Cinema Round Up #1.

Hi there Folks,

I've decided that instead of doing a weekly film review style post, I'm just going to do a round up at the end of each month of the ones I've seen and what I thought etc.

January has been a flipping good film month, there has been so many that I've wanted to watch and I feel sad that I've not been able to see some of the ones I wanted. We've even been tempted to go twice each Wednesday as I have orange mobile and we also have orange broadband so we can get two codes...but we just don't have the time these days! :[

1. Seven Psychopaths

Now I wasn't really sure what this film was about before watching it, apart from that it's about seven psychopaths, but I did enjoy it. It was funny and witty and I think that Sam Rockwell (Wild Bill in Green Mile) plays a very convincing psychopath. I was excited also that two of the actors from Boardwalk Empire were in it as that's one of my favourite shows but that was short lived as their part was teeny tiny. I thought overall that it was interesting, with a funny, slightly quirky storyline, but just fyi, it's a bit gruesome!

Image from here

2. Pitch Perfect

This was such a feel good film! I love singing and dancing and musicals and I really really enjoyed this, it just made me feel happy and now I really want to join an acapella group! I think Anna Kendricks is beautiful, I really liked her in End of Watch (even though she only has a smallish part) and she has a smokin' hot voice too...what a winner! Also, Rebel Wilson is hilarious! So yes, although it's not going to win any awards, for me this was jolly, funny and overall an enjoyable film!

Image from here

3. Les Miserables

Holy freaking cow I am beyond obsessed with this film. I'd say it's almost verging on weird! I'd never seen Les Mis before and I didn't even really know what the overall storyline was about. But I LOVED IT!! In my opinion Hugh Jackman is incredible, I obviously have no other Jean Valjean to compare him to, but he was brilliant and what a cracking voice he has too! Ooh those high notes! As I just mentioned, I love a bit of singing and I really wish I'd got involved in the musicals my school put on when I was younger (one of which was Les Mis) and after watching this I really want to run away and join the west end. I think I would love to be Eponine, On My Own is such a beautiful and heartbreaking song and I can't believe I've missed out on all this until now! Even my boyfriend (who doesn't generally watch musicals ever!) really enjoyed it. I have had the soundtrack on repeat for the last two weeks now...love love love. I highly recommend a watch!!

Image from here

3. Django Unchained

Going into this film I'd literally not seen a single trailer, because it's an 18 it obviously wasn't shown before any other the other films we'd seen recently, so I literally had no idea what it was about at all. As with all Quentin Tarantino films, it's pretty gruesome, there's lots of blood and violence, so if you're not so keen on those kind of films I'd steer clear. The characters are brilliant, I particularly loved Django (Jamie Foxx) and Dr. Schultz (Christopher Waltz), they were a witty and entertaining pair. I think the film was very well written and felt really empowering and being the lover of chick flicks that I am I really enjoyed the little hint of romance thrown in there as well.

Image from here

4. Lincoln

I was looking forward to seeing this film after watching Django Unchained the week before, seeing as they both focus on similar topics - slavery. Although it was a tough choice between this and Zero Dark Thirty...that's next weeks pick I think. Anyway, I did enjoy this film, although I felt like the first hour of it dragged on forever, but after that I did get quite into it...Lincoln seems like a cool guy!

I also think that Lincoln and Django Unchained have been educational for me. I gave up history when I was in year 9 (age 14) and I'm pretty sure my school never taught us anything about slavery or American history so I literally know pretty much nothing on the topic, not even that Lincoln got assassinated ..how bad is that!

Image from here

What a great month of new films it has been! And there's still so many good ones to watch; Zero Dark Thirty, Gangster Squad, Flight, The Impossible and Movie 43 are still on my list of must sees. Be sure to check back next month to see which ones I managed to watch and what I thought!

Have you seen any good films recently? Please share your thoughts!

Ciao for now,

JB.

Favourites #1.

Hi there Folks,

I've decided that along with a monthly film round up I'm also going to share with you my favourite things of each month. I'm not going to limit my favourites to any categories, so expect to see a range of different goodies that I've really been enjoying. Let's get to it...

1. Actifry

We got our Actifry for Christmas and we haven't looked back since! We got the 1.2 kg one in black and it cost £109.99. So it is expensive, but I really think it was well worth the price, considering we have used it pretty much every day since we got it. You can eat chips everyday and not feel guilty...it's brilliant. And it doesn't just do chips, you can do egg fried rice, bolognese, risotto, stewed fruit...the list goes on! It comes with a little recipe book too that goes into the evidence behind it and has loads of different recipes in it. Winner!

This is the same as the one we have. Image from here

2. Les Miserables

Since watching Les Mis in the middle of January I haven't been able to get it out of my head. The songs just keep going round and round and round, but I guess it doesn't help that I have the soundtrack on repeat. I must say though, I'm highly disappointed that Who Am I isn't on the soundtrack as I love that song! Seeing Les Mis has also sparked a huge appreciation for Hugh Jackman...what a guy! I've linked a video of him at the Oscars a few years ago...if you've never seen it I highly recommend a watch, it's brilliant (and Anne Hathaway is in it too, she's also really good)!

3. Kindle

I got a Kindle for Christmas off my dad and step mum and I'm really enjoying getting into reading again. Although I've not had huge amounts of time to read as I've had assignments to write, but I've managed to get through a couple of books and I'm currently reading Jon Richardson's book It's Not Me, It's You! It's really amusing and talks about his obsessive compulsive personality disorder and how it impacts on his ability to find and keep a girlfriend. If you don't know who Jon Richardson is, he's a UK comedian who actually comes from the same town as me (woohoo!), he looks like a little elf and his comedy shows generally revolve around his obsessive compulsive habits and perfectionism. It's not the most well written book ever, but it's light hearted, amusing and has highlighted my own little obsessive quirks (having the toilet roll facing the right way, anyone?).

4. The Schuerman Show

My boyfriend thinks I'm really weird for watching day in the life vlogs, but I love them! I love watching YouTube videos anyway - it's totally my flow occupation! I like to say that I enjoy them so much because I'm almost an occupational therapist so I'm really interested in how people like to spend their time, but really I'm just nosy! Anyway, I digress, I've been watching Sam Schuerman's beauty channel for a little while now and I think she's brilliant, she's seems so happy and jolly and says some of the most hilarious things (holy crudmoly!) and when her and her beautiful little family started making daily vlogs again I knew I had to check them out. Firstly, her and her husband are just so ridiculously sweet and secondly she has the most beautiful children ever! And she seems like a wonderful mama and I like this! So yes, The Schuerman Show - check it out!!

5. Simple Moisture Boost Hydro Cream

This stuff is my skin saviour! The weather in the UK can't make it's mind up what it wants to do, so one minute it's freezing, the next it's snowing, the next it's wazzing it down, and then it's gale force winds. That's a lot for my poor, dry, sensitive skin to contend with. But thanks to this wonderful cream my skin has been so much happier. It's quite thick and I tend to use it at night after I've Sonicleansed my face (you can see my review here). It has really helped clear up my dry patches, particularly around my nose where it is chronically dry. Plus it's from Simple so it's not filled with as much junk as other creams and it's not too expensive either, around the £6 mark I think. Which is more expensive than other Simple moisturisers, but they just don't cut the mustard like this does.

Image from here

I think that is everything that I've been really enjoying for the month of January. I love seeing what other people are enjoying so feel free to link your posts and YouTube videos because I'd love to see them!

Ciao for now,

JB.