There’s nothing like a night in, especially during winter. Downtime indoors is the perfect excuse to put your favourite classic film on, grab a bowl of popcorn (or a glass of wine), and while the hours away at your leisure. If we had to pick a genre for ourselves, we’d undoubtedly settle on the classic period film. From wildly outdated hairstyles and corsets to candlelit rooms and handkerchiefs, the romantic setting of the period film continues to dazzle audiences to this day. We’ve listed a few of our favourites to cuddle up with.
Sense and Sensibility (1995)
Janet Maslin of the New York Times wrote, “We need no further proof that this material is ageless.” Available to stream on Netflix.
A Knight’s Tale (2001)
David Edelstein of Slate wrote, “You might find yourself smiling and laughing all the way through it.” Available on DVD through takealot.com.
Mansfield Park (1999)
Roger Ebert wrote, “This is an uncommonly intelligent film, smart and amusing too, and anyone who thinks it is not faithful to Austen doesn’t know the author but only her plots.” Available to stream on amazon.com.
The Age of Innocence (1993)
Todd McCarthy of Variety wrote, “An extraordinarily sumptuous piece of filmmaking.” Available on DVD through takealot.com.
Far From the Madding Crowd (2015)
James Berardinelli of ReelViews wrote, “Carey Mulligan is an inspired choice to play Bathsheba… She’s cool and confident; we come to respect her strength and appreciate that she doesn’t need a man to be complete.” Available on DVD through takealot.com.
A Room With a View (1985)
Roger Ebert for the Chicago Sun-Times wrote “It is an intellectual film, but intellectual about emotions: It encourages us to think about how we feel, instead of simply acting on our feelings.”
Pride and Prejudice (2005)
Stephanie Zacharek of Salon.com wrote “As historically authentic-looking as Pride and Prejudice is, it has far more invested in emotional authenticity – you feel engaged every moment.” Available to stream on Netflix.
Little Women (1994)
Todd McCarthy of Variety wrote, “An outstanding version of Louisa May Alcott’s perennial, one that surpasses even the best previous rendition, George Cukor’s 1933 outing starring Katharine Hepburn.” Available on DVD through takealot.com.
The Favourite (2018)
David Sims for The Atlantic wrote, “Despite its period setting, The Favourite just might be Lanthimos’s most trenchant and relevant work yet.” Available on DVD through takealot.com.
Jane Eyre (2011)
Connie Ogle of Miami Herald wrote, “An atmospheric, absorbing version of the classic romance between an abandoned, plucky orphan and a wealthy, mysterious older man with a seriously Gothic secret.” Available on DVD through takealot.com.
By Features Writer Marike Watson
