10 Films To Look Forward To In 2014

After all the great films 2013 brought us it is time to take a peek into the future to see what big-screen beauties the next 12 months have in store. Here are the 10 films that I am most looking forward to:

1. The Railway Man
Release Date: January 10th

You have probably already seen this film being heavily advertised as it just misses the 2013 releases boat. It is unlikely there will be a dry eye in the house as this true story of a World War 2 Victim who sets out to find the people responsible for his torture is played out on the big screen. With Colin Firth as the star you just know that The Railway Man will ooze sophisticated talent with emotional performances.

2. 12 Years a Slave
Release Date: January 10th
January 2014 just looks doomed to be an upsetting month film-wise with another highly anticipated true life story, which is already expected to clean up at the Oscars in March. Following the likes of Django Unchained, 12 Years a Slave is the first film to explore slavery in America from the slave's point of view, promising a sensitive and unforgettable story of the fight many African-Americans faced for both survival and freedom during this period.

3. The Wolf of Wall Street
Release Date: January 17th
Leonardo Dicaprio is back on the big screen in the form of this three-hour reunion between himself and Martin Scorsese. Another true-life story, The Wolf of Wall Street is set to be the big one of 2014, an entertaining (We've all seen the clip of Dicaprio's questionable dancing!) tale of crime and corruption that has had buzz around it for over a year already. Three hours is a long time to keep an audience entertained, but if any duo could get away with it it's Leo & Scorsese.

4. The Book Thief
Release Date: February 26th
An adaptation of Markus Zusak's bestselling book of the same name, The Book Thief tells the heart-wrenching story of Liesel, a young girl living with a foster family during Nazi Germany. This film has everything you could ask for and the faultless cast and beautiful narrative is sure to make The Book Thief the dark horse of 2014. Trust me when I say that this is not one you will want to miss!

5. A Long Way Down
Release Date: March 7th
Nick Hornby, author of Hugh Grant classic About A Boy, is having another of his brilliant books adapted for the big screen. A Long Way Down follows Hornby's typical themes of wit, heart and honesty in the story of four suicidal people who form a surrogate family after meeting on New Years Eve. The relatively humble cast of mostly unknowns is irrelevant and I have faith that this film will end up in the same league as About A Boy in no time.

6. The Inbetweeners Movie 2
Release Date: August 2014
Find me one person who isn't excited for the Jay, Will, Neil and Simon reunion ! Having first made their name in the popular Channel 4 TV series, The Inbetweeners were the focus of a surprisingly successful feature film back in 2011. The plot of the second film is still under wraps, all we know is that some of it is set in Australia... No matter what, i'm sure it will be hilarious!

7. Noah
This is no doubt going to be the biggest epic of 2014. Russell Crowe and Emma Watson lead the star-studded cast in the belated interpretation of the Biblical character Noah (as in Noah's ark). No matter what, this is sure to be at the very least visually stunning but as Russell Crowe's first major role since Javert in Les Mis, we can all look forward to the fact that at least he won't be singing!

8. Maleficent
I'll admit that I was much more excited for Disney's rendition  of Sleeping Beauty from the villain's perspective before I saw the full trailer released a few weeks back. Angelina Jolie is as hauntingly beautiful as I had imagined in the role of the evil Maleficent but it was Elle Fanning's absolutely atrocious attempt at an English accent that took my excitement levels down a few notches. I am sure it will still be an incredible watch but if somebody's accent is so bad that it can be annoying in a minute-long trailer, what chance does a 135 minute film have? Either way, I'm excited to give it a go!

9. The Hunger Games: Mockingjay Part 1
Release Date: 21st November
Uh-oh, will the third installment of The Hunger Games trilogy be a total misrepresentation  à la film number one? Or a total work of genius as seen in film number two? Well, with original director Gary Ross completely out of the picture for Mockingjay my bets (and hopes) are on the latter! Inconspicuously split into two parts, Mockingjay is the final book of the trilogy and I can't really see how splitting the story into two films will work. Following in the footsteps of  the Harry Potter and Twilight series, and no doubt in order to make some extra dolla from the relatively short franchise, this two-part finale will be the make or break of the film. Can they really drag it out without adding a lot of irrelevant fluff to the story? We will have to wait and see.

10. Madame Bovary
The 21st century film adaptation of Gustav Flaubert's most famous book has been the bane of my film-life. Originally billed for 2013 release I quickly read the book to prepare myself, release has now been moved to 2014 but other than the one production still released (above) there has been little news on how it is going. Mia Wasikowska stars as Emma, the beautiful and unfaithful wife of a small-town doctor, but it is the supporting roles that have me most excited. One of my favourite actors, Ezra Miller, is set to make a long-awaited return to film as Leon Dupuis and lovable Paul Giamatti is on board as Monsieur Homais. The question is by no means whether or not Madame Bovary will be a great film, the cast and narrative alone already tells me yes, it is more a question of when will it ever be released?? So keep your fingers crossed for 2014 and yes, I know that it will be worth the wait!

And there we have it, my top 10 films for 2014 which only prove what a great year 2014 is already shaping up to be! And on top of the above, I am sure we will find many other hidden gems along the way.

Stay tuned for reviews on these films and then some and follow me on twitter if you fancy it :)

Love,

My 10 (and a half) Best Films of 2013

As 2013 comes to an end it is time to reflect on the greatest films we have been treated to over the last year!

So, in no particular order, here are my 10 (and a half) favourite UK releases of 2013!

1. Les Miserables
It's hard to believe that it has been less than a year since Hugh Jackman pranced across the big screen singing about how he stole a loaf of bread. One of the first big films of the year, the movie adaptation of the world's best-loved musical did not disappoint; Russell Crowe's dodgy vocals aside, the talented all-star cast definitely made this film an instant classic!

2. Wreck-It Ralph
Despicable What? Monster's Universi-Who? 2013 was all about one animated hero, and he came in the form of Ralph - the misunderstood video game villain who dreamed of being a hero. Voiced by Mr. Cellophane himself, John C. Reilly, and with Sarah Silverman bringing the laughs as cutesie glitch Vanellope, Wreck-It Ralph was the perfect combination of humour, narrative and heart - putting the sequels to established classics Despicable Me and Monsters University to shame.

3. The Great Gatsby
A debatable choice as it is no secret that this adaptation of F. Scott Fitzgerald's classic book received largely mixed reviews. However, Baz Luhrmann, Leonardo Dicaprio and Carey Mulligan are three of my favourite people in the industry. Throw in an incredible soundtrack, all of the beautiful 1920s fashion and of course those parties and there is very little that can go wrong in my mind!

4. Behind The Candelabra 
Around the time of this movie's release you couldn't walk for two seconds through the London underground without seeing yet another poster advertising the outrageous, sordid and unbelievable true story of history's greatest entertainer: Liberace. A vastly entertaining watch with perhaps the best performance of Michael Douglas' career to date; it is a huge shame that Hollywood refused to back this film stateside, meaning that it will inevitably be snubbed by the Oscars, because Douglas is truly deserving of, at the very least, a Best Actor nomination!

5. This Is The End
No doubt one of the stupidest movie releases of the year but what can I say, I just loved it. This Is The End exceeded my expectations and then some in providing laugh-a-minute comedy with a brilliantly, self-aware cast. There is absolutely no doubt that this is the funniest film of 2013!

6. The Conjuring
The first horror film in my 22 years of life that actually scared me, so for that reason (and because I don't want to be haunted for not including it on my list) it deserves a mention. Very creepy.

7. Captain Phillips

Yet another true life story with yet another Oscar-worthy performance, this time in the form of Tom Hanks as Captain Phillips. Arguably the most tense film of 2013 as I was on the edge of my seat throughout - nobody does it quite like Mr. Hanks...

8. Saving Mr. Banks

...Which can be proven by his second inclusion on the list, this time alongside the brilliant Emma Thompson in the emotionally-charged, fascinating and entertaining tale of how Mary Poppins came to be. Although tainted with a few little white lies incorporated to make Walt Disney look good, this was an enchanting film that had me on an emotional rollarcoaster of tears and laughter throughout. Plus, I just really love the movie poster.

9. The Secret Life of Walter Mitty

Due for release on Boxing Day, this is just the feel-good, heartwarming film that we need to round off 2013. Although by no means an instant classic or a cinematic masterpiece, TSLOWM is laugh-out-loud funny whilst harbouring an interesting and thought-provoking message. The beautiful cinematography and great performances make the somewhat predictive narrative forgivable, this will be the perfect movie to remedy those post-Christmas blues!

10. The Hunger Games: Catching Fire

A long overdue arrival to The Hunger Games fandom led to a late addition to my top films of 2013. Having finally read the books and been left unspeakably disappointed by the first Hunger Games film, I caught one of the last screenings of Catching Fire earlier this week. It more than makes up for the monstrosity that is the first film as it truly captures the tone of the books in this heart-wrenching and epic power-struggle between the people of the Districts and the evil President Snow. One of the most loyal film adaptations I have ever seen, every significant moment of the book is pin-pointed and presented to perfection. Catching Fire has everything that makes a great film -heartbreaking emotion (One word: RUE!), high-tension action sequences, beautiful cinematography, great characters and stellar performances. I only hope that Mockingjay follows in this film's footsteps and we can all just pretend the first one never happened.



1/2. The Call
Not worthy of the full glory that other films received but I can't make this post without a special mention to the first half of The Call. A film whose second half would make my 'Worst Films of 2013' list as it ruined a brilliant, fast-paced, intense and emotional hour of genius with perhaps one of the stupidest and most unforgivable endings in cinematic history. It has been months since I watched the film and I am still upset that such incredible potential was let down in this way; had the rest of the film been as good as the first half, The Call would have been in my top films list for sure. Instead, it is definitely number one for disappointment of the year!

Well, there's my round up of the best 10 and a half films of 2013!! Keep an eye on my blog for my next article with the ones to watch for 2014!!

Stay tuned for more and follow me on twitter if you fancy it :)

Love,

THE SECRET LIFE OF WALTER MITTY

Billed as this generation’s Forrest Gump, Ben Stiller stars in and directs The Secret Life of Walter Mitty.

Walter Mitty (Stiller) is an unremarkable man who frequently finds himself day dreaming about a life much more exciting than the one he is living. When he gets a new boss (Adam Scott) and his job is threatened, Mitty is spurned into taking action in the real world – leading to adventures more extraordinary and invigorating than he could have ever dreamed of.

Walter Mitty is a likeable enough character, the film opens with him meekly attempting to send a ‘wink’ to his love-interest and colleague’s (Kristen Wiig) e-harmony account before realizing that his profile, void of any interesting or exciting stories about his life, is too empty to classify. We then follow him to his place of work, Life Magazine, where he is ridiculed and belittled by the hotshot, new boss before resigning to his desk to develop the photo that will make up the front cover of the final edition of the magazine only to find that it is missing.

Walter Mitty 'in the zone'

All in all, it is hard not to feel for the guy. Seemingly so resigned to his unremarkable life that he frequently zones out into vivid daydreams where he is the confident hero that saves the World instead of humdrum Walter Mitty.

These daydreams were a concern at first – initially they are entertaining and provide a real insight into Mitty’s character, but they became more and more frequent as the film went on and started to get tiresome and disrupt the flow of the film. However, once Mitty’s real-life adventure begins after about half an hour or so, the daydreams cease almost entirely making the film a lot smoother and allowing you to relax into the story.

Mitty’s search for the missing photograph takes him on a whirlwind adventure around the world – as far-fetched as they come he is soon climbing mountains, escaping erupting volcanoes and even survives a shark attack. However, all of this is done in the midst of visually beautiful scenery, creatively utilized in unique and clever ways to give that film a little something extra, and subtle but great comedic moments that make the 2-hour run time pass with ease.

Walter Mitty’s growing confidence as the film progresses makes for a really fulfilling watch as Ben Stiller effortlessly leads the film. His relationship with Cheryl (Wiig) develops in a sweet and endearing way but the love story is in no way the focal point of the film. It is more a journey of Mitty’s personal development and self-discovery as he goes from having nothing interesting to say about himself to having more stories than he could ever need to verify an online dating account!

He ends up having some incredible adventures!

The film is incredibly feel-good with humorous undertones and an undeniably heartwarming conclusion that will have you leave the cinema with a warm and fuzzy feeling.

However, at times it was quite predictable, the whereabouts of the missing photo was almost overwhelmingly obvious for example, and although it was an enjoyable and upbeat film it definitely isn’t even in the same league as the likes of Forrest Gump and Life of Pi or any other inspirational classic you may have heard it be compared to.

Despite not being as strong as the comparisons, The Secret Life of Walter Mitty  is undeniably enjoyable and heartwarming. If you are willing to suspend your disbelief ever so slightly then you will be in for a real treat this festive season!

★★★★☆

The Secret Life of Walter Mitty (PG) is out nationwide from Boxing Day!

 Stay tuned for more reviews and follow me on twitter if you fancy it :)

Love,

ANCHORMAN 2

First of all I should admit that I am really not an Anchorman fan. I just find the entire film stupid nonsense  - and not the funny kind. For me, the success of Anchorman is one of the many great wonders of the movie world, way up there with the likes of how has Leonardo DiCaprio not won an Oscar yet and why did everyone go so crazy for Silver Linings Playbook? In short, me reviewing Anchorman 2 is like getting a heavy metal fan to review a Justin Bieber album - I am not the film's target audience so I probably can't speak for the majority, nevertheless, here is what I made of it.

Anchorman 2 follows in the same vein as the original. We re-join the character of Ron Burgundy (Will Ferrell) in the 1980s, he and his now-wife Veronica (Christina Applegate) are a successful news team partnership and they have a young son together. However, following Veronica’s promotion the couple split up and Ron is approached by GNN to anchor part of a revolutionary 24 hour news channel with the help of his old friends from San Diego Brian Fantana (Paul Rudd), Brick Tamland (Steve Carell), and Champ Kind (David Koechner).

The gags are just as stupid as they are in the original Anchorman

In comparison to the first film, the storyline is much stronger; it is fresh with much more depth and the narrative has many different layers –Ron’s relationship with his estranged wife, the desperate bid to get ratings on GNN, and competition with other news anchors alongside a romantic subplot for everybody’s favourite dunce, Brick, are all prominent themes throughout. 

However, some of the characters feel a bit stale and aren't included as much as they should have been. Similarly to The Hangover franchise's Alan-centric third film, Anchorman 2 has seen who the favourite characters are and rely heavily on them to bring the laughs to the point of exhaustion. Brick and Ron were the two favourites from the original film and as a result it seems as though director Adam McKay couldn’t be bothered with Rudd and Koechner’s characters, meaning that much of the time Brick is massively overexposed and they are awkward spare parts on the sidelines - much to the film’s detriment.

Brick and Ron are great sources of comedy, if you like that kind of thing, but Brian Fantana was especially brilliant for comedic timing and together with Champ Kind they delivered a more understated level of humour which is sorely missed in the sequel. When Anchorman 2 started the laughs from the audience were coming thick and fast but after 90 minutes of Brick being simple-minded and Ron being casually sexist and racist the laughs massively faltered and it was easy to see that the audience were getting restless without Brian and Champ being utilised to balance the humour out.

A rare moment of comedy

A refreshing lift to the stagnating characters and perhaps one of the film's saving graces comes from the star-studded list of cameo appearances. Alongside the endless stream of gags and chaos, casual prejudice and tasteless jokes familiar faces from Kanye West to Jim Carrey are cropping up – almost turning the film into a game of ‘spot the celebrity’. It seems as though everybody wanted a brief slice of the action, and with the original film’s unwavering popularity, who could blame them for wanting their face in the sequel?

All in all, the Anchorman humour is most definitely not for everyone. However, as somebody who found the original almost painful to watch this sequel is a vast improvement. There are a few universal moments of brilliance, such as the four men smoking crack live on air, but there are also painfully awkward moments that are gratuitous and fall flat, see Ron Burgundy's meal with his black girlfriend's family where he tries to 'speak black' and insults the entire African-American community. 

If you aren't a fan of the original then avoid this one at all costs as there really isn't much for you here.  The humour is just as silly and patronising and at an extra 30 minutes longer than the original it starts to drag and the characters become overbearing. At the end of the day the Anchorman franchise will never be the making of a cinematic masterpiece,  but it knows its audience and panders to their tastes - no matter what the critics may think, fans will love it and that is all that really matters!

★★☆☆☆

Anchorman 2 is released nationwide on the 18th of December 2013!

 Stay tuned for more reviews and follow me on twitter if you fancy it :)

Love,

JEUNE ET JOLIE

Jeune et Jolie (18) tells the story of a 17-year-old French girl (Isabelle) who finds herself embroiled in the world of prostitution. Isabelle (Marine Vacht) is a seemingly normal teenager who, despite being from a loving and wealthy family, inexplicably begins working as a prostitute. 

Director François Ozon makes beautiful use of the passing seasons in the depiction of Isabelle’s sexual awakening as we track everything from her loss of virginity in the summer to her gritty, dirty encounters with various older clients throughout winter. Isabelle appears to be emotionally cut off, the only hint of tenderness coming from her relationship with her younger brother Victor (Fantin Ravat) and one of her clients Georges (Johan Leysen). However, when the unimaginable happens, Isabelle’s secret life won’t be kept secret for much longer.

Aesthetically, Jeune et Jolie is absolutely beautiful; Ozon’s use of the seasons delicately separates the film into bite-size sections, each providing the essential character and plot development needed to avoid the film stagnating. Marine Vacht gives a poignant performance as our troubled protagonist and although the entire cast is strong, it is Vacht who carries the film, an impressive feat considering this is the former model’s first lead role in a feature. The prostitution scenes are gritty. Although the money is high-end, Isabelle’s encounters leave nothing to be desired. While the Parisian aesthetics add some sparkle and beauty to her life, Isabelle herself seems tainted, a point reinforced by her obsession with showering. Although at times this can be uncomfortable to watch, it’s a refreshing change from the usual glamorisation of prostitution found in films such as Pretty Woman and popular TV series Secret Diary of a Call Girl.

Unfortunately, what Jeune et Jolie achieves in beauty and performances, it lacks in substance – the audience never discovers why Isabelle chose to be a prostitute; the most we are given is that she was bored and wanted to try something new. This, alongside Isabelle’s emotionally-dead persona, is reminiscent of a spoilt, rich kid, which makes her a rather unsympathetic and even relatively unlikeable character. Although Isabelle starts off quite endearing, as time goes on she becomes more and more frustrating as she appears to wallow in self-pity for no reason. Whilst Vacht does a brilliant job as the vacuous, emotionless brat who’s ultimately beyond saving, she hardly speaks a word throughout the film, and over time a moody silence and steely glare becomes exhausting to watch with the final ‘season’ not coming fast enough. Towards the end, Jeune et Jolie is just a little drab – the scenes with Isabelle’s clients are the strongest part of the film, but sadly they are short-lived and noticeably absent once they’ve ended

To conclude, Jeune et Jolie is a visually beautiful film that begins with a lot of promise. The performances are strong and Isabelle is enigmatic, but the format gradually tires and once the drama of her prostitution ends, Jeune et Jolie is left in need of a certain je ne se quoi.

★★★☆☆

Jeune et Jolie is released nationwide on Friday 29th November!

Stay tuned for more reviews and follow me on twitter if you fancy it :)

Love,

DON JON

Joseph Gordon-Levitt is one of my all time favourite actors; I have been tracking his career since I was 8 years old and watched 10 Things I Hate About You for the first time. There is just something special about this guy and his acting talent and artistic integrity is second to none. From the gritty anti-hero of Neil McCormick in Mysterious Skin (2004) to the hapless romantic of Tom Hansen ((500) Days of Summer), Gordon-Levitt gives his all in every performance as he effortlessly encompasses each character that he plays with a talent that appears to have no limits.

Me with Joseph Gordon Levitt at the BFI 

Not only is he an incredible actor, he also runs his own production company and shines as an innovative artist and producer. So, with all things considered you can imagine my excitement at the announcement of Don Jon - a film that not only stars Gordon-Levitt, but was written and directed by him too.

Don Jon tells the story of Jon, a New Jersey guy who is so obsessed with pornography that he can't find happiness and satisfaction from a relationship with Barbara (Scarlett Johansson), who ironically holds similarly unrealistic expectations from her exposure to romantic movies.

First of all, Joseph Gordon Levitt's debut as a director is certainly nothing to be sniffed at. With just the right amount of comedic undertones the film has it's fair share of laugh out loud moments through subtle implications rather than a cheesy and in-your-face script. Most of the laughs come through satirical non-verbal moments in a way that doesn't patronize the audience in the same way that some of the bigger comedy movies do. It also has incredible structure; the combination of fast, snappy scenes and elements of repetition only add to the humour and quickly builds your connection to the story and character development. You get a real sense of Jon's routine and personality within the first ten minutes of the film's opening and it only grows as each scene transitions, with no scene lingering any longer than necessary.

Fit for Jersey Shore!

As expected the performances are strong and Gordon-Levitt is once again transformed into an entirely new character in the form of beefcake, church-loving, family-orientated stud. Likewise, Scarlett Johansson gives Barbara both the sass and sexiness required as both leads convincingly picked up the New Jersey accent and mannerisms that would have had them easily fit into the cast of Jersey Shore.

The concept of the film was both interesting and entertaining; a male's fascination with pornography isn't a topic that I have previously seen so honestly and casually discussed in a film before and juxtaposing it with the way romantic movies distort women's expectations of relationships was very cleverly done. Jon is a believable character that isn't tainted by Hollywood ideals and expectations, which I believe is a result of Joseph Gordon Levitt's refusal to succumb to the typical, unbelievable conventions.

The storyline wasn't as predictable as I thought it would be, especially for a relatively light-hearted comedy, and although I welcomed the direction that the film was going I couldn't help but feel like the final conclusion was a little rushed. Towards the last third of the movie I feel like the narrative began to suffer as there wasn't enough time devoted to the turn around in Jon's character. The credits started rolling almost out of nowhere and there was a lot more that we could have seen in terms of how the characters developed in order to reach the final scene. A character which had previously held a whole lot of realism suddenly seemed a little too quick to be 'cured' and this was something that Gordon-Levitt definitely could have dug a little deeper with.

In conclusion, this is a really enjoyable film. I had sky-high expectations which were probably impossible to have been met but all things considered, Joseph Gordon-Levitt came pretty close. Don Jon did slightly falter towards the end in terms of the script but it is a great comedy with brilliant performances all round; the film's greatest strength and the real comedic genius is ultimately a result of how well-directed it is, giving Joseph Gordon Levitt an incredibly strong directorial debut that proves he is just as talented and comfortable behind the camera as he is in front of it.

★★★★☆

Don Jon is out nationwide from this Friday, the 15th November!

Stay tuned for more reviews and follow me on twitter if you fancy it :)

Love,

PARKLAND

As the 50th anniversary of President Kennedy's assassination approaches we have been inundated with documentaries, news stories, films, books... Absolutely anything that you can think of that recounts the tragic day. Parkland is no different; based on the book of the same name it tells the story of the handful of ordinary individuals in Dallas, Texas on that fateful day who found themselves thrust into extraordinary circumstances. From the doctors and nurses who desperately tried to save JFK's life, to the alleged killer's brother, to the unwitting cameraman who unknowingly captured the most examined video in history - all of the previously unheard of contributors in perhaps one of the most significant days of recent history are considered for the first time and the result is interesting if slightly lacking.

I know very little about the JFK assassination and was eager to learn more through this film, although I do feel like I have been educated in a sense I still found the whole thing a little dull. The initial build up to the shooting was incredibly tense and the emotional scenes as the doctors desperately tried to save Kennedy's life as his heartbroken (but slightly vapid) wife looked on were heartbreaking. The sense of unity within America during that moment was poignant and made for heart-pounding viewing. However, once JFK was well and truly dead, once his widow had got back onto a plane to Washington, once the emotion started to run a little thin, the result was rather underwhelming.

I think the major downfall of the film is that there is no real story-arc. The fast-paced nature and flitting, incoherent camera shots are quite captivating to begin with as it places you right in the midst of the drama and panic and gives you a sense of the confusion and emotion of the day, but once the main drama subsides you are left with bland, underdeveloped characters and no real empathy or care for what happens next. The use of a handheld, shaky-lens camera also added to the film's detriment; it aided in creating feelings of panic and gave elements of realism but I feel that it should have been toned down as the story went on - 93 minutes of staring at a wobbly cinema screen is enough to make your head hurt and once you start feeling queasy you are too busy waiting for the film to end so that you can get out rather than focusing on the actual plot in the film.

Despite it's downfalls, Parkland is definitely one of the most creative examples of JFK media. Representing key figures who were previously overlooked is a unique and interesting touch - let's be honest, have you ever considered what it must have been like for Lee Oswald's brother? Whose life was turned upside down after he found out via the TV news at work that his brother had killed one of the most important people in the World? Or what about Abraham Zapruder (played by the wonderful Paul Giamatti)? Who had unwittingly recorded the assassination of the president? I certainly hadn't.

However, as fascinating as these insights were the lack of story arc did make it difficult for the characters to develop and I found my imagination providing me with the most detailed examples of how it must have been for them rather than the film itself. Parkland was saturated with minor characters which made things seem a bit confused and overcrowded; just as you were starting to connect with one of them the scene would cut to another so you didn't really get a chance to care, and aside from a short written summary at the end of the film you didn't really find out much about what happened to them after the day. So, although looking at these minor roles of the JFK assassination was a good idea in theory, it was poorly executed and it could have actually been so much better in practice.

Parkland was an interesting and creative insight into a day I previously didn't know too much about; it was a creative idea but the fast-paced nature of the film and the handheld camera-work was a little too much and distracted from the overall story.

★★✯☆☆

Parkland is in cinemas nationwide from the 22nd of November

Stay tuned for more reviews and follow me on twitter if you fancy it :)

Love,

SAVING MR. BANKS

Always a fan of a good 'real-life story', Saving Mr Banks was one of my most anticipated films of 2013; marketed as the true account of how Walt Disney (Tom Hanks) convinced the author of Mary Poppins, P.L. Travers (Emma Thompson),  to let him adapt her beloved novel into a film for the big screen I was intrigued by the story and excited to learn more. Travers was notoriously against the idea of Mary Poppins becoming a Disney film and it took Walt Disney twenty years of asking before she even agreed to meet with him, and

Travers was adamant there would be no animation

once the film preparation was underway an epic battle ensued between Disney and Travers as she insisted on being involved with every aspect of the adaptation - she was adamant that the film would not include any songs, any animation or any made up words.

I think it is is clear to see who won that power battle.

As well as following Disney and Travers on their journey of creating the movie, the film is made up of many flashbacks of Travers' troubled childhood, particularly the turbulent relationship with her father (played by the brilliant Colin Farrell), thus providing a deep and somewhat emotional insight into why she was so protective of her book and it's characters. Although at times these flashbacks could be a bit emotionally exhausting they were incredibly valuable to the narrative and as her past visually unraveled the audience were able to connect with Travers in a way that would not have been as effective had it merely be mentioned verbally.

However, the main strength of Saving Mr. Banks was without a doubt the incredible cast. Emma Thompson is one of my favourite actresses and her portrayal of the stern, uppity P. L. Travers who is haunted by the memories of her childhood was extremely powerful. Likewise, Tom Hanks as the lovable 'buddy-buddy', all round 'good guy' Walt Disney was brilliantly played and although he didn't have an excessive amount of scenes, the film would have faltered without him as he stole every scene that he was in. The supporting cast can not be faulted in any way - from Ralph, Travers' driver, to the Sherman Brothers - every character had a role to play, nobody felt like an awkward spare part or was left behind and each actor gave a great, well-rounded and human performance.

Julie Andrews with the real Walt Disney & P.L. Travers 

Despite the strong performances and entertaining narrative there were aspects of the film that I found a little difficult to swallow. As this is a Disney film of course it was always going to be on Disney's side - the film concludes with Travers overcome with emotion and jubilation at the final Mary Poppins, when it is renowned that in reality she was outraged by her treatment and the loopholes that Disney had snuck into her contract that undermined the creative decisions they had previously agreed on. As a result Travers refused to let any of her future books be adapted. In fact, Travers was so offended by the way that Disney treated her book that when asked for the rights to make Mary Poppins a West End musical she agreed only on the condition that no Americans were to take part in the production of it.

The sugar-coated, 'happily-ever-after', 'Disney-is-such-a-great-guy' element was a little too sickly and forced when you are aware of  the reality behind the film, but as a work of fiction, and if you allow yourself to let go of the reality and maintain an element of ignorance, the ending was incredibly powerful and when I left the cinema I felt slightly dazed by the emotional roller-coaster that I had experienced as a result of the flashbacks and Travers' fictitious yet heart-breaking reaction to the final film.

All in all, Saving Mr. Banks is a charming and heart-warming film - powerful performances and an intriguing plot make it an interesting and captivating watch. I do recommend seeing it but be sure to take what you see with a pinch of salt instead of a spoonful of sugar and remember that although he is undeniable the incredibly creative man behind most of our childhoods, Walt Disney wasn't truly the 'all-round good guy' as so desperately put across in this film.

★★★★☆

Saving Mr. Banks is out nationwide from the 29th of November

Stay tuned for more reviews and follow me on twitter if you fancy it :)

Love,

5 Films To Watch This Halloween!

I love Halloween. I mean, carving a pumpkin is fun and who can turn down the big bowl of sweets (for the trick-or-treaters of course)? But the best part of Halloween, for me at least, is that it offers the perfect excuse to put on your jammies, draw the curtains and snuggle down with some Halloween-appropriate movies.

My dilemma with Halloween is that you're supposed to get scared, right? You're supposed to watch horror movies aren't you? This can be a difficult feat when, like me, horror films simply do not scare you and as a result you feel a bit... Cheated. Well, classic Halloween films come in all shapes and sizes so never fear - here are the top 5 Halloween classics that you can enjoy even if you are not left quaking in your boots!

5. The Exorcist (1973)

Erm, okay - perhaps this one does teeter into the 'horror' aspect of Halloween but a film made 40 years ago really isn't all that scary, is it? It is however a classic and a film that should be watched and appreciated in all of it's gory glory. The Exorcist is about a little girl called Regan who is possessed by a mysterious demon and two priests must do anything that it takes in order to save her life; 360 head spins and green vomit ensues. The Exorcist is probably the number one film when it comes to 'classic horror'; a film that encompasses the traditional meaning of Halloween through the use of demons and the supernatural rather than human psychopaths. It caused quite a stir upon release in the 1970s with some cinemas even handing out special 'barf bags' at screenings because the film was considered so gruesome. Compared to the types of films we are exposed to in this day and age (without complimentary sick bags!), The Exorcist is actually pretty tame but still a great film and always worth watching.

4. The Omen (1976)Obviously the classic horror film production was at its peak in the 1970s - what else could explain another great horror film being released in the same decade? As if Rosemary's Baby (1968) didn't do enough to scare off horror film fanatics from having kids, in The Omen we are introduced to Damian - a seemingly innocent child of a wealthy couple who actually turns out to be the Antichrist. Literally, the Antichrist. It is a fascinating story with somewhat surprising albeit ridiculous twists and turns which makes it an encapsulating watch. Do not confuse this movie with the subpar 2006 remake starring Julia Stiles, if you are going to watch The Omen make sure you do it properly and watch the original!

3. The Nightmare Before Christmas (1993)
Okay, I have a confession to make: I don't actually... technically... really... like this film? I have tried really hard to make myself like it by watching it every year but there's something about it that I just can't enjoy. Why is it on the list then? Well, i'm a huge Christmas lover. Absolutely anything to do with Christmas I will watch and Jack Skellington stumbling across ChristmasTown and trying to bring Christmas to HalloweenTown thus hybridizing the two holidays and making it socially acceptable to watch a film with Christmas themes in October will always be something that I applaud. Also, I love the song 'What's This?'

2. Donnie Darko (2001)

If you haven't already seen this film, maybe have it as one of the first films you watch in your Halloween Movie Marathon - one where your brain hasn't started to turn to mush and you actually can pay attention to the story because if you don't you might find yourself getting a bit lost. Donnie Darko is a troubled teenager who narrowly avoids death in a freak accident, however, he soon becomes plagued by visions of a giant rabbit who manipulates him into committing a series of crimes. I think the reason this film feels especially Halloween-y (you know, aside from the giant bunnys and weird crimes) is simply because it is set around the time of Halloween. It is a great film though with an incredible story that will leave you thinking...

1. Hocus Pocus (1993)

No other film in the history of cinema quite encapsulates the essence of Halloween as much as Hocus Pocus. A childhood classic that will never get old, Hocus Pocus tells the story of the Sanderson sisters who are brought back to life after being executed 300 years ago. In order to stay young the sisters must kill the town's children and it is down to teenager Max to save the day. This film really does have everything: a talking cat, catchy musical numbers and witty one-liners, it is suitable for the whole family and if it isn't already part of your Halloween rituals you should make it into one - stat!

What films would you recommend for Halloween viewing?

Let me know!

Love,

ROMEO & JULIET

Needless to say, this 2013 remake of Romeo & Juliet was not high on my list of 'must-see' films, in fact I had scarcely even heard of it and its forgettable trailer and z-list cast made me wonder exactly what I was letting myself in for when I went along to the cinema on Tuesday night.

Directed by Carlo Carlei, this film is simply yet another rework of Shakespeare's classic play about two star-crossed lovers Romeo & Juliet. In case you live under a rock, a brief summary of the plot: Romeo (Douglas Booth) and Juliet (Hailee Steinfield) are on opposing sides of a long-standing feud between two families. However, when they meet at a masquerade ball they immediately fall in love and marry in secret - however, tragedy soon ensues.

Carlei can not compete with the 1996 masterpiece

The story has been made into film countless times - from the traditional to the animated to the outrageous but perhaps the most prominent interpretation comes from the Baz Luhrmann's 1996 masterpiece Romeo + Juliet, starring Leonardo Dicaprio. Unsurprisingly, Carlei's version doesn't even come close to the levels of Luhrmann's brilliance.

I suppose the most important point to mention is that Carlei has stuck to the more traditional depiction of the story. There are sword fights, they are in 'fair Verona', there are no fights at petrol stations nor any murder on the beach. One criticism that I can't understand is that it 'bastardizes Shakespeare' - this film holds the closest imitation of the actual play from any of the films that were made this side of the 1970s (sadly the 'Do you bite your thumb at me, sir?' debate was mercilessly cut), although the 1996 version is the stronger film by miles, if either of the two were to be accused of bastardizing Shakespeare, I would have thought it'd be the that one.

Despite sticking to the language of the play and paying homage to traditional Shakespeare, the incredibly weak cast are the huge downfall of this film. Reminiscent of a bad school play, it was clear that much of the cast - namely Hailee Steinfield who was unfortunately one of the leads - simply memorized their lines but didn't bother to look into the meaning of the words. It was obvious that they did not understand this old English language of which they were speaking and it made for awkward, emotionless and confused dialogue being recited in a way that can only be described as cringe-inducing.

Surprisingly, aside from our Juliet, the most painful performance came from Damian Lewis who floundered as Juliet's dad. A performance so bad that it actually defied belief as he over-acted his way through the two-hour film, trumping any other bad performance within the film almost as though the actors were secretly in competition for the title of Worst Actor.

Most of the cast seemed to be competing for the title of 'Worst Actor'

The only shred of acting capability came from Douglas Booth as Romeo. Still not the strongest of performances and he definitely doesn't have the charm and loveability that DiCaprio brought to the character in 1996, but he at least appeared to understand the lines that he was reciting and he managed to have a slither of believable passion as a character, which is more than can be said for anybody else.

Let's be honest, the film was clearly on a tight budget - this was proven by the fact you could see the actor's breath as they spoke throughout most of the indoors scenes as they were clearly freezing on set -, the cast were amateurish and the entire thing felt a bit clunky and awkward. However, it was still watchable and I have to say I have certainly seen much worse films this year. As a traditional re-telling of the classic play, it is a good adaptation; it sticks to the original script and transports you back to the time of which it was set. It is just a shame that the cast made this feel more like an awkward High School play than one of the most renowned pieces of fiction  to exist.

All in all I award Romeo & Juliet: ★✯☆☆☆

Stay tuned for more reviews and follow me on twitter if you fancy it :)

Love,