StyleSk8r
At first rather annoying in its heavy emphasis on reenactments, this movie ultimately proves fascinating, simply because the complicated, highly dramatic tale it tells still almost defies belief.
Sammy-Jo Cervantes
There are moments that feel comical, some horrific, and some downright inspiring but the tonal shifts hardly matter as the end results come to a film that's perfect for this time.
Sienna-Rose Mclaughlin
The movie really just wants to entertain people.
Isbel
A terrific literary drama and character piece that shows how the process of creating art can be seen differently by those doing it and those looking at it from the outside.
Earthmonkey16
I grew up NOT reading Shakespeare (I am lucky in that aspect, I cannot read any of the classics in my own language, so i can relate to the apprehension of the English/British) My first taste of Shakespeare was at The Globe theatre in London, Much ado about Nothing, and Shakespeare is imho best appreciated while watching on stage.Two young actors Dan Poole and Giles Terera (both have actually been in a Shakespeare production since) trying to find out how to tackle The Bard, they interview the great actors of this age to find out how they do it..Their documentary takes them to Denmark for Hamlet and L.A. for an interview with the director of Romeo & Juliet (with Leonardo) while they themselves hit a hard patch in their careers.It is a documentary to liberate Shakespeare from his reputation and make him into a pleasure - something I truly support.
l_rawjalaurence
Actors Dan Poole and Giles Terera conduct their own personal odyssey through the thicket of Shakespeare. Basing their documentary on the belief that the Bard is 'difficult' for most audiences - especially those schooled in the British educational system - they interview a series of people both famous and not famous in a quest to discover why Shakespeare still remains so popular today. The territory is familiar; many documentaries on television, radio, as well as in the cinema, have attempted to popularize the Bard through a variety of strategies. What makes MUSE OF FIRE so fascinating is the two actors' commitment to the cause - despite numerous obstacles (lack of finance, time-pressure), they manage to interview many famous actors including Judi Dench, Ian McKellen, Derek Jacobi and John Hurt. For me the highlight of the documentary was the actors' trip to the United States, where they encounter Harold Bloom and Baz Luhrmann among others. Poole and Terera's enthusiasm is infectious; we share their delight as they encounter Shakespeareans in the most unlikely places in both Great Britain and the United States, and feel their sense of accomplishment when they at last manage to meet up with Luhrmann, their hero (whose ROMEO + JULIET (1996)) inspired them to become actors in the first place. Definitely worth a look.