Review: Spiderman: Homecoming

I know its been like a week or so since it came out but I need to talk about this film as I was just blown away. 

I have watched all the Spiderman films from Toby Maguire to Andrew Garfield, I love all of them in different ways and they were also Spidermen at different times of his life. Toby felt to me too be alittle be like a giant nerdy teenager who loved Mary Jane who was and is his one true love. Andrew Garfield was brilliant aswell and bought a different twist to the character, and became this moody teenager who skateboarded had Gwen, but the way they were directed felt abit too forced, looking back but at the time I just love it and still do not to mention that Andrew Garfield was about 26, 27 when he played Peter Parker/Spiderman. That's quite old, considering the fact that at the time, he's supposed to be a teenager, hence why he had such a short time being Spiderman. With Tom Holland who I love so much now, its amazing he is 20 and I think he could easily play Spiderman for atleast 10 years if he wants to (I think he should!). 

The way the film was written wasn't like the previous films either where it was shown as a typical Action Spiderman film. It was written and approached like a Teen film, which for me makes it really refreshing and gives it a new twist to the characters and the franchise. Everyone was worried that Iron Man would be in too much, but he wasn't it was still Spiderman's film. I also liked that they introduced Iron Man/Tony Stark into Spiderman/Peter Parker's life, as that had to be done and they way it was done, was a job well done for me. Loved Vulture he was just brilliant, the writing of him was fantastic loved that he had a real passionate hatred that was justified. The bit where Peter went to Homecoming with Liz and he met her dad who was the Vulture that was brilliant because again it took it back to being very Breakfast Club style. 

I'm gonna say it here, I'd love it if Micheal Keaton got an award for this role, like I'm talking a prestigious award because he really was brilliant and well done to the writers because from what I heard about the Vulture was that he was this old man, but Michael took this role and made it his own. I loved Ned and MJ at the beginning particularly with MJ I was abit sceptical as she wasn't in the comics and I just think 'did they give Zendaya that part, because she's Zendaya?'. I loved her, she played a part that so unique but I'm interested to see how her character develops, because I just assumed they casted her in this film because she's Zendaya, that's it but its not the case at all she really is good at acting. 

Jacob Batalon was just brilliant as Ned, he's such a good character especially for Peter Parker/Spiderman as in the past all his best friends have always seemed 'cool' like Harry, but Ned doesn't give off that 'I'm intelligent, cool and rich' vibe its just he's a funny, intelligent guy. One of my favourite scenes of the film was when Ned was helping Peter as Spiderman during Homecoming in the computer room and a teacher comes in and goes, 'What are you doing?' and I thought he was gonna say studying or something boring but he just comes out with 'looking at porn'. I tell you not the whole cinema was in tears of laughter, he's such a great character again I'm intrigued to see what's gonna happen with him in the future. 

I don't know about you guys, but I am so excited for the future of Spiderman because it looks brilliant. The difference I've seen with this Spiderman aswell is the fact that he has witt and is similar to the cartoons and again I love that. I needed to talk about this film on here because this blog wouldn't be Peppermint Friday if I didn't talk about Comic Book/Action films and this is one film I've been so so so excited for. I hope you all are well, and have a lovely day/week wherever you are! 

Peppermint Friday Review #41: Life Is Beautiful

Life Is Beautiful is an interesting one, as it a World War II concentration Romantic Comedy. I know those two things should not be in the sentence and it sounds like it shouldn't work but it does. 

Its directed by Robert Benigni who also stars in it as Guido the main character, the story is based on Rubino Romeo Salmoni true life I say based but I'm pretty sure its not word for word. The story is about Guido who is a funny charismatic man, who falls inlove with Dora (played by Nicoletta Braschi) at the beginning she is engaged to a man who's horrible and big-headed. Soon she doesn't love him anymore and falls in love with Guido and they get married and have a son called Giouse. World War II breaks out all of them are sent to a concentration camp, Dora is separated from her husband and son, but Guido trys to pull stunts and pranks to get messages sent to Dora. Guido tells Giouse that this whole thing is a game and they have to reach 1000 points, Guido puts himself at risk to save Dora and Giouse. 

I love Roberto Benigni already, he is just a genius and so funny I'd describe him as the Italian version of Kenneth Branagh where he directs his own stuff and gives himself a main role. I can understand with this film if it offended some people or before it was released people were humming and ahing on whether it was the right choice to make. Simply because the concentration camps and World War II are very sensitive subjects to some people, and to portray it like a joke I can completely understand. But with this story its simply a story of a father who wants to protect his son, and wants his son to not hate anyone because if he told Giouse what was actually going on and its not a game, it would change Giouse's outlook on life/people and his dad. 

One of my favorite moments of the film was the scene in which Guido was translating what the German Soldier was saying was the funniest thing ever, as Guido was trying to ease the tension and make his son laugh, because whatever happens he wants his son to remember to keep smiling no matter what, which is a very positive thing to enforce. Giouse was wonderful to watch, I googled the actor to find out if he's still doing acting but I think the acting career stopped from when he was a child, which is a shame. Roberto Benigni and Nicoletta Braschi were fantastic to watch with such beautiful chemistry not a surprise really as they are both married. 

Another moment I love and shows Guido dedication towards taking care of his son. When Guido wants him to get mixed with the German kids as they are treated much better than when he's at the concentration camp but tells him to say nothing. There's bit where Guido is serving the Germans and the kids and Giouse says 'Grazie' and its a shock as they'll find out he's not German but a Jew, but Guido quickly tries to resolve to situation by teaching the kids Italian. 

                                                                   
This film is a wonderful story, of a man who wants the best for his son and wife its a sad but happy ending as he set out to do the thing he intended to in the first place, which is family at first. I loved how different this film is compared to other films about concentration camps and World War II as it was more about family and love than the history of it itself. You should definitely give this film a watch as its so wonderful, and shows life is beautiful yup I had to throw that in there. I'll see you all later and have great day/weekend wherever you are.

Review: The Hunt

So we're gonna talk about another foreign film but this time its not a happy film or a film that children should watch, but its so good and I'm very happy I watched it as I've been going through a bit of a funk in terms of films where I just don't know what to watch and this film kinda sparked that curiosity back again. 

The story is about a man called Lucas who is a teacher in a very close-knit Danish village, he very well liked by everyone including the kids. Until one day he is at Theo his best friend's house, his daughter Klara has a little crush on Lucas and puts a love note in his pocket and kisses him on the lips, Lucas rebuffs Klara's feelings leaving Klara feeling hurt. At school Klara makes comments believing that Lucas sexually abused her, and everyone believes her soon other classmates say the same thing and shones Lucas as a Pedophile and Sexual Predator, and completely ostractised his son Marcus, Lucas's relationship with his girlfriend Nadja is ruined. 

This film is not for children by any means, as it deals with very dark themes there is also a scene that is just so horrifically disgusting it made me cry and that's a rare thing for me in terms of films, as I don't usually cry at films, real life things yes but not films. The whole film is in Danish but don't ever let language put you off from watching a film as yes understanding a film is important but just because its in a different language doesn't mean you can't understand it its like when babies talk and you can't understand them but you know what they mean, I worded it horrifically but it makes sense, plus always make sure it has subtitles aswell because that can help out a lot. 

Its one of those films that really makes you think, as its quite a deep story and not one you can just watch on a casual Friday night while having a takeaway, and particularly if you're not an avid film watcher because its not lighthearted. You really put yourselves in Lucas's shoes as to what its like having everyone treat you like nothing for something you didn't even do. As I'm pretty sure we've all got the blame for something at one point and felt wrongly accused. Its also a frustration with the children aswell, because as soon as one girl said something all the kids were like dominoes and said yes which is frustrating because we all know the truth. 

I love Lucas who is played by Mads Mikkelsen he is such a unique actor I've seen him on IMDB and he's basically the Dutch equivalent to Harrison Ford or something like that, he has a Dutch version of an OBE I think, he received an awful lot of awards for this film which he totally deserved because he is brilliant. Everyone else is amazing in this film but Mads really stands out for me he's also branched out into some mainstream films like Doctor Strange and Casino Royale which I did reviews on. The girl who played Klara is something, I reckon she's gonna get better or I hope I don't want her to turn into Lindsay Lohan. 

The scenery of this film is just gorgeous I like films that are set outside the city, don't get me wrong I love the city but especially when its a foreign film like this its nice that its not set in Copenhagen. Also it gets rid of the stereotype of it being all there is in Denmark are Vikings and they all drink, although there is some drinking in this film but in England we drink aswell. Its such a unique story but let me tell you after this film you'll need a drink because its so hard hitting. I hope you enjoyed this review and I'll speak to you all later have a nice day/week! 

Peppermint Friday Review #38: The Founder

We're gonna talk about The Founder which is about the beginning of McDonalds and the troubles and just all the drama went on. 

The story starts with Ray Croc played by Michael Keaton who is a travelling salesman representing Prince Castle Milkshake makers, and it was enough to be relatively happy, but he wants more, he drives to California one day and drives to a McDonalds and is totally baffled and meets the people behind this wonderful idea of fast food, family friendly and disposable packaging environment. Maurice "Mac" McDonalds and Richard "Dick" McDonalds played by Nick Offerman and John Carroll Lynch tell him how they started the business and back then it was different when it came to eating on the go. It was waitresses giving food on plates to the cars and it taking ages to arrive and when it does its usually wrong. Ray thinks its crazy that they haven't franchised this concept of the places quicker and given a McDonalds in every city or town ever. 

Mac and Dick already tried to get it global, but it didn't work and Mac's diabetes flared up quite badly during that time, Ray wants to franchise it and take it global Dick is abit hesitant but Mac thinks why not, so they go for it and as time goes on and Ray's greedy true colours come to head and has more and more power it became more of Ray's business and dream than Mac and Dicks when it was their baby. Its funny because usually I'm not interested at all with McDonalds as I'm just not crazy on it when I was a kid I never used to crave it and be like ' I wanna go to mcdonalds!!!' because I never ate it that much when I was a kid, but I like it and I could live without it. But I mean we all know how I feel about a Biopic, guys this film for me anyway shows that doesn't matter if you don't like or aren't crazy on what the film is about its about the story and characters.

Its similar in a way that The Social Network was its about McDonalds but its not about McDonalds, its got an extremely business aspect thing about it being very money hungry and the line between personal and business. Because Dick and Mac were very family oriented, they care about the customer and each other they really looked out for each other. With Ray his mind from the beginning was 'how can I make more money?' which is fine but if you're marketing a family brand and you're selling that but don't have that its abit crazy. One of my favorite scenes of the film is when Ray's book keeper says that Mac wants to talk to him on the phone but Ray just goes no and that carries on throughout the film. 

It becomes more of Ray's business and his thing rather than Mac and Dick's and Ray always looked out for himself and for him he felt like Mac and Dick weren't helping him with his vision at all, just a distraction and he was breaking his contract with Mac and Dick constantly and not caring about them its all for him. I love that with Biopics and well with just films in general I love how they can find the simple human qualities in the most famous people and digging out that actually they are just human like us. Even when Ray divorces his wife, when he's told she'll receive money from McDonalds because he's married to her, he just says out right no. Part of me can't help but agree with him because in a business you have to be ruthless and abit selfish, because if you care too much your proprieties get changed and you're not focusing on whats important in a business and that's making money. 

                                                              
Another part of me feels sorry for Mac and Dick as they didn't receive not even half the money they should have gotten and plus all the systems they introduced the idea of fast food and eating on the go was all invented by those brothers, and its a system that's still in use today, its just that Ray made it all blow up. I love this film so much its got a business element to it which I love so much and if you loved The Social Network then you'll love this as its in the same vein as it. I'll see you all later and have a wonderful day/evening/morning/night wherever you are! 

Peppermint Friday Review: Spectre #36

Here we are at the end of our Bond journey, and I've really enjoyed it and I'm gonna miss it but we will come back to Bond again at one point. Although I have missed watching non Bond films, so I'm looking forward to getting back into doing reviews on non films. Started on Dr No the first Bond film to the current Bond film its a full circle. 

This is a weird one again because there were bits I enjoyed but bits I found lukewarm. At the beginning its all Mardi Gras and I love it, its set in Mexico City and Bond is sent there after the previous M gives him a mission to go over there to stop a terrorist bomb plot. He returns to London under the power struggle of C real name Max Denbigh. The new M played by Ralph Fiennes orders Bond to attend the funeral of Marco Sciarra assassin who belonged to Spectre, but Bond refuses and gets with his widow Lucia. Bond investigates Oberhauser, who worked with Mr White who works for SPECTRE. 

The story is good I can see what they were trying to do, they were doing a different take on the genre with it being less fighting and still remaining true to the essence of the story, but it was very quiet and muted. Bond in this seemed abit heartbroken, that could be well is Daniel Craig's portrayal of him which is great because he's abit more vulnerable I mean he's more relatable in a way, because it takes alot of courage and depth to be this suave hero constantly, so I think its okay for Agent 007 to have abit of a cry now and again. The bond girls of the film were Dr Madeleine Swann a psychologist and daughter of Mr White, and Lucia Sciarra both played by Lea Seydoux and Monica Bellucci even though he has more sexual passion I guess you can call it with Lucia, but he has a much more friendship/relationship/partnership whatever you call it with Madeleine and with Lucia she's honestly just there for sex, I think she's great but if there was a competition between Lucia and Madeleine there really isn't a competition. 

Also Monica Bellucci is the oldest Bond girl to date being 51, which is great because in Hollywood if you're a woman and as soon as you turn 40 you're apparently not allowed to do sex scenes, so its great and I'd like it to be a new turn in storytelling that doesn't mean I wanna see 50 year olds having sex, its just if 20 year old actors can do sex scenes why can slightly older generation? Anyway I love Lea Seydoux she was just brilliant and a stand out for me definitely, loved what she did for the role and the part. Miss Moneypenny who I haven't mentioned yet, but she is brilliant secretary to M and played by the wonderful Naomi Harris who I just love to pieces. I love how in the more modern Bond films, Miss Moneypenny isn't just a secretary, she does so much more than that and really substantial. 

Q who is played by Ben Whishaw, the head of Q Division basically provides Bond with the info and equipment for everything he does so much more though, but that's the basics as to what the does. I love Ben Whishaw, such a brilliant actor he's one of those actors who's in a film or tv show and he isn't the main lead but you always remember him and be like 'I know that guy he was in this this'. The thing that made it slightly lukewarm for me is that it didn't wow me at all, I was blown away by it, I thought it was good but I don't think its the best Bond film. The acting stands out, but the script annoyed me just a little it didn't make me feel on the edge of my seat like I usually do with some Bond films. In Bond I've learnt its either action/thriller on the edge of your seat sort of thing or muted quiet understated and that is not a bad thing at all its like choosing between chocolate and vanilla ice cream both are lovely depends on your sweet tooth.  

                                                              

I like this film, but I'm crazy on it the acting is the best thing but if you wanna see Ben Whishaw, or Ralph Fiennes, Daniel Craig, Lea Seydonx etc etc then they are all in amazing films and tv shows, but if you wanna see them all together then watch this film. I think if you like Sofia Coppola's films which are amazing films, very quiet, understated and beautiful scenic views then you'll love this kinda Bond because there are plenty out there. Also this film didn't really have many fight scenes, it was more like an argument constantly not a bad thing though but that's one of the big reasons why I love Bond films. Anyway watch this film, don't watch it whatever Bond is a fantastic genre, one that everyone should give a go I've really enjoyed these past 2 weeks and I hope you have too have a wonderful weekend and I shall see you all very soon!

Review: Casino Royale

We're almost at the end of our Bond journey and I've gotta say I've enjoyed it so far. We are now onto the 2000s with the current James Bond, Daniel Craig and I loved this film just a bit of a spoiler. 

 Its funny because I remember when this film came out and the reason I didn't watch it was because I was 9 and I didn't really care about James Bond but it was the first Bond film I remember having an impact on people and what I mean by that is everyone and I mean everyone was talking about it. It starts in Uganda where Mr White introduces Steven Obanno to Le Chiffre played by Jesper Christense, Isaach de Bankole and Mads Mikkelsen. These three men are business partners essentially and they are planning to bet money on there company. Honestly with Bond storylines its basically bad guy or group of bad guys like there are in this film, and Agent 007 has to stop them theres a fight scene, he meets a beautiful girl has sex with her falls in love, another fight scene, Bond gets injured girl dies and Bond finally defeats the bad guy, the end. In short it is basically that, but that doesn't mean its bad because there are bits in between that make it unique and wonderful.

I love how they used the Casino aspect of the film, and the way they used colour. Everyone was very neutral, black and cream colours and the only bold colours and that stood out were red and anything that made an impact to the story, like in the picture above the bold colours are red, and blue the poker game everyone else is in neutral colours, and blacks and whites just very basic colours, and that's something I love about this film. There's another similar scene where they're playing poker and Solange Dimitrios (playe by Caterina Murino) the wife of a another bond villain who's part of the plan Mr White, Le Chiffre and Steven Obanno. But everyone was in neutral colours and she came in this very silky lilac evening dress and completely braking the scene and the mold and I loved that. 

The beginning titles of the film were just brilliant and amazing, the song You Know my Name by Chris Cornell its just so brilliant and so in keeping with the film like all Bond songs. I love the costumes of this film and how 2000s it is, with the Nokia phones and the clothes it just feels so nostalgic to me. I remember this time so well and the fashion its just wonderful to watch and remember that, and yes I was 9 or 10 but I do have strong recollections of that time. I had a few older friends and uncles and various family members talking about it at the time also of it just being either amazing or 'eh okay' but they're probably hardcore Bond fans, so I wouldn't listen to them too much. The Bond girl of the film is Vesper Lynd (played by Eva Green) and at first I just dismissed her as being another sexy french girl, but as her true colours showed and when she disagreed with what Bond said at one point of the film. I just thought she's good okay, and also the chemistry between them both was just gorgeous, and electric I think Bond really did fall for her. 

I loved the gorgeous scenery, and panoramic shots it does make the film and the place so expensive and breathtaking to watch. The fight scenes were just epic, from the one at the beginning on the scaffolding which just made it so risky and completely brilliant and its a scene I've seen before I'm not gonna lie, and just being spell-bounded by it all. The scene where Bond is being beaten in the car and its one of those moments where your heart is in your mouth, its really on the edge of your seat kinda thing. Its also a very quiet film, and again that's not a bad thing, but I really liked it and it was kinda used in there favour in a way. 

                                                             

I've heard good things and bad things about this film, but it is good and definitely worth a watch whether you're a Bond fan or not its brilliant. With its fantastic costumes and amazing fight scenes and stunts, if you like quiet films you'll love this if you hate quiet films you'll still like this because theirs enough action to make it heard. I'll see you all later and have a wonderful day/week and I shall see you this Friday!

Review: Trainspotting

We're gonna talk about the first Trainspotting, as I've heard so many good things about it and why not. Plus not to mention this film is like Danny Boyle and Ewan McGregor's first big break, and its just nice to look back at them being very young, before they got all the success that's later to come. 

One thing that I love about this film is that now people see Ewan McGregor as Obi Wan Kenobi and an amazing singer in Beauty and The Beast and Moulin Rouge but its nice that this film is where he really became a star, not too sound like an E! Documentary, but its true. It's also Danny Boyle's second film, and again its nice that he has this huge success of Slumdog and 127 Hours, its so lovely that his first big success was a gritty British mainly Scottish drama about Drugs and young people. 

The story is about a group of friends, and their addiction to Drugs, it starts with Mark Renton known as Renton in the film (played by Ewan McGregor) who wants to quit Heroin, and locks himself in a hotel room to withdrawal from it all. He goes with his friends to a nightclub and they're all getting of with girls so Renton hooks up with Diane (played by Kelly Macdonald) who turns out to be a 15 year old school girl. All of Renton's mates, Simon 'Sick Boy' Williamson (played by Johnny Lee Miller) Daniel 'Spud' Murphy (played by Ewen Bremner), start taking Heroin again. Renton's other friends Thomas 'Tommy' MacKenzie (played Kevin Kidd) and Francis 'Franco' Begdie (played by Robert Carlyle, aren't drug addicts but they are completely problematic. Its just about them quitting and getting into mischief I should say.  

I absolutely love this film, its so gritty and real, it's just brilliantly edited, I love the way they edited this scenes together when they were all hooking with with different girls.  They way they use music in the film is so good aswell, I love it when films understand music and how much of an impact it can have on a viewer, the way I see it is, its used as a highlighter it just makes it 10 times better. Particularly if its a scene filled with emotion, whether it be love and sex or a fight scene with anger it just gives it more character for me anyway. I also love that this isn't set in London not that I hate London its just whenever people talk about England or Britain they immediately think 'Oh London' and its like London's one place and its huge but England and the rest of Britain is litter with different people from different backgrounds. I think people need to remember that, and celebrate that we're not all from London. 

The characters are so brilliant and well written I love it, and I need to see the second one because it was ended on a bit of a cliffhanger and that's annoying, plus it seemed to centre around Renton not that that's bad, its just I'd like to get to know the other characters in the group. Like Franco, I love that he is a stereotype of an angry scott, but I wanna know more about him, and obviously I understand in over an hour story you kinda have to fit everything in once, that means characters and all that. I also love the poster I know that's a weird thing to like, but I love that its so different and out there, and that fact that if you looked at it you wouldn't think its a film.

The way I feel about this film is how I felt about Sid and Nancy, it being a young actor and with the knowledge of them being so amazing in the future, and at the time of the film being made it's just them not knowing a thing but still being so captivating and wonderful to watch. Its definitely one of my favourite 90's films and I guess Coming Of Age film if you can call it that, I wouldn't recommend a 10 year old to watch this, but my 10 year old self wouldn't listen to me at all. You should definitely watch this film, not because of a young Ewan McGregor, but the fact that its an amazingly written film and wonderfully casted and edited.

Peppermint Friday Review #32: Imperium

This week's been weird I haven't watched that many films, but I have watched alot of TV as I've really gotten into that recently. But I watched this film last night and I just need to talk about it, Its one of those films. Its called Imperium and its got Daniel Radcliffe and Toni Collette and its about an FBI agent who goes undercover in a white supremacist group. 

The reason I watched this film was not because I love Daniel Radcliffe and I think he's a great actor, but the story is intriguing to me. Now before people go crazy at me and say 'Oh you're a racist how could you be interested in that?' I'm not interested where I wanna join cus I don't believe at all, but I'm interested in the sense of 'why do they believe that?' 'what makes them think that way?' kinda interested. I loved this film I don't think I've seen a film quite like it before, and that's great because I love individuality in a script and a concept of a story.

Daniel Radcliffe's character Nate Foster is a very nice, friendly, threatening and basically Switzerland and he had to evolve into a completely different person to who he was before. His head is shaved he's got a tattoo and shouting racist remarks and just is total opposite to what he was at the start of the film. But he still remains very friendly, and easy to get on with kinda person, Nate has to find someway to relate to these people, and understand why they do what they do. His ultimate main goal is to get to Dallas Wolf who is this radio talk show host, as he is a prime suspect to an attack somewhere. 

The community the group developed seemed very nice and friendly, like Nate and the people he was with went to BBQs. There were kids there and families and very friendly and opening place. Although this is fiction, so some truths are stretched slightly, but I found that interesting and really fascinating to watch as I didn't think it would be like that, I thought it would be very much like an American version of This is England, and it is but its not entirely there are some very nice and sweet characters like Gerry who is a happily married man with kids and at the end you feel guilty because you relate to Gerry and he seems like such a genuine guy and it does bode the question should you be friends with someone who believes in something quite controversial?

It did disappoint me slightly as I was expecting it to be really good and eyeopening, and I was interested and really liked it and I'm not sure what I was expecting but I just thought it would be really controversial and off the cuff story I've never seen before. Also I kinda wanted to see it from the White Supremacy perspective, because noone's agreeing with them, well I'm not I just wanna know why and get an intelligent response not just 'oh because'. But I really liked it, I guess my expectations were high, but I did enjoy it and everyone was really good. I especially liked Johnny he is a teenager who believes everything the White Supremacy believes in and in the end he is a changed man his attitude has changed and no longer believes in it. So I like that it has those characters that see change as a fresh start and leaving your former beliefs isn't a bad thing at all just a start to a new life. 

I love films like this, and what I mean by that is I like watching things that I can't relate to at all, I watch them because I'm fascinated and wanna see if I can relate to them in some way, because its such an opposite thing its brilliant and I find it intriguing. I love where its set aswell, its filmed in Richmond, Virgina and it just looks very nice and chill. You usually see films that are filmed in America that are set in New York and Los Angles, so its refreshing to be set in Virgina. Overall its a very good film, I'm so glad I watched it because there are characters who are brilliant, like Johnny, Gerry and Nate who are all brilliantly written, This post might seem controversial, as this film is controversial but I wanted to talk about it because its unique. So if you're like me and fascinated by this then watch it, if not that's fine too. 

Peppermint Friday Review #31: Whatever Happened To Baby Jane

I think I've found my new favourite film guys. I'm being serious its so good I can't explain its that kinda good. Plus its got Bette Davis and Joan Crawford and as its the only film with the two of them in, were gonna talk about it and personally its one of their best individually. Its also my kind of horror as its not all bloody, guts and gore like some horrors now its just very human and that's terrifying.

The film is about two sisters called Jane or Baby Jane her stage name and she is this very Shirley Temple character in little puffy dresses and singing sweet songs, and she's this huge child star. Her younger sister Blanche is lived in her shadow until the decline of Baby Jane goes down and Blanche who is an actress now goes up. One night Blanche was hit by a car and became wheelchair bound and lives with her sister Jane in Blanche's mansion which was left by their father. Blanche wants to sell the house, as Jane's mental health starts to deteriorate and becomes obsessed with her past life as Baby Jane.

I love Jane as a character because I feel we're all at fault with this, where we ruminate over past thoughts and everything good or bad you've done in your life. That's what this is, its so easy I think, because all it starts with is overthinking and then paranoia and one thing leads to another suddenly you're driving yourself crazy and you're a villain and we're all the villains. Bit deep for Peppermint Friday but its true and we shouldn't hate Jane too much as she's just jealous and annoyed that her sister is this huge star and she isn't, and she's obsessed with her past life which isn't healthy for anyone. She sings the songs she used to sing when she was about 7 and now she's in her 50s I think, still wanting to act like a child, you feel sorry for her more than anything I think.

For Joan Crawford she plays the obvious victim, its very yin and yan with their relationship as sisters, its Jane being the crazy, obsessed one and Blanche just the grateful actress whose happy and appreciates things in her life and doesn't take it for granted. It's a shame as in the end scene Blanche says that she's sorry and feels guilty for her now being the big star and Jane in her shadow, and Jane just turns to Blanche and says something like 'All this time we could of been friends' and it just breaks your heart. I think that quote applies to Joan Crawford and Bette Davis's friendship as they're both such strong independent women, you'd think they'd have loads in common and are lifelong friends obviously not. 

The minor characters like Edwin Flagg who answers this advertisement that Jane put up to revive her singing career, I love how English he is and polite, the fact the Jane is crazy and trying to look calm and normal, he can see through the lines I reckon. The neighbours Mrs Bates and Liza Bates who is played by B D Merrill, are brilliant Mrs Bates is so taken aback by things and very sweet, but Liza is abit more streetwise and just knows somethings going on and I love that its just brilliant as it shows everyone is different with different outlooks and such. One thing I love about this, is that yes its a horror but noone screams that much and I felt like it was the beginning of women of an older age to play characters like this and physiological horrors. 

 Costumes of the film is brilliant I love that Jane constantly is reapplying her makeup, so it just looks cakey and pastey. She is always wearing old fashioned dresses, dresses that a Victorian Doll would wear its just so eerie and you feel sorry for her. With Blanche she's very modern, well modern as you can be for a woman in the 60s in her 40s I guess. The dialogue is brilliant aswell, when Blanche is talking about the films she's done, and Jane says the one film she did. Blanche just goes 'oh yeah that comedy you did I know that, I saw it' and Jane just goes 'no it was a romance' I love that its so 'I know what you do I just don't take notice of it' 

I also love Edwin's mother Dehlia she is such a mother character, overbearing very suspicious but rightly so as the film goes on and Jane and Blanche starts to deteriorate everything comes out. One moment I just thought 'oh god' when I was watching it was the bit with Jane's dinner to Blanche and its the budgie thats in Blanche's room, and later on Jane gives her a rat for lunch. It's just so gross and disturbing again you feel sorry for her, as what makes you think its alright to give your sister that for dinner/lunch? Its just crazy and weird but that's a horror, and at least noone will say Jane's boring. Love the cleaning lady Elvira she wasn't that stereotypical black woman that you see alot of, which I loved as it was refreshing. She was a brilliantly written character I felt and she was played by Maidie Norman who is an actress I've never heard of that much and is so unique and wonderful, I've never seen an actress like her before. 

                                                               
This film, is why I love films well not entirely as I love films for a multitude of reasons, but with this film its brilliant. I love the story of this film, its my kinda horror I love the relationship between Jane and Blanche even though its totally dysfunctional, but its so good and I love it. The film goes from A all the way to Z with no interruptions that have nothing to do with the plot, I just feel like this film achieves everything it set out too. I'd definitely watch it again and if like me you like Horrors, but not the blood and guts one, just the psychological ones. Then you'd love this, hope you all have a wonderful Easter Weekend! 

Review: The Women

So we're gonna talk about Joan Crawford abit this week as I wanna talk more about Bette Davis, and Bette and Joan had quite a history so why not. Plus this film is very interesting and totally unlike any film that I ideally like to see, basically I didn't think it'd would be my cup of tea as it just sounded like a Bridget Jones Chick Flick from the plot summery that is. 

What this film is about is a group of friends who all live in fairly middle class standards, one of them called Mary Haines (Norma Shearer) who's husband called Stephen may or may not be having an affair with this beautiful, flirtatious woman called Crystal Allen (Joan Crawford). When Mary finds out about this and confronts Crystal about it and tells her to stop, Crystal just refuses and Mary and Stephen get a divorce. 2 years later Crystal and Stephen are married and Crystal has been having this affair with this new man who is married to one of the friends who's a countess and it just blows up. 

The plot of the film annoys me somewhat as the friends are good and so is Mary's mother as they're both very supportive of Mary because she's the innocent one and going through quite a bad time with everything. Also none of Mary's friends who are played by Rosalind Russel, Paulette Goddard and Joan Fonatine and a plethora of other brilliant actresses, none of the friends seem to like Crystal which is justified I guess as its the thing where its 'you've hurt my friend so automatically I don't like you' but it just seems like they all just gang up on her, which is horrible.

Crystal's character is someone I actually like, because she is a woman who knows who she is and is fine with it. She is very much of this bacheloresque woman in a way, because she is so strong and doesn't care what people think of her or her relationships, which I think is great as you shouldn't care what people think, but at the same time you should take people's feelings in to account if you're doing something like what Crystal did and she was very selfish and hurt other people. I mean she's a bitch but she admits it and is fine with it and not shady or denying that she is. 

Mary the main character is something I can't relate to or understand as she in the end and this frustrates me. In the end she goes back to Stephen the man who cheated on her in the first place! It annoyed me that Mary confronted Crystal and not Stephen who did the dirty and its more of a marriage and couple thing rather than it being another issue, but that's just me. They really tried to make Crystal a real bitch, from her costumes she wore to her attitude towards people, particularly towards her Step-Daughter little Mary. I like little Mary she is very passive aggressive towards her and it just makes me love her so much, because she does it in such a polite way you can't be annoyed at her. 

 Overall this film is good, but some of the characters are abit crap I should say, like Mary she just annoyed me at the end where she went back to Stephen who broke her trust but she loves him anyway. I feel like there should have been more of Stephen in the film, because that way he's more 3D you didn't even see his face throughout it. Love Joan Crawford in this obviously, and Paulette Goddard was brilliant aswell, because both are so mesmerising you can't stop watching them. 

Review: Life of Pi

Going for a different flavour of films this week, I'm going to be talking about films with Animals in them, so the film can be a comedy, romance, thriller, sci-fi, horror whatever genre just as long as its got an Animal in it. Today we're gonna talk about this beauty of a film, as its so beautiful and breathtaking and as a person who loves animals of all species its great to watch a film with so much diversity and culture.

Now the film Life of Pi is about the life of Piscine who is visited by an author called Yann Martel (who wrote the novel the film was based off) and thinks Pi's life is worth writing a book about. His family owns a zoo and moves to Canada to settle and sell the animals until a shipwreck happens and Pi gets on a lifeboat, along with a Zebra with a broken leg as he lands, an Orangutan, Hygena and a Tiger from his childhood called Richard Parker. From there he has to survive and cope with the conditions he faces in the middle of the ocean and taking care of four animals.

What I like about this film is that its so aesthetically pleasing, its filmed in Taiwan and its so beautiful you can't believe its real, like theres a place that's so breathtaking you only imagine it in story books. The animals that were used in the film were again just so beautiful and stunning, I love animals already but the close ups of them and to see the whites in there eyes and see them as characters rather than just accessories. Because a lot of films that involve animals, they don't take them as characters with thoughts and feelings and that's hard to do as you can't give them dialogue and they usually say never work with kids, and animals as typically they can do what they want. But with this film the animals are just as if not more important than the human characters.

I guess it could be to do with the Hindu aspect of the film, religion plays a big part in this film but it does it in a really nice way that's not too shouty and in your face about it. Pi was bought up with a Hindu family, and when Pi was 12 he was introduced to the views of belief by Christianity and Islam and from there he decided to follow all three. I think that's very open minded and gives total freedom to everyone who wishes to follow a belief. Hinduism plays a big part of the film as from what I know about Hinduism is that they believe animals and creatures deserve respect, hence why there's a lot of Vegetarians. 

This film was directed by Ang Lee who is such a brilliant filmmaker it was obvious this story had to be created on screen by him, he completely understood the plot and the elements of this story and even though I haven't read the book yet, so I guess what I could be saying is blissfully ignorant. The Actors who have played Pi from childhood to adulthood are all so amazing, especially teenage Pi who spent months on that boat and it was his first proper role and a total newcomer. Thats another thing I love about this film is that Ang Lee didn't choose a huge actor who already had a big following, he chose an Actor who was everything Pi was despite his background.

                                                              
Cinematography in this film is just stunning, I need to go to Taiwan now. The animals were beautiful from the animals in the zoo to the animals that kept Pi company on the boat in the middle of the ocean and the meerkats on the island that Pi and Richard Parker end up on, thats another character I love Richard Parker, he was so gorgeous and really symbolises Pi's journey as at the beginning Pi's fascinated by Richard but Richard is a typical tiger and sees him as an another human. As it goes on they bond and in some ways Richard kinda adopts Pi and brings him and turns him into a man especially with the connection Richard has with Pi's father at the beginning. 

I'm going to end this post on this gif, and I love what Pi's saying about religion its a million different doors and rooms so why rent a room when you can buy a house with different rooms. The animals are the real stars of this film as you can see all the emotions of there face, like what they're thinking how they're feeling all the things when it comes to Acting with humans. It shows animals how I see them, and I do believe that they are such beautiful, intelligent creatures who I'm sure could speak would have a lot to say. All I can about this film is that, it really affected me and nailed what I think about religion and animals. You should definitely watch this film, and I need to read the book now as the film is beautiful the book is usually better. Anyway I'll see you all on Wednesday and have a lovely morning/afternoon/evening/night wherever you are!