Movie Review: Beauty and the Beast

Disney’s Beauty and the Beast is a live-action re-telling of the studio’s animated classic which refashions the classic characters from the tale as old as time for a contemporary audience, staying true to the original music while updating the score with several new songs. Beauty and the Beast is the fantastic journey of Belle (Emma Watson), a bright, beautiful and independent young woman who is taken prisoner by a beast (Dan Stevens) in his castle. Despite her fears, she befriends the castle’s enchanted staff and learns to look beyond the Beast’s hideous exterior and realize the kind heart and soul of the true Prince within.

Visit the Beauty and the Beast movie website for more information.

New 2017 live action trailer:


Original 1991 animated trailer:


Review:
It's actually been a couple of weeks since I saw the new live action version of Beauty and the Beast so I thought it was about time I talked about it on the blog. I've always been a huge fan of this fairytale, the original animated version is still one of my favourite Disney movies (along with Aladdin, Jungle Book & Lion King to name a few more!) so I was both incredibly excited when I heard they were making a new live action version but also a little nervous that it wouldn't live up to my expectations. I was more hopeful when I found out that Emma Watson had signed up to play Belle though (I can't think of a better actress for the role) and I have to say I think they did an amazing job.

Belle was always my favourite Disney princess, not only does she rescue the Beast and save him from his curse but she's also a fellow bookworm who always has her head stuck in a book so I always found it incredibly easy to relate to her. As a child I dreamed of marrying the Beast just so that he would give me his wonderful library and if I'm honest I'd still marry him now for the exact same reason LOL.

The new movie has captured the atmosphere of the original perfectly, it's added in some more backstory for a lot of the characters and there are some fabulous new songs and characters too. The actors all played their roles brilliantly and the special effects were just stunning. I loved every minute of it and can't wait for it to come out on DVD so I can watch it again. I've been singing the songs to myself ever since I watched it and I came out of the cinema desperate to watch the original version again too. There are a few things I preferred in the original movie but overall I think they did a wonderful job and I'll definitely be watching both movies many times in the future.

Have you seen the new movie? How did you think it compares to the original?

Movie Review: Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them

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

Visit the Fantastic Beasts website for more information




Review:
I think pretty much every blogger I know is at least a little obsessed with Harry Potter and has been eagerly waiting for the release of Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them since the movie was first announced. I have been desperate to dive back into J.K. Rowling's Wizarding World and if I'm honest I'm actually thrilled that she decided to take us on a journey into a whole new era and introduce us to a completely new set of characters rather than try to extend Harry's journey.

Anyway, I FINALLY managed to go and see the movie yesterday and it was AMAZING. I loved every single minute of it and I'm already planning to go and see it a second time (I can't even remember the last time I went to see a movie at the cinema twice!). I loved taking a step back in time to 1920's New York and thought they'd done a brilliant job of bringing that era to life. The characters are great, the special effects are stunning and I adored the wonderful creatures we are introduced to.

Getting to look inside Newt's suitcase was like visiting Hogwarts again for the first time. Remember seeing Harry run through the wall to reach platform 9 and 3/4? What about your first glimpse of the castle with those moving staircases and the talking portraits? Watching your first Quidditch match? Fantastic Beasts has that same magical feel to it and the sheer scale of the world Rowling has created is epic.

I'm not going to say much more because I don't want to spoil the movie for those few people who haven't seen it yet but I desperately want a niffler and a bowtruckle of my very own. I mean, just look how cute they are:

Have you seen the movie yet? What did you think of it? Are you as excited as I am about this new wizarding world franchise?

Roald Dahl Day: My love for The BFG (Let's talk about the book and the movies!)

Every year I plan to write a blog post to celebrate Roald Dahl Day and every year time runs away with me and I somehow end up missing it. But this year we're celebrating 100 years since his birth so I guess that makes it a perfect time to talk about how much Roald Dahl's books meant to me as a child.

I used to reread all of his books over and over again but The BFG was always my favourite, I just loved everything about it from the friendship that forms between Sophie and the BFG, to the adventures they have together along with all of the crazy new words you discover along the way. Don't you just think that we should use words like scrumdiddlyumptious, gobblefunking and whiffswiddle in every day conversation? Not to mention the fact that I'm still waiting for someone to invent a real life version of frobscottle so I can practise my whizzpopping LOL.

The BFG is just the ultimate adventure story, I loved the idea of dreams being real things that you could capture and I desperately wanted to visit the land of dreams so I could find my own. I wanted a giant friend who could run so fast with me hiding in their pocket that it felt like I was flying and I even wanted to have breakfast with the Queen. Roald Dahl's stories always have a darker side to them and the giants terrified me but you get to see justice served in the end which was incredibly satisfying.

I still have my original copy of this book from 1985 and it's one of my most treasured and reread books. The illustrations by Quentin Blake compliment the story perfectly and make it something to be treasured.

My brother was never much of a reader (I'm pretty convinced he must be a changeling because surely we can't be related! LOL) but he absolutely adored the animated version of The BFG and would make us watch it over and over again. I think I've probably seen this adaptation of the story even more times than I've read the book and I have to say it's pretty perfect. It completely captures the feel of the story with it's laugh out loud humour but also the more heartwarming moments between Sophie and the BFG as well as the fearsome man eating giants to add tension. I love the music too and can remember singing along with my brother when he we were kids.

This animation may have been created in 1989 but it's still utterly brilliant and when we watched it with my 12 year old nephew a few months ago he loved it just as much as we did.

Being such a huge fan of the story I had incredibly high hopes for the new Disney version directed by Steven Spielberg. We made a family outing of it a few weeks ago and I think my Dad, brother and I were probably even more excited than my nephew was. There is no denying that the visual effects in the new movie are stunning, the land of dreams in particular was spectacular and the giants looked impressive.

The opening scene where Sophie first sees the BFG and the way he manages to sneak down the streets and avoid being spotted by anyone else was very cleverly done. The young actress who played Sophie did a brilliant job and there was one moment in particular that made me laugh so hard I had tears rolling down my face. I wasn't the only one either and pretty much the entire audience was laughing hysterically.

Unfortunately even though there were things I loved about the movie it didn't manage to live up to expectations and we all agreed that the animated version that is nearly 30 years old was better. The new movie stays pretty faithful to the book but it managed to be boring in spite of that, there were actually times when I was just wishing it was over so we could leave the cinema and no matter how good the graphics were or how humourous those few stand out moments were it just didn't make up for the poor pacing.

The new movie may have been a slight disappointment but that hasn't decreased my love of The BFG. I have so many happy childhood memories wrapped up in reading Roald Dahl stories and it's easy to see why they're still so popular today.

Digitally remastered trailer for the original animated movie made in 1989:



Trailer for the 2016 Disney & Steven Spielberg movie:



What is your favourite Roald Dahl book? Are you a fan of The BFG? I'd love to know what you thought of the movies, if you've seen them both which was your favourite?

Movie Review - The Choice - Based on a Novel by Nicholas Sparks (+ UK Giveaway for 3 copies of the DVD!)

Out on Digital HD 27th June and on DVD 4th July

Based on the book by Nicholas Sparks

Based on the book by Nicholas Sparks, the author who brought us the much-loved classic romance The Notebook, comes THE CHOICE - A story about an irresistible attraction that transforms the lives of an unlikely couple, out to own on DVD and Digital HD this summer.

Travis Shaw (Benjamin Walker) is a young veterinarian committed only to meaningless flings that suit his carefree, solitary lifestyle. Convinced he doesn’t need a relationship, he prefers to flirt with exes and enjoy being a bit of a ladies man.

Meanwhile Gabby Holland (Teresa Palmer), a beautiful and ambitious medical student, is preparing to settle down with her committed long-term boyfriend (Tom Welling). When fate intervenes, and Gabby and Travis find themselves living next door to one another, nothing could have prepared them for the powerful chemistry that will turn their lives upside down. As they are forced to acknowledge their developing bond, the seemingly mismatched couple must face up to the choices that will change everything…

THE CHOICE Disc Information: 

Certificate: 12
DVD RRP: £19.99
Extra Features: Deleted scenes / Cinematic choices: Making The Choice / Nicholas Sparks with… / Choosing Home: Nicholas Sparks and North Carolina / Molly & Moby: Choice Dogs / Natalia Safran’s “Daylight” Music Video / Audio Commentary with Director Ross Katz and Actor Benjamin Walker

The Choice Trailer:



Review:

The Choice is classic Nicholas Sparks so if you're already a fan of his books and movies you're sure to love this one just just as much. While many people will say his movies are formulaic you can't deny their appeal. This has all the elements you need for in a romantic drama and gets bonus points for the super cute puppies in a basket! While the lead might not be who I would have initially picked, by the end of the movie he had definitely won me over. The Notebook may still be my favourite Sparks movie but this one is certainly worth a watch.

Giveaway:

The Choice is out to download from 27th June and on DVD from 4th July. To celebrate the release I have three copies of the DVD to giveaway to some of my UK followers thanks to Lions Gate Home Entertainment.

Giveaway terms & conditions:

• This giveaway is open to UK residents only.
• The giveaway closes on the 8th of July at 23:59 GMT
• You can enter using the Rafflecopter form below and the winners will be chosen at random via Rafflecopter and contacted soon after the giveaway ends for their contact information.
• You will have 48 hours to respond to my email or new winners will be chosen.
• The prize will be sent directly from my contact at Lions Gate Home Entertainment so by entering the giveaway you are giving me permission to share your contact details if you win.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Book & Movie Review: The Martian - Andy Weir

I'm stranded on Mars.

I have no way to communicate with Earth.

I'm in a Habitat designed to last 31 days.

If the Oxygenator breaks down, I'll suffocate. If the Water Reclaimer breaks down, I'll die of thirst. If the Habitat breaches, I'll just kind of explode.

If none of these things happen, I'll eventually run out of food and starve to death.

So Yeah. I'm screwed.

Visit Andy Weir's blog for more information

Review:
Mark Watney is part of a six man mission to Mars, the plan is to spend thirty days on the planet carrying out various experiments but just six days into the mission a major storm changes their plans and they have to evacuate. Unfortunately Mark has an accident as they're leaving and the others, presuming he's dead, are forced to leave him behind. Now Mark is trapped, completely alone on a planet over 50 million miles from home with no way to contact Earth. He's in a habitat that's only designed for short term use and he only has enough supplies to last a year (and that's if he rations them!). That might not be so bad if the next mission from Earth wasn't four years away but as things stand he's completely screwed.

What follows is a bit like Robinson Crusoe on Mars only Mark's chances of survival are much, much lower, in fact he's facing pretty impossible odds whichever way you choose to look at things. The good news is that Mark is well trained, he's a mechanical engineer and a botanist which might just save his life. If Mark can figure out a way to grow crops on a planet with no soil he might be able to make enough food to stay alive long enough for a rescue mission to reach him. Of course it's not quite as simple as that and there are lots of other issues to deal with but food has got to be one of the top priorities.

The Martian is one of my favourite books of 2015, I wanted to read it after seeing trailers for the movie but I had no idea how much I'd end up loving it. Mark's story captured me from the very first page and I absolutely devoured it. The main part of the book is told in the form of Mark's daily mission logs but as we get further along and people on Earth realise he survived the initial accident we start to see what's happening at the NASA base and how they are doing their best to rescue him. It's funny because The Martian is quite a science heavy story which isn't usually the kind of thing that appeals to me but the science is told in such a straightforward and personable manner that I didn't find it at all overwhelming. In fact I was just fascinated by Mark's thought processes and the various tasks and goals he set himself in order to survive.

Mark's a great narrator, he's in this horrendous situation with very little chance of actually surviving but he still manages to keep his sense of humour and I was surprised how many times I laughed while reading this book. Nothing quite goes to plan for him though, every time he solves one problem and thinks he has things figured out something will happen that throws everything back up in the air again. Mars is an incredibly hostile environment and I think the planet is trying to tell him something - humans just aren't meant to survive out there.

Considering I picked this book up on a whim to read before the movie came out I'm still surprised by how much I loved it but it's a story I'd recommend to everyone. There was just something about it that completely caught my attention and I loved every minute of it. While I'm on the subject of the movie I thought they did an excellent job with the adaptation. Obviously it doesn't follow the story 100% but movies never do, it included all of the major plot points though and more importantly it captured the feel of the book. The special effects are phenomenal and I loved Matt Damon's portrayal of Mark. Both the book and the movie are well worth checking out, personally I'd recommend reading the book first but I think that pretty much goes without saying!

Just in case I haven't convinced you here's the movie trailer to really catch your interest.



Source: Purchased

Other reviews of this book:
Hot Listens
If you have reviewed this book on your blog please leave a link to your review in the comments & I'll add the link here.

Paperback / Kindle:

Book Review & Movie Comparison: The Hobbit - J.R.R. Tolkien

This is the story of how a Baggins had an adventure, and found himself doing and saying things altogether unexpected . . .

Bilbo Baggins is a hobbit who enjoys a comfortable, unambitious life, rarely travelling further than the pantry of his hobbit-hole in Bag End. But his contentment is disturbed when the wizard, Gandalf, and a company of thirteen dwarves arrive on his doorstep one day, to whisk him away on a journey 'there and back again'. They have a plot to raid the treasure hoard of Smaug the Magnificent, a large and very dangerous dragon . . .

The prelude to The Lord of the Rings, The Hobbit has sold many millions of copies since its publication in 1937, establishing itself as one of the most beloved and influential books of the twentieth century.

The Middle-Earth Universe:
The Hobbit
The Fellowship of the Ring
The Two Towers
The Return of the King
The Silmarillion

Visit J.R.R. Tolkien's website for more information

Review:
I've lost count of the number of times I've read The Hobbit over the years, it was the book that started my love of all things fantasy and it was always a go to book that I could read again and again as I was growing up. It must have been at least 5 years since I last read it though so I wanted to pick it up again before going to see the movie. It doesn't matter how many times I pick it up I still love it as much as the first and it always surprises me how many little details I forget between readings.

I know that most people have already read the story but if you're one of the few who haven't then I'd highly recommend it. It's a great story for adults but I also think it makes fantastic bed time reading with children because it's such a fun adventure story. There is a reason it's considered a classic! The last thing Bilbo Baggins is looking for is an adventure, he is quite happy living in his hobbit hole enjoying plenty of food and good company when he wants it (which is not too often thank you very much). When Gandalf arrives with a party of thirteen dwarves Bilbo is convinced they have come to the wrong person for help but the more he learns about their quest to re-claim their lands from the dragon who stole them the more curious he becomes and in the end he can't resist joining them.

Bilbo is the least likely of heroes, he doesn't consider himself particularly brave or smart and he has practically no experience of travelling or fighting, but when it comes down to it the dwarves wouldn't have got very far without him. I always enjoy seeing Bilbo reach is full potential, he goes on a journey of personal discovery and proves to everyone just what a strong character he is. The story isn't as dark or scary as the Lord of the Rings books are and is suitable for a younger audience but it is still quite scary in places and the scenes with Gollum are particularly creepy. I love the riddle contest between Bilbo and Gollum but have to admit that I'd be hopeless at figuring out the answers myself if I was in Bilbo's place! The Hobbit is such an enjoyable story and a great introduction to the Lord of the Rings books, I really think I'm going to have to re-read those this year too!

Source: Purchased

Other Reviews:
If you have reviewed this book on your blog please leave a link to your review in the comments & I'll add the link here.

Paperback / Kindle:







I mentioned that my main reason for re-reading the book was because I wanted to go and see The Hobbit movie. My Dad, brother and I are all huge fans of the Lord of the Rings films and going to see them was always a family outing so we wanted to carry on that tradition with The Hobbit. As much as I love the LoTRs movies they had to leave out quite a lot of events because of the pure scale of the world building in the books - there was no way to fit it all into a 3 hour film even if they wanted to - so I was really pleased when I found out that they were splitting the The Hobbit into 3 separate films. The only downside to that is that we are going to have to wait so long to see all of them but if the first instalment is anything to go by then the rest will be worth the wait.

I didn't quite manage to finish re-reading the book before we saw the film but I was well over halfway through so I had made it further in the story than the movie does. I have to say I was impressed with how well they kept to the storyline. Yes there were a couple of differences, the main one being Thorin's attitude to Bilbo which I did feel a little disappointed with, but over all they stuck quite closely to the plot and I could see the reason for the changes that they had made. Anyone who has watched the LoTRs films will already be familiar with Bilbo, Gandalf and of course Gollum but I really enjoyed getting to know the younger Bilbo on screen. I also really liked the way they had tied the two sets of films together by starting the story with the older version of Bilbo writing about his adventures and by including both Elrond and Galadriel.

I absolutely loved all the dwarves too, I had a little trouble keeping the names straight in my head as I was watching but I think that will come with time and my favourites were without a doubt Bofur & Kili (yes I do have a bit of a thing for Irish accents!). I'm already really looking forward to watching the next two films and will definitely be watching this one again when it comes out on DVD.

Book to Movie Comparison: Now Is Good (Before I Die) - Jenny Downham

I absolutely loved Jenny Downham's book Before I Die (which has now been re-released as Now is Good to match the movie title) when I read it last year. You can read my review of the book here for more information but if you haven't read it yet then I'd highly recommend it. The story is a heartbreaking one that definitely requires tissues but at the same time it will make you appreciate the important things and want to make the most of every moment.

Book Covers and Synopsis:

It's really going to happen. They said it would, but this is quicker than anyone thought.

Everyone has to die. We all know it.

With only a few months of life left, sixteen-year-old Tessa knows it better than most.

She's made a list though - ten things she wants to do before she dies. Number one is sex. Starting tonight.

But getting what you want isn't easy. And getting what you want doesn't always give you what you need. And sometimes the most unexpected things become important.

Uplifting, life-affirming, joyous - this extraordinary novel celebrates what it is to be alive by confronting what it's really like to die.

Anyway, as a huge fan of the book I was looking forward to seeing the film adaptation so when Random House offered me the chance to attend a preview last month I couldn't say yes fast enough! Kirsty (from The Overflowing Library) & I set off for London early and spent the day hunting for Wenlock and Mandeville statues (more about that in another blog post next week!) before making our way to the Warner Bros offices to see the film.

I have to say that I think Warner Bros have done a fantastic job with the adaptation of Now is Good. They can never fit as much detail into a movie as there is in a book but I felt they have captured the essence of the story perfectly. Dakota Fanning gives a heartbreaking portrayal of Tessa and I loved Jeremy Irving as Adam. The relationship between Tessa and her father was moving and her younger brother Cal was adorable.

Considering I cried buckets when reading the book I knew the film would be a tearjerker and I'm glad I'd remembered to take plenty of tissues with me. I don't think there was a dry eye in the theatre! My only warning would be for fellow blood phobics out there, if you are the kind of person who faints at the sight of blood then I can warn you when you need to leave the cinema. My blood & needle phobia has caused me to faint many, many times (during blood tests & injections, at the dentist, visiting people in the hospital, when I've had a bad nose bleed, during my first aid course - the list could go on forever!) but I had NEVER fainted at the cinema before!

There was one particular scene where Tessa has a very nasty nose bleed that sent me over the edge and yes I managed to faint in the middle of the film! Luckily Kirsty was the only one who noticed so although I practically frightened the life out of her I didn't completely humiliate myself in front of the entire cinema. One thing about fainting when you're already sat down is that you don't nessecarily fall out of your seat LOL. I thought I was probably the only one who had this problem so I wouldn't have bothered to warn people but Clare from Random House found out that one of the other publicists fainted at exactly the same point during another preview screening so you have been warned!

In spite of the awkward fainting moment and feeling rather traumatised after it happened I did really enjoy the film. I don't think the ending had quite the same impact on me that it would have if I wasn't still recovering though. I did cry but not as much as I think I could have!

Now is Good is in cinemas in the UK now so make sure you book your ticket. In case you haven't already seen it here is the UK trailer:


I'd like to say a massive thank you to Random House & Warner Bros for inviting us to the preview screening - it was definitely a memorable experience!

Shhhh don't tell everyone but Kirsty even got to meet Batman on the way out!

Who was there:

Clare - Random House

Kirsty - The Overflowing Library