Peppermint Friday Review #46: Dunkirk

Hello its been a while, I'm very sorry for the lack of content on here recently but I'm still alive (just about!) its been extremely busy in the life of Zara. If you follow me on my instagram or twitter you might know that I have a new job well ish its something that I'm doing and I'm really enjoying. It's meant that its taken up alot of time, and what I mean by that is, its taken up alot of time, and time that I would have used to watch films and its hard to find that time. This blog is not over I still love it I just need to be abit more disciplined when it comes to time management and such. 

Let's talk about Dunkirk I watched this on Sunday night, and I've been so so so excited for this film since Suicide Squad I say that I remember the trailer of this coming out before watching Suicide Squad. Its so worth the wait, because its just simply gorgeous, the way the camera techniques were done and everything was just wonderful, it felt at times that you were in battle, the way the camera was and I loved that. I have never seen a film about Dunkirk before, and I'm glad the first one I got to see was this one such a brilliant film and well written. 

Its a quiet film, but thats something I've noticed alot in terms of War films and Period Drama films that are good they're usually very still and let the film speak for itself, instead of shouting about it. Kenneth Branagh was brilliant as per, you don't expect anything less from him let's be honest. Christopher Nolan is one of my favorite directors ever, and one of the best directors, this film has just made me love Christopher Nolan even more. Personally I think this is my favorite of his films so far of course, because I know he'll do more films which I'm so excited for and obviously I'll go and see. I have a prediction I think, he will get a really prestigious award, like an Oscar, BAFTA or Golden Globe because he really deserves it for this film. 

The film is told in three different ways, so the Land, Sea and Air. In the sea the Navy need private boats to help out in evacuation, Mr Dawson takes his son Peter to help out along with George who wants to do something and contribute. I love how all that plays out with them, and as they get survivors the story progresses with all the characters in the boat without forcing it too much. I love history and to find out about different stories whether they be true or not, its wonderful and its life on the edge. The story had to be done well, because its such an integral part of history and Great Britain aswell, so I'm thrilled that its got the reviews it has. 

Harry Styles was good, I don't get why people are going so gaga for him I mean it is cus he's Harry Styles but he was good in this film and if he does acting in the future then great he could be the next Justin Timberlake if he plays his cards right. But see this for how amazing it is not because of Harry Styles, but hey if Harry Styles is getting people into films and cinema I'm not gonna complain because its always a good thing to have more people into films. 

Definitely give this film a watch it's worth your money 100% and when the DVD comes out or when it becomes downloadable on Amazon, I'm gonna be buying it as it is so wonderful, its the kinda film everyone will like, well apart from when you're a 5 year old but that doesn't matter. Its a all rounded amazing grown up film to watch. Oh and one last thing because I missed last Friday I'm doing 2 Friday reviews one will be uploaded either today or tomorrow to make up for not doing a review. Hope you all have a wonderful day and I shall see you very soon! 

Review: Pearl Harbor

So I've been watching alot of films that people have told me to ages ago, but I never got round to it. This film is one of them, plus it has Kate Beckinsale in and she's an actress that doesn't get talked about enough, well from what I think anyway. Its also a Period Drama set in the 1940s and who doesn't love that? What the film is about is a love triangle between childhood best friends Rafe, Danny, and Nurse Evelyn played by Ben Affleck, Josh Hartnett and Kate Beckinsale, all during the run up and battle and aftermath of Pearl Harbor.

That's basically it, in terms of the story line purpose of it all, its just a love story during the war. The reviews of this film I saw, and the ratings it got on Rotten Tomatoes and IMDB was just ridiculous basically its an either average film or crap film. But don't take that as gospel truth because its a matter of opinion at the end of the day. I do agree its not the best film I've ever seen, I mean I love the costumes but thats a given and the battle action scenes of Pearl Harbor, but again with the budget they had and it was apparently a bigger budget that actual Pearl Harbor itself. I mean that could be hear'say but the money was showing on the screen definitely. 

In terms of characters and storyboard wise, I hated it. I love the actors in this film, I think they're brilliant and have no doubt can act, as I've seen them in better roles and better films. I hated Kate Beckinsale's character Evelyn she was just so wet and she had a really crap personality. I couldn't relate to her and usually I will try to find anything in a character that I can relate to, even a Villian or the Hero but with her I just couldn't. I found her bland and with a love story I don't know about you guys but I wanna fall in love with one of the couples, but I didn't like her at all. The only positive thing I can say about her is first of all its not Kate Beckinsale's fault its the writers, and she looked beautiful in the film her costumes to her hair and makeup, but that's being a model not an actor and in her defence, she's an actor she turned up did the job very well and got paid then went home.

I didn't get Danny and Rafe, they again were extremely bland and irritating brilliantly acted but I hated the script it felt very robotic and it became a little too slick. Some minor characters were just awful, Jennifer Garner played a part of a nurse in this and I didn't like at all, she was this stereotypical awkward nerd and I didn't get what kinda part she played, was it supposed to be comical? Because I didn't find it funny at all. There were some characters that died and not to sound horrible, but I didn't care I didn't like them at all. They all seemed very generic, boring, bland just really crap uninteresting characters. It's gonna sound abit weird but I'm actually glad that I've found a film that I don't like because I always try to find the positive side to films with this I did, but the majority of which I care about films which is the story line and characters both of which this film just lacked in. 

You could tell that this film was trying to be the Titanic of its time, it being a Period Drama and a Romance with a big budget its obvious what it was trying to be. I don't hate that but I just felt with it being Pearl Harbor they could've had more substance to it like they could have given Evelyn more of a backbone and made Danny and Rafe less pushovers. One thing was all three characters were on the same level in terms of strength and blandness. I loved the action scenes but they had to spend money on them because history nerds would throw a hissy fit and a riot would happen saying that 'Its not accurate!' now that does annoy me because of course its not going to be 100% accurate to the event its a film! its done in a filmmakers mind and put out there in a story. If you want accuracy of an event or a person then watch a documentary about it or read a book. Although there was inaccuracy in this film, but I mean again that's gonna happen, just like with book to film adaptations. 

I feel like this film showed me that just because a film has a big budget doesn't mean its automatically gonna be an amazing film. Because with the big action scenes, and the amazing costumes and extras and all that, if the story isn't good and the characters aren't relatable then no matter how big the budget it means nothing if the plot is crap, then its a crap film. Because in my opinion a great film is a brilliantly written story line and fantastic characters, nothing to do with budgets or genres thats how I feel about it anyway. The technicality of the film with the shots and camera technique was brilliant. I love the flip between the panoramic shot to it being from a soldier's perspective or an injured person's perspective. I would've preferred abit more consistency with the shots and camera technique. 

Also and this is gonna make me sound like an old lady but the film was way too long that what it should be, its 3 Hours long and that's quite long in terms of film I think the only film I know that's that long is Lord Of The Rings, but that's based of a book that's huge. I know that this film is based of the Pearl Harbor and is very important in history but I don't think it should take that long. As I've seen War films and they're not that long and have way more added on to them than this film. Overall I liked some aspects of this film, but not the reasons as to why I love films like story line and characters. 

Peppermint Friday Review #26: Sullivan's Travels

I hope you enjoyed Wednesday's post as it was nice to talk about something abit different for a change, and appropriately it was uploaded on International Woman's Day which wasn't planned at all by the way. Anyway we're gonna talk about an Actress and one of the best films ever I think, and it needed to be a Peppermint Friday Film to talk about, I couldn't just do it on any other day.

To put it short this film is about filmmaking, John Sullivan played by Joel McCrea is a Director who has done well, and made some money from the films he's made, but is creatively dissatisfied with the films he's made and wants to make some real gritty drama instead of the comedies he's making. The studio he works for wants him to make a film that is very much the same genre and style of film. John decides he wants to see the world at first hand so he becomes a tramp and bumps into a struggling actress called as in the film 'The Girl' who is played by Veronica Lake.  

The dialogue of this film is just brilliant, I love how witty they are and the quick humour of them both. Veronica Lake is such a beautiful woman and an amazing actress, she is a woman who I admire greatly and her portrayal of an actress who has struggled and has found it really hard the fact that she has this sense of humor is amazing and so classy and sultry she is a woman who I think we should all aspire to be. One of my favorite bits of the film and its turned into a classic line for varies films, TV shows, Theatre alike and that's when they're in the car and he goes 'What could go wrong?' and suddenly they're in prison together.

Joel McCrea is brilliant, he's an actor I've only seen in one film and that's this film, but despite that he's a good actor and I love the chemistry between him and Veronica Lake it's like an old married couple, and that's something I love in romance I like the witty, fun atmosphere with it, instead of it being all serious all the time as it's nice to have a bit of yin and yang. The character development from Joel's character is something I love, I love that he is so relatable because creative people are very erratic at times, its about changing things up all the time.

 Sully I should call him, at the beginning he is very frustrated with what he's doing, he wants to create gritty realism that has dirt underneath its fingernails, throughout the film he wants to deal with real trouble by being a tramp, he meets a beautiful girl who is struggling as an actress and is seriously thinking about going back home. She brings light to him and he brings light to her, and you all know already how much I love witty, cleverly written comedies with added genres and themes of anything. 

Minor characters I love are the Head of the studio which Sully works for, he is so patronising towards Sully about him doing something different which I like as he was very cheerful about it, which makes him even more so patronising, but I liked that because it succeeded in what the character set out to do. The butlers were so funny, and relaxed about it, one of my favorite bits of them was when Sully and Veronica were by the pool and fell in twice because they were having quite a heated conversation. They were so 'oh they're in the pool' and I just found it so amusing, during the end of the film when the plot gets thicker and much more deep.

                                                              
One of the cutest and most picturesque screenshot of the film that I love and holds a memory for me is the scene where Sully is on a boat in his hobo gear with a dog, I don't think there's nothing more beautiful than a man with his dog. You should definitely watch this film its so witty and wonderful, with a brilliant cast and its got Veronica Lake in and that's a film made I think. On that note I shall speak to you all very soon, and have a lovely weekend!

Review: Its A Wonderful Life

Merry Christmas everyone! so as promised I watched Its a Wonderful Life as its a beautiful film and one of my favorites. 

We all know the film, and story but it is so relevant to today with everything's thats happen in the year 2016. It centres around George and we go on a journey with him, and we see him as a little boy and when he's got his first girlfriend. Everything that happens to his life that is relevant and significant to him, up to him as an adult. George owes $8000 for a loan, and is rock bottom little did he know he had an angel, but a 2nd class angel with no wings. George then tells him that he wishes he was never born, the angel Clarence tries to show him that life is worth living. 

George and Mary are both beautifully cast, they're both different from each other because they both evolve and change overtime, sometimes in a good way but also in a ba way, George has been through some real crappy things, whereas with Mary she's not a hardboiled as George is, if that makes sens. I do love that though as its yin and yang, for there relationship and when George wishes, he never existed Mary becomes a liberian and is totally opposite to what we see before, Donna Reed and James Stewart have such amazing chemistry. 

The story is so relatable to any time period as we all know a George we've all been a George at one point in our lives, and I had to do a review one this film as its relevant to 2016 and its one of my favorite films, and a film that I think everyone loves. Henry Potter who is the films antagonist and George's rival is casted perfectly and is opposite in terms of looks, and demeanor to George. George is this kind, honest man and Henry is this evil, tyrant of a man and doesn't have that much care for people. The fact that George is this good looking tall and slim man, and Henry is this overweight pipesmoking boss.

We all love it in the end where Henry gets his just desserts, lets face it and we all wanted George to win in the end, and he did and it makes me so happy. What I love about this film is that in some ways its not just a 'Christmas Film' I mean yes its set during Christmas time, but its also about friends, family and being a good person, and remembering who will always be there for you. LIke in the 'Bishop's Wife' post yesterday, its the message of the story which I love so much. Its a message that we all should learn and know throughout different times of the year, and its a classic for a reason. 

The fact that it was made during World War II, and its a character which I think everyone can relate to during that time of it being pretty hard, as it is now in a way. Its easy to forget about the simple things of life, and that the bad guy will always be a bad guy, only if he changes his ways. In the end with George rushing home to his family and its beautiful to watch. 

I shall leave you all with this gif from the film, and I will speak to you all after Christmas! Have a good Christmas everyone! 💙💜🎄🎅✨

Peppermint Friday Review #15: The Bishop's Wife

Before I begin talking about this gem of a film, I will be doing a special Christmas Eve film review (which is tomorrow!) as it is Christmas and the time of giving I thought why not, and they are both gorgeous films.

Anyway, this film is just beautiful not because it has Cary Grant, David Niven and Loretta Young but it has a such a beautiful sentimental element to it. Its about a bishop called Henry who is played by David Niven, and he is finding hard to get the funding for the new cathedral being built. He prays for some guidance, and an angel appears called Dudley, played by Cary Grant everyone is wooed by Dudley especially the Bishop's wife Julia.

I loved this film, as well its set in the 1940's and that to me just oozes with brilliance. It has David Niven playing a character entirely different from 'A Matter of Life and Death' he is not charming, and dashingly poetic in this film, he's the opposite which I love because he is just incredible. Cary Grant is as charming and handsome as always, the chemistry and the scenes with Henry and Dudley were so much fun to watch as they are just opposites from each other. During Dudley's visit Henry gets very focused on the cathedral, and forgets momentarily about his wife and daughter. 

The message of this film is very important, and wonderful it tells a tale of a man who wants to good by his wife and daughter, and the whole church community. He gets an angel who wants to give him guidance, he then becomes so obsessed with finishing this cathedral, he realises he's abandoned his wife for this angel and thinks he'll never get her back and loses the true meaning of Christmas that it doesn't really matter how amazing a job is family and the people you love is very important and remember where they are. 

The witt aswell is just perfect to this film, David Niven stuck in a chair is the funniest and best thing you'll ever see, and Cary Grant getting the little girl to play with the boys in the park is one of the sweetest things you'll ever see, I mean I don't condom to cheating but in fiction and when its Cary Grant a girl can't resist. I also love the fact that Cary Grant's character is this suave, sophisticated angel and his name is Dudley.

The fact that this film was made 2 years into World War II and its such a heartwarming story, is so beautiful I mean I've noticed alot of films during this time have a gorgeous sentimental message and output to them all. Loretta Young is an actress whom I'm not familiar with yet, and I'm certain I will be watching much more of her very soon! She is just fantastic in this film, the bit where they're ice skating will just melt your heart she is elegant and a pleasure to watch.

This film is a beautiful film to watch and a perfect story, If you love Cary Grant or David Niven, or like me both! Then you need to watch it, it's so pretty and I'd like to say one of my favorite films of all time. Tomorrow the review will be very similar to this film, but not the same I won't tell you just yet you'll have to watch but it is one of my favorite films ever. 

Peppermint Friday Film Review #8: His Girl Friday

Now I thought it would be quite funny and entertaining for me to do a Friday review on 'His Girl Friday' as its 'Friday, Friday' you know. 

Anyway this film is about a man and woman called Walter and Hildy played by Cary Grant and Rosalind Russell. They work together on this Newspaper, they were also previously married. As Hildy wants to settle down and start a family with a new husband Bruce who is totally opposite to Walter, Walter doesn't want this to happen so he gets Hildy to do a report on a murder case. 

The film is based of the 1920s play 'The Front Page'. The plot sounds very serious and quite dramatic, but this film is far from it. 

It's described as a 'Screwball Comedy' which was very popular in the 1930s and 40s. A screwball comedy is a comedy that mainly shows the relationship between a man and a woman, that the woman is just a strongwilled as the man, along with quick talking dialogue. Screwball Comedy was completely new for its time, as you had a comedy with the main characters male and female, but the female is just as strongwilled and determined to fight back and give abit of lip. Obviously now we take it for granted that we have strong female characters, but back then before these films females had a very limited role to play, but Screwball Comedy changed it.  

I love the quick, witty back and forth script of this film it turned a very serious situation into something incredibly witty and entertaining. I've said before how much I love comedy that takes things that are traditionally very serious and unfunny scenarios into something thats entertaining wonderfully witty. This film is amazing what I've noticed with this film is that it goes by really fast if that makes sense. It doesn't go on and on and on, while watching this film I notice that time just goes by. 

Cary Grant is amazing, his voice is just perfect for the part I heard every word he said, as it can be quite hard to do quick talking scenes, as the film is pretty much 99.9% quick talking with Cary Grant. All the characters are brilliant, one of my favorite scenes is where Walter is talking and pelting questions to who he thinks is Hildy's new husband, and theres a man who's tapping him on the shoulder like 'Excuse me, I'm..' and Walter's just brushing him off, then the man who Walter keeps brushing off just goes, 'I'm Hildy's husband, Bruce' then Walter just says 'oh Hildy I thought you'd marry someone older' 

I love the bickering the couple do throughout the film, even when lots of dramatic things happen, its just so much fun to watch and if I'm in a 'I don't know what to watch mood' I just stick this on, because it always brings a smile to my face. Before you ask yes, I will do a blog post completely dedicated to Cary Grant. 

Review: A Matter Of Life and Death

This week I wanna do a War themed film week, So I thought I'd talk about about one of my favorite 40s films. 

This film is about a war pilot who gets a call from a radio operator, and they end up falling in love. The war pilot's plane was about to crash and die, and he should of died but he didn't and the guide, who is like an angel is told by headquarters (heaven) that he needs to die, you know go back to how he should of died. 

Its such a modern film, David Niven stars in it along with Kim Hunter, and he is just amazing in it. He's probably your grandmother's favorite actor, but he is seriously good in this part. He plays it with such Britishness I know that sounds weird, but I have a feeling if this was played by an American this would have been a very different film, where I believe it would have been more of a heroic guy, rather than a heroic gentleman. I also love the French Conductor as he is more of the comedy side of it, where when he leaves you have a stench of onions. He also asks, who do you want to take your place, and its just fantastic, as they discuss who's worth it and isn't.

Kim Hunter is also amazing, because they could of used someone like Elizabeth Taylor or Lauren Bacall I love those actresses, but they didn't they used someone her, and she was amazing. She wasn't a breathtaking beauty she was a very pretty girl, with a giant heart. Plus they have such good chemistry together, they look good aswell. 

They used colour and black and white in a really nice way aswell, where they had for heaven headquarters they put it in black and white, then for back to earth it was in colour. Which isn't strange for 1930s-40s films as Wizard of Oz did it. 

The dialogue though it amazing, I love the whole court case kinda style during the end. It is a love story evidently but its also, a political story aswell in a way, the poetic dialouge particularly from Niven is just beautiful, he speaks the words with such warmth. Its funny aswell, as this film came out in 1946, just a year after World War II ended. Its amazing how brilliantly they showed a War film, but at the same time it wasn't it was soo much more than that. It had real intelligence about humanity, and life it is a really deep film but it needs to be. Its just amazing how after a horrific time they're not gonna bitch or slag anyone off, or make it too in your face about war or about politics, or life, its just a very simple complex. Its just a very modern film for its time. So overall I give this film 10 peppermints out of 10!.