Review: Me before you (2016)

Anyone who knows me knows that I have been waiting for this movie to come out for months, no years.  I waiting too long to read the book after it being recommended to me and after finishing it i desperately wanted to forget it so I could read it again with fresh eyes.  As that wasn't possible I have been waiting impatiently for someone to make the movie....

Louisa Clark (Emilia Clarke) gets a job as a care-give for quadriplegic Will Traynor (Sam Claflin) only find he is a miserable recluse who only wishes for his old life back.  Louisa spends her days trying to inject some laughter and substance back into his world with the help of his medical carer, Nathan (Stephen Peacock).

I obviously read the book before I saw this and I think because the book is more in depth you feel like you know the characters a bit more than someone who hasn't.  My buddy-o-pal Lou hadn't read the book.  Therefore, I cried like someone had just ordered the last Big Mac while she barely sniffed the whole way through (this is where I might add that she is pregnant and therefore somewhat hormonal) and yet I came out a puffy mess and she was her usual radiant self (bitch!).  I can only put it down to me remembering more from the book, I am waiting for her to now read the book to give me her opinion.

I did prefer the book with the extra little details and knowing more about Lou's feelings but they really did cast the lead characters perfectly, particularly Emilia Clarke - she has without a doubt the most expressive eyebrows in all of Hollywood.  She was everything I imagined Lou to be and then some.   Also, being a die hard Home and Away fan, it was great to see Stephen Peacock in his first big role in Hollywood!

I did feel like the key elements of the film (them falling in love and his follow up decisions) were really rushed, I think that is because it wasn't rushed at all in the books.  Other than that, I really loved it.  I think reading the book first was a bonus because you had all the extra depth that's missing.

Looking Forward to Seeing in the Cinema: June 2016

Ok - before we get into this whole looking forward malarkey,  I have a confession to make! Prior to last months post, Allie text me to ask me if X-Men was going to be my looking forward film, obviously I said yes so she kindly went with Warcraft!!  However, it turns out I have the memory of a sieve, because when it came to writing my post, I did a whole blurb on Captain America!! Even when I looked up the release date and found it was April not May, I still didn't realise what I had done.  It took the post going up for Allie to read it and text me saying, why the heck did you write about Captain America instead of X-Men!!!  Because i'm a numpty, that's why!  So in short, we both potentially wanted to pick X-Men and yet we didn't actually write about it! Can I use it for this one?!

Also, I have to note that we wrote this post well before it was published, so when you guys finally read this Miss Hawkins will be Mrs Adkins - all kinds of happy for my bestest and her beau.  Love you lots <3

Hello, summer! Is it just me or does it feel like it should be blockbuster season already? This year they seem to have been spread out throughout the year...which I'm fine with, because I normally only catch about 50% of the big releases in summer anyway! This month is a tricky one to pick, but I think I've made up my mind.

I saw the trailer for The Nice Guys right before seeing Spotlight in early January, and it completely took me by surprise. It looks hilarious! From what I can tell, it's set in the 1970's and follows Ryan Gosling and Russell Crowe investigating the death of a porn star.

Ryan Gosling has been away from the big screen far too long for my liking, but his chemistry with Russell Crowe on Oscars night has really got me excited for The Nice Guys! I think it's a case of it either being a huge hit or a real disaster, with the only funny moments being shown in the trailer, but that's always the risk with comedy. I've got my fingers crossed! There was a gun through a window in the trailer which made me laugh hysterically! (it doesn't take much!).  Has anyone else seen the trailer for this which is Ryan and Russell in therapy in real life before the film's release, that really made me laugh.

The Nice Guys will be released in UK cinemas on 3rd June, 2016.

Oh my god, how long have I been waiting for this film, ever since I read the book way back when and then I reignited my love for JoJo Moyes this Spring reading the the sequel.  Now it's finally here.....

Based on the book by JoJo Moyes, Me before you is about Louisa Clark (Emilia Clarke) who takes a job looking after quadriplegic, William Traynor who having lead an adventurous lifestyle before his accident s struggling to come to terms with his new life.

I love Emillia Clarke and I love Sam Claflin so what is not to love....

Me before you will be released in UK cinemas on 3rd June, 2016.

Book Adaptation Predictions

Following the success of Nicholas Sparks, Stephanie Meyer, Suzanne Collins and more recently Veronica Roth in turning books into hugely successful films I predict that a lot more book adaptations will be popping up in the coming years.  As a big lover of books (as well as films) I thought I would predict what would be some of the next adaptations to hit the big screen.  I have just written this post off the top of my head, no googling etc.  So now I want to find out if any of my predictions are in the pipeline.  I have done a bit of research and I have noted in italic is what I have found out.

Before I go to sleep - SJ Watson

If I'm honest I have already seen in a film magazine that this book in going to be made into a film, however when I read it about 2 years ago, I thought at the time that it would make a good film and I was sure someone would pick it up.  In my defence, I didn't have a blog 2 years ago to note my predictions, so you are just going to have to take my word for it.  Before I go to sleep is the story of Christine, who wakes up every morning with no memory of her life, she writes in a diary that she hides from her husband to try to remember her life from her own mind instead of being told.  However, she soon discovered that her past is more horrific than she could have imagined.  As already mentioned this is already in production and is due to be released in the UK in September starring Nicole Kidman, Colin Firth and Mark Strong.  Review to follow. 1 for 1




The Matched Series (Matched/Crossed/Reached) - Allie Condie

I read this series about 6 months ago after a recommendation from my cousin.  They are really good stories (and stay interesting through all three books) and I think they would make great films, following hot on the heels of Divergent and The Hunger Games showing a future in which decisions are taken out of the hands of young people.  Matched follows Cassia in a future where all aspects of teenagers (and adults) lives are chosen for them, including who they should marry, where they should work and how many children they should have.  When Cassia realises there is someone better suited out there than her match, she begins to question all the decision society is making for her.  Ok, so Disney have brought the movie rights to this trilogy and it is marked as 'in development' so watch this space. 2 out of 2.

Me before you - Jojo Moyes

Another recommendation from a friend this time.  After spending months reading the likes of Hunger Games, Divergent and Matched, I really wanted to read a book that was not about a horrible futuristic society or a love triangle or the heroic female character, so I thought I would give this a go.  I loved this book, it was so different from everything I had recently read but it was brilliantly written and you could very much identify with the lead character, much more so than in the recent dystopian society based novels.  The story follows Lou, who in fairness has no real drive to change her life or do anything different and Will who lived a life of chaos and excitement with no two days being the same.  Their lives are thrown together and neither of them expect how much they will effect each other.  MGM have secured the rights to this and is currently 'in development' - three for three go me!!!

I don't know whether Jojo Moyes has been approached about movie rights for her books or if she's the next PL Travers and refusing to allow them the rights, however I can see her books heading to Hollywood very soon.  I'm following up with Last Letter from your Lover another of Moyes books which, my guess if she makes one into a movie, the rest will soon follow.  Watch this space! No news on this yet, but my guess is that if Me Before You is a success, the Jojo Moyes will end up on the Nicholas Sparks route :-) Darn 3/4


The Maze Runner - James Dashner

I have this book and it is itching to be read but I just haven't quite got round to it.  However, based on the success of Hunger Games and Divergent, my guess is this will be making an appearance on the big screen before long.  It's about a young boy who wakes up with 60 other young boys with no recollection of their previous lives, they are surrounded by a deadly maze with seemingly no means of escape.

I actually can't wait to read this and I have recently got into a habit of deciding who I think should play characters as I read them in the book so I will update on my predictions at a later stage.
It seems I need to get reading, this has been made and is due out on October 2014 - 4/5 so far!!



Bared to you (Crossfire series) - Sylvia Day
I haven't personally read this series and I don't plan to read them.  I wasn't a huge fan of the Fifty Shades books but I finished them because once I've started I have to know how they end.  However, if the Fifty Shades films are as successful as they are hoping, then I'm sure this will be the next up to be given the Hollywood make over.  Lionsgate have acquired the rights to this novel so this will be on the move soon. 5/6

The Delirium Trilogy - Lauren Oliver (Delirium/Pandemonium/Requiem)

Another in the Hunger Games/Divergent category.  I actually thought this would make it to the big screen before Divergent, but alas I was wrong.  I have read all of these books, which focus on Lena who develops what society calls 'amor deliria nervosa' which is actually 'love' - she falls in love in a society where it is considered a disease.  This has the love story which contributed to the success of The Hunger Games and the Twilight series but also has quite a unique plotline.  This, for a change, is set in an alternate present as opposed to a vision of the future.  The only downside for me was the third book, Requiem, which lost my interest a little, I found myself only reading it to find out how it ends, but still it think they would make very good films and they would probably liven up the third book to keep interest (and also split it in two if history is to repeat itself).  From what I can tell this is going to be made into a series, not a movie with Emma Roberts in the lead role.  I am quite excited about this as you know I enjoy a good series so i'll be keeping an eye on this to find out when it starts.

So I got 5.5 right out of 7 guesses, not to bad!