Reviews
SWITCH.

SWITCH.

November 15, 2020
8.0
Much like its protagonist, 'Ammonite' is a film that initially keeps you at a distance - but this is a deliberate decision, one that makes the embrace of the final act all the more powerful. This isn't a sweeping story of passionate love, but a journey back to love, and a journey with an unexpected destination. Perhaps what Mary is looking for - the true fossil she is trying to uncover within herself - is not the connection of another person but the connection with herself, a forgotten part of herself long-buried or taken away. Charlotte is the path to that salvation, and in turn, is led out of the darkness herself, returned to a kind of love and passion thought lost, and giddy at the finding of it. 'Ammonite' is such a beautiful, soulful and intelligent film, made with honesty, integrity and an unexpected sense of humour that breaks through the rock encasing it. It confirms that our faith in Francis Lee is well-founded, and offers yet another classic queer drama that pushes against the expectations of the kinds of lives these films can explore. - Daniel Lammin Read Daniel's full article... https://www.maketheswitch.com.au/article/review-ammonite-francis-lee-delivers-another-beautiful-portrait-of-love-and-longing
Peter McGinn

Peter McGinn

May 19, 2021
9.0
As entertainment, I enjoyed watching Ammonite. The protagonist, Mary Anning, is an intriguing woman. She is prickly and somewhat anti-social, at least to strangers. Yet she puts up with oppressive behavior by her mother, perhaps to keep the peace or because they are family. She is dedicated to her pursuit of science through paleontology, but also pays the bills by creating what amount to trinkets to sell to tourists. She is interesting, which isn’t a bad thing in a main character. But Mary Anning was a real person, and as such, the filmmakers “elevated” her story by involving her in a lesbian relationship that was not supported by any historical evidence. This is what movies do, and it does add to the plot, though it was small consolation to a descendant of Mary Anning, who questioned whether it was polite to the historical figure to do so. I am reminded of the movie Cinderella Man, directed by the talented Ron Howard, where boxer Max Baer’s son protested because Howard had made Max more vicious than he was. Baer was playful and even boxers he fought liked him outside the ring. But this is what directors do. One possible result of that added subplot is the enigmatic ending. We are left wondering about the ultimate relationship of the two women, and perhaps that is at least partly because history is so vague on Mary Anning’s sexuality in general. But this is not a documentary; it is a biopic, a different animal altogether, as I alluded to it above. If this movie hadn’t’t been made, flawed factual details in all, I would never have heard of Mary Anning at all. So I think her legacy and her place in history is ultimately improved by the film. Sometimes, in fact, a popular biopic leads to increased interest and attention for a historical character. That can’t be a bad thing, can it?
CinemaSerf

CinemaSerf

March 27, 2022
6.0
This is a beautifully crafted piece of work from Francis Lee and Stéphane Fontaine that depicts the rather downtrodden existence of 19th century English paleontologist Mary Anning (Kate Winslet) who spends much of her time combing the beach for shells and fossils that she restores and sells in a small shop she shares with her ailing mother (Gemma Jones). The arrival of the enthusiastic Roderick Murchison (James McArdle) and his wife Charlotte (Saoirse Ronan) changes her pretty breadline, dreary, routine as he, initially, pays her to show him how to spot the ammonite but then leaves his poorly wife in her care to recuperate from an as yet undefined malady. The story is essentially about how the two women bond, and about how that bond intensifies and it features two very strong performances from the leads who struggle with their delicately smouldering relationship. Together with Lee, they manage to deliver a sense of their longing in a largely un-passionate - yet not sterile - fashion. The snag is that the film really, really, lacks pace and characterisation. It's not that is needs to be a full-on sex-fest, it's that their dialogue is sparing to the point of frugality. Why do they bond? At times their affinity is hard to fathom; terse even - and there is a maternal affinity that seems to compromise the potency of their chemistry as people who are falling in love. There are a couple touching contributions from Fiona Shaw and Gemma Jones (sort of reprises her role from "God's Own Country" (2017)) and there is an explicit swipe at the male-driven scientific community that did it's best to discourage/ignore the obvious skills possessed by Anning, but as a film for the big screen it just lacks depth - we are left to guess/assume way too much and it left me feeling just a bit empty.

Recommendation Movies

The World to Come2021
7.5
Music
View
7.5
David Byrne's American Utopia
David Byrne's American Utopia2020
6.3
Drama
View
6.3
Whatever Happened to My Revolution
Whatever Happened to My Revolution2019
6.7
Documentary
View
6.7
Made You Look: A True Story About Fake Art
Made You Look: A True Story About Fake Art2020
5.2
Drama
View
5.2
The Mountain
The Mountain2019
7.1
Action
View
7.1
Shark: The Beginning
Shark: The Beginning2021
7.5
Animation
View
7.5
Doraemon: Nobita's New Dinosaur
Doraemon: Nobita's New Dinosaur2020
6.2
Romance
View
6.2
Wander Darkly
Wander Darkly2020
6.1
History
View
6.1
Wild Nights with Emily
Wild Nights with Emily2018
7.1
Documentary
View
7.1
The Punk Syndrome
The Punk Syndrome2012
7.2
Animation
View
7.2
Crayon Shin-chan: Pursuit of the Balls of Darkness
Crayon Shin-chan: Pursuit of the Balls of Darkness1997
6.6
Drama
View
6.6
Leap
Leap2020
7.5
Drama
View
7.5
Another Child
Another Child2019
6.6
Drama
View
6.6
Peas at 5:30
Peas at 5:302004
5.8
Drama
View
5.8
Affinity
Affinity2008
6.4
Comedy
View
6.4
Mister America
Mister America2019
6.1
Drama
View
6.1
Traveller
Traveller1998
6.9
Comedy
View
6.9
Pegando con tubo
Pegando con tubo1961
5.2
Animation
View
5.2
Watermelon: A Cautionary Tale
Watermelon: A Cautionary Tale2019
© 2024 MoovieTime. All rights reserved.Made with Nuxt