There are very few films that hit the big screen now that entice me to the cinema but once the trailer of Dumbo was released I knew this was something that I would like to see on the big screen. The last movie that M and I saw at the cinema was Mary Poppins which was magical so I had high expectations of the Disney / Tim Burton collaboration for Dumbo. The original Dumbo hit the screens in 1941 and has been a favourite of mine from a small child.
This updated live cinematic see's the original concept of a flying elephant help a struggling circus.
Circus owner Max Medici (played by Danny DeVito) enlists Holt (Colin Farrell) a once acclaimed circus star returning from war with injuries and his 2 young children to take care of Dumbo, a newborn elephant whose oversized ears make him a laughing stock of the struggling circus. Holt's children discover that Dumbo can fly and suddenly Dumbo becomes a big commodity. Vandevere (Michael Keaton) swoops in with his star act trapeze artist Colette (Bond Girl Eva Green) to make the little elephant a star.
As with all Tim Burton films there is a darker side to this movie but the cinematic effects used to create Dumbo are just as magical as the original and I defy anyone that watches not to fall in love with the little cute fellow and not shed a tear at certain moments in the movie. This is a delightful family movie with some great underlying messages environmentally and of greed not being good.
M booked to take me to see this on Mother's Day at the Imax in Waterloo and surprised me with a little white box hidden in my popcorn which held a little Pandora Dumbo charm to add to my bangle that he bought at Christmas.
Hello Weekend.... With award season upon us and the big one planned this evening of The Oscars I thought I would share a recent trip to the movies for our monthly "Friday Night is Date Night"
For some time I have wanted to go toOne Aldwych's Film & Fizznights, but timing, schedules and film choices haven't aligned. February we struck gold and were able to book to see Darkest Hour with Gary Oldman, since the trailer released last year I have had this movie on my must see list for 2018 and boy I was not disappointed.
One Aldwych is a lovely hotel on the fringes of Covent Garden which houses a 30 seater Curzon Theatre. Film & Fizz nights feature popcorn and champagne whilst watching the movie and then a 3 course dinner in its Indigo dining Lounge on the mezzanine overlooking the bar.
So with champagne in hand and popcorn on the table it was time to settle down in the very comforatble leather lounge seats to watch Gary Oldman transform himself into Winston Churchill. This film is a must for anyone thats a fan of The Crown or of British history, fascinating from start to finish, covering a very short period of Churchill's parliamentary reign from appointment as Pm to making the decision to take the country to war it is a masterpiece.
Oldman is suprb and deserves all the accolades that he has won, however it isnt all about him Kristen Scott Thomas as his wife Clemmie is fabulous along with Lily James as his PA. I would imagine that there has been a huge rise in people booking trips to the War Rooms and Parliment on the back of this film and watch this space for a Churchill inspired walk that I've recently completed in London. With the movie over it was time for supper which was a delicious 3 course of:
Poached Dorset Lobster with heritage carrots and coastal herbs.
Organic Rhug Lamb with mash, capers, raisins & mint
and Warm apple and rhubarb crumble with vanilla custard.
With a lovely ambience and time to just chat and enjoy the sights of London life around us it made for a relaxing evening.
The only problem is I now dont want to go back to the cheap seats at the cinema!
Notting Hill is one of my favourite places, whether is the eccentricity of the Portebello Road and all its characters to the side streets and squares festooned with pretty colourful houses. The fact that it has featured in some of my favourite books and movies also makes it a huge draw for me and I try to visit every season to explore the side streets and market.
With a day off for both of us last week M and I made an impromptu decision to go to Portebello Road, where I showed him some of mymovie favourites.
We spent a couple of hours shopping, drinking coffee and loving the colourful houses.
Instagram is awash with wisteria at the moment and we stumbled on some absolute beauties whilst we were out and about and ended up on a very impromptu wisteria walk between Notting Hill and Holland Park which was an unexpected treat.
By the end of the morning M was beginning to 'get' my obsession and was even pointing out doorways that I might like to photograph.😂
How glorious is all this wisteria?......The pink door & house was my favourite.
After a couple of hours walking and a very patient M I decided to take him to my favourite pub in Kensington road - The Churchill Arms, which is a real old British pub,famed for its love of war memorabilia which festoons the ceiling, rugby and housing one of the best Thai restaurants in London.
We had a mixture of Pad Thai and curry which was delicious and finished off a pretty good day in Notting Hill.
This week saw Hollywood host the 89th Academy
Awards – where the coveted Oscar is awarded to what the members believe to be
the best within their field for the year.
Usually the only thing that makes the headlines are the frocks and
fashion from the evening, this of course this year was over shadowed by the
horror of the wrong Film being called out at the Winner of the Best movie
2016. The winners list always kick starts
my Movie list for the year, as it gives me ideas of what I would like to see.
My movie moment in February was the movie that bagged the
Best Actor award for Casey Affleck in Manchester by the Sea. Produced by Matt
Damon this movie deals with some hard hitting subjects with some fabulous
acting – stand out performances from both Affleck and Lucas Hedges. Launched at
the 2016 Sundance Film festival, this movie has picked up a host of nominations
and gongs during the award season.
The movie centres around a small town in New England, where
everyone knows everyone and their business, winters are long and bleak and
summers short. Affleck’s character is a brooding loner holding a janitorial
handyman role in a suburb of Boston when he receives a call summoning him back to his home town of
Manchester by the Sea and deal with the aftermath of the call and the
responsibilities that it brings. It is apparent from early on that Affleck has
his own demons and issues with returning to the town which slowly unravel as
the movie develops.
I enjoyed this movie, it’s not something that I would
usually pick out to see, but glad that I did as the acting is impressive and is
very thought provoking.
A couple of other Oscar nominated movies have made by Movie
Moment shortlist for 2017, however most of them are ‘bums on seats’ movies as
opposed to Oscar winners, something I find every increasing in the movie world.
There are definitely 2 types of films made these days, those that are pure
escapism and sheer enjoyment and those that tick boxes as Artistic, Political,
Historical, Minorities etc and are made purely to win awards and not
necessarily take money at the box office.
I am definitely in the escapism camp and just want to be
entertained; some of my movies I will wait for the DVD/online release but a few
I will go to the cinema to see, here’s a few that should take me through to the
summer:
Patriots Day – Mark Wahlberg plays a cop involved in the
investigation and aftermath of the bombing of the Boston Marathon – based on
the tragic events that took place 4 years ago, this movie shows how the city
went into lockdown and a race against the clock to bring the bombers to
justice.
Beauty and the Beast – definitely one for the big screen,
where Emma Watson takes on the role of Belle and Emma Thompson steps into the
very big shoes of Angela Lansbury’s Mrs Potts for this live action of Disney’s
award winning animation. One of my Disney favourites, I can’t wait to see how
this has been bought to life.
King Arthur - looking
forward to seeing is Guy Ritchie’s interpretation of King Arthur – with a huge
cast of stars including Charlie Hunnam as Arthur and a cameo from David
Beckham, this movie could be one of the big hits of the summer and I hope will
look epic on a big screen.
My Cousin Rachel – adapted from Daphne Du Mauriers classic,
this stars Sam Claflin and Rachel Weisz, - a young Englishman plots revenge
against his mysterious beautiful cousin believing that she murdered his
guardian, however she soon beguiles him and conflicts are torn. Definitely one
for the ladies.
Well that's a few from list - what are you looking forward to seeing this year?
Movie moments were few and far between for me in 2016, for
someone who usually has a list of movie musts at the beginning of each year to
see, 2016 was definitely a little lack lustre in the cinema world. Two favourites
for the year were Bridget Jones Babywhich I saw a couple of times at the
cinema with the girls and again snuggled on the sofa on New Year’s Day and MeBefore You which I just loved. Two other movies that I saw over the festive
season also joined the favourite list was the much anticipated JK Rowling’s
Fantastic Beasts and where to find them and Sully.
I saw Fantastic Beasts in 3D at the Imax in London and loved
the whole experience. It was my first trip to the Imax and I was super
impressed with the service, ambience and space of the cinema. The movie was
also in 3D, something I’ve not done in a long time, probably since those early
years of 3D when it was all a little bit hit and miss with the visuals, however
how much has time changed.
For those not familiar with the synopsis the movie is set in
New York in 1926 and in the Harry Potter universe Gellert Grindelward is
terrorising the magical community. Newt Scamander (Eddie Redmayne) travels from
London to New York with a briefcase full of magical creatures. Unfortunately
not all the fantastic beasts want to stay hidden in Newt’s case and escape into
the streets of New York. JK’s imagination astounds me and her creation of these
magical creatures from her head to paper is just amazing. Set in the early 20’s
transports this film back into an era where people lived in fear of satanic
influences (references to Salem and its witchcraft’s) creating an underworld within
the subways and back streets of New York. Newt meets some loveable witches along
with a muggle that joins his adventures. I thoroughly enjoyed this movie and it
may not have captured my heart as much as Harry but one little creature sure did!.... the loveable
thief of shiny belongings, a Niffler – so cute and very naughty he made me
laugh throughout the movie. JK’s genius has done it again and look forward to
the next adventure along with seeing her private investigator Comoron Strike
come to life on the TV later this year.
My second movie of choice is Sully – Tom Hanks taking the
lead and telling the story of the pilot that landed an aeroplane on the Hudson
River on the 15th January 2009, saving 155 lives and avoiding an aviation
disaster. Most of us can remember the Miracle on the Hudson story and probably
think that with 24 hour news coverage and social media that there isn’t much of
a story to tell, what Sully does is show the impact that this has on his life
and the investigation behind the scenes. It’s a fascinating and thrilling film,
where you see a national hero come under immense scrutiny from the aviation companies
and insurance corporations for saving 155 lives. Set in New York, this film has
definitely ignited the flame to return to this fabulous city later this year.
A great film that will keep you entertained throughout, Tom
Hanks is effortless throughout showcasing everything he does well being
fantastically directed by Clint Eastwood.
Two great family entertaining films to finish the year off both set in New York but couldn't be any more different in genre and style …..
now off to compile my list for 2017!
There haven’t been films this year that have had me wanting to rush to the cinema, (the last one being Me before You) but there has been one that has been on my MUST see list since the trailer aired and the location images started to appear on social media late last year. I am of course referring to Bridget Jones Baby.
Bridget is up there in my top favourite films for so many reasons. I have followed Bridget’s adventures since she first appeared as column inches in the Independent, which led to the book and then onto the movie. I too like Bridget have despaired over the size of my thighs, smoked too many cigarettes, drunk far too many units of alcohol and invariably fallen for the very wrong type of man! (on several occasions) and acknowledges that I will always be ‘a little bit fat’.
My mum too tried to set me up with every ‘nice ‘ guy she knew during my twenties to no avail. I stumbled headlong into my 30’s in a drunken partying haze still falling for every wrong guy possible until they all but gave up with me and acknowledged that I would be the ‘forever’ singleton that could at times be the ditsiest klutz possible who loved her friends and was married to her career.
I shared my love of Bridget with my Nan, and she too adored the movie and affectionately called me Bridget on occasions that deemed necessary, we went to the cinema together to see the first movie and I have really fond memories of the fun that we had with it afterwards.
Friday saw the release of the 3rd instalment of Bridget’s life, and I can honestly say it’s the funniest Bridget ever. I laughed from the open through to the final credits, at one point thinking I was going to slide off the chair. Casting is just fabulous and its lovely to see so many old favourites back along with a couple of newbies. Patrick Dempsey who plays the very delicious Jack is just gorgeous and of course a welcome return to the ever lovely Mark Fitzwilliam Darcy (Colin Firth).
This movie has had lots of press, social media coverage and hype and it absolutely lives up to all of it and I’m thrilled that the surprises that are within the movie haven’t leaked all over the networks. The press junket has had me salivating over the fabulous styling of Renee Z along with the gorgeousness of Patrick & Colin.
Bridget may be 43 a little thinner but she hasn’t lost her fun, ditziness and vulnerability that we all fell in love with 14 years ago…. Welcome back Bridget, we’ve missed you x
I have shared previously my love of Jo Jo Moyes book Me before You, and was thrilled when the
news broke that it had been picked up for a movie. The book left a huge impact on me even though I sobbed at the ending I loved the book.
With the release of the trailer, the tears fell again and applauded the casting of Sam Claflin as the quadriplegic Will Trayner and Emilia Clarke as the ditzy loveable Louise Clark.
Friday the movie was released and I booked a ticket to see it at my local Everyman cinema after work - (fully booked for a 6.20pm showing) armed with a box of tissues I settled down for 2 hours of tears and laughter. Jo Jo Moyes has written the screen play and what a fabulous job she has done. There are some parts that have been cut (as with all book to screen adaptations) but the casting is fabulous and they absolutely capture the characters.
Those not familiar with the book; Lou Clark finds herself being
employed as a carer /companion to Will. Will is a gorgeous live life to the full kind guy who after a tragic accident is bound to a wheel chair dependant on all to just manage the basics of living. He has promised his parents 6 months and they employ Lou as his companion. What evolves is a magical heartbreaking journey of discovery and one of the most romantic love stories bought to the screen.
I thoroughly enjoyed the film and cried at several key moments during the film as did the majority of the audience. The subject matter is controversial, but has been shown in a beautiful way and the film has had as profound affect on me as did the book. Huge applause to JoJo Moyes and the cast and crew.
It really is quite beautiful and I will see it again. For now I am reading book 2 and finding out what happened next.
This book / film will question your beliefs, it will make you treasure those that you love and it will make you #liveboldly. Don't put off til tomorrow what you can do today....
I love film trailers, and they are absolutely one of my favourite parts of visiting the cinema, therefore when this his the big screen this week I couldn't contain that inner squeal of excitement!
Bridget is back!!!... and looking as hapless, ditzy and single as ever! With 6 months to wait until the movie is released the trailer tempts us all with scenes of classic Bridget. With a new beau on the scene in the guise of the delicious Patrick Dempsey, it seems not all has gone well with the dashing Mark Darcy.
Lovely to see the fabulous Jim Broadbent back as Bridget's dad and the bacon buttie scene in the bandstand looks heartfelt.
It looks like Bridget has also expanded her fashion and I am already coveting several of the looks ( excluding the baby bump!) Loving the Navy blue zarita DVF dress, Shrimps blue fur coat, and of course she is sporting a gorgeous Mulberry bayswater handbag in many scenes (mmm don't have to worry about adding that to me wish list!)
It does look like Bridget is back in style and with a baby!...
So it feels like ages since I shared a movie moment and some time since I spent an evening at the cinema. There wasn't a great deal of movies released in 2015, that I thought warranted an evening at the cinema and I only went a few times. However I do believe 2016 may be a little different as there are a number of movies being released this year that I will definitely want to see on the big screen.
Me Before You
I am so excited to see this movie; I adored the book, have cried through the trailer and know that I will sob throughout the film. Fabulous casting and cant wait to see it when its released in June. This will be "The Notebook" movie of 2016.
Money Monster
Its been some time since the gorgeous George Clooney did a movie that got me giddy!... but Money Monster looks interesting, not too arty and looking forward to seeing him & Julia Roberts back in screen together (loved their chemistry in the Oceans series) and directed by Jodie Foster
My Big Fat Greek wedding 2
So thrilled to see this Greek family back again, with another wedding to plan along with lots of love, fun and laughter! This looks like the perfect girls night out movie.
Batman V Superman
Henry Cavill is pulling on the blue tights and red cape again and Ben Affleck is pulling on the bat suit to see who is the best superhero for Gotham City... I'm team Cavill, but looking forward to see this summer release.
and finally 2 movies that have yet to release any trailers but some images have been posted frequently on social media.... Bridget Jones and baby!... I am a little excited about this winter release and looking forward to seeing Bridget back with Mr Darcy and the gorgeous Dr McDreamy Patrick Dempsey!!!... oh my, I am a little giddy... how gorgeous does he look on this motorcycle.
The final movie that I am looking forward to is Mother's Day; directed by Garry Marshall from Pretty Women acclaim it follows in the genre of his previous 2 movies Valentines Day and New Years Eve and stars an ensemble cast featuring Jennifer Anniston, Julia Roberts and Kate Hudson.
As you can see its a varied movie bag and I look forward to a night with a big box of popcorn being entertained... what movie are you looking forward to in 2016?
So today sees the long awaited new Bond movie, Spectre, follow-up to Skyfall and Daniel Craig's 4th outing in the legendary tux!
I am very excited to see this movie; it is no secret that I am a bit of a Bond girl and have loved the last few movies (think DC may have something to do with it!!)
So from the first teaser trailer I have been hooked....
Bond is back and looking as moody, brooding and bloody sexy as ever!.
I was intrigued when I heard that Sam Smith had bagged thebond theme song had some reservations when I heard the song on the radio, but it has grown on me and lends itself brilliantly against the video, so will be interested in how its woven into the epic opening scenes of the movie.
So tonight I have my tickets booked and have a date with 007. The trailers have absolutely teased the taste buds for Spectre, the cast looks fabulous, and thrilled to see the Aston Martin DB10 which just looks delicious.
Pop back later in the week when I share my thoughts on Spectre and 007's new adventures.
Here's a few Bond relatedposts from previous adventures.
Octobers book loves are many and I seem to have got my reading mojo back. With lots of travelling ans the late nights drawing in it gives me lots of opportunity to read!. Taking Hollywood - Shari King - its 1993 and 3 childhood friends; Davie, Zander & Mirren from a Glasgow housing estate take the stage in Hollywood to receive the Oscar for best screen play. Fast forward 20 years and the 3 are at the top of their game; Davie top host & show producer, Mirren writer & movie director and Zander box office movie star gold... they also haven't spoken since that fateful night 20 years previous, their relationship devastated by one horrific secret. Suddenly the lives of the 3 stars start to unravel and with a young Scottish reporter landing in Hollywood determined to hunt the story that could change her career it seems that their perfect lives are falling apart. This book has it all, glamour, mystery, glitz all set to the backdrop of the Hollywood; thrilling from start to finish. Ross King is the King part of this writing duo and its his inside knowledge to the movie & glamorous world of Hollywood that absolutely adds to the mystery of this novel and makes you ask, how much of the characters is fact or fiction!! Autumn In Verona -Melissa Hill - Verona has always been the Italian city for lovers; tourists flock to the city famed from Romeo and Juliet. Over one glorious autumnal weekend four visitors paths cross as they visit this magical city and a little trattoria run by an elderly Italian couple.Newly-weds Sarah and Nate are hoping that their mini-moon will be the start to their marriage that they need, after a stressful wedding, family tensions and travel delays. Widower Declan is visiting Verona on the request of his late wife one year after she passed; can he start to move on with his life? and Romance novelist Lily; who is hoping for some inspiration after having her heart broken again. I enjoyed this novella and it firmly transported me back to my own weekend in Verona.
Unravelled in New York - Suzanne Nichol - Charli Cooper arrives in New York from Sydney after leaving a disastrous controlling relationship. As a journalist she finds herself working at the New York Herald. On her first assignment she meets Jack Manning; arrogant, cocky and extremely powerful; he has no patience to deal with an inexperienced journalist who has no idea of the New York social scene. As Charli starts to dig into the back story of Jack and his empire; she has to make some decisions. I was completely swept away by this book an easy read against the glamorous backdrop of New York.... a grown up gossip girl! xoxo with some very gorgeous men! A Cottage in the Country - Linn. B. Halton - Maddie Brooks impulsively buys a run down idyllic cottage in the country after finding her best friend having an affair with her husband of 25 years. With the big 50 birthday rapidly approaching Maddie seeks solace in renovating her cottage, with the help of local handyman who can Lewis. With best friend & boss Ryan waiting in the wings, Maddie has some choices to make, especially after she finds that Lewis was the man who wanted to buy Ash cottage. I enjoyed this book, its a fun read, perfect for an afternoon curled on the sofa with a big mug of coffee and a packet of chocolate biscuits!. Secrets at Maple Syrup Farm - Rebecca Raisin - Lucy is juggling 2 jobs and caring for her very
sick mum and would do anything for her. What she didn't expect was that she find herself promising to leave her and take a year out for herself. When she finds herself on the first bus out of town, she didn't expect to find her adventure in the next state and the town of Ashford, here she is befriended by the local residents in particular Lil and Cee Cee from The Gingerbread cafe. After seeking a job at the local Maple Tree farm with the reclusive Clay. Lucy has never lived long enough in one location to have friends and find herself falling for the town, its residents and a certain farm owner. This is a delightful read and a lovely continuation of Rebecca's Gingerbread cafe , once in a lifetime series.
Big Stone Gap - Adriana Trigiani- a lovely revisit to Adriana Trigiani's 1st book in the Big Stone Gap series. I am really interested in seeing how this translates into a movie which is due for release soon. Ave Marie Mulligan is the town spinster and as she rapidly approaches 40 her life in Big Stone Gap is challenged when a secret from her past is revealed. I read the BSG trilogy many years ago and it really is a lovely story; The characters are fun, especially Iva Lou (played by Whoopi Goldberg in the movie) and has the warm feeling and female camaraderie that Steel Magnolias did when released.
Breaking Hollywood - Shari King- Breaking Hollywood is the follow-up book to Taking Hollywood. Zander Leith, Davie Johnston and Mirren McLean are at the heights of their hollywood careers and are some of the most powerful people in Tinsel town. Suddenly bad things start to happen to all 3 and their shining stars in the city start to dull. Having not spoken in the 20 years since they won their oscar, the past that they thought they had buried starts to come back and haunt them. Suddenly they need to put old feelings aside and work together to uncover the person behind the incidents. This is a roller-coaster story of love, jealousy, revenge, laughter and ultimate friendship.
My October reads took me from the Tinsel town of Hollywood, across the pond to the back alleys of Glasgow, to the quaint town in New England, down to the glamorous skyline of Manhattan, and to the romantic Italian city of Verona. The perfect travelling companions during my commute and travels across London. They transported me to other cities & lives filled with love, laughter, glamour, sex & ooodles of gorgeous men!... perfect escapism on a stuffy tube!.
how can we be halfway through May... this month I am failing miserably with Elizabeth's #BEDM so think I am going to just enjoy reading the posts that are falling into my list, and give up on trying to post daily.
Life has been a little rocky over the past few weeks, predominately work but also stuff going on personally, so I am hoping to get back on track this week with catching up with friends and stuff. Due to some changes and restructuring at work I have a new boss, which means probably some more change over the coming months.
I have a list of blog posts to update including some fun with Shaun the Sheep, a fantastic day celebrating Victory in Europe Day (VE day in London) which was completely unplanned and some day to day stuff including fun with Fitz & Darcy...
Last night I went for an early supper with friends followed by an impromptu trip to the cinema. It's been some time since I saw a film trailer that sparked interest for me to see on the big screen and not wait for the DVD, however Spooks ticked the big screen box.
For those of you that have followed by blog will know that I am a huge Spooks fan, and was interested to see how this movie translated to a big screen and could Kit Harrington follow in the footsteps of Rupert Penry-Jones and Richard Armitage.
Having watched the movie, I can claim that yes Kit Harrington does a great job as 'lead' Spook;
I thoroughly enjoyed the movie, shear escapism, full of action and London looked fabulous on the big screen. Fans of the Bourne movies will enjoy this British version, it was great to see some old Spook favourite characters along with some new faces.... I hope that this isn't the only foray in the Spook movie franchise, as it is sadly missed on our TV screens.
Looking ahead I have a busy week planned; including an evening at the Theatre and an afternoon at the Chelsea Flower show as well as a busy week at work. Hopefully I will get some time for blogging and updates before May finishes!.... have a lovely Sunday evening and a great week...
March saw one of my favourite all time movies celebrate its 25th birthday.... I am of course referring to Pretty Woman. This movie stole my heart when I first saw it 25 years ago, it cemented friendships and over the years can still put a smile on my face for so many reasons.
I was in my late teens when this movie premièred and this was the fairytale movie for me - a little difficult to imagine when you read the synopsis; wealthy business man falls in love with a prostitute on Rodeo Drive all set to a fabulous soundtrack...
Julia Roberts was 21 when she starred in the movie and I had both hair, & leg envy and she influenced many fashion styles in the late 80's/early 90's as well as kiss Richard Gere...
4 looks that stole my heart and I coveted greatly and wore in various forms were...
The cream button through dress & wide brimmed black hat... I had this dress in black & cream and the hat and it was a much loved and worn outfit, along with killer black heels... seen here strutting down rodeo drive.
The brown & cream polka dot outfit worn at the Polo game, I had various forms of this outfit along with the hat and a pair of fabulous brown pied-a-tere sling backs which I adored and still have.
The red dress worn to the opera - breathtakingly stunning and still one of my favourite looks of all time...
The black cocktail dress - this dress is 25 years old and could easily be worn today as then... emphasising that the perfect black dress is timeless....
Along with influencing my wardrobe Pretty Woman has given me endless hours of fun, at 22 my friend and I had an impromptu holiday in California.... we lived so many Pretty Woman moments... Shopping on rodeo drive, travelling through Hollywood in a stretch limo with our heads out the roof with a bunch of flowers and an umbrella, drinking cocktails and laughing lots.
Pretty Woman also made all girls want to be whisked to the opera or to the Polo by a gorgeous man .... the necklace scene is one of my favourites, completely unscripted and Julia Roberts laugh is a genuine reaction to Richard Gere shutting the box on her hand.
who couldn't fall in love with this and that gorgeous dress and necklace....
I never grow tired of watching this movie and have loved finding it on the Tv celebrating its 25th birthday... along with this the cast recently reunited on the Today show to discuss what the movie started out as and how it became the success it it.
It's been sometime since I shared some treats that have been keeping me entertained on the TV. With January & February's work schedule being hectic, it doesn't leave me much time to do a great deal, however I have relaxed a little by catching up on some TV favourites and a few movie moments. TV treats
Broadchurch - a slow burn for me, and one of the few things I watch 'live' to avoid all the spoilers on social media. Series 1 was one of my favourites in 2014, but this didn't excite me as much... great cast, and superb acting but story-line slow & weak in places.... not sure series 3 can go with this.
Gogglebox - a much welcome return to this 'fly on the wall' have loved both episodes and have laughed out loud lots!... too many good moments to mention, but Wolf Hall, & Basic Instinct proving much fun with viewers.
The Good Wife - fallen back in love with this US show. Back for series 6, its full of legalities, intrigue & politics... perfect for me, along with some gorgeous eye candy in the shape of Steven Pasquale as Johnny Elfmann, Alica's campaign manager for her run as State Attorney.
Silent Witness - thoroughly enjoyed the return of this series, all double episodes were gripping and dramatic. Definitely felt like this series was back on top after a couple of weak series. I'm completely hooked on anything forensic, a throw-back to my youth and desire to be a pathologist.
Eastenders- its hard to believe that Eastenders is 30 years old, and enjoyed the 'live' week leading to the big reveal of Lucy Beales killer. Danny Dyer is definitely turning into one of my favourite characters. Good to see EE back and delivering some great storylines.
Cucumber - is the 'Queer as Folk' of this generation. It is as shocking as queer as folk was 20 years ago, but often fun, moving and naughty!... I wouldn't expect anything else from Russel T Davies.
Movie Moments: february saw me catch-up on some oldies that have been languishing in my 'to watch' pile, and re-visiting a favourite.
The Arrow - season 2- very late to The Arrow party but completely hooked on this series. Sheer escapism from start to finish with some very delicious eye candy in Oliver Queen aka Steven Amall.
The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel - a delightful little film filled with some of the nations favourite and much loved actors / actresses. I really enjoyed this heartwarming movie, featuring 3 of my favourites Judi Dench, Bill Nighy & Maggie Smith... a joy from start to finish... will be going to cinema to see the sequel.
The Sweeney ~ when it was announced that The Sweeney would be re-made with Ray Winstone as Reagan I was intrigued. The Sweeney is an old skool classic, however I enjoyed the remake, it was rough, ready and full of the classic Sweeney moments, with a twist of humour. With supporting cast of Damian Lewis & Plan B... its full of car chases, cops & villains and Ray Winstone at his East End best.
The Thomas Crown Affair - this movie got a dusting off the DVD shelf as not only is it one of my favourites, but in my opinion is the original "Fifty Shades".... this movie is as slick, sexy, cinematic and stylish... featuring a bored billionaire who pulls off a heist from the Metropolitan museum of Art in new York. Pierce Brosnan plays Mr Crown who seduces the Insurance investigator (played by the stunning Renee Russo) by flying her off to a Caribbean island where clothes are an option, soaring above the skys in a glider and shagging her senseless across his stunning upper east side townhouse!... can you see the similarities!... this movie without a doubt influenced EL James ... check out the trailer here
What has been keeping your attention on the TV... or what are you looking forward to this Spring?... would love to hear?...
another day and another NY movie moment from my trip in December, Today I am sharing a couple of favourites from an old school classic "When Harry met Sally"....
One of the most infamous scenes of the movie is staged in Katz Deli. Katz's is located on East Houston Street and the corner of Ludlow on the Lower East side and is early til late! it maintains all the charm of an old school diner and is extremely busy. You can either choose to be seated and be served by one if the waiting team, or queue along the counter. When seated you are given an old style ticket which becomes your bill at the end....it was a grey and damp day when I visited but was soon warm and toasty once inside enjoying the wares of Katz's
The menu is vast and I opted for an open sandwich of hot brisket, chips, gravy and a side of macaroni cheese... served with a complimentary dish of pickles, washed down by Katz's lemonade.
It may have not looked much, but it was delicious, the beef was just amazing, melt in the mouth tenderness on a slice of sourdough........ full of flavour.
I loved the old couple sitting at the infamous table, apparently they visit every week and sit at that table! The walls of Katz's is full of photo's showcasing its history and many famous diners including Harry & Sally, one of my favourite pictures was of Sarah-Jessica Park & Matthew Broderick looking very young.
I had a fabulous lunchtime in the deli and thoroughly recommend it for fans of the movie or anyone wants a glimmer of old school New York.
A short walk from the dinner over on the West of Houston is Washington Square park.... those familiar with the film will recognise this location as the drop off point when Harry & Sally arrive in New York.
The park is located at the foot of Fifth Avenue and gives you great views of uptown towards the Empire State Building and downtown towards Freedom Tower, One World Trade Centre. The arch in Washington Square is often used as a meeting place and celebrating cultural activity and non-conformity. Most of the buildings that now surround the park are part of the NYU campus... so the park is a great coffee stop between lessons.
I had a great time living a couple of movie moments from Harry met Sally.... here's some previous posts from my NY movie moments.
As its the weekend of love I thought I would share some more of my New York Chick flick favourites .... starting with The Hotel of old school glamour & romance... The Plaza. The Plaza opened its doors in October 1907 on the corner of 5th Avenue and Central Park south, and became the most sought after address to reside at. Originally,The Plaza served as a residence for wealthy New Yorkers. Mr. and Mrs Vanderbilt were the first to sign the register. For guests who chose to rent on a nightly basis at the time, this New York City luxury hotel’s single rooms started at $2.50 per night.... now you could probably add a couple of noughts to that!
The Plaza palm court and The Champagne bar are 2 of the loveliest parts of the hotel to relax in .... whilst visiting this year I had breakfast on my last day in The Plaza which was just gorgeous and the perfect end to my stay. Most people will be familiar with The Plaza as it is a regular feature as a backdrop in many classic movies....something that they take pride in promoting in the hotel gift store. Outside of the Holiday period my film favourites include that classic scene from"The Way we Were"....
replicated in Sex & the City with Big's engagement party to Natasha.... Christmas movie must for any New York fan is Home Alone 2 lost in New York, when Kevin stays in The Plaza.... here he is arriving. For old school glamour then The Great Gatzby is the movie for you in collaboration with this hotel. The hotel has undergone many changes internally over the years, with the big foyer check-in area seen in Home Alone relocating and now exclusive for guests, however this doesn't mean that the entrance is any less impressive.... here is what greeted me when I stepped into this gorgeous hotel.
a beautiful entrance, with a huge sumptuously decorated tree, complete with Hotel Plaza packages flanked by glorious chandeliers. I couldn't resist the beautiful hand-painted Christmas bauble of the hotel and it came home with me to add to my NY holiday collection.
The Plaza is a lovely outside as it is in and I thoroughly enjoyed exploring this lovely hotel.... even if you cant afford to stay in this very glamorous address, don't let this put you off visiting... Breakfast or Afternoon Tea in The Plaza court is gorgeous (advisable to book ahead online to secure booking) The Food court in the basement of the Hotel is filled with New York favourites and if visiting during the holiday season then look out for Santa story telling in a secret location!. Along with great movies, The Plaza is featured in many books... one of them being my friend Ali Mcnamaras From Nottinghill with Four Weddings... a perfect accompaniment when breakfasting at The Plaza...
Its been one of the most talked about films over the past year and everyone has an opinion on it, but the 'Fifty' phenomenon reached it climax yesterday with the release of the movie.
It was always going to be a given that I would see the film once the casting of Jamie Dornan as Christian Grey had been announced. I had minimal expectations of the film, but after seeing it, was pleasantly surprised. Fifty Shades is never going to win critics views, and fans opinions will be mixed depending on who you imagined would play Anna and Christian, however its a great girls movie and will tick lots of boxes.
The film is so much more about the relationship between the characters than the sex, yes there is sex in the movie and Dakota's boobs will bring envy to any women over the age of 30! but there is chemistry between the 2 characters (contrary to previous media reports) and they have nailed the characters to the book.
From the launch of the book it has divided opinions widely.... yes the story is not great, yes it is repetitive, grammatically it made every other author scream & lament about their craft, however it has added a new dimension to reading, books became sexy again. The hopeless romantic in all of us got swept up in the love story of Anna & Christian, the inner goddess in all of us wanted to meet a billionaire with a fast car, helicopter, & a red room that could give us endless hours of pleasure!...this book & movie is a very modern fairy tale.
With tickets booked months ago for The Everymancinema atSelfridges, it was always going to be a little bit more special than the local cinema in Romford! Best laid plans and all that meant that it ended up me & a friend from work going, as both friends who were originally coming couldn't make it... this didn't distract enjoyment once we entered the red room of the Everyman. Greeted by waiters we were handed complimentary champagne to sip, the bar and lounge were full so we decided to grab a special cocktail and head into the screening room. Cocktail options included; Cosmo Tango, Anastasia's Mojito, Hearts & Flowers and BDSM... we opted for Rope, Tapes & Cable Ties - Sweet ripe strawberries, mixed with white rum & a sting of fresh lime.
On arrival in the screening room, a goodie bag was left for the ladies... with some fun things from the Box of Grey lingerie company, & YSL cosmetics. a bag of fun for laters.... along with champagne & cocktails, no trip to the movies is complete without a pick & mix!... Fifty style. I made some sweet bags complete with lips, cable ties, love eggs & hearts....
The film is cleverly shot and the direction of some scenes is cinematicaly gorgeous, the gliding and charlie tango scenes are lovely. There are a some awkward moments, but the these are few and the film moves along in line with the book. Dakota Johnson is very good as Ana, and captures her innocence, naivety and 'sassyiness ' well. Jamie is gorgeous as Christian, less stern than I imagined but very very delicious in low slung denim! For anyone who has not read the book, the end will come as a huge surprise but this of course leaves the elevator open for Fifty darker....... this movie will never win awards, but it will grab the heart of many .... for now... Laters baby xx
There are very few films that hit the big screen now that entice me to the cinema but once the trailer of Dumbo was released I knew this was something that I would like to see on the big screen. The last movie that M and I saw at the cinema was Mary Poppins which was magical so I had high expectations of the Disney / Tim Burton collaboration for Dumbo. The original Dumbo hit the screens in 1941 and has been a favourite of mine from a small child.
This updated live cinematic see's the original concept of a flying elephant help a struggling circus.
Circus owner Max Medici (played by Danny DeVito) enlists Holt (Colin Farrell) a once acclaimed circus star returning from war with injuries and his 2 young children to take care of Dumbo, a newborn elephant whose oversized ears make him a laughing stock of the struggling circus. Holt's children discover that Dumbo can fly and suddenly Dumbo becomes a big commodity. Vandevere (Michael Keaton) swoops in with his star act trapeze artist Colette (Bond Girl Eva Green) to make the little elephant a star.
As with all Tim Burton films there is a darker side to this movie but the cinematic effects used to create Dumbo are just as magical as the original and I defy anyone that watches not to fall in love with the little cute fellow and not shed a tear at certain moments in the movie. This is a delightful family movie with some great underlying messages environmentally and of greed not being good.
M booked to take me to see this on Mother's Day at the Imax in Waterloo and surprised me with a little white box hidden in my popcorn which held a little Pandora Dumbo charm to add to my bangle that he bought at Christmas.
Hello Weekend.... With award season upon us and the big one planned this evening of The Oscars I thought I would share a recent trip to the movies for our monthly "Friday Night is Date Night"
For some time I have wanted to go toOne Aldwych's Film & Fizznights, but timing, schedules and film choices haven't aligned. February we struck gold and were able to book to see Darkest Hour with Gary Oldman, since the trailer released last year I have had this movie on my must see list for 2018 and boy I was not disappointed.
One Aldwych is a lovely hotel on the fringes of Covent Garden which houses a 30 seater Curzon Theatre. Film & Fizz nights feature popcorn and champagne whilst watching the movie and then a 3 course dinner in its Indigo dining Lounge on the mezzanine overlooking the bar.
So with champagne in hand and popcorn on the table it was time to settle down in the very comforatble leather lounge seats to watch Gary Oldman transform himself into Winston Churchill. This film is a must for anyone thats a fan of The Crown or of British history, fascinating from start to finish, covering a very short period of Churchill's parliamentary reign from appointment as Pm to making the decision to take the country to war it is a masterpiece.
Oldman is suprb and deserves all the accolades that he has won, however it isnt all about him Kristen Scott Thomas as his wife Clemmie is fabulous along with Lily James as his PA. I would imagine that there has been a huge rise in people booking trips to the War Rooms and Parliment on the back of this film and watch this space for a Churchill inspired walk that I've recently completed in London. With the movie over it was time for supper which was a delicious 3 course of:
Poached Dorset Lobster with heritage carrots and coastal herbs.
Organic Rhug Lamb with mash, capers, raisins & mint
and Warm apple and rhubarb crumble with vanilla custard.
With a lovely ambience and time to just chat and enjoy the sights of London life around us it made for a relaxing evening.
The only problem is I now dont want to go back to the cheap seats at the cinema!
Notting Hill is one of my favourite places, whether is the eccentricity of the Portebello Road and all its characters to the side streets and squares festooned with pretty colourful houses. The fact that it has featured in some of my favourite books and movies also makes it a huge draw for me and I try to visit every season to explore the side streets and market.
With a day off for both of us last week M and I made an impromptu decision to go to Portebello Road, where I showed him some of mymovie favourites.
We spent a couple of hours shopping, drinking coffee and loving the colourful houses.
Instagram is awash with wisteria at the moment and we stumbled on some absolute beauties whilst we were out and about and ended up on a very impromptu wisteria walk between Notting Hill and Holland Park which was an unexpected treat.
By the end of the morning M was beginning to 'get' my obsession and was even pointing out doorways that I might like to photograph.😂
How glorious is all this wisteria?......The pink door & house was my favourite.
After a couple of hours walking and a very patient M I decided to take him to my favourite pub in Kensington road - The Churchill Arms, which is a real old British pub,famed for its love of war memorabilia which festoons the ceiling, rugby and housing one of the best Thai restaurants in London.
We had a mixture of Pad Thai and curry which was delicious and finished off a pretty good day in Notting Hill.
This week saw Hollywood host the 89th Academy
Awards – where the coveted Oscar is awarded to what the members believe to be
the best within their field for the year.
Usually the only thing that makes the headlines are the frocks and
fashion from the evening, this of course this year was over shadowed by the
horror of the wrong Film being called out at the Winner of the Best movie
2016. The winners list always kick starts
my Movie list for the year, as it gives me ideas of what I would like to see.
My movie moment in February was the movie that bagged the
Best Actor award for Casey Affleck in Manchester by the Sea. Produced by Matt
Damon this movie deals with some hard hitting subjects with some fabulous
acting – stand out performances from both Affleck and Lucas Hedges. Launched at
the 2016 Sundance Film festival, this movie has picked up a host of nominations
and gongs during the award season.
The movie centres around a small town in New England, where
everyone knows everyone and their business, winters are long and bleak and
summers short. Affleck’s character is a brooding loner holding a janitorial
handyman role in a suburb of Boston when he receives a call summoning him back to his home town of
Manchester by the Sea and deal with the aftermath of the call and the
responsibilities that it brings. It is apparent from early on that Affleck has
his own demons and issues with returning to the town which slowly unravel as
the movie develops.
I enjoyed this movie, it’s not something that I would
usually pick out to see, but glad that I did as the acting is impressive and is
very thought provoking.
A couple of other Oscar nominated movies have made by Movie
Moment shortlist for 2017, however most of them are ‘bums on seats’ movies as
opposed to Oscar winners, something I find every increasing in the movie world.
There are definitely 2 types of films made these days, those that are pure
escapism and sheer enjoyment and those that tick boxes as Artistic, Political,
Historical, Minorities etc and are made purely to win awards and not
necessarily take money at the box office.
I am definitely in the escapism camp and just want to be
entertained; some of my movies I will wait for the DVD/online release but a few
I will go to the cinema to see, here’s a few that should take me through to the
summer:
Patriots Day – Mark Wahlberg plays a cop involved in the
investigation and aftermath of the bombing of the Boston Marathon – based on
the tragic events that took place 4 years ago, this movie shows how the city
went into lockdown and a race against the clock to bring the bombers to
justice.
Beauty and the Beast – definitely one for the big screen,
where Emma Watson takes on the role of Belle and Emma Thompson steps into the
very big shoes of Angela Lansbury’s Mrs Potts for this live action of Disney’s
award winning animation. One of my Disney favourites, I can’t wait to see how
this has been bought to life.
King Arthur - looking
forward to seeing is Guy Ritchie’s interpretation of King Arthur – with a huge
cast of stars including Charlie Hunnam as Arthur and a cameo from David
Beckham, this movie could be one of the big hits of the summer and I hope will
look epic on a big screen.
My Cousin Rachel – adapted from Daphne Du Mauriers classic,
this stars Sam Claflin and Rachel Weisz, - a young Englishman plots revenge
against his mysterious beautiful cousin believing that she murdered his
guardian, however she soon beguiles him and conflicts are torn. Definitely one
for the ladies.
Well that's a few from list - what are you looking forward to seeing this year?
Movie moments were few and far between for me in 2016, for
someone who usually has a list of movie musts at the beginning of each year to
see, 2016 was definitely a little lack lustre in the cinema world. Two favourites
for the year were Bridget Jones Babywhich I saw a couple of times at the
cinema with the girls and again snuggled on the sofa on New Year’s Day and MeBefore You which I just loved. Two other movies that I saw over the festive
season also joined the favourite list was the much anticipated JK Rowling’s
Fantastic Beasts and where to find them and Sully.
I saw Fantastic Beasts in 3D at the Imax in London and loved
the whole experience. It was my first trip to the Imax and I was super
impressed with the service, ambience and space of the cinema. The movie was
also in 3D, something I’ve not done in a long time, probably since those early
years of 3D when it was all a little bit hit and miss with the visuals, however
how much has time changed.
For those not familiar with the synopsis the movie is set in
New York in 1926 and in the Harry Potter universe Gellert Grindelward is
terrorising the magical community. Newt Scamander (Eddie Redmayne) travels from
London to New York with a briefcase full of magical creatures. Unfortunately
not all the fantastic beasts want to stay hidden in Newt’s case and escape into
the streets of New York. JK’s imagination astounds me and her creation of these
magical creatures from her head to paper is just amazing. Set in the early 20’s
transports this film back into an era where people lived in fear of satanic
influences (references to Salem and its witchcraft’s) creating an underworld within
the subways and back streets of New York. Newt meets some loveable witches along
with a muggle that joins his adventures. I thoroughly enjoyed this movie and it
may not have captured my heart as much as Harry but one little creature sure did!.... the loveable
thief of shiny belongings, a Niffler – so cute and very naughty he made me
laugh throughout the movie. JK’s genius has done it again and look forward to
the next adventure along with seeing her private investigator Comoron Strike
come to life on the TV later this year.
My second movie of choice is Sully – Tom Hanks taking the
lead and telling the story of the pilot that landed an aeroplane on the Hudson
River on the 15th January 2009, saving 155 lives and avoiding an aviation
disaster. Most of us can remember the Miracle on the Hudson story and probably
think that with 24 hour news coverage and social media that there isn’t much of
a story to tell, what Sully does is show the impact that this has on his life
and the investigation behind the scenes. It’s a fascinating and thrilling film,
where you see a national hero come under immense scrutiny from the aviation companies
and insurance corporations for saving 155 lives. Set in New York, this film has
definitely ignited the flame to return to this fabulous city later this year.
A great film that will keep you entertained throughout, Tom
Hanks is effortless throughout showcasing everything he does well being
fantastically directed by Clint Eastwood.
Two great family entertaining films to finish the year off both set in New York but couldn't be any more different in genre and style …..
now off to compile my list for 2017!
There haven’t been films this year that have had me wanting to rush to the cinema, (the last one being Me before You) but there has been one that has been on my MUST see list since the trailer aired and the location images started to appear on social media late last year. I am of course referring to Bridget Jones Baby.
Bridget is up there in my top favourite films for so many reasons. I have followed Bridget’s adventures since she first appeared as column inches in the Independent, which led to the book and then onto the movie. I too like Bridget have despaired over the size of my thighs, smoked too many cigarettes, drunk far too many units of alcohol and invariably fallen for the very wrong type of man! (on several occasions) and acknowledges that I will always be ‘a little bit fat’.
My mum too tried to set me up with every ‘nice ‘ guy she knew during my twenties to no avail. I stumbled headlong into my 30’s in a drunken partying haze still falling for every wrong guy possible until they all but gave up with me and acknowledged that I would be the ‘forever’ singleton that could at times be the ditsiest klutz possible who loved her friends and was married to her career.
I shared my love of Bridget with my Nan, and she too adored the movie and affectionately called me Bridget on occasions that deemed necessary, we went to the cinema together to see the first movie and I have really fond memories of the fun that we had with it afterwards.
Friday saw the release of the 3rd instalment of Bridget’s life, and I can honestly say it’s the funniest Bridget ever. I laughed from the open through to the final credits, at one point thinking I was going to slide off the chair. Casting is just fabulous and its lovely to see so many old favourites back along with a couple of newbies. Patrick Dempsey who plays the very delicious Jack is just gorgeous and of course a welcome return to the ever lovely Mark Fitzwilliam Darcy (Colin Firth).
This movie has had lots of press, social media coverage and hype and it absolutely lives up to all of it and I’m thrilled that the surprises that are within the movie haven’t leaked all over the networks. The press junket has had me salivating over the fabulous styling of Renee Z along with the gorgeousness of Patrick & Colin.
Bridget may be 43 a little thinner but she hasn’t lost her fun, ditziness and vulnerability that we all fell in love with 14 years ago…. Welcome back Bridget, we’ve missed you x
I have shared previously my love of Jo Jo Moyes book Me before You, and was thrilled when the
news broke that it had been picked up for a movie. The book left a huge impact on me even though I sobbed at the ending I loved the book.
With the release of the trailer, the tears fell again and applauded the casting of Sam Claflin as the quadriplegic Will Trayner and Emilia Clarke as the ditzy loveable Louise Clark.
Friday the movie was released and I booked a ticket to see it at my local Everyman cinema after work - (fully booked for a 6.20pm showing) armed with a box of tissues I settled down for 2 hours of tears and laughter. Jo Jo Moyes has written the screen play and what a fabulous job she has done. There are some parts that have been cut (as with all book to screen adaptations) but the casting is fabulous and they absolutely capture the characters.
Those not familiar with the book; Lou Clark finds herself being
employed as a carer /companion to Will. Will is a gorgeous live life to the full kind guy who after a tragic accident is bound to a wheel chair dependant on all to just manage the basics of living. He has promised his parents 6 months and they employ Lou as his companion. What evolves is a magical heartbreaking journey of discovery and one of the most romantic love stories bought to the screen.
I thoroughly enjoyed the film and cried at several key moments during the film as did the majority of the audience. The subject matter is controversial, but has been shown in a beautiful way and the film has had as profound affect on me as did the book. Huge applause to JoJo Moyes and the cast and crew.
It really is quite beautiful and I will see it again. For now I am reading book 2 and finding out what happened next.
This book / film will question your beliefs, it will make you treasure those that you love and it will make you #liveboldly. Don't put off til tomorrow what you can do today....
I love film trailers, and they are absolutely one of my favourite parts of visiting the cinema, therefore when this his the big screen this week I couldn't contain that inner squeal of excitement!
Bridget is back!!!... and looking as hapless, ditzy and single as ever! With 6 months to wait until the movie is released the trailer tempts us all with scenes of classic Bridget. With a new beau on the scene in the guise of the delicious Patrick Dempsey, it seems not all has gone well with the dashing Mark Darcy.
Lovely to see the fabulous Jim Broadbent back as Bridget's dad and the bacon buttie scene in the bandstand looks heartfelt.
It looks like Bridget has also expanded her fashion and I am already coveting several of the looks ( excluding the baby bump!) Loving the Navy blue zarita DVF dress, Shrimps blue fur coat, and of course she is sporting a gorgeous Mulberry bayswater handbag in many scenes (mmm don't have to worry about adding that to me wish list!)
It does look like Bridget is back in style and with a baby!...
So it feels like ages since I shared a movie moment and some time since I spent an evening at the cinema. There wasn't a great deal of movies released in 2015, that I thought warranted an evening at the cinema and I only went a few times. However I do believe 2016 may be a little different as there are a number of movies being released this year that I will definitely want to see on the big screen.
Me Before You
I am so excited to see this movie; I adored the book, have cried through the trailer and know that I will sob throughout the film. Fabulous casting and cant wait to see it when its released in June. This will be "The Notebook" movie of 2016.
Money Monster
Its been some time since the gorgeous George Clooney did a movie that got me giddy!... but Money Monster looks interesting, not too arty and looking forward to seeing him & Julia Roberts back in screen together (loved their chemistry in the Oceans series) and directed by Jodie Foster
My Big Fat Greek wedding 2
So thrilled to see this Greek family back again, with another wedding to plan along with lots of love, fun and laughter! This looks like the perfect girls night out movie.
Batman V Superman
Henry Cavill is pulling on the blue tights and red cape again and Ben Affleck is pulling on the bat suit to see who is the best superhero for Gotham City... I'm team Cavill, but looking forward to see this summer release.
and finally 2 movies that have yet to release any trailers but some images have been posted frequently on social media.... Bridget Jones and baby!... I am a little excited about this winter release and looking forward to seeing Bridget back with Mr Darcy and the gorgeous Dr McDreamy Patrick Dempsey!!!... oh my, I am a little giddy... how gorgeous does he look on this motorcycle.
The final movie that I am looking forward to is Mother's Day; directed by Garry Marshall from Pretty Women acclaim it follows in the genre of his previous 2 movies Valentines Day and New Years Eve and stars an ensemble cast featuring Jennifer Anniston, Julia Roberts and Kate Hudson.
As you can see its a varied movie bag and I look forward to a night with a big box of popcorn being entertained... what movie are you looking forward to in 2016?
So today sees the long awaited new Bond movie, Spectre, follow-up to Skyfall and Daniel Craig's 4th outing in the legendary tux!
I am very excited to see this movie; it is no secret that I am a bit of a Bond girl and have loved the last few movies (think DC may have something to do with it!!)
So from the first teaser trailer I have been hooked....
Bond is back and looking as moody, brooding and bloody sexy as ever!.
I was intrigued when I heard that Sam Smith had bagged thebond theme song had some reservations when I heard the song on the radio, but it has grown on me and lends itself brilliantly against the video, so will be interested in how its woven into the epic opening scenes of the movie.
So tonight I have my tickets booked and have a date with 007. The trailers have absolutely teased the taste buds for Spectre, the cast looks fabulous, and thrilled to see the Aston Martin DB10 which just looks delicious.
Pop back later in the week when I share my thoughts on Spectre and 007's new adventures.
Here's a few Bond relatedposts from previous adventures.
Octobers book loves are many and I seem to have got my reading mojo back. With lots of travelling ans the late nights drawing in it gives me lots of opportunity to read!. Taking Hollywood - Shari King - its 1993 and 3 childhood friends; Davie, Zander & Mirren from a Glasgow housing estate take the stage in Hollywood to receive the Oscar for best screen play. Fast forward 20 years and the 3 are at the top of their game; Davie top host & show producer, Mirren writer & movie director and Zander box office movie star gold... they also haven't spoken since that fateful night 20 years previous, their relationship devastated by one horrific secret. Suddenly the lives of the 3 stars start to unravel and with a young Scottish reporter landing in Hollywood determined to hunt the story that could change her career it seems that their perfect lives are falling apart. This book has it all, glamour, mystery, glitz all set to the backdrop of the Hollywood; thrilling from start to finish. Ross King is the King part of this writing duo and its his inside knowledge to the movie & glamorous world of Hollywood that absolutely adds to the mystery of this novel and makes you ask, how much of the characters is fact or fiction!! Autumn In Verona -Melissa Hill - Verona has always been the Italian city for lovers; tourists flock to the city famed from Romeo and Juliet. Over one glorious autumnal weekend four visitors paths cross as they visit this magical city and a little trattoria run by an elderly Italian couple.Newly-weds Sarah and Nate are hoping that their mini-moon will be the start to their marriage that they need, after a stressful wedding, family tensions and travel delays. Widower Declan is visiting Verona on the request of his late wife one year after she passed; can he start to move on with his life? and Romance novelist Lily; who is hoping for some inspiration after having her heart broken again. I enjoyed this novella and it firmly transported me back to my own weekend in Verona.
Unravelled in New York - Suzanne Nichol - Charli Cooper arrives in New York from Sydney after leaving a disastrous controlling relationship. As a journalist she finds herself working at the New York Herald. On her first assignment she meets Jack Manning; arrogant, cocky and extremely powerful; he has no patience to deal with an inexperienced journalist who has no idea of the New York social scene. As Charli starts to dig into the back story of Jack and his empire; she has to make some decisions. I was completely swept away by this book an easy read against the glamorous backdrop of New York.... a grown up gossip girl! xoxo with some very gorgeous men! A Cottage in the Country - Linn. B. Halton - Maddie Brooks impulsively buys a run down idyllic cottage in the country after finding her best friend having an affair with her husband of 25 years. With the big 50 birthday rapidly approaching Maddie seeks solace in renovating her cottage, with the help of local handyman who can Lewis. With best friend & boss Ryan waiting in the wings, Maddie has some choices to make, especially after she finds that Lewis was the man who wanted to buy Ash cottage. I enjoyed this book, its a fun read, perfect for an afternoon curled on the sofa with a big mug of coffee and a packet of chocolate biscuits!. Secrets at Maple Syrup Farm - Rebecca Raisin - Lucy is juggling 2 jobs and caring for her very
sick mum and would do anything for her. What she didn't expect was that she find herself promising to leave her and take a year out for herself. When she finds herself on the first bus out of town, she didn't expect to find her adventure in the next state and the town of Ashford, here she is befriended by the local residents in particular Lil and Cee Cee from The Gingerbread cafe. After seeking a job at the local Maple Tree farm with the reclusive Clay. Lucy has never lived long enough in one location to have friends and find herself falling for the town, its residents and a certain farm owner. This is a delightful read and a lovely continuation of Rebecca's Gingerbread cafe , once in a lifetime series.
Big Stone Gap - Adriana Trigiani- a lovely revisit to Adriana Trigiani's 1st book in the Big Stone Gap series. I am really interested in seeing how this translates into a movie which is due for release soon. Ave Marie Mulligan is the town spinster and as she rapidly approaches 40 her life in Big Stone Gap is challenged when a secret from her past is revealed. I read the BSG trilogy many years ago and it really is a lovely story; The characters are fun, especially Iva Lou (played by Whoopi Goldberg in the movie) and has the warm feeling and female camaraderie that Steel Magnolias did when released.
Breaking Hollywood - Shari King- Breaking Hollywood is the follow-up book to Taking Hollywood. Zander Leith, Davie Johnston and Mirren McLean are at the heights of their hollywood careers and are some of the most powerful people in Tinsel town. Suddenly bad things start to happen to all 3 and their shining stars in the city start to dull. Having not spoken in the 20 years since they won their oscar, the past that they thought they had buried starts to come back and haunt them. Suddenly they need to put old feelings aside and work together to uncover the person behind the incidents. This is a roller-coaster story of love, jealousy, revenge, laughter and ultimate friendship.
My October reads took me from the Tinsel town of Hollywood, across the pond to the back alleys of Glasgow, to the quaint town in New England, down to the glamorous skyline of Manhattan, and to the romantic Italian city of Verona. The perfect travelling companions during my commute and travels across London. They transported me to other cities & lives filled with love, laughter, glamour, sex & ooodles of gorgeous men!... perfect escapism on a stuffy tube!.
how can we be halfway through May... this month I am failing miserably with Elizabeth's #BEDM so think I am going to just enjoy reading the posts that are falling into my list, and give up on trying to post daily.
Life has been a little rocky over the past few weeks, predominately work but also stuff going on personally, so I am hoping to get back on track this week with catching up with friends and stuff. Due to some changes and restructuring at work I have a new boss, which means probably some more change over the coming months.
I have a list of blog posts to update including some fun with Shaun the Sheep, a fantastic day celebrating Victory in Europe Day (VE day in London) which was completely unplanned and some day to day stuff including fun with Fitz & Darcy...
Last night I went for an early supper with friends followed by an impromptu trip to the cinema. It's been some time since I saw a film trailer that sparked interest for me to see on the big screen and not wait for the DVD, however Spooks ticked the big screen box.
For those of you that have followed by blog will know that I am a huge Spooks fan, and was interested to see how this movie translated to a big screen and could Kit Harrington follow in the footsteps of Rupert Penry-Jones and Richard Armitage.
Having watched the movie, I can claim that yes Kit Harrington does a great job as 'lead' Spook;
I thoroughly enjoyed the movie, shear escapism, full of action and London looked fabulous on the big screen. Fans of the Bourne movies will enjoy this British version, it was great to see some old Spook favourite characters along with some new faces.... I hope that this isn't the only foray in the Spook movie franchise, as it is sadly missed on our TV screens.
Looking ahead I have a busy week planned; including an evening at the Theatre and an afternoon at the Chelsea Flower show as well as a busy week at work. Hopefully I will get some time for blogging and updates before May finishes!.... have a lovely Sunday evening and a great week...
March saw one of my favourite all time movies celebrate its 25th birthday.... I am of course referring to Pretty Woman. This movie stole my heart when I first saw it 25 years ago, it cemented friendships and over the years can still put a smile on my face for so many reasons.
I was in my late teens when this movie premièred and this was the fairytale movie for me - a little difficult to imagine when you read the synopsis; wealthy business man falls in love with a prostitute on Rodeo Drive all set to a fabulous soundtrack...
Julia Roberts was 21 when she starred in the movie and I had both hair, & leg envy and she influenced many fashion styles in the late 80's/early 90's as well as kiss Richard Gere...
4 looks that stole my heart and I coveted greatly and wore in various forms were...
The cream button through dress & wide brimmed black hat... I had this dress in black & cream and the hat and it was a much loved and worn outfit, along with killer black heels... seen here strutting down rodeo drive.
The brown & cream polka dot outfit worn at the Polo game, I had various forms of this outfit along with the hat and a pair of fabulous brown pied-a-tere sling backs which I adored and still have.
The red dress worn to the opera - breathtakingly stunning and still one of my favourite looks of all time...
The black cocktail dress - this dress is 25 years old and could easily be worn today as then... emphasising that the perfect black dress is timeless....
Along with influencing my wardrobe Pretty Woman has given me endless hours of fun, at 22 my friend and I had an impromptu holiday in California.... we lived so many Pretty Woman moments... Shopping on rodeo drive, travelling through Hollywood in a stretch limo with our heads out the roof with a bunch of flowers and an umbrella, drinking cocktails and laughing lots.
Pretty Woman also made all girls want to be whisked to the opera or to the Polo by a gorgeous man .... the necklace scene is one of my favourites, completely unscripted and Julia Roberts laugh is a genuine reaction to Richard Gere shutting the box on her hand.
who couldn't fall in love with this and that gorgeous dress and necklace....
I never grow tired of watching this movie and have loved finding it on the Tv celebrating its 25th birthday... along with this the cast recently reunited on the Today show to discuss what the movie started out as and how it became the success it it.
It's been sometime since I shared some treats that have been keeping me entertained on the TV. With January & February's work schedule being hectic, it doesn't leave me much time to do a great deal, however I have relaxed a little by catching up on some TV favourites and a few movie moments. TV treats
Broadchurch - a slow burn for me, and one of the few things I watch 'live' to avoid all the spoilers on social media. Series 1 was one of my favourites in 2014, but this didn't excite me as much... great cast, and superb acting but story-line slow & weak in places.... not sure series 3 can go with this.
Gogglebox - a much welcome return to this 'fly on the wall' have loved both episodes and have laughed out loud lots!... too many good moments to mention, but Wolf Hall, & Basic Instinct proving much fun with viewers.
The Good Wife - fallen back in love with this US show. Back for series 6, its full of legalities, intrigue & politics... perfect for me, along with some gorgeous eye candy in the shape of Steven Pasquale as Johnny Elfmann, Alica's campaign manager for her run as State Attorney.
Silent Witness - thoroughly enjoyed the return of this series, all double episodes were gripping and dramatic. Definitely felt like this series was back on top after a couple of weak series. I'm completely hooked on anything forensic, a throw-back to my youth and desire to be a pathologist.
Eastenders- its hard to believe that Eastenders is 30 years old, and enjoyed the 'live' week leading to the big reveal of Lucy Beales killer. Danny Dyer is definitely turning into one of my favourite characters. Good to see EE back and delivering some great storylines.
Cucumber - is the 'Queer as Folk' of this generation. It is as shocking as queer as folk was 20 years ago, but often fun, moving and naughty!... I wouldn't expect anything else from Russel T Davies.
Movie Moments: february saw me catch-up on some oldies that have been languishing in my 'to watch' pile, and re-visiting a favourite.
The Arrow - season 2- very late to The Arrow party but completely hooked on this series. Sheer escapism from start to finish with some very delicious eye candy in Oliver Queen aka Steven Amall.
The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel - a delightful little film filled with some of the nations favourite and much loved actors / actresses. I really enjoyed this heartwarming movie, featuring 3 of my favourites Judi Dench, Bill Nighy & Maggie Smith... a joy from start to finish... will be going to cinema to see the sequel.
The Sweeney ~ when it was announced that The Sweeney would be re-made with Ray Winstone as Reagan I was intrigued. The Sweeney is an old skool classic, however I enjoyed the remake, it was rough, ready and full of the classic Sweeney moments, with a twist of humour. With supporting cast of Damian Lewis & Plan B... its full of car chases, cops & villains and Ray Winstone at his East End best.
The Thomas Crown Affair - this movie got a dusting off the DVD shelf as not only is it one of my favourites, but in my opinion is the original "Fifty Shades".... this movie is as slick, sexy, cinematic and stylish... featuring a bored billionaire who pulls off a heist from the Metropolitan museum of Art in new York. Pierce Brosnan plays Mr Crown who seduces the Insurance investigator (played by the stunning Renee Russo) by flying her off to a Caribbean island where clothes are an option, soaring above the skys in a glider and shagging her senseless across his stunning upper east side townhouse!... can you see the similarities!... this movie without a doubt influenced EL James ... check out the trailer here
What has been keeping your attention on the TV... or what are you looking forward to this Spring?... would love to hear?...
another day and another NY movie moment from my trip in December, Today I am sharing a couple of favourites from an old school classic "When Harry met Sally"....
One of the most infamous scenes of the movie is staged in Katz Deli. Katz's is located on East Houston Street and the corner of Ludlow on the Lower East side and is early til late! it maintains all the charm of an old school diner and is extremely busy. You can either choose to be seated and be served by one if the waiting team, or queue along the counter. When seated you are given an old style ticket which becomes your bill at the end....it was a grey and damp day when I visited but was soon warm and toasty once inside enjoying the wares of Katz's
The menu is vast and I opted for an open sandwich of hot brisket, chips, gravy and a side of macaroni cheese... served with a complimentary dish of pickles, washed down by Katz's lemonade.
It may have not looked much, but it was delicious, the beef was just amazing, melt in the mouth tenderness on a slice of sourdough........ full of flavour.
I loved the old couple sitting at the infamous table, apparently they visit every week and sit at that table! The walls of Katz's is full of photo's showcasing its history and many famous diners including Harry & Sally, one of my favourite pictures was of Sarah-Jessica Park & Matthew Broderick looking very young.
I had a fabulous lunchtime in the deli and thoroughly recommend it for fans of the movie or anyone wants a glimmer of old school New York.
A short walk from the dinner over on the West of Houston is Washington Square park.... those familiar with the film will recognise this location as the drop off point when Harry & Sally arrive in New York.
The park is located at the foot of Fifth Avenue and gives you great views of uptown towards the Empire State Building and downtown towards Freedom Tower, One World Trade Centre. The arch in Washington Square is often used as a meeting place and celebrating cultural activity and non-conformity. Most of the buildings that now surround the park are part of the NYU campus... so the park is a great coffee stop between lessons.
I had a great time living a couple of movie moments from Harry met Sally.... here's some previous posts from my NY movie moments.
As its the weekend of love I thought I would share some more of my New York Chick flick favourites .... starting with The Hotel of old school glamour & romance... The Plaza. The Plaza opened its doors in October 1907 on the corner of 5th Avenue and Central Park south, and became the most sought after address to reside at. Originally,The Plaza served as a residence for wealthy New Yorkers. Mr. and Mrs Vanderbilt were the first to sign the register. For guests who chose to rent on a nightly basis at the time, this New York City luxury hotel’s single rooms started at $2.50 per night.... now you could probably add a couple of noughts to that!
The Plaza palm court and The Champagne bar are 2 of the loveliest parts of the hotel to relax in .... whilst visiting this year I had breakfast on my last day in The Plaza which was just gorgeous and the perfect end to my stay. Most people will be familiar with The Plaza as it is a regular feature as a backdrop in many classic movies....something that they take pride in promoting in the hotel gift store. Outside of the Holiday period my film favourites include that classic scene from"The Way we Were"....
replicated in Sex & the City with Big's engagement party to Natasha.... Christmas movie must for any New York fan is Home Alone 2 lost in New York, when Kevin stays in The Plaza.... here he is arriving. For old school glamour then The Great Gatzby is the movie for you in collaboration with this hotel. The hotel has undergone many changes internally over the years, with the big foyer check-in area seen in Home Alone relocating and now exclusive for guests, however this doesn't mean that the entrance is any less impressive.... here is what greeted me when I stepped into this gorgeous hotel.
a beautiful entrance, with a huge sumptuously decorated tree, complete with Hotel Plaza packages flanked by glorious chandeliers. I couldn't resist the beautiful hand-painted Christmas bauble of the hotel and it came home with me to add to my NY holiday collection.
The Plaza is a lovely outside as it is in and I thoroughly enjoyed exploring this lovely hotel.... even if you cant afford to stay in this very glamorous address, don't let this put you off visiting... Breakfast or Afternoon Tea in The Plaza court is gorgeous (advisable to book ahead online to secure booking) The Food court in the basement of the Hotel is filled with New York favourites and if visiting during the holiday season then look out for Santa story telling in a secret location!. Along with great movies, The Plaza is featured in many books... one of them being my friend Ali Mcnamaras From Nottinghill with Four Weddings... a perfect accompaniment when breakfasting at The Plaza...
Its been one of the most talked about films over the past year and everyone has an opinion on it, but the 'Fifty' phenomenon reached it climax yesterday with the release of the movie.
It was always going to be a given that I would see the film once the casting of Jamie Dornan as Christian Grey had been announced. I had minimal expectations of the film, but after seeing it, was pleasantly surprised. Fifty Shades is never going to win critics views, and fans opinions will be mixed depending on who you imagined would play Anna and Christian, however its a great girls movie and will tick lots of boxes.
The film is so much more about the relationship between the characters than the sex, yes there is sex in the movie and Dakota's boobs will bring envy to any women over the age of 30! but there is chemistry between the 2 characters (contrary to previous media reports) and they have nailed the characters to the book.
From the launch of the book it has divided opinions widely.... yes the story is not great, yes it is repetitive, grammatically it made every other author scream & lament about their craft, however it has added a new dimension to reading, books became sexy again. The hopeless romantic in all of us got swept up in the love story of Anna & Christian, the inner goddess in all of us wanted to meet a billionaire with a fast car, helicopter, & a red room that could give us endless hours of pleasure!...this book & movie is a very modern fairy tale.
With tickets booked months ago for The Everymancinema atSelfridges, it was always going to be a little bit more special than the local cinema in Romford! Best laid plans and all that meant that it ended up me & a friend from work going, as both friends who were originally coming couldn't make it... this didn't distract enjoyment once we entered the red room of the Everyman. Greeted by waiters we were handed complimentary champagne to sip, the bar and lounge were full so we decided to grab a special cocktail and head into the screening room. Cocktail options included; Cosmo Tango, Anastasia's Mojito, Hearts & Flowers and BDSM... we opted for Rope, Tapes & Cable Ties - Sweet ripe strawberries, mixed with white rum & a sting of fresh lime.
On arrival in the screening room, a goodie bag was left for the ladies... with some fun things from the Box of Grey lingerie company, & YSL cosmetics. a bag of fun for laters.... along with champagne & cocktails, no trip to the movies is complete without a pick & mix!... Fifty style. I made some sweet bags complete with lips, cable ties, love eggs & hearts....
The film is cleverly shot and the direction of some scenes is cinematicaly gorgeous, the gliding and charlie tango scenes are lovely. There are a some awkward moments, but the these are few and the film moves along in line with the book. Dakota Johnson is very good as Ana, and captures her innocence, naivety and 'sassyiness ' well. Jamie is gorgeous as Christian, less stern than I imagined but very very delicious in low slung denim! For anyone who has not read the book, the end will come as a huge surprise but this of course leaves the elevator open for Fifty darker....... this movie will never win awards, but it will grab the heart of many .... for now... Laters baby xx
