NOCTURNAL ANIMALS REVIEW

*MAY CONTAIN SPOILERS*

I can't believe that this is fashion-designer Tom Ford's second feature film. Nocturnal Animals is a very intense and dark thriller. At first, you'd think that a professional and highly-accomplished director like David Fincher would've directed this film. Based on Austin Wright's 1993 novel, 'Tony And Susan' and features a star-studded cast including Amy Adams, Jake Gyllenhaal, Michael Shannon, Aaron Taylor-Johnson and Isla Fisher. 

A "story inside a story," in which the first part follows a woman named Susan (Adams) who receives a book manuscript from her ex-husband, Edward (Gyllenhaal), a man whom she left 20 years earlier, asking for her opinion. The second element follows the actual manuscript, called "Nocturnal Animals," which revolves around a man, Tony (also Gyllenhaal), whose family vacation turns violent and deadly. It also continues to follow the story of Susan, who finds herself recalling her first marriage and confronting some dark truths about herself.

Nocturnal Animals' opening credits are sure to grab the viewer's attention as it consists of various naked obese women dancing. During the three minutes of the opening credits, we are wondering what the point of this is. However, we soon discover that this is all a part of Susan's art gallery. Ford's method impressively works as our attention is now on the film and will keep it until the end credits. We soon learn that Susan's marriage to Hutton Morrow (Armie Hammer) is on the rocks. She believes that he's having an affair and the two lack chemistry. Despite having a well-paid job, a good-looking husband and a huge house, Susan isn't happy. After receiving a manuscript from her ex-husband, Edward, titled 'Nocturnal Animals' Susan becomes consumed by the novel, which is both dedicated to her and named Nocturnal Animals after Edward's nickname for her.

The film cuts between scenes from the book to Susan's reaction and her marriage to Edward. Throughout the film, we are left wondering what happened between Susan and Edward that lead to the end of their relationship? The first scene from the book is extremely tense as it consists of Tony, his wife (Fisher) and their daughter (Ellie Bamber) who, on a road trip through West Texas, run afoul of three troublemakers lead by Ray (Taylor-Johnson). It's a truly horrifying sequence that makes us wonder if this event really happened and was the reason their marriage ended. This scene proves that Nocturnal Animals is not for the faint hearted and it's during the scenes from the books that it's where it is at its most gripping. 

The scenes that show Susan's reaction to the book are effective. Her emotions and body language all show she's affected by what's happening in the book. In the beginning of the film, Susan's make-up and costume all make her character look sophisticated, however, we all see her true self underneath the many layers of make-up and without her fancy clothes.

Susan's flashbacks that show her relationship with Edward show how much the two loved each other and the two married despite her mother's (Laura Linney) disapproval. Both Adams and Gyllenhaal share a lot of chemistry in these scenes.

Nocturnal Animals is the kind of film that you'd expect to be nominated for several Academy Awards. Unfortunately, it's only been nominated for one and that's for Shannon's supporting role as the sheriff who helps Tony. It's a shame because Nocturnal Animals was overlooked this year as it could've been nominated for more. It's hard to believe that Adams wasn't nominated for either of her performances here or in Arrival. She's one of the most versatile actresses working today and always commits fully in her every one of her roles. The same goes for Gyllenhaal too who plays two different characters in this film, the fictional Tony, who struggles after his encounter with the three thugs, and Edward, who we only see in flashbacks when he was married to Susan. Taylor-Johnson is almost unrecognisable as the evil Ray. I'm surprised Ford wasn't nominated for his directing as he really knew how to get the best out of his actors and how to create a thriller that succeeds in creating a tense and dark atmosphere and provoking questions in viewers. Because it was one of my favourite films of 2016, I was disappointed when Nocturnal Animals missed out on a nomination for Best Motion Picture. It has almost everything to make it worthy of a nomination including outstanding performances, passionate directing and a narrative that keeps viewers engaged until the end credits. 

Overall, featuring a star-studded cast who each give some of their best performances, Nocturnal Animals further shows writer/director Tom Ford's unique visual and narrative skill.

8/10

ZOOTROPOLIS REVIEW

*MAY CONTAIN SPOILERS*

Zootropolis was the first animated feature film to be released by Disney in early 2016. Because it was set in a anthropomorphic universe, I didn't think it would be any good and would only entertain younger children. I've seen many animated films where animals are the main characters and they weren't that great. Fortunately, Zootropolis exceeded my expectations. It's one of those rare animated features that is suitable for the whole family.

The modern mammal metropolis of Zootropolis is a city like no other. Comprised of habitat neighborhoods like ritzy Sahara Square and frigid Tundratown, it's a melting pot where animals from every environment live together - a place where no matter what you are, from the biggest elephant to the smallest shrew, you can be anything. But when rookie Officer Judy Hopps (voice of Ginnifer Goodwin) arrives, she discovers that being the first bunny on a police force of big, tough animals isn't so easy. Determined to prove herself, she jumps at the opportunity to crack a case, even if it means partnering with a fast-talking, scam-artist fox, Nick Wilde (Jason Bateman), to solve the mystery. 

The two main characters are Hopps and Wilde and they soon form an unlikely friendship. Hopps is admirable because, when she is assigned to meter maid duty on her first day at the police force, she makes the most of it and writes out more than the required 100 parking tickets. She has an optimistic outlook on life and is a protagonist all viewers can easily like. Wilde is a con-artist and brings most of the humour. Despite his attempts to outwit Hopps, she proves to be smarter than him and he has no choice but to help her in a mystery regarding the disappearance of an otter. The two bring out the best in each other and is an unlikely friendship that works. 

Apart from Goodwin and Bateman, who both do solid voice-work, another notable name includes Idris Elba who voices tough African buffalo, Chief Bogo, and, arguably, has one of the best lines in the film ("Life isn't some cartoon musical where you sing a little song and your insipid dreams magically come true so let it go"). Elba's deep voice is perfect for this role. This was the first of three other Disney films he featured in, the others being The Jungle Book where he voiced the evil tiger, Shere Khan, and Finding Dory where his voice made an appearance as a sea-lion. Jenny Slate voices Dawn Bellwether, a diminutive sheep who is the assistant mayor of Zootropolis. Like Elba, Slate has made other appearances in other animated films including The Secret Life Of Pets as a white Pomeranian and, most recently, as Harley Quinn in The Lego Batman Movie. Overall, the voice performances in Zootropolis are strong. Colombian singer Shakira makes an appearance as Gazelle who is a famous pop singer and, throughout the film, her song, 'Try Everything' is heard. It's a catchy tune with an optimistic message about not giving up.

Many animated films have a predictable plot but Zootropolis has enough twists and turns to make its story original. At the center of the narrative is a mystery, however, this story wasn't created with crime/detective fans in mind. It's more of a mismatched buddy film with both Hopps and Wilde learning about each other's stengths and weaknesses over the course of the film. This leads to the two of them making an ubreakable friendship. This is proven in the film's climax where we discover who really is behind the disappearance of the otter. It's a twist I honestly didn't see coming and it's what I loved most about this film's story. 

Zootropolis succeeds in sending out a message about diversity and how important it is not to judge others. This is carefully camouflaged by showing various animals of different species getting along. This film couldn't come at a more better time. Unfortunately, racism is still a major issue in today's society with many people still making negative comments towards others because of their background. Zootropolis shows us how important it is for us to end the discrimination and judgement towards others and this is why it's a film that everyone should watch.

What I also loved about Zootropolis is that it's modern enough so it's suitable for the younger generation to enjoy. Phones are used and there's even a running gag that includes a Gazelle app where characters can appear in her music video. 

Of course, with almost every Disney animated feature, the comedy is what makes it highly entertaining. The humour mainly comes from Wilde and his many one liners but one of the funniest scenes occurs at the DMV which is run by sloths who are incredibly slow, much to Hopps' dismay.  There's even a hilarious spoof of the classic film, The Godfather, where we meet a mobster known as Mr. Big (Maurice LaMarche). 

The animation is of high quality. The titled city itself is visually stunning and it's very impressive. It's no surprise that, at the time of writing this, it's been nominated for Best Animated Feature at the 89th Academy Awards. Because of the message it sends out, the highly-entertaining comedy and the solid voice work, I wouldn't be surprise to see it win. 

8/10

MY TOP 10 FILMS OF 2016

2016 has been a great year in terms of films. Looking back, there were a lot of highly anticipated films released this year and, fortunately, only a small number of them were disappointing. In my annual end-of-year Top 10, I'll be discussing my favourite films that were released this year. This list is in no particular order. 

Honourable Mentions:

These are the films that didn't make the list but still deserve a mention and are definitely worth a watch.

How To Be Single

This was one of the first comedies released this year and, while it's not the funniest, it's still really entertaining and is worth a watch if you enjoy comedy. The main reason I enjoyed this is because it focused on women and how they can have fun without having a boyfriend. I've seen far too many comedies try and force in a romance between the two main protagonists even though it's not necessary. The main character is Alice (Dakota Johnson) who has, recently, ended her relationship with her boyfriend and moves to New York to live with her sister (Leslie Mann). This is where she meets and befriends Robin (Rebel Wilson) who teaches Alice how to enjoy being single. Wilson is definitely one of the best things about this film as she doesn't hold back from hilarious one liners. Johnson proves that she can be just as funny and Mann is perfect as her sister who becomes broody after working as a midwife. 

Nerve

This is one of the most original films I've watched this year and the film's story focuses on an app called 'Nerve' where the person chooses to be either a player or watcher. If the person chooses to watch, they pay a fee and choose the dares for the players. If the players successfully complete the dare, they earn money. The two main characters are Vee (Emma Roberts) and Ian (Dave Franco) who get caught up in the game and are risking their lives when the dares become more dangerous. Both Roberts and Franco have great chemistry together which is important because the film's main focus is on them. At first, the two think that the dares are a lot of fun but things take a dark and serious turn and it's up to the pair to stop the game for good before any serious damage is caused. This really kept me on the edge of my seat especially during some of the dares. I had no idea if anyone was going to make it out alive. This was released during the Pokemon Go hype and it makes you realise how caught up and obsesssed we are with the latest technology. I highly recommend this if you're a fan of thrillers.

Me Before You

To be honest, when this was first released, I had no desire to see this as, judging from the trailer, I thought it'd be cheesy. However, I was surprised at how much I enjoyed it. Emilia Clarke is perfect as the optimistic Lou Clark who begins working for Sam Claflin's character, Will Traynor, who, after an unfortunate road accident, is paralysed. Will is the complete opposite of Lou and is understandably depressed but Lou is determined to make his life better and it doesn't take long for the two to become close friends. Me Before You mainly benefits from Clarke and Claflin's alluring chemistry. Despite Lou already having a boyfriend, Patrick (Matthew Lewis), I really wanted her to be with Will. The film clearly shows us that Lou's relationship with Patrick isn't that great and we see her becoming closer with Will. The film also does a great job of handling a subject that I've never seen in film before and that's the life of a paralysed person. When we first meet Will, he has no desire to live but Lou, with her optimism, gives him a reason to remain strong. It is definitely one of the most emotional films I've watched this year and if you're thinking of watching it, be sure to keep some tissues near as you'll most likely be crying during the film's climax.

The Jungle Book

It's been a busy year for Disney. Not only have they released two animated features, Zootopia and Moana, they've also released two live action adaptations of classic films including Pete's Dragon which is a remake of the 1977 musical and The Jungle Book which is a remake of the 1967 animated feature. Although Pete's Dragon was an enjoyable adaptation and was a lot better than the original, I would have to say I think that The Jungle Book is better. I loved the original animation so I had high hopes for this live action remake. Fortunately, it didn't disappoint and, in some ways, improved on the original. This includes the visuals. The young actor who portrays Mowgli, Neel Sethi, is the only one who appears in the flesh. All the other characters are created using computer generated imagery and look incredibly life like. The jungle is an important part as it's where the majority of the film is set and it's brought to life. Sethi's performance is really impressive and captures the charm of Mowgli. It also has an great cast of voices including; Bill Murray as Baloo the bear; Ben Kingsley as Bagheera the panther; Idris Elba as Shere Khan the tiger; Lupita Nyong'o as Raksha the wolf; Scarlett Johansson as Kaa the snake and many more. They all bring their own distinct voices to their chosen role and make The Jungle Book an even more entertaining watch. This film is definitely worth a watch for many reasons one of them being the stunning visuals and impressive debut performance from Neel Sethi.

Finding Dory

After the release of Finding Nemo in 2003, it soon went on to become one of the best selling films of that year. Usually, because of its success at the box office, most production companies would start writing a sequel straightaway and have it released within 2-3 years. However, Disney/Pixar took its time creating a sequel for Finding Nemo and focused on creating more original animated films. Now, after a thirteen year wait, the sequel fans have been waiting for is finally here and it didn't disappoint. The first film focused on Marlin (voice of Albert Brooks), a clownfish, searching for his son, Nemo (Alexander Gould) along with the help of a blue tang with short-term memory loss, Dory (Ellen DeGeneres). Now, this film focuses on Dory as she travels through an aquarium with the help of an octopus, Hank (Ed O'Neill), in order to find her parents. At first, when I heard the title, I thought that it might be about Dory going missing and Marlin and Nemo going out to look for her. This film is actually more about finding more about Dory and her life before she met Marlin. This film brings more depth to her character and, thanks to DeGeneres' voice, makes her a more likable protagonist. I wasn't wrong about Marlin and Nemo, though. When Dory accidentally ends up in the aquarium, it's up to Marlin and Nemo to go out and look for her. There scenes includes some bonding between the father and son. This is a rare sequel that proves to be just as entertaining as its predecessor and is definitely worth a watch if you enjoyed Finding Nemo.

Bridget Jones's Baby

When it was announced that there was going to be third film in the much loved Bridget Jones franchise, I couldn't have been more excited. I was a bit surprised, though, considering that the actress who portrayed the title character, Renee Zellweger, had taken a hiatus from acting in 2010. Fortunately, Zellweger returned to one of her best roles and filming began in late 2015. Now, after 12 years of the release of the first sequel Bridget Jones: The Edge Of Reason, Bridget is back and, this time, she's pregnant but the only problem is she doesn't know who the father is. Is it her ex, Mark Darcy (Colin Firth) or a charming new love interest, Jack Quant (Patrick Dempsey)? I did have certain doubts before I watched this film as I know The Edge Of Reason failed to impress critics and audiences when it was released. However, the majority of the reactions to this film were positive and I can't understand why I had any doubts in the first place. Despite being linked to the earlier Bridget Jones films, I'd say that this is good enough on its own. Viewers who haven't seen the two predecessors need not worry as this is simply a comedy about a woman finding out who the father of her unborn child is. This plotline has been used several times in many films and episodes of TV shows, however, Bridget Jones's Baby brings original comedy and makes it fresh. Bridget Jones's Baby is definitely worth a watch if you're looking for a comedy that is highly entertaining.

Ghostbusters

I will never understand the negative reception that this remake of the 1984 comedy, Ghostbusters, received. I remember when the trailer was released and the comments were filled with hateful comments and this was all because all four of the title characters were played by women rather than men. Being a woman, I loved the idea of an all-female remake of Ghostbusters and it was one of my highly anticipated films of this year. However, I was surprised when, on its release day in the UK, the IMDb page became filled with negative ratings leading it to receive an overall rating of 3.7/10. Despite this, critics were more positive towards the new remake and it received a 73% Fresh rating on Rotten Tomatoes. Because of the negative response, I went in with low expectations, fortunately, this film exceeded my expectations. As much as I enjoyed the 1984 Ghostbusters, I have to say I enjoyed this a lot more and that's not because it's an all-female remake and I'm a woman, it's because I felt like it was more entertaining. All four of the leads, Kristen Wiig, Melissa McCarthy, Kate McKinnon and Leslie Jones, have great chemistry together. This isn't the first time Wiig and McCarthy have worked together: they both starred alongside each other in Bridesmaids. Because of this, the two have natural chemistry together. However, this is the first feature film for McKinnon and Jones, who are best known for appearing in several sketches on Saturday Night Live, and, together, they bring most of the laughs with their many one-liners and character traits. Chris Hemsworth, who is best known for portraying Thor in the Marvel films, is a surprise here and brings humour to his role as Kevin, the receptionist who really isn't at all bright. There are even cameos from members of the original Ghostbusters cast including Bill Murray, Ernie Hudson, Annie Potts, Dan Aykroyd and Sigourney Weaver. Overall, this all-female reboot does an impressive job of standing on its own as a marvelously cast supernatural comedy. I wouldn't recommend paying attention to the negativity surrounding this film as, after all, it's just a comedy created to entertain fans of the original.

10. Nocturnal Animals

This is Amy Adam's third film this year (the other two being Batman V Superman and Arrival) and also one of her best performances. She plays Susan Morrow, an art gallery owner, who is currently in an unhappy relationship with her husband, Hutton (Armie Hammer). However, things take a drastic turn when she receives a manuscript of a novel from her ex-husband, Edward (Jake Gyllenhaal), called Nocturnal Animals. What makes this unusual is that she hasn't heard from Edward in 19 years and the book is based on their life. The film frequently cuts between parts of the book, Susan's reaction and her relationship with Edward. Throughout the film, I wondered what Susan had done that was unforgivable? Because the book is dark and, at times, violent, I wonder if any of those things had actually happened during their relationship? Nocturnal Animals asks a lot of questions and only a few of them are answered. However, this doesn't make this a bad film, it is actually one of the most original films this year. I hadn't seen Tom Ford's 2009 directorial debut, A Single Man, prior to watching this so I had no idea what to expect. Ford definitely doesn't shy away from anything here. The opening shows naked obese women dancing, the violence that features in the film is quite graphic and disturbing and there's even a naked man on the toilet. However, while some of this may gross some viewers and may affect their opinion of the film, for me, I just accepted it. If there's a reason to watch the film, I'd say it's the performances that really sell it. Adams gives a solid performance as Susan, her reactions to parts from the book are really convincing as we can clearly see that she is affected by it. Gyllenhaal proves, once again, why he's one of the best actors of our generation and manages the difficult task of playing two different characters including Edward and Tony Hastings in the book. We see more of Tony than we do of Edward, however, both performances are really strong. I would like to see him win an Oscar one day. Both Michael Shannon and Aaron Taylor-Johnson give exceptional performances as two characters in the book.

9. Zootropolis

Okay, I confess to not watching this film when it was first released in March this year as I thought that it was aimed at young viewers. However, I couldn't have been more wrong. It received massive critical acclaim and many audiences enjoyed it as well. Critics said that it was suitable for viewers of all ages because of the themes that feature in this film and I couldn't agree more. Despite living in the 21st Century, people still judge and discriminate against other people based on numerous things including gender, sexuality, race and skin colour. Disney successfully manages to create a story that offers a thoughtful and inclusive message whilst managing to be entertaining and funny enough for younger viewers. Zootropolis consists of anthropomorphic animals who are split into two groups, predators and prey. While predators no longer hunt and feed on prey and live in peaceful harmony with them, there are still issues of prejudice and discrimination. This is made clear where a bunny, Judy Hopps (Ginnifer Goodwin), moves to the titled city hoping to become a police officer. Unfortunately, because she's a bunny and the first one to become a member of the police force, she becomes victim to prejudice. Despite this, Judy doesn't let this get to her. She is smart, tough, witty, brave - everything you could want in a protagonist. The second character is Nick Wilde (Jason Bateman), a sly fox who makes his money by conning people. Judy catches him but, instead of arresting him, asks for his help regarding a missing otter. Nick agrees and this leads to an unlikely friendship developing between the two. Not only does Zootropolis impress with its message, it features an original story. I enjoyed watching Judy and Nick together as the two couldn't be more different, however, it turns out they are more alike than they thought as they were both subject to bullying as children. In the beginning of the film, we see Judy as a child being bullied by a fox which leads to her thinking that all foxes are like that and her parents giving her a spray to protect her. And, in the middle of the film, we see Nick, as a child, wanting to join the Ranger Scouts but is discriminated against because he's a fox. These scenes causes the viewer to feel sympathetic towards them. Overall, this is a film that is worth watching for many reasons, the main one being it's important message which is to never discriminate or judge someone.

8. The Girl On The Train 

When I heard that there was going to be a film adaptation of Paula Hawkin's best selling book, The Girl On The Train, I thought I'd give the book a read and I really enjoyed it. It was thrilling throughout and full of twists. Because of this, I did have high hopes for this film and was surprised to discover that it had received a lot of criticism. This meant my expectations were lowered, however, after watching it, I couldn't understand the negative reception it had received. I thought it was a great adaptation of Hawkin's book and, despite knowing what was going to happen, I was still on the edge of my seat. The Girl On The Train focuses on Rachel (Emily Blunt) who becomes obsessed with watching her ex-husband's house and another house a few doors down which is owned by a couple, Megan (Haley Bennett) and Scott (Luke Evans). However, she soon becomes caught up in a mystery when Megan disappears. This is worth a watch if you enjoy drama/thrillers. This also features a strong performance from Emily Blunt and all the actors involved. 

7. X-Men Apocalypse 

This was another film that received a lot of criticism when it was first released. I think this is because people's expectations were so high especially after the release of the previous film, Days Of Future Past, which is probably the best in the whole X-Men franchise. Despite the negativity surrounding this film, I really enjoyed it. I thought it was a great sequel to Days Of Future Past and features plenty of action and a strong villain, Apocalypse (Oscar Isaac), who is the strongest mutant. It also introduces us to the younger versions of character we already know from the first X-Men films, however, some characters may have turned out differently due to the events of Days Of Future Past. The film focuses on Apocalypse who has been awakened after thousands of years and is determined to wipe out civilisation and create a new world. This leads to him recruiting mutants including a depressed Magneto (Michael Fassbender), Storm (Alexandra Shipp) and two new mutants, Angel (Ben Hardy) and Psylocke (Olivia Munn). With Professor Charles Xavier (James McAvoy) taken hostage by Apocalypse, it's up to a new team of X-Men, including Mystique (Jennifer Lawrence), Beast (Nicholas Hoult), Quicksilver (Evan Peters), Jean Grey (Sophie Turner), Cyclops (Tye Sheridan) and Nightcrawler (Kodi Smit-McPhee) to try and stop Apocalypse. I would say that this is the second best in the franchise as it's full of thrilling action and features strong performances from the majority of the cast. This includes McAvoy, Fassbender, Lawrence, Hoult and Peters who all return from previous installments. The new cast are also really good, especially Turner as Jean. She's best known for appearing in fantasty drama series, Game Of Thrones, however, this role proves what a talented actress she is and she understands Jean's struggle to control her mind-reading powers. I also thought that Isaac gave a strong performance as Apocalypse, who, because of his many powers, was scary at times as I wasn't sure what he would do next. The climax had me on the edge of my seat as it was really tense. I doubt fans of X-Men will be disappointed with this latest installment.

6. 10 Cloverfield Lane

This was a film that I wasn't expecting to enjoy as much as I did. At first, I wasn't interested in watching 10 Cloverfield Lane as I didn't really like Cloverfield due to it being filmed using a handcam which it was incredibly shaky and was hard to keep up with at times. However, this all changed in the sequel which I think is an improvement on the first film. The camera is stable and, instead of an alien destroying New York, the focus is on three different characters who are all trapped in an underground bunker. This includes Michelle (Mary Elizabeth Winstead), Howard (John Goodman) and Emmett (John Gallagher Jr.). The film's tagline is 'Monsters come in many forms' and that's the main premise. When we first meet Howard, he comes across as creepy and has very strict rules for his bunker and Goodman's portrays him as a monster because of the things he does. Fortunately for Michelle, she becomes friends with Emmett who is friendly and has an optimistic outlook on the situation. Before watching this film, I read the entire synopsis as I didn't think I would ever watch it so I wasn't surprised by certain things that happen. The stand out performance is Winstead as Michelle as she portrays her as a strong and brave individual. The majority of the film is set inside the bunker and gives it a claustrophobic feel as there's no where else to go. It also makes the audience wonder what's going on outside and if Howard is telling the truth about there being an apocalyptic catastrophe. Like the audience, Michelle is unsure what to believe and comes up with a plan to escape. The producer of Cloverfield, J.J. Abrams, has described 10 Cloverfield Lane as a 'blood-relative' to the first film. It's not clearly explained whether it's a prequel or a sequel but, judging from 10 Cloverfield Lane's thrilling climax, I'm guessing that the story took place around the same time as the first film. Overall, this is one of the best thrillers I've watched because it's smart, solidly crafted and palpably tense. 10 Cloverfield Lane makes the most of its confined setting and all three leads give strong performances.

5. Fantastic Beasts And Where To Find Them

Fans of the Harry Potter franchise were, understandably, upset when the final film, Deathly Hallows Part 2, was released in July 2011. They all thought that this was the end of the Wizarding World but, fortunately, J.K. Rowling admitted to not being able to 'let go' of the magical world she had created in her books. This lead to her writing a West-End play, Harry Potter And The Cursed Child, which is set 19 years after the events of Deathly Hallows Part 2. Not only that but she wrote her first ever screenplay, Fantastic Beasts And Where To Find Them, which is based on a textbook that Harry Potter reads at Hogwarts. The story is set in 1926 and Newt Scamander (Eddie Redmayne) has just completed a global excursion to find and document an extraordinary array of magical creatures. Arriving in New York for a brief stopover, he might have come and gone without incident...were it not for a No-Maj (American for Muggle) named Jacob Kowalski (Dan Fogler), a misplaced magical case, and the escape of some of Newt's fantastic beasts, which could spell trouble for both the wizarding and No-Maj worlds. This is one of the most anticipated films this year and, unlike other highly anticipated films, Fantastic Beasts not only met my expectations, it beat them. Making a motion picture that is as enjoyable as the Harry Potter films must have been incredibly stressful but both the cast and crew have succeeded. I can't imagine any Harry Potter fans being disappointed. David Yates, who directed the final four films in the Potter franchise, returns and I couldn't think of anyone else better than Yates at directing. He brings J.K. Rowling's imaginative world to life once again. The setting is completely different to anything we've seen before in the Potter films as it's in New York and is set in the late 1920s. Both the setting and costume design are perfect. It felt like I was transported to New York in 1926. The performances all round are brilliant but the stand out is, of course, Redmayne as shy and awkward Newt. It's hard to believe that almost three years ago he gave an Oscar-winning portrayal as Professor Stephen Hawking in the 2014 drama, The Theory Of Everything. This role is further proof that Redmayne is one of the best actors of this generation. Other strong performances come from Katherine Waterston as the brave ex-Auror (dark wizard catcher), Tina Goldstein, who is willing to help Newt, Dan Fogler, who brings comic relief as Jacob, and Alison Sudol, who is perfectly flirtatious as Tina's sister, Queenie. Recognisable actors include Colin Farrell as Percival Graves who is a high ranking Auror but has a dark side to him. Ezra Miller gives a sympathetic performance as, Credence Barebone who is the mysterious son of the sinister leader of New Salem Philanthropic Society. Credence also plays an important part in the film's exciting climax. There's not a bad performance to be found. Overall, this is a welcome return to the Wizarding World.

4. Moana

Disney have managed to produce over hundreds of entertaining animated features that are suitable for the whole family. Moana, Disney's latest offering, is no different and provides over 100 minutes of solid storytelling, the best animation I've seen this year and two likable lead characters.

Moana Waialiki (voice of Auli'i Cravalho) is a sea voyaging enthusiast and the only daughter of a chief in a long line of navigators. When her island's fisherman can't catch any fish and the crops fail, she learns that the demigod Maui (Dwayne Johnson) caused the blight by stealing the heart of the goddess Te Fiti. The only way to heal the island is to persuade Maui to return Te Fiti's heart, so Moana sets off on an epic journey across the Pacific. The film is based on stories from Polynesian mythology. Moana takes place in Polynesia which is a part of Oceania, a region that consists of numerous islands dispersed throughout the Pacific Ocean. This isn't the first Disney animated film to feature a Polynesian theme. Lilo & Stitch also took place in modern day Hawaii, however, Moana is the production company's first Polynesian princess, growing up in the fictional island of Motunui. She is also a clear example of the lead animated characters becoming more diverse. For a long time, Disney were known for creating princesses whose only concern were marrying a prince. Fortunately, those times have changed and there is no love interest for the lead protagonist. Her relationship with the demigod Maui is purely platonic and he behaves like her older brother most of the time. This was one of my favourite things about this animated feature. Overall, with its title character being as three-dimensional as its beautiful animation, Moana is truly a family-friendly adventure for the ages.

3. Joy 

Jennifer Lawrence is one of my favourite actors working in Hollywood at the moment. Since appearing in The Hunger Games in 2012, she has gone on to receive phenomenal success. She has won one Academy Award for her performance as Tiffany in Silver Linings Playbook, along with three other nominations and she's also won three Golden Globes. Released in January earlier this year, this was her first of three films Lawrence appeared in (the others being X-Men Apocalypse and Passengers). She plays the title character who is based on real life business woman and entrepreneur, Joy Mangano. In her third collaboration with director David O. Russell (the two previously worked together on Silver Linings Playbook and American Hustle), Lawrence portrays Joy as a determined, hard-working mother of two who comes up with a new product, the Miracle Mop, which is self-wringing. Unfortunately, selling this product is easier said than done and, throughout the film, we see Joy overcome many obstacles which makes her a strong protagonist. What I liked most about this film was, apart from Lawrence's brilliant performance, the fact that there's no unnecessary love interest for Joy. In order to get her self-wringing mop noticed, she meets with the executive of QVC, Neil Walker (Bradley Cooper), so she can get it advertised. Most filmmakers would try and force these two characters to fall in love but, fortunately, that's not the case here. Their relationship is purely platonic and nothing happens between them. I also thought that this film was really inspiring as we Joy struggle a lot before she finally becomes the successful entrepreneur she is today.

2. Passengers

This was my highly anticipated film this year as it featured Jennifer Lawrence in one of the lead roles. The plot also really intrigued me as well because the story seemed original. The setting is the Starship Avalon which is a spaceship travelling to a new planet known as Homestead II, however, because this journey will take 120 years, all 5,000 passengers are sent to sleep inside their hibernation pods. Unfortunately, 30 years into the journey, the ship hits a meteor which leads to two hibernation pods malfunctioning. The two passengers that wake up are Jim Preston (Chris Pratt) and Aurora Lane (Lawrence). It doesn't take long for them to realise that they're the only two people awake and they still have at least 90 years of their journey to go. Creating a science-fiction film can be a difficult thing to achieve but, nevertheless, director Morten Tyldum brings Jon Spaihts' script to life. Before watching the film, I really enjoyed reading Spaihts' script and knew it would be an entertaining film. Passengers is at its most entertaining during the first 90 minutes in which Jim and Aurora's relationship develops. In a montage, we see the two dance, play basketball and dine together. Unfortunately, things take a drastic turn in the climax when the ship begins to malfunction and it's up to the pair to fix it and save all 5,000 passengers. Both Lawrence and Pratt give strong performances in this film and share a lot of chemistry. Passengers further proves how talented Lawrence is, given that this is the third film she's appeared in this year (the others being Joy and X-Men Apocalypse). After watching Pratt in his two previous films, Guardians Of The Galaxy and Jurassic World, I did find him a bit irritating, however, my opinion soon changed after watching his portrayal of Jim. This is probably his most dramatic role and also his best one, in my opinion. What I also loved about the film was the setting and design of the Avalon. When Jim and Aurora are exploring the ship, I was blown away by how stunning it all looked. The visual effects are amazing too. The scene where Jim and Aurora fly outside the ship is one of my favourite sequences in the film. Overall, I think this is a film that everyone needs to see as it's original and features elements of drama, romance, action and bits of comedy sprinkled in for good measure. It's also worth watching for the performances from both Lawrence and Pratt.

1. Arrival

The second science fiction feature film to appear on this list, Arrival is, by far, the best film I've watched this year. It's smart, thought-provoking, has an original plot and features an outstanding performance from Amy Adams as the lead character. Before I watched this film in November, Arrival premiered at the Venice Film Festival where the director, Denis Villeneuve won the Future Film Festival Digital Award. It was then screened at the Toronto International Film Festival, Telluride Film Festival and the British Film Institute London Film Festival. Since then, it's gone on to receive widespread critical acclaim with a 94% rating on Rotten Tomatos with 268 reviews with many saying it's a 'must-see in cinemas' so, of course, with all the positive reviews surrounding this film, I had high expectations. Fortunately, Arrival proved to be better than what I expected it to be. At first, I thought it was about an alien invasion but, after watching it, I now know it's about more than that. Arrival begins with Louise Banks (Adams) experiencing a personal tragedy. Now, she's a professor at a university teaching language when they arrive. And by they, I mean large, mysterious objects that have appeared at numerous places across the globe. With Louise being an expert at linguistics, she is brought in by the military to try and communicate with the aliens that live inside the pods. Most alien invasion films focus on trying to destroy the extra-terrestrial beings before trying to find out what they want. However, in Arrival, the military make the decision to try and find out what the aliens want. Villeneuve succeeds in creating an tense atmosphere throughout the film. The most intense scenes occur when Louise first meets the aliens, which they soon call 'heptapods', and tries to communicate with them. Not only are these scenes really intense but this is where Arrival is at its most engaging. Adams portrays Louise as a strong, brave protagonist and she's one of the reasons why Arrival is successful. This is a cinematic masterpiece and the best film of 2016.

Those were 15 of my favourite films this year.

I do recommend that you give them a watch.

Thank you for reading my blogpost, I really do appreciate it. 

I can't wait to find out what my top ten films of  2017 will be.

MOANA REVIEW

*MAY CONTAIN SPOILERS*

So far, Disney have managed to produce over hundreds of entertaining features, both live-action and animated, that are suitable for the whole family. Moana, Disney's latest animated offering, is no different and provides over 100 minutes of solid storytelling, the best animation I've seen this year and two likable lead characters.

Moana Waialiki (voice of Auli'i Cravalho) is a sea voyaging enthusiast and the only daughter of a chief in a long line of navigators. When her island's fisherman can't catch any fish and the crops fail, she learns that the demigod Maui (Dwayne Johnson) caused the blight by stealing the heart of the goddess Te Fiti. The only way to heal the island is to persuade Maui to return Te Fiti's heart, so Moana sets off on an epic journey across the Pacific. The film is based on stories from Polynesian mythology.

Moana takes place in Polynesia which is a part of Oceania, a region that consists of numerous islands dispersed throughout the Pacific Ocean. This isn't the first Disney animated film to feature a Polynesian theme. Lilo & Stitch also took place in modern day Hawaii, however, Moana is the production company's first Polynesian princess, growing up in the fictional island of Motunui. She is also a clear example of the lead animated characters becoming more diverse. For a long time, Disney were known for creating princesses whose only concern were marrying a prince. Fortunately, those times have changed and there is no love interest for the lead protagonist. Maui behaves like her older brother most of the time. This was one of my favourite things about this animated feature. 

Despite being only 16, Cravalho is the perfect voice for the title character. She is also the youngest actress to voice a lead female character in a Disney animated feature as most of them are voiced by adults which isn't a bad thing but, considering Moana is a teenager, it seemed right that she'd only be voiced by one. Johnson is also a great choice for Maui as, like the character, he is known for being strong and having large muscles. His character was also inspired by several legends. As shown in the trailer, Maui is capable of numerous and miraculous feats. The demigod used his magical fishhook to slow down the sun and create longer days. Not only that, but he pulled islands out of the sea whilst fishing. According to legend, this explains the origin of New Zealand. In addition to those myths, the filmmakers also drew inspiration from several other legends whilst creating their version of Maui. 

Like I mentioned earlier, this is the best animation I've seen this year. The islands themselves are breathtaking and look like the land of paradise with its gorgeous landscapes. This is where the animation is at its best. I wouldn't be surprised if Moana was nominated for Best Animated Feature at the Academy Awards early next year. 

If Moana could be nominated for an Academy Award other than Best Animated Feature, I think it could be for Best Original Song. The songs that feature in Disney's animated films are always an important element. I doubt anyone has forgotten Let It Go from Disney's 2013 feature, Frozen. Fortunately, the songs don't disappoint. With the majority of them co-written by Lin-Manuel Miranda, who is best known for writing the songs in the hit Broadway musical Hamilton, they all prove to be enjoyable songs, especially Maui's song You're Welcome and Moana's motivating How Far I'll Go.

This also may come as a surprise to a lot of people but Moana is Disney's second original princess, the first being Merida from Disney/Pixar's animated feature, Brave. In addition to being the first Polynesian princess, Moana will stand out as the second princess not to be based on an existing fairy tale or fable. Like Merida, Moana will also be a young warrior who sets out on a journey of self-discovery. This makes her an important role model for young girls watching this film. I grew up watching the likes of Cinderella and Sleeping Beauty which lead me to believe I need a prince or a boyfriend. I now know that couldn't be further from the truth and, hopefully, the new generation of young girls will grow up believing they can be whatever they want to be, prince or no prince.

Overall, with its title character being as three-dimensional as its beautiful animation, Moana is truly a family-friendly adventure for the ages.

8/10

PASSENGERS REVIEW

*MAY CONTAIN SPOILERS*

​Passengers was my highly anticipated film this year. It features my favourite actress, Jennifer Lawrence, as one of the lead characters and is a combination of some of my favourite genres all in one film including sci-fi, drama, thriller and romance. Safe to say, I had high hopes for this film.

Before watching Passengers, I discovered Jon Spaihts' original script. After reading it, I can understand why it was on the blacklist which is a list of the most liked scripts. Spaihts succeeds in creating two likeable characters and a compelling space adventure that is full of tension with a sprinkle of romance and humour. I pictured both Lawrence and Chris Pratt in the two lead roles and knew that director Morten Tyldum made the right choice in casting them as their characters. Speaking of Tyldum, he manages to bring Spaihts' script to life and turn it into a really entertaining film. Of course, there are a few flaws but what film doesn't have flaws?

Lawrence and Pratt star in an exciting sci fi-thriller about two passengers, Jim Preston (Pratt) and Aurora Lane (Lawrence) who are on a 120-year journey, aboard a spaceship called the Avalon, to another planet, Homestead II, when their hibernation pods wake them 90 years too early. Jim Preston and Aurora are forced to unravel the mystery behind the malfunction as the ship teeters on the brink of collapse, with the lives of thousands of passengers in jeopardy.

The first 15-20 minutes of Passengers focuses on Jim, as he is the first to wake up early, and we see him battling loneliness and depression for a year. His only company is an android bartender, Arthur (Michael Sheen). This leads to Jim making a life changing decision. Many critics have been giving Passengers negative reviews and, to be honest, I can understand why. This is because of the choice that Jim makes and it may change the audience's opinion of him. While I don't condone his actions, I didn't hate him for what he did as I've never been a position like his where I'm entirely alone. Many people do crazy things when trapped in a depressing mindset. This is what makes Passengers so thought-provoking as I did wonder what I would do if I was trapped alone on a spaceship.

This where Aurora comes in and, because she and Jim are the only two passengers awake, a friendship develops which soon turns into a romance. This is where Passengers is at its most entertaining as there's clearly chemistry between the pair. In a montage, we see them get closer as they dance, watch films and go on a date together. Passengers is worth watching for their performances. In my opinion, I didn't really like Pratt's previous roles, including Owen in Jurassic World and Peter Quill in Guardians Of The Galaxy, as, to me, he came across as a bit irritating. However, I thought his performance as Jim was solid as, apart from the one action he makes, he's a generally likeable character who is prepared to do anything to save Aurora and the other passengers when the Avalon goes down. Lawrence is mesmerising as Aurora and, like most of her previous roles, portrays her as a strong individual. She's not afraid to stand up for herself and, like Jim, risks her life to save others. Another performance worth mentioning is Sheen as Arthur who is an android bartender and serves Jim and Aurora. He brings humour to his role as he doesn't always say the right thing but is fun to watch. Laurence Fishburne makes an short but memorable appearance as Gus Mancuso, the captain of the Avalon, in the film's climax.

Speaking of which, I really enjoyed the climax. When the Avalon begins to shut down, it's up to Jim and Aurora to try and fix the ship. It's thrilling, full of tension and, although I knew what was going to happen, I was still on the edge of my seat.

The setting and design of the Avalon is really impressive. When Jim is walking around the ship near the beginning of the film, I was in awe of how stunning it looked. In a way, it made me wish I was there just so I could explore the ship.

The visual effects are amazing. With a sci-fi film, the effects have look realistic and, fortunately, the computer generated imagery is some of the best I've seen. The scene where Jim and Aurora fly outside the Avalon is one of my favourites as it felt like I was out in space with them.

If I'm being honest, I think judging a film entirely on one character's decision isn't right. There's so much to enjoy about Passengers and I highly recommend giving it a watch and making your own opinion of this film. Like I mentioned earlier, this was my highly anticipated film and it didn't disappoint.

8/10

FANTASTIC BEASTS AND WHERE TO FIND THEM REVIEW

*MAY CONTAIN SPOILERS*

​In 2011, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2 was released. It was a dramatic and emotional conclusion to one of the biggest franchises. It was emotional because many fans thought this was the last we would ever see of the wizarding world. Fortunately, J.K. Rowling, who wrote the best selling books, has admitted to not being able to let go of her beloved world and the characters that exist within that world. Not only has she written a play set 19 years after the events of Deathly Hallows Part 2, she has also written her first screenplay, Fantastic Beasts And Where To Find Them. However, is it as good as the Harry Potter films?

The year is 1926 and Newt Scamander (Eddie Redmayne) has just completed a global excursion to find and document an extraordinary array of magical creatures. Arriving in New York for a brief stopover, he might have come and gone without incident...were it not for a No-Maj (American for Muggle) named Jacob Kowalski (Dan Fogler), a misplaced magical case, and the escape of some of Newt's fantastic beasts, which could spell trouble for both the wizarding and No-Maj worlds.

This is one of the most anticipated films this year and, unlike other highly anticipated films, Fantastic Beasts not only met my expectations, it beat them. Making a motion picture that is as enjoyable as the Harry Potter films must have been incredibly stressful but both the cast and crew have succeeded. I can't imagine any Harry Potter fans being disappointed. David Yates, who directed the final four films in the Potter franchise, returns and I couldn't think of anyone else better than Yates at directing. He brings J.K. Rowling's imaginative world to life once again. The setting is completely different to anything we've seen before in the Potter films as it's in New York and is set in the late 1920s. Both the setting and costume design are perfect. It felt like I was transported to New York in 1926.

The performances all round are brilliant but the stand out is, of course, Redmayne as shy and awkward Newt. It's hard to believe that almost three years ago he gave an Oscar-winning portrayal as Professor Stephen Hawking in the 2014 drama, The Theory Of Everything. This role is further proof that Redmayne is one of the best actors of this generation. Other strong performances come from Katherine Waterston as the brave ex-Auror (dark wizard catcher), Tina Goldstein, who is willing to help Newt, Dan Fogler, who brings comic relief as Jacob, and Alison Sudol, who is perfectly flirtatious as Tina's sister, Queenie. Recognisable actors include Colin Farrell as Percival Graves who is a high ranking Auror but has a dark side to him. Ezra Miller gives a sympathetic performance as, Credence Barebone who is the mysterious son of the sinister leader of New Salem Philanthropic Society. Credence also plays an important part in the film's exciting climax. Overall, there's not a bad performance to be found.

The creature themselves really are fantastic and are probably the best parts of the film. One of the best scenes is where Newt and Jacob go inside his briefcase and we meet all his magical creatures. The special effects are stunning. The Niffler is probably the most popular creature as it spent the majority of its screen time running away from Newt and trying to steal shiny objects including various pieces of jewellery.

Rowling recently announced that Fantastic Beasts is going to have four more sequels in the future so fans of this film shouldn't worry about the end of the wizarding world any time soon.

While the film will undoubtedly please fans of Harry Potter, I think that people who haven't seen the films will enjoy this because it's entertaining throughout and may convince them to watch the aforementioned films.

Overall, Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them draws on Harry Potter's rich mythology to deliver a spin-off that impresses with franchise-building magic all on its own.

8/10

ARRIVAL REVIEW

*MAY CONTAIN SPOILERS*

A lot of alien invasion movies focus on two things and that's action and special effects. This then leads to the movie being predictable and boring. In June, the sequel to Roland Emmerich's 1996 action film, Independence Day, was released with the subtitle, Resurgence, and it is probably one of the worst sci-fi films I've watched. The first film was alright but nothing special and especially not worthy of a sequel. Fortunately, thanks to Arrival, the science fiction genre is safe. For anyone who watched Independence Day: Resurgence, Arrival will most definitely restore your faith in science fiction films. It has clever ideas, a well developed protagonist and features some of the best special effects I've ever seen in cinema. 

Arrival premiered at the Venice Film Festival in September, where the director, Denis Villeneuve won a Future Film Festival Digital Award. It was then screened at the Toronto International Film Festival, Telluride Film Festival and the British Film Institute London Film Festival. Since then, it's gone on to receive widespread critical acclaim with a 100% rating on Rotten Tomatos with 60 reviews with many saying it's a 'must-see in cinemas'. I couldn't agree more with what the critics are saying. I would say that this is the best science fiction film since last year's The Martian. Even if you're not a huge fan of science fiction, Arrival is, most likely, going to change your view. It succeeds in every aspect including the acting (especially Amy Adams' performance), the dialogue, the writing, the special effects, the cinematography and the score. 

When mysterious spacecraft touch down across the globe, an elite team, lead by expert linguist Louise Banks (Adams), are brought together to investigate. As mankind teeters on the verge of global war, Banks and the team race against time for answers--and to find them, she will take a chance that could threaten her life, and quite possibly humanity.
One of the things that I liked most about this film was its pacing. The film doesn't spend too long setting up the premise or introducing us to Louise. The opening scene shows her going through a personal tragedy which is important information especially in the films thrilling climax. The film then cuts to her current life as a linguist professor at a university and is in the middle of teaching when she hears the news of their 'arrival'. She then meets Colonel Weber (Forest Whitaker) who asks her if she is able to translate the sounds coming from the unidentified flying objects. Louise then explains she can only do that by going inside the spacecraft which then leads to a series of events that will change her life forever. 

Villeneuve previously directed Sicario, which was an action based thriller starring Emily Blunt. Like Arrival, it has gone on to receive critical acclaim and was nominated for three Academy Awards including: Best Achievement In Cinematography; Best Achievement In Music Written For Motion Picture, Original Score and Best Achievement In Sound Editing. I haven't seen Sicario but, after watching Arrival, I really want to now. I have watched Prisoners, which was also directed by Villeneuve and featured a lot of tense moments and had an emotional feel to it due to its subject. The film opens with Louise narrating and we clearly see she's been through a personal tragedy which leads to the audience connecting with her on an emotional level. I first discovered Adams in the Disney live-action/animation comedy, Enchanted, in 2007 and she has come a long way since then and has played a wide-range of characters including Amelia Earheart in the comedy sequel, Night At The Museum 2: Battle Of The Smithsonian and a seductive con artist in David O. Russell's American Hustle. I think it's about time that Adams is awarded with an Oscar as she is one of the best actors working today. Joining Adams is Jeremy Renner who portrays mathematician Ian Donnelly and has an optimistic outlook on the sitiuation, the opposite of Forest Whitaker's Colonel Weber who has doubts about Banks and her efforts in communicating with the aliens.

A lot of alien invasion movies focus on defeating the extra terrestrial beings without even trying to communicate with them. This is what I liked most about Arrival. Instead of destroying the unusual spacecraft, the military works on trying to communicate with them and trying to work out what their purpose is and, instead of referring to them as 'aliens', they are called 'heptapods' as they seem to have seven legs and pod like bodies. The scenes that feature Louise communicating with the heptapods are where the film is at its most compelling. It was refreshing watching someone actually try to talk with the aliens instead of trying to kill it or running away screaming.
A lot of climaxes that I've seen in films tend to feel too rushed and as the director is more concerned about wrapping things up quickly rather than explaining things so the audience gets what is going on. Arrival's climax is perfect as it has a clever twist that I didn't see coming. 

If Arrival is going win an Academy Award, my guess will probably be for Best Original Score which was composed by Jóhann Jóhannsson and is haunting which gives the film its tense and creepy atmosphere. I'm also hoping it will be nominated for Best Motion Picture, Best Director and Best Performance By an Actress in a Leading Role for Adams. 

Overall, Arrival is a must-see cinematic masterpiece for fans of thought-provoking science fiction. It anchors the heavy themes with affecting emotion and a outstanding performance from Amy Adams.

8/10

THE GIRL ON THE TRAIN REVIEW

*MAY CONTAIN SPOILERS*

Based on one of the best-selling books of 2015, The Girl On The Train was definitely one of the most anticipated films of this year.  The book, which was written by Paula Hawkins and published in January last year, was gripping and full of suspense. Fortunately, the film, which was directed by Tate Taylor, is just as good at its source, in my opinion. I think that people who have read the book will enjoy the film more. I read the book last month and I couldn't put it down. A lot of films aren't faithful to the book it's based on but this film is a great adaptation of Hawkin's best-seller and it was better than what I expected the film to be.

The film begins with Rachel (Emily Blunt) narrating and describing her life. We clearly see straight away, thanks to Blunt's brilliant performance, that she is a alcoholic and is obsessed with her old house. So much so that she takes the same train into and from New York every day and, when the train stops, she glances at her old home, which is now owned by her ex-husband, Tom (Justin Theroux), his new wife, Anna (Rebecca Ferguson) and their baby daughter, Evie. She soon becomes enthralled in the house two houses down and focuses on the couple who own that house, Megan (Haley Bennett) and Scott (Luke Evans). Rachel thinks that they're the perfect couple and the 'embodiment of true love'. However, on Friday morning, Rachel sees something at their house that she wasn't expecting to see and becomes angry with Megan. Suddenly, she wakes up the next morning with a hangover and no memory of the previous evening and she soon becomes wrapped up in Megan's mysterious disappearance and becomes determined to find out what happened to her.

This film features some of the best actors including Blunt who gives the best performance as the title character. She has stated in many interviews that she didn't want to portray Rachel as a 'likable' character but wanted audiences to feel sympathetic towards her and she succeeds. I felt sorry for Rachel immediately as I knew what she'd been through as I'd read the book and connected with her. 

Both Bennett and Ferguson give strong performances as the other two women. Bennett portrays Megan, the woman who is missing and, as the film goes on, we learn more about her including a personal tragedy. Ferguson is Anna who hates Rachel after she absent-mindedly took their baby. Everything she does is for the proctection of her marriage and baby and refuses to listen to Rachel's accusations.

Allison Janney, despite being in only a few scenes, is great as the stern police officer, Riley, who believes that Rachel may have something to do with Megan's disappearance. 

Theroux and Evans are the stand-out men of the film. Theroux, at first, portrays Tom as a husband who wants to do what's best for Anna and their daughter, however, in the final hour of the film, we see a completely different side to him. Evans plays Megan's husband, Scott, who we clearly see has anger issues which makes him a prime suspect. Edgar Ramirez is another suspect, Dr. Kamal Abdic, who was Megan's therapist.

Lisa Kudrow also gives a cameo as a woman who plays a small but important part in Rachel's discoveries.

I do think that the reason why the first reaction to the film is disappointing is because so many people were watching it hoping for something that's just as good as Gone Girl. The only similarities The Girl On The Train has with Gone Girl is that they're both mysteries. I'd say Gone Girl is a thriller and The Girl On A Train is more dramatic than thrilling but that doesn't mean that it isn't compelling. To be honest, I enjoyed this film more as I'd read the book and was already hooked on the film and the characters. 

Overall, with a stand-out performance from Emily Blunt and a gripping and mysterious narrative, The Girl On The Train is one of the most dramatic films I've watched this year.

7/10

BRIDGET JONES'S BABY REVIEW

*MAY CONTAIN SPOILERS*

In 2001, Renee Zellweger surprised us all with her performance of the title character in Bridget Jones's Diary. With her convincing British accent and great comedic timing, Renee became the perfect Bridget Jones. Many women were able to relate to her because of her imperfections and that's what made her likable. In the 2004 sequel, The Edge Of Reason, we saw more of Bridget and enjoyed watching her make mistakes as that's what makes her human. Some characters in romance and comedies aren't relatable because they're made out to be perfect and always make the right choices which can be boring. However, both films proved to be enjoyable mainly because of Renee and her performance as Bridget.

When the writer of the Bridget Jones books, Helen Fielding, published the third novel in the series, Mad About The Boy, it received mixed reviews. Many were shocked after the writer decided to (*SPOILER FOR MAD ABOUT THE BOY*) kill off Bridget's main love interest, Mark Darcy and leave her with two young infants. When I read the book, I wasn't sure if it would be a successful movie adaptation as this event would cause it to be too dark. I was relieved when it was announced that there was going to be a third Bridget Jones film, the filmmakers decided to focus on Bridget being pregnant and, thus, Bridget Jones's Baby was born (no pun intended). 

It's been 12 years since the release of The Edge Of Reason but, fortunately, that doesn't effect the film. Bridget is back and she's just as funny and quirky as ever. When the film begins, she's celebrating her 43rd birthday alone due to her friends all being too busy being mothers. She is no longer with Mark Darcy (Colin Firth) and, as we can see clearly, things are a bit awkward between the two of them after they bump into each other at a memorial service and a christening. Bridget isn't alone for long though because, after her new friend Miranda (Sarah Solemani) takes her to a festival, she soon meets and sleeps with new love interest, Jack Quant (Patrick Dempsey). However, things take a sudden turn when, a week later, Bridget rekindles her relationship with Mark and the two also end up sleeping together. Of course, this leads to Bridget ending up pregnant but the only problem is: who's the father? Is it the charming Jack Quant? Or is it the serious Mark Darcy?

Most sequels are rarely as good as their predecessor but, fortunately, thanks to the return of Sharon Maguire (who directed Diary but not The Edge Of Reason), Bridget Jones's Baby is just as funny as its previous two installments. Almost everyone returns including: Sally Phillips, Shirley Henderson  and James Callis as Bridget's friends, Shazza, Jude and Tom and Gemma Jones and Jim Broadbent as Bridget's parents. However, there is one infamous character missing and that's Hugh Grant's Daniel Cleaver. This is due to Grant opting out of this sequel. He is replaced by Dempsey's even more charming Jack Quant who is more likable than Daniel as he never treats Bridget badly. Emma Thompson gives a memorable performance as Bridget's midwife which isn't surprising considering she co-wrote the screenplay.

There are plenty of funny scenes throughout the film but the one that stands out is definitely the scene when Bridget goes into labour and both Mark and Jack have to carry her to the hospital due to crazy traffic. What makes this the best scene is the sequence when they're trying to squeeze poor Bridget through the revolving door. This film also includes probably one of the best celebrity cameos when Bridget and Miranda meet Ed Sheeran and ask him for a photo.
There is also a really sweet scene where we are shown clips from the previous Bridget films and it makes us remember why she is so popular.

Overall, fans of Bridget Jones will certainly not be disappointed and will probably convince non-fans to give the previous installments a watch. 

7/10
Read my review of Bridget Jones's Diary here.
Read my review of Bridget Jones: The Edge Of Reason here.

BAD MOMS REVIEW

*MAY CONTAIN SPOILERS*

Bad Moms may not be the best film in cinemas this summer but it's definitely one of the funniest and most entertaining. 

Amy Mitchell (Mila Kunis) is married to Mike (David Walton) and they have two children together, Jane (Oona Laurence) and Dylan (Emjay Anthony). Amy is struggling to be the 'perfect' mom: take the kids to school, be on time for work, take the kids to their extra-curricular activities, help the kids with their homework, ect. After having a really bad day, Amy attends a PTA meeting run by Gwendolyn (Christina Applegate) but confesses she's done with trying to be the perfect mom and she leaves. She goes to the bar where she meets Carla (Kathryn Hahn) and Kiki (Kristen Bell). The three discuss how hard it is being a perfect mom and they soon become friends and decide that they're going to be 'bad moms'. This leads to a lot of learning from their mistakes and about what it means to be a parent.

I do think this film will definitely appeal more to parents, mothers in particular. This film clearly shows the struggles of being a parent and raising children in a dramatic but mostly comedic way. I'm sure that many mothers will enjoy this film as they'll be able to relate to one or more of the main characters. 

The three main characters are portrayed by Kunis, Hahn and Bell and it's not hard to see the chemistry between them. Hahn definitely got the most laughs thanks to her outrageous one-liners and her confessions about being a mother and Bell is very funny too. Kunis, who is best known for appearing in comedies, is in her element here. 

The 'antagonists' are played by Applegate, Jada Pinkett-Smith and Annie Mumolo. Applegate's character, Gwendolyn, is seen as the bully of the film because she's always putting other moms down. However, we see another side to her towards the end. 

Of course, it wouldn't be a traditional romcom without romance. In the beginning of the film, Amy catches her husband cheating and kicks him out. This leads to her beginning a new relationship with Jessie Harkness (Jay Hernandez) who is a widow with two children and understands the struggles of being a single parent. The two actors share chemistry and have a few funny scenes together. 

The scene that stands out in the film is the house party that Amy throws in order to get the members of the PTA on her side. This is hilarious as things turn crazy pretty quickly and there's even a comedic cameo from Martha Stewart. 

Another thing I loved about the film was its ending with many mothers confessing to their own personal choices of how they raise their children. 

I would recommend staying for the credits as it shows the main actors (Mila Kunis, Kathryn Hahn, Kristen Bell, Christina Applegate, Jada Pinkett-Smith and Annie Mumolo) discussing their childhood with their real life mothers. It was a very sweet way to end the film. 

Overall, Bad Moms includes a great group of well-known comedic actors and plenty of funny scenes which makes it one of the most entertaining films this year. 

I'd recommend this film to anyone a fan of the actors involved in this film and The Hangover and parents in need of a feel good film.

7/10