From Time To Time

I loved every minute of this movie, to me it was perfect. The atmospheric score was a masterpiece, reminds me of The Others which has been my all-time favorite for years, I've watched it a dozen times, always hoping for a different ending LOL. Not a single complaint about anything in Time to Time, no bloopers., fast paced and suspenseful. I love fantasy and time travel movies and books that are clean with no offensive language or sex, it's hard to find anything these days that I truly enjoy. I've watched it twice and picked up details the 2nd time I missed the first time - every movie I really like I watch multiple times. The other #1 movie on my current list is a similar story called Angel for May set in the same time period. The Brits just know how to do it so much better than the US! I'm going to re-watch both of them today while I'm sewing in the craft room!

Some movies have that quality that you can like good music revisit in any number of times...it is the stuff classics are made of...like the "Lord of the Ring" series or Wizard of Oz. You can see them several years later and somehow still fresh...like Jane Austin, Pride & Prejudice, et.al, where so many different actresses and actors do over and over...my favorite ever is the new one with Keira Knightley and Matthew MacFadyen. Everything about it is Magnificent, the scenery, the acting (not to forget the wonderful performance by Donald Southerland) the music, the costumes and of course it is a beautiful story. Even for me who doesn't like "girlie movies" much. From Time to Time is in the same but a totally new classic (1958 novel, The Chimneys of Green Knoew by Lucy M. Boston.) It can also be appreciated when one thinks of the Narnia/C.S. Lewis stories. Maggie Smith, oh well, a true Dame of actresses and is once again. I don't know that I will ever be able to think of Timothy Spall other than as Peter Pettigrew in Harry Potter...but oh well, the dangers of doing a GREAT acting job, being type cast. But an excellent performance. It is simply a wonderful, feel good movie.

The Green Knowe Series, by Lucy M. Boston was not only my absolute childhood favorite but influenced me greatly as a writer. From Time to Time is based on The Chimneys of Green Knowe, which tells the double story of Tolly Oldknowe's visit to his grandmother in her mysterious and ancient British manor house, and of the friendship Susan, a young 19th century girl who's been blind from birth, and of Jacob, an escaped slave boy who her sea-captain father befriends and brings home with him after one of his voyages. There are lots of things to like about this adaption. It stays fairly close to the source material while managing to stay away from the sinister Gypsy trope that appears in one section (the books were written in the 50's and, well, it was the fifties) and also from most of the nasty treatment Jacob receives in the book, especially from the evil butler and Susan's entitled brat of a brother, which, if it had been played out on screen would have made this a whole other type of film--though both characters are still definitely the bad guys. The sets, costumes and house itself are lovely--understandably, as the director/producer was also associated with both Gosford Park and Downton Abbey. Though the ending differed from the ending of the book, it was both touching and the ending this film asked for. Although the young actor cast as Tolly was older than the book's Tolly--around 12 or 13, I'd guess, rather than 8, I think he needed to be older for this ending to work. The cast, nearly all familiar faces, were excellent, and in general it was an high-quality and enjoyable family film. The only reason, I suppose that I gave four stars instead of five is that these books were so magical, and so special to me, and though the film, in general, handled the supernatural and time-jump elements well, it didn't quite open up into that sense of "ooooooh, wonder and creepiness I got when I first read the books, or even revisited them as an adult.

As Tolly’s mother searches for his father, missing in World War II, he is sent to stay with his estranged grandmother in his father’s ancestral home. As he wanders from room to room and asks his grandmother and the groundskeeper about the history of the very old property, he is met with ghosts from the past. He travels to the past, seeing, firsthand, scenes from the old manse’s history. This is both a beautiful and exciting story. Alex Etel (Tolly) is in 97% of the scenes, and, although a young actor, he carries the story convincingly. Maggie Smith is amazing as always, and, together with other excellent actors, makes for one enjoyable and unforgettable movie!

Full disclosure: I am a huge Maggie Smith fan. This was my first movie in which ghosts weren't scary but rather charming. The high quality ood this movie is shown in the simple yet profound dialogue, skillful acting, intuitive sets, authentic costumes etc that pulled me into each frame for a more immersive engagement. The seamless and dramatic (albeit subtle) transition between the present and past was superb and houghtfully presented. The touching end of family unison was a welcomed (un)expectation.. A rather charming movie in which good triumphed over bad in the end. Thank you cast and crew for this lovely delight in an era where all seems oh so crude, callous and wretched. Thank you Amazon for the access. Keep them coming!

What a great, feel good movie. Years ago I came in in the middle of a movie, which turned out to be a wonderful movie. When I started watching From Time to Time, I didn't realize it was the same movie I had watched the end of before. I was thrilled to be able to watch the whole thing. Great story line and wonderful acting. A movie I will watch again and again. Dvd was well packaged and even arrived early.

Quel merveilleux film avec entre autre la sublime Maggie Smith (qui hélas nous a quittés). Un film passionnant et émouvant dont il faut retenir que ceux qui sont partis et qu'on a aimés sont toujours là avec nous... Je n'en dis pas plus vous comprendrez à la fin du film

Everything is not as it appears . . . nor when it appears. A wonderfully enchanting movie about a desperate quest through time, unexpected and welcome connections and a bittersweet reconnection. A bracing journey of discovery, in many different ways. Excellently adapted for the screen from the second instalment of Lucy M. Boston's "Green Knowe" series of novels. Excellent characterisation by the cast and good balance between suspense and relief. Eminently watchable and re-watchable.

Eine mal etwas andere Geistergeschichte (um nicht zu spoilern erzähl ich jetzt nicht, was mir daran so gut gefällt). Gut erzählt, wenn auch von der Story etwas einfach gehalten. Gute Schauspieler machen die etwas einfache Geschichte ohne Tiefendimension wett. Dafür aber zeichnen sich die verschiedenen Protagonisten schön klar voneinander ab, und die Spannungen zwischen den verschiedenen Akteuren erzählen die eigentliche Geschichte. Typisches Fantasymotiv: Böse Menschen, gute Menschen. Am besten hat mir die Atmosphäre gefallen.

Maggie Smith è superbamente calata nel personaggio, tutta la storia è intrigante e ben condotta. Da vedere ma è solo in inglese