My Favourite Live-Action Adaptations of Disney Films

As of late, there have been many live-action adaptations of Disney's classic animated films. For me, personally, I enjoy watching these live-action takes as it's entertaining watching well-known actors perform as some of the most popular characters. In this blogpost, I'll be talking about my four favourite (see above) live-action adaptations of Disney films.

101 Dalmatians (1996)

The original 1961 animation was a massive success for Disney following the unexpected flop of Sleeping Beauty. It's hard to believe but the company was in serious debt and they desperately needed a hit. There was even talk of closing down the animation division as the company was refocusing on live action films, television and theme parks. Fortunately, 101 Dalmatians went on to become the highest grossing film of 1961 in the United States. In 1996, the live-action remake was released by Disney and was one of my favourite films as a child. To be honest, I think that this is really underrated because, when everyone discusses live-action adaptations, nobody really mentions 101 Dalmatians. While it might not be a great film, it's still worth a watch just for the performances, especially Glenn Closes' as the iconic villain, Cruella De Vil, who wants to make a spotted fur coat out of dalmatians. She really makes the character her own and captures her vulgarity. Because of her strong performance, Close was nominated for a Golden Globe the following year. In the original animation, the main characters were the adult dalmatians, Pongo and Perdita, and, because they all had voices, we could hear the pain and sadness they felt at losing their young puppies. However, in this remake, the dogs don't talk and it's hard to connect with them as, from the viewer's perspective, they're not Pongo and Perdita, they're just two dogs looking for their puppies. This isn't necessarily a bad thing, though, because I don't think giving voices to the dogs would work. Because Glenn's performance was a success and it earned over $320 million at the international box office, a sequel was released three years later. While it wasn't as good as its predecessor, it was still an entertaining film for children who were fans of the previous film. 

Alice In Wonderland (2010)

Disney's 1951 animation, Alice In Wonderland, is one of my favourite films released by Disney. It's full of energetic, fun characters and tells a entertaining story. The animation is one of Disney's best as we see the titular Wonderland come to life through vibrant and bright colours. In 2010, Tim Burton's Alice In Wonderland was released. However, it wasn't a direct remake of the animated film. Rather, it was inspired by the animated film but mainly based on Lewis Carroll's books, Alice's Adventures In Wonderland and Through The Looking Glass. Burton's film managed to bring Wonderland to life through impressive visuals and computer-generated imagery. However, despite this, it received mixed reviews from critics. While it might not be an accurate adaptation of Carroll's classic books, the film is entertaining enough on its own. Johnny Depp, who frequently appears in Burton's films, gives a quirky performance as the Mad Hatter and is almost unrecognisable underneath the bright and colourful make-up. Mia Wasikowska also gives a strong performance as Alice who is a brave and determined individual. Another performance worth mentioning is Helena Bonham-Carter as the evil Red Queen who has an enormous head and is nicknamed 'Bloody Big Head'. Bonham-Carter makes the Red Queen her own and perfectly captures her loud outbursts and angry tantrums. Burton's Alice In Wonderland may have sacrificed the book's minimal narrative coherence, however, it's still a highly entertaining film that is worth watching for the performances and visually-stunning Wonderland. After its release, it went on to receive over $1 billion at the box office worldwide. Because of this, a sequel, Alice Through The Looking Glass, was released six years later. Unfortunately, despite being just as visually impressive as its predecessor, it had an underwhelming narrative. Due to its darkness and minor violence, especially in the climax, Alice In Wonderland proved to be more suited to older viewers, however, its sequel will probably only entertain youngsters. 

Maleficent (2014)

Like the live-action adaptation of 101 Dalmatians, Maleficent focuses more on the titular villain. Maleficent is known for being the evil witch in Disney's 1959 animated film, Sleeping Beauty, who casts an curse on the princess so that when she turns 16, she'll prick her finger on the spindle of a spinning wheel and die. In the original animated film, Maleficent was a one-dimensional wicked witch who had no reason for cursing the young princess other than the fact she was evil. However, Maleficent brings a whole new perspective and actually makes Maleficent a more sympathetic character. The story brings depth to Maleficent and it's because of this we end up rooting for her throughout the entire film. Angelina Jolie proves why she's one of the most talented actresses in her leading role as the titular character. She doesn't just portray Maleficent, she becomes her. She understands what she's been through and perfectly captures her true emotions. Her make-up and costume also make her look exactly like the animated version. Truth be told, Maleficent is worth watching for Jolie's performance alone. The visual effects are impressive here too, especially in the opening scene where we first meet Maleficent as a child. We see her home in the forest which is filled with colourful imagery and mythical creatures such as goblins and fairies. The brightness of this setting indicates Maleficent's mood and how happy she is. However, after she is betrayed by her friend, she is soon filled with anger and the film's tone becomes darker. It's this betrayal that leads to her cursing the princess as an infant. However, we can now understand Maleficent's actions and feel sympathetic towards her when she tries to undo the curse after bonding with the princess as she grows up. It's because of Jolie's mesmirising performance and the added depth to her character why Maleficent is actually an improvement on the original animated film. Elle Fanning gives a strong performance as the princess Aurora who believes that Maleficent is her fairy godmother.

The Jungle Book (2016)

Disney's 1967 animated film, The Jungle Book, tells the story of Mowgli who was raised in the jungle by wolves but, now a fully grown child, he must return to the man-village or face being killed by a terrifying tiger, Shere-Khan. However, this return home proves to be more difficult than Mowgli and his friend, Bagheera the black panther, thought and Mowgli encounters a snake, elephants, a large bear and more on his journey. It was a highly entertaining film with interesting characters and catchy songs such as 'Bare Necessities' and it went on to become a Disney classic. It's because of this I can understand why a live-action adaptation was released and, fortunately, it lived up to expectations and managed to successfully recreate the original through computer-generated imagery. The jungle is brought to life and is visually stunning. The same can be said for the animals as well. It's hard to believe none of it is real and is all created through technology. Neel Sethi is the only actor that appears fully in the film. Speaking of which, Sethi gives an impressive performance in his debut feature film. He captures Mowgli's cheeky and brave personality really well. The voices for the film are good choices too and include Ben Kingsley as Shere Khan, Idris Elba as Shere Khan, Bill Murray as Baloo the bear and Scarlett Johansson as Kaa the snake. Each bring their unique talents to the role and are all great individually but the stand-out is Murray as Baloo. In the original animated film, Baloo brought most of the humour so it make sense that Murray would voice him. He and Mowgli develop a bond over the course of the film. Because it's an adventure-based film, The Jungle Book never fails to lose our attention and keeps us entertained throughout with its fast-paced action. It's because of the stunning visuals, an impressive performance from Sethi and strong voice work from its A-List cast that The Jungle Book is one of the best live-action adaptations of a Disney film.

Beauty and the Beast (2017)

Creating a live-action adaptation of Disney's most successful animation must have been an incredibly challenging task but, fortunately, director Bill Condon and the entire cast and crew have worked hard and created a feature film that captures the magic of the original. I think that a lot of people will have high expectations as the 1991 original animated film was a huge success. At the Golden Globes, it won the award for Best Motion Picture and at the Academy Awards, it won two Oscars for Best Music, Original Score and Best Music, Original Song, all of which it most certainly deserved. It showed Disney at their best so it's no surprise that a live-action remake was created. 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. 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.

Those are my favourite live action adaptations of Disney films. 

As more get released in the coming years, if they're good enough, I'll update this list.

Thanks for reading my blogpost, I really appreciate it.

Remembering Robin Williams - His Top Five Performances

Today marks two years since Robin Williams died at the age of 63 after his struggle

with depression. I'm still in shock, I can't believe he's gone. 

He made so many films that brought happiness to so many people and that was because of his sense of humour.

However, he was also amazing at dramatic acting, winning an Oscar for his role

as therapist, Sean Maguire, in Good Will Hunting.

In this blogpost, I'll be listing my five favourite films that he was in and the ones I will always remember him for.

Honorable Mentions

These are the Robin Williams performances that are, in my opinion, underrated

and deserve a mention.

Fender - Robots (2005)

Robin Williams' most iconic voice work was as the 'Genie of the Lamp' in the 1992 Disney animated film, Aladdin. As much as I loved him in Aladdin, I think his voice work as Fender in the underrated animation, Robots, deserves a mention. I remember watching this at the cinema at the age of 8 and his character, who is friends with the main protagonist Rodney (voice of Ewan Mcgregor), made me laugh a lot. Over a decade later, I still enjoy watching this film because of Williams' voice work. Like with the Genie, he improvised most of his dialogue which made the character even more likable.

Bob Munro - RV: Runaway Vacation (2006)

This is another film I loved watching when I was growing up. I thought the idea of a father taking his family away in a large vehicle was very funny and it didn't disappoint. Williams plays Bob Munroe who promised his family that he would take them on holiday to Hawaii, unfortunately, he is forced to break that promise because of his job. However, he has a meeting in Colorado and takes his family on holiday there in a large recreational vehicle. This film is full of mishaps and plenty of hilarious moments, especially when Bob and his family meet another family on holiday in a RV. Unfortunately, they're very annoying and won't go away. Williams brings a lot of comedic elements to this film and is the main reason I love watching this film.

President Dwight D. Eisenhower - The Butler (2013)

Robin Williams has proved that, while he may be remembered as a comedian, he can pull of serious and dramatic roles. In my opinion, I think The Butler is underrated as it focuses on a black man, Cecil Gaines (Forest Whitaker), who has a job as a butler at the White House and the many Presidents and life changing events he witnesses. One of the Presidents he meets is Dwight Eisenhower who is portrayed by Williams. It's short but one of the best performances in the film. 

John Keating - Dead Poets Society (1989)

A lot of people will remember Robin Williams for his role as John Keating in Dead Poets Society. Keating was a teacher at an all-boys school who teaches them English and, throughout the film, provides memorable dialogue and says iconic quotes. This is definitely one of Williams low-key performances but no less compelling. The moment Keating begins teaching the class, we become drawn in and feel like we are one of his students learning a lesson. Keating is also accepting of every student for who they are and gives them advice which is a contrast to the other parents and the students' parents. This is an incredibly moving drama and is worth watching if you haven't seen it already.

5. President Teddy Roosevelt - Night At The Museum (2006)

I remember watching this in cinema and thinking it was a great film. I loved the idea of museum artifacts coming to life. Ben Stiller played the night guard, Larry Daley, and is horrified, at first, to discover that the museum comes to life at night. One of the waxworks that comes to life is President Teddy Roosevelt who is portrayed with wit by Robin. I don't think this film would've worked as well without Robin. Larry soon befriends Roosevelt as he helps Larry to take care of the museum. Despite being full of humour, he also has a softer side as he has unrequited feelings for the Sacajawea waxwork but can't interact with her as she is behind glass and she can't hear him. Fortunately, the two manage to finally meet after he saves her life. Williams returned to the role in both of the sequels, The Battle Of The Smithsonian and Secret Of The Tomb.

4. Alan Parrish - Jumanji (1995)

This film used to scare me as a child but, now, it's one of my favourite films. It's full of adventure and features one of Robin's best performances. He plays Alan Parrish who has just been brought out of the board game, Jumanji, after being trapped there for 26 years. In the beginning of the film, we see Alan as a teenager (Adam Hann-Byrd) playing the game with his crush, Sarah Whittle (Laura Bell Bundy), but, unfortunately, things go horribly wrong after a certain move sees him being sucked in the board game. In 1995, his house is now occupied by a woman and her niece, Judy (Kirsten Dunst), and nephew, Peter (Bradley Pierce). The two siblings find the board game and this is where the adventure begins. Alan is brought out of the game but he tells Judy and Peter that the game can't be completed without him and Sarah (now played by Bonnie Hunt). The story is really compelling as we watch the four characters face different things such as: a lion, a group of monkeys, a stampede, a giant spider and many other things. While Hunt, Dunst and Pierce all bring strong performances to the role, Williams stands out because of his sympathetic performance as Alan. Of course, he also brings humour to the character making him really likable. 

3. Daniel Hillard/Mrs Doubtfire - Mrs. Doubtfire (1993)

I remember when I first watched this after I bought the DVD when I was about 12/13 and laughing so hard at this film. This is, by far, his best comedic performance. He plays Daniel Hillard who has recently been divorced by his wife, Miranda, as she sees him as irresponsible. She is granted full custody of their three children, Lydia (Lisa Jakub), Chris (Matthew Lawrence) and Natalie (Mara Wilson), much to Daniel's dismay. After failing to get a job and living in an inadequate apartment, Daniel comes up with an crazy yet hilarious idea: to dress up in drag and act as his children's nanny, Mrs Doubtfire. Robin looks unrecognisable as the title character under the wig, make-up and prosthetics. We see Daniel end up in many awkward situations as Mrs Doubtfire and plenty of mishaps. However, it's the sequence at the restaurant that really shows Robin's comedic talent. Daniel has a job interview at the Bridge's Restaurant, coincidentally, this takes place on the same evening as Miranda's birthday and she has asked Mrs Doubtfire to attend her birthday meal which is taking place at the same restaurant. Unfortunately, Daniel can't say no to either and ends up attending both by changing from Daniel to Mrs Doubtfire and then from Mrs Doubtfire to Daniel. This sequence is hilarious to watch and I doubt any actor would've given as good as performance as Robin. It has been said that he adlibbed a lot of his lines which isn't surprising. 

2. Genie of the Lamp (voice) - Aladdin (1992)

Like I mentioned earlier, Robin also voiced the character, Fender, in the underrated animated 2005 film, Robots, but it's his voice work as the Genie of the Lamp that stands out. Like in Mrs. Doubtfire, Robin adlibbed the majority of his lines in this animated film and the many impressions that the Genie does are improvised by Robin himself. He also sings two of my favourite Disney songs, Friend Like Me and Prince Ali. The film focuses on Aladdin (voiced by Scott Weinger) who falls in love with Princess Jasmine (Linda Larkin). Unfortunately, he is a common street walker and she is of royalty and is being forced to marry someone she doesn't love. However, after being sent to retrieve a magic lamp from inside a cave by the evil Jafar (Jonathan Freeman), he rubs it and out comes the Genie and this is where the film starts to become even more enjoyable. Like in the classic tale this is based on, the Genie grants Aladdin three wishes so he can win the love of his life. I think the reason this film was so popular was because of Robin's performance. It entertained both children and parents alike. Children liked the Genie because of his connection with Aladdin and parents loved the many impressions the Genie did. It was the highest grossing film of 1992 (earning over $500 million) which is no surprise. This film will always bring me happiness whenever I watch it because of Robin's incredible voice work as one of the most iconic secondary characters in animated film history.

1. Sean Maguire - Good Will Hunting (1997)

Robin's performance as Sean Maguire is, by far, his best. Maguire is a therapist who is hired to help the title character, Will Hunting (Matt Damon), realise his true potential and direction in life. The film mainly focuses on Will and his relationships with his friends, Chuckie Sullivan (Ben Afflect) and Skylar (Minnie Driver) who Will is in love with. He is also a maths genius and, after assaulting a police officer, begins seeing Sean Maguire. We see Will go through therapist after therapist but none of them help him until he meets Sean. In his sessions with Sean, Will re-evaluates his relationships with his best friend, his girlfriend and himself, facing the significant task of confronting his past and thinking about his future. The scenes featuring Will and Sean in their therapy scenes are the most compelling to watch as we learn more about Will and also Sean. One of the best scenes involves the two sitting outside on a park bench and features a moving monologue from Sean. Another great scene involves Sean telling Will about how his wife used to 'fart when she was nervous'. This scene, of course, was improvised by Robin on the spot and both Matt and the cameraman were generally laughing and so were the many viewers who were watching, including me. I'm so happy Robin won an Academy Award for his performance as Sean, it was well deserved. 

So those are Robin William's five best performances, in my opinion.

Robin is still missed by many everyday. Every time I watch a film that he features in, I feel sad but I then feel happy knowing he is no longer in pain and is at peace.

Thank you for reading this blogpost.

RIP Robin Williams (1951-2014)

❤

A Tribute To Alan Rickman

You may have heard the truly devasting news about Alan Rickman's untimely death from cancer at the age of 69. Like many others, I was shocked by this. He has appeared in so many films and played some of the most iconic characters in filmmaking history. In this blogpost, I shall be listing my favourite films that featured Alan Rickman at his best.

President Ronald Reagan - The Butler (2013)

Alan Rickman's performance in The Butler may be small but it's memorable. The film is about Cecil Gaines (Forest Whittaker), who works as a butler at the White House, and tells the story of all the different presidents he meets, including President Ronald Reagan played by Rickman. His American accent is incredibly accurate and is one of the friendliest presidents Cecil encounters. This is probably one of Rickman's most underrated performances. If you haven't seen this film, I'd definitely recommend it.

Marvin (voice) - The Hitchhiker's Guide To The Galaxy (2005)

Most people will probably remember Alan Rickman for his iconic voice which was instantly recognisable in his films. In this sci-fi comedy, Rickman lends his voice to a depressed robot, Marvin. The film stars Martin Freeman as Arthur Dent who is suddenly transported aboard a spaceship seconds before Earth is destroyed. This isn't just a great sci-fi, it's a great comedy. This is mainly thanks to Rickman voicing Marvin and his one liners which he says in a very deadpan and sarcastic way. I honestly don't think the film would've been as funny without Rickman lending his voice to Marvin.

Harry - Love Actually (2003)

Not only was Alan Rickman great at pulling dramatic performances, he was also brilliant at comedy. A good example is his performance as Harry in romantic comedy, Love Actually. He is married to Emma Thompson's character, Karen but is having an affair with his colleague, Mia. Throughout the film, we dislike Harry for his affair as Karen is a really likable character and is always trying to see the positive side of things. However, things take an unfortunate turn when Karen finds out about the affair and Harry learns from his mistake. One of my favourite scenes in this film is when Harry and Karen go out Christmas shopping together and he sneaks off to secretly buy a necklace for Mia. He is then approached by a shop assistant, Rufus, played by one of comedy's most iconic actors, Rowan Atkinson, who asks if he would like it 'gift-wrapped'. Harry thinks nothing of it and says yes. However, he soon begins to regret it as Rufus begins to elaborately gift wrap it, despite Harry's frustration. Harry's reaction is what makes this scene so hilarious as all he wanted was to buy a necklace. 

Hans Gruber - Die Hard (1988)

Before watching this film when I was 16, I had no idea Alan Rickman played the main villain, Hans Gruber. I was also shocked to discover this was his first feature film. The reason why this is one of the most popular action films is because of the villain. Alan Rickman's performance as the German terroist is terrifyingly evil as we never know what he plans to do next. It is up to the protagonist, John McClane (Bruce Willis), to try and stop him from achieving his plans. However, the two don't meet until halfway through the film when John runs into him. Unfortunately, John doesn't recognise the villain, at first, as the two have been communicating through radio and Gruber uses this to his advantage by faking an American accent and pretending to be one of the hostages. We, as an audience, know that Gruber isn't who he says he is and desperately want McClane to realise who it is. We are shocked when McClane hands his gun to Gruber but, fortunately, his cover is blown when he tries to shoot McClane but the gun is unloaded. Before McClane can take action, he is pursued by Gruber's henchmen and must find a new way of stopping Gruber. This is one of Rickman's most iconic performances as he pulls off the role of the evil villain really well. 

Severus Snape - the Harry Potter franchise (2001 - 2011) *contains spoilers from the Harry Potter films*

Alan Rickman has played many different characters, both evil and good, both dramtic and comedic. However, I think it's his role as Severus Snape that will be remembered the most. Snape is a professor at the famous wizarding school, Hogwarts and is characterised as a person of great complexity whose coldy sarcastic and controlled exterior conceals deep emotions and anguish. Throughout the whole series, we never truly know whose side Snape is really on: the good or the evil? He spends most of the films being cruel to Harry. We see him as unfair and a bully but it isn't until the fifth film, Order of the Phoenix, when we first start to feel sympathy for him. Through a flashback, we see a young Severus Snape as a student at Hogwarts and being bullied by Harry's father, James. We soon learn that this is why Snape is harsh to Harry. We then learn that Snape isn't as evil as he appears to be but after the events in the sixth film, Half-Blood Prince, when we are yet again confused to which side he is on. We believe his side is with the dark lord, Voldemort and throughout the seventh film, Deathly Hallows Part 1, being against him. However, when he is killed by Voldemort in Deathly Hallows Part 2, we have mixed emotions. Some people may feel happiness at the fact one of the dark lord's servants has died but those feelings soon turn to sadness as we watch his memories. We learn that from a young age, Snape was in love with Harry's mother, Lily. The two were friends before they started Hogwarts but drifted apart when they were put into two different Houses, Snape was put into Slytherin and Lily into Gryffindor which is where she met James. Since then, the two lost their friendship. This is when we feel sympathy for Snape. When Harry's parents were killed by Voldemort, he was the one who found their dead bodies and, in a truly heartbreaking scene, we see him crying and hugging Lily's lifeless body. It's in this sad montage we learn who Snape really is and we finally see that, all along, he was a good person deep down. It is thanks to Rickman's performance as the iconic character that we feel all different emotions towards him. I couldn't imagine anyone else being a better Snape. 

So those were the films I shall remember him by.

This is a truly sad day and Alan Rickman will be missed by thousands of people, at all different ages.

Thank you, Alan Rickman, for bringing life to iconic characters and making so many films enjoyable to watch.

Rest In Peace ❤

MY 5 FAVOURITE HALLOWEEN FILMS

Since it's Halloween, I thought I'd tell you my Top 5 Favourite Halloween Films.

While I'm not a fan of horror films like Insidious or gory movies like Saw, I still like watching scary thrillers. This list includes 3 animated and 2 live-action films. Yes, I'm 18. Yes, I still like watching animated films. Anyway, these are my favourite films to watch during Halloween.

5. Monster House (2006)

I was only 9 when I went to see this at the cinema and I remember being absolutely terrified of this film. Even now, almost ten years later, I still find it scary. Like the title suggests, this is about a teenager, DJ, who is shocked to discover that he is living across from a house that has human-like abilties. He tells his friend, Chowder, and crush, Jenny, and they try to tell the police but they don't believe them so it is up to the trio to try and discover the meaning behind this literal 'monster house' and how they can destroy it, all during Halloween.

When I was 9, I didn't think I would ever enjoy this film but now, aged 18, I love this film. It has everything that a Halloween film needs: it is set during Halloween; it's scary; has a great, unique story and has funny and likeable characters. The animation isn't bad but it's not exactly Disney or Anime but that doesn't matter as it is a great film.

4. Hocus Pocus (1993)

This is a classic Halloween film. If, like me, you're not a fan of horror and would much rather watch a comedy, then I would definitely recommend this. It's a Halloween film but it's not scary and is really funny. The story is about three witches who, after three centuries, are accidentally brought back to life on Halloween. Their plan is to stay youthful by stealing the lives of hundreds of children and it is up to two teenagers and a young girl to try and stop them with the help of a black cat. 

Bette Midler, Sarah Jessica Parker and Kathy Najimy are hilarious, and at times scary, as the three witch sisters, Winifred, Sarah and Mary. Winifred (Midler) is clearly the leader of the three and will stop at nothing to achieve her plan of staying youthful; Sarah (Parker) isn't the brightest witch but she makes up for it with her flirtatious skills and Mary (Najimy) is probably the least scary of the three but still goes along with her sister's plans.

The three protagonists are likable too: the main protagonist is a boy named Max who after reading out a curse accidentally brings the three witches back to life and is determined to stop them; his crush, Allison, who, after leaving her Halloween party, helps Max to get rid of the witches and Max's 11-year-old sister, Dani, who is brave and isn't afraid of the witches.

If you haven't seen this film, then I'd definitely recommend it. It is suitable for all ages, even adults, and is one of the funniest Halloween films ever.

3. The Addams Family (1991)

Some people may find them annoying, some people may find them funny. I am the latter, They are one of the most famous families in the world (excluding the Kardashians/Jenners), they have had different adaptations: an 1960s live-action TV sitcom; two animated series (in 1973 and in 1992); three live-action films (in 1991, 1993 and 1998) and even a musical (in 2010). My favourite adaptation, though, is the live-action film that was released in 1991. Like Hocus Pocus, it is more funny than scary but it is still a great film nevertheless. 

This gothic family consists of: Morticia Addams; her husband, Gomez; their daughter, Wednesday; their son, Pugsley; Gomez's brother, Fester and a creepy hand known as Thing. They're far from being the perfect family but what makes them so likable, in my opinion, is that they don't strive to be perfect. They know that they're different but won't change for anyone. 

I loved the actors in this film as well: Anjelica Huston is amazing as Morticia Addams, it's like she was born to play her; the late Raul Julia plays her on-screen husband, Gomez, who shows his love and passion for his wife and family in his own unique way and Christina Ricci is amazing as Wednesday, she is an 11-year-old creepy sadist which makes her hilarious to watch.

2. Corpse Bride (2005)

It's hard to believe that this film was released a decade ago. I remember watching this in the cinema and being surprised at how much I enjoyed it as I noramally didn't like watching this kind of film. Stop-motion is one of my favourite types of animation and director, Tim Burton, uses it in a really effective way. 

The story is about Johnny Depp's character, Victor Van Dort, an awkward and shy man, who is engaged to Victoria Everglot, (Emily Watson) and can't remember his wedding vows so, to help him practise, he runs away into the forest and comes across a stick in the ground. He decides to use this stick to practise his wedding vows and places the ring on the stick but, as it turns out, it is not a stick but the finger of a literal 'corpse bride' (Helena Bonham Carter) who has mistaken his vows and now believes that they are married, much to Victor's horror. He then becomes caught up in the world of the unliving and must find a way to end his 'marriage' to the Corpse Bride so he can marry Victoria, his 'true love'.

This is one of Tim Burton's best films. If you like Beetlejuice and The Nightmare Before Christmas, then I can guarantee that you'll like this. It's scary, sometimes funny and has some of Burton's best characters, including the Corpse Bride herself. Of course, no film would be complete without a score by Danny Elfman, who also sings as Bonejangles, one of the skeletons in the world of the unliving.

Of course this includes voices from friend Johnny Depp and, back then, partner Helena Bonham Carter, but also includes voices from: Joanna Lumley who is the voice of Victoria's mother, Maudeline; Albert Finney who is the voice of Victoria's father, Finis; Richard E. Grant as the voice of Barkis Bittern, the villain of the film, who wants to marry Victoria and the late Christopher Lee as the voice of Pastor Galswells.

With a great range of characters and voice acts, musical numbers and a brillaint story, this is definitely one of my favourite Halloween films and one of Tim Burton's best films.

1. Coraline (2009)

I only watched this film a couple of months ago and, it's safe to say, I loved it. I was always put off by it because I thought it was too scary for me but I was wrong. Yes, it is scary, but that's why it's the perfect Halloween film. The stop-motion animation is amazing. 

The story is about Coraline, voiced by Dakota Fanning, who, with her parents, has just moved house and soon becomes bored and starts to feel neglected by her parents who are too busy with their new house and jobs to spend time with her. She discovers a door that leads to a parallel world where everyone has buttons for eyes. Coraline finds her mother, known as the 'Other Mother', who, unlike her real mother, spends time with her and cherishes her. Coraline thinks she's happy in this parallel world but it's not long before things get scary. The 'Other Mother' becomes obsessed with keeping Coraline and sowing buttons onto her eyes and Coraline must escape into the real world. 

This film is similar to Spirited Away, one of my favourite Anime films, as they're both about young girls ending up trapped in a new, unusual world. While I would say that Spirited Away is my favourite of the two, Coraline is still a brilliant film. While it is mainly scary, there are plenty of humorous moments. Coraline is a great character as she is brave and determined to go back home. After living in the parallel world, she soon learns that everything is not what it seems and that she should be careful for what she wishes for.

This is directed by Henry Selick who is best known for directing the classic stop-motion animation film, The Nightmare Before Christmas (1993) so if you liked that I can guarantee you'll like this.

So, those were five of my favourite Halloween films. I'd definitely recommend them if you are looking for something to watch this Halloween season.

Thank you for reading my blog and Happy Halloween!

MY 5 FAVOURITE STUDIO GHIBLI FILMS

*MAY CONTAIN SPOILERS*

If you know me really well, then you'll know that I love Studio Ghibli films. I first became a fan last year after watching The Secret World of Arrietty. 

The reason why I love Studio Ghibli films is because they're all visually stunning. The art is unique and every one of them has amazing stories that include some of animation's most iconic characters.

So, here are my five favourite Studio Ghibli films.

5. The Wind Rises (2014)

When I first watched this, I was blown away(no pun intended). This is definitely one of Hayao Miyazaki's finest works. No, it doesn't have spirits or demons like you would normally see in some of his films but that's what I like about it. It tells the story of Jiro Horikoshi, a man who designed Japanese fighter planes during World War II. Other filmmakers would probably have a hard time making a enjoyable movie about Horikoshi but Miyazaki does an amazing job. Throughout the film, we see Horikoshi's dreams about designing planes. This is how we, as an audience, want him to achieve his dream as he feels so passionate about it. This film follows his life as he goes through key events in history, including the Great Kanto Earthquake of 1923 and The Great Depression. As we watch these key events, we don't know if Horikoshi will achieve his dream but, deep down, we know he will as he is determined. Not only are the characters likable in this animation, but the art is beautiful, too. It makes me sad that this is Miyazaki's final work and it didn't win an Oscar for Best Animated Feature as this is definitely Oscar worthy. I really hope that, one day, people will stop viewing Studio Ghibli as 'weird' cartoon films and actually give them a chance so that they can get the recognition worldwide that they deserve.

4. The Secret World of Arrietty (2010)

This is based on one of my favourite children's stories, The Borrowers, written by Mary Norton. 'Borrowers' are tiny people that live, secretly, inside people's homes and 'borrow' things from human beings, or as they like to call them, 'Human Beans'. This film focuses on Arrietty, who is a 14 year old borrower and has become very independent, much to her father's annoyance. She is always leaving home by herself and her father increasingly becomes worried that she will be seen. Arrietty promises she'll be careful. Despite her cautions, she is still spotted by a human boy named Sho. However, he is harmless and is staying with his grandmother as he is ill. The only problem is that he has a housekeeper, Hara, who is obsessed with finding the borrowers and keeping them for herself so Sho must protect Arrietty and her family. This was the first Anime film that I watched and I loved it. I had previously seen the 1997 film adaptation of The Borrowers, which I loved, so I was very excited about watching this adaptation. I loved how they portrayed Arrietty in this as she is very similar to the Arrietty in the 1997 film. However, that is the only similarity between the two and to compare them would be silly as they are very different films. Arrietty is brave and doesn't let anything, not even her father or Sho's evil housekeeper, get in the way of what she wants. She is also feisty but this is what makes her enjoyable to watch. I like seeing females being portrayed in this way instead of them just sitting around, not even trying to get what they want. This may have not been directed by Hayao Miyazaki, even though he did co-write the screenplay, but Hiromasa Yonebayashi does a fine job at adapting one of the most popular children's stories in Anime film. 

If you want to read my full review of The Secret World of Arrietty, click here.

3. Howl's Moving Castle (2004)

In my opinion, this definitely deserved an Oscar nomination for Best Animated Feature as it is, not only one of the best Anime films but one of the best fantasy films. It tells the story of 18 year old Sophie, who has been turned into an old woman by a spiteful, jealous witch. Sophie must now find Howl, who is a self indulgent yet insecure young wizard, to break the curse. The reason why I think this is one of the best fantasy films is because of its unique characters and the beautiful art that is used. I really felt for Sophie as she is unconfident and shy which I can relate to. Howl is a great wizard but is very self indulgent. However, when he meets Sophie, he changes and becomes determined to break her curse. Other great characters include: Markl, a young boy who travels with Howl; Calcifer, a fire demon that heats the castle and a scarescrow known as Kakashi no Kabu that helps Howl and Sophie along the way. The story was exciting and, at times, emotional when we learn Howl's back story. This definitely sends the message of helping others in times of need and also teaches people that there is more to appearence.

2. My Neighbour Totoro (1988)

This film includes one of animation's most iconic characters, Totoro, who is a forest spirit that befriends two sisters. We don't meet Totoro straightaway, we are first introduced to the two sisters, Satsuki and Mei, who have moved to the village with their father as their mother is in hospital. We immediately feel sympathy for them which is why we are happy when they meet Totoro. He may not speak much but he still shows emotions through his eyes and what he does. The scene that is shown in the above picture is when Satsuki and Mei are waiting for their father to arrive home from work in the pouring rain. This may have been a sad scene for us to watch if it wasn't for Totoro arriving and waiting for them. He makes waiting in the rain fun as he jumps up and down in the rain and hissing when it falls on his head. This is definitely one of my favourite scenes. I think that this is what made people realise that Anime is more than Japanese animation, it is animation that shows the emotions of characters in a completely different way to how other animators would normally show emotions. My Neighbour Totoro is a sweet and funny film about two sisters that befriend a forest spirit but also has some emotion scenes too.

1. Spirited Away (2001)

Whenever you say 'Anime' or 'Studio Ghibli' to someone, they immediately think of Spirited Away. Before watching this, I wasn't aware of how much I was going to love this film. I honestly didn't expect it to be this good. I'm so happy that it won an Oscar for Best Animated Feature as it truly deserved it. Other films that were in the category that year were Lilo & Stitch; Treasure Planet; Ice Age and Spirit: Stallion of the Cimarron and, while they were all great films in their own way, none of them could live up to Spirited Away's standards. Spirited Away tells the story of Chihiro, a 10 year old girl who has recently moved to the suburbs with her parents and discovers a new world filled with spirits and demons. Before watching, I was worried that it would be too 'weird' for my liking but I needn't have worried. All the creatures are beautifully designed which is one of the things I loved most. But what really moves the film forward is Chihiro. She is only 10 years old and she goes through a lot in this film. In the beginning, we see that she is scared of almost everything but, by the end of the film, she is a mature and brave child. This is why we feel sympathy for her as this is what no child should have to go through, especially on their own. Luckily Chihiro isn't on her own as she has the help of Haku, a boy who lives in this world and works for a witch, Yubaba. She is also the owner of a bathhouse where the demons and spirits come to stay and where Chihiro (now known as Sen) must work. With the help of Haku and Lin, a worker at the bathhouse who looks after Sen, we know that she is never alone and that she'll get through this. But it's not without its obstacles and we wonder how will Sen get through them but we know that she'll get through them. If you're unsure about watching Anime films then I'd definitely recommend that you watch Spirited Away as it will convince you to watch more.

To read my full review, click here.

MY 5 FAVOURITE PLOT TWISTS IN FILMS

This blog is mainly for reviews on my favourite films and TV shows so I thought I'd do something a little bit different on this blog.

One thing I love about films is plot twists. 

A plot twist is an unexpected development in a film, TV series or book. 

I've watched a lot of films this year and some of them had some of the best plot twists. They kept me thinking about the film for days, wondering how the film could take such an unexpected turn.

For your information, this list is in no particular order.

*SPOILER ALERT*

This list contains spoilers from Shutter Island, The Prestige, Fight Club, Now You See Me and Gone Girl.

5. Fight Club (1999)

Judging from the film title, I assumed that this film would be about Brad Pitt and Edward Norton's characters setting up a fight club and having fight competitions. Then I read some more about the plot online and discovered that it was about Edward Norton's character, known as The Narrator, who has insomnia and wants to change his life. He meets with Brad Pitt's character, Tyler Durden, and they become friends and set up a fight club. 

I honestly didn't think that this film would be that good. I'm not a fan of fighting films so I didn't think I'd enjoy this. How wrong I was!

Throughout the film, I wondered if I would ever find out what The Narrator's real name was. And I did. As it turns out, The Narrator is Tyler Durden. The way this plot twist is delivered is great.

At the beginning of the film, The Narrator meets Helena Bonham Carter's character, Marla Singer, at a support group. Marla meets Tyler and sleeps with him much to The Narrator's annoyance. It isn't until after Marla rings The Narrator and calls him Tyler that we realise what's really going on. The Narrator is so astonished and turns and sees Tyler sitting in front of him. Tyler explains that he is a figment of The Narrator's imagination. Watching this scene left me in awe. 

One thing this film taught me is to never judge a film by it's title or poster. I thought it was a film about guys fighting, turns out it wasn't. 

Great film with three of the best actors.

4. Gone Girl

This film is one of the best mystery films I've ever seen. It definitely deserved its Oscar and Golden Globe nominations. The film is about Ben Affleck's character, Nick Dunne, who, after returning home, notice his wife Amy, played by Rosamund Pike, is missing. This leads to a series of unexpected twists and turns causing the audience to wonder: Did Nick really kill his wife?

I did think that, at first, Nick murdered his wife and that he was hiding her dead body. Turns out I was completely wrong. 

Halfway through the film, we discover that Amy is actually alive and she planned her disappearance. Why? She caught Nick kissing a younger woman outside the bar where he works. She then decides to plan her own disappearance and frame Nick so it looks like he killed her.

This scene is my favourite out of the whole film. At the beginning of the film, when we first meet Amy in a flashback, we see her as a down to earth and loving wife for Nick. This is why this plot twist is so unexpected. The audience can't imagine someone like Amy coming up with such a clever way to fake her disappearance. 

After watching this film, it changed my whole perspective and made me realise that the most guilty-looking people actually are innocent and that the most innocent-looking people are the guilty ones. 

Rosamund Pike is brilliant as the conniving Amy and Ben Afflect is perfect as the deeply concerned husband, Nick.

3. Now You See Me

I am a huge fan of magicians and illusionists so I was very excited about watching this film. The plot focuses on J. Daniel Atlas (Jesse Eisenberg), Merritt McKinney (Woody Harrelson), Henley Reeves (Isla Fischer) and Jack Wilder (Dave Franco) who form a group, known as The Four Horsemen, that perform tricks, illusions and bank heists all in front of a live audience. However, due to the bank heists, the FBI are determined to find out how they are managing to steal millions of dollars from the biggest banks.

One FBI agent who is obsessed with stopping them is Mark Ruffalo's character, Dylan Rhodes. Throughout the film, he comes so close to stopping The Four Horsemen and becomes increasingly frustrated when they get away. Feeling helpless, he turns to Thaddeus Bradley (Morgan Freeman), a former magician who earns money by revealing the secrets behind over magician's tricks.

At the beginning of the film, when we first meet the four main characters, we see a hooded character that attends their shows. This hooded character isn't revealed until near the end of the film.

As it turns out, the hooded character is actually Rhodes. 

When this is revealed, I was dumbfounded and realised it was pretty obvious, to be honest. It couldn't have been Thaddeus Bradley or Michael Caine's character, Arthur Tressler.

Even the Four Horsemen, in the film, are shocked to discover who their mystery benefactor is. 

One of the greatest tricks in films.

2. Shutter Island

Now, if you haven't seen Shutter Island, then why haven't you? This is, by far, director Martin Scorsese's best film (yes, even better than The Departed in my opinion). I put off watching this film as I had no idea what to expect. I read that the plot was about Leonardo DiCaprio's character, Ted Daniels, who is a US Marshal. The film begins with him arriving at Shutter Island, which is a hospital for the mentally insane, to investigate the disappearence of a woman, Rachel. Helping him is Mark Ruffalo's character, Chuck Aule. Ted is finding this investigation difficult as he is being ruled by his wife's, Dolores Chanal, death, after she was murdered by a man named Andrew Laeddis. He sees her ghost and she keeps telling him to leave as he is going to get hurt.

Soon, Ted realises that something is going on and he's determined to find out what it is. After discovering Rachel hiding in a cave, he starts to believe that the staff at the hospital are keeping Chuck inside a lighthouse and are torturing him. He rushes straight to the lighthouse to discover Dr Cawley (Ben Kingsley) sitting at a desk. This is where the truth unfolds. 

Dr Cawley explains that he is, in fact, Andrew Laeddis and he murdered his wife after he discovered that she had drowned their three children. These events lead Andrew to go so insane and come up with a new identity for himself, Edward 'Ted' Daniels, which is an anagram of his real name, Andrew Laeddis. 

Watching this scene left me gobsmacked and a little disturbed at the fact that someone could become so insane that they forget who they are and come up with a completely new identity for themselves. 

I began to feel sympathy for Andrew as he doesn't believe what he is being told and he asks Dr Cawley where Chuck is, still thinking that they're torturing him somewhere. Chuck then appears and tells Andrew that he is one of the staff working at Shutter Island and he is actually called Dr Sheehan.

He explains that the only way they could break Andrew's insanity was to let him play out this role of 'Ted Daniels'. All the staff and patients at the hospital were in on it.

I'm so annoyed that this didn't have any Oscar nominations as the acting and directing was brilliant. You'd have to be a really outstanding actor to portray someone who is insane and that's what Leonardo DiCaprio is in this film.

To this day, this film still leaves me in disbelief every time I watch it.

1. The Prestige

When I wrote about Now You See Me, I wrote that I loved magicians and illusionists so I was very excited about watching this film. Starring Hugh Jackman and Christian Bale as two rival magicians who are constantly trying to outdo each other by performing the best tricks.

Directed by, one of my favourite directors, Christopher Nolan, the film is full of unexpected twists and turns. I didn't know what was going to happen next.

Jackman plays Robert Angier and Christian Bale plays Alfred Borden, The two magicians are friends, at first, and even worked together to create the best illusions and tricks ever seen. Unfortunately, one of their tricks goes wrongs and leads to a falling out between Angier and Borden and this is where the rivalry begins. This film is full of tension and nail-biting scenes as their magic tricks play out, we never know if something is going to go wrong or right.

Borden begins playing out a trick he calls The Transported Man which involves two doors on opposite sides of the stage. The trick is him walking through one door but then appearing through the other door at the other side of the stage. This drives Angier mad as he thinks he's using a double. His assistant, Olivia Wenscombe (Scarlett Johannson), tells him that Borden can't be using a double as he has two fingers missing and it is definitely him as you can see the two fingers missing.

This leads Angier to go to extreme lengths to perform a better version of this trick which makes him the more popular magician. Borden becomes increasingly jealous and sneaks backstage at one of his shows to witness one of his tricks go wrong before drowning. Borden is arrested for the murder of Angier but, as it turns out, he is, in fact, alive and it was his double that drowned. Borden is shocked and is sentenced to death. At this point, I thought Borden was going to die. However, whilst Angier is at the theatre, he is shot and is shocked to discover that Borden is still alive. Borden explains that for his The Transported Man trick, he had a twin brother walk out of the other door. Some people watching this film may have already guessed this but I didn't. I thought it was too obvious. Nolan cleverly plays this out throughout the film, by putting off the idea that Borden has a twin or double so the audience won't expect it. This is why he's one of my favourite directors as he always keeps me guessing. One of his best films and one of the best plot-twists.

My Top 5 OTPs!

*MAY CONTAIN SPOILERS*

This isn't a review or anything but I thought it'd be fun to write a post about who my five favourite OTPs are. OTP stands for 'One True Pairing' so these are the couples from some of my favourite films and TV series that I think have to be together no matter what!

(By the way this is in no particular order)

5. Jim Halpert and Pam Beesly - The Office US

I remember when I first started watching The Office (US) on Netflix back in summer 2013 and throughout the seasons, I kept hoping that they end up together and my wish came true. I think they are a OTP because Jim truly loves Pam. In the beginning of the series, he has a crush on Pam but she already has a boyfriend which he is obviously gutted about. Luckily, Pam breaks up with her boyfriend to be with Jim. They are honestly so cute and perfect together and the episode where they get married is one of my favourites. 

4. Zero and Agatha - The Grand Budapest Hotel

The Grand Budapest Hotel is one of my favourite films - read my review here - and one of my favourite things about the film was Zero and Agatha's relationship. Zero is a lobby boy at The Grand Budapest Hotel and Agatha is a baker for Mendl's. They fall heavily for each other and what I love about their relationship is that it's unconditional love. Zero would do anything for Agatha and vice versa. I just think that they are very cute and sweet together.

3. Howard Wolowitz and Bernadette Rostenkowski - The Big Bang Theory

When The Big Bang Theory first started, Howard was best known for being a womanizer and never having a successful relationship. He thinks he is being flirtatious when actually he is being creepy. This goes on until Howard meets Bernadette through Penny. There are many ups and downs at the start of their relationship. I really think Bernadette made Howard a better person because in the beginning, he was overly flirtatious and immature now he is a mature husband. 

2. Sheldon Cooper and Amy Farrah Fowler - The Big Bang Theory

Words really can't describe how much I love this OTP. At the beginning of The Big Bang Theory, Sheldon has no interest in ever having a romantic relationship with anyone. He also has an awkward friendship with his friends as he doesn't like doing physical things such as hand-shaking or hugging and absolutely no kissing. He is like this until he meets Amy Farrah Fowler after Howard and Raj secretly sign him up for online dating. She is described as the 'female version of Sheldon'. The only difference is that she wants a physical relationship. Sheldon is reluctant at first but as he gets to know Amy, he gets to know and understand her more and eventually have a physical relationship. While their relationship may seem unusual to their friends as their relationship is based on their similar interests such as in science, I think their relationship is really cute as having a romantic relationship isn't always about kissing and having sex, it's about what you actually love about that person. I think, in order to have a stable relationship, you have to be friends with the person first and wait until you really know that person before you go into a romantic relationship with them. That is what happens here between Sheldon and Amy. Sheldon doesn't describe Amy as his girlfriend right away, he decides to get to know her first before going straight into a relationship which I think is the right thing to do.

1. Katniss Everdeen and Peeta Mellark - The Hunger Games trilogy

This is the only OTP on this list that has made me cry tears of both happiness and sadness. In The Hunger Games, Katniss has no romantic feelings for Peeta whatsoever, unlike Peeta, who secretly has had a crush on her since they were at school together. Things are very awkward between the two after they are picked to fight in The Hunger Games and even more so when Peeta confesses his love for Katniss in an interview on the night before the games. At first Katniss is annoyed by this and avoids him in the Games until there is an announcement that there may be two victors if they are from the same district. Katniss then decides to find him and form an ally with him but after getting to know him, he becomes more than an ally, he becomes a friend. But after the announcement changes the rules back to the original saying that there can only be one victor, they both refuse and rebel against this. This causes an uprising and the two are forced to put on this 'star-crossed lovers' act for the cameras.

During Catching Fire, Katniss and Peeta have a great friendship and become closer on the Victory Tour as they get to know more about each other. And when they are both sent back into the Games for a second time, Katniss agrees with their mentor Haymitch that Peeta should be the one to live and win the Games, not her. While she denies it herself, I know Katniss truly loves Peeta. This is shown in Mockingjay: Part 1, when, after being split from Peeta at the end of Catching Fire, she is having trouble being without him. In the scene when Peeta is doing an interview, this is the first time Katniss has seen Peeta since the end of the Games in Catching Fire and is so relieved to see him alive that she begs the leaders of the rebellions, President Coin and Plutarch Heavensbee, to save Peeta from the Capitol before it's too late. But, unfortunately, after Peeta confess the Capitol's plans live on air, they 'hijack' him - making him believe that Katniss is an enemy of his that tried to kill him in the games. This is really sad for Katniss as she has now lost her one and only true love.

When I read the books, I was devastated when Peeta turned on Katniss. From the beginning of The Hunger Games, I was so hoping that they would end up together. 

I think they have the strongest relationship on this list as they have been through so much together. I think Peeta truly brought out the best in Katniss, whose only intention, at first, is to survive the Games so she can get back to her mother and sister.

So there you have it - my 5 OTPs. 

Hope you have enjoyed reading my blog :)