Cady's Take:

After the death of King Henry VIII, his eldest daughter Mary Tudor rises to power, ousting her half sister Elizabeth (Cate Blanchette). The country is in the throes of a bitter religious conflict between Catholics and Protestants and Concerns run high among the nobility, for if Mary were to die, her Protestant half-sister Elizabeth would assume the throne. This is exactly what happens and Elizabeth is handed a wounded country in need of strong leadership to carry them into prosperity.

There are dangers within Elizabeth 's court, the most notable of which comes from the Duke of Norfolk (Christopher Eccleston), who wants her dead. The other main players are Elizabeth 's exiled lover, Lord Robert Dudley (Joseph Fiennes) and Sir Francis Walsingham (Geoffrey Rush), Elizabeth 's coldly cunning and dutifully faithful Master of Spies.

While Elizabeth wrestles with decisions of state and sorts through conflicting counsel, she is constantly pestered to marry as to provide England with a badly needed alliance. Elizabeth determines that she must provide her people with an icon to replace their recently lost but still-revered Virgin Mary in order to establish her place in Briton's hearts, and so she becomes the Virgin Queen, married to England .

This is a beautiful film; the viewer is enthralled not only with the story itself, but the gorgeous cinematography and masterful costume design as well. Please note that you can't count on a play-by-play historical drama, this one is mostly fiction. Those who want a factual account of Elizabeth 's reign can read a history book; but this movie does what it sets out to do: provides a solidly entertaining two hours.

Somehow I had missed both "Shakespeare in Love and "Elizabeth" a few years ago. My recent viewing of "Shakespeare" had reminded me how much I enjoy period pieces and so when "Elizabeth" showed up in the mail (thank you Lord, Netflix) I was anxious to compare the two movies.

I am always shocked by how effortless Cate Blanchett is on screen. Her turn as Queen Elizabeth tells the story of a young, naïve woman who begins her reign on the throne of England in peril. She outwits her enemies, as we know, and reigns as "The Virgin Queen" for over forty years. The cast includes Geoffrey Rush, Joseph Fiennes, and Richard Attenborough, all of whom turn in wonderful performances.

his is a perfect old-fashioned thriller, which has the added benefit of being (fairly) historically accurate. The costumes, makeup, and set design are really a pleasure to watch. If you are looking for a movie that is going to require your rapt attention, and which will succeed in completely absorbing you, " Elizabeth " is the one to rent this weekend