dzhaviland Reviews

Lady Macbeth (2016)

Do women murder for sheer lust?

[9/10 · 30 May 2024]

IMO what makes this film standout , although I haven't read the book to confirm it's equally apparent there, is the motivation of our gentle protagonist Katharine. Have we ever, IRL or fiction seen a female serial killer driven solely by lust... or is she?

There is no mention of love, in fact the first time she's sees Sebastian he clearly demonstrates he's a violent sadist which is confirmed when he attempts to rape her on their second meeting. That she is also one becomes apparent especially in her last murder, maybe taking him back to the waterfall and a gentle push would have been more merciful. So love it isn't but what is it then that drives her ? You could say revenge if it wasn't for the boy. Or was it her ultimate eff you to a culture that left her dominated without power or voice?

I prefer believing her sole motivation is where the director led us... a female serial killer all for lust, what a novel idea.

And Just Like That... (2021– )

Why just Why?

[2/10 · 13 May 2024]

How did not one of these talented, intelligent people recognize how bad this was at some point in filming? No, on the first script read? No, when they were developing the characters? I am dumbfounded!!!!

I am a huge fan of the original and couldn't care less it wasn't inclusive because it was done at a time where things werent always inclusive. It was a slice of real life, a life most women would never experience and that's what made it great,

So why did these people feel they needed to make an apologist series and a bad one at that?? Every bad quality of the original characters has been magnified, exaggerated and rammed down your throat over and over. Charlotte being ditzy and over the top, now her face is so full of fillers when she even slightly overacts it's reminiscent of Jack Nicholson as the Joker. Carrie's indecisivness? She's so bogged down in indecision and dissatisfaction you want to just yell at her" you have a life most women would die for, try to be happy". Forget Miranda, she's gone. Cynthia Nixon is the character masquerading as Miranda. Needless to say you won't recognize her at all.

Then they brought in every type of minority as side characters. Even all their kids have been turned into a minority or trope.

I purposely didn't write a review after Season 1 hoping they would fix the situation. Nope! Watched the first two episodes of Season 2 and just as bad.

Hannibal (2013–2015)

Copycat series in more ways than one

[7/10 · 14 April 2024]

Let me start off by saying I'm giving it a 7 due to the high production values and stellar cast. Most of all because Mads is my hall pass and even though I don't particularly like him in this role that he is eerily beautiful and hugely talented are not up for debate,

The series tries a bit too hard to be stylish and avant- garden. That a serial killer could hoist a dead man up 30 feet in the air and artfully arrange his body by himself is just one example of when you say " Seriously" while watching. The best one though is after watching multiple episodes where every character is searching for a serial killer who carefully takes the intact organs of the bodies, Hannibal has everyone over for a dinner, where you guessed it , there are 30 entrees all made with organ meat, yet nothing one blinks an eye.

I hate that they copied Dexter, a far superior show. The whole interior struggle and dialogue of the protagonist, the inventive methods of killing, the plethora of serial killers in one location, it was just too much of a robbery to paint Hannibal as original.

So overall, if you value high production, good acting and gazing at Mads, this is for you. Otherwise watch Dexter, it's far better.

Puberty Blues (2012–2014)

Slice of life of teen girls and parents in 70s Australia

[10/10 · 30 March 2024]

While this series, based on an autobiography of 2 girls who grew up in the surf culture of the 70s , may be set in Australia, it brilliantly tells the story of teenage girls and their parents around the world at that time period.

The 70s were a time unlike any other. Coming out of a conservative post WW2 world, kids were raised with little to no knowledge of sex. Girls were admonished to be " good" and in most cultures men were king. Girls were raised on Cinderella stories, looking for their Prince Charming, and boys, well they just wanted to satisfy their burgeoning sex drive and be the cool boys on campus.

There's no way to underestimate how naive teenage girls during that time. Sex was inextricably tied to romance in a girls brain so if a boy wanted sex from you , you assumed they were a Prince Charming candidate and we're falling in love with you.

Free Love from the 60s was slowly permeating middle class culture. It made adults reevaluate monogamy and women to reeevaluate their own sexuality and whether they could be content with husbands being the ruler of the roost.

The series tells the story of two girls and their families for whom the changing culture changed their lives forever ,for good and bad. To say it's just a coming of age story is to trivialize how profoundly the Free love movement impacted people as individuals , families and communities.

The story doesn't shy away from anything. At times it is so gritty and depressing you almost have to look away from the screen. The acting and writing are excellent across the board so much so you almost feel like you're watching a documentary .

Highly recommend this series because of its authenticity to people's life experience during that time period and due to its excellence in casting, actin and writing.

The Palace (2013)

Innocent and Beautiful

[10/10 · 28 March 2024]

Hmmm... how to explain this movie.??! Do you remember when you were young and starting to think about romance and love? You knew nothing about it but it seemed like the most wonderful , beautiful thing in the world. You would daydream about who you would meet and when you did, your world would explode.

Then you fell in love for the first time and it was even better than imagined. You lived for one look, word, kiss. Everyday was filled with wonder and your heart refused to stay in your chest....

That's this movie. It will leave an indelible image in your heart. Don't miss it, watch it at least twice, or.

The Duchess of Duke Street (1976–1977)

Good but quality waxes and wanes

[7/10 · 22 March 2024]

First of all I've seen that every review here raves about Gemma Jones portrayal. I'm less enthusiastic. I think she got half of her portrayal spot on ; the plucky, independent, never give up woman but she was far less effective at playing the beautiful woman who became the mistress of the king. Regardless of how pretty, a long standing mistress/ courtesan was required to portray the gracious lady. Jones' Portrayal was so forceful and unapologetically lower class Cockney that you constantly ask yourself why so many nobleman were attracted. Had Jones been stunningly beautiful you could say" oh that's why" but she's at best an average sort of pretty.

Aside from that, the only flaw IMO were the storylines about the visitors to the hotel. Some were entertaining and others were just plain silly and campy. I would have preferred far less attention to those and more to Gemma, Charlie and Marie.

Overall, this is a good series but nowhere near Downton, Middkemarch, the new Poldark.

Dagon (2001)

Don't watch this on a rainy night...

[10/10 · 26 February 2024]

The most important thing a movie has to do is make you feel something, nostalgia, fear, apprehension, awe, empathy.. something . This little low budget film instills dread better than most high budget films.

From the moment you see the first dark cloud and encroaching mist above the ocean the film drags you down slowly into utter horror. You know things won't end well for the young couple in love, you're screaming inside your head the whole time.. don't go there, don't do that, stop, just stop but the main characters just keep on going through this dark, rain soaked hell of a town.

Surprises abound throughout the film including the ending . So if you love movies that drag you into a world that fills you with fear and dread, you'll love this movie.

Antiques Road Trip (2010– )

Antiques, Travelogue and History all in one show

[9/10 · 28 January 2024]

This show is Fabulous! It manages to teach us about history, the objects and art that were created and used by humanity throughout the centuries all while showing us the most beautiful towns in all of Great Britain( what no strip malls and convenience stores on every spare meter of earth!!???)

The experts they've pulled together are for the most part engaging characters and it's fun and interesting to see how they choose the objects they'll take to auction where all the proceeds go to children's charities.

The only reason I didn't give it a 10 is actually my own fault. I've been binge watching it for 5 days and parts of it are getting a little redundant. How many times can you hear about the merits of a decorative silver dish? On second thought it may be a real downfall of the show. Had they told the experts to try to diversify the objects they chose a little more there wouldn't be any boredom watching. The vast majority of things taken to auction were small in size. It would have been nice to see the array of things like on Antique Roadshow.

Overall though highly recommend if you're looking for some lighthearted viewing while seeing some beautiful scenery and architecture.

Speak (2004)

Not a realistic portrayal

[6/10 · 26 January 2024]

Not sure I get all the praise for Kristen Stewart here. Maybe because I've always found her over rated and saw this film after seeing all her more recent films. I've not seen her portray anything but a brooding young woman. Same facial expressions, same tone of voice, same affectations of inner turmoil.

I also have personal and professional experience with rape with school ostracism and at 14-15 years old she would have broken emotionally in some significant way other than yelling in her closet long before her rather victorious final act.

I think I gave it a 6 simply due to peer pressure from all the other reviews.

My Unorthodox Life (2021– )

An inspiring story about one American family, albeit a wealthy one.

[9/10 · 26 February 2023]

For those who say this is "all lies", hooey! It's been well documented that most ultra conservative religious sects allow women minimal freedoms. That's not to say they don't respect women within the context of their culture and that is allowed to be shown by having Julia's ex-husband a repeating role which shows he is a kind, level headed man who's a great dad, something they didn't have to include in the show.

Julia's story and rise to success is pretty phenomenal and it appears her shoe success came before her marriage so that can't be take away from her. Her kids and assistant are interesting too.

It's obvious some reviewers can't take watching a wealthy family, get over it. Whether you think they deserve it or not, the world is full of people who are wealthy whether or not they deserve it. This particular family at least shows they have deep love and committment as their foundation. As far as Julia being a hypocrite and trying to force everyone to her way of thinking, not really. She's doing her job as a mother to ensure her youngest son is getting a balanced, usable education no matter what path he chooses as an adult. She tries to give her daughters the benefit of what she's learned in her life, again something a good parent should do. She clearly tells her daughters she will love and support them whatever they choose to do so there is no hypocrisy here, just good parenting.

Overall, a really good reality show, showing a different culture and situation than any that's been shown before. I hope they have a season 3.

I Am Dragon (2015)

Giving this a 10 for innocent beauty

[10/10 · 4 December 2021]

The goal of any movie should first be to make you feel deeply and second to bring you into a time and space. This movie did both of these things. It brought something to the screen rarely seen, an innocence and depth of feeling encased in a mystical fable. I'm a grown woman and actually got teary eyed at the end. I highly recommend this to anyone who isn't looking for dragon fights.

Apocalypto (2006)

Another Gibson treatise on mysticism and divine intervention

[7/10 · 28 November 2021]

Very good action movie with an interesting sub emphasis on indigenous Americans. Love movies that educate and entertain simultaneously! It helps when, like Gibson, you can add religious belief or mysticism into all your movies to explain away everything implausible. It really defied all rationale explanation how the hero of the movie could run through about 8 miles of dense forest with a through and through spear to his gut and back (no way to miss about 7 yards of intestine and possibly a kidney), then gets shot by an arrow which hits left upper chest right where some vital arteries are...yet he not only keeps on running and fighting he seems to be perfectly fine as he takes his wife and children into the forest. Forget about explaining how with all those injuries he didn't go into septic shock in about 3 hours or how he managed to haul his wife up slick rock about 40 feet with a rope. Oh well.. even for all of that, it kept my interest the entire 2 plus hours. Definitely worth a watch.

Dexter: New Blood (2021–2022)

Older fan review

[6/10 · 9 November 2021]

He's back.....Ok corny opening to my review but this episode was also a bit corny, Deb as his "moral" advisor pulling a bullet out of her belly, Harrison at least 19 when he should be 14, dating the police chief, bringing donuts to his boss. Don't get me wrong, great to see Dexter again and plausibility was always suspended in the original series but it rarely resorted to cheap tricks to hook you.

IMO the heart of the original was the relationship between Dexter and Deb. She brought the emotional depth so desperately needed otherwise you just have serial killer on the run and a bunch of killing gimmicks. I think it would have been far more believable and interesting to have Hanna back as a changed woman who due to her love for Harrison and Dexter keeps in touch with him and becomes his moral advisor. The actress had the chops for that. Of course it does have some good things, Hall is always good as this character with his moral struggle and some of the new characters may be interesting.

Overall, I'll keep watching to see if they can bring the heart or if it was all written for their demographic audience of males 16-45.

Wonder Wheel (2017)

"A little more emotion for the people in the back row!"

[6/10 · 22 September 2021]

Let me say I LOVE Kate Winslet and think Belushi is underrated. That being said this film played more like a Broadway play. Overdramatized soliloquys and facial expressions every 30 seconds, all I kept thinking was could someone please shoot Winslet and put her out of her misery! I've known some miserable, unfulfilled women but there wasn't a moment of the film where she was remotely happy or even unaffected. Everything was a reason for her to complain and moan.

Belushi's alcoholism was also overplayed. In that day and age wives generally wouldn't withhold the bottle from their husband unless they were inveterate alkies, yet she stashed a bottle in a kitchen cupboard that he supposedly couldn't find in this tiny apartment and in one scene she was doing shots in front of him. A true alkie would have found the bottle and grabbed the one in her hand.

There were good parts, mainly Coney Island itself and a few scenes that were on the money emotionally but it isn't a movie I would recommend to a friend. A much better movie of a miserable woman who's been beaten down by life is Blue Jasmine.

Ruyi's Royal Love in the Palace (2018)

Stellar romance and abundant Chinese history lesson

[9/10 · 30 June 2021]

This was my second Chinese series, the first was Empresses in the Palace which was also good but not the caliber of this series. I am now on my 3rd rewatch in less than 6 month. I watched the first time as a 5 day binge watch. The actress who plays Ruyi elevates this series to a high caliber. She is totally believable, expresses more with her eyes than most famous actors today and you are drawn into her life and loves as if you are there.

The costumes, sets and majority of supporting characters are also very good with standouts from the actors who play Jia, junge lin, "Linger". There is sometimes a bit of melodramatic acting and of course many of the minor plots are pretty unbelievable but that is typical of all soap style series regardless of country of origin. Watching this made me delve into ancient Chinese history and I came away very impressed by their respect for spirituality, elders, ancestors,education and beauty in all forms, art, poetry, nature, etc.

I was especially fascinated with life in the harem and the Forbidden City. The slaves and eunuchs were basically expendable and had literally no chance to elevate their station unless they were exceptionally beautiful or talented in some way. The women of the harem led an especially difficult life as they all vied for the attention of one man, could never leave the city and their actions affected not only their birth family but their entire clan. One misstep could result in the disgrace and ruin of the whole clan or tribe. Absolutely fascinating dramatization of a part of history most people know little about and an introduction to the history of a world power. You can see how and why they became so powerful, with their attention to detail, respect for authority(obviously now under communism/dictator rule they have no choice), work ethic and education.

Since then I've watched other Chinese history series and movies and none so far have come close to the excellence of this one. I highly recommend it. Please note I only took a point off for the sometimes implausible storylines and melodrama but to be fair, in many ways they added positively to the series as a whole so if I was grading using a standard of a series that stays with you and you want to re-watch again and again, it's a 10.

Eden (I) (2012)

Trigger warning!

[7/10 · 27 May 2021]

I started watching this movie and while the acting was excellent, despite other commenters saying the scenes weren't too graphic, the first two sex scenes were incredibly graphic in the sexual acts they forced the girls to do. The first was an SM scene where both girls were hanging handcuffed and one was whipped, the other a girl was forced to give oral sex, bit the man's penis off and ran with blood all over her face. Did they show the actual whipping or biting, no but it upset me so much, I turned it off. Now I am not squeamish about pornography nor am I naive about sexual violence but I couldn't imagine any other scenes they could have done that would have been so vile to teenage girls. They also drug the girls, keep them in trailers in their underwear and constantly threaten them with "cutting off their legs" or hurting their families. This was all in the first 30 minutes so it's like being hit over the head with a sledge hammer over and over. You are forced to feel every emotion these girls are going through, mainly just constant horror and fear of what they will have to do next.

Now I absolutely agree a movie on sexual slaves is meant to show what really happens so I won't fault them. I just want people to know if you have been a victim of sexual violence in any way, it may be too much for you.

QAnon: The Search for Q (2021–2022)

Should be required viewing for all humans

[8/10 · 20 February 2021]

I gave this an 8 only because the people interviewing these Qanon nuts weren't asking hard questions. For example one of the Qanon theorists who deciphers all "Q"'s postings said he knew Q was a top level Washington insider because 3 times in one day a tweet from Trump appeared on Twitter and Q's website within a millisecond of each other. My question would have been so could that also prove that Trump and his team is behind Q? It does give a great view into all of q's theories, how some people are on the bandwagon to make money and become the new Rush Limbaugh and others are just lonely, angry, disenfranchised people looking for meaning, having too much time on their hands and feeling like they're "in the know" and everyone not following Q are stupid sheep. The trouble is they estimate 10-15% of the US population believes this. If that's the truth, we need to split into two states, one for sane people with a modicum of intelligence and common sense and another one for people who watched too many movies in their lives and should all live together in their delusional world. Sorry this is a soapbox but man this documentary is not only scary, it make me angry at my fellow humans.

Saturday Night Fever (1977)

A very true depiction of the glorious 70's

[10/10 · 18 February 2021]

I lived this time period and was a "disco queen" and can say every part of this movie holds true. The 70's was such a time of naivete and ignorance in so many ways. Woman still believed in a "knight in shining armor" many men still marginalized women as "good girls and bad girls" and guys could get away with date and gang rape if a girl was wasted enough. One night stands were the norm for many people, you'd go and dance for hours and in your naivete, go home with the guy who may be the knight you were looking for. Amidst it all was this hope for a happily ever after, a better life than the middle class one you saw your parents live.

When disco happened it literally took the country by storm in less than a year. Discos popped up everywhere and people from 18 (if you could get a fake ID) up were out there in their polyester suits and disco dresses living the dream. Whoever was the best dancer and best looking were the king and queen of the disco. Everyone emulated the way they dressed, danced, etc and the guys at least could have any girl there. For those who think this was not an accurate representation just didn't live it.

Fame (1980)

It gets a 10 for reminding me of the dreams of high school

[10/10 · 5 February 2021]

God I love this movie. I don't care how old I get, it transports me right back to the idealism of being a teenager. The naivete, exuberance, experiencing so many firsts in life. The movie hits a home run both with the music and the acting/script. The finale "I Sing the Body Electric" is truly the embodiment of every feeling we each feel on graduation day. Watch this it's a classic.

The Family Stone (2005)

Come on folks, this is Christmas Schmaltz at it's best!

[8/10 · 26 December 2020]

So many reviewers hate this movie because, I think, they assume it's supposed to be an intelligent drama with moments of comedy. Instead it's about a flawed group of people who love each other dearly . They overstep each others boundaries constantly, but yet, their shared history of their mom's/wive's cancer, lends a heavy emphasis to her and the rest of the family making sure all of them will be happy and ok when she's gone. IN steps her oldest son who brings home this uptight, fully lacking in humor or self awareness woman, yet there is a vulnerability and sensitivity to her that only slowly appears. Until it does, the family hates her. Her sister shows up, oldest son falls for her, his brother falls for the uptight woman who is now flying her "freak flag" and still behind it all is their realization it is the last Christmas they will all be together as their mom is losing her battle. The unrealistic love relationships are not and should not be the real focus of the movie. It's what makes a family, the love that endures through flaws and struggles. After all, this is the essence of family and that is what makes this movie worth watching.

The Last Days of Disco (1998)

Disco a time of innocence

[8/10 · 1 December 2020]

I was a disco queen and what I loved about this movie is that it captured the innocence and naivete of the time along with everyone trying to be what they thought others thought was "cool". No other movie really captures that aspect of the disco days so perfectly. it was a time where everyone was looking for love, walking into a disco hoping all eyes were on them but being naive in regards to relationships. So banal, ridiculous conversations happened constantly while trying to impress or create desire. Then you went home with either the person you had the most chemistry with or whoever you were left with at the end of the night. Generally the sex sucked and not in a good way(ah that was a touch of Charlotte I think). This movie perfectly hit on all those things and takes me back many years. The only thing it didn't have was the absolute joy and abandon many people felt while dancing. There was such a freedom and love of life. Ah well, nothing's perfect, not even disco.

A Hidden Life (2019)

Man's inhumanity to man

[9/10 · 26 November 2020]

The large story here is the true story of a simple farmer who stood up against the Nazi regime and refused to fight. The real story is how the greater evil filters down to all who are touched by it, filtering to each soul to some extent. How much it filters and taints is the true subtext of this movie. It shows the extent humans will rationalize and deny an evil reality in order to move on with their lives and how, once they have made the choice to bend to evil, their shame and guilt compels them to make others submit to the same choice to rid themselves of their shame and guilt. It also shows how a "mob mentality" is not just something that happens in purely violent situations but happens in everyday life, something that hits home with what's happening in the US today. This movie is a long watch and is not filled with overtly dramatic scenes. It focuses on the simplicity of life and love, the effects of love and evil on each person and how both can transform people.

Many will not like it because it makes you examine your own soul, what choice you would make. Will you justify evil in small ways or large in order to continue to live your "comfortable" life? How much will you allow evil to change you, will you rationalize and persecute those around you who choose a different path? Do you have the strength to go against those closest to you, to jeopardize those you love in order to stay true to what your soul tells you is right? Tough questions which many will not want to explore.

The VVitch: A New-England Folktale (2015)

Will keep you guessing till the end....

[7/10 · 23 September 2020]

I've read many reviews here and have decided the people who give it 1 star don't understand the history of Puritanism and the Salem witch trials and satanism. Whether you'll enjoy this depends on whether you know this history and what your expectations are from "horror" movies.

If you don't know the history, you'll likely find the "possession/symbolism" of animals and the constant focus of everyday life as related to "God",ie; ...is what I'm or others doing consistent with God's will and word and if it's not...it's the work of Satan, as ridiculous and overstated/acted. For those who know the history, the Witch is a very emotional slide into what can happen to the average human when every action and word is weighed as of God or Satan. The horror comes slowly and is wrapped up in the question of is there really a witch/Satan running the show here or is it just insanity or are they one in the same. Even in the final scene I questioned whether everything was really happening or was it just in Thomasin's mind. Puritans truly believed in Satan's power and interference in daily life. Things such as crop failure, illness, even moles on a body were taken as signs of the devil so it is easy to understand how a young girl who just witnessed the death of her family but wanted to be "free" would in shock, bring all her beliefs into one final delusion....or did she. I love walking in the woods but after this movie, I expect to be a bit jittery and probably won't do it alone!

Unorthodox (2020)

Freedom

[10/10 · 29 March 2020]

A beautiful and fascinating story about a young girls fight for freedom from the highly structured Hassidic community. Told in flashbacks from her slowly progressing "free" life in Berlin back to her life in the community where everything you say, do and feel is prescribed by her culture. Individuality in any way is frowned upon. So many things moved me in this series. The young lady who plays Esty is phenomenal. You see every emotion on her face and feel her pain, joy and fear and within a short time become her champion. The rest of the cast is also very good, and like Esty make you truly feel you are inside the community and physically feeling the binding around your mind and heart just as she is. Some scenes are truly wrenching, her wedding night, the night her new friends in Berlin tell her she's not good enough to play piano in their gifted program and when her head is shaved on her wedding night. There are also funny scenes, her sex education class with an older woman of the community and her mother in law bringing her lube to help her "down there" before her husband becomes impatient with her complaints of pain during intercourse. If you love learning about cultures or experiencing life through another persons eyes, you will love this series.

Kurt Seyit & Sura (2014)

Mesmerizing but ultimately propaganda for a patriarchal culture

[9/10 · 23 August 2019]

Somewhat loosely based on a true story a 27 year old , Kurt Seyit, Turkish/Muslim soldier for Czar Nicholas meets 16 year old Russian noble, Sura, Christian and as eyes meet at her first ball, love/lust at first sight unfolds. This all occurs during the Russian Revolution and later during the occupation of Turkey by the British. The main conflict themes are the difference between their cultures and the effect of war and occupation on individuals and cultures.

Did I love it: Hell yes! Binge watched all 46 episodes in 2.5 days. Despite its flaws, it was impossible to stop watching until the end

Acting(10): The actor who played Seyit is by far one of the best actors I've ever seen with an extraordinary amount of charisma. It is impossible to take your eyes off him. There are many handsome actors out there, he goes beyond handsome. This is not to take away from the actress who plays Sura. She was incomparable and also had charisma, unfortunately; he is so indescribably beautiful, exudes masculinity and sensitivity every second, she often plays second fiddle in the scenes. The majority of supporting actors were also excellent.

Cinematography, Costumes, Make-up; Pretty spectacular for a TV series in a smaller country.

Plot: The majority of the series (through about episode 38 focuses on the main characters tumultuous relationship. Their initial meeting and the first few years of their relationship are depicted from a totally romantic/sensual(not sexual) POV. They speak to each other as if from a Bronte novel. He kisses her forehead more than her mouth. Sex scenes are non-existent. The most sensual scene depicts her taking a turkish bath wrapped in a white sheet. You briefly see her nipple through the sheet while she pours water over her body, he enters and still clothed, begins to pour water over her. Beautiful? Yes but Unbelievable in more ways than one. While the scene was romantic and sensual, they had already had sex. It defied imagination that both would be essentially fully clothed in a bath. While I certainly didn't expect full on nudity and sex scenes, the constant avoidance of open mouth kisses, any show of skin beyond necks and hands or any talk of their intimate moments was too unrealistic. Anyone who has experienced this type of overwhelming "love at first site" feeling whether at 16 or 60 knows it's impossible to keep your hands off the other person. I initially thought it was done this way because of the Turkish culture but after further research understand there are many prime time Turkish shows that do show significantly more sexuality. I think the series suffered by omitting some depiction of their sexuality.

As their romance unfolds they are moved from imperial Russia to his families Turkish home then their exiled years to near Istanbul. Their is a love triangle between them and his childhood friend Petro who may or may not really be his friend and after they migrate a whole new cast of chractersare brought into the story. Seyit and Sura go through indescribable loss and struggle. From disapproving family members, constant physical danger and multiple people trying to break up their relationship these 2 pledge their undying love and try to make a life together. Unfortunately as often happens in real life, the demise of their love occurs because they cannot overcome the outside forces against them. Through all episodes there is romance, intrigue, love and devotion to family and country. Sura as can be expected as she was so young and a virgin, devotes herself to Seyit totally, leaving her family and coming on his dangerous journey to safety. Seyit initially is her hero. He treats her like a china doll, cossets and cherishes her. As time goes on and no marriage takes place for reasons sometimes beyond Seyits control, she begins to lose faith that he truly loves her because outside people and forces reinforce this belief continually. His pride and behaviors, fueled by his upbringing and culture reinforce her doubts and as she matures and gains her own voice as a woman, he begins to doubt she loves him. This leads to him succumbing to his culture and finding a Muslim/Turkish woman to marry leaving Sura to migrate to England. This ending upset many people as the lovers were split up. It upset me also but not for that reason. It reminded me of a documentary I watched about US movies in the golden age, think Bette Davis era. In those movies women who broke with societies convention, had sex without marriage etc, never got the man. It was the virgin "good girl" who always got what she wanted. It was actually pretty much mandated by movie censorship back then that "loose women" were never rewarded in the long run with happy family lives. This is so evident in this movie. In the 6-10 episodes Seyit's Turkish wife is in, they discuss their sexual relationship, sometimes in slightly "naughty" ways and Seyit is infinitely more sexually attracted (not romantically) to this new woman. There was such a disconnect between sexuality and romance it was disconcerting and unrealistic. It was however made very clear that the directors were strongly stating it was ok to have romantic feelings about another person, sometimes for years but strong sexual feelings were to be left for the marriage bed only. Overall: I would recommend this series to mainly women. While there is a tremendous amount of material that would appeal to men, I doubt most men would get into the plethora of romance (but I may be wrong). It was totally engrossing, captivating, made me nostalgic about my own "love at first sight" relationships where you literally felt like you would die if you couldn't see and touch the other person every minute. It also was a tremendous story about history, family, friendship and people's devotion to all of those.

Footnote: How have American filmmakers not kidnapped the actor who plays Seyit and brought him here. Every website, blog, Facebook, Youtube site about this actor include comments from millions of worldwide including US viewers who adore him. I've literally not seen one comment that detracts from his acting ability and star power. I believe he could be the biggest movie star in the last 20 years.