Mini-Reviews: Their Finest, Isn't It Romantic?, Penelope

theguardian.com

Their Finest

I think I need to rewatch this one going forwards. It has all of the makings of a film I would really enjoy, but I just didn't find it absorbing. It was good, to be sure, but I found it quite slow, and found myself zoning out a bit and not truly engaged. I love Gemma Arterton, Sam Claflin, and Bill Nighy, and the plot is right up my alley, but it felt like something was missing for me. For now, I'm going to put this down to the fact that I was tired and the week I watched it was all over the place. If you've seen it, let me know what you thought! Oh, it's also based on a book, "Their Finest Hour and a Half" by Lissa Evans. I haven't read it though, so I don't know if the film is an accurate representation.

variety.com

Isn't It Romantic?

Okay, now colour me surprised by this one. Although I like romantic comedies to some extent (unless they are too goofy), I have shied away from many that have come out in the past several years unless they were the teen ones like To All the Boys I've Loved Before, and that sort of thing. However, I was in the mood for something light, and that wasn't going to be a long commitment, so, since the premise was interesting, I decided to give this one a go. And I actually quite enjoyed it! Quirky and humourous, but not overdone, I found this one to be a lovely time passer. Although it won't be an annual classic or anything for me, I would definitely watch it again, and would recommend it for sure if you are a fan of the genre. It's just different enough that you don't feel like you are watching a carbon copy of other films, pokes fun at them just the right amount, but still delivers in the way you want your romantic comedies to deliver.

nytimes.com

Penelope

This movie was exactly what I needed. I thought for a long time that it was going to be overdone and a total farce, but it wasn't. Definitely that cute and motivational modern-day fairytale we all need right now. Quite an interesting cast on this one, but it works. Not a lot to say here, but if you need something fun, light, and sweet (but less cheesy than a Hallmark movie - not to knock those, I watch them too from time to time!), then I think this is a great way to pass an afternoon.

In Remembrance: Sylvia Plath

Today would have been Sylvia Plath's 87th birthday. Although there is much controversy surrounding her death in 1963 and her marriage with Ted Hughes, I don't want to focus on any of those things. Today I want to shed light on her writings.

Am I fan of Sylvia Plath? I don't know - I can't say. And perhaps this post will be oddly amusing to some of you because of that. Why would I write a post about a poet and author that I don't know how I feel about? Well, because in some ways I can't help but feel intensely connected to her.

When I read The Bell Jar, I hated it. Perhaps one day I will revisit it and discover that it holds a strong truth for me. Perhaps I read it at the wrong time, or reading about depression was too true and I just found it bleak and colourless. I don't know. But when I read about her, I feel connected to her soul. Some of her poems resonate with me strongly.

Here are a few pieces of her writings that mean a lot to me personally:

Musicals: Into the Woods

This film, based on the Stephen Sondheim musical of the same name, was released in 2014 and is definitely a different sort of musical than you'd traditionally expect.

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What It's About:

Cinderella, Sleeping Beauty, Little Red, Jack (of Beanstalk fame), and more are living their fairytale lives...but life isn't all sunshine and roses, and things quickly start to go south. Cursed by a witch to be childless forever, a baker and his wife are given the chance to reverse the spell. But with very little time to accomplish this, they need the help of the fairytale heroes and heroines before disaster strikes them all.

YA in Review: Red Queen (Victoria Aveyard)

This post will essentially be Spoiler Free, however comments by other users may possibly contain information that spoils portions of the plot, so read at them your own risk. This book is the ninth one that I've completed for my 2018 TBR Challenge. Only three left!

harpercollins.com

What it's about:

The world is divided into two - those with red blood, the commoners, and the elite members of society who have silver blood and possess unique special abilities. Mare Barrow, a red-blooded girl is about to be sent to war, as is the law for those without skilled jobs when they reach eighteen. But Mare's skill is thievery - trying to feed her family, she steals to provide their basic necessities since her brothers are already at war. Yet one day she tries to steal from a stranger, who offers her a job in the palace instead. The stranger is the crown prince, and immersed in his world, Mare soon discovers that although she bleeds red, that she has more in common with the silvers than she ever could have predicted.

The Tales of Beedle the Bard (J.K. Rowling)

This post will essentially be Spoiler Free, however comments by other users may possibly contain information that spoils portions of the plot, so read at them your own risk. This book is second that I've completed for my 2018 TBR Challenge, so I am definitely on better track than I was last month.

bloomsbury.com

What it's about:

In J. K. Rowling's wizarding world, Beedle the Bard is our version of the Brothers Grimm, or Hans Christian Anderson. This book is a collection of magical fairytales that witches and wizards have grown up with, alongside a commentary from former headmaster of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, Albus Dumbledore. This collections contains both stories Harry Potter fans know (Tale of the Three Brothers) and new ones to enjoy.

The Shape of Water

Winning the Oscar for Best Picture (Guillermo del Toro, J. Miles Dale), Best Original Score (Alexandre Desplat), Best Director (Guillermo del Toro), and Best Production Design/Set Decoration (Paul Denham Austerberry, Shane Vieau, Jeff Melvin), The Shape of Water has received lots of accolades, so I was very interested in seeing what all the hype was about.

digitaltrends.com

What It's About:

Orphan Elisa Esposito is very different than those around her - empathetic, passionate, and mute. As one of the women responsible for cleaning in a government facility, she is rarely given the time of day except by her friend and co-worker Zelda and neighbour Giles. When a top-secret specimen is rushed into the lab under the supervision of army personnel, Elisa is curious about this creature, who resembles both a human and an amphibian. The more Elisa learns about him, the closer of a bond that grows between them, through food, music, and sign language. So when sadistic Colonel Strickland decides that the best way to study the creature is to cut him open, Elisa has a choice to make - a choice that might not only risk her heart, but also her life.

Blog-Along: Ever After

If you haven't read any of my previous blog-alongs, it's exactly what it sounds like: while I'm watching a movie, mini-series, etc. I detail my thoughts as they come. Now, I do edit them a bit afterwards to avoid too much repetition, and I try to be careful to not have anything more than minimal spoilers, but otherwise it is my reactions of the moment. For the ultimate experience, pop the movie on and follow along with me!

Today's movie is...

Ever After: A Cinderella Story

radiotimes.com

Although I watched this movie several times as a child, it's been quite a while since I have seen it, and was I excited to give it a revisit. Drew Barrymore plays Danielle, the orphaned child who is forced to work for her new stepmother. This interesting take on the classic Cinderella tale (as the story claims, this is what really happened) keeps true to the beloved fairytale, but introduces a kick-butt, independent heroine that all ages can appreciate.

           Play by Play

• Ah yes, the costuming. Some of it's beautiful, and some of it always makes me laugh. The hairstyles however, are fantastic.
• Reading Thomas More's Utopia, eh? Next, a bit of light reading...
• A true lady knows how to pelt a man with apples. Good aim girl, good aim.
• I love how they all have French names...as one of the original versions is in French
• Danielle's (Drew Barrymore) accent is pretty bad though

Seven Hidden Gem Fairytales

Thanks to The Broke and the Bookish's Top Ten Tuesday series (TTT) for this great post idea: Top Ten Hidden Gems in Historical Fiction. However, as I have always loved fairytales (especially the morbid and particularly dark ones...but I won't include many), I've decided that that will be my take on this Tuesday's topic! So, here's 7 I think you should check out if you haven't before.

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1. The Goose Girl - Probably my favourite fairytale of all time, this is one about a princess who gets tricked and bullied by her maidservant to swap places with her so that she can marry the prince in her stead.
2. Rumpelstiltskin - A father's boast that his daughter can spin straw into gold leads to her being forced to make good on this lie, or be imprisoned forever. But when an impish man appears, he agrees to turn the straw to gold...for a price.
3. The Nightingale - The Emperor's favourite sound is the singing of the nightingale. But then he receives a gift of a beautiful jewel-encrusted, mechanical bird whose singing is not quite as sweet,. It enchants the Emperor nonetheless, and the nightingale is all but forgotten.
4. The Blue Coat - Adapted into the book Something From Nothing by Phoebe Gilman, The Blue Coat tells the tale of a grandfather who makes a beautiful blue blanket for his grandson, who loves it and carries it everywhere. But when the blanket becomes worn and tattered, his grandfather takes all the pieces he can save to make a coat. But when that too becomes worn out, he makes the next thing, and the next.