Review: Doctor Strange (2016) Spoiler Free

I spend so much time complaining about how long the UK has to wait for a lot of theatrical releases, so when it was announced that we were getting Doctor Strange early I made sure to take full advantage and see it in the first week! That said, I wasn’t sure how to feel about the movie before I went. There’s no escape from superhero movies lately, and I knew quite literally nothing about Doctor Strange. Turns out I just need to accept the fact that Marvel doesn’t make bad movies! I promise to keep this spoiler free.

Dr. Stephen Strange (Benedict Cumberbatch) is a fantastically skilled neurosurgeon, albeit fairly arrogant and cocky. A horrific car accident leads to Stephen damaging the nerves in his hands, leaving his career and mind in tatters. He learns of a miracle case where a man paralysed from the waist down learned to walk again, which brings Stephen to leaving his love interest Christine (Rachel McAdams) behind and travelling to Kathmandu. Here he meets Mordo (Chiwetel Ejiofor) and the The Ancient One (Tilda Swinton), who teaches him the ways of mystic arts.

First of all I have to say, if you get the chance to see this in IMAX, go for it. It’s rare that I even bother with 3D but I heard on the grapevine that Doctor Strange had some intense visuals, and I was so glad I listened. It’s mind bendy as hell, guys. I want to use the words ‘visually stunning’ but that’s normally my get out clause for a bad movie. You know, ‘the plot wasn’t great, but it was at least visually stunning’. Whatever the next level up from stunning is, this is it. I honestly feel like it’s a game changer in that department. I spent the whole of the opening sequence with my jaw on the floor.

Doctor Strange himself is a difficult character to warm to, he’s often rude and disrespectful, like a cross between Tony Stark and Benedict’s own Sherlock Holmes. That’s his nature though, and you really do see his character develop throughout the movie. Tilda Swinton is another stand out star here, there’s a lot of depth to her character and she surprisingly has quite a few funny moments. I haven’t seen much of Chiwetel Ejiofor but he shines on screen too, and you feel the moral struggle that he goes through. Mads Mikkelsen is a fantastic bad guy, but really, what did you expect?

Another reason I was wary of Doctor Strange was that it didn’t seem to have the potential for the amount of humour that Marvel packs into it’s movies so well (take note, Suicide Squad). However, although it isn’t the funniest movie in the Marvel universe, there were plenty of laugh out loud moments that were unexpected. The ever stone faced Wong (Benedict Wong) brings a lot of laughs, but oddly enough it’s Doctor Strange’s Cloak of Levitation that steals the limelight here!

I found the plot quite complex (I have a simple mind, though) and it had a few twists that I didn’t see coming. I’m certainly looking forward to seeing it again to fully get my head around the spiritual-ness of it.

My only real criticism would be the speed that the movie moves through the section of Strange training in Kamar-Taj. It can be forgiven, as this is an origin story with a lot of content to go through, but it looked so much fun. You still felt the passage of time through the changing outfits (which were all stunning), but I’d have loved more time during that part.

As always, stay till the very end of the credits when you see this. It pains me to see so many people getting up and leaving as soon as the credits roll, and then another wave leave after the mid credits scene. You’ve sat there for 2 hours guys, 5 more minutes won’t kill you! 

I am VERY excited about the mid credits scene, my mind wanted to explode at the possibilities of where Doctor Strange fits in with the other Marvel characters. Very excited indeed!

Review: About Time (2013)

I’ve been watching a lot of heavy movies recently, trying to catch up on a lot of the Oscar nominations. It’s exhausting! That’s how I found myself on a Sunday night looking for something light and fluffy that I could chill out with. After previously looking up Domhnall Gleeson’s filmography (for blog research purposes, of course) I remembered spotting a movie I’d been curious about for a while, About Time! How its taken you this long to watch this I do not know!!!!  Also, I think the real question here is how I have watched this film countless times and never reviewed it?!

Written by Richard Curtis (also responsible for Love Actually and Notting Hill), About Time is the story of Tim (Domhnall Gleeson), and his search for love after discovering at the age of 21 that the men in his family have the ability of time travel. It’s a premise I laughed about 3 years ago when I saw a trailer, but I have a much more open mind now. If you’re a huge sci-fi fan and love time travel theories, you’re going to need to switch off a little, but there’s enough to make the movie stand out from other romances without making itself look silly. Admittedly, the first time I watched this I did overthink the time travel stuff and tried to make it work in my head but once I gave up it was so much better!

All Tim needs to do to activate his powers is hide in a closet, clench his fists, and think hard about the specific time in his life that he wants to go back to. Whereas his Dad (Bill Nighy) used his power to read an inhuman number of books, shy Tim simply wants a girlfriend. He falls in love with his sister’s friend Charlotte (Margot Robbie) who is staying for 2 months, and finally professes his love on her last night with the family. When she tells him he waited too long and should have told her sooner, he does exactly that, only to be told to see how things go and come to her on her last night. Doh. Sorry men, us ladies can be annoying like that sometimes.  Oooh I really didn't like Charlotte, who wouldn't love Tim and his bumbling charm, foolish girl!!

This is what makes Tim leave his parent’s home in Cornwall and move to London to live with his Dad’s friend and pursue his career in Law. Only, the world of Law is male dominated, and Tim finds himself constantly stuck with his annoying colleague Rory (Joshua McGuire). A night out at a blind date in the dark restaurant changes everything when Tim meets Mary (Rachel McAdams), although Tim very quickly realises the problems with the butterfly effect when he travels back in time.

The first time I watched this, I felt the butterfly effect coming on and I was panicking, I really wanted him and Mary to get together.  I was convinced the whole time however that time travel was going to have a much bigger part in the film.  One of my favourite tag lines for the film was "A new funny film about love. With a bit of time travel." 

I won’t go any further into the story because it’s so much fun to watch it all unfold. I thought the 2 hour runtime would be far too long, but it moved along at such a fast pace I was actually a bit gutted when the credits rolled! I wouldn’t class About Time as a comedy as such, but there’s one scene in particular that had me laughing out loud so hard I cried. It was the combination of typical British weather on a majorly important day, and the dramatic, Italian music playing that was just pure comedic genius! Agreed, loved that scene! My favourite, had to be the repeated bedroom scene!

I still watch this over and over again, i still laugh, cry and fell completely gutted when its over.  Domnhall Gleeson provides perfect geeky charm, while Rachel McAdams is her usual lovable self.  Everything about it is just perfect.

This could have been such a cliche movie, but it’s like nothing I’ve ever watched before, and tugged on my heartstrings in ways I didn’t know was possible. It didn’t end the way I was expecting at all, and really made me re-evaluate how to find happiness.

Review: Spotlight (2015)

This is the one I’ve been waiting for! I haven’t been enjoying the Oscar movies as much as I hoped I would this year, but every time I’ve gone to the cinema I’ve gotten a little more excited for Spotlight. We’ve had to wait for it for so long in the UK! I wasn't even remotely looking forward to this for two reasons, I had a feeling the story was going to stay with me for a while (I wasn't wrong!) and it seemed very talky, I wasn't convinced it was going to hold my attention.

Spotlight is the retelling of the true story of how the Boston Globe’s Spotlight team uncovered the horrendous scandal of child molestation within the Catholic churches, and the cover ups that came with it. It’s one of those movies, just like The Big Short, that covers a real life story that I’m aware of, yet know very little about, which is what made both so appealing to me.

I’m writing this the day after watching Spotlight, and I honestly don’t know where to start. I didn’t sleep well, it played on my mind that much. I’m growing a bit of a fascination with journalistic movies, having watched Zodiac and Nightcrawler most recently, so this was right up my street. I was enthralled within the first 10 minutes, the big offices of the Boston Globe reminded me of somewhere I used to work, and the leaving speech just brought back happy, but cringey memories.

I think what helped was the casting choices for the main Spotlight team. They’re all such likeable characters, with genuine chemistry, and it honestly felt like I was watching a documentary about a team that had been working with each other for years, rather than a movie. Each of the characters begins their year-long investigation with professional courtesy, but as the story unfolds and the scandal grows, you can see it affect each of them on a personal level, and it’s in the second half when the tensions are running higher that you see just how well they can all act.

I really loved the fact that you bought in to every single character without having to spend ages delving into their personal lives, there was the odd passing comment about their lives here and there, Mikes marriage problems for example.  The film was completely focused on the investigation and the victims, this made it all the more difficult to watch for me, normally when a film is unsettling, I will focus on the other mini stories that are running through it.  This didn't have that option so you had no choice but to concentrate on the traumatic experiences of these victims.

Behind my awe however, lay an unsettling feeling of sorts. It’s so uncomfortable to listen to the stories of the survivors and victims of abuse. It’s one thing to read about it, but to hear someone say it out loud, it made me feel nauseous. There’s one scene in particular where Sacha (Rachel McAdams) is talking with a survivor as they walk through the town, straight past a huge church, with a children’s playground right in front of it. That’s an image I won’t be forgetting for a while.

Although it was already in the trailer, so I'd heard it before, there was a line of Michael Keaton’s that just stood out for me from everything else. “We got two stories here: a story about degenerate clergy, and a story about a bunch of lawyers turning child abuse into a cottage industry. Which story do you want us to write? Because we're writing one of them.” That was such a turning point!  There were some great lines in this film that really drew an impact but for me it was all about Mark Ruffalo, I can see why he is up for Best Supporting Actor at the Oscars.  The way he delivered each and every line showed every inch of emotion that the real Mike Rezendes must have felt.  This one stood out for me "It's time! They knew and they let it happen! To KIDS! Okay? It could have been you, it could have been me, it could have been any of us. We gotta nail these scumbags! We gotta show people that nobody can get away with this; Not a priest, or a cardinal or a freaking pope!"

Just over 2 hours passed, and as the final words came onto the screen, I felt a rush of different emotions. Disappointment, firstly, that this movie was over already. I didn’t know where the time had gone. Then came anger and disgust at the reality of the story, that lingered with me as I went to bed. Then, the morning after, or now, as I type this, amazement at just how brilliant this movie is.  Those final words on the screen literally broke my heart, it was horrifying to think of how many people were effected by the church and the subsequent cover ups.

Review: Mean Girls (2004)

So, um, funny story everyone. You know that classic teen comedy that every girl, guy, grown up and their dog has seen, Mean Girls? I haven’t. Well, I have now obviously. But yeah. I really don’t know why, I haven’t been avoiding it or anything, it’s just always been too far down my watch list for too long, I guess.  I'm not sure how we are friends!!

Can you keep a secret? I need to tell you what gave me the final push to see it. One of my bridesmaids is also getting married next year, and I’m one of her bridesmaids (I know, right?) and whilst I was getting my first tattoo, she was with me, as well as her other bridesmaid. Still with me? They were both saying the three of us should get tattoos together, all themed around their favourite movie, Mean Girls. Of course, I had to tell them it was my favourite movie too.

They’re going to be love hearts, with the famous quotes in them. I can’t remember what I was allocated, it might have been ‘so fetch’, but the more this conversation went on, the more I wondered if they were joking, and so I figured that if I’m going to end up with a Mean Girls tattoo, I should probably watch the darn movie!  Having planned a group tattoo with a group of friends of mine, I would not recommend this!  We never quite got round to actually getting said tattoos, which was kind of fortunate as less than a year later there was a big hoohaa and we no longer speak.... my advice never, ever, get matching tattoos with anyone!

So, our main girl Cady (Lindsay Lohan) is the new girl at school, and winds up mixing with ‘the plastics’, Regina (Rachel McAdams), Gretchen (Lacey Chabert) and Karen (Amanda Seyfried). When she falls for Regina’s ex-boyfriend, the plastics put her in her place, and Cady vows to take them down.

I think the main thing I took away from this was the amount of lines I already knew that I can now visualise, but also things friends have said that I never even knew were lines from Mean Girls! It took me a while to get over my friend texting me ‘Boo, you whore’ when I had to cancel plans, I genuinely thought she was really mad at me!  I think it may have been at lease 5 years since I used a Mean Girls quote in everyday life, I'm clearly slacking...

Honestly, I wasn’t expecting amazing things from Mean Girls. There are films that 10+ years ago I may have loved, that I probably wouldn’t rate well anymore, and I think I expected everyone’s fascination with Mean Girls to be the same sort of thing, but I really did enjoy it! It was funny throughout, but some lines really made me laugh out loud, which I don’t tend to do when I watch something alone. Did anyone manage to keep a straight face for this line?

“If you’re from Africa, why are you white?”

“Oh my God Karen, you can’t just ask people why they’re white!”

I really love this film, I can honestly say I haven't watched it enough!!  In fact, I feel like I need to watch it right now.  I still love the slutty jingle bell rock scene and who doesn't LOVE Regina George in all her vileness, Rachel McAdams is a special kind of awesome.

All in all, despite the cliches and the predictable nature of it, I really enjoyed Mean Girls, and I’m kicking myself for not watching it years ago. That tattoo won’t be so bad after all I guess, ha! Thankfully it hasn't been mentioned since... phew!!

Review: Aloha (2015)

Whilst on the hunt for an easy to watch Rom Com type movie to pass the time the other evening, I stumbled across Aloha. This was the first time I’d ever heard of it but the cast list alone was enough for me to decide it was worth a shot. Check out this cast! Bradley Cooper, Emma Stone, Rachel McAdams, Bill Murray, John Krasinski, Danny McBride & Alec Baldwin. A winner for sure, right?

This is the part where I sum up the plot for you, in case you’ve never heard of the film. But I really can’t. I just don’t get what it’s about! Bradley Cooper is some kind of military/spaceman guy who’s been sent to Hawaii for a welcoming ceremony, Emma Stone is the military’s youngest and brightest, with the task to follow Bradley Cooper around like a lost puppy. John Krasinski is a colleague of Bradley Cooper’s who doesn’t talk to his wife, like, at all. Alec Baldwin and Bill Murray are important douchebags, and now my head hurts!

Aloha wasn’t a boring film at all, I was entertained throughout, but in the glimpses when I actually understood what was going on, the plot was terribly predictable which ruined the crucial moments. Both Emma Stone and John Krasinski are so great at that dry, sarcastic humour, and they just didn’t get the chance to shine this time around, which was a shame.

Admittedly, I know absolutely nothing about Hawaii’s history and culture. My knowledge goes as far as me excitedly exclaiming ‘Hey! Those kids are doing the same dance as the kids in Lilo & Stitch!’, which even I know is terribly ignorant of me. I think the whole film would have made more sense had I more knowledge on the subject matter, so I’m not blaming the film entirely here.

My favourite part was witnessing the changes in Rachel McAdams and John Krasinski’s relationship. I could really feel the heartbreak, and there was one particular scene that stood out for me, where Krasinski and Cooper are in the kitchen having a full blown conversation without saying a word. We as the audience know what they’re saying through the powers of subtitles, but their facial expressions match what they’re saying perfectly.

Overall, Aloha was enjoyable, but confusing, and sadly, a forgettable experience for me I think.

10 Things I Love About The Notebook

This is one of my all time favourite films (and I think I might have mentioned The Goonies too much already) so I decided to blog about the 10 top things I LOVE about The Notebook.

1.  Chemistry
The chemistry between Ryan Gosling's Noah and Rachel McAdam's Allie was amazing, they work so well together.  As much as I love both of these actors, I've not seen them have the same chemistry with anyone else in other film (except maybe with Bianca in Lars and the Real Girl?!).  You really believe they are in love (they actually started dating in real life not long after this film was released)

2. Nicholas Sparks
I love Nicholas Sparks and his writing, I have read all his books to date and I am always excited to see a new one coming out or a film adaptation in the works.  His books have a fantasy element about them, I just get lost in the story and usually finish his books within a day or two.  In my personal opinion, this is the best adaptation of one of his books and by far the closest any of the films have come to being what my imagination decided it would be when I read the book.

3. Soundtrack
I love the soundtrack to this film, especially Billie Holiday's I'll be seeing you that becomes Noah and Allie's song.  The soundtrack provides the perfect background for this story from the slow romantic main title score by Aaron Zigman to the upbeat jazz number that backs Allie and Noah's love montage - I love it all!!

4. The heartbreak *SPOILER ALERT*
No matter how many times I watch this film, my heart breaks every time.  Alzheimer's is a horrific disease that traumatises both the patient and their loved ones.  To realise that the children and grandchildren are Allie's but she has no idea has me an emotional wreck everytime.  She is learning about her life as if it's someone else's and Noah does nothing but try to help her remember that it's her.  Assume fetal position. Try not to cry. Cry a lot!

5. Allie's mother's confession
This was the moment in the film where you were supposed to realise that Allie's mother wasn't a bad person she just did what she thought was right.  However, when I saw this scene I fist pumped the air and shouted 'Ah-ha' at the tele.  Feeling very smug that the Mother may have made the wrong decision and that Allie was right all along.  Not sure that's how Sparks wanted it to be viewed but that was my version AND I still don't like Allie's Mother (before you say anything Allie I don't mean your mother!! How rude! She happens to love you!)

6. Sam Shepherd
Who doesn't love Sam Shepherd, he is truly awesome and brings a real charm to this role.  I wanted more of him and that is one place this film didn't deliver for me.

7. Allie's charm
This is a combination of the character written by Sparks and Rachel McAdams who brings her to life.  She is everything I expected from the book including selfish and hot headed which I love about the character, she's not some whingey romantic she gets angry and she does hurt people.  This makes her more real than the other female leads in Nicholas Sparks movies. 

8. The Quotes

9. The follow-up *SPOILER ALERT*

If you read the books you will know what i'm talking about, if you don't wait a few years and i'm sure the film adaptation of The Wedding will be on the horizon.  This is the story of Wilson and his wife Jane who have to admit that the romance is gone from their marriage.  In desperation, Wilson turns to his Father-in-Law for advice, who just happens to be Noah Calhoun.  The Notebook book actually has a different ending to the film, in that Allie passes away and Noah is left alone. In this book, he genuinely believes that Allie's soul is in a swan that swims on the lake, which is romantic in itself but also heart breaking (again!).  Anyway, this book touches on the history of The Notebook while Noah tries to help Wilson become the romantic husband that he wants to be.

10.  Ryan Gosling

No words needed: