TOP FIVE FAVOURITE FILMS

A couple of months ago I posted my top five favourite books, so I decided that I should compile a list of my favourite films. This list was very difficult for me to compile and has been months in the making - as I limited myself to my top five films, this list doesn't even begin to cover all of the films that I love. I tried to keep it quite diverse and include different genres of films and different franchises. However, if anyone would like me to make another top films list, I would be more than happy to oblige. 

5) ONE FLEW OVER THE CUCKOO'S NEST (1975)

If you've read my top five favourite books post, you'll know that I included the novel which the film is based on in my list. While the film adaptation isn't always accurate to its source material, it is still just as poignant and thought provoking. Despite its various differences to the novel, the film has the same essence as the book, and this is mostly because Jack Nicholson's portrayal of McMurphy is astonishingly accurate to the character in the book. The rest of the cast perform very well and bring the characters to life wonderfully - while not all of them look how I imagined the characters to appear, they certainly capture their personalities well. One little complaint that I do have about the film is that Chief is sidelined somewhat, as his role as the narrator in the novel is scrapped in the adaptation - however, this is only a very minor issue that I have with the film.

4) FIGHT CLUB (1999)

"The first rule of Fight Club is you do not talk about Fight Club" ... I'm afraid that I'm going to be a bit rebellious and break this rule. Fight Club chronicles the tale of a depressed young man known only as 'The Narrator' (Edward Norton) who dislikes his job and turns his attention to buying furniture from Ikea. While on a business-class flight, he meets the charming soap salesman Tyler Durden (Brad Pitt), and together the two of them create an underground Fight Club. Despite its age, Fight Club is still hugely relevant to the twenty first century, as it tackles some pretty hefty political themes. At times it is thought-provoking, at others hilarious, but for its entirety Fight Club is a very watchable and entertaining film.

3) THE LORD OF THE RINGS - THE TWO TOWERS (2002)

I've been a fan of The Lord of the Rings since I was about seven years old - granted, I didn't understand the films as well back then, but the fact that the trilogy has stayed a favourite for such a long time is really a testament to its legacy. The reason that I've picked The Two Towers as my favourite of the trilogy (all though admittedly it is a close call between the first two films) is because the sense of danger is amped up. The battle sequences are more frequent and visually stunning, especially considering that the film was released over ten years ago. Even more impressive than the battle scene CGI is the motion capture work to create Gollum - even now the special effects used to create the character do not cease to amaze me.

2) SILVER LININGS PLAYBOOK (2012)

Silver Linings Playbook was really an impulse buy for me, as I didn't really know what it was about but I'd heard that it was supposed to be well reviewed when I bought it on DVD. Prior to this film, I'd never seen a David O. Russell film, and I had only seen the film's leads - Bradley Cooper and Jennifer Lawrence - in The Hangover and The Hunger Games respectively. As it turns out, the film was far better than I had imagined; the plot is surprisingly refreshing, as it follows Pat Solatano (Cooper) as he tries to regain his house, his job, and his wife, Nikki, after spending eight months in a psychiatric institution. When he meets the troubled Tiffany (Lawrence), she offers him a way to rekindle his relationship with Nikki - but only if he'll do something in return for her.

1) THE DARK KNIGHT (2008)

As you may or may not have guessed by now, I am a massive fan of Christopher Nolan's films. The Dark Knight was the first Nolan film that I ever watched. I'll be honest, I was doubtful that I would like it at first. However, I was soon proved wrong and was blown away by almost every aspect of the film - the plot of the film is absolutely superb, and is more akin to a gritty crime thriller than a comic book adaptation. The film follows Bruce Wayne/Batman (Christian Bale) as he forges an alliance with District Attorney, Harvey Dent (Aaron Eckhart) and Lt. James Gordon (Gary Oldman) in an effort to finally rid the streets of Gotham from organised crime and a maniacal criminal called The Joker (Heath Ledger). While I agree that the portrayal of The Joker is outstanding, I feel that the rest of the cast are somewhat under appreciated. The acting in this film - including Heath Ledger's now iconic portrayal of Batman's nemesis - is sublime all round. 

So, all in all, a pretty long film post - if you've managed to make it to the end, I applaud you. This will probably be my last post in 2013 - in case I don't get round to making a separate post, I wish you all a happy new year.

MERRY CHRISTMAS EVERYONE!

I thought I'd just make a quick little post to wish everyone a happy and restful Christmas. Whatever you're doing today, whether it be celebrating with the family or spending the day relaxing, I hope you all have a wonderful time. 

All the best,

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CHRISTMAS NAIL POLISH PICKS

The Christmas season is upon us, which can only mean one thing - celebrations galore. With this in mind, I've picked out five of the nail polishes in my collection which I think are great for this time of year - mostly because they were the most glittery polishes that I could find! Joking aside, here are my picks for some of the best yuletide nail colours.

O.P.I NAIL LACQUER IN LAST FRIDAY NIGHT

This product is from Katy Perry's O.P.I collection (as the name of the polish suggests) from 2011, so I have had it for a little while now. Despite its age, this is a great polish for special occasions or festivities because of its sparkle. Unlike some glittery nail polishes, this one doesn't require numerous coats to build up a solid colour. The actual polish is a very pale blue, almost like a tinted top coat, and it is flecked with bright blue and silver.

RIMMEL LASTING FINISH POLISH IN DISCO BALL

I apologise for the picture quality of this polish - it is so bright and glittery that my camera couldn't focus onto it! This shade is basically a clear nail polish which is studded with different sized flecks of silver, lilac, and blue glitter. This varnish is probably best used as a top coat, as a solid colour will require several coats. Unlike the O.P.I shades on this list, this varnish is a much more affordable party polish.

MAVALA NAIL POLISH IN 370 ELEGANCE

This shade is much more wearable for everyday than the previous two - as the name of the polish suggests, this is a very elegant and sophisticated colour. What's good about this shade is that it goes with pretty much any outfit - unlike some of my other picks which are a bit more bright and bold. The colour itself is sort of a cross between nude and gold, which makes it a bit more of a Christmas colour in my book.

O.P.I NAIL LACQUER IN DIVA OF GENEVA

Again, apologies for the image quality - taking photographs next to Christmas lights is, in hindsight, not the best of ideas. I got this nail polish just the other day as an early Christmas present from one of my friends. As I'm wearing this on my nails at the present time, I thought I'd include it in the list as it is so gorgeous. Granted, deep purple probably isn't the most Christmassy colour, but this shade has a hint of gold in it. Since this was a gift, I'm not sure how expensive this polish is, but I would imagine that it would be discounted online.

O.P.I NAIL LACQUER IN THE SPY WHO LOVED ME

I've saved what I feel is the most festive of the nail polishes until last - this shade from O.P.I's James Bond collection (sorry, there have been a lot from this brand) is a great classy and Christmassy colour. This shade is a vibrant red with flecks of gold glitter in it - I can't think of anything more Christmassy! Appropriately, I got this varnish last Christmas, so it might be available to buy more cheaply now.

So there you have it - my top picks for Christmas nail polishes. Hopefully this won't be my last post before Christmas, but if it is, then I wish you all a very happy Christmas.

FILM NIGHT - THE HOBBIT: THE DESOLATION OF SMAUG

It's sort of become a Christmas tradition that my friends and I go and watch the latest Hobbit film on the day of its release. Having enjoyed the first film in the franchise, I have been eagerly awaiting the sequel for pretty much the whole of the year. In this second installment to the franchise, Martin Freeman reprises his role as Bilbo Baggins, who we rejoin on his quest with Gandalf (Ian McKellen) and Thorin Oakenshield (Richard Armitage) among others, as they draw ever closer to regaining the dwarves' homeland and riches.

One of the main criticisms of An Unexpected Journey was that the film dragged out for too long and there wasn't that much action - The Desolation of Smaug, on the other hand, is much more fast-paced. Similarly to The Two Towers and The Return of the King, the film follows groups of characters doing different things, which keeps the film engaging. The fact that the quest is already underway when the film begins is probably one of the main contributors to the faster pace; however, this does mean that any new viewers to the franchise might get a little lost in some parts of the film.

As well as the faster pace, the overall mood of the series gets a bit of an overhaul in this installment. While An Unexpected Journey was quite light-hearted, its sequel places a greater emphasis on the consequences of the quest, resulting in a darker tone. This is due, in part, to the fact that both of the main antagonists of the series are fully introduced in this film - both Smaug and The Necromancer. Despite this, the film is still quite comical, with wisecracks and Lord of the Rings references in abundance. This helps to bring balance to the film - it is based on a childrens' book, after all.

Naturally, the special effects of a fantasy film are always in question, as they can arguably make or break the film. In some senses, this film does rely on CGI a little more than its predecessor, but this is mainly because of the introduction of Smaug (more on that later). The other uses of special effects aren't ground-breaking like the LOTR graphics were; they are the sort of standard that cinema-goers expect to see in any blockbuster. Visually, however, the film has made an improvement on An Unexpected Journey, as some of the camera work is a little more inventive. A particular note-worthy piece of cinematography/special effects is when Bilbo puts the ring on - instead of him disappearing, a sepia tone (that has become widely associate with wearing the ring) washes over the screen. Now - onto the subject of Smaug. I won't give away too much about what he looks like, but what I will say is that he is nothing short of impressive. Aided by Benedict Cumberbatch's vocals and motion-capture performance, the scenes where the gang finally behold the dragon are a triumph.

Overall, I'd say that the second installment in The Hobbit franchise is much more of an improvement on the last film - not that I didn't like the first film, but its successor is much more tense and action-packed. The recurring cast build on their performances well, but for me, its newcomers to the franchise that keep the film going strong, as they propel the quest closer to its end.

CHRISTMAS COOKING - APPLE AND CINNAMON PASTRIES

The taste of cinnamon is synonymous with Christmas - that is simply a fact of life. Since I'm very much in the holiday spirit (and have been since about the beginning of November), I decided to bake something a little bit festive. Granted, apple and cinnamon isn't exactly the most festive combination, but the flavours work so well together. These little pastries can be a great alternative to mince pies, or can be served up as a Christmas party snack.

INGREDIENTS:

For the pastry...
(You could use shop-bought pastry for this recipe, but I went ahead and made my own)
225 grams of plain flour
110 grams of butter
80 grams of sugar
1 egg
A little bit of milk

For the filling...
2 tablespoons of brown sugar
2 apples (plain or cooking apples - it doesn't matter)
1 lemon
2 teaspoons of vanilla extract
3 teaspoons of cinnamon
1/2 a tablespoon of water
1 egg

METHOD:

Preheat the oven to about 180 to 200 degrees celsius

If you are using shop-bought pastry, skip the next couple of steps

To make the pastry, add the butter and flour to a mixing bowl and crumb the two together using your hands. When this is done, combine the sugar into the crumbed mixture - you can use a spoon or your hands to do this.

Add in the egg and some milk to soften the mixture into a ball of pastry dough - once this is done, leave it in the fridge for a while (I left it in the fridge for about an hour and a half, but if you have more time then leave it in for longer).

Once the pastry has chilled, roll it out into a large rectangle and cut out little discs using either a cookie cutter or a pastry cutting tool. Each pastry requires two discs, one for the base and one to act as a lid, so make sure you cut out twice the amount of pastries that you want. Lay out half of the discs onto a pre-lined baking tray.

Next, finely chop the apples and add them into a saucepan. To add some sharpness (and to prevent the apples from browning), add in the juice of one lemon. Add in the sugar, cinnamon, vanilla extract, and a drop of water and let the mixture simmer over a low heat for four to five minutes. The mixture will be done when the apples have softened.

The pastry discs on a baking tray and the simmering apple mixture!

Place the apple mixture onto half of the pastry discs. Beat an egg in a mug and brush the egg wash over the other half of the pastry discs. Place the egg-washed pastry on top of the apple covered discs with the washed side facing down. Pinch the corners of the pastries to seal the mixture inside.

Brush the egg wash on top of the pastries, and then bake them in the oven for about five to ten minutes. Make sure you check on them frequently, as they can burn quite quickly.


I hope you've enjoyed reading this Christmassy recipe - let me know in the comments if you decide to try baking these. They are quite time consuming to make, but trust me, they really are worth the effort.

NOVEMBER FAVOURITES

I would normally say that the past month has gone by too quickly, but since I've been excited for Christmas since the beginning of the month (a bit premature, I know) I don't see that that's a bad thing. Over the course of November, I decided to try out some of the products that have been sat in the bottom of my drawer for a good long while. I would thoroughly recommend doing this - not only does it mean less waste, but it can also be quite fun experimenting with old favourites. As well as beauty, I've added in a couple of film and TV top picks for the past month - some are older and some are newer favourites.

BENEFIT CHEEK TINTS - BENETINT AND POSIETINT

As you can probably tell from the condition of these two products, I have had both of these cheek tints for quite some time. This month, I decided to have a rummage around in my make-up drawer to try and start using some of the products that have been neglected as of late. I'm actually very glad that I did rediscover these two gems, as I'd forgotten how good they are. Benetint gives a lovely yet subtle flush to the cheeks, and Posietint (which is my favourite of the two, I'll be honest) is a gorgeous bright pink that blends out to a soft pop of rose on the cheekbones. Both products are wonderfully versatile too, as they can be used on the lips for a much more natural look - it also means that you can coordinate lip and cheek colours with absolute ease.

SOAP AND GLORY ARCHERY EYE-BROW PENCIL IN LOVE IS BLONDE

With this product, I fluctuate between using solely the brow tint and the pencil. Despite my indecisiveness, it can be said that both parts to this product are fantastic. Prior to buying this, I was using the highly-praised Rimmel brow pencil - however, I found that it was far too red toned for my brows and ultimately looked quite unnatural. With Soap and Glory's pencil, I have never had that issue - granted, it is more expensive than its Rimmel counterpart, but I do think that you get what you pay for in this instance.

CLINIQUE QUICKLINER IN 01 INTENSE BLACK

The version of the eyeliner that I have is actually a sample - I'm very impressed with the sample size, as this eyeliner has lasted me a good long while. This product obviously has a certain degree of bias, considering the fact that I got it for free, and didn't have to worry about forking out for it only to discover that I disliked it. As it happens, I do not dislike this product - on the contrary, I think that it is superb. One of the criteria that I have for buying pencil eyeliners is that they have to be soft and creamy, as I have quite sensitive eyes. The ease of blending is another necessity for any eyeliner that I buy; fortunately, this product ticks all the right boxes for me. This month, I've been wearing this product a lot along my bottom lash-line and then blending it to soften the look. Clinique's product has been perfect for doing the job, and I'm tempted to go out and buy a full-sized version of the product now.

FILM - SILVER LININGS PLAYBOOK

One of the things that I really love about Silver Linings Playbook is how funny it is - when I bought it, I'd never seen it before and imagined it to be quite a soppy romantic comedy. It is quite the opposite; some of the wise-cracks in this film are absolutely hilarious. As for the romance (which isn't usually something that I like in a film), it is refreshingly touching, and omits the groan inducing cliches that have become a staple of the genre. The plot of the film follows Pat Solitano (Bradley Cooper), a man is diagnosed with bipolar disorder. Upon his release from a psychiatric hospital, he moves back in with his parents and aims to win back his estranged wife, Nikki. In order to do this, Pat asks the help of recently-widowed Tiffany Maxwell (Jennifer Lawrence). She agrees to help Pat - on the condition that he enters a local dance contest with her. I've been watching this film repeatedly throughout the month, and I honestly can't recommend it enough.

TV SERIES - THE WALKING DEAD

At the beginning of the month, I decided to start watching a new TV series, as I hadn't been watching anything for quite a long time (what with the hugely prolonged absence of the other shows that I love). On a whim, I decided to start watching The Walking Dead, based mostly on the fact that one of my favourite films is Shaun of the Dead, which also happens to be about a zombie apocalypse. Despite the fact that I haven't got that far through the show, I would still recommend watching it. However, if you're a bit squeamish and don't like gore, then I'd probably give this one a miss - not that it's the most overly gory show in the world, but as you can imagine, anything to do with zombies has its fair share of blood and guts. The show follows Rick Grimes (Andrew Lincoln), a sheriff's deputy who wakes up from a coma only to  find that the world has been overrun by flesh-eating zombies. He then sets out to try and find his family and meets a group of other survivors on the way.


On a complete side-note, an honourable mention in this month's favourites is the fact that Sherlock is returning to British screens on New Year's Day. When they announced the air-date, I cannot tell you how pleased I was, as Sherlock is my all-time favourite TV show. If you're not already watching it - seriously, you're missing out - I implore you to do so before the new series is released. Everything about the show is absolutely sublime, and I am yet to meet a person that doesn't love it.

Fangirling aside, I hope you enjoyed my monthly favourites post. Throughout December, I'll probably be posting a lot of Christmas DIY or baking projects, so don't forget to keep an eye out for those!