producer Sam Raimi (I’m sure his EVIL DEAD trilogy was an inspiration). He puts you right in the thick of the action as the camera seems to dance about the combatants, weaving in and out, leaving the viewer nearly spent after a big stunt sequence. Yes, the energy is up, but it becomes somewhat repetitive after a bit, even to the point of (sorry) “overkill”. Maybe it’s too soon after the superior MONKEY MAN, but the story seems to lurch between the big battle sequences. Yes, there are some very clever ideas, with “The Culling” mixing elements of THE HUNGER GAMES, THE PURGE, and a touch of THE RUNNING MAN and the visor on the helmet of June 27 projecting digital messages (“Back away”, “No kids” and, of course “F#$* you”). It adds to the casual inhuman cruelty of the Van Der Koys, who also seem to stand in for many despised “one-percenters”. And there are a few amusing “call-backs”, particularly Boy’s inability to read the lips of Benny, resulting in a strange deluge of nonsense words. But just as the script shows a bit of wit, we’re soon drowning in a sea of gore (the CGI plasma bursts quickly became stale), perhaps hitting its zenith with a tribute to the Black Night of MONTY PYTHON AND THE HOLY GRAIL (I kept waiting for the drug-fueled goon to shout, “None shall pass!”). Mohr tries to dazzle us with some third-act plot twists and reveals, but we’re too pummeled by the body count to really care. Even action flick junkies may feel as though they’ve been “over-served” by the indulgences and excess of BOY KILLS WORLD.

2.5 Out of 4

BOY KILLS WORLD is now playing in theatres everywhere

DOWNTON ABBEY: A NEW ERA – Review

Hugh Bonneville as the Earl of Grantham, Elizabeth McGovern as the Countess of Grantham and Laura Carmichael as Lady Edith Hexham, in DOWNTON ABBEY: A NEW ERA, a Focus Features release. Photo Credit: Ben Blackall / © 2022 Focus Features LLC

The saga of the aristocratic Crawley family continues with DOWNTON ABBEY: A NEW ERA, the second movie inspired by the hit British historical drama TV series by Julian Fellowes and featuring the same beloved cast. One does not have to have seen the first movie, or even the series, to follow along with the movie’s plot but you will missing out on a lot of the background details and meanings if you haven’t.

The TV show Julian Fellowes (GOSFORD PARK) created mixes history, drama and soap, as a family of English country aristocrats in Yorkshire, and their servants, face the changes of the early twentieth century, a time of major social and economic shifts for the class system and British society. That Downton Abbey’s story line followed both the upstairs and downstairs characters, their lives and loves, as the new century brings big changes, was, and remains, a key part of the series’ success, along with its fine mostly British cast that includes the venerable Maggie Smith as the wisecracking Dowager Countess, Penelope Wilton as her verbal sparring partner Isobel, Hugh Bonneville as the Earl of Grantham and Elizabeth McGovern as his American-born wife Cora. Lady Grantham. The series also offers up glorious manor houses, vintage cars, and fabulous 1920s costumes, along with plenty of period charm.

This new Downton film finds the Crawley household celebrating another wedding, of former chauffeur Tom Branson (Allen Leech) and newly-minted heiress Lucy (Tuppence Middleton). But attention quickly shifts away from the newly-weds, as the family learn of another development: the surprise inheritance of a country estate in the south of France by the Dowager (Maggie Smith), sparking lots of questions about her past – again. While the Earl of Grantham, Robert Crawley (Hugh Bonneville) and Lady Grantham, Cora Crawley (Elizabeth McGovern) and some family members prepare to visit the new estate in France, at the invitation of the Marquis de Montmirail (Jonathan Zaccai), the son of the man leaving the bequest, a movie company has offered a handsome fee for the use of the manor house for a film shoot, for a silent movie period drama starring matinee idol Guy Dexter (Dominic West), an offer too tempting for Lady Mary (Michelle Dockery) to refuse.

The second film delivers all the period gorgeousness fans expect and progresses all the characters’ stories nicely, tying up a few more romantic threads along the way. All the favorite characters are back except one, Matthew Goode as Lady Mary’s husband Henry Talbot. In the film, Henry is off doing car stuff, since Goode was not available because he was filming the Godfather mini-series “The Offer.” The characters look little changed from the last film, although Bonneville looks slimmer and more tanned than usual.

While either the movie crew story or the South of France story could have presented plentiful opportunities, doing both feels at first a bit like a misstep. The divided story lines send parts of the family and staff to different directions, to differing corners and split our focus. Yet Julian Fellowes brings them, and the family. back together nicely.

The scenes in France are particularly beautiful, providing a new lavish setting for posh partying, while the movie production story offers a bit of fun, with star-struck servants encountering the reality of stars they idolized on screen plus playful glimpses of silent and early sound film-making. The movie making story makes a nice little reference to Fellowes’ GOSFORD PARK, his film that was a kind of precursor to Downton. New romances and new life possibilities bloom under the lights at home and under the stars abroad, while the family also faces other, less happy changes.

This second movie ties up a lot of stories nicely, and could be a fitting final chapter, but Fellowes also leaves the door open a crack for a third movie, following some new threads or even spin offs of some character’s story lines. Either way, it provides an enjoyable, satisfying experience for fans of the series.

DOWNTON ABBEY: A NEW ERA opens in theaters on Friday, May 20.

RATING: 2.5 out of 4 stars

THE GENTLEMEN – Review

As THE IRISHMAN begins the home stretch to the Oscars are you in need of another mob movie fix? Like Scorsese, this director has a history of flicks about the “thug life” featuring guys and goons that can “lean” on anybody that gets in the way. Well, this is one quite a bit different as it’s not set on the mean streets of East Coast USA, but rather in swinging (like a pendulum do’) London, so it’s got an international flavor. Plus this flick expands past Picadilly into the country estates and castles (hitmen at Downton Abbey. oh dear). So it involves the elite, but people who don’t fret about getting blood spilled on those custom-tailored suits and gowns. Yet, somehow most of the world believes that these “goodfellas'” can still be called THE GENTLEMEN.

After a brief flashforward involving one of the plot principals, the story really begins on a dark night as Ray (Charlie Hunnan) discovers a most unwelcome visitor lurking in the shadows of his plush home. It’s a sleazy P.I. named Fletcher (Hugh Grant) and he’s got a business offer. He’s just finished a job for “Big” Dave (Eddie Marsan), editor of the popular tabloid the Daily Print, digging up lots of “dirt’ on Ray’s boss, “cannabis king” Mickey Pearson (Matthew McConaughey). But Ray can buy it all from Fletcher before it sees print. Of course, Ray needs a hint at what he’d be buying. We get the backstory on Mick: born to poor parents in Florida, USA he wins a Rhodes Scholarship at Oxford, where he balances his studies with a lucrative pot-selling “side hustle”. He amasses a “weed” empire, deciding to put down roots in the UK by marrying the gorgeous Rosalind (Michelle Dockery). They rub elbows with the highest of high society, which answers one of the mysteries about him. Namely, where does he grow and produce his “primo” product”? He attracts the attention of another rich Yank, Matthew Berger (Jeremy Strong), who intends to buy the operation. Luckily Mickey wants to start a family, so after naming a hefty price tag he lets Berger in on the big secret. Mickey has made deals with the cash-strapped “upper-elites” (the Earls, Lords, etc.) to set up underground greenhouses on their secured properties. Mickey even takes Matthew to visit one. Then word leaks out about Mickey’s retirement. An ambitious young mobster from the East, Dry Eye (Henry Golding) makes an offer that’s is quickly rejected by Mickey. Then that secret “bush” locale is hit by a bunch of young thugs. Throw in a tough boxing coach named, well, Coach (Colin Farrell), and the drug-addled daughter of royalty, and it’s starting to look as though Mickey will never “get out”. But just how much evidence does Fletcher have? And will Ray convince his boss to buy it?

A stellar cast has been assembled for this crime caper with Oscar-winner McConaughey front and center as the American who’s just as sophisticated and cultured as any of the native brits (well, really more so than most in this tale). He seems to be channeling more of this TV ad persona (you’ve seen those baffling car ad in which he’s featured) than most of his screen work (Mickey is almost the inverse of the yahoos in GOLD, MAGIC MIKE, and even DALLAS BUYERS CLUB). He’s smooth as silk, only creasing his GQ ensembles when someone disrespects him. Or when he’s around his wife. Much like Gomez in THE ADDAMS FAMILY his Mickey is hopelessly enamored of the ravishing Rosalyn played with a smoldering tough sensibility by Dockery, who seems ecstatic to be out of the Downton finery. Another “happy camper” is Grant who can barely contain his joy in being cast as the skeevy, pervy (his threats to Ray are mixed with aggressive flirtations) private eye. He flits about the screen like a mischievous imp as he spins a tale of double-crossing and deceit. Farrell is quite entertaining as the gruff, no-nonsense Coach who only gets his hands dirty in order to protect his beloved “lads”. Speaking of dirtying your hands, Goulding appears to relish his turn as the scowling, always plotting Dry Eye, who seethes as he’s denied a seat at the “adults’ table”. Strong scores as the somewhat foppish (not quite the fashion plate as Mickey), but dangerously brilliant (at least two steps ahead) Berger. And as Mickey’s #1, Hunnam is everything you’d want in a right-hand man, though he’s got a real cleanliness mania, whether it’s Fletcher removing his shoes or having to go into a high-rise drug “nest”. Filth is this tough guy’s Kryptonite.

This flick marks sort of a homecoming, or at least a return to his roots, of director Guy Ritchie, who also wrote the screenplay with a story assist from Ivan Atkinson and Marn Davies. In the dozen years since ROCKNROLLA Ritchie has bounced about from the RDJ Sherlock HOLMES franchise, to franchise wannabe THE MAN FROM U.N.C.L.E., to the darned near-unwatchable KING ARTHUR: LEGEND OF THE SWORD, to last Summer’s fairly sanitized ALADDIN (though not the worst of the live-action reboots). He’s back in his “comfort zone” and his “home turf” as he keeps the action zipping briskly along while throwing us many unexpected curves and bits of inspired hilarity (Old MacDonald will never sound the same). Ritchie even throws in some satiric jabs at his own profession as Fletcher indulges his own cinematic aspirations (he includes a screenplay in his blackmail package). And he still has a taste for film making flourishes, slowing down the actions, speeding scenes in reverse, along with creating a rap music YouTube street-fighting video. Sure he still peppers the script with “F-bombs” (and being in the UK there are “C-bombs”) and blood, though he saves the gore to make the most impact. And there’s even a nice tribute to the recently departed, much-missed “Mr. Creosote”. Needless to say, the fancy mansion and wardrobes are quite dazzling. To sum things up, THE GENTLEMEN is an unpredictable, most welcome return to the lowlife and high-class law-breakers in Guy Ritchie’s London underworld.

3 Out of 4

DOWNTON ABBEY – Review

*Elizabeth McGovern stars as Lady Grantham and Hugh Bonneville as Lord Grantham and in DOWNTON ABBEY, a Focus Features release. Credit: Jaap Buitendijk / © 2019 Focus Features, LLC*

Fans of the highly-praised British historical TV series will welcome the return of DOWNTON ABBEY but this return to the lavish, high-fashion1920s and the entertaining aristocratic Crawley family, and their equally-entertaining resourceful servants, delivers delights for those who are not familiar with the popular show as well. The movie picks up not too long after the end of the series, as the Crawley family prepares for an overnight visit by the king and queen, a treat that sends everyone, upstairs and down, scrambling to make sure everything is perfect. The royal visit creates a focus to revisit the characters, and once again experience the show’s mix of snappy dialog, colorful personalities, and social commentary in a time of momentous change.

A lot could have gone wrong in translating this beloved British historical series to the big screen but creator/co-writer Julian Fellowes gets everything right. Rather than recapping the whole series in a movie, he just builds on where the series left off, revisiting the memorable characters as they continue their journeys, but adding just enough background to bring newcomers up to speed without slowing things down for long-time Downton Abbey fans.

Julian Fellowes built on ideas he introduced in his film GOSFORD PARK in creating the original DOWNTON ABBEY television show, which aired in the U.S. on PBS. The original series combined elements from earlier BBC class-divide dramas like “Upstairs, Downstairs” with a focus on the enormous social, political and economic changes that Britain experienced in the early 20th century, as the old aristocratic system gave way to a more democratic one, women asserted their rights, Ireland clamored for freedom, and technology and fashions entered a period of dazzling change. But the series spiked these serious changes with the some sparkling, pointed dialog and memorable characters, making it an enjoyable and fascinating journey.

The show followed one aristocratic family, the Crawleys, headed by a minor earl of a country estate and the family’s servants as the household of grand Downton Abbey weathers the tumultuous social and political changes of the early 20th century following World War I. While the family faces some economic challenges as the old aristocratic economic model fades, the story ends in the economic boom of the 1920s, before the Great Depression that followed the 1929 crash.

The Crawley family – and their servants – always were an independent, even prickly, bunch, with sibling rivalries and clashing personalities keeping us amused. The TV series’ story started shortly after the sinking of the Titanic, and follow the upstairs and downstairs residents of Downton Abbey in the daily lives against the backdrop of historic changes, The Earl of Grantham, Robert Crawley (Hugh Bonneville), his American heiress wife Cora (Elizabeth McGovern) and their daughters, saw their leisurely lives of fox hunts and formal dances are transformed into a more active, participatory one demanded by new economic realities and costs of running their grand estate. At the same time, there was a family saga of conflicts and change, romance and tragedy. Of course, it is not all about the aristocratic Crawley family but the lives of their servants, anchored by butler Mr Carson (Jim Carter) and head housekeeper Mrs. Hughes (Phyllis Logan), as they all face changing times, with plenty of clashes, romances and heartbreak of their own.

Sharp, clever dialog was always part of the fun of this series,, as well as memorable characters and outstanding story arcs. The series dealt with serious matters like women’s issues, Irish independence, gay issues, and the breaking down of old class barriers, but it also offered a bunch of great characters and a fair dose of clever, often humor-twinged dialog, so it was just fun to watch. Maggie Smith became a fan favorite in particular, with her famous zingers as the family’s matriarch, the sharp tongued Dowager Countess.

The series’ blend of history, social commentary and family drama proved a potent mix that drew in millions of viewers but it did not hurt that this story takes place in the 1910s-1920s, a period filled with some of history’s most gorgeous fashions, plus elegant cars, and opulent mansions. Period sets were posh and the series was filmed in some wonderful British locations, not the least of which is Highclere Castle, the real country estate that plays Downton Abbey in the movie and series.

All that good stuff, and the cast, are back in this movie version. While the series often dealt with serious topics, alternating with indulging in sheer period lushness, the movie keeps things on the lighter side, focusing on giving the audience all the glittering 20’s fashions, stylish roadsters, and posh settings you could want. Still, a few social topics crop up and the beloved characters return to work out those issues and their relationships, just as fans hope.

The film gives just enough background to help newbies catch on, without bogging down the story in too much detail. The preparations for the royal visit creates enough conflict and tension to bring old battles to the fore, while also giving the family and their loyal staff something to rally around, in support of the grand house. And Highclere Castle is still ready for its close-up, as are all the folks in Downton Abbey.

It is not just the amazing Maggie Smith who shines again in this movie version, but the whole returning cast. Back in high style as the Earl and Countess of Grantham are Hugh Bonneville and Elizabeth McGovern, who like her character is an American ex-pat who long has lived in England, Also back are sniping sisters Lady Mary (Michelle Dockery), sharp-tongued like her grandma, and milder Lady Edith (Laura Carmichael), now finally enjoying some personal happiness in her marriage to an influential aristocrat. As in the series, Lady Mary is often in charge upstairs but the servants run much of the real show.

Returning are Brendon Coyle as manservant Bates and Joanne Froggatt as lady’s maid Anna, whose romance electrified several seasons, and so are the wonderful butler Carson (Jim Carter), now retired, and the complicated, gay Barrow (Robert James-Collier), now butler, who butt heads over the royal visit. Feisty cook Mrs Patmore (Leslie Nicol) and her rebellious assistant Daisy (Sophie McShera) are back to heat up the kitchen, while Branson (Allen Leach), the Irish chauffeur who married a Crawley daughter, still grapples with conflicted feelings about his place in the world. Adding to this rich stew is Imelda Stanton as a Crawley cousin who is a lady-in-waiting to the queen, and who has long-running beef with Smith’s dowager countess. Meanwhile, worthy opponent Penelope Wilton, as in-law Isobel Merton, still trades barbs with the incomparable Smith. You know sparks, and zingers, will fly. All this talented cast shine, as does the film’s writing.

A DOWNTON ABBEY movie was not really needed, as the series was tied up nicely at the end, nor is this any kind of ground-breaking film, but it is a pleasant, entertaining experience, one well worth the time. The return visit is nice for fans, and the movie was perfectly crafted for that purpose, but the film was enjoyable enough that it might draw a few new fans to the old series. Filled with great characters crafted by talented actors, sparkling snappy dialog, a brisk pace and delightful period settings, DOWNTON ABBEY is pure delight for fans of the award-winning series and any audience who enjoys period films. DOWNTON ABBEY opens Friday, Sept. 20, at the Landmark’s Plaza Frontenac Cinema.

RATING: 3 1/2 out of 4 stars

New Photos From CBS Films’ THE SENSE OF AN ENDING – Stars Jim Broadbent, Michelle Dockery, Emily Mortimer And Charlotte Rampling

Take a trip down memory lane with new photos from CBS Films’ THE SENSE OF AN ENDING starring Academy Award winner Jim Broadbent, Harriet Walter, Michelle Dockery, and Emily Mortimer, alongside Charlotte Rampling. The new drama, directed by Ritesh Batra (The Lunchbox, Netflix’s Our Souls At Night), opens in select theaters March 10.

Read Variety’s review from the Palm Springs Intl. Film Festival HERE.

Starring Academy Award winner JIM BROADBENT (Iris, Gangs of New York, Moulin Rouge!), HARRIET WALTER (Babel, Atonement, Sense and Sensibility), MICHELLE DOCKERY (Babel, Atonement, Sense and Sensibility), EMILY MORTIMER (Shutter Island, Hugo, Lars and the Real Girl), BILLY HOWLE (The Witness for the Prosecution, Cider with Rosie, Glue), JOE ALWYN (Billy Lynn’s Long Halftime Walk, Higher Education, Keepers), FREYA MAVOR (The Lady in the Car with Glasses and a Gun, Sunshine on Leith, Skins), MATTHEW GOODE (The Imitation Game, Belle) and CHARLOTTE RAMPLING (45 Years, Melancholia).

Tony Webster (Broadbent) leads a reclusive and quiet existence until long buried secrets from his past force him to face the flawed recollections of his younger self, the truth about his first love (Rampling) and the devastating consequences of decisions made a lifetime ago.

Adapted for the screen by award-winning playwright Nick Payne and produced by David Thompson and Ed Rubin (Woman In Gold).

Visit the official site: http://cbsfilms.com/thesenseofanending/

https://www.facebook.com/senseofanendingmovie/

Charlotte Rampling And Jim Broadbent Star In First Trailer For THE SENSE OF AN ENDING

CBS Films has released a powerful first trailer for the upcoming drama THE SENSE OF AN ENDING, directed by Ritesh Batra (THE LUNCHBOX).

The film stars Academy Award winner Jim Broadbent (Iris, Gangs of New York, Moulin Rouge!), HarrietWalter (Babel, Atonement, Sense and Sensibility), Michelle Dockery (Babel, Atonement, Sense and Sensibility), EmilyMortimer (Shutter Island, Hugo, Lars and the Real Girl), BillyHowle (The Witness for the Prosecution, Cider with Rosie, Glue), Joe Alwyn (Billy Lynn’s Long Halftime Walk, Higher Education, Keepers), Freya Mavor (The Lady in the Car with Glasses and a Gun, Sunshine on Leith, Skins), Matthew Goode (The Imitation Game, Belle) and Charlotte Rampling (45 Years, Melancholia).

Adapted for the screen by award-winning playwright Nick Payne and produced by David Thompson and Ed Rubin (Woman In Gold).

Variety recently listed the Indian director (English-language debut) on its 10 Directors to Watch for 2016.

http://variety.com/2016/film/festivals/10-directors-to-watch-2017-variety-barry-jenkins-1201929407/

THE SENSE OF AN ENDING will open in select cheaters March 10.

Video: Fish Learns to Fetch Like a Puppy from SELF/LESS Movie

Have you seen the trending video of the fish playing fetch that was all over the internet last week? The viral video was courtesy of the new sci-fi thriller SELF/LESS, from Gramercy Pictures.

The movie, which releases on Friday, July 10th, features a fictional science process known as “shedding” which enables consciousness transfer from one person to the body of another, unlocking the key to human immortality.

The studio created a series of Youtube videos showcasing the results of a shedding experiment on animals by the fictional company Phoenix Biogenic, founded by Dr. Albright who’s brilliance created the shedding procedure. Although, shedding is currently a science fiction, it can soon become reality.

The first video, “fish play fetch like a dog”, launched on 6/22. It was viewed by more than 1.4MM people across social media channels in eight days and was picked up by more than 75 viral sites.

The videos lived on a Youtube channel called sillyrabbit1983:

Don’t miss sillyrabbit1983’s newest video featuring a cat feeding a group of baby birds like it’s their mother here.

Check out our contest HERE.

Adapt to your new physical form in Gramercy Pictures’ SELF/LESS!

The film Ryan Reynolds, Natalie Martinez, Matthew Goode, Victor Garber, Derek Luke, Michelle Dockery, and Academy Award winner Sir Ben Kingsley opens in theaters nationwide Friday, July 10th.

In this provocative psychological science fiction thriller, an extremely wealthy man (Academy Award winner Ben Kingsley) dying from cancer undergoes a radical medical procedure that transfers his consciousness into the body of a healthy young man (Ryan Reynolds). But all is not as it seems when he starts to uncover the mystery of the body’s origin and the organization that will kill to protect its cause.

This film has been rated PG-13 (for sequences of violence, some sexuality, and language)

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