Downton Abbey: A New Era - Collector's Edition Blu-ray + DVD + Digital
[{'review_meta': 'Reviewed in the United States on June 10, 2022', 'review_star': 'a-icon a-icon-star a-star-5 review-rating', 'review_body': 'I saw this in the theater the opening weekend here in the US. I love everything DA. Loved the series starting back when it started on PBS. I own all seasons, the first movie, now this one. They have all been watched countless times. I thought A New Era was fantastic. It brought several characters back that were not in the first movie. Of course there were a lot of threads but anyone that is a Downton fan will truly enjoy!'}, {'review_meta': 'Reviewed in the United States on June 11, 2022', 'review_star': 'a-icon a-icon-star a-star-5 review-rating', 'review_body': 'As much as I would hate to see the Downton Abbey reign finally come it an end, I feel this movie was a perfect end of the Downton era, despite this movie’s title being A New Era. I am so happy that two couples I had been rooting for since the series aired have finally been made official. Aside from that, there was a great deal amount of drama and a fairly good hinting of a decent scandal. I think we are all happy that Tom Branson had found a woman as perfectly suited to him as sweet Lady Sybil was, and I like to think that Sybil was in attendance of that wedding and “gave” the groom away much the same as when it is asked who gives the bride. I also love how Lucy seems to love little Sybbie, too. Of course, if you watched the first movie, you already know about Lady Violet’s health, but there’s another health scare with another character, though I won’t say who or what as to not spoil it. And after all of the bad luck dear old Mr. Molesley went through after Mr. Matthew’s death in the series, it is such a treat to see him being recognized for yet another hidden talent. I just adore Mr. Moseley and Ms. Baxter together; they are my second favorite couple after the Bates’ and before the Carson’s. And now possibly the Mason’s!'}, {'review_meta': 'Reviewed in the United States on June 11, 2022', 'review_star': 'a-icon a-icon-star a-star-5 review-rating', 'review_body': 'Wow, truly a feast for the eyes. They really amped the volume on the visuals. Also, it was less rushed than the first movie. It felt like a glorious long Christmas Episode, where the story arches all had a beginning, middle, and end. I loved how they are creeping into more modern times and was wanting for more at the end. I hope they will make more movies, but sadly I think this will end.'}, {'review_meta': 'Reviewed in the United States on June 13, 2022', 'review_star': 'a-icon a-icon-star a-star-5 review-rating', 'review_body': 'It seems an almost impossible task to adapt the modulated pacing and gentle progression of the plot line from the television series, in which plot development took place over a dozen or more episodes (it took Mary and Matthew 20 episodes-- twenty hours-- to get engaged), into a two hour movie. But, the film makers in this effort, The New Era, did manage to bring to the screen a continuation of the tenor of the series, truer to tone and timing of the series than one would have thought possible.\n\nThe first movie was frenetic, almost to the point of shrill, particularly Tom Branson as the very unlikely deus ex machina, single-handedly foiling a plot to assassinate the King, George V, saving the marriage of Princess Mary, and courting an heiress, all with an appalling lack of grace.\n\nThis movie, despite a still forced -by necessity- plot line (villa in the South of France and movie being made in Downton)l and still a deus ex machina, now played by Mosely, but with fewer superpowers, the writers better captured the dialogue and pacing of the series, giving back to the characters their personalities. It was very well done and very enjoyable.\n\nAnd, we want more.\n\nOh, just bring back the series and be done with it.'}, {'review_meta': 'Reviewed in the United States on June 10, 2022', 'review_star': 'a-icon a-icon-star a-star-5 review-rating', 'review_body': 'Okay. I am a Downton FANATIC. I have watched the mini series so many times I\'ve lost track. I could recite all 6 seasons in my sleep. But...I did not like the first Downton Movie at all. It was so poorly done, plot wise. So I went into "A New Era" with skepticism. And I was SO surprised at how AMAZING it was! I LOVED it!!! So well done. I cried at the end, so you know it must have been good. Definitely a success. 10/10 recommend!'}, {'review_meta': 'Reviewed in the United States on June 12, 2022', 'review_star': 'a-icon a-icon-star a-star-4 review-rating', 'review_body': "I love, love, love everything Downton Abbey. The thing about this movie, though, is the editing is awful. The change from one camera angle to another, from one subject to another is awful. There are moments that the cut between camera angles are 1 1/2 seconds long, then 3 seconds, then another 2 seconds..IT IS SO BOUNCY THAT YOU GET DIZZY WITH ALL OF IT! IT REALLY DOES RUIN THE MOVIE FOR ME. There is no time to watch the scene. I have watched it many times, and even though I loved the stories, the editing of the scenes make it really hard to watch. I HOPE THAT THE PEOPLE WHO HANDLE PRODUCTION TAKE NOTE FOR ANY MORE MOVIES>>>>SLOW THEM DOWN ON THE CAMERA CUTS/ANGLES--LET PEOPLE TAKE IN THE MOMENTS IN THE SCENE>>>DON'T RUSH THROUGH THEM, like was done in this movie. :("}, {'review_meta': 'Reviewed in the United States on June 11, 2022', 'review_star': 'a-icon a-icon-star a-star-5 review-rating', 'review_body': "What can I say? I've been a Downton Abbey fan for years. I waited with great anticipation for this one and it was well worth the wait.\n\nIt's a cute storyline and a worthy plot. Everything is wrapped up nicely. Our favorites get a happily ever after. It's satisfiying on so many levels though I will say that because they were trying to cram so much in, some of it seems a little one-dimensional. No real growth of the story, no real depth to the characters. They expect that people who watch this are already going to know everything there is to know about DA, so they just give us what we asked for - everybody is happy. I will say that I was expecting a little more with the Dowager/Lady Merton final. Violet and Isabelle had such a special relationship, I was hoping for a little more with that pair.\n\nBut who cares. Well done, DA."}, {'review_meta': 'Reviewed in the United States on June 11, 2022', 'review_star': 'a-icon a-icon-star a-star-5 review-rating', 'review_body': 'A departure from historical stories and focuses on the family and servants. Gorgeous costuming, great acting chemistry. And as a DA fan, a galvanizing finish that only DA fans can understand.'}, {'review_meta': 'Reviewed in the United States on June 23, 2022', 'review_star': 'a-icon a-icon-star a-star-5 review-rating', 'review_body': 'Without question, I knew when my wife and I saw Downton Abbey: A New Era in the theatre we\'d be adding it to our streaming Downton collection - heck, I knew before we went. My wife adores the story and I admit, I am a bit fan. The directing, writing, and acting of the Downton world continues here with a fitting and wonderful next step (ending?) to the series. We are fans who come away finding this a perfect way to - we hope - continue the saga - or perhaps, take a leap forward another decade and continue.\n\nYes, it is sad.\nYes, it is fun.\nYes, it is full of moments of levity.\nYes, some might find the outcome...\n\nSPOILERS MOVING AHEAD:\n\nThe Crawleys are back for more adventures. We begin with Tom marrying the new love of his life. We found the relationship between Tom and Lucy sweet and charming and a great way for Tom to move on. Sybie loves them and they love her. We missed any moments between Tom and BFF Mary, but maybe in the next one... and are they not all surprised when the Dowager wills a villa in France to Sybie... that no one knew existed, until now. Downton fans know that the Dowager told Mary at the end of the first movie she was dying, but she\'s back. Moved into the main house, with Danker, and keeping the family on their toes and guessing.\n\nThis Downton Abbey: A New Era gives us a great moving, fast paced, all hands on deck, upstairs-downstairs series of stories. Some things are wrapped up - like Tom and Lucy - some questions are opened - like how Mary has to deal with a supposedly attentive husband now missing again. Henry is off racing - because Matthew Goode was filming elsewhere - but they handled the (parallel) story well between Mary\'s temptations and Violet\'s. It\'s at the heart of this New Era as things are fully passed from the Dowager to the new Lady.\n\nSome of the family go south to find out what the new villa is all about, while others stay home to oversee a movie being made at Downton. There are inside jokes, tips of the hat to "the real lives" of Downton actors and reality itself, and there are touching moments between various couples (married, family, and otherwise). A bunch of hopes are met - including marriages and engagements. And of course.. that elephant in the room... yes... we loose the Dowager... but the end comes with beautiful words and a touching moment, a scene worthy of Dame Maggie Smith, and a wonderful farewell to a women we\'ve all come to love and respect.\n\nThis Downton is a well done next step, a nod to the things Downton fans love, and both a hope for another - movie or series - or bittersweet farewell should they decide the time has come for no more.\n\nIn the end, we loved Downton Abbey: A New Era and are happy to have added it to our streaming library. It\'s nice to visit again, but with hope, we\'ll all be back again...'}, {'review_meta': 'Reviewed in the United States on June 15, 2022', 'review_star': 'a-icon a-icon-star a-star-1 review-rating', 'review_body': "First, I have watched and enjoyed the Downton Abbey TV series many times over, and I liked the first movie; however, this one missed the mark on many levels.\n\nMy daughter and I watched this movie together and we burst out laughing simultaneously at all the godawful male hairpieces and toupees. Then there was the poor makeup on the women. The hair and makeup was quite distracting. The much unintended humor was the best part of this movie.\n\nThe writing and editing was equally horrible. It's as if Julian Fellows and his team were trying to stuff ten pounds of crap into a five-pound-bag. This plotless movie bounded rather pointlessly from one unimportant notion to another. A French chateau ceded to Granny because of an early-life love affair that wasn't really a love affair at all. So utterly contrived. And then Lady Grantham being terminally ill, but wait, not all that ill -- pointless context! Oh, and the invasion of a movie production company onto the estate, with Lady Mary and all the boys in the band supplying instant and always-successful solutions to the otherwise production-ending predicaments. More contriving, contriving, contriving. Ridiculous. And Butler Burrows throwing his position away for a relationship that was never explored. Oh, ha!, and Mary's husband trapsing round the world, but not deigning to return for Granny's funeral -- no no no no! Utterly implausible considering customs of the day. Yeah, I get that Matthew Goode (Henry Talbot) was off making another movie, but the excuse for his awkward absence was ridiculous.\n\nBesides all the cosmetic inconsistencies, what happened to Bates' (Brendan Coyle) physical handicap? From a severe leg wound incurred in the Boer War, Bates had a limp and required a cane. But voile la! In this movie no limp, no cane.\n\nLike all other Downton Abbey fans, I waited expectantly for this movie. But obviously, unlike the mindless throng of fans, I saw this movie for what it was -- a horrid mess. With this movie, put a fork in Downton Abbey, it's done."}]