A Few of My Favourite Things

Top 12: Best Movies About Journalism

Some of these films were a larger influence on me choosing to study journalism at university than I care to admit. Morning Glory was the main reason for me deciding to take a television journalism paper, and The Pelican Brief was responsible for introducing me to the world of investigative journalism.

Here are some of the best journalistic films:

Spotlight (2015)
“If it takes a village to raise a child, it takes a village to abuse one.”
Based on the Pulitzer Prize-winning Boston Globe investigation, Spotlight follows the journey of a group of investigative journalists unearthing the child abuse within the Catholic Church. Despite the heavy and disturbing subject matter, it is such a moving film. Just watching the trailer gives me chills; it is so well made.

The Paper (1994)
“A clipboard and a confident wave will get you into any building in the world!”
A comedy/drama directed by the brilliant Ron Howard shows Michael Keaton’s journalist character who is considering a job offer with better pay when a big scoop lands in his lap. It’s a race against the clock to meet the deadline to get the true story printed. It’s a very exciting movie and a great snapshot of how a 90s newsroom looked.

The Pelican Brief (1993)
“If this thing reaches this deep and goes as high as we think it does, these men will do anything not to be exposed.”
Darby Shaw (Julia Roberts), a law student, writes about the assassination of two Supreme Court justices and her theory behind it. Her work turns out to be totally correct, but soon gets into the hands of the wrong people who are determined to keep the truth under wraps. Darby soon finds herself running for her life until an investigative journalist (Denzel Washington) helps her get the truth out. I love this film, we studied the editing and use of sound at high school, but it was John Grisham’s captivating storyline that really captured me.

Nightcrawler (2014)
“Do you know what fear stands for? False Evidence Appearing Real.”
Lou Bloom (Jake Gyllenhaal), is searching for a job he’s really good at. He soon discovers the media industry where freelance camera operators use police scanners to find newsworthy content such as car crashes and shootings to film and sell to local news outlets. Bloom dives into this career and quickly makes a sweet sum. This film is by far one of the creepiest films I’ve seen. It’s not so much scary, but it does put you on edge and makes your skin crawl.

Morning Glory (2010)
“Okay. Is Daybreak a shitty show? Yes! But it’s on a network, and not just any network. This is one of the most legendary news divisions in the entire history of television.”
A bit of a twist to my list, Morning Glory is a comedy. Rachel McAdams plays Becky Fuller, a workaholic who is made redundant. She eventually gets hired by a breakfast show that’s going down the pan. The story follows her struggles to rebuild herself, and the show. It is a brilliantly funny story, particularly Harrison Ford’s character who was an investigative journalist before being ployed on to the morning show as an anchor.

The Help (2011)
“Careful, Hilly. That’s chapter 12. Don’t give yourself away now.”
Based on true events, this is about a strong-willed and moral young woman named Skeeter (Emma Stone) who interviewed African-American maids in Jackson, Mississippi despite it being very dangerous and very much against the law. With many struggles and an immense amount of courage from all involved, she wrote a book anonymously based upon the accounts of the Help who serve white families for little money and humiliating conditions. A brilliant movie.

Capote (2005)
“Sometimes when I think of how good my book is going to be, I can’t breathe.”
If I’m including The Help, then it’s only fair to include Capote. Also a Southern-based true story, this is about Truman Capote who interviews a murderer in 1959 to write a book about him. Along the way, he develops a relationship with the criminal who is now on death row. While a slow film, it does follow the journey of a writer who conducts interviews for publishing, which is journalism at its core.

State of Play (2009)
Cal: “I heard a young woman was murdered.”
Police officer: “Who told you that?”
Cal: “…you just did.”
Two seemingly unrelated deaths occur, but reporter Cal McAffrey (Russell Crowe) can join the dots. He discovers a mass conspiracy to be uncovered, but he soon has to decide if it’s worth risking his life for the story. Admittedly, I don’t think I’ve managed to watch this film from beginning to end, but the parts I’ve seen are certainly enjoyable.

Good Night, and Good Luck (2005)
“Funny thing, Freddie, every time you light a cigarette for me, I know you’re lying.”
This story is set against the backdrop of television journalism during its infancy of the 1950s. It chronicles the real-life story of television newsman Edward R. Murrow and his team of researchers who aim to scrutinise every political story with good quality journalism, while resisting corporate and sponsorship pressures for fear-mongering. I’ve only seen bits and pieces of this film, but I’m looking forward to watching it in full.

Network (1976)
“I’m mad as Hell, and I’m not going to take it anymore!”
Set to the backdrop of journalism more than it being about journalism I suppose. It follows a frustrated news anchor who goes on a massive rant and threatens to kill himself live on air after being fired. A producer notices how the television rating spike because of his outlandish reaction and takes advantage of it by deciding to keep the anchor on air. It explores how television is ratings-driven and profit-driven, with little consideration for moral or authentic work. Quite interesting. I’d imagine this film was inspiration to Morning Glory.

All the President’s Men (1976)
“This whole thing is a cover-up and it’s right under our nose.”
Based on the true story of the two Washington Post reporters Bob Woodward (Robert Redford) and Carl Bernstein (Dustin Hoffman) who uncovered details of the Watergate scandal. I’ve only seen bits and pieces, but the bits I’ve seen I’ve enjoyed.

The Post (2017)
“Do you know what my husband said about the news? He called it the first rough draft of history.”
Katharine Graham (Meryl Streep) is the publisher The Washington Post. With help from editor Ben Bradlee (Tom Hanks), they expose a massive cover-up of government secrets. The unlikely duo overcome their differences to bring the truth to light, while risking their jobs and freedom. While I thought this film was dry and dragged out with a ton of unnecessary dialogue and lack of emotional tension, this must be included in the list because I’m sure journalism-lovers will enjoy it regardless.

I appreciate that I should probably include Citizen Kane. I have seen it and studied it at school and I am aware that it’s a classic. I feel this movie is the equivalent to Michael Jackson’s music – you can quietly dislike it, but you can’t deny the genius behind it. So, while I appreciate it, I honestly wouldn’t purposely watch it again. But if you haven’t seen it, you probably should.

Top 18: Best Coming-of-Age Movies

I love coming-of-age films. It’s the perfect mix of dark drama and bright comedy, against the backdrop of real-life circumstances and down-to-earth characters. Here are a few of my favourites:

American Graffiti
“I’m getting out of this turkey town! You can’t stay 17 forever.”
My number one favourite film forever. The night in the life of 1960s teenagers who have just graduated high school. They have one last night before they all go their separate ways. Some are moving away for university, some are hoping to settle down and others are wanting their high school career to continue by day along with the iconic culture of ‘cruising’ in their candy-coloured scream machines on the roads by night. To tie everyone in is radio personality Wolfman Jack. Legend.

Brooklyn
“I wish that I could stop feeling that I want to be an Irish girl in Ireland.”
“Homesickness is like most sicknesses. It will pass.”
Another one of my absolute favourite films – it’s so humbling. Saoirse Ronan is a brilliant actor whose character, Eilis, moves from Ireland to Brooklyn during the fifties. She grows from an innocent and naive girl into an independent young woman out of necessity who creates a life for herself. The lady Eilis lives with in Brooklyn is played by Julie Walters, who is essential to keeping this deep movie very funny.

Good Will Hunting
“How do you like them apples!”
This is a beautifully touching film about a genius who refuses to reach his potential. Coming from a rough neighbourhood, Matt Damon’s character is quick to get into fights and back into handcuffs. But Robin Williams’ character is soon able to crack his mask to reveal a scared and unhappy boy.

Dead Poets Society
“…medicine, law, business, engineering, these are noble pursuits and necessary to sustain life. But poetry, beauty, romance, love, these are what we stay alive for.”
It follows the internal struggles of boys at a private boarding school who are wrestling between being themselves while pursuing their dreams and pleasing their prestigious fathers. Again, Robin Williams’ character acts as a mentor to these students, but he’s not able to save them all.

The Skeleton Twins
“I can’t wait to be the creepy gay uncle.”
“You’re hired!”
This film is about Bill Hader and Kristen Wiig as suicidal siblings Milo and Maggie. Yeah, it’s a bit of a downer but weaving through the tragedy are sarcastic come-backs that will make you belly-laugh. While coming-of-age films are typically about teenagers growing up, I think this movie can be included because they’re twins who are rediscovering themselves and each other, delving into their childhoods and overcoming their troubles.

About a Boy
“Oh, no… it’s just I thought you had hidden depths.”
“No, no, you’ve always had that wrong about me. I really am this shallow.”
This is my favourite Hugh Grant film because while he still plays the self-obsessed a-hole, he does so in a comedic way with a three-dimensional character. It’s a traditional coming-of-age story for the young boy Marcus, but it’s also about Hugh Grant’s character growing up and realising that being part of a family isn’t a bad thing. They both grow together and learn from each other.

driving lessons.jpg Driving Lessons
“To wit, I leave you with this quote penned by my dear friend, William Shakespeare: ‘When the shit hits the fan, get a tent’.”
Such an underrated coming-of-age film – I doubt many people have ever heard of it. It features Rupert Grint and Julie Walters and follows a storyline similar to that of About A Boy and Scent of a Woman (as explained in my blog post One Story, Six Movies) where an older person and a younger person bond and learn from each other. But I love Driving Lessons in particular because it’s so funny – classic English humour. Julie Walters is brilliant.

scent of a woman.jpg Scent of a Woman
“Oh, where do I go from here, Charlie?”
“If you’re tangled up, just tango on.”
Forever a favourite of mine. It’s quite dark in places as it follows Al Pacino’s blind character, Colonel Slade, who is struggling with depression. He is an experienced soldier and a wise man, who has a story to tell. Chris O’Donnell’s character is young Charlie who is hired as Colonel Slade’s aid for a thanksgiving weekend, he is kind but very naive. He is reluctantly dragged to New York with The Colonel, but learns a lot along the way. They both help each other out profoundly.

The Commitments
“The success of the band was irrelevant… Sure we could have been famous and made albums and stuff, but that would have been predictable. This way it’s poetry.”
The Commitments is about a group of teenagers who all have troubles at home, but come together to make incredible music. While they don’t ‘make it’, their trumpet-player is quick to remind them that they may not have created history, but they’ve created poetry.

Sing Street
“This is life, Conor. Drive it like you stole it.”
Sing Street is similar to The Commitments as they’re both Ireland-based movies about a group of teenagers forming a band. This film is about a new boy at school who starts a band to impress a girl. Meanwhile, he tries to deal with his parents’ divorce with his brother being his only emotional support.

Little Miss Sunshine
“A real loser is someone who’s so afraid of not winning he doesn’t even try.”
A family are trapped in an old yellow Volkswagen van as they drive across the country. The family consists of a dad who is a failed motivational speaker, a mother at the end of her tether, a grandad drug-addict, an suicidal uncle, a son who refuses to speak and a little girl who is just wanting to enter a beauty contest. It is a light-hearted storyline about a family overcoming their obstacles and coming together for the sake of family.

About Time
“…worrying about the future is as effective as trying to solve an algebra equation by chewing bubble gum. The real troubles in your life will always be things that never crossed your worried mind.”
Such a beautiful film. About Time is one of the best feel-good comedy/dramas out there. It’s about an innocent and quiet boy called Tim Lake (Domhnall Gleeson) who at the humble age of 21 is told by his father (Bill Nighy) that, like every man in his family, he can travel back in time. It follows his life and the decisions he makes along the way, which touches on love, death and birth. It truly is a lovely almost auto-biographical film.

The Breakfast Club
“We’re all pretty bizarre. Some of us are just better at hiding it, that’s all.”
A day in the life of 1980s teenagers who have ended up in detention for various reasons. Starting the day out as enemies they end the day with an acceptance of each other. The bully, the jock, the nerd, the popular girl and the goth grow over the course of the day through various funny and serious scenes as they begin to work together to gang up on the teacher.

The Way, Way Back
“There’s a whole world out there for you, Duncan. Don’t settle. Not yet.”
Duncan is a 14-year-old boy who is forced to go on a summer holiday with his mum and her boyfriend. But her boyfriend is an utter dick, and just an overall bully to him so Duncan gets a job at the local water park where his boss becomes a bit of a mentor. The water park because his escape while he figures out what to do with his life.

The Perks of Being a Wallflower
“C minus, ladies and gentlemen! I am below average!”
The trailer portrays this film as a fun-loving and laid-back, but it’s actually got very dark undertones. The three main characters (Sam, Charlie and Patrick) are all hiding dark secrets – bulimia, child molestation and being gay. Their friends around them are all struggling with certain issues too – stealing, struggling with academia and popularity. The three main characters all help each other through their difficult stages in their lives as they grow up and mature.

Whip It
“So, what are you, like, alternative now?”
“Alternative to what?”
A teenage girl called Bliss is trying to break away from her mother’s 1950’s-style parenting. She straps on roller skates and joins a roller derby team, where she finds security and support in her teammates. She slowly matures as she embraces the culture of the roller derby scene – surrounded by misfits and the unwanted.

Juno
“No, this is not a food baby all right? I’ve taken like three pregnancy tests, and I’m for shizz up the spout.”
A carefree 16-year-old tomboy gets pregnant with her best guy friend, they decide to adopt the baby out to a couple who can’t have children. It sounds kinda icky and lame, but Juno is so funny with her immature comments and how she gives a reality check to adults. While Juno has found herself in a very adult situation, the potential adoptive father is rediscovering his youth and becomes reluctant to adopt. I guess it’s about never wanting to grow up.

13 Going on 30
“I like your dress.”
“That’s because I have these incredible BOOBS to fill it out!”
While this is a coming-of-age film in the most literal sense, it’s far more light-hearted than my other selections. There’s no themes of suicide or drug-use, the tragedy isn’t as dark and the characters aren’t as relatable. Nevertheless, Jennifer Garner does a brilliant job of playing a 13-year-old in a 30-year-old’s body.

Just realised how many of the same actors are in coming-of-age movies. Kristen Wiig, Ellen Page, Julie Walters, Robin Williams and Toni Collette are regulars of the genre, maybe because they’re so ‘real’ and relatable.

I guess the common themes of the coming-of-age genre include characters who are in the process of growing – typically growing from a teenager into an adult, but it also includes characters who experience profound change or growth well into their adult years.

Coming-of-age storylines carry dark tragedy as well as light-hearted comedy, which is why they’re so relatable and enjoyable. They reflect real life with flawed characters and unsatisfactory circumstances, with a lot of inner-turmoil to be sorted out.

They also include a young naive character and an older mentor. Both have flaws and both help each other to grow.

Top 5: Most Magical Films of the 90s

Growing up in the 90s, I remember surrounding myself with VHS tapes of my favourite movies. I’d dress up and pretend I was a character in the movie as I watched it with my stuffed toy collection, and quartered peanut butter sandwiches.

It was a marvellous childhood, hence why there are a few movies I can’t watch without blubbering with overwhelming nostalgia.

I avoided the classics such as Disney’s Lady & the Tramp and Sleeping Beauty, or Matilda because while they are certainly magical I’m sure they were every little girl’s favourite during the 90s. So here are a few hidden treasures that you might have forgotten about:

The Secret Garden (1993)
Dickon: “The animals tell me all their secrets.”
Mary: [Pointing to the robin] “He wouldn’t tell you my secret, would he?”
Dickon: “About what, Miss Mary?”
Mary: “A garden. I’ve stolen a garden.”
An absolute favourite of mine, probably in part to the resemblance between me and the stroppy little girl in the film (according to my mum). But it also included a lot of animals (including ponies), which I adored. I was also intrigued by the mansion the girl lived in and all the hidden locked rooms… and secret gardens.

black beauty.jpg Black Beauty (1991)
“The story of my life is the story of the people in it. I haven’t always been as lucky as I am, in this delicious place with grass, and water, and sunshine. Mine is a story of trust and betrayal, and learning to trust again. I remember everything.”
The best horse film of all time. It’s not too cheesy, it’s not unrealistic. It’s about how tough a horse’s life was in the 1800s, and how nice their owners would be is purely down to chance as animals have no say in their fate. A beautiful film, but will likely leave you in tears. I liked how it had the same actor in it as in The Secret Garden – Andrew Knott. I guess he was one of few young boys around who could ride and act?

A Little Princess (1995)
“I am a princess. All girls are! Even if they live in tiny old attics, even if they dress in rags, even if they aren’t pretty, or smart, or young, they’re still princesses – all of us! Didn’t your father ever tell you that? Didn’t he?”
This became harder to watch the older I got because I didn’t understand it entirely when I was younger. It’s a heart-wrenching story about Sara – a little girl whose father is away at war. She is sent to an all-girls boarding school but is treated poorly and finds comfort in the other girls while she wishes desperately for her father to come home. (PS. Just looked into the actress who plays Sara – didn’t realise she hails from one of America’s richest families, according to Forbes magazine… Suddenly feels a little less magical now.)
FairyTale: A True Story (1997)
“Never try to fool children. They expect nothing and therefore see everything.”
Being an avid believer in fairies throughout my early childhood, I looked to this film as proof of their existence. While I have since discovered that this ‘true story’ was based upon two children who lied to the fragile people of post-war England, this film is still magical. (Featuring a young Bill Nighy.)

Homeward Bound: The Incredible Journey (1993)
Chance: “I can do better! Just give me a second chance!”
Shadow: “That was your second chance, Chance!”
Chance: “Then give me a third chance!”
Two dogs and a cat make their way across the country in search of their owners who left them behind. This cosy American family movie follows Chance, Sassy and Shadow on an emotional journey that will leave you in tears every time. It’s funny to know the faces behind the actors who voiced them now (including Michael J. Fox and Forrest Gump’s mother).

Top 21: Romantic Film Quotes

Feeling flowery and happy and romantic? Or are you just here to get inspiration for an anniversary card? Either way, here are some beautifully romantic quotes from movies…

They say when you meet the love of your life, time stops. And that’s true. –Big Fish

Good mood, bad mood, ugly, pretty… The right person is still going to think the sun shines out of your ass –Juno

The greatest thing you’ll ever learn is just to love, and be loved in return –Moulin Rouge (although, technically a song lyric)

When you realise you want to spend the rest of your life with somebody, you want the rest of your life to start as soon as possible. –When Harry Met Sally

You had me at hello –Jerry Maguire

I love you. You complete me –Jerry Maguire

I’m also just a girl, standing in front of a boy, asking him to love her –Notting Hill

I wanted it to be you, I wanted it to be you so badly –You’ve Got Mail

It’s like in that moment the whole universe existed just to bring us together –Serendipity

You have bewitched me, body and soul, and I love you. And wish from this day forth never to be parted from you –Pride & Prejudice

Choose me. Marry me. Let me make you happy –My Best Friend’s Wedding

It was a million tiny little things that, when you added them all up, they meant we were supposed to be together –Sleepless in Seattle

I wish I had done everything on earth with you –The Great Gatsby

I have loved her even when I hated her… –Crazy, Stupid, Love

Promise me that whenever you’re sad, or unsure, or you lose complete faith, that you’ll try to see yourself through my eyes –P.S I Love You

I am nothing special; just a common man with common thoughts, and I’ve led a common life. There are no monuments dedicated to me and my name will soon be forgotten. But in one respect I have succeeded as gloriously as anyone who’s ever lived: I’ve loved another with all my heart and soul; and to me, this has always been enough –The Notebook

…most of all I’m scared of walking out of this room and never feeling the rest of my whole life the way I feel when I’m with you –Dirty Dancing

I’m just exactly where I want to be –Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind

Love is too weak a word for what I feel –Annie Hall

I think I’d miss you even if we’d never met –The Wedding Date

You’re not perfect… She’s not perfect either. But the question is whether or not you’re perfect for each other –Good Will Hunting

Never lie, steal, cheat, or drink. But if you must lie, lie in the arms of the one you love. If you must steal, steal away from bad company. If you must cheat, cheat death. –Hitch

Top 10: Famous Final Lines in Films

Here are my top 10 favourite ‘famous last words’ from some iconic films.

1. “Good morning, and in case I don’t see ya, good afternoon, good evening, and good night!” –The Truman Show

2. “Roads? Where we’re going we don’t need roads” –Back to the Future

3. “That was my father’s final joke, I guess. A man tells his stories so many times that he becomes the stories. They live on after him. And in that way, he becomes immortal.” –Big Fish

4. “Days turned into weeks, weeks turned into months. And then, one not-so-very special day, I went to my typewriter, I sat down, and I wrote our story. A story about a time, a story about a place, a story about the people. But above all things, a story about love. A love that will live forever. The end.” –Moulin Rouge!

5. “By the toll of a billion deaths, man had earned his immunity, his right to survive among this planet’s infinite organisms. And that right is ours against all challenges. For neither do men live nor die in vain.” –War of the Worlds

6. “Some people are born to sit by a river. Some get struck by lightning. Some have an ear for music. Some are artists. Some swim. Some know buttons. Some know Shakespeare. Some are mothers. And some people dance.” –The Curious Case of Benjamin Button

7. “Tonight most people will be welcomed home by jumping dogs and squealing kids. Their spouses will ask about their day. Tonight they’ll sleep. The stars will wheel forth from their daytime hiding places, and one of those lights, slightly brighter than the rest, will be my wingtip passing over.” –Up in the Air

8. Phil: “They’re gone! They’re all gone. Do you know what today is?”
Rita: “No, what?”
Phil: “Today is tomorrow. It happened. You’re here. I’m here.”
Rita: “Oh, Phil. Why weren’t you Iike this last night? You just fell asleep.”
Phil: “It was the end of a very long day. Is there anything I can do for you today?”
Rita: “I’m sure I can think of something.”
Phil: “It’s so beautiful! Let’s live here! We’ll rent to start.”
-Groundhog Day

9. ‘Leo’: “They’re ruby slippers, Adrian. Put these on and say, ‘there’s no place like home, there’s no place like home,’ and you can be there.”
Adrian: “I hope. I hope we all could.”
-Good Morning, Vietnam

10. Joe: “Don’t cry, Shopgirl. Don’t cry.”
Kathleen: “I wanted it to be you. I wanted it to be you so badly.”
–You’ve Got Mail

My Favourite Scene: Good Will Hunting

I adore Good Will Hunting, particularly because of Robin Williams’ performance as a shrink named Sean. He has many lovely quotes, but this speech is my favourite. It’s about living life and having first-hand experiences. I think how Robin Williams encapsulates the depths of sadness that Sean has after losing his wife is tear-jerking.

Sean: So if I asked you about art, you’d probably give me the skinny on every art book ever written. Michelangelo, you know a lot about him. Life’s work, political aspirations, him and the pope, sexual orientations, the whole works, right?

But I’ll bet you can’t tell me what it smells like in the Sistine Chapel. You’ve never actually stood there and looked up at that beautiful ceiling; seen that.

If I ask you about women, you’d probably give me a syllabus about your personal favorites. You may have even been laid a few times. But you can’t tell me what it feels like to wake up next to a woman and feel truly happy.

You’re a tough kid. And I’d ask you about war, you’d probably throw Shakespeare at me, right, “once more unto the breach dear friends.” But you’ve never been near one. You’ve never held your best friend’s head in your lap, watch him gasp his last breath looking to you for help.

I’d ask you about love, you’d probably quote me a sonnet. But you’ve never looked at a woman and been totally vulnerable. Known someone that could level you with her eyes, feeling like God put an angel on earth just for you. Who could rescue you from the depths of hell. And you wouldn’t know what it’s like to be her angel, to have that love for her, be there forever, through anything, through cancer.

And you wouldn’t know about sleeping sitting up in the hospital room for two months, holding her hand, because the doctors could see in your eyes, that the terms “visiting hours” don’t apply to you. You don’t know about real loss, ’cause it only occurs when you’ve loved something more than you love yourself. And I doubt you’ve ever dared to love anybody that much.

And look at you… I don’t see an intelligent, confident man… I see a cocky, scared shitless kid. But you’re a genius Will. No one denies that. No one could possibly understand the depths of you. But you presume to know everything about me because you saw a painting of mine, and you ripped my fucking life apart. You’re an orphan right?

[Will nods]

Sean: You think I know the first thing about how hard your life has been, how you feel, who you are, because I read Oliver Twist? Does that encapsulate you? Personally, I don’t give a shit about all that, because you know what, I can’t learn anything from you, I can’t read in some fuckin’ book. Unless you want to talk about you, who you are. Then I’m fascinated. I’m in. But you don’t want to do that do you sport? You’re terrified of what you might say. Your move, chief.

Top 20: Best Mums in Movies

I was thinking about the actresses who always get cast as the motherly characters in movies, and the same names kept coming up. So I decided to put together a list of the best mum characters in the movies and the eight actresses who play them.

(I probably should have done this around Mother’s Day but I forgot.)

Dianne Wiest

“Why are you hiding back there? You don’t have to hide from me – I’m Peg Boggs, your local Avon representative and I’m as harmless as cherry pie…” – Peg Boggs
Dianne Wiest has been cast as the mother in Edward Scissorhands, the Avon Lady named Peg who takes Edward Scissorhands in and looks after him. She is encouraging and positive.

“Phew. You smell like garlic.” – Lucy Emerson
She’s also Lucy in vampire movie The Lost Boys, where she is not only the mother to her two boys, but is also good friends with them.

“Yeah. He’s a good man. Ooh, he’s got a gift. Comes from heaven above, I swear… But he’s still just a man.” – Dianne Booker
Finally, she plays a mum in The Horse Whisperer. Dianne is a farmer’s wife and is highly family-orientated. She doesn’t beat around the bush and says it as it is.

Julie Walters

“So young and so pedantic… One glass. You can tell God I forced you.” – Dame Eve
Julie Walters has played a motherly role in Driving Lessons as the ‘mentor’ of sorts named Evie. She is blunt and protective with a brilliant sense of humour.

“Not my daughter, you bitch!” – Mrs. Molly Weasley
Walters also played the protective Mrs. Weasley in the Harry Potter series, she’s equally fierce and strict as she is warm and loving.

Toni Collette

“That’s a long time to be ‘nowhere’.” – Pam
Toni Collette is a personal favourite of mine – she just seems so lovely. She plays the quiet and unsure mother in The Way, Way Back named Pam who learns to listen to her son and put him first. I love the final scene in that film.

“Look at my face; I was not thinking anything bad about you.” –Lynn Sear
She’s also the mother called Lynn in The Sixth Sense. After losing her mum she is in a vulnerable place while trying to work out what is bothering her son.

“For better or for worse, we are your family.” – Sheryl Hoover
My absolute favourite of Collette’s is Sheryl in Little Miss Sunshine. She is struggling to keep the family together, but stays strong and selfless in the toughest of circumstances.

Allison Janney

“Courage sometimes skips a generation. Thank you for bringing it back to our family.” – Charlotte Phelan
Allison Janney surprisingly doesn’t have any children in real life, but she can play the warmest and trusting of characters on screen. Janney plays the mother, Charlotte, in The Help who struggles to stand up for what is right, but encourages her daughter to do so.

“Off the wagon again!” –Betty Thompson
She is certainly not the best mother in The Way, Way Back called Betty. She drinks and swears and isn’t the kindest to her children. But ultimately, she’s whacky and hilarious.

“Well, I’m a nail technician and I think we both ought to just stick to what we know.” –Bren MacGuff
Janney plays Bren in Juno, who is possibly the best step-mum in the movies. She supports her 16-year-old step-daughter who reveals she’s pregnant and gets right on to making a plan with her.

Melissa McCarthy

“What kind of man takes a kid to a bar and a racetrack?” –Maggie Bronstein
Melissa McCarthy plays is a brilliantly hard-working mum called Maggie in St. Vincent. Struggling to make ends-meet she does a great job of raising her son, and makes fun of difficult situations. Particularly where Bill Murray’s character is concerned.

“They’re just looking at my smock, it tends to catch the light.” –Deanna
Her most recent is Life of the Party. Oh my goodness what a cool mum character. Deanna wants to feed every one and give solid advice to everyone. She’s widely accepted when she goes back to university and is looked up to by the younger students.

Sandra Bullock

“What it means, is, is that, we want to know if you would like to become part of this family.” –Leigh Anne
Sandra Bullock’s character Leigh Anne in The Blind Side makes me cry even though I’ve only seen the trailer and not the movie. But it shows a generous and honest motherly character, despite the very cringe storyline.

Ryan Stone.jpg “I have a bad feeling about this mission”. – Ryan Stone
Bullock is also a mother in Gravity called Ryan, where it takes everything in her being to come to terms with the sudden death of her daughter. As an astronaut, the lack of gravity represents her lack of control over the tragedy and her feeling of not feeling ‘down-to-earth’ or ‘grounded’ anymore. So sad.

Juliette Binoche

“Well, it’s not cinnamon, it’s a special kind of chili pepper… Mm-hm. It’ll give you a lift.” –Vianne Rocher
Juliette Binoche plays Vianne in Chocolat. She’s possibly the most fashionable and understanding mother in the movie world. Vianne travels around France helping people mend their psychological distress with chocolate. She lost her beloved mother and feels obliged to follow her tradition of moving with the north wind with her restless young daughter in tow.

Emily Blunt
While she doesn’t have the same vibe as the others on this list, I think Emily Blunt will become the go-to mother figure of future films.

“I have shot and buried three vagrants in the past year! So I don’t care what hobo sob story you’ve got. I get a dozen a week, pal. It cuts no cash for me.” – Sara
Blunt plays a single mother called Sara in Looper. She becomes aware early on that her son, Cid, has particular strong powers whereby he can manipulate objects. However, he uses his powers for evil in the future so Bruce Willis’s character comes from the future to kill Sara’s son. Sara is extremely protective and is well prepared for anyone threatening Cid.

“I need that shoe to have a child.” – The Baker’s Wife
Into the Woods is a musical with a medley of fairytale characters thrown together in the same film. Emily Blunt’s character is the Baker’s wife and she can only have a child if she finds a slipper as pure as gold. I personally think it’s a load of poppycock. But Blunt plays the part of an aspiring mother well.

“Who are we if we can’t protect them? We have to protect them.” –Evelyn Abbott
A Quiet Place is one of Emily Blunt’s most recent films where she plays Evelyn Abbott, a mother who is protecting her children in the most unforgiving of environments. No one can make a sound because the monsters hunt via sound and they will find you and kill you. She does everything in her power to protect her children and teach them how to survive. I love how she can still make her children laugh though (in a quiet way).

“Mary Poppins, it is wonderful to see you!” – Micheal Banks
“Yes, it is, isn’t it?” –Mary Poppins
Mary Poppins Returns is coming soon, and it stars Emily Blunt as the leading role. Mary Poppins is the idealistic mother figure, even though she’s a nanny rather than a mum. But she’s dependable and fun for sure. It comes out in December 2018 so I’m excited to see how well Blunt does.

While my mum doesn’t act in movies, I would like to say that she is the best mum who could be portrayed by any of the above actors… Particularly Dianne Wiest or maybe Julie Walters…

Top 10: Best Dads in Movies

Happy Father’s Day to the UK and USA readers!

In celebration of all the dads out there, here is a post about the best father characters on the big screen.

Keep an eye-out for a post about the best mums in movies too.

“Yeah sure you have – your old D-A-D! You know I’ll always be there to love you and support you no matter what kind of pickle you’re in… Obviously.” –Mac MacGuff
Mac is played by JK Simmons in Juno. He is the epitome of a calm and supportive dad, especially since his 16-year-old daughter just told him she’s pregnant. He goes with her to meet the adoptive parents and remains level-headed.

“I admire that honesty, Natalie, that’s a noble quality. Never lose that, because it often disappears with age, or entering politics.” –Daniel Hillard/Mrs. Doubtfire
Daniel Hillard/Mrs. Doubtfire is of course played by the brilliant Robin Williams in the comedy Mrs. Doubtfire. After Daniel and his wife begin the divorce proceedings, he finds that he isn’t seeing his three young children enough, so he disguises himself as an older woman named Mrs. Doubtfire who is hired to be the children’s nanny. Just goes to show how far this father will go to see his kids.
Chris Gardner.jpg “Hey. Don’t ever let somebody tell you… You can’t do something. Not even me. All right?” –Chris Gardner
Based on a true story, Chris (Will Smith) in the movie The Pursuit of Happyness is down on his luck. He loses everything, but he works hard in order to get his life back on track for his young son. He makes sure that despite his downfall, he keeps his son happy and inspired.
“Probably just as well. He would have told it wrong anyway. All the facts and none of the flavour.” –Ed Bloom
Ed (Albert Finney) in Big Fish is the the storytelling father who is philosophical and entertaining with a fantastic sense of humour. He’s been everywhere and done everything, with everyone admiring him along the way. His son, however, doesn’t appreciate his anecdotes and goes on a journey to discover the truth behind the tales.

“I used to think a wedding was a simple affair. Boy and girl meet, they fall in love, he buys a ring, she buys a dress, they say I do. I was wrong.” –George Banks
George (Steve Martin) is the Father of the Bride, and he shells out a lot of money to ensure his daughter has the perfect wedding. While I’ve written about the controversy of this film before (George was manipulated by his daughter in my opinion), it does show the love George has for his daughter; he’d do anything for her and doesn’t expect anything in return.

“Now Harry, you must know all about muggles. Tell me, what exactly is the function of a rubber duck?” –Arthur Weasley
Arthur Weasley is played by Mark Williams in the Harry Potter films. He and his on-screen wife Molly Weasley are often referred to as the perfect parents. They’re fierce, protective but inclusive, warm and family orientated too. Arthur is the more laid back one out of the pair, and is completely fascinated by everything muggle-related.

“I love you. I’ve always loved you.” –Lee Abbott
A recent ‘dad-goals’ father figure on the big screen is Lee (John Krasinski) in A Quiet Place. In a more basic ‘survival of the fittest’ kind of world, he sacrifices a lot to protect his children. He teaches his son to be brave by day, and works hard on a device to improve his deaf daughter’s hearing by night.

“If you let my daughter go now, that’ll be the end of it. I will not look for you, I will not pursue you. But if you don’t: I will look for you. I will find you. And I will kill you.” –Bryan Mills
While it is comedic that Bryan Mills (Liam Neeson) has had the worst luck over the years with multiple Taken films, you can’t deny his bravery and perseverance to find his daughter.

good will hunting robin williams.jpg “You’re not perfect, sport, and let me save you the suspense: this girl you’ve met, she’s not perfect either. But the question is whether or not you’re perfect for each other.” – Sean
While Robin Williams’s character Sean is Will Hunting’s psychologist rather than his dad in Good Will Hunting, you can’t deny that in the absence of Hunting’s father, Sean makes a darn father figure in his place. He listens, he’s patient and he’s loyal.

“Is everything all right? It sounds like you’re having sex in here, which I know can’t be true due to the fact that you have a homosexual boyfriend.” –Dill
Dill is the father to Emma Stone’s character who is played by the amazing Stanely Tucci in the film Easy A. It is one of my favourite films, and Tucci’s remarkably understanding and laid-back character is brilliant.

While my dad isn’t in the movies, he is the best dad in real life. Happy Father’s Day, Cage!

Looking Forward to: Can You Ever Forgive Me?

Has Melissa McCarthy done drama before? This is the first non-comedy film I’ve seen her in anyway.

It looks like a gripping tale.

Can You Ever Forgive Me? is based on a true story about Lee Israel who is a failing author and desperate for money. She begins forging letters by deceased famous literary idols and selling them. She makes a pretty penny until suspicion is raised.

McCarthy sports a grey wig and judging by the trailer, this film is probably going to reveal previously unrecognised talents.

Julianne Moore was going to play the part but she dropped out.

I am so excited to watch this because I love Melissa McCarthy and I love films about authors. It looks like it’s going to be a thrilling drama.

My Favourite Scene: Dead Poets Society

Dead poets society0.jpg

I adore Dead Poets Society. It is so inspirational, with the tragedy and comedy of life being woven through this film thanks to the talent of Robin Williams as John Keating.

There are so many scenes that have brilliant dialogue and speeches, but these two stand out to me most:

“Seize the day… Make your lives extraordinary”
A true pep-talk.

John Keating: They’re not that different from you, are they? Same haircuts. Full of hormones, just like you. Invincible, just like you feel. The world is their oyster. They believe they’re destined for great things, just like many of you. Their eyes are full of hope, just like you. Did they wait until it was too late to make from their lives even one iota of what they were capable? Because you see, gentlemen, these boys are now fertilizing daffodils. But if you listen real close, you can hear them whisper their legacy to you. Go on, lean in. Listen. You hear it?… Carpe… Hear it?… Carpe. Carpe diem. Seize the day, boys. Make your lives extraordinary.

“Don’t you forget this.”
I love this scene because Keating brings this painfully shy student out of his comfort zone and shows him what he’s capable of.

John Keating: Close your eyes, close your eyes! Close ’em! Now, describe what you see.
Todd Anderson: Uh, I-I close my eyes.
John: Yes.
Todd: Uh, and this image floats beside me.
John: A sweaty-toothed madman.
Todd: A sweaty-toothed madman with a stare that pounds my brain.
John: Oh, that’s *excellent*! Now, give him action – make him do something!
Todd: H-His hands reach out and choke me.
John: That’s it! Wonderful, wonderful!
Todd: And all the time he’s mumbling.
John: What’s he mumbling?
Todd: Mumbling truth.
John: Yeah, yes.
Todd: Truth like-like a blanket that always leaves your feet cold.
[some of the class start to laugh]
John: Forget them, forget them! Stay with the blanket. Tell me about that blanket!
Todd: Y-Y-You push it, stretch it, it’ll never be enough. You kick at it, beat it, it’ll never cover any of us. From the moment we enter crying t-to the moment we leave dying, it’ll just cover your face as you wail and cry and scream.
[long pause then class applauds]
John: Don’t you forget this.

Top 10: Best Animated Horse Characters

Even though the majority of animated horses on the big screens are ‘white stallions’, many of them play prominent roles as the hero’s side-kick (no pun intended). Strangely all the horses are male… Anywho, here are the best equine characters:

Maximus in Tangled (2010)
My favourite animated horse ever. He is angry, sassy, rude and very funny indeed. Whereas most cartoon horses are cuddly and noble, Maximus is a total ass. And I love it.

Angus in Brave (2012)
Despite his size, this shire is easily scared. Despite this, Angus is a trusty partner to Merida. I adore the scene where they go galloping through the forest together! (Please watch the scene below.) He’s a personal favourite of mine because Angus and Merida remind me of my giant pony and I!

Donkey in Shrek 2 (2004)
Donkey (voiced by Eddie Murphy) is a favourite equine side-kick of many, but I’m sure you were just as elated as I was when he became a humorous white stallion in Shrek 2. “I’m a stallion, baby!”

Altivo in The Road to Eldorado (2000)
The ‘ruthless war horse’ named Altivo is anything but. He is a vocal and very food-orientated horse who accompanies the two main characters to Edorado.

Tucker in Racing Stripes (2005)
While there are many horses in this movie, the best horse side-kick character has got to be the bay shetland pony, Tucker, voiced by Dustin Hoffman. He is an old-school character who helps train Stripes the zebra to be a racehorse. While Tucker is a real-life pony, there’s a lot of animation that goes into making him talk. “To me you’re just a horse with stripes who needs an attitude adjustment!”

Bullseye in Toy Story 2 (1999) and Toy Story 3 (2010)
A remarkably dog-like horse who is ridden by Jessie. Bullseye is a loyal, gangly and fun horse who will do anything for anyone.

Spirit in Spirit: Stallion of the Cimarron (2002)
Voiced by Matt Damon, this more serious animated movie is a classic ‘cowboy and indian’ story. Spirit is a strong and brave stallion who fights to protect his herd and refuses to be ridden by the cowboys.

Philippe in Beauty and the Beast (1991)
Although he’s not prominent in the film, Philippe is still the sweetest animated horse. He’s not particularly brave but he’s important enough to have a named part in the film. He is not, however, represented as well in the 2017 remake where they make Phillipe a dapple grey, and without the same expression or character as the animation – but I suppose that’s to be expected.

Achilles in The Hunchback of Notre Dame (1996)
This horse does next to nothing, actually, other than sit on people’s heads on demand. Which, I think is a good enough reason to make the list.

Pegasus in Hercules (1997)
Created by Zeus for Hercules, Pegasus is a ‘bird-brained’ horse who is Hercules’s best friend and side-kick. Classically, this animated horse is dog-like in many situations, responding to whistles and licking people.

Top 7: Live-Action Disney Remakes Coming Soon

Disney has been creating films since 1923, beginning with an Alice in Wonderland cartoon series. But it wasn’t until 1937 that the memorable Snow White and the Seven Dwarves animation was released. Ever since then, Disney Studios has had a fairytale film career with many major successes.

I’m sure everyone holds a Disney animation close to their hearts because of its influence on our childhoods. (Mine is Sleeping Beauty (1959), which I grew up watching on VHS throughout the nineties.) Even today, children are still growing up watching Disney films.

Disney is continuing with its successful films about princesses and magic, but more live-action remakes of the classics are in development rather than brand new animated tales.

It seems we can’t stop loving the old stories. Or, perhaps the old-fashioned animations don’t fascinate the iPad-savvy kids of today.

WHAT REMAKES ARE COMING NEXT?
With rumours of The Lion King being remade as a live-action, I didn’t realise how many more are in the pipeline until I looked into it.

Most recently, the trailer for the film Mowgli was released by Warner Brothers.
(Although, does anyone else feel like this is an identical remake of Disney’s live-action The Jungle Book? Read about the twin movie phenomenon here.)

See if your favourite Disney picture is being remade as a live-action below.
Which one are you most excited for?

Christopher Robin (2018)
Remake of: Disney’s Winnie the Pooh (1966)
Although not my cup of tea, I appreciate that Winnie the Pooh is close to the hearts of many, and after watching the trailer (please see below) I expect to cry all the way through it anyway. This live-action film is directed by Marc Forster and will be released this coming August. Christopher Robin is all grown up in this film, and will be played by Ewen McGregor.

Mary Poppins Returns (2018)
Sequel to: Mary Poppins (1964)
Emily Blunt will star as Mary Poppins in Mary Poppins Returns, which is to be released at Christmas time this year. That’s 54 years after the original live-action Mary Poppins film, which is the longest gap between live-action film sequels in history. It’ll also star the beloved Julie Walters, Colin Firth, Meryl Streep and Ben Whishaw. While not technically a remake, it is a live-action sequel of the beloved Mary Poppins.

Dumbo (2019)
Remake of: Dumbo (1941)
(Yeah, I’m put off by the above image too.) Dumbo, the live-action remake, will be released in March 2019 and directed by Tim Burton. Burton is a natural choice because he began his career on Disney’s Fox and the Hound (1981), co-produced James and the Giant Peach before directing Alice in Wonderland (2010) and Alice through the Looking Glass (2016). Dumbo will star Colin Farell, Michael Keaton and Danny DeVito.

Aladdin (2019)
Remake of: Aladdin (1992)
To be released in May 2019, this live-action remake will be directed by Guy Ritchie, co-written by John August (Big Fish) and will feature Will Smith as the genie (I miss Robin Williams!). However, there has been some controversy regarding casting, with complaints from fans of ‘white-washing’ after non-Arab, non-Middle Eastern actors were cast.

The Lion King (2019)
Remake of: The Lion King (1994)
To be released in July 2019, I’m sure this is one of the most anticipated live-action Disney films since the release of the animation in 1994. Directed by Jon Favreau (Elf) with Donald Glover cast as Simba, Beyonce as Narla, and Billy Eichner and Seth Rogan as Timon and Pumbaa respectively.

Mulan (2020)
Remake of: Mulan (1998)
I get told off frequently when I admit that I haven’t seen the original animated Mulan, but I hear it is a favourite for many. The storyline is different to all other Disney princess fairytales after all. Not much is known about the film yet but casting for Mulan appears to have been a bit of a drag as casting took place across five continents and 1000 people were auditioned for the iconic part. The director is New Zealand’s very own Niki Caro.

Cruella (TBC)
Spin off of: One Hundred and One Dalmatians (1961)
We know jack about Cruella de Vil so far, only that Cruella will be played by the amazing Emma Stone. Strange choice, but I have full confidence that Emma Stone will be brilliant.

There are even more live-action Disney films in early development including Pinocchio, another Snow White film called Rose Red, and a Cinderella-based film called Prince Charming.

There’s a Lady and the Tramp live-action/CGI version coming out in 2019. This is to be directed by Charlie Bean.

The Little Mermaid is being made into a live-action three times! The first one is to be released is a loosely-based indie version, which is to come out in 2019. Universal is working on a version with Richard Curtis as the writer and starring Chloe Moretz, and Disney is in extremely early talks about their film.

There’s also two Peter Pan films in the making: Peter Pan is to be directed by David Lowery, and fans are crossing their fingers hoping that Tom Hiddleston will be cast as Captain Hook. The second Pan film is Tinker Bell, featuring Reece Witherspoon (originally Elizabeth Banks) as Tink!

(Thanks to time.com for the tip offs!)

TIMELINE OF THE DISNEY CLASSICS:
Which is your childhood favourite?

1937 – Snow White and the Seven Dwarves
1940 – Pinocchio
1941 – Dumbo
1942 – Bambi
1950 – Cinderella
– Disney’s first ever live-action film Treasure Island
1951 – Alice in Wonderland
1953 – Peter Pan
1955 – Lady and the Tramp
1959 – Sleeping Beauty
1961 – One Hundred and One Dalmatians
1964 – Mary Poppins (live-action)
1966 – Winnie the Pooh and the Honey Tree
– Walt Disney dies on December 15 of lung cancer
1967 – The Jungle Book
1970 – The Aristocats
1973 – Robin Hood
1981 – The Fox and the Hound
– First Disney home video released (Dumbo)
1989 – The Little Mermaid
1991 – Beauty and the Beast
1992 – Aladdin
1994 – The Lion King
1995 – Pocahontas, Toy Story
1996 – The Hunchback of Notre Dame, James and the Giant Peach, 101 Dalmations (live-action)
1997 – Hercules
– First Disney DVDs released
1998 – Mulan, A Bug’s Life
1999 – Tarzan, Toy Story 2
2000 – The Emperor’s New Groove, 102 Dalmatians (live-action)
2001 – Monsters, Inc.
2002 – Lilo & Stitch
2003 – Finding Nemo
2004 – The Incredibles
2006 – Cars
– Disney acquires Pixar studios
2007 – Ratatouille
2009 – Up, A Christmas Carol
2010 – Alice in Wonderland (live-action), Toy Story 3, Tangled
2012 – Wreck-It Ralph
2013 – Oz: The Great and Powerful (live-action), Monsters University, Frozen
2014 – Big Hero 6
2015 – Cinderella (live-action), Inside Out, Brave
2016 – The Jungle Book (live-action), Alice Through the Looking Glass (live-action), Finding Dory, The BFG (live-action), Moana
2017 – Beauty and the Beast (live-action)
2018 – The Incredibles 2
2019 – Toy Story 4, Frozen 2

Along with the classics are well-known stories with a twist: Saving Mr Banks is the heartwarming ‘behind the scenes’ story of Mary Poppins, while Maleficent is about the villain in Sleeping Beauty, and Into the Woods is a jumble of well-known fairytale characters in a musical.

Top 10: Best Wedding Films

As I am in the wedding spirit, I decided to indulge in some wedding films. But which ones are worth watching, and which ones are simply too cringe? As it turns out, most of them aren’t worth watching.

With intentions to watch every wedding film in the movie industry, I unfortunately failed after seeing five wedding film fails in a row. It was torture. So instead of my original idea of writing a wedding film directory, it has now been split into two posts:

Top 10 best wedding films, and Top 5 worst wedding films. (I couldn’t endure watching anymore bad movies, hence the shorter list.)

So here we go, welcome to the land of Jennifer Lopez and Julia Roberts. Here are the wedding movies that I say ‘I do!’ to:

Bridesmaids (2011)
The best wedding film, not to mention best comedy of all time. I can not stop watching this movie. Everything that could go wrong does go wrong in the lead up to Lillian’s (Maya Rudolpf) wedding, mostly at the expense of poor Annie (Kirsten Wiig), Lillian’s best friend. It is absolutely hilarious and a movie you could watch on repeat. Forever.

The Wedding Singer (1998)
One of my favourite comedies of all time with a brilliant soundtrack! Don’t let Adam Sandler put you off either, this is one of his few good films. It’s about a hopeless romantic Robbie (Adam Sandler) who is a wedding singer. But after his bride-to-be ditches him on his wedding day, he falls into a downward spiral. Meanwhile, Julia (Drew Barrymore) is looking for a wedding singer for her upcoming wedding and befriends Robbie in his time of need.

My Best Friend’s Wedding (1997)
This is such a scandalous film actually. Probably a bit underrated. Unlike most rom-coms, the protagonist (Julia Roberts) is the baddie! Trying to break up her best friend’s wedding so that she can confess her love to him. It’s quite an exciting film.

Bride Wars (2009)
Sassy, catty and shrew! Bride Wars is about two best friends (Anne Hathaway and Kate Hudson) who are both desperate for the same venue. The claws soon come out and the cracks begin to show in their friendship. It’s an easy watch and I love the vengefulness of the bridezillas.

Wedding Crashers (2005)
While it’s crudely about John (Owen Wilson) and Jeremy (Vince Vaughn) crashing random weddings to get lucky, it’s certainly a very funny film once everyone’s put their boobs away. What begins as just another wedding to find a fling, ends with John developing a genuine crush on Maid of Honour Claire (Rachel McAdams). Meanwhile, Jeremy is trying to convince John to escape the wedding early as Claire’s wildly intense and immature sister Gloria (Isla Fisher) forms a strong attachment to Jeremy.

The Proposal (2009)
The Proposal is about a successful book editor Margaret (Sandra Bullock) is no longer able to work at her job in the USA because she’s Canadian. However, she manipulate her secretary Andrew (Ryan Reynolds) into marrying her so that she can keep her job. However, if Andrew’s going to get married, he’s determined to do it on his terms – she must meet the parents. It’s nice to see a female protagonist in a strong role, but imagine if the gender roles were reversed. Could you imagine the backlash?

The Wedding Planner (2001)
Revenge is served cold. Or in this case, rather sweetly. The Wedding Planner is about J-Lo’s character Mary who finds herself as the wedding planner of the man she’s been dating (Matthew McConaughey). He’s been cheating on her this whole time, but she doesn’t let the bride-to-be know and continues with the wedding plans, taking every opportunity to embarrass the groom-to-be.

27 Dresses (2008)
I’m not totally in love with Katherine Heigl, so I would prefer it if a different actor played her part, but it’s an enjoyable enough film anyway. It’s about always being the bridesmaid and never the bride. It’s a fun and easy watch for sure.

My Big Fat Greek Wedding (2002)
I refreshed my memory of this film recently, and I have to say that while it is quite funny, I’m not really sure what the storyline even is. There’s no ‘absolute low’, or major conflict that the hero has to bounce back from. It’s quite a dry story, really. But it is funny in a lot of scenes.

Monster in Law (2005)
Monster in Law is about an over-bearing mother in-law who tries to break her son and his fiancee (Jennifer Lopez) up. But the mother in-law is so over theatrical that it’s quite difficult to watch without cringing. J-Lo is an odd choice, but it stars Wanda Sykes so that makes up for it. It’s a tad too Americanny for my taste really, but it’s pretty funny anyway.

Keep an eye-out for the sequel to this post – Top 5 Worst Wedding Films.

Don’t forget that Prince Harry’s and Meghan Markle’s Royal Wedding is this Saturday (19 May)!

Looking Forward to: Incredibles 2

I thoroughly enjoyed Incredibles. I wouldn’t say I’m a die-hard fan, but I’d definitely like to see this sequel when it graces our cinemas on June 15 – a mere five days before my birthday. A coincidence? I think not.

Incredibles 2 features all our favourite characters – Edna Mode being our favourite of course. But there is a vast array of new characters too, including ‘Winston Deavor’ voiced by Breaking Bad‘s Saul Goodman (AKA Bob Odenkirk).

However, there are a couple of actor swaps. One is Breaking Bad‘s Mike (AKA Jonathan Banks) who is now voicing ‘Rick Dicker’ after Bud Luckey passed away in February 2018.

Also, 10-year-old Dash who was voiced by Spencer Fox in the first film has been replaced by Huck Milner because Fox’s voice had since deepened.

The characters have not aged in the sequel, in fact, the plot of Incredibles 2 begins exactly where the first film left off, with a giant mole super villain causing trouble.

According to Wikipedia, the storyline follows the petition for ‘Supers’ to become legal crimefighters once again. But until that happens, the Parrs continue to fight away from the public eye. Meanwhile, baby Jack-Jack discovers his powers.

Who else is excited? Here’s the first official trailer:

Why I Love the Harry Potter Franchise

“Merlin’s beard! You must be Harry Potter!”

Harry Potter has been a name I have been familiar with since the age of six. My uncle in Scotland rang my mum to ask if she had heard of a series that’s rising in popularity, a series about a magical boy with glasses. She hadn’t. None of us had really, not down here in New Zealand where we were simply surrounded by Ringers (Lord of the Rings fans).

Despite the first Harry Potter book being released in 1997, we got our first copy from my uncle in 2000. But it wasn’t until my eighth birthday that I really became familiar with Harry Potter, as I was gifted the VHS of Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone. I remember being so excited that I tried to watch it before school, and I couldn’t wait to get back home to finish it.

That’s when I knew, yes, it was that day when I released that I would grow up, not to become a Gleek (Glee fan), nor a Twi-hard (Twilight fan), nor a Trekkie (Star Trek fan) or a fully fledged Whovian (Dr. Who fan). No. I was destined to be a Potterhead.

Despite never receiving my Hogwarts acceptance letter by Owl Mail on my 11th birthday, I still retained my love for the magical world and my increasing boredom with the muggle world.

THE DETAILED WORLD OF HARRY POTTER

I’ve read the Harry Potter books, and continue to reread them. I’ve watched every Harry Potter film and continue to re-watch them. I find them to be the perfect form of escapism; it’s easy to get lost in a world when it is so well thought through and detailed.

The dialogue

But what really keeps me hooked, is the language. It’s authentic and entertaining to say the least.

“…by behaving like a babbling, bumbling band of baboons!” – Professor McGonagall

The language incapsulates emotion in the magical world.

“What’s got your wand in a knot?” – Hermione

At other times, it’s enlightening:

“Happiness can be found in the darkest of times, if one only remembers to turn on the light.” – Dumbledore

The magical language is not just reserved for spells, it’s a part of everyday dialogue for the characters without alienating the audience. Which, as naff as you may think it is to make up wizarding words, is pretty clever.

The names

Even down to the character names; they perfectly suit their personalities. They give a hint to their characteristics immediately: Rita Skeeter, Argus Filch, Snape, Draco Malfoy, Luna Lovegood, Rubeus Hagrid… They all ‘conjure up’ accurate assumptions to the characters’ personalities.

The house names have the same incredible representations and familiarities to the personalities of its members too:

Hufflepuff: A fluffy name. Makes me think of air-heads and kind, friendly students
Slytherin: Sly, sneaky, mean and untrustworthy students
Ravenclaw: Wise, clever and knowledgeable students
Gryffindor: Brave leaders, helpful and courageous students

The creatures and magical objects

All the different bits and bobs of the wizarding world like Butterbeers and remembralls and time-turners.

Or creatures like Hippocrates (who are vain part-horse, part-bird creatures) and thestrals (who are skeletal, leathery, winged horses that can only be seen by witches and wizards who have witnessed death), along with cruel merpeople (mermaids), cheeky pixies, dangerous trolls and friendly ghouls.

Spells and potions

The spells and potions at Hogwarts are unfathomable. How much thought has gone into make them so unquestionably natural and perfectly believable?

Polyjuice potion, amortentia (love potion), Felix Felicis (liquid luck)… The list goes on.

“By your age, he could turn a whistle into a watch and have it sing you the time.” – Alastor Mad-Eye Moody

All of these things have created a watertight world, which has attracted a mass of Potterheads. I think it’s at the very least, an environment to gain inspiration for budding writers, and a safe place for dizzy daydreamers.

Considering it all began in a small cafe called The Elephant House in Edinburgh – where I have visited in order to be inspired by a multi-million pound story idea – Harry Potter is not just about the boy who lived. But about JK Rowling – a single mother who was grieving the loss of her own mum while living on benefits. She’s the woman who made it.

POTTERMORE

Did you know there is a place on the internet just for Potterheads? It’s called Pottermore. The website will sort you into a house, work out your Patronus Charm, and a wand will choose you. For example:

I was placed in the house of Hufflepuff, which I think was well-suited because it’s for kind and gentle people who are a bit dim and not particularly brave. Of course, there are exceptions to the rule like Cedric Diggory and Nymphadora Tonks who are both brave Hufflepuffers.

“EXPECTO PATRONUM!” (Translates to English as “I AWAIT A GUARDIAN!”)
My Patronus Charm is of a St. Bernard dog:
Despite its large and intimidating size, the St. Bernard is known to be kind, loving, and gentle. Great with families and very loyal, the St. Bernard will always be by your side. They are quick to protect family members who may be in danger and often act as a guardian for those around them. Strong and powerful due to their size, the St. Bernard will fight off Dementors and stand by you, come what may.

I believe this to be ill-suited because I think I should have had a horse, like Ginny Weasley’s Patronus.

The wand that chose me is made of alder wood with a Unicorn hair core, it’s 11 ¼” long and has a surprisingly swishy flexibility.
“Alder is an unyielding wood, yet I have discovered that its ideal owner is not stubborn or obstinate, but often helpful, considerate and most likeable.”

Of course if you’re not a massive Potterhead, you can always enjoy the memes it has produced. I recommend following @HogwartsLogic on Twitter and Facebook.

There has been an extraordinary amount of Harry Potter-inspired gifs and memes, which will make you giggle.

And a few ‘dad jokes’ too.

My Favourite Advert: Lloyds Bank – Black Horses

I’m a sucker for brilliant television adverts. I know they’re only doing it to sell us something, but you can’t deny the talent behind them. Therefore, I’m embarrassed to say that I am writing this review on a bank’s TV advertisement by choice, and sadly not being paid.

My favourite advert at the moment is the Lloyds Bank advert with the black horses running up the beach. Not only because they’re beautiful horses (I love horses), but because the perfect song they have matched it to.

If you haven’t seen it, this is it. Turn the sound up, and don’t be afraid to cry a bit. A lot.

Before this most recent one, there was their advert showing their iconic black horse running through the lives of people just as they’re making the next big step in their lives. Having a baby, proposing, funerals – special moments that require money.

I was concerned for the horse’s feet as they were running on concrete. I assumed it must have all been green screen, but actually the horses are running on either rubber matting or they are wearing rubber horse shoes to provide cushioning.

Here’s how they made it:

(While the horses are very well trained, they don’t always stick to the director’s notes:)

However, my favourite Lloyds advert will forever be this one. Mostly because of the final scene of the horse hacking it up the beach with school kids racing after it. I think I love it partly because it looks like a New Zealand beach, but it’s actually a beach in Wales – Rhossili Bay in Swansea.

I like emotional, melancholy adverts that are a bit nostalgic. I guess it’s pretty easy to get this effect though – slow motion footage against touching music. Still a brilliantly choreographed set of adverts.

PS. I’m proud to say that I have met one of these beautiful black horses in the flesh. It’s the one cantering through the forest in one of the commercials above. He’s an Andalusian and visited Dorset last year at the Dorchester show.

My Favourite Characters: Jess and Nick in New Girl

new girl zooey and nick at the wedding scene

The characters who make it cool to be weird and poor (respectively).

In the TV show New Girl, (at least the first three seasons of it anyway), I have found it to be a faint source of inspiration. Getting the kind of security you get after watching Miranda, Bridget Jones, and Maggie Jacobs from Extras.

Jessica Day
Overly positive, cupcake-lover, animal-adorer and singer-of-songs. Jess is upbeat and away with the fairies most of the time. And despite her Bridget Jones-esk ‘flaws’, she makes it cool to be weird. I like being weird scene - Zooey in New Girl And relatable – even during the first episode that covers her break-up with Spencer, where she cries uncontrollably while watching Dirty Dancing six times a day. Although, when I watched Dirty Dancing on repeat, all I realised was that I really don’t like that movie… I think it’s really over-hyped.

Of course, Zooey is actually super pretty, and Hollywood obviously began to interfere by the time series three rolled around. But I’m going to keep hold of the image of the quirky, tea-obsessed protagonist who made There is no more tea scene Zooey in New Girl it to the screen. And was popular.

I’m gonna end up alone. I’m gonna be a single old lady, flashing people on the subway.

Nick Miller
Writers don't read. We write. New Girl scene with Nick Miller Overly negative, turtle-faced pessimist with a low-paid job. Nick is laid-back, and keeps the balance of the squad with his realist responses.
During my time being basically unemployed, Nick Miller made it cool to have aspirations of being a writer of zombie stories without actually doing much to pursue it…

What is money anyway? It’s just paper.

Nick’s interest in time travel and zombies makes him cool in my book anyway.

—

The scripts are written really well, and these two actors carry off the comedy spectacularly. Especially since a lot of it is physical comedy.

And I leave you with the season one teaser…

Perhaps I do take too much guidance from fiction… Sigh.

Jodie

Looking forward to: Suffragette

Suffragette film poster

I have watched every teaser, trailer, clip and interview to do with this movie. I am so excited to see it.

Suffragette is based on a group of British women in the late 19th century and early 20th century who demanded gender equality. Their political action shook the system, which goes to show what a threat they were to the societal hierarchy.

We break windows, we burn things because war is the only language men listen to… We’re half the human race, you can’t stop us all.
We will win. – Carey Mulligan’s character

96% of Hollywood directors are men, 74% of leading roles go to men. But in Suffragette the main cast includes Carey Mulligan, Helena Bonham Carter, Anne-Marie Duff, Meryl Streep… Not to mention the writers and director – all women. How refreshing – they practice what they preach.

Suffragette is more than a film, though. It’s a story about women, told by women. And, it’s made such an impact because films mirror our society – and we can see ourselves in this story.

Suffragette film protest on the red carpet We’ve reacted to it – even on the red carpet at the film’s premiere, there were demonstrations fully welcomed by the cast. And now: I’m writing about it. Just from seeing the trailer, it has inspired me.

Of course, this goes way beyond Hollywood. ‘Equal pay for equal work’ is something that is demanded in every occupation. Even more shocking is that it’s been an issue for a long time, with a giant leap made in the 60s documented in Made in Dagenham.

…we got to demand a level playing field and rates of pay which reflect the job you do, not whether you got a dick or not!

I’m no psychologist, sociologist, scientist or analyst, but it’s pretty sad that there is still so much inequality. Nevertheless, I am stunned by what a huge impact a film can have on our perception of society. Incredible! Carey mulligan in Suffragette film

On a shallower note… I AM SO PSYCHED TO SEE CAREY MULLIGAN IN THIS ROLE. And I adore Meryl Streep. SO EXCITED. (But where is Emma Thompson and Emily Blunt..?)

Anyway, until New Zealand plays Suffragette on BOXING DAY (while everybody else gets it this month) adieu!

Jodie.

Top 5: Forgotten Music Videos

Forgotten music videos from the 90s These may have slipped your memory because they are from the late 90s/early 2000s. But for some, they are embedded in childhood brains.

Here It Goes Again by OK GO
Don’t tell me you weren’t mesmerised by their choreography using treadmills. Or at least fascinated by their costumes.

Weapon of Choice by Fatboy Slim
A favourite of my parental’s. Played on repeat throughout my impressionable years.

Praise You by Fatboy Slim
A favourite of mine. Their dancing reminds me of my current style of expressive dance that I like to impress people with at nightclubs. I actually didn’t realise Praise you and Weapon of Choice were by the same artist until just now…

Freestyler by Bomfunk MC’s
My brother’s favourite song, played on repeat in the car. Everywhere. Great video though.

Sophie by Goodshirt
From us Kiwis comes ingenuity. One shot. Straight through. Who can be bothered with editing? So why not just… Let the camera roll. Well done, guys. A humble and funny video.

What do you reckon? Basically, I like quirky videos.

Oh! Weezer’s Say It Ain’t So video was narrowly cut out! I love how the singer pauses to take a sip of milk. That’s it. Fantastic moment.

Jodie.

Top 4: Favourite Christmas Songs

Best Christmas songs

I’m honestly not a massive fan of festive music. However, here are four (and a half) songs in my December play list:

Baby, It’s Cold Outside
Written by Frank Loesser in 1944, the original was sung by Ricardo Montalban and Esther Williams, which I just think is a gorgeously dramatic and almost comedic rendition. I love this!

Although the second part is by Betty Garrat and Red Skelton, their version just looks creepy…

However, the first version I heard was by Zooey Deschanel and Leon Redbone, which I heard in the hilarious movie, Elf.

Updated 2015: Just found this song done by Sharon Van Etten and Rufus Wainwright (he’s on the Moulin Rouge soundtrack)… This is definitely awesome.

Lady Gaga and the handsomely dashing Joseph Gordon-Levitt have done a cover of it too, but I don’t think it was that great…

—
December Will Be Magic Again
Okay, sure, Kate Bush is a little on the peculiar side, but so is Fiona Apple and Joanna Newsom, and yet we have enjoyed their music. Or at least covers of their songs like when The Decemberists covered Newsom’s song: Bridges And Balloons. So, give Kate a chance with this one, please.

I found it the most magical song to listen to, particularly when reading the lyrics along with the song. Her stories are so enchanting.

Upon the black-soot icicled rooves,
Ooh, and see how I fall.
See how I fall…

Come to cover the lovers.
(But don’t you wake ’em up.)
Come to sparkle the dark up.
(With just a touch of make-up.)
Come to cover the muck up.
(Ooh, with a little luck.)

—
Merry Christmas Everybody
Written and composed by Slade in 1973 – I love this song. It’s a tad melancholy, but I think Christmas can be slow, reflective time of year anyway.

—
Sleigh Ride
Composed by Leroy Anderson during a heat wave in 1946, the lyrics were written by Mitchell Parish in 1950.

However, my favourite version is by KT Tunstall. She’s made it rockier.

—

Just as a side note, although not a Christmas song as such, 17 by Kings of Leon weirdly makes me think of Christmas..? Maybe it’s just the use of bells.

So those are a few to add to your play list this Christmas! Enjoy!
Jodie.

Top 3: Favourite Festive Films

My Favourite Festive Films The holidays are nigh!

Here in New Zealand there will be no snow. No cold nights indoors by the fire. No hot roast dinners at three in the afternoon. Because it’s summer during December. We have humid tropical rain storms, and barbecues on the deck or on the beach.

It’s horrible.

So! I reminisce about white Christmases and relate to fellow Scrooges and Grinches by watching my top three favourite December flicks.

Because I haven’t reviewed any of these movies before, I’ll create short reviews in this piece.

A Christmas Carol
Director: Robert Zemeckis
Writer: Charles Dickens
Released: 2009
Featuring: Jim Carrey, Gary Oldman, Collin Firth and Bob Hoskins
—

“Humbug!”

An enchanting tale directed by one of my favourites: Robert Zemeckis (Forrest Gump and Back to the Future) using motion capture – like Time Burton’s Alice in Wonderland.

Charles Dicken’s novel, A Christmas Carol (published in 1843), was brought to life with every bit of wonder, magic and fantastical detail intact.

Scrooge was perfectly played by the comical Jim Carrey. Carrey played multiple characters including all three ghosts: Christmas Past, Present and Future. Some scenes were pretty scary, and other scenes were really comedic; Carrey plays both genres easily.

I remember seeing this at the movies when it came out. It was extraordinary in 3D.

Jodie’s rating: 8.5/10

——————————————————-

The Polar Express
Director: Robert Zemeckis (Again! Genius.)
Writer: Chris Van Allsburg
Released: 2004
Featuring: Tom Hanks and Josh Hutcherson (before he was cool)
—

Another motion capture film by Robert Zemeckis!

The Polar Express is about a child (Josh Hutcherson) who has serious doubts in the existence of Santa, and the magic of the holidays is slowly fading for him. One Christmas eve, the deafening sound of a train wakes him up. It’s the Polar Express destined for the North Pole.

I think it is such a magical film. Along the way, the most bizarre things happen, with some beautiful shots. My favourites being the ‘hot chocolate’ scene where the children on the train are served hot cocoa in the most extravagant way!

My second favourite scene is when we follow the journey of a lost train ticket: out the window with the wind, settling on the snow before being kicked up by a pack of wolves, snatched by a swooping eagle… In 3D it was fantastic.

My favourite characters include the ‘hobo’ (Tom Hanks), and the two train drivers. But the conductor (also Tom Hanks) has some great lines. Hanks has the best voice for children’s stories.

“One thing about trains: it doesn’t matter where they’re going. What matters is deciding to get on.” – Conductor

Jodie’s rating: 8.5/10

——————————————————-

Dr Seuss’ How the Grinch Stole Christmas
Director: Ron Howard
Writer: Dr. Seuss
Featuring: Jim Carrey
Released: 2000
—

A comedy about the Grinch: a Christmas-hating recluse. The story explores the idea of commercialism and what Christmas is really about. Despite this heavy, typical ideology, it’s such a pick-me-up story.

“Max help me… I’m feeling!”

It’s bright, absurd, funny and crazy! I love it.

[opens phone book] Alphabetically! Aadvarkian Abakeneezer Who, I… HATE YOU!
Aaron B. Benson Who, I hate you.
[looking into book]
Hate, hate, hate. Hate, hate, hate. Double hate…
LOATHE ENTIRELY!

Probably the best family Christmas comedy.

Jodie’s rating: 8/10

Despite these being my favourites, they all have a 6 or 7/10 on imdb… Perhaps I don’t have good taste in Christmas entertainment.

I think the best festive films are enchanting, magical and a tad bizarre. Which is why I picked these, and not the likes of Frozen or Bad Santa.

Anywho!

Have a jolly time.
Jodie.

My Idol: Karl Pilkington

Karl Pilkington - head like an orange Yes, we all know he has a head as round as an orange and we know he’s not the brightest bulb in the tanning bed. But he certainly comes out with some very interesting views of the world.

“Parrots have gone a bit quiet since pirates have gone.“

He’s really funny on The Ricky Gervais Show. But my favourite video of him is when he talks about the fridge he has to replace here:

You may have seen him in Idiot Abroad. He’s so comically underwhelmed with everything.

“I came face-to-face with a gorilla which was quite good, but it was a 10-hour trek in bad weather, up hills, covered in mud, with mosquitoes everywhere and when we got there the gorilla’s just sat there doing nowt.”

Bullshit man - Karl Pilkington And he comes up with pretty amazing superhero ideas… Like Bullshit Man (check it out on youtube):

I’d be bullshit man. There’s so many meetings going on where, you know people are bullshitting. I’d just like to walk in. I wouldn’t need a special costume, just dressed like this and I would fly in and I’d go, “Bullshit. He’s talking bullshit.” And they’d go, “Oh. He’s Bullshit Man.” And I’d go, “Yea. It is Bullshit Man. You’re talking bullshit.” And eventually, people would stop talking bullshit. Anything that’s going on in the world: A bloke selling a car that’s knackered, and he’s going to say it’s a great one, and it’s – *whoosh* – “Bullshit!”

You won't get anything done by planning - Karl Pilkington I like him because on the surface, you could say he’s dim. But, I actually think he’s interesting. Plus, he makes me feel better about saying stupid things. He’s taught me that you can get away with saying anything if you’re committed and keep a straight, gormless, emotionless face.

“If you keep talking, your mouth will come out with stuff.”

I like Karl Pilkington. He makes me feel happy. I just want to hang out with him for a coffee. And stare at him while he talks about his ideas and perceptions of the world. He seems like a kind and genuine person.

Jodie.

PS. Here is a photo of my uncle. I can see some resemblance. And before you ask, ‘yes’, he is holding a bag of cheese.
Karl Pilkington lokkalike

My Favourite Character: Elaine Benes

Sassy, smart, cynical, silly and hysterical! Seinfeld‘s Elaine Benes is just the coolest. She’s confident and crazy, yet successful and feminine.

Seinfeld is my favourite TV series because it is based on nothing. It’s just four people going about their lives, focussing on the odd things that happen from day to day. From these occurrences comes addictive catch-phrases that I’m sure you’ve heard before. “Serenity now!” “Festivus for the rest of us!”

Please refer to this extensive list for the full collection of Seinfeld phrases.

Elaine (Julia Louis-Dreyfus) is my favourite character because she’s one of the guys, without compromising her femininity. She’s independent, a successful writer with a thriving social life.

Yes, she’s promiscuous, but she always ends up with the upper-hand in every relationship. I don’t think there’s an episode where she is genuinely upset when a relationship ends.

I love her because she is so negative about everyone and everything, yet she still manages to make hilarious, witty remarks about every situation without making herself appear egotistical.

“I had to take a sick day, I’m so sick of these people.”

Julia Louis-Dreyfus plays her SO well. I can’t imagine anyone else doing a better job. She’s versitile and does comedy so well.

Have you seen some of the weird faces she pulls? Or even Elaine’s dancing! Louis-Dreyfus is so talented, and so hilarious.

Also, her hair is spectacular.

I love Seinfeld. I love Elaine. *Sigh*

Jodie.

My Idol: Paloma Faith

I have always been a fan of Paloma Faith because she was funny on chat shows, and her singles I heard on the radio were catchy. However, I have since become a slightly more dedicated fan.

I have done my research: Paloma Faith Blomfield is 33 years-old and she grew up less than an hour away from where I grew up in England. She also has an overbite like I do. So I’m clinging on to the idea that if I had stayed in England, and despite my crooked teeth, I would have become a pop star. Just like Paloma.

*Heavy breathing*

She seems so humble and so much fun to be around! If I could party with any star, it would be Paloma.

Paloma’s always done what she wanted. I don’t think she’s ever had a boring job, from a magician’s assistant to a trained cocktail waitress. And she never even meant to be a pop star! She wanted to be a movie director.

Yes. We are both huge film fans.

Her voice is spectacular. She almost sounds gospel-like and is influenced by 50s and 60s music. She’s like Amy Winehouse, Duffy, Florence Welch and Adele mixed into one.

Yes. We are both huge 50s/60s music fans.

Paloma loves fashion and always wears bold outfits (like a conservative Lady Gaga). Therefore, I have bought a 40s style hat. That I now wear.

I love her confidence and how witty she is. Also, she sounds like my nan so I just feel a warm wave of nostalgia every time she talks.

I hope to go to one of her concerts one day!

Also, I’m pretty sure we would be best friends.

I feel like I’m sounding like a creepy stalker.

Jodie

My favourite song of Paloma’s at the moment: