film

5 April 2020

The ultimate feel-good film guide


I think it's fair to say that during this lockdown, we're all watching a lot more TV/films. I've always viewed film as an escapism and I've made a list of all the ones that I think are upbeat and make me happy. I'm not one for a weepy film and there's enough negativity in the real world without having to see it in a fictional world too. I've tried to choose uplifting films that don't really have any sad moments (i.e the tragic death of a beloved character, I'm looking at you Walt Disney..) Films are a good distraction from what's going on at the moment and I hope these can bring you a couple of hours of entertainment and laughter in the same way that they do for me :)

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1. Mamma Mia!

2. Walking On Sunshine

3. Hairspray

4. Grease

5. High School Musical trilogy

6. Dirty Dancing

7. Mary Poppins (1964)

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1. Shrek 2

2. Flushed Away

3. Moana

4. Sing

5. Chicken Run

6. Toy Story

7. The Incredibles

8. Shark Tale

9. Aladdin

10. Madagascar

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1. Bridesmaids

2. Mrs Doubtfire

3. Cheaper by the Dozen

4. Meet the Fockers

5. Night at the Museum

6. Bad Neighbours

7. Girls Trip

8. Booksmart

9. White Chicks

10. Bruce Almighty

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1. The Princess Diaries

2. A Cinderella Story

3. 10 Things I Hate About You

4. The Lizzie McGuire Movie

5. Angus, Thongs and Perfect Snogging

6. Wild Child

7. Legally Blonde

8. 13 Going on 30

9. Confessions of a Teenage Drama Queen

10. Clueless

11. Maid in Manhattan

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Feel free to comment your favourite feel-good films in the comments below :)


Hope everyone is staying safe and staying at home x

The ultimate feel-good film guide

5 April 2020

12 January 2020

The Gentlemen: Film Review


My first cinema trip of 2020 was to see The Gentlemen and, having not even watched the trailer, I had no expectations. The only thing I knew before seeing it was that it was directed by Guy Ritchie and the cast included some incredible actors; Hugh Grant, Colin Farrell, Henry Golding and Matthew McConaughey, to name a few. So I hoped it would be pretty good and I was not disappointed. This film is one of the best films I've seen in a long time.

The Gentlemen follows the story of drug lord Mickey Pearson (Matthew McConaughey) as he plans to sell his marijuana empire in order to take a step back from his criminal activities and retire. Drama quickly ensues as criminals of the underworld attempt to overthrow Pearson, the "King" of the industry. It's a classic British, gritty crime-gang film so expect guns, henchmen, murder, fighting, drugs and a lot of swearing. The c-bomb is probably dropped at least once in every sentence. Unsurprisingly, its rated 18 although there isn't really any violence or gore, which you would usually expect from this genre of film.

It's fast-paced, there's a lot going on, and you never really know who to be suspicious of until the very end. The characters are really well-written and Hugh Grant's portrayal of Fletcher, a sneaky disloyal underdog that wears sunglasses indoors, is genius. It's probably my new favourite role that he's taken on and he has some of the best lines, along with Coach (Colin Farrell). I thought the script was perfect, aside from the unnecessary overuse of the aforementioned c-word. It was just the right mixture of witty and funny - I lost count of the amount of times I caught myself still laughing about something that had happened in a previous scene. 

The only small criticisms I have are that the storyline is quite disjointed. It jumps around a lot between Hugh Grant's character in the present day recalling what has previously happened, through the use of flashbacks. So if you're the kind of person who can't put their phone away and concentrate on the screen for a couple of hours, you'll probably struggle with this one. It needs your full attention and even though I was completely invested, there were times when I thought "hang on, who's that? Have we seen this guy before?". I also found Hugh Grant's accent quite distracting. It is one of the best comedic elements of the film (I hope that was intentional..) but at the same time it did just sound like he was doing an impersonation of Tom Hardy, which I found difficult to overlook.

Apart from those minor critiques, overall I loved it and would 100% recommend this film. Even if crime isn't your go-to genre, I think most people will enjoy it purely for the humour and eccentricity of the characters and storylines. Plus, Henry Golding as a baddie.

The Gentlemen: Film Review

12 January 2020

20 November 2019

Last Christmas: Film Review



*Contains spoiler-ish content*


Usually I don't condone watching Christmas films until December but films seem to be in and out of cinemas so quickly nowadays and I didn't want to miss this one, so I went to watch it last night.

I think there's a lot of pressure for Christmas films to do well because there are so many classics to compete with but for me, this one didn't live up to the hype. If you're expecting it to be another Love Actually or The Holiday you will be disappointed. However, there were some good bits..

George Michael's songs obviously play a huge part in the film and I love his music so I can't fault the soundtrack. There's also a few heartwarming scenes that remind you of the meaning of Christmas - the importance of helping people, not holding grudges and surrounding yourself with the people you love. The casting was good. Emilia Clarke is infectiously likeable and I feel like her character is very relatable; we can all learn something from the journey she goes on throughout the film (I know I've definitely been guilty of avoiding an issue because I'm scared of the possible outcome) It's also quite rare for someone to have not experienced some sort of family drama or problems at work so I think most people will understand her character's actions. There are also a few laugh out loud moments and the occasional cheesy/cringey interaction, which is obviously expected in a Christmas film.

I just felt like it wasn't really that Christmassy. Apart from the scenes in the Christmas shop and the odd decoration on the street, there aren't many references to it being Christmas time. I didn't come away from watching it and think "I can't wait to start wrapping presents or putting the tree up". Something was missing but I can't put my finger on what it was. I also predicted the twist at the end. If you saw the tweets about the trailer when it first came out, you'll probably be able to guess what it is as well. I think if you've already worked out the ending (the song lyrics kind of give it away..) it probably doesn't have as much of a shock factor, so I didn't cry. But there was definitely a lump in my throat!

Although I won't be rushing to watch it again, overall, it's a nice, easy watch and it's a good start to the Christmas season!

Last Christmas: Film Review

20 November 2019

31 May 2019

Rocketman: Film Review


After patiently waiting for well over a year since they first announced it, I finally got to see Rocketman last week and it did not disappoint. It's no secret that I am a huge fan of anything Taron Egerton does but I really think this could be the one that gets him the recognition he deserves. If he's not nominated for an Oscar next year it will be a travesty and I am fully prepared to lead the campaign for this film to win all the awards.

I went into this film with absolutely no knowledge of Elton John whatsoever. Obviously I've heard a few of his songs and I love the ones that I do know of, but when it comes to Elton himself and his life, I had no clue about any of it. Until I saw this film...

Rocketman tells the story of Reginald Dwight and how he became the iconic star who is better known as Elton John. Through the power of Elton's classic hits, key moments in his life and career are potrayed including his time at the Royal Academy of Music, signing a record deal with his best friend, Bernie Taupin, and performing a sold out show at the Dodgers Stadium in front of over 100,000 people. The audience is also given an insight into some of Elton's darkest times such as his difficult relationships with his parents and manager, John Reid, and his battle with alcohol and drug use which led to a stay in rehab.

Directed by Dexter Fletcher and starring a brilliant supporting cast (Jamie Bell, Richard Madden, Bryce Dallas Howard), it was always going to do well. Taron's performance throughout is incredible and you can tell that he really threw himself into the role. Aside from transforming physically (there are times in the film when you think it genuinely is Elton John) he sings all of the songs and pulls off an unbelievable performance. I also loved Jamie Bell's character (Bernie Taupin) and the portrayal of his and Elton’s friendship. It seems like everyone needs a Bernie in their life and their duet of Yellow Brick Road is so poignant, I was definitely tearing up.

Another particular number that stood out for me is the carnival scene in which we see a young Elton (played by Kit Connor) change into the older version, played by Taron Egerton. The song used in this scene is Saturday Night's Alright (For Fighting) and I'm not exaggerating when I say I've listened to it at least 10 times a day since I first saw it. The soundtrack is amazing and my favourite songs are Bennie and the Jets, Honky Cat (duet with Richard Madden) and of course, I'm Still Standing, which is the perfect ending to the film.

There are scenes that pull on the heartstrings and there are scenes that make you want to jump out of your seat, put on a flambuoyant feathered costume and dance around the room. It's a rollercoaster of emotions, perfectly mirroring the crazy life and persona of Sir Elton John.

Rocketman: Film Review

31 May 2019

11 January 2018

The Greatest Showman: Film Review


I'd only heard good things about The Greatest Showman and it definitely did not disappoint. I saw the film last Tuesday evening and by Wednesday morning I'd downloaded the soundtrack and was well on my way to learning all of the words to all of the songs.

Set in 1840's New York, this musical film follows the struggles and triumphs of Hugh Jackman's character, P.T. Barnum, as he creates the Barnum & Bailey Circus, along with his wife (Michelle Williams), playwright Phillip Carlyle (Zac Efron) and a host of unique and interesting acts including a trapeze artist, Anne Wheeler (Zendaya), a Swedish opera singer (Rebecca Ferguson) and a bearded lady (Keala Settle). The set (which reminded me of the one I was lucky enough to film on last year), costumes, dancers and supporting cast are fantastic and the way in which the story is told is so creative and unique. The film also features eleven original musical numbers and personally, I didn't listen to the soundtrack before watching as I wanted to experience it as a whole for the first time. However, if you do want a taste of what you're going to see, my favourite songs are 'Never Enough' and 'Rewrite the Stars'.

With elements of ambition, love, friendship and heartache paired with toe-tapping melodies, meaningful lyrics and an insanely talented cast (including the resurrection of musical Zac Efron, I've missed you), The Greatest Showman is a fresh, feel-good, family film that has quickly become one of my favourites.


The Greatest Showman: Film Review

11 January 2018

16 August 2016

Jason Bourne: Film Review

As some of you may know, I am a massive film geek and I've been working my way through the list of summer movies that I've been waiting eagerly to watch over the last few months.

The new Bourne film was the one that I was most looking forward to as I loved the first three films (lets not talk about the fourth..) and couldn't wait to see Matt Damon back on the big screen as the rogue, CIA-hating action hero that is Jason Bourne. If you haven't watched any of the previous films, it isn't a necessity and you will still be able to enjoy the sequel without getting confused. However, I would obviously recommend that you do watch The Bourne Identity, The Bourne Supremacy and The Bourne Ultimatum as you are definitely missing out.


From the second the film starts, it is full throttle action from beginning to end. The car chases, fight
sequences, explosions, gadgets, twists and turns literally do not stop throughout the entire 123 minutes and that's exactly what I expected, and wanted, from a Bourne movie. I loved that they brought back the character of Nicky Parsons (Julia Stiles) who pulls Jason Bourne back into the world of the CIA and his past and it was nice to see how their relationship stayed intact even though he had been off the grid for a number of years. Alicia Vikander is also in the film and plays a very stern, intelligent member of the CIA's technical team. I both loved and hated her character throughout the plot and Alicia is an asset to the franchise. The story is very similar to the other Bourne films, obviously the route they chose to go down for the other three films paid off so they stuck to it, however, it does feel like the final film as it ties up a lot of loose ends and answers the ultimate question that everyone wants to know - how did David Webb become Jason Bourne?

Overall, I'd give Jason Bourne a 4/5. It is action-packed, has an incredible car chase (apparently they destroyed 120 cars!), the story line is fast-paced and answers questions from the previous films - plus, it has an amazing supporting cast.

Jason Bourne: Film Review

16 August 2016

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