Anna Karenina

Anyone who would call this film distracting or self indulgent is clearly inexperienced in both Russian grandiose and the point of theatre itself. I read the book so found this a great rendition of the characters. I think they were played brilliantly. Here is a novel that has been done millions of times over and I think this take was fresh, beautiful, scenic, melancholy and rich. I cannot commend enough the stage sets, the direction, the costume, the dance. Yes some shots were too prolonged and too stoic but was this a retreat from reality and a vicarious glimpse of Russian aristocracy and a lesson to foolish women who dare to love the wrong man? YES! Tolstoy himself was self indulgent and used this book as a lesson against anyone who lived outside of the moral of "honour". So I feel this was the perfect cinematic depiction of the novel. If you liked Black Swan and Dogville I feel you will love this as well. If you're idea of a great book to movie was Eat Pray Love stay at home. You are much too blaise for these prose.