September Watch List

1. Dope

The film starts with a definition of the word 'dope', all three meanings are relevent to the film and the characters too. Malcom (Shameik Moore) is a self confessed nerd, along with his two best friends, Diggy and Jib. One of their most stand out qualities is that they are 90s hiphop enthusiasts. When they end up going to a drug dealers party and Malcom ends up with a bag full of MDA, the film takes a turn. They need to get rid of the drugs, but after the long hectic hilarious trail ends with disappointment, the story changes to nerds selling drugs. They get away with this because no one will suspect them. That is the basic story, to explain it in full would be confusing and I think would ruin the experience. Through all this chaos Malcom is trying to get into college and he has his heart set on Harvard but everyone around him doubts his chances but he never gives up. The soundtrack is brilliant, with a mixture of songs that the characters would listen to and songs from the groups band, Awreeoh. I can't really explain and do this film justice in a few sentences so, just go watchthe film. 4/5

2. Me and Earl and the Dying Girl

Based on a YA novel of the same name, a very catchy easy to say even though its long name, the story is sort of in the title. Greg, self made loner (of sorts) has deliberately detached himself from the typical highschool drama by not being part of a 'group' but being friendly with every group he has safe passage through the crazy. This is until his mum makes him hang out with Rachel, average normal teen who has just been diagnosed with cancer. From here, they form a, what Greg tells us throughout, doomed friendship. Greg reluctantly introduces Rachel, to his and his co-worker/friend's movies they make. They are hilarious. The rule, take a movie and make it stupider, works a treat. From start to finish Greg builds up the ultimate end and throughout he and Rachel have caring friendship which - as the title suggests - tragic end, but we all know its coming. What I thought was so refreshing was that Greg and Rachel's friendship stays platonic and its even more meaningful, in a way. She spurs him on to get of his self hating shell and apply for college and Greg even tries his best to convince Rachel to carry on the fight. Greg loves films and loves making them, I had a similar system in secondary school, so I understand the want to go under the radar. I had a friends but I didn't have a group and I avoided lots of dramatics but I did come out of my shell when I realised I shouldn't care what everyone thinks, I'll do what I want to do and I like what I like. Rachel needed Greg, an outsider to help her through the pain and Gred needed Rachel to make him understand to use his time well and not stay locked away. 3/5

 3. Irrational Man

 The only thing I kept saying through the film was 'Emma Stone was so annoying'. Or rather her character was. But Emma Stone, who can do no wrong really did not impress in this film. I had already read an article that Emma Stone and Jennifer Lawrence have an older man problem, and they do, they really do, watching this film just projected it. I was hoping that the film did not go down the route of student teacher romantic relationship, especially after fighting it for most of the film, but alas it did. Young woman falling for flawed older man is getting old and Woody Allen can do better. The parts I did like were Joaquin Pheonix - he is perfectly matched to Allen's babbling genius nonsense. The other element I enjoyed were the two voiceovers, Abe (Pheonix) and Jill (Stone), they were really quite funny. But the incredidly annoying Stone character took away quite a bit of the enjoyment of the film. The rating goes to really quite bizarre and 'wish they focused on this more than the dumb relationship' part when Abe decides his life has meaning after he decides to murder someone he doesn't know. But the film is on thin ice apart from this brilliant plot point. 3/5

4. A Girl Walks Home Alone At Night

An American film, set in Iran, written and directed by American Iranian Ana Lily Amirpour, starring American-Iranian actors, filmed in black and white and all the dialogue is in Persian (according to Wiki). It was dubbed as the 'The first Iranian vampire Western' and doubt there will be many more like it as this film could almost be the definition of unique. Arash, is hard working, his fancy car is prrof of this, but his father is drug addict and is in debt to local 'gangster' and pimp, Saeed. He takes his car as payment. Just after he has snubbed and mistreated one of his prostitutes, the Girl appears. She stalks him down, get invited into his home and drains him dry. This is theme, the Girl vampire goes after mem who mistreat women or nasty men in general. The first half is an intriduction to Arash and the Girl, the second half is a very gentle love story, ending in a bloody realisation. Apart from the blood and killing, the weird peacful tenderness that is shared speaks volumes more than if anything else more graphic or physical occured. Less is more here and throughout. Filmed in Calfifornia, it stands in for a Iranian ghost town called 'Bad City' which is again a very basic term for the people that live there and what happens. There doesn't seem to be any law enforcement around for all the deaths. The black and white adds to the delicate scenes, even the more bloody, it also makes the film feel otherwordly, that this is not somewhere familiar and I liked this. I would reccomened this film to anyone looking for something new to watch and anyone who appreciates art. I was pleased to here the film is being made into a graphic novel which will help the film story spread its wings, I just hope Arash and the Girl stay together. 4/5

5. Very Good Girls

I judged this film before it began. I saw the trailer months ago and dismissed it as sterotypical, best friends torn apart by a guy scenario. But its not really. Lily and Gerri (Dakota Fanning and Elizabeth Olsen) are best friends, very different in their views and behaviour, this is mirrored by their families too. After going to the beach they literally bump into David, ice cream seller/budding photographer, Gerri is obviously attracted to him but its Lily who captures his attention. He woos her by posting a photograph he took of her around the area he knows she'll be. They start dating and its sweet, for a while. Other things take over, including Lily's guilt over Gerri who still likes David, Lily's parents are separated after he cheated on her mum, Lily's boss at work is a little too interested and the general impending move to college looms slightly. The film goes deeper, in non superficial way, and it makes for a film about friendship and family and relationships in general. Dakota Fanning barely changes her expression but its her understated reaction to events that makes her character a lot more complex. In a way 'I totally get her'. This film was better than I thought and I'm glad it surprised me. 3/5

6. Naomi and Ely's No Kiss List

This was the stereotypical film about two best friends torn apart by a guy scenario, and it wasn't very good. It has a very low rating from me because the end scene was great and the monolgue voiceover at the end was perfectly done but everything else was a mess. Ely, over the top attention seeking, Naomi, always told she'd beautiful, needy and doesn't really have much substance to her. The characters feel like they were lifted out of a more successful YA novel. The chemistry between the best friends is brilliant but I wasn't convinced by Naomi wanting Ely (who is gay by the way) to be more than her life long friend. It was obvious that they love each other deeply but not in a romantic way. The 'guy' that tears them apart is Naomi's weak blank boyfriend who she doesn't really like but is really angry about when Ely kisses him. His defence, he wasn't on the 'no kiss list' of the title. Also, he really likes him and his interest is returned. Naomi just doesn't like being pushed aside. That's what it really comes down to. But never fear, everything gets neatly tied up in a happy little bundle over coffee. Typical YA nonsense. 1/5

7. Lost River

I don't understand the hate here. I can't see why everyone at Cannes made such a fuss saying the film was pretensious. It's not. The film is barely stylised. The cast are brilliant and the soundtrack is great (bought a few tracks), the story needed more padding but I think the locations did a lot of the speaking for the films too. A mixture of played down futuristic downfall and part urban fairytale and myth, it beautiful in some scenes. The story is about a single mother Billy (Christina Hendricks) and her two sons, Bones (Iain De Caestecker) and Franky, who live a run down part of the fictional city or area, Lost River. The houses are all being torn down by the banks who had run people out of their homes and Billy's home is next. After failing to sort something out with the bank, she takes a job offer, from the sleazy bank manager, at a weird high brow club that loves blood, gore and screams, all set up like theatre skits. Bones meanwhile tried to find copper from old houses to sell on but after he has a run in with local lunatic who claims all the copper in the area, Bully, he becomes a target. Rat (Saoirse Ronan), the family's neighbour, lives with her mute grandmother who spends her days watching her old wedding video. Rat and Bones have sweet relationship and she shares with him the myth of the underwater town. Legend says that if you bring a piece from the town to the surface, the spell will be broken and everything will be better. The line between 'make believe' and reality do blur but it makes it feel that this fantasy could be something possible. It is bleak but the characters make it colourful. 3/4

Fandom Friday: Pumpkin

Pumpkin item cannot wait to buy. It should be, pumpking receipes I cannot wait to make but in keeping with the theme (only one on the list is something I make, the rest I would buy.

1. Pumpkin Lattes

Every year I get really excited and gain a ton of weight just thinking about the pumpkin lattes from Starbucks. They are addictive and delicious. But as I got have a local coffee shop I go to in the morning before work, I will have to make infrequent to trips to Starbucks, making the lattes all the more special. Last year I tried my hand at making lattes myself. They turned out well, but I know they can only be consumed as soon as made.

2. Pumpkin Soup

 

My friend at Uni used to make the most amazing pumpkin soup every October. She'd cook up a gigantic batch and we greedy lot, would consume it. I haven't make the soup myself but I have had at other places where it has been so warm and spicy, just the way the soup should be, ready for Autumn.

3. Pumpkin cake

I haven't made this cake in ages. Waiting for the right of year to make seemed right. The cake is gluten and wheat free and has one of the most delicious icing toppings, passion fruit and lime juice. It's a gigantic cake but it does get eaten usually.

4. Pumpkin Ice-Cream

 

I saw this in a pumpkin search. If its in the UK, I'm breaking my no ice cream rule and buying some.

5. Pumpkin

Of course, the traditional pumpkin must be had. Last year or the year before I bought one, scraped the insides for a pie and ate the rest as my vegtable for weeks after there was that much. I didn't crave it though which was a wasted opportunity. We used to carve them at Uni which was fun, lining them all up in the conservatory with candles. I miss doing that.

Autumnal Bliss

I missed Fandom Friday and Fetch Friday. But I couldn't miss out on writing a post about Autumn (the theme for Fandom). Plus, according to Google it is Autumnal Equinox, which is when the Sun appears to cross the celestial equator, heading southward. It is also the time of Virgo, Libra and Scorpio, mainly.

I am bias towards this season as I was born at this time so I feel an affinity towards it, plus I usually dress like its this season anyway. All boots, leggings, jumpers, thick socks and long sleeved shirts. Oh and hats. That's what I enjoyed this Summer, wearing my hats. When it gets colder fancy hats are out and wooly hats are needed.

With Autumn, comes weather changes, Halloween and Fireworks, plus the 3 month lead up to Christmas and Winter. It is also the long lead up to awards season the following year. Films tipped for the awards get released from September onwards. It is also TV pilot season and the times renewed series come back. There are two in particular I am excited for as well as one final series (half) for Haven. Brilliant show but its winding down now and you can feel it. 

Cakes with made, soup will be eaten and of course my favourite, pumpkin latte will be available at Starbucks again. The very orange season is in full swing. So here are the 5 things I'm looking forward to this Autumn:

BFI Film Festival

I won't keep going on about this festival, but the BFI festival is a big deal to me. Its a highight in the film calander and Autumn. Gearing up to a multitude of posts and carefull schedulling, its all worth it.

TV Shows returns

 I've already mentioned Haven. But its the return of Marvel's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D I want to see, after what felt like years to wait for what happened to Simmons (I don't care about the others, sorry). Agent Carter is also set to return, thank gad, but this won't be until much later. Also, as always the exquiste teasers and trailers for American Horror Story: Hotel, I'm geared up for this too. 

Vegatables

The harvet period is upon us, which means my favourite veg is in season, butternut squash, sweet potato, parsnip and the ever essential pumpkin.

Pumpkin latte

I think a few months ago at work, we were all talking about Autumn and I go over excited talking about pumpkin. It's no exaggeration how much I love pumpkin, but its the Starbucks latte that I'm really looking forward to.

Boots

 I used to wear nothing but my Doc Martens, even in Summer. Then I worse nothing but my Vagabond shoes until they broke. I wore an ASOS knock off until I was told of all the issues and problems with my feet and legs and was forced to wear ugly trainers. But in the colder, wetter, icier months ahead, trainers are out, boots are back in. These DMs would suit the season but my purple boots will be just fine.
 

I'd Do Anything, Anything?

I'm sure I have been going on and on about the BFI Film Festival over the past few months, but seriously, I love this festival.

You know how music lovers and fans of mud and tents go crazy over music festival like Reading and Leeds festival and Glastonbury? Or how fashion lovers are blogging about London Fashion Week for months? Well, that's how I feel about BFI London Film Festival. Plus its a well known film event where anyone can buy tickets, it not exclusive like Cannes and ridiculously impossible like the Oscars (yes I know thats an awards ceremony, but you get the point).

I have been going to the festival, which takes place in October every year, since 2006, even if it was just one film or event. Without fail I'm there. In recent years, getting hold of tickets has become increasingly difficult unless you are a member of BFI or you know someone. I'm a member, so for the past few years, I've queued on the day or priority release or I've pushed a family member to go for me. When I queued last, I waited roughly 3 hours. This year I did the same. I know I must have written a post about last year. Like every year, I had my schedule all sorted, colour coded and ready. I was pleased to see that others in the queue had the same. I was in like minded company.

There are usually about 10 or 11 people there before me and then everyone who arrives afterwards looks puzzled and slightly annoyed. Not sure why. They know the drill. What prompted this madness was the annual tradition of the BFI website crashing everytime. But in person you can avoid this. Each time, I've got the tickets I wanted. This time though, there were some sold out and others were eliminated from the list as I went way over budget.

While waiting to buy my tickets, the first two people in the queue that morning git theres. One woman (I overheard) had been there at BFI since 2:30am. She wasn't the first there. She only bought 12 tickets, but was happy. The other guy, god knows when he arrived, took half an hour to buy his tickets. He had his own booklet of what he wanted.

I'll write up nearer the date of what I've got planned, with of course posts of each film. I'm going to be extra busy that week and a bit.

It's all crazy and insane, but I got what I wanted. Seeing 11 films over 8 days. I'm very excited still, but I have to survive the Rugby World Cup crowds on my doorstep first.

Thursday Movie Picks: Journalists/Reporters for Print/TV

Unfortunately, all my picks are American. I was hoping to get some others in there but its the American films anout journalits, reporters and TV reporters that I remember. I had quite a few I wanted to pick but narrowed it down. Two horrible people and a room full of greats. Don't forget to check out what Wandering Through the Shelves picked, the blog that started Thursday Movie Picks.

1. The Paper

I remember seeing this by chance and getting hooked (must have been the Michael Keaton factor) and I think my parents said it was great and that Keaton and Glen Close have a fight, so I had to see it, just for that. Set in one days about various people who all work for a newspaper. Its all about the headline and the story and about going with instict instead of the what they're told to do. And its all set in 24 hours. Great cast and special funny moment and character goes to Randy Quaid as the weird columnist.

2. Nightcrawler

 

The title describes Jake Gyllenhaal's character so well and the term used for what he does which is film violent accidents and aftermath of crimes and sells them to a cable news channel. Bloom (Gyllenhaal) is literally the scrum of the earth, he is a horrible being and it actually made me sick to watch this character. I can't say more because I don't want to spoil it th film as I hope I haven't put you off. I couldn't look away I was glued to the screen but the character was too much.

3. Sweet Smell of Success

Another awful character, J.J. Hunsecker (Burt Lancaster), a famous newpaper columnist is a little too obsessed with breaking up his sister's romance. He uses desparate Press Agent Falco (Tony Curtis) to try and do it, causing plenty of problems for him in the process. I honestly can't remember if I've used this film before but this was a perfect pick for the title. Lots of tension and evil looks from Lancaster, the film hints at noir, just on the edge and for me, its just right.

Blind Spot: Lock Stock and Two Smoking Barrels

I know I've been really really behind on Blind Spot. I have 5 films still on my list to watch when I should have 4. I am about 2 months behind on this but I'm slowly slowly catching up.

This month I finally watched a modern British classic, Lock Stock and Two Smoking Barrels. Every time I've mentioned it to people, they've done the step back and 'What? You've never seen it?'. Yes. I had never seen it. When I was younger I just wasn't interested but I saw Guy Ritchie's later films, Snatch in particular made me sit up and take note. Of course everyone knows Ritchie for Sherlock Holmes and most recently The Man from U.N.C.L.E. He brought his grit from his early films in Sherlock Holmes and his style to UNCLE. But my favourite film of his is RocknRolla. To me, its severely underated.

Lock Stock and Two Smoking Barrels has the signature cross over of story lines, which all come to a head and make complete sense. There also always seems to be a group or a couple of 'good guys' who are forced to do something bad that they're actually ok with doing. Then there are the usual 'bad guy gangsters' who surround the story with confusion, pitch perfect dialogue and deserved outcomes. In the later films, there does seem to be casualites but, where it all started, get tied up in a, not exactly a neat box but a room full of corpses. It sounds horrific but its a very amusing discovery scene.

The explain the complicated plot of all the groups and characters invloved would take literally the entire length of the film, so I'll summerise. It all revolves around a card game gone wrong, a debt that needs to be paid, an attic full of weed and a pair of antique shot guns.

Eddy and his four friends, Tom, Soap and Bacon, all put money so that Eddy, a top poker player, can play at Hachett Harry's table. He is a notorious gangster, porn merchant and all round nasty guy. He cheats at poker fircing Eddy into a hole where he now owes Harry half a million pounds. Meanwhile, in the flat next to Eddy's, are a group of dealers planning to rob a group of posh guys who grow weed for another local gangster Rory Breaker. So Eddy and his friends decide to rob the neighbours when they return from they're heist. Harry's enforcer, Big Chris (and his son), visit various people to make sure they pay back money owed and end up caught in the mess later on.

 Winston and the weed growers

 Rory Breaker

 Hachett Harry

 Dog and the gang

This is the jist of the whole story, but it does indeed end in a blood bath and a shower of guns. 'This is fucked. No money. No weed. Its all been replaced by a pile of corpses.' What is interesting is the show of guns in the film, as any Brit knows, getting hold of guns, shot guns not included isn't as easy as in the US. But Eddy and his friends do have a problem getting guns and at one point end up with the antique guns.

'A minute ago this was the safest job in the world. Now it's turning into a bad day in Bosnia.'

The film is unbelievably quotable. Every other line I seem to have heard before from someone somewhere. One in particular is during the heist at the weed growers, the posh boys attempt to defend themselves are start shooting. The leader of the group, Dog, gets fed up and says 'I don't fucking believe this! Can everyone stop gettin' shot?'. This is actually in a late 90's song at the start. I never knew until now it was from this film. I was laughing my way through the film, which may sound bad beacuse of the high body count but the script is just too good. I'm sorry to say this but the British wit of Ritchie's earlier films hasn't carried over to the later 'bigger' films.

The cast are absolutely perfect and anyone who knows Brit Grit or just British films will recognise them all. Vinnie Jones of course is heavily used, especially in the trailer, as most would have known him as the footballer. Now its a shame for to be used as a stereotype, same with Jason Statham. But ah well, we can sigh and hope they return to excellent form and maybe Guy Ritchie. One thing that no one couldn't not notice is the lack of women. In fact, there are really only two women in the film. One doesn't talk but does make a point with a machine gun. The other is past middle age and only has a few lines at the poker game. That's it. The two women aren't on the screen for more than a minute each but when they're there, they make a point.

I've never been into gangster films and maybe this film isn't really about gangsters, but there is something gritty and yet effortless about British films of this genre. Nothing is glamourous and theres always an underline that everything is actually pretty cheap and rough. With American gangster films, there is always that fine line where the life looks good but as always, character is better over substance and my gad does Lock Stock have brilliant characters. Plus, you know when a film has class and status when Sting plays the lead's Dad who owns a bar.

In the words of Big Chris 'It's been emotional'.

To see where it all started and for an excellent insight to film, have a look at The Matinee and have a look HERE for more Blind Spot posts from other bloggers.

Fandom Friday: Broadway/West End Roles I'd Love to Play

I had to include West End as, well, I live in London so the West End cannot be ignored.

1. Ado Annie - Oklahoma

I was actually in Oklahoma in a small production, part of 'Axis Productions', they put on shows after 1 week of intense rehearsals. Ado Annie has two great songs, a solo and duet, plus she's funny. I was a Cowboy (severe lack of boys and people who could act), even had a name and lines. But Ado Annie, I think would be fun to play.

2. Lilli Vanessi / 'Katherine (Kate)' - Kiss Me Kate

She has some great songs and she always arguing with people. Simple reasons but I think the show great with some hilarious scenes. I saw it about three years ago at the Young Vic, absolutely brilliant show. I also love The Taming of the Shrew, and would have loved to just play Katherine.

3. Velma - Chicago

Again, another awesome character and she has some of the best songs, Roxy is just nothing compared with her vamp, plus she never really admits to killing her sister and husband AND she gets away with all that jazz.

4. Richard Hannay - The 39 Steps

Sometimes men get all the best roles. This production was just superb, with no set and only props and 4 actors, 3 playing multiple parts, I couldn't stop laughing. Everything was timed perfectly. A similar play, Jeeves and Wooster, with 3 actors, 2 actors playing multiple parts again was very successful, Hannay is the one narrating and he never actually leaves the stage.

5. The Pirate King/Ruth - The Pirates of Penzance

Recently and briefly brought back to the stage by Mike Leigh, I missed this show and I didn't hear fantastic things about it, but the source material you cannot beat. The Pirate King has the best songs, but Ruth also plays an important part in the whole thing. Its the Pirate King I really want to be, mainly thanks to Kevin Kline who played him in a filming of the stage production back in the 80s.

Thursday Movie Picks: Train Movies

There are quite a few trains in films but not that many where everthing or the bulk of the story take places on train. My go to would have been 'The Darjeeling Limited' but it was already picked for a another category. I've added a bonus film as there is great part of the film that takes place on a train. Don't forget to check out what Wandering Through the Shelves picked, the blog that started Thursday Movie Picks.

1. The Train

 Labiche. I remembered the name before I even saw the film the whole way through. It's one of my Dad's favourite films. I saw it a few times when I was younger, it's hazy but I remember the train of the title and that the French Resistance are trying to stop famous works of art from going to Germany. I remember the masacre near the end and I remember Labiche and family laughing when I got Labiche and Ishmael mixed up.

2. Strangers on a Train

This film needs no introduction, its a masterpiece filled with suspense made by the Master of Suspense. One of Hitchcock's best and a film that spawned many a new film idea too, especially a great comedy, Throw Mamma From The Train (which almost made this list). Two strangers meet on a train, tennis start Guy and Bruno, the crazier one. The latter decides that that they had an agreement to each kill someone for the other 'criss cross', so that the other would not be made a suspect for the others murder. It's brillaint with great angles, particularly the death of Guy's horrible wife.

3. Snowpiercer

The underrated film of this year or last year, it's not quite clear. It never got a release date in the UK and the USA only got a DVD release. The film was released in South Korea though. Based on the French graphic novel of the same name (roughly), it explores the idea of global warming gone wrong, class system and the future of human nature. It's an incredible concept and is of sci-fi genre, its a very dark look at how humanity have fared and how they have treated each other. After an environmental catastrophe, the world decends into an ice age, the remaining humans live aboard a trains that circles the Earth without ever stopping, the train has 1001 carriages. But when the end carriage revolts after the harsh and unbearable living conditions, they surge forward to take the train and the engine. Different from the source material as that was in two parts, and was more about disease and politics. I thought the film was deeply misunderstood and thrown aside, its such a shame it didn't get given the chance to find a wider audience.

More Than Halfway Over

I started this blog when I was 21 years old. It was my early 20s. Looking back or remembering that time seems both depressing and nostalgic. I'm heading over the mid 20's mark, in fact I hit that mark on Monday and I couldn't be more less pleased. Liz Lemon is illustrates my denial of my age.

There are quite a few people at my office who are younger then I and I fee like they have the world at their feet and few others a few years older and to me they've got thing figured out. For me, who has forever been floundering around in the middle, I don't feel like I 'fit in' anywhere.

Most people in thier 20s are still getting over that 'I've just left Uni' feeling and lifestyle, others are getting ahead in their careers. Some people are settling down to marriage and children. I'm doing neither. All I really want to do now, especially after a rather unfortunate Facebook arugment escalated (arogant hypocrites and a wannabe comedian got above themseleves) I just want to go off grid and travel away. But as money prevents me from doing this, I just want to watch movies and write about them, that's all.

The urge that some women get, the broody feeling of wanting a family, I have that same feeling but towards wanting to just pick up a bag and disappear. The urge does grow greater ever year. I've wanted to do so for years but am forced to conform like everyone else. Must have job, must have family, must have career, must have health. I don't have all these things and I will never know if I do. Sometimes I think, I owe it to myself to go out and travel but then when I look at my bank account I think maybe I should just try and work for years but then its too late to go off. I've always heard that your 20s are the times to be crazy and adventurous  and now heading closer to the 30 mark, I wonder, am I running out of time?

I can no longer say I'm in my mid 20s. This was what was hitting me for the last month but now all I can think about is the BFI Film Festival next month. I've been gearing up for the festival for ages. This is what has consumed me rather than 'oh dear gaad, I'm turning [insert age here]'. I think I'll be one of those people who forgets their age when they're 40 and wear clothes not for my age group. Or I'll just be in denial and when people ask my age I'll say 21.

I found a very appropreiate article full of gifs that made me feel slightly better, you can find it here.

I think this year will be the year of planning ahead or at least it should be. Anyway, cheers to you and lets all hope this year will outshine the last.

Fandom Friday: Fandom Deaths

This week its all about Fandom deaths that still don't settle well. To be honest there are a few deaths that I really wasn't happy with but mostly there have been stories lines and endings that haven't satisfactory. But here are a few deaths that I haven't been able to get over SPOILERS GALORE!

1. Finnick Odair

Anyone who hasn't read the Hunger Games will be sad to hear of this. That's if you havent stopped for the SPOILER ALERT. Yes, fan favourite, Finnick is tragically killed off, rather off handedly as well. Like a few other characters, he dies, theres a sentence about and thats it. He isn't even mentioned that much afterwards either. He is great in the books but hasn't been given much screen presence which is great shame.

2. Ned Stark

 When watching the first series I was intrigued what was to happen next so looked up bits here and there and to my horror, the main reason and main character on the show gets killed off at the end. In fact the best characters (The Starks and Snow) just seem to be got shot of at the end of seasons. But I suppose the producers were sort of following the books back then, but now they are off book, no one seems safe. Ned was a great character such a shame he ended too soon.

3. Romeo x Juliet

Ok, I know the story I should have expected the end but with every adaptation, the end never changes one bit. Romeo and Juliet die. I had a small hope with this anime sci-fi series things might be different, but no, in vain my hope was.

4. Topher Brink/Bennett Halverson

I think Bennett's death was the most tragic as Topher had no equal until he met her. They are beautifully perfect for each other but all they share, apart fron lots of science knowledge is one kiss and then she's murdered in front of him. It's tragic and there is no real resolution or closure about this. Topher is forced to continue and then he also dies, alone, with a bomb. I was never happy about either character's death. I'm still annoyed about it. I suppose this is why I put so much effort into FitzSimmons. Just let the scientists be happy together!

5. Kili & Fili 

 I knew this death was coming. I knew from when I first read the book when I was a child. I didn't like it in the book and I sure as hell did not enjoy their deaths in the film. They were made into great characters that always stood out a bit from the group and their deaths seemed unnecessary and more tragic than Thorin's. His was heroic and bound to happen but Kili and Fili, could have been greater in life.