THE LAST LETTER FROM YOUR LOVER REVIEW

 *MAY CONTAIN SPOILERS*

In 2016, a feature film adaptation of Jojo Moyes’ book, Me Before You, was released and starred Emilia Clarke and Sam Claflin. It was a romantic drama that focused on the relationship between a paralysed young man and his bubbly caretaker. While some people found it to be an emotional watch, critics were divided and praised the performances by Clarke and Claflin, however, they weren’t impressed by the film’s clumsy handling of a serious subject. Me Before You was more successful at the box office and made over $208 million. Following its success, Moyes’ 2012 book, The Last Letter from your Lover has been adapted into a feature film starring Felicity Jones, Shailene Woodley and Callum Turner. 

A pair of interwoven stories set in the present and past follows Ellie Haworth (Jones), an ambitious journalist who discovers a trove of secret love letters from 1965 and becomes determined to solve the mystery of the forbidden affair at their centre. As she uncovers the story behind Jennifer Stirling (Woodley), the wife of a wealthy industrialist, Laurence (Joe Alwyn) and Anthony O'Hare (Turner), the financial journalist assigned to cover him, Ellie's own love story unfolds with the assistance of Rory (Nabhaan Rizwan), an earnest, endearing archivist who helps her track down more letters.

Those who liked Me Before You will almost certainly enjoy with what director Augustine Frizzell has created with her adaptation of Moyes’ book, The Last Letter From Your Lover as both are romantic dramas. What’s most interesting about the film is that it tells two stories that take place in different time settings. The film is at its most romantic and compelling when it’s focusing on the affair between Jennifer and Anthony, with Woodley and Turner sharing chemistry. The modern day scenes could have easily been boring, however, they benefit from Jones’ charming performance as Ellie who is fascinated by the letters she finds that were written by Jennifer and Anthony. As Ellie works to uncover the mystery behind the letters, she finds herself falling in love with Rory. Because the scenes that take place in the past are serious, the modern day scenes are more lighthearted and provide occasional moments of comic relief. Getting the balance between drama and comedy can be challenging as, during a serious scene, the humour feels out of place and vice versa. Fortunately, this wasn’t the case with The Last Letter From Your Lover. Most of the humour comes from Ellie’s awkward interactions with Rory that soon develop into a romance.

The story is far from unpredictable, despite this, however. I still found The Last Letter From Your Lover to be a romantic and heartfelt drama. What makes it compelling is the affair between Jennifer and Anthony. Although Jennifer is married to Laurence, she’s clearly unhappy and, shortly after meeting Anthony, she quickly falls for him. Because Jennifer doesn’t love her husband, we want her to be with Anthony. Meanwhile, in the present day, Ellie discovers their love letters. Like Ellie, we want to know if the couple ended up together. The answer may not be that surprising, however, it leads to a moving ending.

What I found most interesting about The Last Letter From Your Lover is how romance is explored in the two different timelines. Nowadays, many people form romantic relationships through dating apps, however, the film shows how relationships were formed in a time when phones and computers didn’t exist and, instead of text messages, people would write heartfelt and meaningful letters. Some of the romantic films that have been released recently are modern so it was refreshing to watch a film that explores love in the 1960s. I think that The Last Letter From Your Letter may appeal to those who grew up and made relationshps in the same setting as it will make them feel nostalgic.

The strength of The Last Letter From Your Lover lies in the performances delivered by its talented cast. The standout is Woodley who delivers a passionate performance as Jennifer alongside Turner as her love interest, Anthony. Recently, Jones has become known for her appearances in films that are set in the past including The Theory of Everything (where she portrayed Stephen Hawking’s wife, Jane, and earned her first Oscar nomination), On The Basis of Sex (where she delivered an impressive portrayal of Ruth Bader Ginsberg and was overlooked by the Academy) and Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (a spin-off that takes place a long time ago in a galaxy far, far away), however, as Ellie, she is naturally sweet and instantly likeable. Aside from the three leading performances, credit also has to be given to Diana Kent and Ben Cross who portray the older versions of Jennifer and Anthony in the modern day setting. In just one scene, they were able to capture the chemistry of the younger versions of their characters. 

While the acting on screen is impressive, the work on f The Last Letter From Your Lover from behind the scenes also stand out, including the costume design and Jennifer’s stunning wardrobe, including her luxurious dresses, comfortable beach outfits and sleek casual clothes. 

It goes without saying but the last year and a half has been incredibly difficult for obvious reasons. However, now more than ever, we all need escapism and films provide that. The Last Letter From Your Lover was recently released on the streaming service, Netflix, in the United States but is getting a cinema release in the United Kingdom. Whether you watch it at home or on the big screen, I think that The Last Letter From Your Lover is worth watching for those looking for a romantic drama that tells an interesting story and is easy to watch.

7/10

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

THE BROKEN HEARTS GALLERY REVIEW

 *MAY CONTAIN SPOILERS*

Many romantic comedies struggle to leave a lasting impression as they're predictable and the characters are boring. Prior to watching The Broken Hearts Gallery, my expectations weren't high. 

The Broken Hearts Gallery focuses on Lucy (Geraldine Viswanathan) who is a young gallery assistant and collects mementos from her past relationships. She discovers that she must let go of her past to move forward and comes up with a lovely artistic way to help herself and others who have suffered heartbreak.

The Broken Hearts Gallery beat my expectations and was a pleasant surprise. While The Broken Hearts Gallery is very predictable, that didn't prevent me from enjoying it. Those who have seen any romantic comedy will know exactly what's going to happen, however, most of the enjoyment comes from watching the characters interact with each other, especially Lucy and her love interest, Nick (Dacre Montgomery). The pair awkwardly meet after Lucy mistakes Nick's car for an Uber, following an evening where she embarrasses herself at the art gallery. This leads to her getting fired and dumped by Max (Utkarsh Ambudkar). Lucy is left heartbroken, however, she soon befriends Nick who is in the middle of creating a boutique hotel. This is where Lucy gets the idea to make a unique gallery filled with mementos she has collected from past relatiKonships. While the mementos are nothing special, Lucy thinks that the gallery is a great way for people to find closure and overcome their heartbreak. This idea is what makes Zoe a likeable individual. A lot of people, following the end of a romantic relationship, are left heartbroken and struggle to move on, however, Lucy's new gallery helps them. I found The Broken Hearts Gallery to be at its best when it was focusing on Lucy and the gallery. It's clear that she's very passionate about getting the gallery as she believes it will help people overcome their heartbreak. While the story is predictable, it's more original than a lot of films that usually get released.

The Broken Hearts Gallery works better as a romance than a comedy. I enjoyed the scenes that focused on Lucy and Nick and watching their relationship develop. Both Viewanathan and Montgomery share chemistry and are convincing as their characters. The former recently appeared in films such as Bad Education, alongside Hugh Jackman and Allison Janney, and the comedy, Blockers, which was released two years ago. As Lucy, Viewanathan leaves a lasting impression and makes her a likeable character. Montgomery is best known for starring the latest series of fantasy series, Stranger Things, as Nick, he delivers a charming portrayal. 

Most of the comedy comes in The Broken Hearts Gallery from Amanda (Molly Gordon) and Nadine (Phillipa Soo) who provide support as Lucy’s friends. While a lot of supporting characters in romantic comedies are forgettable, both Amanda and Nadine steal a lot of the scenes they appear in as they frequently bet over Lucy's relationships and their outcomes. A fun scene takes place at a bar on Amanda's birthday where the trio sing Ava Max's hit single, Sweet But Psycho. An issue with a lot of films in general is the lack of characters in the LGBTQ community. Nadine is a lesbian, however, what I liked most was that it was treated like it was no big deal. Too many characters, who identify as a homosexual, are stereotypes and portrayed as camp and over the top. I'm glad that this wasn't the case with Nadine. 

The Broken Hearts Gallery is one of the latest films to be released in cinemas since they reopened two months ago. While I'm not sure it's the type of film that needs to be seen on the big screen, like Christopher Nolan's latest action packed thriller, Tenet, it's still worth a watch, especially for those of you who, like me, enjoy romantic comedies. 

Pop singer, Selena Gomez, is one of the executive producers of The Broken Hearts Gallery. I can imagine a lot of her fans seeing the film as it has her name attached to it and I can't imagine them being disappointed. The soundtrack features a lot of hit songs, like Elton John's Don't Go Breaking My Heart, Miley Cyrus' Party in the USA and Little Mix's #1 single, Woman Like Me. These songs are some of my favourites so their inclusion only increased my enjoyment of The Broken Hearts Gallery.

Overall, because it features memorable characters and an interesting premise, The Broken Hearts Gallery is one of the best romantic comedies to be released recently.

7/10

JUDY REVIEW

*MAY CONTAIN SPOILERS*

Whenever I think of Judy Garland, I always picture her role as Dorothy Gale in the 1939 film, The Wizard Of Oz. However, Rupert Goold's latest feature, Judy, focuses on Garland's later life and her performances in London in late 1968, six months before her tragic death six months later at the age of 47. 

Judy Garland (Renée Zellweger) arrives in Swinging London to perform a five-week sold-out run at The Talk of the Town. It is 30 years since she shot to global stardom in The Wizard of Oz, but if her voice has weakened, its dramatic intensity has only grown. As she prepares for the show, battles with management, charms musicians and reminisces with friends and adoring fans, her wit and warmth shine through. Even her dreams of love seem undimmed as she embarks on a whirlwind romance with Mickey Deans (Finn Wittrock), her soon-to-be fifth husband.

Growing up, The Wizard Of Oz was one of my favourite films to watch as a child, however, I wasn't aware of the abuse and mistreatment Garland experienced during filming. Judy frequently cuts to flashbacks to Garland on the set of her most famous film. These scenes show how strict Judy's life was as she was told what to eat, when to sleep and how to behave. She was also given amphetamines to help her stay awake during filming and barbituates to help her sleep. Because I wasn't that familiar with Garland's personal life, I was shocked by the abuse she received from the co-founder of Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, Louis B. Mayer (Richard Cordery), who produced The Wizard Of Oz. The abuse clearly affected her as an adult and lead to her being addicted to barbituates and suffering from depression. 

Judy effectively shows the realities of being famous and that it's not as great as a lot of people imagine it to be. In the beginning, we see Judy performing with her two youngest children, Lorna (Bella Ramsey) and Joey Luft (Lewin Lloyd), however, when they return to their hotel, she is told that her room has been 'released', leading to her leaving her children with their father and her ex-husband, Sid (Rufus Sewell). Because she's homeless and has hardly any money, Judy is struggling to keep custody of her children. In order to earn money, she is sent to London to perform a series of sold-out shows. Unfortunately, not everything goes to plan, with her alcoholism and diva-like behaviour leading to her being late. However, when she begins performing, we can see why she was considered a star and is still known as an icon, fifty years later.

The strongest aspect of Judy is Zellweger's portrayal of the titular icon. She captures Judy’s mannerisms and diva-like personality, however, she is at her best when she’s performing Judy's classic hits, including 'The Trolley Song' and 'Come Rain or Come Shine'. She also delivers a moving rendition of Judy's most famous song, 'Over The Rainbow'. While Zellweger has proven herself to be a talented singer in the Oscar winning musical, Chicago,  she spent a year training with vocal coach, Eric Vetro, before production began in order to perfect her vocals and the hard work has paid off. It's an unforgettable performance that is likely to see her nominated at the Oscars next year. In terms of supporting roles, I was most impressed by Jessie Buckley who portrays Judy's assitant, Rosalyn Wilder. Ironically, Buckley impressed with her leading performance in the similar-named Wild Rose. Aside from being Judy's assistant, Wilder also provided support to the star when she was struggling.

Whilst Judy is a solid drama, the film is, undoubtedly at its best during her performances as they show off Zellweger's incredible vocals and the star's ability to connect with her audiences as she reveals details of her life. She also isn't afraid to respond to audience's comments and delivers several witty remarks. While 'By Myself' isn't one of Judy's most famous songs, it's one of the more memorable scenes in the film as Judy opens up about being alone. It's also where she's at her most vulnerable as she's away from her children. In order to make her portrayal of Judy as authentic as possible, Zellweger would have Judy's performance on an iPad propped up and she would perform in front of her mirror. It's a technique that works as, if you compare Zellweger's performance to that of Judy's, there's not much difference.

Judy provides an interesting insight into Judy's personal life and shows a side to her a lot of people won't be familiar with. While she was famous for her classic films including The Wizard Of Oz, A Star Is Born and Meet Me In St. Louis, and her powerful vocals, behind the scenes she was struggling a lot, with her mental health, alcoholism and addiction to barbituates. When she's asked by a doctor if she's had anything to treat her depression, she jokingly replies, "four husbands", however, they didn't work. This doesn't prevent her from falling in love with Mickey Deans, who is a nightclub owner. After a whirlwind romance, the two marry in London, with Deans promising Judy a record deal and a chance to be with her children. Unfortunately, because of Judy's behaviour at the London shows, she is turned down by the record company. Her relationship with Sid is also rocky, with both wanting full custody of their children. However, there is one relationship that is undeniable and that is the one that Judy has with her children. More than anything, she wants to be with them and becomes determined to get full custody. Judy clearly shows that, underneath the diva-like personality and the glitz and glamour, she was a devoted and caring mother who would do anything to be with her children.

Since its premiere at the Telluride Film Festival at the end of August, Judy has received a positive reception from critics, with most of the praise going to Zellweger's portrayal of the titular icon. Those who simply know Judy as Dorothy from The Wizard Of Oz may be surprised when they watch Goold's feature as it provides a glimpse into her private life and shows a side to her not many people will be familiar with.

7/10

IF BEALE STREET COULD TALK REVIEW

*MAY CONTAIN SPOILERS*

Two years ago, there was a shock at the 89th Academy Awards, when the wrong winner for Best Picture was announced. It was believed to be Damien Chazelle's musical, La La Land, however, it was revealed that Barry Jenkins' drama, Moonlight, was the true winner. Whilst I loved La La Land, I was hoping for Moonlight to win Best Picture and I'm happy it did. Because of the impressive success that Moonlight received, both with critics and at the Academy Awards, expectations were high for Jenkins' next feature which is If Beale Street Could Talk, based on James Baldwin's novel of the same name. However, does it live up to expectations or is it a disappointment?

Set in early-1970s Harlem, If Beale Street Could Talk is a timeless and moving love story of both a couple's unbreakable bond and the African-American family's empowering embrace, as told through the eyes of 19-year-old Tish Rivers (KiKi Layne). A daughter and wife-to-be, Tish vividly recalls the passion, respect and trust that have connected her and her artist fiancé Alonzo Hunt, who goes by the nickname Fonny (Stephan James). Friends since childhood, the devoted couple dream of a future together but their plans are derailed when Fonny is arrested for a crime he did not commit.

While I think Moonlight is Jenkins' best film, his latest feature, If Beale Street Could Talk doesn't disappoint and tells a heartfelt and heartbreaking love story. I hadn't read Baldwin's book and I'd only heard about the feature at the end of last year so I didn't know what to expect. Fortunately, like I was with Moonlight, If Beale Street Could Talk proved to a pleasant surprise. If there's one thing Jenkins is talented at, it's creating a moving and powerful story that will make you feel all kinds of emotions during its runtime, including happiness, heartbreak, sadness and hopefulness. That's what If Beale Street Could Talk had me feeling anyway 

While Moonlight was a huge success at the Academy Awards in 2017, winning Best Picture, Best Supporting Actor for Mahershala Ali and Best Adapted Screenplay. What surprised me the most about If Beale Street Could Talk was the fact it wasn't nominated for more Oscars. At the time of writing this review, it currently has three nominations at this years Academy Awards, including Best Original Score, Best Supporting Role for Regina King and Best Adapted Screenplay. Of the three it's currently nominated for, I think King is most likely to win for her supporting performance as she has won a Golden Globe and I wouldn't be surprised if the Academy awarded her. While she doesn't have much screen time, King leaves a lasting impression as Tish's loving and supportive mother, Sharon. After seeing If Beale Street Could Talk, I was shocked when I realised it hadn't received a Best Picture nomination. I'm happy with the majority of this year's nominees for Best Picture but if I could replace any of the nominees with If Beale Street Could Talk, it would be Vice. As much as I liked Adam McKay's feature, I agree with those who don't think it's Best Picture worthy. Considering Jenkins won the Best Picture award two years ago, I'm surprised his latest feature was overlooked. However, I am glad that it's received three nominations and I hope that it wins.

The aspect of If Beale Street Could Talk I was most impressed by was the acting, especially that of King and the films' two leads, Layne and James, who share chemistry and are convincing as a couple. Their relationship drives the film and why it is successful as a romance. I was surprised to discover that this was Layne's feature film debut as she gives a strong dramatic performance as Tish. While James has appeared in more films, this is the first feature I've seen him in and he gives an empathetic performance as Fonny. While Tish is optimistic and hopeful that Fonny will be released soon, he isn't as positive and becomes increasingly worried that, during the birth of his first child, he'll be behind bars. It's a heartbreaking situation that no one should have to face, unfortunately, because the accuser, Victoria Rogers (Emily Rios), has run away to Puerto Rico, they can't question her and ask her to free an innocent man. 

The only thing I'm disappointed by is the reaction of some people to If Beale Street Could Talk. While everyone is entitled to their opinion, I do find it unfair that a lot of people are calling it 'boring'. It's a drama, it was never going to be a fast-paced, action-packed film like so many of our audiences are used to. While I do enjoy films such as Avengers, I appreciate features like If Beale Street Could Talk because they are realistic, tell original and moving stories that tackle subjects such as racism and provoke thoughts in its viewer's mind. 

Overall, with strong performances from KiKi Layne, Stephan James and Regina King, Barry Jenkins brings James Baldwin's novel, If Beale Street Could Talk, to the big screen and creates a moving love story.

8/10

WIDOWS REVIEW

*MAY CONTAIN SPOILERS*

Based upon the 1983 ITV series of the same name, Widows is a 2018 heist film directed by Steve McQueen from a screenplay by McQueen and Gillian Flynn and features an ensemble cast that includes Viola Davis, Michelle Rodriguez, Elizabeth Debicki, Liam Neeson, Colin Farrell and Daniel Kaluuya. 

Widows is the story of four women with nothing in common except a debt left behind by their dead husbands' criminal activities. Set in contemporary Chicago, amid a time of turmoil, tensions build when Veronica (Davis), Alice (Debicki), Linda (Rodriguez) and Belle (Cynthia Erivo) take their fate into their own hands and conspire to forge a future on their own terms.

Surprisingly, prior to watching Widows, I had never seen any of McQueen's previous features, which includes 12 Years A Slave (which won the Academy Award for Best Motion Picture in 2014), Shame and Hunger. Because of this, I didn't know what to expect with Widows, fortunately, the feature beat my expectations and I'm even more convinced to give McQueen's previous films a watch as he has proven himself to be one of the greatest directors working today. As well as directing, he wrote the screenplay, along with Flynn, who is known for her best-selling novel, Gone Girl, which was adapted into a thriller starring Rosamund Pike and Ben Affleck in 2013. Together, McQueen and Flynn have written a compelling drama that features interesting characters and shocking twists, resulting in a successful film. 

The story includes themes of sexism, police brutality and interracial marriage, all of which it handles really well. Most of the women in Widows are interesting individuals, especially Veronica. After the death of her husband, Harry (Neeson), she is threatened by Jamal Manning (Brian Tyree Henry), whose money Harry stole. Now, Veronica has to finish her late husband's job, leading her to enlist the help of the other widows, Linda and Alice. The film frequently cuts to scenes of Veronica's relationship with Harry and we learn that the couple suffered a tragedy when their son was murdered by a police officer who thought he was reaching for a gun. Because of this, I felt a lot of sympathy and respect towards Veronica. Any other person in her situation would have crumbled, however, Veronica remains strong and brave throughout. Those who watched the original ITV series, that aired in 1983 and 1985, will enjoy McQueen's adaptation as I felt that the tone of Widows was similar to that of a drama you watch on a Sunday evening. Despite the 129 minute runtime, Widows keeps viewers engaged throughout, due to its interesting characters and a unpredictable story. 

Aside from McQueen's directing and the story, the aspect of Widows that impressed me the most was the acting, which is strong across the board. The stand out is Davis who gives a fierce and unforgettable performance as Veronica. As the two other widows, both Rodriguez and Debicki give solid performances. Initially, the two women are unsure of Veronica and don't know whether to follow her plan of stealing the money, however, after discovering the lives are at risk, they are soon convinced. Earlier this year, Kaluuya gained recognition for his Oscar nominated performance as Chris in Jordan Peele's horror/comedy, Get Out, and was a likable protagonist. As Jamal's violent brother, Jatemme, he gives a darker and more twisted performance. Recently, Cynthia Erivo appeared in Drew Goddard's thriller, Bad Times At The El Royale, and gave an impressive performance. In my opinion, I think that her performance in Bad Times was better as she had more screen time but, in Widows, Erivo still gives another great performance as Belle, who babysits Linda's children and soon becomes involved with the group. Farrell, Robert Duvall and Jacki Weaver round out the cast. Overall, there isn't a bad performance to be found. 

While Widows is a brilliant film and further proves why McQueen is a great director, I can't imagine it appealing to everyone. It has a dark and gloomy tone to it and there are some scenes of violence that makes it unsuitable for the faint hearted. However, it's definitely one of those films that deserves to be seen on the big screen and is worth watching for its strong ensemble cast and compelling story. At the time of writing this review, Widows has received critical praise, which it deserves. This months sees the release of sequels and remakes, while they're not necessarily bad films, they can be predictable and unoriginal. This is why I appreciated Widows as it's different to any film that has been released recently. To others, Widows may come across as your average heist film but I think that it's so much more than that. The heist itself doesn't take place until towards the end of the film and even then it doesn't last long. That's not a bad thing though and McQueen is more interested in characters and their stories rather than creating a boring and predictable heist film. It's hard to say whether Widows will be remembered at next year's Academy Awards, however, I think that Davis' performance should definitely be considered as, without her fierce portrayal of Veronica, Widows would've been boring. 

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

CRAZY RICH ASIANS REVIEW

*MAY CONTAIN SPOILERS*

As of late, some romantic comedies have struggled to leave a lasting impression, due to how predictable and unoriginal they've become. The films either had too much romance and not enough comedy or vice versa. They would follow the same narrative path, making them boring and predictable. Another problem with romantic comedies is that the leading actors don't share chemistry and fail to convince as romantic partners. However, despite this, there are some romantic comedies that succeed where others have failed and that's where Crazy Rich Asians comes in.
Crazy Rich Asians focuses on Rachel Chu (Constance Wu), an NYU economics professor who discovers her seemingly normal boyfriend (Henry Golding) is actually 'crazy rich' during a trip to his native Singapore. Chu inevitably meets her boyfriend's esteemed family, only to be met with instant disapproval by her would-be mother-in-law, Eleanor (Michelle Yeoh).
It's a simple premise that has been done several times. However, Crazy Rich Asians is far from boring and is thoroughly entertaining. There's never too much romance or comedy and both feel natural, with characters falling in love and other characters dropping witty one liners. There's drama, of course, that mainly comes from Eleanor who disapproves of Rachel from the moment that they meet. Rachel also struggles to impress the rest of Nick's family with only his cousin, Astrid (Gemma Chan), being friendly towards her. Because of this, Rachel feels like a fish out of water in a country she's never been to and in homes the size of a palace and we feel for her.
One of the best aspects of Crazy Rich Asians is its ensemble cast. Prior to watching the feature, I was only familiar with a few of the actors that appear, including Michelle Yeoh who gives a strong performance as Eleanor, Nick's mother who disapproves of Rachel from the moment she meets her. Awkwafina previously appeared in Ocean's 8 alongside Sandra Bullock and Cate Blanchett and, as Rachel's friend Goh Peik Lin, she continues to impress with her witty one liners. Ken Jeong is best known for appearing in the Hangover trilogy, however, while he only makes one small appearance, it's memorable. Gemma Chan was also a familiar face due to her appearances in the Channel 4 series, Humans, and in an episode of Doctor Who. Recently, she's made her transition to the big screen and, as Astrid, she gives a good supporting role. While the supporting cast all give strong performances, it's the two leads that stand out. Constance Wu is perfect as Rachel and makes her a likable protagonist. She tries her hardest to appeal to Nick's family, even if they don't approve of her. She's honest about her background and isn't ashamed of it, which I thought was very respectable. Henry Golding brings a natural charm to Nick and proves himself to be the ideal boyfriend as he stands by Rachel. Both Wu and Golding share chemisty which makes their relationship all the more convincing.
As I've mentioned earlier in my review, romantic comedies can be very predictable as they tend to follow the same narrative path. While this may work for some films, after a while, it becomes boring. Crazy Rich Asians is probably one of the best romantic comedies we've had recently as it doesn't stick to that 'romcom' formula. Because Crazy Rich Asians is aware of what type of film it is, the film's producers use that to their advantage. They know that most romantic comedies contrast the life of one ordinary soul with the extravagant life of another, and, in Crazy Rich Asians, they take it to the extreme, pushing palatial settings, expensive finery and bountiful buffets to the forefront of every scene in an attempt to overwhelm you with the extravagance of it all. There are a few twists and turns in the story that keep it from being boring and predictable. All of this is why Crazy Rich Asians stands out from average romantic comedies.
Crazy Rich Asians may be a light hearted romantic comedy, but its cultural significance can't be understated. Not only is it the first American-made film since 1993's The Joy Luck Club to feature an all-Asian cast, it also boasts more than 70 speaking roles for Asian actors and shows characters speaking their native dialect, which is a rarity in Hollywood films. Quite rightly, the film and its producers have earned praise from critics and audience members alike. Now, just because a film breaks new cultural ground doesn't mean that it's automatically worthy of praise. But films like Crazy Rich Asians and Black Panther help promote a fairer, more inclusive Hollywood.
Crazy Rich Asians stands out from other romantic comedies as it's fully aware what type of film it is, and it uses that to its advantage. The film's producers know that a lot of romantic comedies contrast the life of one ordinary soul with the extravagant life of another, and here they take it to the extreme, pushing palatial settings, expensive finery and bountiful buffets to the forefront of every scene in an attempt to overwhelm you with the sheer extravagance of it all. All of this makes it a feast for the eyes, too, as Chu and cinematographer Vania Cernjul ogle a smorgasbord of mansions, yachts, skyscrapers, restaurants, planes, boats and cars. There are a few scenes that show the main characters eating traditional Asian food so it's best not to watch this on an empty stomach.
The main reason why I enjoyed Crazy Rich Asians is because it's a very enjoyable film that is likely to leave you with a smile on your face. However, I also liked it because of it offered a thoughtful commentary on key issues such as wealth inequality and racism. The film makes a point to contrast the Young family's incredible wealth with the working class support staff who make their meals and clean their houses; yet at the same time they acknowledge the fact that the Young family need their wealth to defend themselves from outside threats. I noticed that one reviewier of Crazy Rich Asians pointed out that, while money can't solve racism, but it can help solve the problems racism might throw up in your path. Balancing the film's inherently fun nature with its social commentary can't have been an easy feat, but it seems the filmmakers have pulled it off with ease.
I'd only heard about Crazy Rich Asians a few weeks ago after its impressive success in America. It's being released in the UK later this month so, if you enjoy romantic comedies, I highly recommend you see this as it's one of the best I've seen recently.
8/10

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

LOVE, SIMON REVIEW

*MAY CONTAIN SPOILERS*

Last month, I saw Love, Simon at a preview screening and I was pleasantly surprised. I wasn’t planning on seeing it as it didn’t interest me as it was mainly targeted at teenagers and young adults.  However, Love, Simon proved to be better than what I thought it would be.
Everyone deserves a great love story. But for seventeen-year old Simon Spier (Nick Robinson) it's a little more complicated: he's yet to tell his family or friends that he's gay and he doesn't actually know the identity of the anonymous classmate he's fallen for online, who uses the name 'Blue'. Resolving both issues proves hilarious, terrifying and life-changing. Directed by Greg Berlanti, written by Isaac Aptaker & Elizabeth Berger and based on Becky Albertalli's acclaimed novel, Love, Simon is a funny and heartfelt coming-of-age story about the thrilling ride of finding yourself and falling in love.
I think that Love, Simon will appeal more to young adults and teenagers, especially those who are homosexual and are struggling to reveal their true identity to close friends and families. People in the LGBT community will definitely be able to relate to Simon and his situation. In the beginning, he can’t even say the words ‘I’m gay’, however, as the film progresses, he becomes more accepting of himself. The story focuses on Simon and his attempts to try and find out who the mysterious Blue is, the person he’s been sending emails to. Throughout the film, both Simon and the audience are guessing who Blue is, however, it isn’t revealed until towards the end of the film. I was surprised at this revelation and I enjoyed the film more because it was unpredictable at times and escaped the cliches that most romantic comedy/dramas have. There have been a lot (some might say too many) of romantic comedies, known as 'romcoms', that focus on heterosexual relationships and, while some of them can be funny, they're still predictable and full of cliches. Love, Simon is more enjoyable as it feels different to other similar films. The characters, especially Simon, all feel genuine and like real people that viewers will definitely be able to relate to.
Love, Simon features a bright cast of youngsters. Some may recognise Nick Robinson from Jurassic World, which was released in 2015, or the 2013 comedy/drama, The Kings Of Summer. However, as Simon, he gives his most impressive performance yet and proves he can handle a leading role. He understands what Simon is going through and makes him a likable main character. The supporting cast includes Katherine Langford, who is best known for appearing in the Netflix series, 13 Reasons Why, and gave a deeply moving performance as Hannah. In Love, Simon, she gives a solid supporting role as Simon's friend, Leah, however, she, too, has a secret. She has crush on one of her friends and can't bring herself to tell them. Alexandra Shipp is best known to superhero fans for portraying the younger version of Storm in X-Men Apocalypse, which was released back in 2016, and, as Abby, she gives another good performance. As Simon's parents, Jennifer Garner and Josh Duhamel are convincing and share chemistry. Duhamel has an impressive scene that shows off his dramatic skills when he and Simon have a heart-to-heart. Overall, there's not a bad performance to be found.
I can understand why people may be a bit skeptical about Love, Simon but it’s important to those in the LGBT community. I saw this at a ‘Secret Screening’ at my local cinema which meant that no one knew what the film was going to be. Although this didn’t happen at my cinema, I heard that several people walked out at other preview screenings of Love, Simon. Now, I don’t know why they walked out, but I have since seen homophobic comments and it further proves why we need films like Love, Simon and the Oscar-nominated Call Me By Your Name that focus on homosexual relationships as they promote acceptance and the fact that love is love, no matter what. I do hope that, after the release of Love, Simon, people won't be afraid of coming out and that there will be more acceptance towards homosexual relationships.
Despite only just being released in the UK, Love, Simon has already proven to be highly successful, both in terms of critic reviews (it currently has a 92% on Rotten Tomatoes) and audience reception. On Twitter, those in the LGBT community have changed their names to 'Love, [name]' as a way of coming out. A lot of people are also bravely coming out to their parents and family members by taking them to see Love, Simon. It's certainly made a lasting impression.
If you’re a bit skeptical about seeing Love, Simon, don’t be. Since its release in the US last month, it's received a lot of praise from both critics and viewers who are part of the LGBT community as they were able to relate to Simon. However, those outside of the LGBT community will be able to enjoy it as it's thoroughly entertaining and features a lot of humour. Love, Simon is one of those films where its intentions are simply to entertain and tell a story about love between two people and promote acceptance. And with that, I think it has succeeded.
7/10

THE SHAPE OF WATER REVIEW

*MAY CONTAIN SPOILERS*

Despite being a film fan, I'm ashamed to say that I've only seen one of director Guillermo del Toro's films prior to watching his latest feature, The Shape Of Water, and that was his 2013 action-packed sci-fi, Pacific Rim. However, I can understand why he's regarded as one of the most imaginative and creative directors working today. His dark fantasy, Pan's Labyrinth, which was released in 2006, certified that statement and won three Academy Awards including Best Achievement in Cinematography, Best Achievement in Art Direction and Best Achievement in Make-Up. Mainly because I haven't seen Pan's Labyrinth yet and I'm sure when I do get round to watching it, my mind may change, however, I think that The Shape Of Water may be del Toro's best work yet. 

Set against the backdrop of Cold War era America circa 1962, the hidden high-security government laboratory where she works, lonely Elisa (Sally Hawkins) is trapped in a life of isolation. Elisa's life is changed forever when she and co-worker Zelda (Octavia Spencer) discover a secret classified experiment. Elisa is fascinated by this creature and it doesn't take long for her to bond with it. Unfortunately, the poor creature is being tortured by the boss of the laboratory, Richard Strickland (Michael Shannon) and Elisa soon realises she must save it before it's too late.

Because I was unfamiliar with the majority of del Toro's work, I had no idea what to expect from The Shape Of Water, fortunately, I was pleasantly surprised. In many ways, the story is similar to that of Beauty and the Beast as both tell the story of a woman that falls in love with a monster. However, despite its unusual appearance, it has a kind personality and that's why Elisa falls in love. When the creature rises out of its pool, Elisa isn't frightened, she's more intrigued. This leads to her visiting it every day when she's at work and she feeds it boiled eggs, plays music and teaches him to communicate using sign language. This is where the romantic aspect of the film comes from. On paper, it may sound ridiculous for a woman to fall in love with a create that resembles a large human fish, however, the execution is beautifully done. I doubt anyone will walk away from this film without feeling something for the creature whether that's love or sympathy for its situation where it's tortured on a daily basis. The Shape Of Water succeeds in telling a true love story. At the time of writing this, it was nominated for the Best Motion Picture award at the Golden Globes and I wouldn't be surprised to see the Academy acknowledge it too.

Despite barely uttering a word, Sally Hawkins is captivating as Elisa. When writing the screenplay, del Toro said that he only pictured Hawkins in the role and he wanted Elisa to be beautiful, not in a 'perfume commercial kind of way' but, rather, you could believe this woman would be sitting next to you on the bus but, at the same time, she would have a 'luminosity, a beauty, almost magical, etheral' look about her. I couldn't have described Hawkins' performance better myself. In the past, Hawkins has given various supporting roles in films such as Submarine, Blue Jasmine and in the 2014 monster feature, Godzilla. She's currently best known for appearing in the family-friendly Paddington films. However, as Elisa, she certainly gives her best performance yet. I'm sure she'll be nominated for a Best Actress award at this year's Oscars, however, I do think it's about time she won. Last year's Best Supporting Actor nominee, Michael Shannon, gives a dark and twisted performance as Strickland who delights in bringing pain to the creature. Solid supporting roles come from Octavia Spencer, as Elisa's colleague and friend, Richard Jenkins as Elisa's neighbour and Michael Stuhlbarg as the scientist, Dr Robert Hoffstetler. Doug Jones is best known for portraying the Pale Man in Pan's Labyrinth and, since then, has frequently collaborated with del Toro. Instead of using motion capture for his portrayal of the creature, known as 'Amphibian Man', Jones spent three hours getting into the costume and he has said that it was nothing compared to the previous costumes he's worn for del Toro's films. 

In terms of visuals, The Shape Of Water is stunning and features some beautiful pieces of cinematography, directed by Dan Laustsen, including a shot of Elisa embracing the Amphibian Man underwater. It's a breathtaking shot and I can understand why it's on the front of the promotional posters for The Shape Of Water.

Following the release of his highly successful dark fantasy, Pan's Labyrinth, del Toro went on to direct the sequel to Hellboy, Pacific Rim and Crimson Peak. While the latter two features were generally received well by critics and audiences, they were far from the quality of Pan's Labyrinth. However, The Shape Of Water is certainly a return to form for del Toro as it tells a engaging and original story about love and features some stunning visuals and Sally Hawkins' best performance yet.

8/10

BREATHE REVIEW

*MAY CONTAIN SPOILERS* 

Andy Serkis is best known for his motion-capture performances and bringing characters, such as Gollum in the Lord Of The Rings films, to life through this impressive technique. So, it was a big surprise to many when it was announced that his directorial debut was a drama that's based on the true story of Robin Cavendish who, at just the age of 28, is paralysed from the neck down after he is struck down by polio. However, the main reason Serkis chose to direct this is because Robin's son, Jonathan Cavendish, is a producer at The Imaginarium Studios along with Serkis. Of course, this is a story that meant a lot to Jonathan and it's understandable why he wanted to create a feature about his father.

Breathe is an inspiring true love story between Robin (Andrew Garfield) and Diana Cavendish (Claire Foy), an adventurous couple who refuse to give up in the face of a devastating disease. When Robin is struck down by polio at the age of 28, he is confined to a hospital bed and given only a few months to live. With the help of Diana's twin brothers (Tom Hollander) and the groundbreaking ideas of inventor Teddy Hall (Hugh Bonneville), Robin and Diana dare to escape the hospital ward to seek out a full and passionate life together - raising their young son, traveling and devoting their lives to helping other polio patients.

You'd be right in thinking that the tone of Breathe looks like a lot of other films about paralysed or disabled characters, including last year's Me Before You (starring Sam Claflin and Emilia Clarke) and 2014's The Theory Of Everything (which won Eddie Redmayne his first Academy Award for his performance as Professor Stephen Hawking), However, this doesn't mean it's any less inspiring. Before watching, I had noticed there was a lot of criticism towards this feature and, while I do notice its flaws, I still thoroughly enjoyed watching Robin's story as I had never heard of it prior to seeing this film. Most dramas, that involve a character with a life-debilitating disability, are dark and depressing and hard to watch. While that's not necessarily a bad thing, I think that the uplifting tone works for Breathe. Jonathan obviously wanted his father's story to be told in an uplifting and celebratory way and that's why Breathe is a success. In the beginning, we do feel sympathetic towards Robin as he loses the ability to move his body and talk within a matter of hours. He can't even hold his new baby son and refuses to look at him, due to his depression. At first, he wants to die, but his wife, Diana, refuses to give up on him. She soon learns how to work his respirator machine and, with the help of Robin's doctor and nurse, sneaks him out of hospital and brings him home where he begins his new life and is able to watch his son grow up.

In the beginning, I did feel like that Robin and Diana's love story, including how they met, was rushed, however, I think this is because the majority of the film focuses on Robin's life after contracting polio. Within the first half hour, Diana is already pregnant with their baby son. Fortunately, I think that this can be overlooked as Diana's unconditional love is shown throughout the film as she cares for him and is determined for him to live as long a life as possible. However, it does become difficult for her towards the end as Robin becomes more ill and Diana must come to terms with her husband dying. It's in these scenes that leads to us thinking if it's fair to force someone to live in pain so we don't have to live without them. While the majority of Breathe shies away from the darkest parts of Robin's disability, towards the end, it shows the gory side. Because it's a 12A, not too much is seen, but there is a sudden scene that involves Robin's respirator machine breaking which leads to him losing a lot of blood. It's a difficult scene to watch but it's also crucial as we can see just how difficult Robin's life is and we feel sympathetic towards Diana, who has to stop the bleeding and clean up his messy stained clothes and sheets. 

For his cast, Serkis has chosen the best of British which includes Andrew Garfield and Claire Foy in the leading roles. Last year, Garfield gave an effective performance in Hacksaw Ridge as a soldier who refused to hold a weapon in battle. This lead to him being nominated for an Academy Award earlier this year. While Garfield's performance is highly effective and he captures the highs and lows of Robin's life, it's hard to say whether he'll be nominated again next year, however, I'd be very happy if he was nominated. Foy is probably best known for portraying Queen Elizabeth II in two series of Netflix original series, The Crown, however, as Diana, she proves she's capable of handling dramatic roles on the big screen. The likes of Tom Hollander, Hugh Bonneville and comedian Stephen Mangan give solid supporting roles. 

In all honesty, I think that the criticism towards Breathe is a bit unfair. It's an impressive directorial debut, especially for Serkis. His hope was to bring the story of his friend's father's battle with polio to the big screen, in an uplifting and celebratory way with an emotional climax. And I think with that he has succeeded.

8/10

BEAUTY AND THE BEAST (2017) REVIEW

*MAY CONTAIN SPOILERS* 

There has been an increase in live-action adaptations of Disney's classic animated films. The majority of them have succeeded in being just as entertaining and remaining faithful to the original source. Personally, my favourites include Alice in Wonderland, Maleficent, Cinderella and, most recently, The Jungle Book. This lead to high expectations for the live-action version of Beauty and the Beast.

Out of all the animated films Disney has released, Beauty and the Beast is one of their most popular. It was the first ever animated film to win an award for Best Motion Picture at the 1992 Golden Globes. At the Academy Awards the same year, it won two Oscars for Best Music, Original Song and Best Music, Original Score. Because of this, it went on to become one of Disney's most successful films and it is still regarded as a masterpiece over twenty years later. 

Recreating one of Disney's most beloved animated films must have been an incredibly challenging task but, nevertheless, the cast and crew have worked hard and created a live-action feature film that lives up to expectations and manages to be just as enchanting as the original.

After being placed under a spell after revealing his selfish personality to an Enchantress (Hattie Morahan) in disguise, the Prince (Dan Stevens), now a hideous-looking Beast, must find love again before the final petal from an enchanted rose falls. The years past and the Beast loses hope. Meanwhile, a young woman, Belle (Emma Watson), is dissatisfied with her life in a small village in France due to her fellow villagers thinking that she's odd. However, there's one man who is determined to win her affections and that's Gaston (Luke Evans). Because of his narcissistic personality, Belle couldn't be less interested. After her father, Maurice (Kevin Kline) leaves the village to go to a market, he soon loses his way and becomes trapped in the Beast's enchanted castle. This leads to Belle finding him and taking his place. Could Belle be the one to help break the spell that's been placed on the castle?

This live-action version of Beauty and the Beast was directed by Bill Condon who is best remembered for directing the Academy Award-winning musical, Dreamgirls, in 2006 and he also wrote the screenplay for the 2002 musical, Chicago. This is what makes him a good choice to help bring the classic 1991 animated film to life.  Fortunately, he has succeeded. Beauty and the Beast can go up alongside Cinderella and The Jungle Book as one of the best live-action adaptations. 

The performances are all solid and every actor gives a strong performance as their characters. Watson makes Belle a brave and independent individual. In this remake, there is more to Belle and we see that she has a knack for inventing things and proves to be useful in certain situations. Unlike in the original animation, we learn more about Belle, her childhood and what happened to her mother, giving her more background. 

Likewise with the Beast who also had similar traumas as a young child. Stevens, who is best known for appearing in the periodic drama series Downton Abbey, is almost unrecognisable as the Beast. He brings a softer side to the character and we feel more sympathetic towards him, especially when he's singing Evermore, which is one of the new songs that is featured in this live-action remake. In the beginning, we clearly see that he is selfish but he soon develops a more kinder personality and learns that true beauty is on the inside. Both Watson and Stevens have great chemistry together and the film is at its best when the two are developing their romantic relationship which is shown in the Something There montage.

As the villain of the film, Evans is the perfect choice for Gaston. Despite his good looks, he is a true monster on the inside and, over the course of the film, we despise him more and more. Gaston and his friend, LeFou (Josh Gad), bring most of the comic relief and the pair make a great rendition of Gaston's titular song. This scene is the film's most energetic and feature some strong choreography. Regarding Gad's character, there has been some controversy as, in the final dance sequence, LeFou dances with another male. However, this scene is pretty much blink-and-you'll-miss-it. Fortunately, I did see it and I think that it's great that Disney is finally including a wider range of relationships in their films. This is also the first Disney film to feature two interracial relationships: Lumiere (Ewan McGregor) is married to Plumette (Gugu Mbatha-Raw) and Cadenza's (Stanley Tucci) wife is Madame de Garderobe. By having a more diverse cast and featuring wider relationships, this will hopefully lead to a more accepting society.

The voices of the enchanted objects are all well-chosen. As Lumiere, the charming candelabra, McGregor admitted to struggling with the French accent, at first, and had to re-record his dialogue. Fortunately, he managed to master it and his rendition of Be Our Guest is just as good as the original sequence. The computer-generated visuals are at their most impressive here and the entire screen is filled with a wide range of bright colours as the kitchenware serves Belle her dinner. 

As the serious clock, Cogsworth, Ian McKellan is a great choice. Throughout the film, we see plenty of Cogsworth and Lumiere's disagreements which add to the humour. Emma Thompson is perfectly sweet as the teacup, Mrs. Potts, and makes her sound like a true motherly figure. Overall, there's not a bad performance to be found in this star-studded cast.

The ballroom dance was the big highlight of the original animation so this must've been an incredibly daunting task for both Watson and Stevens to recreate. Fortunately, with Thompson singing the titular song, this dance sequence manages to capture the beauty of the scene.

As a child, I loved watching the original Beauty and the Beast and I was fortunate enough to see the stage adaptation twice. This lead me to having high expectations for this live-action remake and I wasn't disappointed. I think that this is the perfect film to watch if you loved the original as it increases the feeling of nostalgia. Children of all ages will enjoy this too and find the characters, especially the enchanted objects, really entertaining. 

Overall, with an enchanting cast, beautifully crafted songs, and a painterly eye for detail, Beauty and the Beast offers a faithful yet fresh retelling that honors its beloved source material.

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

BRIDGET JONES: THE EDGE OF REASON REVIEW

*MAY CONTAIN SPOILERS*

Most sequels are unnecessary and tend to not be as good as the predecessor. The only reason they're made is because of the money the previous film received and it's an opportunity to make more.

However, Bridget Jones's Diary was based on the popular 1996 book of the same name by Helen Fielding who wrote a sequel in 1999, The Edge Of Reason. This is why this sequel was necessary. It's not an excuse to make more money, it's because the first film and the books were so popular and successful that this was made. Fortunately, I would say that this is just as good as the first.

The film opens not that long after the events of Bridget Jones's Diary and the title character (Renée Zellweger) is happily in love with Mark Darcy (Colin Firth). Unfortunately, after Bridget expects Mark to propose and he doesn't, the pair end their relationship. This brings the charming womaniser, Daniel Cleaver (Hugh Grant), into the picture. Bridget is forced to work with Daniel and reconsiders who she truly wants to be with: Mark or Daniel?

Bridget Jones's Diary ends with Bridget and Mark starting the relationship and it left me wanting a bit more. I wanted to see more of their relationship. The Edge Of Reason shows both the highs and lows of Bridget's relationship with Mark. Many couples will be able to relate to this and they'll be happy to know that no relationship is perfect.

Zellweger gives another strong performance as the relatable Bridget. In the previous film, Bridget's mistakes  brought comic relief to the film but it was because of how she learnt from these mistakes that we liked her. There's no difference here. Bridget think she finally has the perfect boyfriend in Mark but it isn't until after they break up that she realises that perfection doesn't exist. 

Firth and Grant are both brilliant as their characters. Firth brings comedic elements to Mark who we all expect to be serious but is actually a really funny and sweet person. We all know that he's the right boyfriend for Bridget. This is why we cringe a little when Bridget gets with Daniel during their business trip in Thailand as we know he's still a womaniser. Fortunately, Bridget sees right through him and ends their relationship for good.

The holiday in Thailand is one of my favourite scenes as we see Bridget accidentally get high after consuming magic mushrooms in a omelette. It's hilarious to watch Bridget high.
I think the majority of people who enjoyed watching Bridget Jones's Diary will enjoy watching The Edge Of Reason. It has just the same amount of laughs and watching Bridget's relationships with both Mark and Daniel is compelling to watch.
Fans of the book will be happy to know that, although the part from the book where Bridget interviews Colin Firth doesn't feature in the film for obvious reasons, it's available on the bonus features of the DVD. It's hilarious as Bridget has a crush on Colin Firth and keeps asking him about his character, Mr Darcy in Pride & Prejudice. This is definitely worth a watch.
7/10
Read my review of Bridget Jones's Diary here.
Read my review of Bridget Jones's Baby here.