IN THE HEIGHTS REVIEW

 *MAY CONTAIN SPOILERS*

Lin-Manuel Miranda is best known for creating the award winning musical, Hamilton, which premiered at The Public Theatre in New York City in 2015. The staged production was filmed and released on the streaming service, Disney+, so it could be enjoyed by musical fans outside of the United States. Miranda also wrote the songs for the Disney animated feature, Moana, with one of them, How Far I’ll Go, receiving an Oscar nomination for Best Original Song. In 2018, Miranda delivered a memorable supporting role alongside Emily Blunt in Mary Poppins Returns. Safe to say there’s no end to Miranda’s musical talents and that’s further proven with In The Heights, which first premiered in 2005, and has been adapted into a feature film directed by Jon M. Chu who previously directed the romantic comedy, Crazy Rich Asians. 

In The Heights tells the story of Usnavi (Anthony Ramos) who owns a bodega and has mixed feelings about closing his store and retiring to the Dominican Republic or staying in Washington Heights. The film also focuses on the lives of other characters including Vanessa (Melissa Barrera), who Usnavi has a crush on and is a fashion designer, Nina (Leslie Grace), who has recently returned from Stanford University, however, she doesn’t want to go back but doesn’t know how to tell her father, Kevin (Jimmy Smits), who paid for her tuition. 

From its energetic and uplifting opening to its meaningful conclusion, In The Heights is a feel good musical that will make you want to get up from your seat and dance with the characters. The story is filled with heartwarming romance, engaging drama and amusing comedy. Prior to watching In The Heights, I hadn’t seen the original stage musical so wasn’t sure what to expect, fortunately, I was pleasantly surprised. It’s definitely one of the best musicals since the Oscar winning La La Land. Both films are thematic and explore how following your dreams can affect your personal relationships. In In The Heights, Usnavi wants to leave Washington Heights to live in the Dominican Republic but doesn’t want to leave Vanessa who he has had a crush on since high school. After following her dream of going to Stanford University, Nina returns home disappointed by her experience and how she was treated. Although In The Heights is mostly a joyful and uplifting musical, the story doesn’t shy away from important themes, such as home, dreams, love and death, which are all explored through musical numbers. 

Unsurprisingly, In The Heights is at its most entertaining during the musical numbers. The film opens with the titular song which introduces the characters, including Usnavi, his cousin, Sonny (Gregory Diaz IV), Vanessa, Abuela Claudia (Olga Merediz) who is the matriarch of Washington Heights and portrayed as a motherly figure to most of the characters, Kevin, Nina’s father who runs the taxi company, and Benny (Corey Hawkins) who works for Kevin and is in love with Nina. All of these characters are memorable and interesting enough to keep viewers invested in their stories. Most of these characters get their moment to shine with their own musical numbers where they express their thoughts and feelings. Personally, my favourite songs were 96,000, which focuses on the characters singing about what they would do with a winning lottery ticket worth $96,000, Blackout, which takes place during a power cut, and Paciencia y Fe which is a moving ballad sung by Abuela shortly before she passes away. This was one of the most emotional scenes in In The Heights as Abuela was a mother figure to many of the characters who are saddened by her death. I don’t think there was a dry eye in my screening during this sequence.

What I liked most about In The Heights was that it didn’t just focus on Usnavi and his story, it followed the lives of other individuals who lived in Washington Heights. The framing device sees an older Usnavi telling his life story to a small group of children. At first, it appears that Usnavi is living on a beach in the Dominican Republican, making the viewer believe that he succeeded in following his dream and leaving Washington Heights. However, it’s revealed later on that the location he’s in a shop he built with Vanessa that has a backdrop that looks like the Dominican Republican. This was a clever twist that I didn’t see coming and made for a satisfying ending to Usnavi’s story. 

In The Heights benefits from the lively performances delivered by its cast. Most of the actors aren’t that well known, because of this, they’re more convincing in their roles. Ramos previously had a small supporting role in the Oscar winning A Star is Born alongside Lady Gaga, however, in In The Heights, he delivers an impressing leading performance as Usnavi. Fans of hit sitcom, Brooklyn Nine-Nine will recognise Stephanie Beatriz who appears as one of the salon ladies. He shares chemistry with Barrera who portrays Vanessa. Miranda has a cameo as Piragüero, who owns a small food stand. I was expecting Miranda to have a bigger role in In The Heights, however, I can imagine that he didn’t want to steal the spotlight from the main cast. 

While fans of the original staged musical will, most likely, be impressed with what Chu has created with his adaptation of In The Heights, I think that it can be enjoyed by viewers who are less familiar with it. Because of its mostly lighthearted tone, it’s family friendly and can be enjoyed by viewers of any age. 

The last year has been especially difficult for obvious reasons. The timing of In The Height’s release couldn’t be better as it’s the feel good film we all need right now. Because of its energetic musical numbers, In The Heights is sure to bring a smile to your face. Many people go to the cinema to escape from the realities of the outside world and In The Heights is the perfect film for that. Although 143 minute runtime may seem long, the story and musical numbers are so entertaining that you’ll forget how long it is. 

With energetic and upbeat musical numbers, In The Heights is the ultimate feel good film that we all need right now.

8/10

FROZEN 2 REVIEW

*MAY CONTAIN SPOILERS*

When it comes to sequels, my expectations were low as a lot of them were disappointments. However, this year has proven me wrong and I've seen a lot of sequels that matched the quality of its predecessor(s), including John Wick: Chapter 3 - Parabellum, Toy Story 4, Zombieland 2: Double Tap and Maleficent: Mistress Of Evil. Because of this, I had high hopes for Frozen II, however, does it meet expectations?

Elsa (Idina Menzel), Anna (Kristen Bell), Kristoff (Jonathan Groff), Olaf (Josh Gad) and Sven leave Arendelle to travel to an ancient, autumn-bound forest of an enchanted land. They set out to find the origin of Elsa's powers in order to save their kingdom.

When Frozen was first released in late 2013, I didn't see it as I thought it could only be enjoyed by children and not older viewers. However, I was impressed by the success it received and decided to watch it and I found it to be a pleasant surprise. With its sequel, I was hoping for a film that continued the story, instead of repeating it and, fortunately, Frozen II didn't disappoint and I enjoyed it more than the original. When a film is successful, both at the box office and with critics, a sequel is released within a few years, unfortunately, that can lead to it feeling rushed and the end result fails to leave a lasting impression. When the CEO of Disney, Bob Iger, was asked about the sequel in early 2014, he said that Disney wouldn't mandate a sequel or force telling a story as to do so would risk creating something not as good as the original. Because Disney took their time when making a sequel, Frozen II is succeeds in recapturing the magic of the original film. 

Jennifer Lee, who wrote and directed Frozen along with Chris Buck, returns for the sequel. Her script explores more about Elsa and the origins of her powers. It also answers other questions fans of the original may have, including why Anna was born without powers and where their parents were going when their ship sank. New characters are introduced and it's also revealed that there are four spirits, including earth, fire, water and air. I admired Lee for following the story up by focusing on Elsa and the origins of her powers as it made for an interesting watch.

Following the release of Frozen six years ago, the characters of Elsa and Anna became very popular with fans of the film, including children who would wear costumes inspired by them. I think that both Elsa and Anna are great role models, especially for children seeing the film, as they are both strong and brave individuals. This is still the case for Frozen II. After the events of the original, Elsa and Anna have become closer and, when Elsa chooses to travel to the Enchanted Forest, Anna accompanies her, along with Kristoff, his reindeer, Sven, and Olaf the childlike snowman. Despite the possible dangers that lie ahead, Anna promises never to leave Elsa. 

One of the stand-out aspects of Frozen was its soundtrack, with Elsa's powerful song, 'Let It Go', being the most memorable. It went on to win the Academy Award for Best Original Song. With the sequel, there was a lot of pressure on Kristen Anderson-Lopez and Robert Lopez to create songs that were just as successful. The songs that stood out to me were 'Into The Unknown' and 'Show Yourself', both of which are sung by Menzel as Elsa. The former occurs early on in the film and details Elsa's inner conflict over deciding whether or not to leave Arendelle and track down the source of a mysterious voice she keeps hearing. Bell also gets a chance to impress with her song 'The Next Right Thing', a slow, moving ballad about struggling to move forward and do "the next right thing". 

A tradition, made popular by the films in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, is an extra scene following the credits. This has become popular with films outside of the MCU, including Frozen II which features a post-credits scene. One of the most amusing scenes shows Olaf recapping the events of the first film and the post-credits scene sees him recapping what just happened in the sequel. Parents with restless children may not want to sit through the whole credits so it's worth waiting until Frozen II is available on DVD so they can be fast-forwarded. 

By focusing on Elsa and the origins of her powers, Frozen II is a sequel that recaptures what made the original so successful.

8/10

ROCKETMAN REVIEW

*MAY CONTAIN SPOILERS*

Based on Elton John, Rocketman successfully captures the highs and lows of his life. I can't imagine fans of John being disappointed with what the director, Dexter Fletcher, has created. It covers all of the important aspects of John's life, including his childhood, his relationship with his father, his sexuality and his struggles with alcohol, drug and sex addiction. However, it's not a straightforward biopic as Fletcher tells John's story in a unique way, which makes sense, considering the singer was far from ordinary. In an interview at CinemaCon, Taron Egerton, who portrays John, stated that Rocketman would be a fantasy-musical. This method works and, throughout the film, characters frequently break out into song, singing some of John's classic hits, including 'Your Song', 'Saturday Night's Alright For Fighting', 'Tiny Dancer' and 'I'm Still Standing'. Characters randomly breaking out into song can seem out of place for a lot of films, however, it works for Rocketman and a lot of the songs matches the mood of the scene they feature in.

While I do know who John is and many of his most successful songs, there was a lot I didn't know about him, including certain aspects of his life. I think that even the biggest fans of John may be surprised about certain revelations, including his struggle with depression and suicide attempt. Rocketman succeeds at showing depression in a realistic way. From an outsider's perspective, it can seem like John's life was perfect but Flexter's biopic shows that it was far from it. One scene that stood out shows John trying to put on a happy face before one of his performances. This shows that, while John may have appeared to be happy on stage, behind close doors, he was struggling. I really respected John, who co-produced Rocketman, for not shying away from the most difficult aspects of his life. 

While Rocketman clearly shows John's darkest moments, this doesn't prevent it from being inspiring, uplifting and a celebration of his life and music. Throughout Rocketman, we learn about the stories behind some of his most successful songs, including 'Your Song', 'Rocketman' and 'I'm Still Standing', which he co-wrote with Bernie Taupin (Jamie Bell). Many people will know Taupin as the writer behind John's songs, however, the film shows that he's more than just a songwriter, he's John's best friend. Rocketman shows their friendship effectively and reveals that, in the fifty years they've been friends, they've never had an argument. 

The strongest aspect of Rocketman is the acting. Since making his breakthrough performance in Kingsman: The Secret Service in 2014, Egerton has continued to impress in films such as Eddie The Eagle, Sing  and the Kingsman sequel, The Golden Circle, which also featured John. In Sing, an animated feature about a singing competition, Egerton voiced a gorilla named Johnny, and sings 'I'm Still Standing'. As John, Egerton gives his best dramatic performance yet. He captures John's eccentric personality, love for music and also his vulnerability. He is supported by a strong ensemble cast including Bell as Taupin, Richard Madden as John's manager and love interest, John Reid, and Bryce Dallas Howard as John's mother. While each actor gives a strong performance, it's Egerton who leaves a lasting impression with his portrayal of the singer.

Rocketman features many of John's most successful songs and uses them in creative ways. They're worked into his story seamlessly, with some of them acquiring new meaning, given the circumstances they're used for. The most memorable musical numbers are 'Saturday Nights Alright For Fighting', 'Rocketman', 'Sorry Seems To Be The Hardest Word' and 'Goodbye Yellow Brick Road'. The songs appear during the most appropriate scenes, with 'Rocketman' being sung by John shortly after he overdoses and falls into his pool. 'Goodbye Yellow Brick Road' is sung by John as he leaves before one of his concerts and enters rehab. 

Apart from his songs, John is known for his many over-the-top costumes and outfits. The attention to detail in Rocketman is impressive, with the costume design standing out. The make-up and costumes contribute to Egerton's already impressive performance as he does resemble the singer when he's wearing John's costumes. 

By effectively showing the highs and lows of Elton John's life and career, Rocketman is a successful biopic that features an impressive dramatic performance from Taron Egerton as the singer.

8/10

THE LEGO MOVIE 2 REVIEW

*MAY CONTAIN SPOILERS*

Prior to its release in 2014, I don't think anyone was expecting The Lego Movie to be as good as it was. I didn't think an animated film based on Lego would work and would only appeal to young children. However, I couldn't have been more wrong and The Lego Movie proved to be a pleasant surprise. It was funny, entertaining and managed to appeal to viewers of all ages, especially those who have played with Lego. It was successful, both with critics and at the box office, leading to two spin-off films, The Lego Batman Movie and The Lego Ninjago Movie, being released in 2017. While the former proved to be just as good as its predecessor, the latter was a disappointment. Five years after The Lego Movie's release, a much anticipated sequel has been released.

It's been five years since everything was awesome and the citizens are now facing a huge new threat: Lego Duplo invaders from outer space, wrecking everything faster than it can be rebuilt. The battle to defeat the invaders and restore harmony to the Lego universe will take Emmet (Chris Pratt), Lucy (Elizabeth Banks), Batman (Will Arnett) and their friends to faraway, unexplored worlds, including a strange galaxy where everything is a musical. It will test their courage, creativity and Master Building skills, and reveal just how special they really are.

Making a sequel that lives up to people's expectations can be a challenge, fortunately, The Lego Movie 2 is just as entertaining and enjoyable to watch as its predecessor. It expands on the original’s premise and introduces viewers to new worlds and characters, showing that there’s no limit to someone’s imagination. The sequel has also crafted a timely story that is inventive, funny and can be enjoyed by the whole family. The end of The Lego Movie revealed a twist and that the entire film had been based on a young boy, Finn (Jadon Sand) playing with his father's (Ferrell) Lego pieces. It then ended with his younger sister, Bianca (Brooklynn Prince) wanting to play too, leading to the Lego Duplo characters entering the universe. While The Lego Movie was about Finn forming a closer relationship with his father, in the sequel, we see Finn playing with his sister. At first, he's not happy about this, leading to a divide in their relationship. Anyone who has siblings will be able to relate to these scenes as there's a lot of arguing. Because they can't play without fighting, their mother (Maya Rudolph) tells them to pack away the Lego. This leads to a sense of uncertainty for the Lego characters as it seems like it's coming to an end. 

I found the writing to be quite clever and inventive with words. In the beginning, Emmet is troubled by dreams of a pending 'Armamageddon', which references the children's mother. The 'Systar System' sounds a lot like 'Sister System', which indicates Bianca and the world that she has created. 

The Lego Movie 2 picks up straight where its predecessor ending, with Emmet introducing himself to the Lego Duplo characters, unfortunately, things go wrong, with the Duplo characters taking over the world and turning it into a post-apocalyptic wasteland named Apocalypseburg. For the majority of the film, the Duplo characters are perceived as invaders and as the main villains. After Lucy, Batman, Benny (Charlie Day) and Unikitty (Alison Brie) are kidnapped, Emmet goes out on a rescue mission. 

Most sequels suffer from being predictable as they follow the same narrative path, leading to a boring viewing experience and disappointment. This isn't the case for The Lego Movie 2, which continues the story of its predecessor and, instead of repeating the same narrative, the writers, Phil Lord, Christopher Miller and Matthew Fogel, manage to keep things interesting by introducing viewers to new characters, such as Queen Watevra Wa-Nabi, whose name is a clever play on the words 'Whatever I wanna be', (Tiffany Haddish) and General Sweet Mayhem (Stephanie Beatriz). Queen Watevra is a shape-shifting alien who is the ruler of the Systar System whose plan is to marry Batman in order to unite the two universes together. Despite Queen Watevra singing a song about how 'not evil' she is, Lucy isn't convinced and tries to come up with a plan to stop her. Meanwhile, during his rescue mission, Emmet meets Rex Dangervest (Pratt), a self-declared galaxy-defending archaeologist, cowboy and raptor trainer. Considering that Emmet and Rex are both voiced by Pratt, the twist involving Rex's character isn't that much of a surprise. While The Lego Movie 2 isn't unpredictable and it's easy to see most of the twists, it is still entertaining and there isn't a dull moment to be found in its 107 minute runtime.

The Lego Movie is remembered for its catchy song, 'Everything Is Awesome', and its sequel features several more songs, including 'Not Evil', which is sung by Queen Watevra, 'Catchy Song' and 'Everything's Not Awesome', a twist on the original song. This songs add to the overall enjoyment of the film and I can imagine children annoying their parents by singing 'Catchy Song' repeatedly. While 'Everything Is Awesome' is an upbeat and optimistic song, 'Everything's Not Awesome' is more of a slow ballad, sung by the Lego characters who believe all hope is lost. However, while it's not a negative, depressing song, it is actually sung with a sense of hope. It is a more realistic song than 'Everything Is Awesome' which ignores the realities of life. 

The Lego Movie 2 features strong voice casting. Pratt returns as Emmet and Rex, who is an amalgamation of other roles played by Pratt, including Star-Lord from Guardians Of The Galaxy, Owen from Jurassic World and Joshua Faraday from the 2016 remake of The Magnificent Seven. The character of Rex makes for great self deprecating humour. Also returning is Banks as Lucy, Brie as Unikitty, Charlie Day as Benny and Nick Offerman as MetalBeard. While Lucy spends most of her screen time trying to rescue her friends, the latter three don't get as much screen time. New additions include Haddish as Queen Watevra and Beatriz as General Sweet Mayhem.

Lego bricks have been available ever since they were first manufactured in 1949, seventy years ago. Because of the technology that is available now, including iPhones, iPads and so many apps, it's a little hard to believe that Lego bricks are still popular now, however, the release of The Lego Movie and its spin-offs and sequel proves that there will always be an appreciation for Lego. There's a lot of fun to be had with The Lego Movie 2 and, while it lacks the fresh quality of the original, it is still a successful sequel.

7/10

  

MARY POPPINS RETURNS REVIEW

*MAY CONTAIN SPOILERS*

After its release in 1964, Walt Disney's Mary Poppins went on to be a big success, both at the box office and at the Academy Awards, earning Julie Andrews her first Oscar for her performance as the titular magical nanny. Because of its success, a sequel would be released a few years later, however, the author of the books Mary Poppins was based on, P. L. Travers, was unimpressed with Disney's adaptation, she refused to give the rights for a sequel. After the author passed away in 1996, the Disney producers began thinking about the possibility of a sequel. It wasn't until 2014 when the President of Walt Disney Pictures, Sean Bailey, pitched his idea for a sequel to director, Rob Marshall. With approval from Travers' estate, Disney greenlit the project with the film taking place 20 years after the first, featuring a standalone narrative, based on the remaining seven books in the series. Marshall was hired to direct.

Making a sequel to Mary Poppins over fifty years after its release was always going to be a challenge. The original film has been deemed a classic and one of Disney's best features. The special effects were really impressive at the time too as it mixed live action with animation really well and the performances have all left lasting impressions. This lead to high expectations for Marshall's follow-up.

Mary Poppins Returns is set in 1930s depression-era London (the time period of the original novels) and is drawn from the wealth of material in P. L. Travers' additional seven books. In the story, Michael (Ben Whishaw) and Jane (Emily Mortimer) are now grown up, with Michael, his three children, Annabel (Pixie Davies), John (Nathanael Saleh) and Georgie (Joel Dawson), and their housekeeper, Ellen (Julie Walters), living on Cherry Tree Lane. After Michael suffers a personal loss, the enigmatic nanny Mary Poppins (Emily Blunt) re-enters the lives of the Banks family, and, along with the optimistic street lamplighter Jack (Lin Manuel Miranda), uses her unique magical skills to help the family rediscover the joy and wonder missing in their lives. Mary Poppins also introduces the children to a new assortment of colorful and whimsical characters, including her eccentric cousin, Topsy (Meryl Streep).

While Mary Poppins Returns isn't as good as its predecessor, it's still a great sequel and it met my expectations. It's fun, lively and there's hardly a dull moment to be found in its 130 minute runtime. The sequel features an impressive ensemble cast, who all give strong performances. While I prefer Andrews' portrayal of Poppins, Blunt does a great job and, by not attempting to copy Andrews, she makes the character her own. Miranda is a scene stealer as Jack, a lamp lighter who is friends with Poppins. Whishaw and Mortimer give solid performances as the now grown-up Michael and Jane. Walters brings comic relief to her portrayal of Elaine, the Banks family's maid. While she only appears in one scene, Streep makes an unforgettable appearance as Poppins' eccentric cousin, Topsy. Colin Firth is best known for portraying likable characters, however, he plays against type as the main antagonist,  William 'Weatherall' Wilkins, the current president of Fidelity Fiduciary Bank. Cameos come from Dick Van Dyke, who portrayed Bert and Mr. Dawes Sr in the original and returns as Mr. Dawes Jr, and Angela Lansbury who appears at the end of the film as a Balloon Lady. Originally, this part was offered to Andrews, however, she turned it down as she didn't want to steal the limelight away from Poppins, which is a very respectable decision. I think Lansbury was a great choice for this cameo as, like Andrews, she appeared in a Disney classic, Bedknobs and Broomsticks, which also combined live-action with animation. The ensemble cast is definitely one of Mary Poppins Returns' biggest highlights. 

While I really enjoyed Mary Poppins, I didn't think that there was much of a story to it, the narrative focused on Poppins taking Jane and Michael Banks on various adventures, which was very entertaining. However, the sequel's plot deals with an adult Michael who is struggling with debt and is heartbroken over the recent death of his wife and mother of his children. Two lawyers turn up at his house and declare that, if he doesn't pay back the money he owes the bank within seven days, he will lose his home. The majority of the sequel focuses on Poppins returning and taking the children on exciting adventures, with the climax featuring a race against time as the characters work together to save the Banks family home. While over two hours may seem a bit long for a family film, there's hardly a dull moment to be found and the feature is full of adventure and energetic songs. Mary Poppins Returns will undoubtedly appeal to children, however, I'm sure it will be enjoyed by older viewers, too, especially those who liked the original. The story doesn't offer anything new and it is predictable, however, that doesn't prevent it from being as entertaining as it is.

One of the most impressive aspects of Mary Poppins was its combination of live-action with animation. Since its release in the early 1960s, special effects have improved a lot, and the same can be said for the sequel. While it would've been easy to use computer generated imagery to create the special effects, Marshall chose to use hand-drawn animation, in order to pay homage to the original. The Disney executives, on the other hand, initially wanted the film to have computer animation for its animated sequences, which infuriated Marshall. He then fought hard to convince the Disney executives to let him use hand-drawn animation, and he also argued why it would be the right choice to use for the film. Ultimately, the Disney executives gave in and allowed Marshall to use hand-drawn animation for the film. The hard work paid off as the live-action/animated sequences is one of the most entertaining scenes from the sequel.

The songs in Mary Poppins were memorable, catchy and emotionally touching, especially the ballad, 'Feed The Birds'.  The music and score for the sequel was composed by Marc Shaiman, with song lyrics written by Scott Wittman and Shaiman. The score includes musical references to the songs and score from the first film written by Richard and Robert Sherman, with the former serving as a music consultant, with Shaiman stating that "if he had something that he thought should have been different or changed, he would have said so. But lo and behold, he didn’t. He was loving what he was hearing, and he really loves the new movie". I think that the new songs are just as memorable, with 'Trip Little Light Fantastic' and 'The Place Where Lost Things Go' being personal favourites. I also really enjoyed 'Can You Imagine That?', a song that takes place inside the children's bath tub and is a fun sequence. 

Mary Poppins Returns ends a year of great films on a high and, while it's not as good as its predecessor, it's still very enjoyable and is the true definition of a family film and will appeal to viewers of all ages.

7/10

MARY POPPINS REVIEW

*MAY CONTAIN SPOILERS*

Release in 1964, Mary Poppins stars Julie Andrews in one of her most iconic and memorable roles and is a thoroughly entertaining feature that is enjoyable for the whole family. The film was produced by Walt Disney and is based on the titular character that appeared in P. L. Travers' children's books. However, the journey from book to screen was not an easy one. Disney's daughters loved the books which lead to him wanting to make a feature film adaptation and attempted to buy the rights to the film from 1938, however, Travers refused as she didn't believe a film version of her books would do justice to her creation. Disney was known at the time primarily as a producer of cartoons and had yet to produce any major live-action work. For more than 20 years, Disney periodically made efforts to convince Travers to allow him to make a Poppins film. He finally succeeded in 1961, although Travers demanded and got script approval rights. After the two decade struggle, Mary Poppins was released in 1964 and proved to be a big success, especially at the box office. However, does it still hold up as classic over fifty years later?

Mary Poppins is set in Edwardian London in 1910 and focuses on the titular nanny as she helps to look after the Banks children, Jane (Karen Dotrice) and Michael (Matthew Garber), after their previous nanny quit. The family also includes the parents, George (David Tomlinson), who is very strict and works at the bank, and Winifred (Glynis Johns), who is a suffragette and is depicted as a member of Emmeline Pankhurst's "Votes for Women" movement. After Poppins' arrival, she soon impresses the children with her magical presence. Along with Bert (Dick Van Dyke), a cockney jack-of-all-trades and Poppins' closest friend, the children are taken on adventures that exist within Bert's chalk drawings and inside a house where Uncle Albert (Ed Wynn) can't come down from the ceiling due to his uncontrollable laughter. All of this makes Mary Poppins a fun film to watch.

In answer to my earlier question, yes, Mary Poppins still remains a classic, even after over fifty years. When I first watched it as a child, it quickly became one of my favourite films, and, even now, as an adult, I still enjoy it. 

One of the best aspects of Mary Poppins is, undoubtedly, Andrews' performance as Poppins. It's hard to believe that this was her feature film debut as she proves to be a natural in front of the camera. As stated in the film, Andrews is "practically perfect in every way". Because of her performance, Andrews won her much-deserved Academy Award for Best Actress in a Leading Role. The supporting cast all give strong performances too. While Van Dyke's British accent is one of the small issues within the film, he still gives a charismatic performance as Poppins' friend, Bert. To be honest, as a child, I didn't notice his poor accent as, at the time, I didn't know that he was American and thought that he was British. It wasn't until I watched it as an adult that I realised Van Dyke's accent was over-the-top. Aside from Bert, Van Dyke also portrayed Mr. Dawes Sr., the old director of the bank where Mr. Banks works. Again, as a child, I didn't notice this as the make-up made Van Dyke look unrecognisable. Another strong performance comes from Tomlinson as Mr. Banks who, in the beginning, is seen as strict and isn't a likable character, however, he soon changes his outlook on life in the film's ending. Both Dotrice and Garber are impressive as the Banks children.

Aside from the performances, another stand-out aspect of Mary Poppins are the songs which were written by the Sherman brothers, Richard and Robert. The most memorable song is 'Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious'. The song occurs in the chalk-drawing outing animated sequence, just after Poppins wins a horse race. Flush with her victory, she is immediately surrounded by reporters who pepper her with leading questions and comment that she probably is at a loss for words. Poppins disagrees, suggesting that at least one word is appropriate for the situation, and begins the song. While 'Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious' is the most memorable song from the film, the Academy recognised 'Chim Chim Cher-ee' with the award for Best Original Song and the brothers also received a song for Best Original Score. While I love both of the aforementioned songs, other favourites of mine include 'A Spoonful of Sugar' which is sung by Poppins when she helps the children to tidy up their nursery in a more fun way and 'Feed The Birds' which is a moving ballad also sung by Poppins about an elderly woman that sits on the steps on St. Paul's Cathedral and sells bags of bird food to feed to the pigeons that surround her. The songs that feature within Mary Poppins are the reason why it works as a musical. The lyrics are memorable and the tunes are catchy and infectious.

After its release, Mary Poppins was successful, not only at the box office, but at the Academy Awards as well. Aside from winning Andrews her first Oscar for her performance and the Sherman brothers awards for their songwriting work, the feature received two more wins for Best Editing and Best Visual Effects. It was also nominated for eight other Oscars including Best Picture, Best Director for Robert Stevenson, Best Cinematography and Best Costume Design.

Mary Poppins is widely considered to be Walt Disney's "crowning achievement". It was the only film of Disney's to garner a Best Picture nomination at the Oscars in his lifetime. Since its release in 1964, it has been enjoyed and appreciated by families of many generations and it still remains a classic. 

8/10

A STAR IS BORN REVIEW

*MAY CONTAIN SPOILERS*

Most remakes fail to capture what made the original so successful. Some people see remakes as 'unnecessary'. However, every once in a while, there are remakes that are actually as good as the original and that's where A Star Is Born comes in. The original A Star Is Born was released in 1937 and starred Janet Gaynor and Fredric March. The story surrounded a young woman who goes to Hollywood with dreams of stardom, but achieves them only with the help of an alcoholic leading man whose best days are behind him. It proved to be a huge success and, in 1938, it won the Academy Award for Best Writing, Original Story and was nominated for another six, including Best Picture, Best Director for William A. Wellman, Best Leading Actor for March and Best Leading Actress for Gaynor. 17 years later, a remake was released with Judy Garland and James Mason in the leading roles. While it didn't win any Academy Awards, the 1954 remake of A Star Is Born received a total of six nominations, including Best Actor for Mason, Best Actress for Garland and Best Original Song for 'The Man That Got Away'. Over two decades later, another remake was released in 1976, starring Barbra Streisand and Kris Kristofferson. While the quality failed to match that of its predecessors, it still received an Academy Award for Best Original Song for 'Evergreen'. Now, over four decades later, Bradley Cooper makes his directorial debut with the latest remake of A Star Is Born. However, is it a successful remake?

This new take on the tragic love story surrounds seasoned musician Jackson Maine (Bradley Cooper) who discovers — and falls in love with — struggling artist Ally (Lady Gaga). She has just about given up on her dream to make it big as a singer... until Jack coaxes her into the spotlight. But even as Ally's career takes off, the personal side of their relationship is breaking down, as Jack fights an on-going battle with his own internal demons, including an addiction to alcohol and drugs.

A Star Is Born has been my most anticipated film of 2018 ever since it was announced last year. This is because the premise sounded interesting to me and I liked the idea of Bradley Cooper and Lady Gaga working together. It had its world premiere at the Venice Film Festival on August 31, and, since then, it has received a mostly positive reception from critics. Because of this and the quality of the trailer, I had high hopes. Fortunately, I wasn't disappointed and I thoroughly enjoyed A Star Is Born. Because I hadn't seen any the original film or the other two remakes, I had no idea what to expect, however, it was a pleasant surprise. 

What stood out for me we’re the performances of the two leads. Cooper gives a strong performance as Jackson Maine, a famous singer who struggles with his alcohol and drug addiction. He has a passion for music and Cooper clearly shows that. Unfortunately, his alcohol and drug addictions are taking over his life, ruining his career and relationships. What I found most impressive about Cooper's performance was his body language. When he's intoxicated by alcohol and drugs, his head is constantly looking down and he fails to stand up straight or look anyone in the eye. When he's sober, he's able to have a better posture and look at people in the eye. It's like he's a different person when he's drunk and Cooper captures that. 

While Cooper is great, it’s Lady Gaga who impresses as Ally, a shy, insecure young woman whose dreams come true after meeting Maine. The two fall in love and the story showcases the highs and lows of their relationship and Ally’s rise to fame. Cooper and Gaga share chemistry and are convincing as a couple. You can tell that Maine is in love with Ally by the way he looks at her. In the beginning, Ally isn’t sure about Maine but soon realises that she’s in love with him. What I liked most about Ally’s character was how fierce she was and how she was able to stand up and defend herself in certain situations, including a scene near the beginning when a fan of Maine's tries to take a picture, leading to Ally punching him in the face. Since Gaga started her career a decade ago, she’s become known for her extravagant and over the top make up and costumes. However, without all the vibrant make-up, we see the real Gaga and she transforms into Ally. We can see that Gaga relates to Ally and understands how she feels and that’s why she’s perfect for the role. This is definitely Gaga’s best acting performance yet.

Another aspect of A Star Is Born that impresses is the songs that feature. The soundtrack is integral to the plotline and many of the lyrics are about wanting and longing for change, but noting the struggle. Some express the great love and beautiful bond the booze-addled rock star, Jackson Maine, and singer/songwriter, Ally, have for each other. The songs are timeless, emotional, gritty and earnest. They sound like songs written by artists who, quite frankly, are supremely messed up but hit to the core of the listener. The songs also showcase the impressive vocals of its leading stars. While it's no surprise that Gaga's vocals are powerful as she's had a successful career as a singer, she still continues to amaze. Her stand out songs are 'Shallow', 'I Don't Know What Love Is' and 'I'll Never Love Again', with the latter being an emotional and heart wrenching ballad that she sings at the end of the film. I was very impressed by Cooper's vocals and thought that his best song was 'Maybe It's Time'. A Star Is Born succeeds as a musical as it features a lot of memorable songs that are powerfully sung.
The narrative for A Star Is Born is similar to the original, however, several changes have been made to give the film a more modern feel. These were good changes as it't not a direct copy of the original and it can stand on its own. I think that A Star Is Born will appeal more to those who haven't seen any of the original and are fans of Bradley Cooper and Lady Gaga. Those who have seen the original and/or the remakes will find something to enjoy, however, they may find the plot predictable as they know what to expect.
A Star Is Born thoroughly captures what it's like to be famous and gives us an insight into the realities and what goes on behind the scenes. From audiences' point of view, being rich and famous may seem great, however, the story proves that being in the spotlight constantly can be difficult and put pressure on the celebrities. Jackson Maine is a famous singer, however, he uses alcohol and drugs to cope with the pressures. In the beginning, Ally is an ordinary young woman who soon becomes one of the most famous singers. After performing on stage with Maine, her singing career begins to rise and she's soon in the studio, recording her own music and winning an award. Unfortunately, as Ally's singing career becomes more and more successful, Maine continues to struggle with his alcohol and drug addictions and he is soon sent to a rehabilitation facility to try and recover. This is where most of the drama and conflict comes from as Ally struggles to balance her relationship with Maine and her singing career. I liked that A Star Is Born showed the difficulties that come from being famous as too many people think that it's easy just because you have a lot of money and fans.
A Star Is Born proves that remakes can be good and capture the quality of the original whilst being able to stand on their own. Bradley Cooper proves that he's a man of many talents as he gives a strong performance and co-writes and directs. Lady Gaga impresses in her best acting performance and amazes with her strong and powerful vocals. Overall, A Star Is Born is one of my favourite films of this year.
8/10

MAMMA MIA! HERE WE GO AGAIN REVIEW

*MAY CONTAIN SPOILERS*

It's been ten years since the release of Mamma Mia!, which was based on the hit stage musical of the same name. A lot of people doubted its success, mainly because audiences had already seen it on the stage and Phyllida Lloyd, who directed both the stage musical and its film adaptation, didn't think it'd be as successful. Fortunately, she was proved wrong as Mamma Mia! went on to receive $615 million at the box office. I think the main reason it was successful is because of its star studded cast which includes Meryl Streep, Amanda Seyfried, Pierce Brosnan, Colin Firth, Stellan Skarsgård, Julie Walters and Christine Baranski. It also featured many of ABBA's greatest hits, including Mamma Mia, Dancing Queen, SOS, Money Money Money and many more. Because of its success, a sequel was announced and now, a decade later, Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again has been released, however, is it as entertaining as its energetic predecessor or a disappointment like a lot of sequels?

Five years after the events of Mamma Mia!, on the Greek island of Kalokairi , Sophie (Amanda Seyfried) is running her mother Donna's (Meryl Streep) villa, who has died a year prior to the events of the film. Her relationship with Sky (Dominic Cooper) has been turbulent for some time, giving her cause to doubt that she can survive without her mother. With Tanya (Christine Baranski) and Rosie's (Julie Walters) guidance, Sophie will find out more of Donna's past, including how she fronted The Dynamos, started her villa on the island from nothing, met each one of Sophie's dads, Sam, Bill and Harry (Pierce Brosnan, Stellan Skarsgård, and Colin Firth), and raised a daughter, without a mother to guide her. She also has an unexpected visit from someone she has never even met: her estranged grandmother, Ruby Sheridan (Cher).

While lacking the high energy of the first film, Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again is still very entertaining throughout and I doubt fans will be disappointed. Because most of ABBA’s biggest hits were featured in the previous film, most of their songs that feature in the sequel will probably only be known by die-hard fans of the Swedish pop group. Before watching Here We Go Again, I wasn’t familiar with the songs Angeleyes, When I Kissed The Teacher, Fernando, however, they were the songs I really enjoyed the most. Those who are more familiar with their greatest hits will be happy to hear that Mamma Mia, Dancing Queen and Super Trouper make another appearance. Mamma Mia is sung by a broken-hearted young Donna (Lily James), however, it soon turns into an energetic rendition as she performs on stage with her friends, Rosie (Alexa Davies) and Tanya (Jessica Keenan Wynn). Dancing Queen is sung in the present day by Sophie, Rosie, Tanya, Sam, Bill and Harry in one of the most energetic sequences of the film. 

The majority of Here We Go Again focuses a lot on Donna when she was younger and is played by James who captures her likeable and ambitious personality. We learn how she met Harry (Hugh Skinner), Bill (Josh Dylan) and Sam (Jeremy Irvine). While these scenes are fun to watch, mainly due to its catchy musical numbers, the story is predictable as Donna explained her past in the first film. We know her romances with each of the three characters are going to fizzle so there’s no surprises or any tension. The romance aspect of the story is rushed so it’s hard to believe Donna had any feelings for either of the three men. I would’ve enjoyed Here We Go Again if it had focused on the current day and on Sophie, who is pregnant and stressing about running the hotel on the island without her mother. I found this side of the story more interesting as I wanted to see more of the characters we loved from the first film. Certain scenes in the flashbacks felt more awkward to me than fun, including when Harry sings Waterloo. Donna and Harry meet in Paris and Harry tries to seduce her by taking her to a restaurant where he begins to sing Waterloo. It's hard to believe anyone would fall in love with him after that rendition, let alone sleep with him, which is what Donna does. She then leaves the next morning to get a boat to Greece, unfortunately, she is late, leading to her getting on Bill's boat which leads to her next hook-up. 

I don't think that it's really a spoiler to say that Donna is dead as many viewers guessed it from the trailer, due to her absence. I would’ve liked to seen Donna return, unfortunately, Streep was too busy filming for her Oscar nominated role in Steven Spielberg’s drama, The Post, which was released earlier this year. It’s a shame that the writers couldn’t come up with any better excuse as to why Donna wasn’t in the film so they killed her off. Despite her absence for the majority of Here We Go Again, she does make a cameo in one of the most emotional scenes in the film. She also appears in the end credits where she sings Super Trouper with the entire cast.

Speaking of cast, most of the actors who appeared in Mamma Mia! return for the sequel. Seyfried gives a very good performance as Sophie. For most of the film, she is grieving for the loss of her mother and stressed about the opening of the hotel. Sophie has also matured a lot since the first film and is starting to understand what her mother went through. Many criticised Brosnan's singing and those critics will be thankful to learn that he doesn't sing as much in this sequel, however, in one scene, as he remembers Donna, he softly sings SOS. Firth and Skarsgård don't get much screentime, however, they make an appearance towards the end when they realise their priority is Sophie. Baranski and Walters bring the majority of the comic relief, with their witty one liners. James was a great choice for the role of younger Donna. She captures her ambitious and energetic personality. A casting choice I was most confused about was Cher as Donna's mother. Cher is only three years older than Streep and it feels like the casting decision was made mainly due to how famous she is. I think that her fans, who are only watching this sequel for her, will be disappointed as she doesn't make her appearance until the end of the film, where she sings Fernando to the hotel manager who is called Fernando (Andy Garcia), a man she had a previous relationship with.

Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again, while lacking the high energy of its predecessor, is still entertaining throughout, due to its catchy soundtrack and strong performances from its star studded cast.

7/10

GREASE REVIEW

*MAY CONTAIN SPOILERS*

Since its release in 1978, Grease has gone on to be one of the most popular and well-remembered musicals, mainly because of its catchy songs and the leading performances from both John Travolta and Olivia Newton-John.

It's 1958, summer is over and the hormonally-charged seniors of Rydell High are reluctantly returning to school, ready to fall back in with old friends and trade stories of the previous months' conquests. Danny Zuko (Travolta), leader of a local greaser gang called the T-Birds, brags to his crew about nights of passion spent on the beach with a mystery girl. Elsewhere, sweet Sandy Olsson (Newton-John) - the new girl in town - is taken under the wing of the no-nonsense Pink Ladies and shares fond memories of a brief romance with an unknown sweetheart. When it turns out that Danny and Sandy's mismatched tales are about each other, Sandy is humiliated and Danny has to win her back. To do so, he'll have to negotiate all of the romantic rites of passage a teenager in America's golden age could imagine: jiving school dances, awkward drive-in movies, deadly drag-races and the looming threat of graduation.

Grease is based on the 1971 stage musical by Jim Jacobs and Warren Casey. After its success in Chicago, Broadway and on the West End, it was made into a feature film seven years later. Mainly due to his performance in the 1977 film, Saturday Night Fever, Travolta was chosen for the part of Danny Zuko and he proved to be the perfect choice. Travolta captures Zuko's charm. He previously appeared as Doody in a touring production of the stage version of Grease which most likely contributed to him winning the role. He's also great during the film's musical numbers, including 'Greased Lightnin', 'Sandy', and 'You're The One That I Want'. At the time of Grease's production, Newton-John was mainly known as a singer from Australia and hadn't had much experience in terms of acting, however, she gives an impressive performance as Sandy and shares chemistry with Travolta. Her best scenes are, unsurprisingly, when she's singing. Her best song is 'Hopelessly Devoted To You', which was written and recorded after filming had wrapped. It was also nominated at the 51st Academy Awards for Best Original Song. Despite being aged 28 at the time of filming, Newton-John proved to be very convincing as a high school student, thanks to help of make-up and costume. Solid supporting roles come from Stockard Channing as the leader of the Pink Ladies, Rizzo, and Didi Conn as Frenchy, Sandy's closest friend in the Pink Ladies. The former has a memorable musical sequence when she makes fun of Sandy during the song, 'Look At Me, I'm Sandra Dee'. Overall, every actor involved gives a solid performance, with Travolta and Newton-John being the stand-outs.

Like I mentioned earlier, Grease is filled with catchy, infectious and energetic songs which contributed to the film's success. Several of the songs came from the original musical, however, a few of them were written for the film, including 'Hopelessly Devoted To You', 'Sandy', and 'You're The One That I Want'. The latter is my favourite song as it occurs during Grease's finale and showcases Sandy's big transformation. After reuniting with Danny at the fair after graduating from high school, the pair sing the catchy tune as they dance their way around a Fun House. Out of all the songs on the soundtrack, it's arguably the most successful as it's one of the best-selling singles of all time, having sold over 6 million copies among the United States, the United Kingdom, and France alone, with estimates of more than 15 million copies sold overall. 'You're The One That I Want' was one of the two singles John Farrar wrote specifically for Newton-John's appearance in the film that had not been in the original stage musical, the other being 'Hopelessly Devoted To You'. Ironically, the film's director, Randal Kleiser, was not fond of this song because he felt that it did not mesh well with the rest of the Warren Casey-Jim Jacobs score. Another favourite song from the film is 'Summer Nights' as it's catchy and shows Danny and Sandy talking about the night they met in the summer to their friends. It also features some impressive choreography as Danny and the T-Birds dance on the benches. It's during this song we learn how each one remembered the night differently. While Danny brags about hooking up with an attractive woman, Sandy's verse emphasizes the romance of the affair, and the truth and purity. We learn that Danny is more concerned about impressing his friends rather than revealing his true feelings to Sandy when the two unexpectedly meet again at high school. Sandy is disappointed in his actions and Danny spends the majority of the film trying to make it up to her. Danny isn't a detestable character as his actions are understandable, however, he soon learns what he did was wrong. 

Obviously, when Grease was first released in 1978, I hadn't even been born yet so I only watched it a few years ago as, growing up, I had no interest in watching it as I'd seen the stage musical at my local theatre when I was a child and didn't really understand the story as I was too young. However, when I eventually watched it, it turned out to be a pleasant surprise. While Grease is rated PG, which in the UK mean it is suitable for children aged 8 years and up, there are a few sexual references and the characters do smoke and drink, however, it's only minor and all of this will go over children's head. Teenagers and older viewers will most likely enjoy Grease as they can relate to some of the characters. Because they are coming up to the end of high school, they're all dealing with what's going to happen after graduation and if they're all gonna keep in touch.

In celebration of its 40th anniversary, cinemas across the UK are re-releasing Grease and, while it's available to watch on DVD and streaming sites, I think that it's worth seeing on the big screen. Overall, Grease is a pleasing, energetic musical with infectiously catchy songs and two strong leading performances from John Travolta and Olivia Newton-John.

7/10

THE GREATEST SHOWMAN REVIEW

*MAY CONTAIN SPOILERS*

​Hugh Jackman started 2017 with his final performance of the clawed mutant, Wolverine, in Logan. He then ended the year by giving an energetic performance as P.T. Barnum in the musical, The Greatest Showman. While critics have had mixed feelings about the film, audiences have praised it. In the month since its release, I’ve seen endless tweets from people who loved the film and even some who have watched it at the cinema three times. However, is it as great as audiences and its title make it out to be or is it a disappointment?

The Greatest Showman tells the story of Phineas Taylor Barnum (High Jackman), the low-born son of a tailor. After working a series of conventional jobs and making a small amount of money, he marries his childhood sweetheart, Charity (Michelle Williams). Unfortunately, he becomes jobless after the shipping company he works for goes bankrupt, however, this leads to him finally pursuing his dream. Although Charity is happy with their life and their two daughters, Barnum wants more. Barnum takes a walk on the wild side and buys a museum. When attendance is poor (there’s not a lot of interest in wax figures and the work of taxidermists), he replaces inert attractions with a show featuring human oddities: The Bearded Lady, Lettie Lutz (Keala Settle), a dwarf, Charles Stratton who goes by the stage name of Tom Thumb (Sam Humphrey), a trapeze artist, Anne Wheeler (Zendaya), and others of their ilk. Barnum’s low-brow production becomes an overnight sensation and he recruits a partner, the younger and well-connected Philip Carlyle (Zac Efron), who arranges an audience with Queen Victoria. While in England, Barnum meets singer Jenny Lind (Rebecca Ferguson), the “Swedish Nightingale”, and convinces her to embark on a tour of the United States.

It’s no secret that, while The Greatest Showman claims to tell the tale of P.T. Barnum, who gave his name to a circus during the 19th century, the majority of the narrative is fictional. Those who have done their research on the real Barnum will know that he only used his 'odd' performers for self-gain and didn't treat them with the respect that they deserved. At first, I was confused at why anyone would make a film celebrating the life of a man who mistreated unique individuals and animals in his production. Jackman, who portrays Barnum and also produced the film, said that Barnum’s belief was that ‘what makes you different makes you special’, however, the real life Barnum was not exactly a crusader for social justice. He was more interested in exploiting people than empowering them. While I think that The Greatest Showman is thoroughly entertaining and features some empowering and energetic songs, written by the award-winning duo Benj Pasek and Justin Paul (who wrote the songs for La La Land), I think people should know the truth about Barnum before watching.

Aside from that, The Greatest Showman is worth a watch. There are solid performances from the cast. Although Jackman doesn’t resemble Barnum in the slightest, he gives a very good performance and it’s obvious he cares about this production as he puts his all into it. However, it’s not his best performance. As we saw towards the beginning of 2017, Jackman gave his best performance as Wolverine in Logan and he was better as Jean Valjean in the 2012 musical, Les Miserables. Williams is good as Charity, however, she isn’t given much to do but she does have a stand-out scene where she sings ‘Tightrope’. Efron and Zendaya provide the romance aspect of the film and their performance of ‘Rewrite The Stars’ is one of the highlights of the film, as is ‘This is Me’ which is sung by the Bearded Lady and the rest of the performers who finally are accepting of themselves and their differences. It’s a powerful song and is currently nominated at the Academy Awards for Best Original Song. Ferguson gives a good performance as Jenny Lind, however, her singing is dubbed by Loren Allred as Ferguson felt that, while she can carry a tune, Jenny Lind is considered the best singer in the world and that dubbing her voice would be in service of the film. However, in order to get into the role, Ferguson insisted on singing the song in front of the extras while filming.

One of the main reasons to see The Greatest Showman is its songs, written by Pasek and Paul. The song-writing duo won their first Oscar last year with their Original Song, ‘City of Stars’, which featured in the musical, La La Land. From early on in pre-production, the decision was made to have the musical style of The Greatest Showman to evoke more that of contemporary musical genres like pop and hip hop rather than that of a traditional, classical musical style that would accurately evoke the film's 1800s setting. As Pasek said, "The choice was to express not just the characters' feelings, but also how ahead of his time P.T. Barnum was. He wasn't bound by the world in which he lived; he wanted to create one." Like I mentioned earlier, the songs are the best aspect of the film. For me the stand-outs were ‘This Is Me’, ‘Rewrite The Stars’ and Lind’s powerful ballad, ‘Never Enough’.

The Greatest Showman marks the directorial debut of Michael Gracey, after having spent twenty years as an animator, digital compositor, and visual effects supervisor. Jackman and director Michael Gracey met on a commercial shoot. Jackman told Gracey he wanted to make a film with him, and Gracey thought he was joking. Jackman later called him and said he wanted him to direct The Greatest Showman. It’s an impressive debut and captures the energy that comes from a musical and is thoroughly entertaining.

Overall, The Greatest Showman is an enjoyable musical, with energetic and powerful songs and solid performances from its cast, however, it's far from an accurate biopic of P.T. Barnum.

7/10

PITCH PERFECT 2 REVIEW

*MAY CONTAIN SPOILERS*

Released in 2012, Pitch Perfect was a surprise hit, both with critics and at the box office, receiving over $115m. Of course, the success lead to a sequel being released three years later, with Elizabeth Banks replacing Jason Moore as director. A lot of sequels fail to live up to fan's expectations, however, does Pitch Perfect 2 follow that same path?

The Barden Bellas are back, and they are better than ever. After being humiliated in front of none other than the President Barack Obama, the Bellas are taken out of the Aca-Circuit. In order to clear their name and regain their status, the Bellas take on a seemingly impossible task: winning an International competition no American team has ever won. In order to accomplish this monumental task, they need to strengthen the bonds of friendship and sisterhood, and blow away the competition with their amazing vocals. With all new friends and old rivals tagging along for the trip, the Bellas can hopefully accomplish their dreams once again.

In answer to my question, no, Pitch Perfect 2 doesn't follow the well-tridden path of sequels that fail to live up to fan's expectations. In fact, it met mine and I thoroughly enjoyed watching the Barden Bellas prove themselves worthy, despite the humiliating performance at the beginning of the film. I think that what makes the Pitch Perfect films so popular is that they're original and, by original, I mean that they're not based on already existing West-End or Broadway musicals. It also has a modern day setting so a lot of today's audience, especially young teenagers, will love it and be able to relate to the main characters.

Speaking of characters, the majority of the cast return including Anna Kendrick as Beca, Rebel Wilson as Fat Amy and Brittany Snow as Chloe, who is now the leader of the Barden Bellas. Anna Camp appears later on in the film as Aubrey, who is now running a retreat. Skylar Astin, who is ironically Camp's husband in real life, returns as Jesse, Beca's boyfriend. Hailee Steinfeld is a welcome addition to the cast and plays Emily, the newest member of the Barden Bellas. There's no Oscar-worthy performances here, however, each actor gives a solid performance. The stand-out is Wilson as Fat Amy, who develops a romance with Bumper (Adam DeVine), and the pair have some funny scenes together. Not only does Banks direct but she returns as Gail, the acapella competition commentator who, alongside John Michael Higgins, has some funny scenes.

Some people may think that it's an odd choice for Banks to direct, however, she proves to be great, both in front of the camera and behind it. I think that it helps that she appeared in the first film, as she knows the tone of the film and is able to replicate it. This is why fans of the original won't be disappointed, it's pretty much the same as the first but moves the story forward.

One of the most successful aspects of Pitch Perfect was its songs. The majority of them were fresh takes on popular, chart-topping songs and that hasn't changed with the sequel. The film opens with the Bellas performing Miley Cyrus' number one single Wrecking Ball. They also take part in another Riff Off, with other Acapella groups singing songs based on certain topics including 'Songs About Butts', which leads to the groups singing songs such as Destiny Child's Bootylicious. Another topic is 'I Dated John Mayer' which means that the group have to sing songs by artists that have dated John Mayer and leads to a performance of Taylor Swift's break-up hit We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together. This is one of my favourite scenes from the sequel as I love hearing the fresh takes on well-known songs.

The comedy mainly comes from Wilson and her hilarious performance as Fat Amy, however, there are a lot of fun scenes throughout. One of the biggest themes of the Pitch Perfect films is friendship and it is clearly shown here, especially between the members of the Bellas. Emily is the newcomer and, at first, she struggles to fit in but becomes close with Beca who was the newcomer to the group in the first film. She helps Emily to build her confidence and discovers that she likes writing her own songs too which leads to them spending some time in the studio. This leads to Emily's original song, Flashlight getting interest from a producer and, despite it not being a cover, the Bellas perform it at the World Finals at the end of the film, with other members of the Bellas joining in. It's a monumental moment as the Bellas have proven themselves worthy to those who ever doubted them. 

The song Flashlight, which was written by Australian singer Sia, was recorded by pop singer Jessie J who released it as a single as a way to promote the film. The Pitch Perfect 2 soundtrack debuted at number one on the Billboard 200. The film itself proved to be a more successful hit than its predecessor at the box office as it received over $287m with a third installment being released in late 2017.

Overall, Pitch Perfect 2 captures the tone of the original and is just as fun and entertaining. Those who like comedy and musicals will definitely find something to enjoy here.

7/10

SING REVIEW

*MAY CONTAIN SPOILERS*

Illumination Entertainment previously released The Secret Life Of Pets last summer and, despite it being appealing to children and receiving over $875 million at the box office, I didn't think it was any special. Illumination are best known for releasing the hugely popular Despicable Me films and the Minions spin-off which were both successful in terms of animation, storytelling, characters and creating an engaging motion picture suitable for the whole family. This is Illumination's second original animated feature and is an improvement on The Secret Life Of Pets. 

Sing tells the story of Buster Moon (voice of Matthew McConaughey), a koala bear who is a theatre director who is determined to keep his theatre open and comes up with the idea of a singing competition. Unfortunately, he can only offer $1,000 in prize money but his clumsy assistant, Miss Crawley (Garth Jennings), accidentally makes a typo and prints out flyers that offer $100,000 for the prize. Unsurprisingly, this leads to hundreds of hopeful animals turning up, wanting to be in with a chance of winning that big prize money. The lucky finalists include: Rosita (Reese Witherspoon), a pig who is the mother to 25 piglets and is always busy looking after both her children and husband (Nick Offerman); Mike (Seth MacFarlane), a tiny mouse with a big voice; Ash (Scarlett Johansson), a porcupine who prefers rock'n'roll music than the pop songs that Moon offers her; Johhny (Taron Egerton), a teenage Cockney-accented gorilla who wants to sing, though his father wants him to follow his criminal footsteps; Meena (Tori Kelly), a talented elephant but struggles with shyness and stage fright and Gunter (Nick Kroll), a confident pig who isn't afraid to show off his dance moves and teams up with Rosita. All are very talented individuals but Moon is worried about the prize money.

Sing features a star-studded cast which was one of the first things that made me interested. This is McConaughey's second animated film (the first being Kubo and the Two Strings which was released last year). He makes Moon a determined and optimistic person and someone we root for. We want him to succeed but it's incredibly difficult as the bank are threatening to repossess his theatre. His Mud co-star, Witherspoon, is perfect as Rosita who is struggling mother and, at first, is unsure about being paired with Gunter. Fortunately, the two develop chemistry and provide one of the best renditions of Taylor Swift's number one song, Shake It Off, I've ever heard. MacFarlane's Ash is conceited and selfish and will do anything to win the prize money. He's not one of the most likable characters in this film but he does provide most of the film's comedy with his one liners and sounds a lot like Frank Sinatra when he sings. Johannson's Ash is a typical teenager who is heartbroken after splitting with her boyfriend (Beck Bennett) but is actually better off without him. Egerton's Johnny breaks the stereotype that all gangsters are meant to be tough and, despite the lack of support from his father, follows his dream. Kelly's Meena is like many singers who suffer from stage fright but with Moon's encouragement, she is able to beautifully carry out a tune. Kroll's Gunter provides most of the laughs with his impressive dance moves. All in all, this is a great cast and it's worth watching just for them.

Sing features a whole range of well-known, popular songs ranging from the 1940s to 2016. This is why it's perfect for the whole family, as I doubt young children will recognise any of the songs in this film. In a entertaining montage near the beginning of the film, we see animals performing renditions of songs including a bull that sings Crazy Town's 'Butterfly', a group of bunnies singing Nicki Minaj's 'Anaconda', a group of shrimps that perform the chorus of Beyonce's 'Crazy In Love' and Gunter's performance of Lady Gaga's 'Bad Romance' adds to the humour. Unintentionally, Sing pays tribute to many iconic artists who passed away in 2016. David Bowie's collaboration with Queen, 'Under Pressure' is played during a montage; George Michael's 80s hit, 'Wake Me Up (Before You Go Go)' is a ringtone and Meena does a beautiful cover of Leonard Cohen's 'Hallelujah'. Of course, this will go over children's heads but will cause many parents and adults to feel nostalgic. This is what I loved most about this film. There's a whole range of songs that feature in Sing. In one scene, Rosita dances in a shop to Gipsy King's 'Bamboleo' which adds to the humour. 

I also loved that the characters were so diverse. Every one has different backgrounds and Sing proves that no matter who you are, you still have the ability to do whatever you want to do. Johnny is part of a team of gangsters but he would rather sing and play the piano. Ash is a teenage girl but refuses to sing the pop songs Moon offers her and never changes her rock'n'roll style. 

Sing succeeds in being an engaging, feel-good animated feature that'll entertain the whole family and will, hopefully, encourage audiences to follow their dreams. I'm sure that there'll be at least one viewer who will be able to relate to being like Meena but watching her sing on the stage will motivate other talented singers to be more confident. 

No, the story isn't anything new, but that's not a bad thing. It's perfect for this kind of film and makes it suitable for family viewing. 

8/10 

LA LA LAND REVIEW

*MAY CONTAIN SPOILERS*

If I could sum up director Damien Chazelle's latest film, La La Land, in one word, it would be 'wow'. 

Chazelle's previous film, Whiplash, was released in 2014 and was nominated for a total of five Academy Awards including 'Best Motion Picture' and 'Best Writing, Adapted Screenplay'. J.K. Simmons was the winner of the 'Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role'. Safe to say, after Whiplash's success, there were high expectations for his next film which is a original musical that he first wrote in 2010 during a period in his life when the movie industry seemed out of reach for him. Unfortunately, creating a musical into a feature film was easier said than done so Chazelle focused on Whiplash. After Whiplash's success, he became 100% committed to creating his first musical. With Ryan Gosling and Emma Stone as the two leads, is La La Land just as successful as Whiplash?

La La Land tells the story of Mia (Stone), an aspiring actress, and Sebastian (Gosling), a dedicated jazz musician, struggling to make ends meet while pursuing their dreams in a city known for destroying hopes and breaking hearts. With modern day Los Angeles as the backdrop, this musical about everyday life explores what is more important: a once-in-a-lifetime love or the spotlight.

In answer to my earlier question, yes, La La Land is just as successful as Whiplash, maybe even more, in terms of storytelling, acting and creating an engaging motion picture. In its 128 runtime, La La Land never fails to be anything other than fresh, fun and a true cinematic masterpiece. 

In my 19 years, I've only seen a few musicals in cinemas including Hairspray in 2007, Mamma Mia! in 2008, Les Miserables in 2012 and Into The Woods in 2015. Three of those films are based on either West End or Broadway musicals and are strong adaptations. However, despite being very good films, I have to say that La La Land is the best musical I've ever watched on the big screen.

Of course, to create a successful musical, you need songs that'll audiences will be singing as they leave the theatre. The majority of songs are written by Pasek and Paul (real names Benj Pasek and Justin Paul) and, fortunately, the two have succeeded in writing songs that are perfect for Chazelle's musical. The opening song, Another Day Of Sun, is sung by a group of people who, after being stuck in a traffic jam, all leave their cars and dance. This is one of the best opening sequences I've seen in any movie as the camera doesn't cut and flourishes between the dancers. It's an optimistic song about unfulfilled dreams and a great way to open the film. The two other stand out songs are City Of Stars which is sung by Gosling and Audition (The Fools Who Dream) which is sung by Stone. Both are moving songs sung with honest emotion by the two leads. 

Speaking of which, the two leads are one of the best things about this film other than the songs. The film focused on Mia and Sebastian who, after meeting in the winter and then again in the spring, develop feelings for each other. Chazelle originally thought of Miles Teller (who was the lead in Whiplash) and Emma Watson for the roles, unfortunately, Watson couldn't commit due to scheduling issues she had with the live-action adaptation of Beauty And The Beast and Teller was dropped in favour of Gosling. Stone was later cast and Chazelle stated that the two were the closest thing 'that we have right now to an old Hollywood couple'. Coincidentally, this is the third film Gosling and Stone have worked together after appearing as love interests in the 2011 romantic comedy, Crazy, Stupid, Love and in the 2013 thriller, Gangster Squad. After watching Crazy, Stupid, Love, I knew that both Stone and Gosling were the perfect choice for Mia and Sebastian. Stone has come a long way since appearing in her 2010 breakthrough comedy, Easy A, which got Emma her first Golden Globe nomination. She was nominated for her first Academy Award for her role as Sam in Birdman (or The Unexpected Virtue Of Ignorance) in 2015. This role further proves why she's one of the most talented actresses working today. Gosling has also come a long way since appearing in romantic drama, The Notebook, in 2004 and has been nominated for an Academy Award for his performance in Half Nelson in 2007. Because Sebastian is a jazz pianist, Gosling practiced playing the piano and the end result is really impressive.

At time of writing this, La La Land has won seven awards at the Golden Globes including Best Motion Picture - Comedy Or Musical, two Best Performances awards for both Gosling and Stone and Best Director for Chazelle. Because of its seven wins, La La Land broke the record for most Golden Globes nominated for one film. It's an incredible achievement and another reason why this film is worth watching.

This is one of those films that, not only gives its viewer an optimistic outlook, but inspires them to follow their dream. John Legend makes an appearance in the film as Sebastian's friend, Keith, and his piece of dialogue where he speaks to Sebastian about being a revolutionary will provoke thoughts in many viewer's minds.

Overall, with Damien Chazelle's thrillingly assured direction and powerful performances from both Emma Stone and Ryan Gosling, La La Land is an unmissable cinematic masterpiece that'll leave you feeling uplifted and wanting to follow your dreams.

9/10

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