X-Men : Days of Future Past

4.1/5 Stars (for the correct balance of cheeky vibe, action, and scaremongering)


Set in the not so distant, draw-similarities-on-current-

living future, the Mutants of the world are being tracked down and gotten rid of. Though this premise seems to set the tone of the whole film as terribly sad and the characters attempts at living as futile, there are a few surprisingly happy notes. Such as the introduction to the character Quicksilver - who, even from the getup makes him a marvel (I am currently trying to persuade myself not to dye/spray my leather jacket silver). His scenes bring a much needed playful tone and style as the rest if the film draws on heavy notes, including flashbacks in mighty proportions, and reintroducing the old cast members we all love dearly... Though sometimes can't remember... But still love dearly.
The great thing about being created after a long string of films, is that though the concept of the mutant gene is talked of, we're familiar with the variety of powers and so are not pestered by acts of awesome power for characters which we either already know or do not have a huge need for explaining. (Though saying this there was the obligatory naked Hugh Jackman scene in which no one has come across Wolverine and we watch intensely as the chosen ammunition wriggles free of the healing, rippling, or so muscly chest.)
There is also a viable reason for Beast's (Nicholas Hoult) un-Beast-like appearance in the trailer,with the writers cleverly moving away from a stupid excuse, into quite a touching vibe, as there are good and bad sides to possessing great power.
Seeing James McAvoy portray functioning characters makes me feel happy inside - after seeing Filth (a fantastic yet terrible heart-wrenching film and novel of same name (Irvine Welsh)) to see McAvoy share scenes with the Sir of the Patrick Stewart was quite fabulous. Unfortunately the storyline didn't allow Fassbender and McKellen any shared screen time, though both were of course excellent.
With the film talking of unity amongst people of all walks of life, there was a positive vibe and message to the film overall, showing the devastation (in a hyper-stylised, futuristic way) if we continue to segregate and divide from others. (Being such a heavy subject, Quicksilver really was a needed and well delivered character.)
Overall, a very good film and a good vibe to watch with a great ending and easter egg.
(Though if you haven't seen already, do check out Godzilla - this review might have been nicer of I haven't been constantly thinking of that giant babe of a beast.)

The Scottish Ballet (Romeo and Juliet)

Though part of the point of a review is to persuade readers to see the show whilst it's on , I find myself at the last showing of Romeo and Juliet at Sadler's Wells , performed by the Scottish Ballet. So I invite you to think of this as a review of the company primarily and not just the show.
So first of all , the vibe between the dancers is so palpable! Benvolio (Andrew Peasgood) and Mercutio (Daniel Davidson) played so well together as the cheeky friends of Romeo (Christopher Harrison) - the kind of friends who start all the scenarios that would later be the "d'you remember when" stories. Ben and Merc's flirtations set the perfect vibe for the street scenes as they saunter between the ladies. Dressed in rather delicious suits, Merc and Ben steal the stage every time they bound on stage. Merc's especially hilarious as he tries to distract Tybalt (Owen Thorne) from Romeo and Juliet's blossoming love - pure gold. And even though everyone around the world knows the story of R&J, going by the girl sat next to me, the murder of Merc and Tybalt respectively was so well executed that said audience member audibly gasped and jumped from shock. Though R&J is primarily about the couple, the other protagonists create quite a babe vibe (if that makes sense). Kara McLaughlin who played mummy Capulet was pure sexy gold - every single time she came on stage she stole the attention of all audience members and owned it! Speaking of owning it, Friar Laurence (Rimbaud Patron) had the best entrances of all time as the top lighting went out and the dancers where lit from head on giving a fun ghost-y vibe as none the the background was lit. The lack of the Prince Escalus of Verona made Friar Laurence's part much more important, as it was his character that was seen as the authority figure between the feuding families. There was also no mention of
Rosaline (or at least I did not notice any).

I can't claim to understand the hierarchy of a ballet company, but as Davidson is a Coryphée, and Peasgood an artist, it may have been some kind of tryout performance to see if Peasgood can move up the ranks - which is damn true! Peasgood's charm reached even the higher tiers (where I was placed due to my student pocket-money wallet).
As I try to pull away from going on too much about Ben and Merc, attention must be given to the titular protagonists. Juliet (Claire Robertson) and Romeo (Christopher Harrison) were the young and desperate lovers we have all come to know and love, with their furtive glances and innocent embraces. Robertson also portrays the awkwardness of Juliet as she dances with Paris and how Juliet frees up as she dances with Romeo perfectly. The scenes in which Romeo is Juliet-less, he is one of the delectable lads with Ben and Merc.
Based on this performance, I shall endeavour (if my student-lack-of-money lifestyle will allow it) to see another performance by the Scottish Ballet. Their ability to adapt a story everyone knows into something worth watching and combing characters without losing any parts of the story proves they can cleverly retell stories without messing up.

 

Godzilla (2014) ゴジラ review !

4.9/5 Stars (only because 5 stars would mean fainting as soon as the opening title started).
 

OMGosh ! When it comes to big franchises I am normally a "purist", annoyingly insisting that the original is, and always will be the best. Tonight however I feel truly realigned. This rendition of ゴジラ has me in some kind of combination of joyousness, fangirling, and a general giggle-fest. It took all my self control to not jump up and down screaming every time Godzilla came on screen. Even his roar was genius - remastered yet still recognisable.

Without wanting to ruin the plot, which though is no Usual Suspects is still wonderfully neat, the film has the ability to make one weep and cheer with an abundance of monster (nonsexual) action. Actually, come to think of it, there is slight sexy monster action (still a better love story then Twilight) which shall not be described in more detail for fear of ruination.

Gareth Edwards, creator of Monsters (2010), has truly used the power of the silhouette when introducing the beast to stage, with the smoke and debris of destroyed buildings both framing and obscuring the full form until the last moment for ultimate impact. (When seen in 3D, do try not to jump. Or do, it's your choice.)

Basically, I am definitely going to see it at the cinema again, for this film really needs a large screen, no distractions and brill surround sound.

Starring Aaron Taylor-Johnson (who is looking rather good), Elizabeth Olsen (with a heartwarming performance) and Bryan Cranston (who needs no introduction). 

All sorts of train journeys

Why is it that we expect so little from food on public transport ? The fact that anything more than a barely warm panini brings a smile of true surprise to our lips ? You'd think that through the efforts of many a food connoisseur we would expect much more from a train company we have trusted to make our two hour long journey as safe and comfortable as possible. Unfortunately this is still not the case as we clutch onto our pitifully chilly food and attempt to steam it over the blistering polystyrene cuppa tea.

(Based on real life event) Another strange situation which one can find yourself in is when you sit in your reserved seat next to someone seemingly chill, fooling you into thinking that the couple-hour journey will be go smoothly . And then your neighbours starts talking on the phone about their night out in which they describe a fight they got into after someone called them a rude word. Needless to say, the thought of the dainty passenger next to me turning crazed and beating someone up did make me feel uncomfortable … Other train journeys can be much more fun - The last long journey train voyage a was on involved myself and the passenger across the table falling asleep in turn , waking up every couple of minutes as the train lurched on.

There is also the other way the voyage can turn out , in which you start off the journey with a certain level of decorum , possibly reading a book or revising, and slowly start to slump lower and lower in the seats, covered in disused crisp packets as crumbs from a high sugar snack.


Tube travel.
It really is amazing the amount of times we try and stare at random signs on a train to distract ourselves from looking at someone's paper or what they're texting on their phone. If this where not rush hour and I was seen staring at the Emergency Door Release sign for a full five minutes the other passengers would very possibly be quite tense and concerned as to whether or not I would fling open the door of the train. Instead, it is seen as a quiet sign of respect as we try and stare at anything but the text they're writing or the game they're playing on their portable device. Through our silence we have found a way of being partially polite to the hordes of people we've never had the pleasure of being formally introduced to. Though this politeness can easily be explained through the fact that we're forced together in a mostly nose-to-armpit configuration and must work through this awkward scenario using a universal coping mechanism.  We must turn to politeness and tell the persons of the carriage through eye contact alone that "I am terribly sorry for this unfortunate placement of limbs" whilst internally screaming "I can't ken how a didn't use my newly purchased cologne!”

Korres Natural Products

My relationship with Korres is verging on unhealthy, which is really saying something seeing as they are natural products and I rarely apply cosmetics. What I do use I simply adore. * . Their nail varnish, of which I have a humble eleven in my collection, is highly pigmented and long lasting. Even their 02 Milky White provides a full layer of colour which I have not found when wearing other white nail varnishes. Though there are many colours and shades, each nail varnish has a slight pastel quality which makes them easy to wear everyday but not as noticeable as other brands of the same colour. 

The lipliners are extremely long lasting and match beautifully with the lipsicks. The whole range of lipliners are highly pigmented, no matter the shade - the lipsticks, however, tend to vary in pigmentation. Lipsticks Natural Pink and Rose are both very light lipsticks though different in finish. Rose (22) is not very pigmented at all, and in fact has iridescent quality, whereas Natural Pink (13) is highly pigmented and provides a solid colour. There are glossy, less pigmented lipsticks available, such as Peach (18) and Fuchsia (54), which are sheer lipsticks made from mango butter. These lipsticks are SPF 10, and are € 18,40 on the Korres website. And I haven't even mention the genius that is their Plum Δαμασκηνο Lip Butter, which feels smells and tastes divine. The lip butters are made with shea butter and rice wax, which in some wondrous way make one feel like a princess (who is empowered and weapon wielding, yet still comfortable with their delicate traits). The Plum Lip Butter is dark enough a colour to tint the lips slightly and creates a rather neat dark purple sheen, which I'm (unsurprisingly) also a fan of.

I am also a huge fan of their hair dyes. The quality of the finished colour is really quite beautiful, with natural highlights and warm, natural looking colours. The dyes are ammonia free and instead contain natural ingredients in its place (It even smells fairly nice when it's developing in your hair, not that I advise persons to smell the chemicals as that would be terribly foolish). Though I cannot find anywhere selling the dyes in Britain, I have seen several boxes of these dyes in other European countries.

I'm such a "fangirl" when it comes to Korres and love the natural vibe they rock throughout their range of products. 

(Korres products available at Liberty, Regent Street, London, W1B 5AH)

Nail Colour - Milky White (02), Pastel Lemon (34), Pastel Peach (36), Coral (45), Tangerine (46), Mango Sorbet (42), Spring Lilac (72), Ciel (82), Ocean Blue (87), Midnight Blue (88), Pale Green (90).

Lipliner Pencil - Neutral Light (1), Neutral Dark (2), Brown Orange (3), Red (4) and Purple Red (5).

 

Eyeliner Pencil - Black (1), Brown (2), Olive Green (5) and Golden (14). Soft Eyeliner Pencil - Light Blue (3S) and Purple (4S).

 

 

Guava Lipstick Moisturising/Intense Colour Natural - Pink (13), Rose (22), Natural Purple (25), Nude (34), Orange Brown (43) and Red (55).

Oculus (2013)

Ocuclus (2013) starring Karen Gillan and Brenton Thwaites is the perfect mix of flashbacks and soiling one's self.

Kaylie (Gillan) and Tim (Thwaites) Russell, sister and brother, try and prove an artifact to be in possession of supernatural power, which distorts persons perspective and being the cause of deaths of their pater and mater. The flashbacks used throughout the film are stable and intricate enough to enhance the fearful vibe without getting in the way of the storyline, which can easily happen if the balance between past and present isn't correct.

This horror film (UK release 13th June 2014) is directed by Mike Flanagan who also co-wrote it alongside Jeff Howard. This version of Oculus is based on the 2006 short film Oculus: Chapter 3 - The Man with the Plan, written by Flanagan and Jeff Seidman.

The performances of Karen Gillan and Brenton Thwaites are solid enough for the audience to be pulled through the baffling sequence of events as reality (and chronology) is twisted. Annalise Basso and Garrett Ryan must also be commended for their performances as the young counterparts of Gillan and Thwaites respectively.

To my un-American ears, as far as I can tell, Gillan and Thwaites' accents are solid throughout. Though, as I said, I am not familiar with American accents except those heard from other films. Gillan's Scottish tones are completely hidden, as are Thwaites' Australian tones - either that or the story is so captivating that the audience don't pick up on the slips in articulation.

Though this film causes one to question buying antique mirrors at auction, everything else about this film is really quite brilliant, as we watch the characters fall further and further into confusion the longer they stay in the presence of the mirror. (Kudos to cinematographer Michael Fimognari.)

Oculus 2013 (IMDB)


Vine of audience reaction to Oculus (2013) 

When you really want sweeties

It's always fun trying to find the best sweet shops nearby - the sweeties you ate and loved as a child or even the sweeties you never ate a child due to teeth-related horror stories! Either way you feel transported wen you walk into the highly decorated establishments with shelves upon shelves with the likes of chocolate, boiled sweet and nougat. On one particular occasion I was transported to a world of childhood fantasy as a entered a shop I never would have as a child, Mrs Kibble's on Brewer's Street. Without truly knowing the average price of traditional sweets I cannot say whether or not the prices are reasonable, and seeing as I really enjoy eating sweets I don't know what price I would find extortionate. All this in mind, I felt that after buying the parcels of sugary joy I had not lost much weight in my pocket and i still consider the price acceptable.
There are some who enjoy eating sweets without giving much thought to anything past the enjoyment of consumption and there are others who enjoy both the taste of the sweets and puddings as well as keeping an eye on their daily intake. I've found that frozen yogurts are perfect for both persons. Establishments such as Chill Box and Snog offer frozen yogurts low in fat with a variety of toppings.
The fantastic thing about Chill Box is the international aspect of it. The first time I purchased a frozen treat was on an extremely hot summer's day in Greece. After this first visit I immediately decided going back again the next time I was able, and indeed I did go back a few more times. It was some months later that I came across the same fantastic establishment in Brussels on an equally hot day.
The variety of toppings available is perfect for both persons of intake-measuring to sugar-devouring as you have the choice of fruits, chocolates, biscuits and little sugary sprinkles. I have yet to go to the Chill Box in England, yet have had the absolute pleasure of ordering a Snog. Not only are the products delectable, but the helpfulness of the workers is also admirable. When hearing that I didn't know the ordering system, which is delightfully simple, the gentleman serving me was extremely helpful (and also quite charming). The great thing about frozen yoghurt is that you feel like you are treating your body by eating a sweet snack, but do not feel ill after possibly overdoing it with the sugary adornments as the yoghurt itself is light. The only thing to be sure of is that you do I fact like the product you are buying as, as with everything, not everyone has the same taste and the cost can seem quite pricey. The opening times of Snog are quite peculiar as well as it opens at around noon each day and closes around midnight, closing times vary depending on what day it is. All this considered, Snog is a great place to go to when you feel the need for a light, sweet snack in the late afternoon, post-shopping excursions or casual nights out.
The more generic sweet shops are slightly more cheeky to deal with. They act as great pick-and-mixes, allowing you to forget the ideal price you would like to pay as you siphon a great collection o sweets that, lets be serious here, weren't exactly made with the greatest care. - having just finished my excursions I was pulled in by the attractive force acting on me by the shops brightly coloured decor. I blocked out the One Direction songs playing through the shops speakers and concentrated on the sweets displayed. I eventually managed to leave the shop, but not after purchasing a few little chocolate hearts, a large marshmallow and other sweet treats. What I failed to take into account was the hardness of the gigantic marshmallow as the sweet containers are open to the elements, which tends to harden soft sweets. If you are one who enjoys top notch sweeties then stores such as the one I've just mentioned are not for you. If , however you care little for the extravagant goods, than these One-Direction-screaming shops are more likely to satisfy you.

(Their digs I went to.)

 Mrs Kibble's Olde Sweet Shoppe 

57a Brewer Street
London
W1F 9UL

4 St Christopher´s Place
London
W1U 1LZ

Chill Box Frozen Yoghurt 
Rue du Marche aux
Herbes 34 (Grasmarkt),
Grand Place
1000 Brussels
Belgium

El. Venizelou 5
Komotini
Greece

Snog Frozen Yoghurt 
5 Garrick Street
Covent Garden
London
WC2E 9AR