Favourite Comic Book Characters #2

Because of Wonder Woman I'm back to being obsessed with Comic Book characters and all things DC and Marvel, plus most of these characters have their own TV shows. 

Wolverine

We're gonna start with Wolverine, I love him so much as a kid watching X-Men he was just really cool, and mainly the fact that he is this man who isn't like Superman where he wants to take care everyone, but a man who is incredibly flawed and we know he's a hero but the fact that he isn't a happy smiley hero a hero who's created in a lab it gives him an edge. Also the Wolverine that I know and everyone else knows so well is, Hugh Jackman I love what he did with Wolverine he completely reinvented the character and still kept it close to its roots and plus he's played Wolverine for just over 20 years and with his last Wolverine film out earlier this year Logan. I'm gonna miss Hugh Jackman but I'm excited for the next Actor to play Wolverine

Supergirl

Now this girl is so cool, oh god now I didn't really know who Supergirl was until this year and oh god she is amazing. Supergirl has only had one film unlike her cousin who's a man and he's pretty super too, yup its Superman. Honestly right Supergirl is giving him a run for his money, as yes she's only done one film but she hasn't made anything mediocre unlike Superman has, not to say he's a bad superhero its just people should know about his amazing cousin. She has her own TV Show and to be honest with you all if you wanna get to know Supergirl (which you totally should) you need to watch the TV Show as it's got Melissa Benoist in and its totally modernised and amazing. 

The Flash

I loved the Flash in Justice League when I was a kid he was so cheeky and funny particularly to Wonder Woman and Hawkgirl. In the TV Show The Flash, his and Supergirl's world combined and I love it. His character in the TV Show is still funny and witty but theres a real serious side to this man, and similar to Spiderman where he gets power on accident, and has to save Central City. I'm not sure why they got a different actor to play him in the new Justice League film as Grant Gustin who plays him in the TV Show is amazing, and I reckon the fans who watch The Flash might be abit sceptical towards Ezra Miller who's gonna play him, I'm sure he'd do a good job its just why have someone different when theres someone amazing already? you know.

Jessica Jones

This girl oh this girl, she is something Jessica Jones is agent who investigates in aliens and paranormal stuff, she used to be a Superhero but she still counts as this is called 'Favourite Comic Book Characters' but she is so badass. I mainly know about her in the Netflix Show Jessica Jones like most people do, but she is just so cool and Krysten Ritter who plays her is the coolest lady ever, plus Jessica Jones's boyfriend Luke Cage has his own TV Show aswell which I need to watch. Again with Wolverine she is a good guy but doesn't act like it which gives her a real edge and the fact that she doesn't walk around with a costume or looking like mutant, but a badass lady who takes no prisoners, plus she's very sassy and funny. 

I hope you all enjoyed this list and let me know what Superheros/Comic Book characters you like as its always nice to know more. I shall see you all on Friday and have a great week.

Peppermint Friday Review #39: Wonder Woman

This review has been a long time coming, as I have been looking forward to watching this film and talking about it because oh wow. 

First of all I was abit nervous not gonna lie as DC in terms of films haven't done aswell as there TV side, and the fact that its the first time a woman led a superhero film since Catwoman which went down like a cup of cold sick, and I think after that people just went 'well noone like female superheroes' which is not the case at all. Its just that Catwoman was done so badly and people just assumed superhero films can only be successful by men which is totally ludicrous. Also the fact that its not only a superhero film being led by a woman but also, an action film being directed by a woman, for me its amazing and I'm so happy it been made. 

I love this film so so so much, oh god I fangirled pretty hard while watching this. The costumes are amazingly done its so beautiful and with such detail I love the fact that the costumes aren't ridiculously revealing but also not looking like a nun. It got Themyscira down to a T it looks so beautiful, I loved all of Diana's family aswell. Watching the film I never got a sense of it being rushed, or overdone it was just wonderful. I think fans of the character of Diana/Wonder Woman will be very impressed at what they've done to the film and the character. Gal Gadot was just amazing as Wonder Woman she gave the character a boost into the modern age at the same time remaining true to the character and what she represents.

Other characters of the film who I loved were Ares who is played by David Thewlis, and Antiope who was played by Robin Wright and they were just brilliant. One amazing thing about this film is that its the first of a big budget mainstream Wonder Woman film, so in terms of characters they can kinda reinvent a whole new character and not have the pressure of a big actor/actress towering over them, apart from Wonder Woman of course. The way they did Doctor Poison/Isabel Maru who is played by Elena Anaya was just brilliant her mouth was just weird and scary I loved it because again never really heard of her as a Villain before.

Steve Trevor who is played by Chris Pine was just fantastic, I loved the bit when he's on the boat back to England with Diana and explains what life is like on Earth and in England and the war, the whole dialogue between them is just brilliant to watch its just so funny and adorable the fact that she's this woman who doesn't know anything about men because Themyscira doesn't have any men so she's abit of an alien. The soundtrack to this is amazing aswell, particularly the song that Sia did for it, its amazing and speaks volume as to what Wonder Woman represents and is about. 

Rumour has it that they are making a sequel to this which I am excited about but also scared because I don't want it to turn into a cash cow, and make them for the sake of it and it being not very good. As a female and someone who loves film and more in particular superheros its so important and wonderful that females are represented not only in film but the behind the scenes aswell. Its such an amazing film with amazing characters that everyone should watch, I hope you all have a wonderful day/weekend and I'll see you next Friday. 

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. 

Peppermint Friday Review #30: All About Eve

We're gonna talk about All About Eve as its so good and has the fabulous Bette Davis along with a brief appearance from Marilyn Monroe, and this is a film that I've mentioned before, and I'm gonna talk about it in full detail. Plus I saw this film mention in a Buzzfeed post and it was about films with the sub-text of lesbianism, so why not talk about it.

The story is about a woman called Eve played by Anne Baxter and she is this young, beautiful starlet who loves an actress called Margo Channing played by Bette Davis, and she is this huge Broadway star, who is worried that her nearing 40 will result in her decline in popularity. Eve becomes Margo's assistant and adores Margo, as Margo likes her until she starts to become more jealous of Eve as she tries on her costumes and overtime she becomes Margo understudy, and Margo is more paranoid. 

I love this film, although any Bette Davis film is a winner for me so its not a surprise. But this film is in Bette Davis's later career as Of Human Bondage is her when she's a lot younger, and there are differences in the characters she played but it's practically the same woman just abit older and a difference in accent dialect. As she was English in Of Human Bondage and was her usual American in All About Eve. You could look at the character similar to that of Norma Desmond in Sunset Boulevard the film and the musical. With it being this ageing starlet and someone may or not be taking advantage of her, in this case I don't believe Eve is taking advantage of Margo, I think she is genuine.

Love Anne Baxter as Eve, as she wasn't a stereotypical crazy fangirl or some spoilt cow she was just a normal girl who liked a play and the actress in it and wanted to meet her and perhaps be as good as her. It was all played very naturalistic and that the problem some people have in the modern age about classic films, people just think all the actors can't act and they stilll think they're on stage shouting making things huge. Yes that does happen but its not every film, like with some films now, some are good, some are just awful, nothing's changed but everything's changed if that makes sense. 

With this film, and with all Bette Davis films I feel, theres a sub-text of sarcastic, sardonic humour with at the same time it being very real and naturalistic and not over the top. As with the 50s I'm guessing it was either I Love Lucy, Musicals and Slapstick Clown Comedy or you were a Bette Davis or a Shirley Maclaine kinda person which is great as you've got the best of both worlds. In terms of costume again just brilliantly done, love how they matched each costume to each particular character like with Bette Davis's character yes she is a bitter woman, but that doesn't mean she has to look awful. 

 In terms of the plot of the story its all understandable as to why she became jealous and envious of Eve as it literally turned into 'All About Eve' and Margo obviously was like 'Aren't I good enough?' I love that with this film when it was made and released it had a young Marilyn Monroe before she did any big films, like before we knew we she really was and after she became a big star they put her name in the poster of the film even though she has one scene in the whole film. 

It kinda turned into a Tall Poppy scenario really as those of you who don't know what that means its basically, when someone or a band wants to do really well in something and someone goes 'I want them to do well, go them!' and they do and are successful and that same person goes 'you've changed, you can't do that' Its the whole 'you can do well and succeed but not as good as me' and that's something we're all at fault with, being jealous of someone's success. Its a backstabbing kinda thing in this film as well, as you've got Margo who's finally found this amazing woman she can be friends with in her stream of life at her age. Then suddenly it seems like Eve was only being friends with her for success, as if there was something in it for her. 

                                                             
Nearing the end of the film the pattern starts again, where Eve gets a very nice fan who wants to be like her. This film is about letting go of the thing you love the most, its about jealousy of being young and beautiful, its about knowing what's geniune and whats not. Its a film that tackles with alot emotions that we as human comprehend and the fact that this was made in the 1950s and is still relevant I feel today, as again we all experience jealousy and letting go of something, theres a quote somewhere ''When it's over leave. Don't continue watering a dead flower'. That's very true in this film, I'm gonna go now and I hope you have a good weekend. 

Women In Film

Follow my blog with Bloglovin This post was along time coming, and here it is I wanna talk about what I think of feminism and whether I'm a feminist or not, and women in film from behind the scene jobs such as Directors, Producers, Writers and such, also I wanna talk about female characters and they're representation and what impact they have. I also wanna touch on another topic that's not talked about as much and thats a female who's a fan of films, like me. 

Before you ask I am a feminist but I'm a quiet feminist I say that as the word scares me a bit and I'll explain why. When I first heard of the word 'Feminist' I was about 8 or 9 and we learnt about the Suffragettes in London fighting for the right to vote for women that's when I first heard that term and what it meant and since them until fairly recently that's just what I thought a feminist was. I thought a feminist was a woman who was stuck in the old Suffragette times thinking we needed rights for women and yes we do but not in the U.K which is where I live, but in some underdeveloped countries and countries that women don't have support and aren't as lucky we are in the U.K and USA where we have the vote and free speech if you get what I mean.

That term of what I thought what a feminist was which is very old fashioned and really bad to think that way, as recently its not the case anymore. Like with Emma Watson and the speech she gave at the UN and the HeForShe campaign, she made feminism much more modern and clear the light on it a little. She basically explained what feminism is much less about women but more of a whole issue with both genders, its about equality for everyone and thats what I believe in its not 'Women Vs Men' or 'Men Vs Women' its a human issue. I say I'm a quiet feminist as there are still some scary, crazy feminists out there, but obviously not everyone is and I'm sure everyone will know what I mean by crazy feminists.

Anyway that's what I think of feminism and me being a feminist, its not like its weird I think everyone is a feminist. In terms of films and the behind the scenes aspect, the gender gap is interesting as its not like women are rubbish at being Directors, or Producers and Writers. It is getting better, particularly in TV I feel as there are more Female Producers and Writers and definitely Directors than there were 10 years ago or so. It is getting better its just we're not choosing to see it, like for instance Breaking Bad an amazing TV Show, extremely popular and its had 6 female producers working on the show consistently for 5 years I think thats amazing and brilliant but often overlooked. Plus there are so many amazing Directors that just happen to be female like Sofia Coppola, Jane Campion and Jodie Foster who have made amazing films, but people don't put them in there favorite film list, its usually great films by a female director. It should be she's a great Director/Producer/Writer or whatever and she's a female, it should be about how good something rather than whether it was made by a woman or not. 

Female characters have improved so much, its amazing in Film and TV. Female characters are just as good and strong as the Male characters if not better sometimes. I don't know one person who doesn't wanna be Arya Stark from Game Of Thrones or Katniss Everdeen from The Hunger Games, as they're so strong and admirable women to look up to. But with the amazing characters of women in Film and TV theres also the bad characters, where writers feel the need to show as much flesh as possible or to show how chivalry the man is by the woman being a damsel in distress. I feel there are some badly written female characters as well as badly written male characters, but again its getting alot better.

As a woman who loves Films and TV something that I find is quite typically a male thing to enjoy, I say that as there aren't many females my age, older, younger who like the same things as I like that could be my problem that I'm not expanding myself more, but its something I have had problems with. In my experience and with my age it can be quite difficult to talk to people about films as they just assume I love Chick Flicks, Romantic Comedies and thats all I know. With my age, its usually with the older generation of film lovers, who immediately make the assumption of young people only liking films that were made in the modern age which can be the case but not always.

Its not that bad its just annoying as you're not taken seriously as someone who genuinely enjoys films, but its something that I've kinda used to my advantage in a way. As I'm talking to someone about films and they mention an actress like Bette Davis or an Alfred Hitchcock film, and quickly they try to explain to me who Bette Davis is or what the Alfred Hitchcock film is about and them having to explain who he is, because I clearly wouldn't know being a young woman who only likes Chick Flicks. I do enjoy being quite smug about it when I turn round and go I know who Bette Davis is, or yeah I've seen that Alfred Hitchcock film by the way, and there faces are just priceless because they don't expect it and suddenly you're taken seriously.

There is this thing called 'The Bechdel Test' for those of you who don't know its the test that show the active presence of females on film. Its based upon this comic strip and the questions are 1) the film has to have at least two women in it who both have names 2) who talk to each other 3) about something besides a man. You'll be surprised about how many films don't pass this test and films that do, examples of films that didn't pass the test are, The Social Network, The Lord Of The Rings Trilogy and the Original Star Wars Trilogy, some examples that did pass the test are, Fifty Shades Of Grey, American Pie 2, and Deep Throat. I do find the test interesting as it should be so simple to have female presence in film, and the amount of films fail to do this its crazy, but its not the B-all and End all of good and bad films. I mean it doesn't distinguish whats a good film and a bad film that's matter of preference. 

Overall I think women have flaws as do men, I don't believe there's a superior with them both in terms of characters and jobs in films because like with any job or character there are good and bad people, its not a case of Men are the best Directors because some Men might be crap, and also not all Women are only fit for Makeup Artists and can't Direct at all. I do think there should be more encouragement for women to partake in the behind the scenes jobs as it were, because we're not encouraged enough to believe that its a job just as important as an Actress, Makeup Artist, Costume etc, I don't think, but that's an opinion so I could be talking rubbish to you. Although I believe you should do something because you want to and have the ambition to not because you wanna be the first at it, or there's no enough females in this area of job so I'll do it.

I hope this post wasn't too waffleley and incoherent and I got my point across without sounding like a feminazi. So that's what I think of feminism and this will be only time I'll talk about this in real detail as I do have opinions, but I like talking about films and on this blog that's what I do I mean it says it in the title so it speaks for itself in a way. I do hope you enjoyed this rather opinionated post of me talking about women and women in films, as I did enjoy writing this but I'll talk to you all on Friday which I will do a review on and it will be back to normal. I would love to know your opinions on women in film, as its interesting to know about different opinions and such. My twitter is @zaravalerielane if you're interested, anyway I'll talk to you all on Friday!

Monroe Vs Hepburn

Now I know there is no competition for these two lovely women, as they are both so different from each other. One is blonde, curvy and stunning, one is brunette, petite and gorgeous. But they were both very successful and at the top of there game at the same time, or around the same time. I adore these women both equally, so this is gonna be really hard also this is gonna be about Fashion and the Style they wore as well so lets begin.

Lets start with Marilyn, Marilyn didn't have an easy start in life as she spent most of it in foster homes and married at 16 her mother had a mental illness so she was then placed in a mental hospital. She started modelling when she was in her late teens which she was very good at she then wanted to do acting which led her to have bit parts in films. Then she got a speaking part in All About Eve, which earned her critical acclaim, and was taken seriously as an actress.

She also became a sex symbol which I can see why. But because of this she is labelled and automatically branded as being this blonde, flirtatious bimbo, which I don't think is the case at all. As in alot of her films she can be seen as this dark femme fatale character like in Clash By Night or Niagara, but people only know her as this dumb ditzy blonde in comedies which yes she is good in it, but she's also an actress who can play all roles. 

Now we're going to Audrey, Audrey's life began in Belgium and as a girl she did a lot of ballet, and that was the career that Audrey wanted to do. Then World War II happened, she would dance in London and was spotted by a casting director she then had a few minor roles in films, and then had her big break in Roman Holiday. 

People mainly recognise her for being this beautiful actress, with this stunning swanlike face. Which is true yes but she is a very nurturing person, she actually stopped acting because she wanted to help those in need particularly in Ethiopia, she then went on to become an UNICEF ambassador. Some people don't really realise how giving she was, people only really know her for being beautiful.

Both women in acting, are again quite similar, but totally different aswell. In terms of stereotype in roles, Audrey is very delicate and subtle when it comes to roles she plays like she's not over exaggerating or overdoing it. Thats what made me really like her, she was just so casual and eye catching in her roles and very softly spoken. With Marilyn again she is so eye catching and softly spoken, and doesn't seem like she tries too hard. Both are brilliant at comedy and the darker and abit more serious genres. Marilyn is abit more sexier and she has had much more roles that are largely dedicated to the male audience, than Audrey not to say thats a bad thing. 

Marilyn is much more curvier and has a stronger male following, due to the fact that she has modeled for Playboy and done nude not that thats a bad thing, because I still think she's amazing. I've read articles where she was a size 12, size 16 I don't know which is true! But I do think its wonderful as she was outspoken about her body, and wasn't entirely bothered by it. It is true as it doesn't matter what size you are aslong as you're happy and healthy, you can do anything and thats what I feel she gave off to the world. A wonderful, refreshing attitude to body image, and the fact that its all down to you. 

In styles of fashion I admire then highly, they are both stunning in there own sizes and styles. I look up to both in different ways, Audrey has the beautiful dresses and lets not forget that iconic black dress in Breakfast At Tiffany's, and can definitely put together a beautiful outfit, she loves her trousers and stripey tops which I love to wear. Marilyn has beautiful dresses again, and loves wearing legging/jeggings and has that low plunge neckline tops. Put it this way I want all there wardrobes in the films, they were in the costumes and the day to day wear. 

I don't think theres a winner here, which is usually does happen. I love Audrey and her simplicity and the way she carries herself and how quirky she acts in her roles. Marilyn is so beautiful, and doesn't even try hard in her roles and is so positive. Obviously both have had adversities throughout there life like anyone has, and thats what makes them so likeable in a way to me. 

The fact that they are both different sizes and different looks makes no difference to me, that Marilyn was a size 16 or 12 doesn't make a difference to me, I still think she's amazing, as an actress and a woman, same goes for Audrey she is a very petite and small but that doesn't make me think she's any less beautiful or talented as an actress. 

They are both such good actresses and so influential I can't honestly decide. Theres not even one woman I've liked or admired longer than the other. I love how caring they are towards people, Marilyn had a number of miscarriages and yet was still so caring to those who need it the most, but never cared herself. Audrey gave up her acting career to care for those in need in Ethiopia and all over the world. Both have such wonderful attitudes towards life and the acting and film universe. They didn't blame other people or think someone's out to get them, they made with what they had, and became the icons we all know and love.