Elizabeth I

Watched Elizabeth I over the weekend, an HBO two-part mini-series. Helen Mirren deserves all the accolades showered on her in the past year. She gives a definitive portray of the most popular monarch of Britain over the centuries. The indecisive and temperamental nature of Elizabeth I, as well as her legendary (or notoriously known) affairs with the Earl of Leicester and subsequently the Earl of Essex are intimately depicted on the screen, breathing life into an otherwise stern-looking Empress. I have watched more than a few shows/films/theatrical dramas about kings and queens in the last couple years and have come to realize that perhaps taking the throne is the worst profession one can imagine, unless you fancy constantly being subject to usurping plots or having a bullseye trained on you 24/7, or you simply decide to be a tyrant and have a truly great time (who can blame you?!) The direction and cinematography are excellent. The supporting cast (Jeremy Irons, Patrick Malahide & Ian McDiarmid, to name but a few) are equally brilliant.