TMST: Social Media

This week's Tell Me Something Tuesday feature is about social media! TMST is a series hosted by the lovely Rainy Day Ramblings, and currently assisted by a team including my lovely friend Roberta @ Offbeat YA

March 9th: Social media: love them or hate them?

Both. Very much both for me. In some ways, I find it a lovely way to connect and show love to people you don't often get to talk to. For example, I love it for being able to interact with friends from university who have moved away. When one of my old buddies got accepted for their doctorate, I was able to celebrate with them - many, many miles away.

And yet, there is that pressure of what to portray. When things are tough, do you tell people, or keep silent? Is this the time to post photos of food instead? It's a hard balance to find, and then you still have to consider privacy. Do you only have your close friends on there? Co-workers? How to decline a "follow" or "friend request" to someone you see often, but don't want to share as much with?

From a blogging perspective, I enjoy it, but can find there to be more pressure with it than with the personal accounts now that I am older. If I don't post, will people still want to read my blog? If I talk about something other than blog content, is that okay? (I've learned that it is!) I do find it difficult to keep my content engaging though.

Long story short, I suppose, is that although I do enjoy it, I would be alright getting rid of it. I more like looking at other people's content rather than posting my own! I'm trying to pick up my engagement with it, as it is nice to connect (especially lately), but it's something that will take time, and I'm not in a rush.

What do you think?

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.

Mini-Reviews: Only Yesterday, Only Lovers Left Alive, To The Bone

TW: To The Bone - mental health, eating disorders, self-harm

northamptonfilmfestival.com

Only Yesterday

One of Studio Ghibli's "quieter" movies, as I like to call them. They are not fantastical like Howl's Moving Castle or Spirited Away, but they are beautiful snapshots of life and feelings. I liked the premise of this movie when I looked it up a year or two ago, but wasn't sure how interested in it I would be since I was more familiar with the aforementioned films' styles. But wow did I ever love this one. It's sad and nostalgic, and also hopeful and lovely. It was the right time for me to watch it, for sure. Definitely would recommend giving it a watch.

thefilmstage.com

Only Lovers Left Alive

This is a favourite of one of my friends, so I decided to watch it. Although overall I'm a fan of Tom Hiddleston, Tilda Swinton and I are a bit hit or miss, so I wasn't sure how I was going to feel about this one. Overall, it was fine but nothing to write home about. It just felt like it was missing something. It is slow paced, and mostly about the characters than an overarching plot, but...I wanted there to be more. More character development, or something. I would watch it again in order to see if there was more to it that I missed, but so far it hasn't grabbed me.

Period Drama: The Queen's Gambit

 

denofgeek.com

I feel like I need to just write this at the beginning of half of my reviews, but, "I originally avoided this one." I really enjoy chess, and used to play it a lot in my youth, but haven't really had too many opportunities to pick it up again since I was a teenager. Although I was interested in the concept of this Netflix Original, it got a lot of hype, and quickly. I worried that it would be either: too glossy and not truly focused on chess at all, or too much of a stereotype. I am thrilled to report that I didn't find either of these things to be true.

Mini-Reviews: As You Like It, Lorna Doone, Waitress

themoviescreenscene.wordpress.com

As You Like It

I'm rather confused as to why they decided to set this in feudal Japan... it is barely important in the overall look or feel of the movie, and really doesn't seem to serve any purpose. The music is absolutely gorgeous though, and fits absolutely perfectly with how the rest of the adaptation has been done. It uses Shakespearean English, and is overall good. If you like other Ken Brannagh adaptations, it definitely fits his style, and I would recommend it. If you're not a particular fan of his work, then I don't think this one is anything to write home about. It passed the time.

imdb.com

Lorna Doone (1990)

I almost stopped watching this more than once, but decided to power through. Honestly, I just couldn't get into it. I love Sean Bean, but have never really cared for Clive Owen, and this movie did nothing to change that. It felt very slow, and I really didn't get the point of it much. The plot was fine, and I do plan to watch another adaptation in the future, but this really didn't catch my interest.

Musical Identity Book Tag

I decided to make a new tag! I created this one a long time ago, but just hadn't written in my own answers. If you love musicals as much as I do, then I hope you'll answer these questions as well. And if not, perhaps you'll have fun reading my answers anyway!

Memories

What was the first musical you saw (whether on stage, or on film)?

The King and I! It was the first one I saw, actually both on stage and on film, so it has a very special place in my heart.

What musical were you most surprised impacted you as strongly as it did?

Rent! I thought for the longest time that it was probably this super hyped-up musical that it was popular to like because it was edgy. And yes, I think that that is absolutely the case for some people - but I also think it's brilliant. (Now, will I ever understand the appeal of the song "Over the Moon?" No, no I won't).

What is the most original musical you've ever seen?

I think that depends, a bit. I'm tempted to say Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, simply because of the variety of musical styles running through it. Otherwise, Godspell has a really unique structure to it.

It might be silly, odd, or cheesy, but what musical do you have a soft spot for anyway?

Gigi. It's a musical that a lot of people probably don't know about, and it has definitely some elements that might not look the best to modern audiences, but I fell in love with it as a little girl (thank heavens! ;) ) and still love it very much go this day.

Feelings

What's your favourite classic musical?

Probably The Phantom of the Opera!

What's your favourite contemporary musical?

Maybe Dear Evan Hansen? I tend to be a bit of an oldie where musicals are concerned, but I really enjoy the music from this one. Otherwise, if it counts, Rent. But I'm not sure that's considered "current" enough.

Musical movies - not necessarily a musical, but what's one you love?

Lili (1953) is one of my favourite movies of all time. It has a few musical numbers, but I wouldn't exactly refer to it as a musical. (With both Gigi and Lili on this list...can you tell I love Leslie Caron?)

What's a musical you just don't understand the appeal of?

There are actually several I just don't get the appeal of, but the first one that comes to mind is Shrek: the Musical. I don't personally like the Shrek movies in the first place, and I don't understand how this would make an appealing musical either...but that's just me!

The Specifics

Who are you most like from Rent, and why?

Mark. Absolutely Mark. I adore him completely, and connected with him right away. I do have elements of Roger and Mimi as well, but just listen to the song Hallowe'en, and you will see how I feel.

If you could play any part in Hamilton, which would you choose?

Angelica Schuler for sure. Although I would get so tongue tied trying to get the lyrics out that quickly!

Should Christine have ended up with The Phantom in the original musical?

Yes. I know, I know...that might be terrible of me, but in some ways I still wish they ended up together. And I have seen Love Never Dies, but that doesn't fit in the same way for me. 

Do you consider classic Disney movies to be musicals?

I personally don't, but I have no issues with people referring to them as such. I mean, they contain a lot of music, and this is used to tell the story and express feelings exactly in the same way that musicals are, but to me they feel different because they are animated. By definition, I guess they are "Disney animated musicals" but I think of them as a category unto themselves.

September 2020 Update

Wow has it ever been a while since I've done an update! This one isn't going to follow the normal format, but my goal for the past bit has been to just try blogging again - regardless of if my posts are perfect. It's hard to keep faithful to that though - I want them to be my best work, and I have to remind myself that I am not at my best, so it's okay if my posts aren't either.

The past few months have been...well, a lot. And I know it's been that way for most of us. I'm not going to go into too great detail there, because well, it is not only too painful, but I am also trying my best to move forwards. So, although I will spend a moment on this all, this will focus on what I have been reading and watching in the past while. That being said, I would like to give a trigger warning for terminal illness for the first heading in this post ("What's Happened"). Feel free to skip past and onto future sections.