Tangled ♥

Tangled is incredible! This is the first princess film to be released by Disney since Princess and the Frog which wasn't that long ago however this one marries the traditional drawn style of Disney classics with the depth, detail and realism of digitally worked films like Up and Toy Story.
At first I thought oh no- we had the beautiful hand drawn elements that were so masterfully done in The Princess and the Frog and I was afraid that after seeing posters and teaser trailer snippets on my Beauty and the Beast blu ray that it wouldn't have the charm that classics like The Little Mermaid, Aladdin and Beauty and the Beast have- but I was wrong!

It has really encapsulated the charm and nostalgia that those late 80's, early 90's Disney movies had but really brought it bang up to date with this feisty, exciting new take on the Rapunzel fairytale. The film is best seen in 3D because of the detail- 9I mean Rapunzel's hair is absolutely amazing, the movement of it and the way every golden strand catches the light left me awestruck)- and fast pace of the story- (it is an adventure after all) , however I've only seen it in 2D because I chicken out of seeing anything in 3D.

I'll admit I didn't know the story of Rapunzel that well, but what I did know was how much the fairytale shocked me and the cruelness and deception of keeping this lovely innocent princess locked in a tower- I mean at least Maleficent made her thoughts known at the birth of Princess Aurora and she warned them all what was coming. In this fairytale there are no kind fairies to step in and handle the evil going on! In Tangled the princess Rapunzel has to find her own way to fight the manipulative witch that has kept her locked away and discover the world for the first time. She's helped along the way by notorious thief Flynn Rider, her adorable chameleon and a noble steed who is one step ahead of everyone.

I won't say too much more because I'd love for everyone to go and see it and make the most of this amazing piece of film! It made me feel like I was little again and I love that feeling of nostalgia ♥

Totally Wicked ♥

As I mentioned in my last blog post, I had plans to go down to London for my birthday to see Wicked, go shopping on Oxford street and to see my lovely best friend and fellow blogger, Natasha. I don't want to go on too much about it all but it was just a perfect weekend; I have always loved going down to see shows on the West End whether it be something fun like Fame, or something more serious and non-musical like Equus. Anyway, as I mentioned previously, Wicked has been a show I have wanted to see for a long, long time. I can tell you that it did not disappoint. If anything it went past my high expectations of it, and left me wanting desperately to go back and see it again. I actually went to see it with my boyfriend Ben, who was not a musical theatre fan at all and did not particularly like the idea of going (when we first got tickets I had to promise to balance out the trip with going to the Natural History Museum and the Oxford street Topman). However, during the interval he turned round to me and told me how amazed he was and that when he got home he was going to learn to play Defying Gravity on his guitar. After the show he agreed that he would be more than happy to see it again. I also bought most of the merchandise; the soundtrack which I love singing along to (when no one is around to listen), the Grimmerie book all about the show, the programme, the Grimmerie silver charm, and I am currently waiting for Amazon to deliver the novel to me. Total. Wicked. Mania.

I mentioned before that I was particularly excited to see Lee Mead, who in the show plays Fiyero. But as amazing as Lee was, the show was totally owned by Rachel Tucker and Louise Dearman who play Elphaba and Galinda (later known as Glinda the Good). The chemistry between the two, who start as rivals and become good friends, was just amazing. Their performances were outstanding! Louise especially was hilarious and played her role brilliantly, and Rachel's voice was just beautiful, she sings so passionately and defiantly! Overall, it is a beautiful show, the cast, the costumes and sets, the music, everything about it is just wonderful, I really cant praise it enough. And as for the story of it, well, that is something I really can't give away. Let me just say that if you are a fan of the Wizard of Oz, then you will love Wicked as it is sort of a prequel to Dorothy's adventure. Please don't ruin it for yourselves by reading into it, just go along and let yourself be amazed ♥

Rachel Tucker as Elphaba

Louise Dearman as Galinda

Lee Mead as Fiyero

Rachel Tucker and Lee Mead performing 'As Long As You're Mine'

Something Wicked Comes this way...

The Wizard of Oz has been a favourite film of mine for a long, long time, ever since I was little. So you can imagine my excitement when the lovely musical Wicked (the untold story of the Witches of Oz) came to the West End, and then my disappointment when nearly everyone I knew went to see it without me... That being said I do believe that everything happens for a reason - but if I'm really honest then I do admit that I only started thinking that about this particular situation when I found out that the lovely Lee Mead had been cast in it! Lee won the starring role of Joseph and the Amazing Technicolour Dreamcoat on Andrew Lloyd Webber's tv show Any Dream Will Do, and he was my favourite to win right from the get go. Sadly I did not get the chance to see him in that show, but next Saturday I WILL be getting to see him in Wicked when I go down to London for my birthday, Yippeeeee ♥

Also starring in Wicked in the lead role of Elphaba is the lovely Rachel Tucker, who also appeared in a Lloyd Webber series, I'd Do Anything, the winner getting to star as Nancy in a West End production of Oliver. I think she got to the semi-finals, and I remember the judges constantly questioning her about being on the show, competing against amateurs when she already had a professional career in theatre. Although she did not win she was still amazing, and obviously has gone onto bigger things. I cannot wait to see both Rachel and Lee in Wicked ♥

Even though my Wicked weekend is only a few days away, I cannot contain my excitement because not only am I going to be seeing this lovely musical, I am also going to be meeting up with my bestest best and Midnight Picture Show other-half, Natasha, who happens to be in London the same weekend! We have lots planned and I have been trying to convince her to get Wicked tickets too! Anyway, to keep me distracted until then, I have been enjoying the film that inspired the musical ♥

Somewhere

If you are a fan of Sofia Coppola films, then you will love Somewhere; the theme of the film and the somewhat toned down yet still beautiful aesthetic will please you I'm sure. If you are not such a fan, but you like films that are a little different, visually stunning and leave you thinking for a while, then you should still give this film a go. All I knew about this film before watching it was the information given in the trailer, and that it starred the up-and-coming Elle Fanning (yes, Dakota's little sister). I don't want to give too much away because before watching this film I didn't know a lot about it, and enjoyed it more-so because of that (trust me it's one of those films). What I will say on the story-line is that Coppola's central character (Stephen Dorff) is a newly famous actor who is living in the Chateau Marmont. But don't be fooled by thinking that you will get to see the glitz and glamour side to his job; in actual fact you see the opposite. The theme is familiar to that of Marie Antoinette and Lost in Translation; isolation and existensial crisis. What would be a film about loneliness picks up when his daughter (Fanning) comes to stay with him. Overall it is a breath-taking and beautiful film, it is heart-warming as it is relatable. Oh, and expect some lovely cameos! ♥

Like I said before, this is a film that will leave you thinking. In tone and style it is typically Coppola, but Dorff and Fanning are charming together as father and daughter and they are the ones who sold it for me; Fanning is just a ray of sunshine. What I also enjoyed about Somewhere is that it portrays a 'reality' side to Hollywood; we are all so used to being under the illusion that celebrities lead fantastic lifestyles, which in many cases is probably far from true. Coppola herself grew up on film sets and in hotels, and although she says the film is not fully autobiographical she did take some inspiration from her personal life for the film's themes and settings, which I think gives it so much more substance ♥

Scott Pilgrim vs the World

SCOTT PILGRIM vs the World is awesome. I watched it last night- the blu ray is amazing! It shows up all the intense colours of Ramona Flowers' hair, Michael Cera's wit and makes me want to play video games & drink Sprite (not that I don't already do that!) Pilgrim is in a band called the Sex BomBombs and he falls for pink haired Ramona Flowers. Little does he know she has seven evil exes and they all need to be defeated if Scott wants to stay Ramona's boyfriend- including super strong Lucas Lee (Chris Evans the guy who plays Johnny Storm in Fantastic Four) and super evil Gideon Graves (Jason Schwartsman) It's quirky, it's cool, it's witty. Mary Elizabeth Winstead's hair is super cool, I don't even know which shade is my favourite- pink to begin with, then blue and eventually turning an awesome shade of emerald for the ultimate fight with Gideon Graves (Jason Schwartzman) her seventh evil ex.