Tag Archives: movies

Why I’m Not Going to See Toy Story 4 in the Cinema

So apparently I want to branch out from already being a ‘bad’ blogger to also being a ‘bad’ Disney fan, but hear me out on this one.

I think we can all agree that this has been a mega year for new movies. From Avengers Endgame already smashing a tonne of box office records to the highly anticipated Star Wars Episode IX coming soon, film boffs will most likely be spending more time in the cinema in 2019 than ever before. And out of all these films, I think Disney has had the most fingers in the pie than any other production companies, with some huge films having already hit the big screen and many more still to come.

This is all very exciting for Disney fans; we’ve seen some of our favourite animated classics have a reimagining as live actions, and also some pretty huge sequels, one of which closest to the hearts of my generation being Toy Story 4. 90’s kids like myself have grown up with the adventures of Andy’s toys, many of us sobbing FAR too many tears over *that* scene in Toy Story 3, so we were all good and ready when a fourth film was announced to be hitting our screens.

I was ready to go and see it, don’t get me wrong, and I am excited for when I finally do see it, but I’m not going to the cinema for it, and here’s my reasoning..

While the experience of some films is heightened by seeing it on an enormous screen in a pitch black theatre with surround sound and no talking, I personally think that other films are somewhat ruined by it, and Toy Story 4 is one of those for me. Give me all the action and adventure on the big screen, give me stunning cinematics and world class special features, but when it comes to a feel-good family animation, to be quite honest I’d rather be curled up on my sofa at home with a blanket and pile of snacks, being able to laugh out loud when I want to without getting evils from the rest of the guests.

And as awful as it sounds, I truly do get bored watching some films in the cinema. If its not a super gripping storyline or visually incredible, I find myself sat in the dark wishing it would hurry up and be done with sooner so I can get out of there, which I probably wouldn’t be thinking if I was watching it at home – y’know, unless it was a rubbish film in the first place.

So there’s one hell of an unpopular opinion for you I’m sure, but its something I’ve been thinking about a lot lately and honestly, I stand by it. Anyone else feel the same? Let me know in the comments!

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What I’ve Watched Lately

Since going back to a 9-5 job, rather than the 8-8 shifts I was working before, I’ve definitely found that I’ve had more time to enjoy some of the simpler things in life, like just spending an evening watching TV, taking advantage of my Odeon Limitless card, or binge watching things over a weekend; its been great.

Over the last few weeks especially, I feel like I’ve watched a lot of pretty great things, and so I figured I’d share some of them with you!

TV

Hunted

I know it was the third season this year, but up until now I had never seen any of the Channel 4 programme. Well, my parents started watching it and were hooked, so Matthew and I decided to give it a spin too – although Matthew had seen some of a previous series. Well, we also ended up pretty obsessed too. Not only did we catch up to my parents in the current series, but I also went back and watched the entire first season in a few sittings, and am now getting started on season 2 – its just so more-ish! I really thought that I wouldn’t get sucked into it but wow..

Death in Paradise

I love a good murder mystery, and despite having watched Death in Paradise on BBC since the show first started, they’ve just released the earlier series on Netflix, so now I’m going back and rewatching it from the start as well as waiting for each new episode on Thursday evenings. Its so unrealistic in terms of the number of murders occurring on a small Caribbean island, but also just so entertaining, and what’s great about re-watching it is I can’t remember who did it from the first time round!

Movies

Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle

If I didn’t have Odeon Limitless, this would not have been a film that I would have bothered paying for as I wasn’t massively interested in it at first, but I actually thought it was brilliant! The storyline was always going to be just a little far-fetched, but the cast were amazing – I mean, The Rock, Jack Black, Kevin Hart, it was never not going to be funny. If you’re on the fence, just watch it, I did not expect to enjoy it as much as I did.

The Circle

This is a Netflix original movie, and one that I have scrolled past time and time again while looking for things to watch, but Matthew actually bothered to read its little synopsis and so we decided to try it out because let’s face it, Tom Hanks is great in everything, right? Well its another one that really surprised me. From the first 15 minutes or so it doesn’t feel like its going to be much, but from then onwards I was pretty glued to the screen. For a fairly low budget film, its got a cracking cast, an interesting story and I was actually pretty upset when it was finished because I wanted more.

Black Panther

This movie was all the reviews had it cracked up to be and then some. I’m not going to spoil anything for those who haven’t seen it yet but Marvel are gonna find it hard to beat. The casting, the costumes, the cinematography, the underlying message of the film, it was all completely spot on and I think it deserves every accolade coming its way.

Have you watched anything good lately?

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The Bits of Love Actually No One Talks About

Despite being a true lover of Christmas, I’m not really one for Christmas films, with the one exception of Love Actually. It’s festive, it’s feel good and it’s full of famous people, and I challenge anyone to not enjoy even just a tiny part of it.

Photo credit: Cosmopolitan

And while the movie is packed with lovely moments, romance in the air and Christmas is all around us (and so the feeling grows), there are details of the film that never seem to come up in conversation when you chat about how warm and fuzzy it makes you feel.

Harry is a scumbag, and Mia is the worst

She openly comes onto a married man, and while he plays the innocent and bewildered part, he acts on something that he knows is wrong, breaking the heart of his wife who does nothing to deserve such behaviour. Get in the bin.

Liam Neeson is cool with his stepson being gay

When Sam tells his stepdad that his troubles in life are due to him being in love, Daniel asks ‘and what does she – he – feel about you?’. Sure, Sam is in love with a girl, but the question is still open.

How Sarah has to cope with the stress of a loved one suffering from mental illness

We all cringe at the sound of that Nokia 3310 ringtone, and we all wish that she will get the guy she’s been secretly in love with forever, yet everyone seems to overlook the fact that she is going through so much with her brother, and in caring for him she loses out on such a big part of her own life. Not all heroes wear capes.

How inappropriate is it to tell your best friends WIFE that you’re in love with her

If he had really wanted a chance, he would have grown a pair and told her before they were even engaged, let alone married. But sure, show up on the doorstep, get her to lie about who’s there and make some ridiculous gesture that actually makes you look like a tosser, that’s cool too.

The abuse of power and sexual harassment of the president

This is more relevant this year than ever. Natalie is put in a position that no woman should ever be put in, and not only does she feel awful for it straight away, she does actually lose her job over it. I do, however, appreciate that Hugh Grant makes a point of calling out the president for being a bully, but that’s just not quite enough.

Why are a bunch of primary schools having their Christmas show on Christmas Eve?

If my school had told me we’d have to give up Christmas Eve-evening for a production involving lobsters, I’d be pretty mad.

Do you have any Love Actually pet peeves?

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My Favourite Movies of 2017

2017 is drawing to a close, and while I feel like this has all happened very suddenly, a whole year has gone by since the last time every other conversation you have contains the question ‘where has this year gone?’.

As always, its been a year of box office hits, record setting, rising stars and red carpets as more movies have hit the big screen – some raved about, some not so much! – but there have been a number of stand of films that I feel like I haven’t had enough of an opportunity to rave about, so here goes..

Baywatch

Yes, we all knew this film was going to be a bit of a joke, but that didn’t stop me from loving it. It was funny, the cast was brilliant and despite the storyline being totally ridiculous, I was still rooting for the Baywatch team the whole way through.

Going In Style

I feel like this movie didn’t get much attention at all despite a stellar line up including Micheal Caine and Morgan Freeman. The storyline was unique, and although it was all in the interest of fun it did highlight some issues facing the older generation and I’m really glad we went to see this.

Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales

Finally the Pirates franchise is back where it should be. I was starting to lose faith after the last movie, but Disney have clawed their way back to the level these films should be at, and better yet we’ve got Orlando Bloom back!

Wonder Woman

I always proclaim that I’m a Marvel > DC kinda gal, but I really loved this film. The cinematography alone blew me away but I also thought that it had a great plot, a great cast and Gal Gadot is a true star in my eyes.

Beauty and the Beast

I know this film had Disney fans feeling all kinds of mixed things but I thought the movie was great. It was so true to the original animated film but also had so much more than that, without drawing away from the main story.

Murder on the Orient Express

When I saw this film announced, I was excited but I also had my doubts. For starters, I didn’t know how turning a well known plot into a big screen film was going to turn out, and I also questioned Kenneth Branagh as Poirot. Well its safe to say that I don’t have those doubts anymore. It was perfect; an absolute star studded cast, with Branagh playing the lead like it was made for him and although its a story I know the ending to I would see this again and again and again.

And we’re not even done with the year! I’ve got my Star Wars: The Last Jedi ticket booked for Thursday, I’ve yet to see Thor Ragnarok and also coming soon is Pitch Perfect 3 and The Greatest Showman, both of which are films I can’t wait to watch. What were your favourite new releases this year?

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Bringing the Movies Home*

We all know that going to the cinema these days is not exactly cheap. Chances are, you’re paying about £10 for your ticket alone, and then comes the popcorn craving, which of course means you’re gonna need the biggest drink they’ve got going, and suddenly you’re £20+ down. Ouch.

And sure, going to the cinema is the only way (legally!) to see the latest and greatest movies making their way to the screen, but personally I much prefer to be curled up on my own sofa when it comes to enjoying cinematic greatness. Luckily for us, technology is moving forward every day, and our TV screens are only getting bigger and better; first it was HD, now it’s 4K and OLED, and as I’m just about old enough to remember TVs being as deep as they were wide, screens like this Panasonic 4K Oled TV just blow my mind with how thin they are now, while still being packed with all these amazing features!

As a fan of a good movie marathon, over the years I’ve learned a lot about how you can make home seem like the cinema, just without saying goodbye to your bank balance in the process..

Get yourself cosy

I’ve always wondered why cinemas aren’t a lot more comfortable. For me, a blanket is a must, and I’ll probably be in my pyjamas, but you can do whatever you like – you could even build a movie den with duvets and cushions!

Have all your snacks at the ready

Cinema popcorn might cost a small fortune but at home you can make it for a fraction of the price, plus you can get more creative! Whatever snacks you get, be sure to have everything sorted before you hit play so you don’t have to pause the movie magic when you get peckish.

Limit the tech

There’s nothing worse than that person in the row in front at the movies who checks their Snapchat midway through the film, so if you can turn off your tech at the cinema, why not at home too?

Consider having a break

If you’re running a back to back marathon, don’t forget to allow time for toilet breaks or meals between films, especially if you’re trying to squeeze in a lot of films!

Set the mood

Turn the lights down, pull the curtains and shut out any distractions; this is your movie time.

Make the most of new technology

As I mentioned earlier, the tech behind making and watching movies has improved dramatically over even just the last few years, and if you have the tech, use it! I’m talking surround sound/sound bars for the ultimate sound experience, HD and Bluray for the ultimate visual experience, even 3D in some cases!

What do you do to have the ultimate movie night?

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My Disney Sequel Challenge: Part 1

So last month I introduced my Disney Sequel Challenge, where I decided it was time for me to work my way through the sequels to Disney’s animated classics. Long story short, I’ve watched the first five movies from my list, and here’s what I thought!

Bambi II

To be honest, this was the film I was least excited to watch, simply because I haven’t watched Bambi in a long time and I’ve always thought it to be a little sad, but I actually really liked this! Following the death of his mother, Bambi is now under the care of his father, who has to learn to be a good father while also taking care of the forest, and Bambi has to learn how to follow in his fathers footsteps, while getting over the loss of his mother. It’s a very sweet sorta coming of age type tale, and I enjoyed it quite a lot.

Cinderella II: Dreams Come True

I was pleasantly surprised by this movie! I had expected it to be set further in the future but it actually continues on from where the original film leaves off, and rather than jumping straight into the traditional ‘prince and princess have children’ thing, the story actually followed the tales of Cinderella adapting to palace life and finding her own way to be royal. I also love how the story was told by the mice and the fairy godmother and included parts of their stories too!

Cinderella III: A Twist In Time

Again, this movie was set just a year down the line from the original, but rather than a continuation of the story, this one twisted the original story into an almost not-so-happy ending for Cinderella. While the first sequel was quite good, I felt this was one too many, and was almost too predictable in terms of storyline. It did feature a lot more musical numbers that the second film, and I enjoyed that, but I’m in no rush to watch this one again.

Peter Pan: Return to Neverland

So this was a classic next generation sequel, featuring Wendy as a mother of two, and set during World War II. Its almost the reverse of the original tale; Wendy’s daughter Jane is too busy having to grow up, and doesn’t want to believe in Peter Pan anymore. Controversially, Peter Pan isn’t one of my top Disney films, so the sequel wasn’t that exciting for me, but I did like the historical setting and accuracy, plus the ending had me in tears..

Lady and the Tramp II: Scamp’s Adventures

Another classic next gen sequel – Lady and Tramp’s son feels out of place as a house dog and longs to be a street dog, despite having no knowledge of his father’s past. This was another one that was just a tad too predictable, but it had a lot of songs and cute pups – albeit animated – so it wasn’t all bad!

So that’s the first five down, and I’m enjoying being able to watch my favourite Disney characters without knowing exactly what’s going to happen! Next month I’ll be tackling the next five, so stay tuned!

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My Most Hated Movies

Have you ever watched a film and as the credits roll just sat back and thought ‘those are a few hours of my life that I am never getting back’?

From overhyped openings to straight to DVDs releases, they’re the movies that you can’t even describe as funny-bad, and these are a few that I’ve had the painful experience of watching.

Cowboys and Aliens

What even happened in this film? Like I know I sat and watched it one afternoon, but did it even have a storyline? I don’t remember anything, just how painfully dull it was.

Marley and Me

Someone actually gave me this on DVD for my birthday one year. I mean, is that the worst and cruellest present yet? If I can give you one piece of advice, I would be don’t ever watch it, especially if you’re a dog lover.

Diary of a Teenage Girl

Netflix lists this as a comedy, and I guarantee you it is not. I watched it on a plane once and even midway through an 11 hour journey from LA it wasn’t worth it.

The Lifeguard

Generally I like anything with Kristen Bell in, but this was all sorts of awful.

127 Hours

I remember this film as the most painful cinema experience of my life. I spent the whole first part of the movie on edge waiting for the inevitable moment, and then the rest either bored out of my mind or grossed out. I get that its a real story and everything but no no no.

These are just a selection of a few that I’ve had the misfortune of actually watching through, but if you’ve got any recommendations to NOT watch, drop me a comment!

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Guest Post – Top 5 Summer Films

Today’s post is brought to you by the lovely Llinos from The Lilac Linnet, go check out her blog for more – I even featured in one, read it here!

It’s definitely summer now, despite all the rain, and on a lovely light evening you may be looking for a good film to watch while you enjoy some ice cream.  Here are my top picks of some films to watch over summer.

Date Night

This is one of my favourite ever films EVER.  I love Tina Fey and this film has it all for me.  It’s such a fast moving plot about a couple who take another couple’s table reservation in a swanky new restaurant, and the crazy stuff that happens to them after that!  There’s a lot of action and humour, I can’t recommend it enough.

Clueless

Ladies, do I need to say anything about this one?  It’s a loose adaptation of Jane Austen’s Emma and is just so pink and kitcsh that it’s ideal to watch on a summer evening.  Tell me you didn’t lust after Alicia Silverstone’s wardrobe!

Erin Brockovich

This film is so uplifting, all about the power of one woman and a small company against a huge corporation and it is just KICK ASS.  I can’t watch it without crying.  If you want to be inspired, go for this one.

Mona Lisa Smile

Another Julia Roberts pick, this is about a girls school where the pupils have been raised to be wives and mothers and nothing else.  That all changes when their new teacher arrives.  It’s quite an emotional ride with some great acting, a brill one to watch with the girls this summer.

The Duchess

I am a big history geek and I could not write this list without featuring a full on period drama, with swoonworthy costumes and an emotional rollercoaster of a plot… Georgiana Spencer marries the Duke of Devonshire, but it is a loveless match and he moves his mistress into their home.  It’s definitely one to watch with the girls and a box of tissues.

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Friday Favourite Five: Christmas Films

This is the last FFF of 2015! This series still feels new to me, so its so crazy to think I’ve been running it since the start of August, and can’t wait to keep it up going into the next blogging year!

I know we’ve probably all been watching them for the last month already, but I’m finishing up my Christmas FFs with my favourite Christmas movies! You might hate me for saying this, but as much as I love Christmas, I’m really not a huge fan of traditional Christmas films, so while they may not be everyone’s top picks, here are mine:

1. Mickey’s A Christmas Carol

Ok yes, this is a traditional Christmas film, but I just love it! Its a story that’s been told so many times in so many ways, but this version will always be the best in my eyes!

2. Love Actually

I’m a huge cliche, I know, but come on, I don’t think I need to explain this one.

3. The Holiday

Cheesy chick flick, Christmas setting and a sweet little old guy for good luck, and all wrapped up in time for New Years!

4. Bridget Jones’s Diary

Another total girly film, but it involves Christmas jumpers, snow and parties, so it counts for me! (Also, its basically Pride and Prejudice, so bonus points)

5. Elf

I’m about to admit something that many people will be offended by: until last year, I had never seen Elf *ducks for cover*. I don’t think its worth all the hype, but as I don’t watch that many Christmas films, its made the list!

What are your favourite Christmas movies?

xoxo

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Pixar

So my Disney DVD collection has been growing and growing, and I can now proudly say I own all the Disney Pixar films! 🙂

In chronological order they are:

1. Toy Story (1995)

2. A Bug’s Life (1998)

3. Toy Story 2 (1999)

4. Monsters Inc (2001)

5. Finding Nemo (2003)

6. The Incredibles (2004)

7. Cars (2006)

8. Ratatouille (2007)

9. Wall-E (2008)

10. Up (2009)

11. Toy Story 3 (2010)

12. Cars 2 (2011)

13. Brave (2012)

14. Monsters University (2013)

°o°

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