Girl Week: The Leading Ladies of 2016

For the second year running, king of blogathons Dell at Dell on Movies is dedicating this week to movies with female protagonists. It’s Girl Week! From 21st - 27th November he’s aiming to post every single day, so be sure to bookmark his blog if you aren’t already to check his posts out. Dell has been kind enough to ask us all to contribute to this special week, so I thought I’d put together a list of my favourite leading ladies of movies released this year, so far at least!

It was actually quite shocking looking through my film journal for the year and seeing just how few of those movies have a woman in the leading role. Nonetheless, there are a few, and plenty others I haven’t actually seen yet, so let’s kick this off shall we?

Amy Adams (Nocturnal Animals, Arrival)

I didn’t think I would love an Amy Adams character any more than Mary in The Muppets. That probably sounds sarcastic, but I love that movie so much. So no, I didn’t think she could top that for me, and then November came along and brought not one, but two movies with Amy Adams as the lead, and she plays completely different roles in each. Susan in Nocturnal Animals is cold, and cruel, whereas Louise in Arrival is warm and kind, someone we can look up to. November 2016 shall forever be remembered as Amy Adams month in my eyes.

Mila Kunis, Kathryn Hahn & Kristen Bell (Bad Moms)

Too many times it’s been said that women can’t be funny. When the trailer for Bad Moms came out though I felt apprehensive. After the deeply disappointing How to be Single, this looked like the typical comedy where the only funny moments are in the trailer. Yet I think Bad Moms surprised a lot of people in the end. It’s funny from start to finish, with several scenes that had me holding my stomach to stop it from aching. Not only does this movie have an all-female leading cast, it has some great supporting actresses too!

Meryl Streep (Florence Foster Jenkins)

We can always count on the ever wonderful Meryl Streep to put on a good performance. Whilst Florence Foster Jenkins won’t make my Top 10 Movies of 2016 list, it’s still absolutely worth a watch just to see Meryl Streep do what she does best. It’s guaranteed to bring a smile to your face, and I still can’t comprehend just how difficult it must be to deliberately sing badly when you actually have an amazing amount of talent in that area.

Mary Elizabeth Winstead (10 Cloverfield Lane)

Until this year I’ve only seen Mary Elizabeth Winstead in smaller roles, and it wasn’t until after watching 10 Cloverfield Lane that I recognised her at all. She really holds her own as the leading character in this thriller. After being rescued/kidnapped and locked in a bunker, Mary plays a fighter trying to discover the truth, rather than a damsel in distress waiting to be rescued. It looks like she’s landed a big role in Season 3 of Fargo next year too, so I’m looking forward to that!

Kristen Wiig, Melissa McCarthy, Kate McKinnon & Leslie Jones (Ghostbusters)

Maybe it’s because I’d never seen the original (I have now) but I felt indifferent about the announcement of a remake of Ghostbusters. There was a lot of noise about an all-female cast and a lot of upset hardcore Ghostbusters fans, and then a rush to score the movie as low as possible days before it was even released. I loved it, for the record, and I watched the extended version with my family over the weekend and still loved it. Point proven, women are funny as hell!

Ellen Page & Allison Janney (Tallulah)

Tallulah is a movie that makes me so grateful for this blogging community, because I don’t think I would have even heard of it otherwise. I’d read glowing reviews and sometimes that’s all I need to go out (or stay in actually, this was on Netflix) and watch a movie straight away. Ellen Page might be the lead in this heartbreaking story about motherhood, but her co-star Allison Janney gives a performance just as strong.

So there you have it, my favourite leading ladies of the year so far. I’m sure if I re-visited this list at the end of year I’ll be adding at least Felicity Jones to it! Don’t forget to check out Dell’s blog to see his Girl Week posts.

Review: The Boss (2016)

I have been avoiding writing this review after hearing what people thought about The Boss but I love Melissa McCarthy and so I was still desperate to see it.

Michelle Darnell (Melissa McCarthy) is a big shot gazillionaire running a large corporation but gets arrested for insider trading and sent to prison,  Once she is released, she has nothing and ends up on the doorstep to her assistants (Kristen Bell) apartments looking for somewhere to stay.  Ultimately, she ends up setting up a better version of the Dandelions cookie sales with Claire's brownies.

As you can tell from my horrific blurb, the plot is terrible and it doesn't improve as it goes on but it was funny.  I laughed a lot (I can't confirm 100% that this wasn't down to the glass of wine I had beforehand or that I was with my funniest friend!) and one scene made me laugh to the point I couldn't catch my breath.  I'm certain that this wouldn't hold up on a second viewing (unless I was tipsy again) and I'm pretty sure that now I know how the plot ends I would find the whole thing even more ridiculous.

I wanted so badly to like this movie. I loved Melissa McCarthy in Bridesmaids, The Heat and Spy. When she's cast in a supporting role her loud and aggressive moments are hilarious, but given the lead role, it all gets too much for me. In fact, movies she's in turn into marmite for me, I either love them or hate them. I hated Identity Theft, hated Tammy, even St. Vincent which I know a lot of people loved. That left the score 3-3 until The Boss. You hated St Vincent?! But how?! All I even remember is she left her kid with a complete stranger for hours on end, and that alone annoyed me so much I stopped paying attention!

The trailer didn't sell the movie to me at all, in fact it was Jenna telling me about how much it made me laugh that got me to give it a chance. There was nothing funny about the opening scene, in fact the only time I really laughed was the bra moment, but I could stick it out for the brownie business, I wanted to see where that went. After a while I must have nodded off, because the next thing I remember was Melissa McCarthy and Peter Dinklage having a sword fight on the roof of a building. What?!

I'm struggling to rate this because the more I think about it the more I dislike it but when I watched it actually enjoyed it.  I certainly don't think this hits the comedy levels of McCarthy's collaborations with Paul Feig but I don't think much will.

The score was going to be 3-4 on my Melissa McCarthy movie, love it or hate it meter, but since writing this Ghostbusters has been released which I loved, leaving the score 4-4 now. Her next movie could go either way!

Review: Ghostbusters (2016)

Oh boy. I don’t think I’ve been this nervous about writing a review since, well ever actually. Let’s start a few months ago, when the first bits of news came out that Ghostbusters was getting an all-female remake. I’ve never seen any of the original movies (gasp!) and even as a woman myself couldn’t see the need for an all-female team, and the trailers that eventually came out had me feeling pretty ‘meh’ about the whole thing. We’ve had a fair number of reboots over the last few years, and the lucky few have had mediocre reviews.  I am still horrified that you haven't seen the original Ghostbusters!!

Of course, a few days before the release, IMDB and Letterboxd users rated the movie as low as possible, before they could even have a chance to watch the movie, which honestly winds me up more than is rational. I try not to judge a book by it’s cover, but I use sites like those to get a rough idea, and on the UK release day Ghostbusters had an abysmal score of 3.7 on IMDB. With a rare Monday night free and cheaper tickets at my local cinema, I thought ‘screw it’ and went to see it on the opening night.  Now I had seen the opposite, I hadn't looked as early as Allie so the annoying pre-reviewers had been overpowered by an array of positive reviews.  This unfortunately led to countless people coming out of the woodwork to state that Sony clearly had brought their reviews!! argh - why are people so annoying?!

Out of the Ghostbuster ladies, I’m only really familiar with two of them, Melissa McCarthy and Kristen Wiig, who were brilliant together in Bridesmaids (2011), so I had a little hope. I know Kate McKinnon and Leslie Jones are from Saturday Night Live, but we don’t get that show here in the UK, although something clicked half way through the movie when I recognised Leslie Jones as the technician who shouted at Kylo Ren in the Undercover Boss sketch, which led to me laughing out loud during a non-funny part of the movie.

Um, I gotta say as well, it certainly is something spectacular when Chris Hemsworth isn’t the hottest blonde in the room. Where has Kate McKinnon been my whole life? I had such a lady boner crush on her the whole time. She’s aloof, gorgeous, and fierce, and everything I want to be!  You may have to fight me for her, she was amazing!!

Anyway, I’m going off topic now. I think what I’m really trying to do is stall, because what I need to say is I really, really enjoyed watching Ghostbusters. Maybe it’s because I’ve never seen the original, maybe it’s because I was expecting something even worse than Independence Day: Resurgence, but it doesn’t matter because I had a blast. The jokes were funny, the special effects were hella-cool, and those ladies kicked ass. 

I have to disagree with Allie, it can't be because she hasn't seen the original because I have seen, and loved the original Ghostbusters and I still loved this.  It was a film of it's own, it wasn't a carbon copy of the originals but had enough easter eggs to keep me happy!  I feel like Allie needs to go and watch the originals and then watch the new one again and it will be like a whole new movie for her!

Chris Hemsworth playing a goofy receptionist was an absolute stroke of genius. He got guaranteed laughs every time he was on screen, but nothing was funnier than his interview for the job. I really don’t want to ruin the joke but I’m laughing just thinking about it. I wish I could get away with being as bad at my job as he is, though. Admittedly, I’ve pretended there’s a really bad line on the phone and hung up when someone on the other end is making absolutely no sense.   This was the first gag I mentioned to Allie when I had seen the film and spent Saturday evening (a bit tipsy) repeating it over and over while laughing hysterically.  I wish I could tell the joke because at this point this whole paragraph is a bit vague!

Look, I’m off topic again! I don’t know what else to say other than I hope people at least give this a chance. I’ll give the original Ghostbusters movies a watch at some point so I have some kind of comparison, and maybe that’ll change my mind, I definitely saw Jurassic World in a different light after finally watching Jurassic Park. And if you hate the cast, hate the new effects, maybe it’s worth watching for some pretty awesome cameos? I didn’t get them all of course, but I could make a pretty good guess when one showed up by everyone else’s reactions. Wait, what am I even talking about? Forget those guys, the best cameo (which isn’t even a cameo, it’s a small role) is DOPINDER. Dopinder, guys!!  This is where Allie lost me, the cameos throughout the whole film made me squeal and whack my Dad in the arm, I didn't even realise that Dopinder was Dopinder until Allie told me afterwards!!

I have to repeat that I loved this entirely as a movie of it's own.  The action was great and the comedy was really. At one point I laughed so much that I had tears in my eyes and missed about 3 other gags that followed.  Chris Hemsworth and Kate McKinnon were by far the highlights, I was a bit disappointed that they didn't utilise Melissa McCarthy's comedy genius more but she can't always be the centre of attention! Honestly I'm glad for that, she's driving me crazy lately and I was worried she'd be as annoying in this as she was in The Boss. She makes such a great supporting cast member, it's when she's the lead that it all goes wrong for me.

Oh, and stay till the end of the credits! Not just for the dancing, I promise, there’s actually a proper scene right at the end.

Review: St Vincent (2014)

This was my 'Looking Forward...' movie back in December but obviously I never got around to seeing it at the cinema.  Then I completely forgot about it, until a few weeks ago...

I was hunting for something to watch the other day when I stumbled across this. I had no idea what it was about, but I remembered it from Jenna's Looking Forward post!

Vincent is a miserable, alcoholic War veteran who only ventures out of him house to gamble or meet his regular (pregnant) prostitute.  Due to unforeseen circumstances he ends up looking after 12 year old Oliver from next door, after his parents divorce and his mom works all hours to support them.

Bill Murray is back at his best, a grouch!  He delivers his dark, dry humour effortlessly and without question is the highlight of this movie.  Melissa McCarthy tones down her usual style to play Oliver's downtrodden Mother, Maggie and thank god she did, she takes a big step back to let Murray own the show.  Had she had played her usual characters (The Heat, Tammy etc etc) she would completely ruined this dark comedy with nothing more than toilet humour!  The most surprising transformation though was Naomi Watts as prostitute/stripper Daka, I didn't recognise her at all for the first 20 minutes.

Honestly, I couldn't stand this film. It's rare for me to hate something but the whole film irritated me. Who in their right mind would let their child find their own way home from school in a brand new town, and then not bad an eyelid about leaving them with their alcoholic next door neighbour?! Melissa McCarthy did nothing for me at all, I much prefer her comedy roles...

Its great to see Murray back on top form and in a lead role, his and Oliver's budding friendships is easy and comical to watch, especially when he puts him to work mowing his dirt!  Chris O'Dowd's role as Oliver's teacher seemed a bit random to me, why was he actually in the movie, did it add any benefit.  It feels like he was just included as a way to set up the ending (and the title) with Oliver's school project. 

Him and Oliver were the only characters I really liked! His first scene where he's explaining the different religions in the class just cracked me up. It's exactly how it was in my Primary School, a class full of kids all with their own religions, but let's sing hymns about God!

I spent the whole film expecting it to go all gooey and sentimental, but instead they just threw Murray in there instead to mix it all up.  Which is why the ending disappointed me, they kept is dry, dark and hilarious all the way through, swerved sentimentality at every corner only to end on a soppy moment.  It didn't ruin it for me (i'm a sucker for a weepie) but it changed the tone of the whole film.  They should have brought it back with an inappropriate comment from Vincent, but no!

Brilliantly entertaining, great cast and hilarious.

Honestly, for me, this was an un-funny Bad Santa. At least with Christmas films I can accept the things that make little sense!

Review: Bridesmaids (2011)

There is something I really wanted to mention on this blog but with it being a movie blog, I feel like most things we write have to link back to a movie in one way or another, so I found a relevant movie to review!!

On the last Flick Chicks night out I was truly gobsmacked when Allie asked me to be her Bridesmaid, I didn't expect it at all but I was so excited and thrilled to say yes.  This will be my first time being a Bridesmaid as a grown up so I get all the fun of the hen do (bachelorette party for the Americans among us!) as well as the wedding -  happy days!! 

I'm so excited that you're turning this into a blog post! As my fellow Flick Chick you just absolutely have to be up there with me!

Anyway to make this relevant to this blog I have decided to review Bridesmaids, which I am surprised I haven't done sooner as I really do love this movie.  (I will the Melissa McCarthy character at Allie's wedding haha!! Oh lordy, I'm terrified for the dress shopping now!)

Annie's (Kirsten Wiig) best friend, Lillian (Maya Rudolph) is getting married and it's down to her to be her Maid of Honour, that is until Helen (Rose Byrne) steps in and starts to splash the cash and make Annie feel inadequate.  Add in the rest of the crazy bridesmaid cast and you've got yourself an all star comedy, the female Hangover if you will.

Side bar:  I feel like we need to learn the routine to Wilson Phillp's Hold on for all the Bridesmaids at your wedding - what do you reckon Allie? You know full well that I don't dance, and my Mum is already planning a flash mob dance which she'll no doubt get you involved in!

Sorry, veering a little off track there.  This film is hilarious and no matter how many times I watch it, I still find it ridiculously funny, it never seems to get one.  The chemistry between the group of Bridesmaids, including the amazing Melissa McCarthy, is brilliant.  Can I name a bad thing about this movie? not really!

Taking on rom-coms and wedding films galore this funfest kicks ass as well as showing the 'real' side of wedding planning, bachelorette parties and competitiveness streaks that affect many bridal parties in the run up to weddings.  Who wouldn't hate this 'new friend' that has turned up and is trying to take your Best Friend away from you?! Worse still, this new friend steals your ideas but has significant funds to take them one step further (I so would have destroyed the giant cookie at that point as well!).

The female version of every male ensemble movie ever made but with clever humour and a penchant for reality (and a bit of toilet humour thrown in for good measure).  You can't hate it, its too good!

There's nothing I can say here that Jenna hasn't already, and it's been far too long since I've seen this so there will have to be an extended Flick Chicks plus bridesmaids movie night where we can watch it together!

 

Mini Reviews: Tammy (2014), Cold in July (2014) & Secretary (2002)

I loved Melissa McCarthy in Bridesmaids and The Heat, so I felt like I owed it to her to watch Tammy. It’s your typical ‘something bad has happened so let’s go on a roadtrip’ kind of movie, which always makes me smile. There’s quite a few films like this out there, and I have to wonder, does this sort of thing happen in real life? I don’t think it is in the UK! It would cost us far too much in fuel to drive 600 miles on a limb.

Anyway, I’m rambling. Tammy started off okay, a few funny moments but nothing laugh out loud. My favourite moments were whenever Tammy knocked something over in a grump, which happened often. Sadly, it just went downhill and I stopped paying attention for the last 20 minutes.

I was missing Michael C Hall after getting used to watching him every night with my dinner for 4 months, catching up on Dexter. Cold in July seemed like the best way to get my fix. Honestly, I just couldn’t get out of my head that his character wasn’t actually Dexter. I think I ruined it a little for myself with that.

The film itself started really well and was full of suspense, starting with an intruder in the main character’s home, resulting in a murder. Unfortunately, from that point on it got terribly predictable, and the last half an hour didn’t make much sense. It was okay though, but that’s why it’s in my mini-review post, because it was ‘just ok’ and that’s all I really have to say.

I’m a woman, so of course I know what 50 Shades of Grey is. I’m also a blogger, so I’ve learnt that inspiration for 50 Shades also came from the 2002 film Secretary. It then became my duty to find out just how similar the two are. I’m not decided on whether I’ll see 50 Shades in the cinema yet (Jenna maybe we’ll have to go together?!) but at least I could watch Secretary in the comfort of my own home, and alone as I’d sent my other half out for a play date!

The emotional themes and issues were too close to home for me and I feel a little uncomfortable to really discuss those themes in a full review. Nonetheless, it was nice to see more of Maggie Gyllenhaal who I thought was fantastic in the film, especially as I’ve only ever seen her in minor roles.

Review: The Heat (2013)

This review has been sat in our draft list for ages, waiting for me to start it.  I don't know why I haven't finished it before now because it's such an easy film to write about. 

The Heat focuses on Mullins (Melissa McCarthy) a hard ass cop from Boston who chases down bad guys with watermelons and spends 10 minutes looking for her 'bosses teeny tiny girl balls' in his office and Ashburn (Sandra Bullock) a uptight FBI agent who no one likes and is solely focused on gaining a promotion.  They are paired together to find the elusive Mr Larkin, a major drug-lord.

Honestly I didn't even need to see a trailer for this, once I knew it was Sandra Bullock and Melissa McCarthy, I knew it would be comedy gold. I wondered if it might be a little too close to Miss Congeniality, but it wasn't at all.

I can't rate this film highly enough, I found it and still find it hilarious.  I howl with laughter throughout the entire bar scene (about half way through for those who haven't seen it) but my favourite bit by far is the DVD extras.  There is a full 20 minute scene of Mullins and Ashburn with the tape on their faces, taking shots and making jokes, I think I preferred this to the whole film! 

Oh, I could just watch those extras over and over again! I love that this isn't just a comedy for chicks either, every guy I've spoken to who has seen this loved it.

Plus there are extra scenes where they have tried different ways to do a scenes, particularly funny is the one where Ashburn smashed the beer glass in her hand.

I think I need a dedicated Sandra Bullock post soon, because I honestly haven't seen anything of hers that I haven't loved. She's just pure comedy gold, but does serious roles so well too.  I guess you haven't seen All about Stevie yet then?!

This is pretty predictable but I don't care, I know exactly what will happen and I will still watch it repeatedly.  I was less impressed with Sandra Bullock in this film, she has done much better comedy performances (Two weeks notice being my favourite) but Melissa McCarthy shines, as she always does and she steals every scene she's in.

I can't fault this film and I am bound to get some sort of abuse for this rating but I don't care.....

To anyone who hates on this film: