February Films #1

The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou
Eccentic oceanographer Steve Zissou with his crew, find themselves in troubled waters when they attempt to track down the mysterious 'jaguar shark' that ate Zissou's partner while they were filming a documentary of their latest adventure.
After having being told that Wes Anderson films were the sort of ones I would like I was very intrigued. I must say it was a perfect pick for me! I found Anderson's style of film-making very original and right up my street. I loved how the sea creatures and seascape were puppets which I think made the film even more fun. I've also been turned into a Bill Murray fan, I'd never really seen any of his films before but I'll definitely be checking out his other films! Plus I think dressing up as one of Steve's team would be such a fun costume, baby blue and a bright red hat, so high fashion! 9/10

The Sapphires
It's 1968, and four young, talented Australian Aboriginal girls learn about love, friendship and war when their all-girl group The Sapphires entertain the US troops in Vietnam.
Since I am a huge fan of Chris O'Dowd (The IT Crowd is one of my favourite programmes) and musicals, I knew I would enjoy this film. I must admit this film was a lot more emotional and heart-wrenching than I thought it would be! It was interesting to see racism towards aboriginals in Australia. I have friends and family in Australia and even they say it's not really spoken about nowadays and in some areas is still an issue! I found out that The Sapphires is actually based on a true story and the screenplay was written by a relative. 7/10

The Fantastic Mr Fox
An urban fox cannot resist returning to his farm raiding ways and then must help his community survive the farmers' retaliation.
My second foray into Wes Anderson films. I grew up reading Roald Dahl books so it was nice to see a more adult adaption of one of my beloved childhood books. Once again I found the style of the film captivating. I love the music in the film as well. I think overall it's a great adaption of a classic book that everyone will enjoy! 8/10


Julie and Julia
Julia Child's story of her start in the cooking profession is intertwined with blogger Julie Powell's 2002 challenge to cook all the recipes in Child's first book.
As a somewhat novice cook myself I can see the appeal of trying to cook every recipe in a certain book, whilst this wouldn't work for me since I'm so darn fussy it's an interesting idea. The film is set in two distinct times and places so it flicks between modern-day New York and 1940's France/Europe. I must admit this film inspired me to branch out more in my cooking which is always a good thing! 7/10

What To Expect When You're Expecting
A look at love through the eyes of five interconnected couples experiencing the thrills and surprises of having a baby, and ultimately coming to understand the universal truth that no matter what you plan for, life doesn't always deliver what's expected.
I've not read the book this is based on, mostly because it's a pregnancy book and I've never been pregnant! However, I think this is definitely one of those films that it doesn't really matter if you've read the book or not. It has a cast full of well known actors which I don't think adds to or draws from the plot. I enjoyed the film and would watch it again, you can drift in and out and still understand it. 6/10

January Films

Films that I watched and enjoyed in January. 

The Secret Life of Walter Mitty 
The classic story of a day-dreamer who escapes his anonymous life by disappearing into a world of fantasies filled with heroism, romance and action. When his job along with that of his co-worker are threatened Walter takes action in the real world, embarking on a global journey that turns into an adventure more extraordinary than anything he could have ever imagined.
I guessed I would enjoy this film purely from reading the synopsis and I was right. I loved this film so much. For me the highlight of the film was most definitely the scenery, especially the Iceland ones. I also thought the soundtrack was great especially Kristen Wiigs' version of David Bowies' Space Oddity.  I left the theatre wanting to travel and take on the world! 9/10

17 Fille | 17 Girls
Seventeen teenage girls at a school in small-town France become pregnant at the same time, baffling the adults -- and the boys -- in their lives.
As an avid fan of foreign films and unusual plots I found this film in the depths of netflix. Although it did end up more emotional than I had assumed it would be, I thought the plot was pretty good. It showed how intelligent yet naive the girls were and this view developed as the film progressed. 6.5/10

Grave Encounters
Shot in found footage style, the footage follows the crew of a paranormal reality television programme who lock themselves in a haunted psychiatric hospital in search of evidence of paranormal activity as they shoot what ends up becoming their final episode.
I have a confession, I'm a huge fan of paranormal programmes and one in particular, Ghost Adventures, is exactly the same as the show in this film. Although it got off to a slow start it picked up and had me hiding behind my covers. The horror in this is more of a 'sit and wait for something to happen' than an outright scary thing. If you're a fan of Paranormal Activity or similar films then you'll enjoy Grave Encounters. Plus there's a sequel! 7/10

Medianeras | Sidewalls 
Separated by the wall their apartments share, Mariana and Martín are without question the perfect couple. There's just one problem: They've never met.
Yet another foreign film with an unusual plot. I connected with both characters and the idea of being small in a big city. I'm not sure what else to say apart from it was a nice film that I would watch again!  8/10 

Frozen
The film tells the story of a fearless princess who sets off on an epic journey alongside a rugged, thrill-seeking mountain man, his loyal pet reindeer and a hapless snowman to find her estranged sister, whose icy powers have trapped the kingdom in an eternal winter.
After seeing all the hype on tumblr about Frozen I just had to see it! I'm not a Disney maniac but like everyone I enjoy good songs and animated snowmen. I really appreciated how the plot was focused more on the sisters than a romance. The unexpected villan (spoilers!) shocked me and added an interesting twist. I can't not mention the songs, 'Let it Go' is just one of those songs that you belt out and then feel instantly like you can do anything! A good film for children and adults alike. 8/10

Saved!
When Mary, a devout senior at a Christian high school, accidentally gets pregnant, she starts to see her peers and her faith in a whole new way.
Intrigued by the 'Faith and Spirituality' genre on netflix I was drawn to this film, the whole premise of the film is pretty unlikely but it ends up being genuinely good and heartwarming. Overall it's funny and it's weird seeing well known actors before they were famous. 6.5/10