Elizabeth

I have recently been enjoying the Showtime original series The Tudors, which chronicles the life and marriages of Henry VIII. I LOVE this show and am fascinated with the story...especially considering that most of these events really happened. I understand it is not completely factual, but most of the main plot lines are very factual and it is simply the creative styling of the writers that makes the show more interesting. My point is, since I have been watching this show, I have become obsessed with the time period, and so I was very excited to watch Elizabeth. The cast was fabulous, the costumes were incredible, and the story was classic. I have some complaints about the movie, but I would not say they are flaws regarding the acting, directing, or writing. They are more about the actual story, which is basically true, so I can't really complain about it. I'm going to try to not give away any important aspects of the film while I explain why I felt disappointed in the end. I was traumatized by the Queen's love history...and her eventual decision as to her future love life. I also felt that Geoffrey Rush's character was evil, evil, evil the entire movie, but in retrospect, I do not think that was the impression that the directors wanted him to make. I was also a little confused by the timeline as I read more about the story after viewing the movie. While I was watching, it appeared as if the entire film spanned a time frame of a few months, but it actually covers several years. That information would have been helpful. But overall, I felt this film was majestically made and was an excellent portrayal of the time period. I give it 4 pigs...a definite must see.