New Orleans Film Festival 2009

With most period dramas, the "drama," alas, frequently gets smothered under heavy layers of "period," but not so in The Young Victoria, a stunning (dramatically as well as visually) period drama covering the rise to power of young Victoria (Emily Blunt), from attempts to block her ascending the throne by her mother, the Duchess of Kent (Miranda Richardson), to her legendary marriage to Prince Albert (Rupert Fiend). Attempting to further his ambitions by taking advantage of Victoria's youth and inexperience is the dashing Lord Melborune (Paul Bettany); only Prince Albert's counsels appear to be able to stave the young queens's loyalty to Melbourne's scheming. At the helm is Quebecois director Jean-Marc Vallee, whose film C.R.A.Z.Y. is a gem of a film that should be in everyone's Netflix queue. With Martin Scorsese lending his prestige as a presenter of the film and an award-worthy script from Gosford Park scribe Julian Fellowes.