Thursday Movie Picks: The Renaissance


Hello and welcome back to Thursday Movie Picks, the weekly series hosted by Wandering Through the Shelves where you share three movies to fit the theme of the week each Thursday.

It's Renaissance week aka that period going from the 14th (1301) to 17th (1700) century aka the week that drove me insane because I couldn't think of any film that fit the theme - it does have to be set in Europe, right? Anyway, I'm sure there are a lot of great ones, like those Elizabeth movies with Cate Blanchett I'm yet to see, I just picked the first three movies that came to my mind and that I could remember how I felt about. 

The Hunchback of Notre Dame (1996)

Gipsy dancer Esmeralda has to assert her independence in order to help and save his deformed bell-ringer friend Quasimodo from the evil Minister of Justice Frollo. I think this is one of the darkest/more dramatic Disney films, but it has been one of my favourites since I was a kid and I still love it.

Your Highness (2011)

When his bride is kidnapped, Prince Fabious goes on a quest to rescue her accompanied by his lazy and useless brother Thadeous. I only watched this because of James Franco and Natalie Portman but if I knew what I was getting myself into, I wouldn't have done it. It is just a dumb movie, not really funny and definitely not entertaining. 

Assassin's Creed (2016)

With the hep of a machine, Callum Lynch explores the memories of his ancestor Aguilar, discovers he is a descendant of the secret Assassins society and amasses knowledge and skills to take on the Templar organization in the present day. This film was a huge disappointment, but it wasn't terrible. The filmmakers just decided to focus on the wrong story, they preferred present day over the past which was a real shame. 
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14 comments :

  1. Brittani Burnham18 May 2017 at 13:53

    The Hunchback is one of my favorite Disney movies too. Your Highness I barely remember now. I only remember that it wasn't as funny as Pinapple Express.

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    1. Sonia Cerca18 May 2017 at 16:11

      Agree, I loved Pineapple Express. I think it's my favourite dumb movie.

      Delete
  2. Birgit18 May 2017 at 18:25

    I haven't seen any of these. I love the Hunchback films-the silent version, the 1939 version and then there is the 1942(?) version and a 1962(?) version. My favourite is the 1939 version so I can't get into that the Hunchback sings. It sounds like it would be Disneyfied. I think I will skip Your Highness. Not sure about Assassin's Creed...sounds interesting

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    1. Sonia Cerca18 May 2017 at 20:09

      I haven't seen the others, but I think you'd like the Disney version.

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  3. joel6591318 May 2017 at 20:11

    I haven't seen this version of the Hunchback, animated films just aren't my thing, but loved the Charles Laughton/Maureen O'Hara version and it's a solid story and great fit for the theme.

    Your Highness was just the dumbest movie with barely a redeeming feature. I've stayed away from Assassin's Creed since despite its cast I've heard nothing but negative word of mouth.

    I got a chuckle from your question about Renaissance films having to be set in Europe since when I went searching I had the same thought and all mine are but I've seen several set in what at that time was the New World and realized that works as well.

    The Advocate aka The Hour of the Pig (1993)-Richard Courtois (Colin Firth) a lawyer in 15th century France tired of the chicanery and lawlessness of Paris moves to the small rural town Abbeville along with his clerk Mathieu (Jim Carter) when he’s offered a job as a public defender. This being a period when animals were held accountable for crimes with the same punishments handed out to humans he soon finds himself defending a pig accused of murdering a Jewish boy. Pitted against a determined prosecutor (Donald Pleasance) and Catholic priest (Ian Holm), Richard defends the animal and becomes enamored of its owner, beautiful gypsy Samira (Amina Annabi). Along the way he finds out about the strange goings on behind the doors of the seemingly tame townspeople. The medieval justice system and local superstitions mingle as the case plays out. A strange and quirky film this is based on the journal of an actual barrister of the period.

    Queen Margot (1994)-Dark and dire tale of the 16th century religious battle between the Catholics and the Huguenots for control of France. King Charles IX and his mother the dower queen Catherine de ’Medici (a simply sensational and scary Virna Lisi as a merciless woman whose soul has turned to dust) offer the Princess Margot (Isabelle Adjani-brilliant) to the Protestant King of Navarre in marriage as a political pawn. Trapped and unhappy Margot soon starts an affair with a soldier (Vincent Perez) as her mother orchestrates the St. Bartholomew’s Day massacre of thousands of Huguenots as well as murderous intrigues to place her other son on the Navarre throne. Blood splattered revenges and double crosses follow.

    Quentin Durward (1955)-Plush version of Sir Walter Scott’s tale of a Scottish knight, the Quentin of the title (Robert Taylor) sent to France by his cash strapped uncle to propose to a wealthy and titled lady, the fair Isabelle (Kay Kendall) who is at the moment at the castle of King Louis XI (the amusing Robert Morley-owner of the stupidest looking crown in any movie ever). Once arrived there is intrigue aplenty with attacks and sword fights including one where the protagonists dangle from bell tower ropes inside a burning church. Entertaining derring-do was one of the few leads that the luminous Kay Kendall had before leukemia claimed her at 33.

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    1. Sonia Cerca18 May 2017 at 20:41

      I really want to see the version with Laughton of the Hunchback, everyone says it's great.

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  4. Myerla18 May 2017 at 21:01

    I am hoping that they don't have to be set in Europe also because on of my picks is set in Japan. I've only seen your bottom picks, I've seen your heighness twice but the second time was more enjoyable...maybe because I was drunk.

    I agree with your assessment on AC...too much time spent in the present day.

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    1. Sonia Cerca18 May 2017 at 21:22

      Thanks, now I feel the need to get drunk and rewatch Your Highness.

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  5. Dell19 May 2017 at 07:32

    I'm drawing a lot of blanks this one. Haven't seen any of these, except for bits and pieces of The Hunchback of Notre Dame.

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    1. Sonia Cerca19 May 2017 at 17:43

      Not a big loss. The Hunchback is good, but the other two are very forgettable.

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  6. acrosstheuniversepodcast24 May 2017 at 15:25

    Haha, just seeing the poster for Your Highness I wanted to see it, but good thing you warned us not to. I haven't seen Assassin's Creed but seems like the game is a lot better. Finally, Hunchback is nice but I have to re-watch it to remember it better :)

    -Mette

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    1. Sonia Cerca24 May 2017 at 17:19

      The Assassin's Creed game is way better!

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  7. Wanderer25 May 2017 at 21:14

    I have seen Your Highness...and yeah it's dumb.

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    1. Sonia Cerca27 May 2017 at 14:28

      Can't expect any better from that cast though

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