film – A Fangirl's Opinion

Most Anticipated YA Adaptations 2019

January 15, 2019

There aren’t many YA adaptations being released this year but nevertheless, I’m excited about all the ones on this list and even when researching I’ve discovered a few which I had forgotten about! When adapting books to movies there’s always the worry that the writers and directors are going to change everything and miss important and much-loved parts from the films but I’m quietly optimistic for this year’s releases. Most of the book to movie adaptations I’ve seen recently have all been really good and the elements they’ve changed and added I felt have been beneficial, my favorite of last year is still To All The Boys I’ve Loved Before. If you haven’t seen it yet then you are seriously missing out!

The Sun is Also a Star by Nicola Yoon (May 2019) – This book was such a powerful and impactful read for me so I’m really hoping that they don’t mess this one up and that the book’s message comes through in the film. I was really disappointed by the adaptation of Everything, Everything so I’ve got all my fingers crossed for this film! The film is about two teens, Daniel, the son of Korean shopkeepers, and Natasha, the daughter of undocumented Jamaican immigrants who cross paths in New York City and slowly fall in love.

Little Women by Louisa May Alcott (Dec 2019) – The cast for this film is literally out of this world and the fact that Greta Gerwig is directing it makes this film one of my most anticipated films of the year, the only downside is that we’ve got to wait till December to see it! Starring Emma Watson, Meryl Streep, Saoirse Ronan, and many many others, this film is guaranteed to be a perfect watch! I really enjoyed Ladybird directed by Greta Gerwig so I’ve got high expectations for this adaptation!

Chaos Walking: The Knife of Never Letting Go by Patrick Ness – I totally forgot about this film and I can’t think why because it has such a good cast! Starring Tom Holland AND Daisy Ridley this film already looks epic and we haven’t even got a trailer yet! I will admit I haven’t read these books yet but it’s definitely on my TBR list (along with lots of other series! Todd Hewitt has been raised to believe that a viral germ has killed all women and unleashed Noise, the special ability to read people’s and animals’ minds through a stream of images, words, and sounds. After discovering a patch of silence, free of Noise, Todd is forced to flee his town. Alone, he must face a planet erupting in war—that is, until he meets Viola, the source of the silence.

All the Bright Places by Jennifer Niven – Netflix is seriously killing it at some of its YA adaptations so I’m quietly confident that they’re going to do a good job at adapting this powerful read!

Five Feet Apart by Rachael Lippincott – I hadn’t heard of this book until I watched the trailer and now I’m fully invested in this story and its characters! Starring Cole Sprouse, this film tells the story of two people who meet whilst receiving treatment for Cystic Fibrosis where physical contact could transmit fatal disease.

Dumplin’ Film Review – 12 Days of Blogmas

December 14, 2018

DUMP

As soon as I saw the trailer for this film I knew it was going to be a goodn’ so I picked up the book with the aim of finishing it before I watched the film, but I couldn’t wait and watched it the morning it came out! I’m so glad that I did though as I watched it a further two times and love every second it. Netflix is seriously killing it at some of its YA adaptations and Dumplin’ is up there with To All The Boys I’ve Loved Before and is everything Sierra Burgess Is A Loser should have been.

Like the book, the film is a feel-good watch that had me laughing, crying and smiling throughout. Everything about it is just so damn lovely and I can’t stop raving about it. The thing I loved most about this film was its emotionally impactful message of self- acceptance and the loveable coming of age story that is wrapped in Dolly Parton music, an album that has been on repeat ever since. It is honestly one of those films that will warm your heart with its storyline and characters, all of which are so engaging to the point where I’d want to be best friends with Willowdean!

I’m a hopeful romantic, so I’m a bit gutted that they didn’t show more Willowdean and Bo’s relationship, I’m fully invested in both of them now and I just want more! But we did get a lot of time exploring different and new relationships, especially the growing relationship between Willowdean and her mother, played by the wonderful Jennifer Anniston who absolutely smashed her role!

I don’t want to spoil anything but some of my favorite scenes were preparation for the pagent with the Drag Queens, (I know fans of Ru Pauls Drag Race will certainly spot a few favorites) and also the entire pagent which had me grinning from ear to ear with just how wonderful it was!

If you haven’t seen this film yet then I highly recommend that you go out and get yourself a big bag of popcorn and scheduled a night in on the sofa. I loved it and I really hope you do too, and if you have already seen it then let me know what you thought of it in the comments!

To All The Boys I’ve Loved Before – Film Review

August 19, 2018

TATBNS

This film was everything and more! I’m a huge fan of the books so I was very excited and apprehensive about the film as I have been let down before with film adaptations but after seeing the trailer I knew we were in for something special. Like the books, the film was heart-warming, funny and a wonderful representation of love and romance.

Casting recently for YA adaptations have been on point, but this has to be my favorite so far. The chemistry between Lara Jean (Lana Condor) and Peter (Noah Cons) was something straight off the page and it was lovely to see them both eventually fall for each other. Their scenes in the cafe were among some of my favourites as they both bounced off each other perfectly and had me smiling for ear to ear. Another thing I loved was their connection on an emotional level when they had deep and meaningful conversations about their parents and own struggles, it added another layer to their blossoming romance.

Although the film mainly focused on the romance between Lara Jean and Peter, we were still treated to some lovely scenes between the Song sisters, my particular favourites being those between Lara Jean and Kitty! I spent the entire film smiling, as everything was just wonderful. There’s just something special about seeing one of your favourite fictional characters finally come to life and being able to see their story on the screen in front of you.

Jenny Han’s cameo was a nice little extra as well as all the little bits from the books that I’m sure fans will really appreciate. I’m not even sour that they didn’t include the Halloween scene in the film as everything else was perfect, so thank you Netflix and Awesomeness TV for doing YA adaptation right!

I can’t praise this film enough as it was wonderful, it has already earned a place on my list of favourite romance films! After watching it, I jumped onto Twitter and it was lovely seeing so many other people loving this film as much as me, so fingers crossed that thanks to such a great response they’ll make a sequel. If you want more of Lara Jean and Peter then I highly recommend that you read the books, and I’ll leave my review to the first book here!

To All The Boys I’ve Loved Before – Cast and Trailer Reaction

July 29, 2018

First things first, when did this happen? I literally just stumbled onto Jenny Han’s Instagram and discovered that they’re making her much-loved series into a film and they’ve already announced the cast and everything! Seriously, have I been living under a rock or something? The wonderful thing is that the film is being released on the 17th August on Netflix which means that I can sit in bed with a big bowl of popcorn and watch it, yay!

I’m probably the only one who didn’t know about this film but I thought I’d react to the casting and trailer anyway and hopefully, there’s someone out there like me who had no idea that one of the best YA contemporary series is being made into a movie.

Trailer Reaction

I am living for this trailer! Everything about it reflects what I love about the books, the cuteness, the hilarity and just how heartwarming these characters and this story truly is. If you haven’t read these books, please do because they are the perfect summer read and I can guarantee that you will fall in love with them. Some of my favourite moments in the trailer are the scene with Lara Jean and Josh in the field and of course the glimpse we get of the hot tub scene with Peter!

TATBILB

Casting Reaction

Lara Jean Covey: Lara Condor – This is exactly how I envisioned Lara Jean, Lara Condor fits the part perfectly. She’s got that beautiful, caring and innocent look and I think the casting directors did a fab job picking her! I loved her in X-Men Apocolypse but this role is very different and I’m excited to see her bring one of my favourite contemporary characters to life.

Peter Kavinsky: Noah Centineo – When I first saw pictures of him I was a bit skeptical but after seeing him in the trailer my opinions are completely changed! I’m now in love with this casting as he’s definitely got that cute and cocky look just like Peter! I honestly can’t wait to see how they portray the relationship between Peter and Lara Jean and I’m keeping all my fingers crossed that they include a baking scene because how cute would that be?!

Josh Sanderson: Israel Broussard – Perfect! He’s so cute and has the boy next door kinda look which I am loving! The casting of Josh and Lara are probably my favorites, they’re both so accurate and exactly how I pictured them!

John Ambrose McClaren: Jordan Burtchett – This is another one I struggled with as I always pictured him as a blonde but the more I look at him, the more I see him as John Ambrose! Still mixed feelings though but nevertheless I look forward to seeing him on screen!

Kitty Covey: Anna Cathcart – Kitty is one of the most important characters in the film, so I was super excited and nervous to see who they had cast and if they would live up to Kitty’s vivacious and sassiness!

Margot Covey: Janel Parish – I loved her in Pretty Little Liars but I can’t stop seeing her as Mona, whose character is a complete contrast to Margot! But despite that, I’m totally getting that caring yet serious vibe from her and I just can’t wait to see how all the Song sisters interact with each other.

Wonder – R.J. Palacio

September 28, 2017

I found it really hard to write this review which is ironic because I’ve fallen completely and utterly in love with this story and its inspiring characters. Wonder is a beautiful, humorous, life-affirming story that may just change its readers because of how positive its storyline and characters are, I know it certainly changed me and there are only two other books that have ever done that.

August (Auggie) Pullman was born with a facial deformity that prevented him from going to a mainstream school—until now. He’s about to start 5th grade at Beecher Prep, and if you’ve ever been the new kid then you know how hard that can be. The thing is Auggie’s just an ordinary kid, with an extraordinary face. But can he convince his new classmates that he’s just like them, despite appearances?

The message is clear, not to judge people based on their looks because what truly matters is everything underneath, your personality, emotion, humor etc and August is a perfect example of this. I loved his honesty, humor and overall positivity and I did find it hard when he was bullied but that’s life and there will always be someone who is just downright cruel. However, I loved seeing different characters discover how amazing August was and by the end of the book I was a complete and utter state!

I also wasn’t expecting this book to have so many different perspectives but all of them worked beautifully with each other and it was really interesting to see characters different and honest reactions to August. Without these different perspectives, I don’t think this book would have been so real and its clear that it’s not a story just about August. It was Via’s perspective that really hit me hard because it was so relatable and honest. Going to different school and not wanting to be known as the ‘girl with the brother with a facial deformity’ is understandable but despite this, she never lost her love and support for her brother. That right there is beautiful and it certainly did tug on a few heartstrings!

This book deserves all the praise it has been receiving and certainly deserves to be read by all as it is just incredible. I’m really interested to see how they’ve adapted it to film and I already have high hopes just from the trailer and the casting. I highly recommend you read ‘Wonder’ because it really is a beautifully honest story that needs to be shared.

2016 Favourites – Books, Films and TV Shows

December 31, 2016

Unexpected. If I had to describe my year in one word it would be that because a lot of things happened (some for the better) that I didn’t expect. I think some of the biggest shocks have happened in politics with the UK deciding to leave the EU and Trump winning the presidential election in the US, yet we’ve also had some serious shocks with celebrity deaths (some of which I’m still not over), RIP Carrie Fisher, Alan Rickman and others. But enough with politics and negativity as 2016 hasn’t been all that bad as we saw the world unite in the Olympic Games in Rio this summer and over Pokemon Go. In terms of the environment endangered animal numbers (for example tigers and pandas) are increasing and climate change is beginning to be taken seriously and in science, there have been some life-changing medical breakthroughs. For us book bloggers we’ve been given some epic releases and reads this year so we thought we’d share some of our favourites and feel free to link your favourites posts in the comments below and we’ll link our reviews as well so check them out! Also feel free to check out my Goodreads page which has a full list of all the books I’ve read this year and I was also able to complete my goal of reading 40 books this year!

Amy

The Vampire Diaries – I can’t believe I haven’t watched this sooner and it is definitely one of my top 5 favourite TV shows of all time! I have a secret love for vampires and after Twilight, I didn’t know what else I could watch/read.
Leigh Bardugo – Mainly her a Six of Crows series because that is just amazing and I highly recommend you pick up this series right now or even start on her Grisha Trilogy which is equally as fantastic! She gets you so involved in her character’s storylines and I don’t think I can find a fault in either of them!
Fantastic Beasts and Where To Find Them – I have no words, it was just magical.
Nicola Yoon – One of my new favourite authors and someone I only discovered this year through her debut novel ‘Everything Everything’ which was just so cute yet heartbreaking. And if you’ve been reading our blog recently then you all know about my love for her new book ‘The Sun Is Also A Star’ and those who haven’t, I’ll spare you from my endless praise!
Lady Midnight – This year I was able to not only read this book which is set in one of my favourite universes but meet Cassandra Clare herself and meet some amazing people in the queue! I was able to get my book signed and get some embarrassing photos of me meeting her too!
Morgan Matson – Another one of my favourite contemporary authors, and this summer I read a few more of her books including ‘The Unexpected Everything’ and ‘Amy and Rodgers Epic Detour’ both of which were super cute and I will leave a link to their reviews.
Stranger Things – This show was honestly incredible as not only was its characters loveable and badass but its storyline was super gripping so much so that I binged watched the show in a day.
Wolf By Wolf Series – This series had such an interesting concept and characters as well as being heartbreaking and powerful. I highly recommend you pick this up if you’re looking for an action packed war-themed read.
Outlander – Our new obsession and I literally can’t wait for the next season! Fingers crossed next year we will be able to visit some of the iconic landmarks and sets of the show!
Star Wars: Rogue One – I went and saw this a couple of days ago and I was completely blown away, it was just incredible. I don’t think they could make a bad Star Wars film.

Eleanor:

Outlander – I became literally obsessed with this series this year, I cannot wait for season 3!
Reign – I have only just watched this and I feel bad for not watching it sooner, especially as Amy was always telling me to watch it! But Amy was right, it is really good!
A Court of Mist and Fury – The sequel to A Court of Thorns and Roses, I thought it was better than the first which is uncommon for a series but I suppose it is Sarah J Maas so I shouldn’t be too surprised.
All The Bright Places – I read this book on holiday this year and it is honestly one of the best books I have ever read, there was a lot of hype around it but in my opinion it deserved it.
The Originals – I love this show so much, I’m hoping Amy will start watching it soon now that she’s started to watch The Vampire Diaries!
The Missing – This was an incredible series on BBC1 that literally had everyone clueless until the last episode where everything clicked, absolutely fabulous!
The Night Manager – Another fabulous BBC drama, this show ensured to me that Tom Hiddleston should be James Bond.
Call the Midwife – Again a BBC drama about midwives in 1960’s London, its real and probably the most realistic show that involves midwifery.
War and Peace – This was a TV show adapted from the very big book, it was aired on BBC1 and had some very famous people in the cast, a great period drama!
Lady Midnight – This was a much anticipated book and it did not disappoint! I love and relish the opportunity to return to one of my favourite worlds!

Moana – Film Review

December 7, 2016

Disney has once again created a beautiful and funny film that will pull on your heart strings as well as once again providing us with unrealistic expectations of hair! Admittedly, I was probably one of the oldest people in the cinema but I didn’t care because I loved it and while I may have a few critiques, I feel the real importance is its messages and background.

This animated adventure follows Moana, an adventurous teenager who sails out on a daring mission to save her people along with demigod, Maui who must return reunite a mystical relic as well as battling some of the most dangerous creatures of the ocean.

Moana is such a beautiful and iconic character as she’s not only a strong, progressive and independent woman who is a female leader-in-waiting but who cares about the environment and who looks beyond the borders of her homeland to face the challenges of the future. She is an inspiration to the next generation. The banter between her and Maui is enjoyable and won’t fail to crack and few laughs and put a smile on your face. But the most beautiful character is that of the ocean itself, a symphony of fluid movements whose waves become hands that aid our hero’s, not least in constantly saving Moana’s half-witted chicken companion Heihei, who provides many slapstick laughs.

Moana is the first Disney film to focus and highlight Polynesian culture, I really felt that when I came out of the cinema I had learned something about their culture and how beautiful it is. I appreciated the five years of research that went into this film and the effort that went into animating this unique and beautiful culture and lifestyle.

My only criticism is that I thought it dragged on a bit and that some scenes weren’t needed, including the scene with a giant crab, for me, it didn’t sit well with the rest of the film, however, that scene did include a pretty catchy song. The soundtrack, some of which was written by the incredible Lin-Manuel Miranda, again incorporates the Polynesian culture and language as well as being inspiring and addictive. I’ve been playing its songs for the past week and I just can’t get them out of my head!

In final then, I’m going to give this film 4.5 stars as it was a heart-warming film for all the family to enjoy which included both child and adult humor. All the characters were beautifully created as well as breaking more boundaries for female stereotypes. If your fans of Pocahontas and Mulan then I can guarantee that you’ll be a fan of Moana!

Me, Earl and the Dying Girl (2015) – Film Review

July 21, 2016

Oh man, I can’t believe how emotional this film made me! Jeeze, I was actually an emotional wreck! I have to be honest though this film wasn’t one that I was dying to see, I only really watched it because I was home alone and a little bit bored… I didn’t really know what I was expecting, but I really enjoyed it!

I don’t want to describe the plot too much because Amy did a beautiful job in her book review of this story, so if you want to see a more detailed description of the story I will leave the link here, trust me it’s a really good review! But briefly, this story is about an ordinary teenage boy, Greg, who only really has one friend, Earl. However, his mother forces him to hang out with this girl Rachel who has just been diagnosed with Leukemia and they form an unexpected friendship.

The whole film is narrated by Greg, with little annotations, which I assume were chapters in the book? Anyways, I really liked that idea and I felt, as an audience, very included in the story. From what I can gather from Amy’s fab book review the film is pretty true to the book. It was well made in terms it really felt like a real teenager’s point of view (speaking from experience here), although I do have one question… is American high school really like that? It looked like a jungle and much more intense than high school here in England, or was it seriously exaggerated?

From Amy’s description, the characters seem a little different than in the book. Greg seemed pretty similar, just less interested in girls ‘and stuff’ in the film. I did feel as though I could relate to Greg through his self-confidence, I liked that this film showed a guy struggling with confidence issues and not just girls, a breath of fresh air, I liked it. He was also superbly acted by Thomas Mann, actually, all the acting in this film was brilliant, there weren’t many faces that I recognized, except Connie Britton who played Greg’s mum. I loved the actors in the principal roles such as Olivia Cooke who played Rachel and RJ Cyler who played Earl. I actually really liked Earl, I think he must have been played in more of a favorable light than in the book, but I thought he was really honest and funny!

I really liked the humor in this film, although it is technically a ‘Cancer Story’, it really did make me giggle, although sometimes I wasn’t sure whether I should be laughing? Also, another thing I quite liked was that it felt like a (well made) home video, I think this was because Greg was constantly narrating, so it felt like one of his films, which was pretty cool. The only criticism I have, and it is pretty small, is that I didn’t feel as though the continuation was great, I mean it wasn’t bad, but at some points, I felt like I was missing something?

The best thing about this film though is the portrayal of cancer and its effects on the sufferer and the people around them who love them. It was realistic, emotional and very close to home. There was a quote in the film that really resonated with me, I can’t remember it exactly so I’m quoting this from Amy’s book review … “you can know someone is dying on an intellectual level, but emotionally it hasn’t really hit you, and then when it does, that’s when you feel like shit.” I cannot describe how much I understand this, I have felt exactly the same, cancer affects so many people so I won’t be the only one who understands this. There aren’t many films that can touch me personally but this one certainly did.

I really enjoyed this film, it was such an emotional roller-coaster, it’s a great book if you’re in the mood for a laugh or a good cry! I’m going to give this 4/5 stars, I really enjoyed it.

Oscars – Biased Predictions 2016

February 28, 2016

Yes, it’s that time of year again- awards season. This is my favourite time of year as I’m a huge fan of film and I love to see the all the celebrities get dressed up on the red carpet and most importantly see who receives which awards. So, this year I thought we should make our own (biased) predictions for this year’s Oscars. For the full list of Oscar Nominees then visit the Official Website here!

Best Picture – This year the competition for Best Picture is fierce and even I’m having trouble picking a favourite to win as I think every film nominated is fantastic! I’ve haven’t seen yet ‘Bridge of Spies’ or ‘The Big Short’ but I’ve seen everything else and if I have to pick a winner then it’s going to be ‘The Revenant’ or ‘Spotlight’ but I would love ‘Mad Max: Fury Road’ to win!

Best Actor – I think it is obvious who we all want to win this year..Leonardo D’Caprio! This is his 6th nomination and I really do hope he finally wins, I think it would be cruel of the Academy if they didn’t give him one!

Best Actress – God, I’m struggling with each category as there are so many incredible Actors and Actresses nominated! After a lot of consideration I think Brie Larson will win as her work in ‘Room’ was incredible and was such a powerful performance. Oh but then there is Jennifer Lawrence who I adore, this is becoming a lot harder than I expected!

Best Supporting Actor – Tom Hardy or Sylvester Stallone. Again another case where I would be happy to see either Actor win but if I had to pick one it would be Stallone to win for ‘Creed’ as he never one an Oscar for ‘Rocky’ and I think now is the time!

Best Supporting Actress – I love this category this year because it’s such a great mix of exciting newcomers and legendary veterans and if I could pick a winner it would either be Alicia Vikander or Kate Winslet. I think Alicia is a brilliant newcomer who I loved in both Ex Machina and The Danish Girl but then theres Kate who has always been wonderful and I never fail to enjoy her work!

Best Director – Alejandro G. Iñárritu again has to win this award not only for his incredible film but for his unique and powerful filming. As well as this I also loved ‘Mad Max’ so I wouldn’t mind if George Miller won but I’m putting my money on Alejandro.

Best Adapted Screenplay – For this award I would pick ‘Brooklyn’ as it was such a lovely film and all I need to do now is read the book. As much as I want it to win for Best Picture, I think it’s got a better chance of winning this award instead.

Best Original Screenplay – ‘Ex Machina’ or ‘Inside Out’ are both fantastic films and I would be really pleased to see either of these films win!

That’s some my biased predictions! Do you agree/disagree? I will be watching the Oscars, but living in the UK makes it difficult due to timings and I’ve got exams tomorrow morning but that won’t stop me from catching up on all the fashion and awards tomorrow evening! Eeeeek I’m excited!

Maze Runner: The Scorch Trials – Film Review

February 5, 2016

I know I am extremely late to the game on this one but trust me I meant to see this in the cinema AGES ago as I am a really big fan of the books, but I just never got around to it, so I was really pleased when I finally got to see it! I’m kind of used to the anticipation of watching a book to film adaptation that I wasn’t too nervous, this might have been because the first film was so good, but I have to admit that it was a good film but it was SO different to the book!!

For those who don’t know this film is based on the second book in The Maze Runner series of books. The first film, The Maze Runner was a huge success after first time director Wes Ball’s vision was displayed in an honest adaptation of the book, with stunning visual effects as well as kick ass performances from cast members such as Dylan O’Brien, Thomas Brodie-Sangster and Ki Hong Lee, so of course there would be a sequel! The second film picks up right where the last left off, there is literally no time wasted which was good because you’re thrown right into the action but you are expected to know exactly what happens which can be difficult if you haven’t watched the first film in a while, you definitely couldn’t watch this if you haven’t seen the first film! This film continues the story of Thomas and his friends after they escape from the maze than the horrors they discover on outside.

This was a very intense, action packed and exciting film, there wasn’t a moment when there wasn’t some sort of danger that they had to escape from! It was very fast paced so the film went very quickly, I was engrossed from the beginning until the end! There were some brilliant aspects to this film, the visual effects were incredible, it was like a desolate/ desert New York, it was pretty much flawless! The acting was also awesome, Dylan O’Brien is just such an effortless actor it’s unreal, this film looked physically and emotionally demanding but was acted beautifully throughout. Another aspect I thought was done really well was the aesthetics of the cranks, in my head when I read the books I imagined the cranks as normal people on the outside but crazy within, but Wes Ball went full on zombie and I didn’t expect nor prepare for the cranks, it’s fair to say I was a little terrified! (but they were awesome!) The thing about this film was that it was VERY different from the book, I don’t think there was a single thing the same, this kind of irritated me because I love the book and think it would have made such a good film the way it was. But on the other hand it meant that I was surprised and was unaware of what was going to happen next which is always exciting.

Overall it was a packed, exciting film that had me fixed from beginning to end, I can’t wait for the third film… if there’s going to be a third film…? I’m going to give this a 4 out of 5 stars, almost a perfect but it strayed from the book a little too much for my liking.