tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-42651468893596217682024-03-14T11:20:27.490+00:00Fiona's BugleFiona's archive of film reviews and general musings.fijamjayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15124116888254015208noreply@blogger.comBlogger17125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4265146889359621768.post-17691270421566542402015-07-07T00:21:00.000+01:002015-07-07T00:21:02.291+01:00Anime - Dub or Sub?<b>Anime, or 'those weird Japanese cartoons you should have grown out of by now', is the best.</b><br />
<b>I'm biased, yes, since I've loved anime since I can remember. Pokemon, Doraemon, Digimon... I'm sure there were others without "mon" in the title...</b><br />
<br />
Anime isn't a mainstream thing in the UK, as we have not had a channel dedicated to airing purely anime shows in a long time. We used to be able to watch the very popular "shounen" anime on Fox Kids/Jetix (now Disney XD), Cartoon Network and occasionally Nickelodeon, but now we only see the latest series of Pokemon (Seriously, Ash Ketchum has been 10 for 15 years... would it kill someone to give the poor kid a birthday episode?) and maybe that one anime about football. I won't complain, because if it's not what the people want, it's not what the people want. If people want it, it's nearly always available online for free. Netflix has a decent selection, and Crunchyroll is an official streaming website - premium membership payments support the anime industry in Japan, making it worth the £4.99 a month.<br />
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<i>So, a brief story about my anime journey</i>.<br />
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My younger brother and I used to get up super early in the morning to watch Naruto on Jetix, and then we'd stay up ridiculously late (like, past 10pm!) to watch Bobobo-bo Bo-bobo (a classic, I assure you). It was dubbed into English, and it was really enjoyable to watch. We grew up with Pokemon on the TV and Pokemon in our hearts (or gameboys - in our childhood there wasn't much difference). Whenever we went on holiday to Thailand, we would watch anime in a Thai dub and pretend to understand - we'd seen most of it before so it wasn't too bad. We were introduced to newer anime that we would then try to find online when we returned home to good old England. After searching online and in libraries, I started to read manga comics as well, and a love story began. When I started secondary school, I toned down the anime-fan and got into High School Musical and Hairspray like everyone else, before quickly returning to Chibi Vampire after High School Musical 2 was a massive disappointment.<br />
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At the age of 14, I felt very out of place for enjoying manga and anime. There was a little club at school, and they were awesome (!!!!!!!!), but my friends just weren't interested, and sometimes (unintentionally) made me feel like just a loser for watching it and getting excited for a green-haired boy who played the trumpet (La Corda d'Oro). I hid that side of me for 3 years until I started 6th Form and I drifted away from that group of friends. Then I suddenly had 3 years worth of anime and manga to catch up on, and I was bursting with happiness. Now I'm here. I still don't have many friends who I can geek out about anime with, but my select few are some of my closest friends. Nobody judges me for the random collection of character posters I keep on my wall. I'm back!<br />
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You may be wondering about the title of this blog post. "Anime - Dub or Sub?"<br />
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There's always a debate about which is better to watch - the anime in the original Japanese Dub with English subtitles, or the anime with an English dub.<br />
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Tonight, I sat down to watch the English dub of one of my favourite animes, "Free! Iwatobi Swim Club". It is terrible. I have been snapchatting it's horrendous-ness to my friend for the last hour. But is why is it so terrible, you ask? Many reasons, I answer.<br />
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Here I will discuss three different anime and their dubs, and whether I think they are good or not. Enjoy!<br />
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<h3>
Free! Iwatobi Swim Club/Free! Eternal Summer (2013-2014)</h3>
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<i style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.3999996185303px;">Free!</i><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.3999996185303px;"> starts with four boys—Haruka, Makoto, Nagisa and Rin—before they graduate from elementary school. They all participated in a swimming tournament and won, though they parted ways. Years later, Haruka and Makoto reunite with Nagisa when Nagisa enrolls into high school a year after Haruka and Makoto. Not long after, Rin, who was thought to be in Australia, turns up and challenges Haruka to a race and wins. Afterward, Nagisa suggests creating a swimming club and using the run-down outdoor pool. Haruka, Makoto, and Nagisa, and later on, Rei, create the Iwatobi High School Swimming Club and work together to make the club a success. Rin's victory over Haruka means nothing to him as he realizes that Haruka had stopped swimming competitively and wasn't in top shape. He claims that he cannot get over the fact until Haruka competes against him for real. The members of the revived Iwatobi Swim Club later enter a swimming competition against Rin. [<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Free!_(anime)#Plot">Wikipedia</a>]</span></blockquote>
This anime is fantastic, if you enjoy this type of genre. Sports anime have their own little cults on the web, such as Kuroko no Basuke (basketball), Haikyuu!! (volleyball) and others, but Free! is my favourite of them all. It differs to others in that the swim team is significantly smaller, and you really see the development of the relationships between all the characters progress throughout both series, and it is really easy to get attached to them. I won't go too much into it, purely because I could talk about it for days, but if you enjoy the kind of anime that is light and warm but with deeper meanings brewing below the surface then give it a try. Sports anime have ongoing themes of teamwork and rivalry etc. but every sports anime ends on the same sad note - the seniors have to graduate at some point. Free! Eternal Summer starts off light, but as the boys have grown up a bit since the first series, their futures are coming a little too soon and watching them deal with it is an emotional ride, especially if you're at the same age as the characters (which I was. *grabs tissues*).<br />
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I don't know what it is, but the original Japanese version is just very beautiful. The translations are very lovely and I loved reading them. If you understand a little bit about Japanese culture (or if you've watched enough anime, I suppose) then the whole senpai-kouhai (senior-junior) trope is such a great thing to watch, and the language that they use is an indicator of how someone feels about another, and says a lot about someone's personality. I feel like this is really taken away by the English dub.<br />
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For starters, the first episode of Eternal Summer just gave off a completely different vibe to me, it was all sort of DUDES and BROS and RIVALRY. Don't get me wrong, there are definitely elements of all of those things in the Japanese, but... the way they all speak to each other changes the entire thing. It's not that the voice actors are terrible - they're actually great, although perhaps some of them don't quite match up to the character. It just feels a little bit too American to me. Makoto, the captain of the Iwatobi Swim Club, has a lovely voice, and I feel like it matches up to his character well, but why is he calling Haruka (his best friend, Vice Captain of the Iwatobi team) "dude"? It's just so WRONG. Makoto always addresses Haruka in such a fond way, and their relationship is at the point where they don't always need to communicate verbally because they just get each other. THE ENGLISH DUB HAS "BRO"-IFIED MY FAVOURITE FRIENDSHIP OF ALL TIME. That is not okay. They all say things that are very different to the original Japanese and it changes everything. SHAME ON YOU. Also, Rin is pronounced Rin. Stop calling him Reen.<br />
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<h3>
Naruto/Naruto Shippuden (2002-)</h3>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.3999996185303px;">A powerful fox known as the Nine-Tails attacks the ninja village Konoha. In response, the leader of Konoha – the </span><a class="mw-redirect" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Minato_Namikaze" style="background: none rgb(255, 255, 255); color: #0b0080; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.3999996185303px; text-decoration: none;" title="Minato Namikaze">Fourth Hokage</a><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.3999996185303px;"> – seals the fox inside his newborn son </span><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Naruto_Uzumaki" style="background: none rgb(255, 255, 255); color: #0b0080; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.3999996185303px; text-decoration: none;" title="Naruto Uzumaki">Naruto Uzumaki</a><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.3999996185303px;"> at the cost of his life. As a child, Naruto is isolated from the Konoha community, who regards him as if he was the Nine-Tails itself. A decree made by the current Kage, the </span><a class="mw-redirect" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hiruzen_Sarutobi" style="background: none rgb(255, 255, 255); color: #0b0080; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.3999996185303px; text-decoration: none;" title="Hiruzen Sarutobi">Third Hokage</a><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.3999996185303px;">, forbids anyone mentioning the Nine-Tails to anyone else. Twelve years later, renegade ninja Mizuki reveals Naruto the truth before being defeated by Naruto with the </span><a class="mw-redirect" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shadow_Clone" style="background: none rgb(255, 255, 255); color: #0b0080; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.3999996185303px; text-decoration: none;" title="Shadow Clone">Shadow Clone</a><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.3999996185303px;"> </span><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jutsu_(Naruto)" style="background: none rgb(255, 255, 255); color: #0b0080; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.3999996185303px; text-decoration: none;" title="Jutsu (Naruto)">Jutsu</a><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.3999996185303px;">, earning the respect of his teacher </span><a class="mw-redirect" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iruka_Umino" style="background: none rgb(255, 255, 255); color: #0b0080; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.3999996185303px; text-decoration: none;" title="Iruka Umino">Iruka Umino</a><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.3999996185303px;">. Shortly after, Naruto becomes a ninja and is assigned alongside </span><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sasuke_Uchiha" style="background: none rgb(255, 255, 255); color: #0b0080; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.3999996185303px; text-decoration: none;" title="Sasuke Uchiha">Sasuke Uchiha</a><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.3999996185303px;">, whom he often competes against, and </span><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sakura_Haruno" style="background: none rgb(255, 255, 255); color: #0b0080; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.3999996185303px; text-decoration: none;" title="Sakura Haruno">Sakura Haruno</a><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.3999996185303px;">, whom he has a crush on, to form a three-person team named Team 7 under an experienced </span><i style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.3999996185303px;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sensei" style="background: none; color: #0b0080; text-decoration: none;" title="Sensei">sensei</a></i><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.3999996185303px;">, the elite ninja </span><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kakashi_Hatake" style="background: none rgb(255, 255, 255); color: #0b0080; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.3999996185303px; text-decoration: none;" title="Kakashi Hatake">Kakashi Hatake</a><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.3999996185303px;">. Like all the ninja teams from every village, Team 7 is charged with completing missions requested by villagers, ranging from doing chores, and being bodyguards or executing assassinations. [<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Naruto">Wikipedia</a>]</span></blockquote>
Naruto is from a different genre of anime - the "shounen" drama. This means that its more of a "boy" anime, or whatever, but it's action packed, has a loud, lovable protagonist and has a bit of something for everyone in it. I couldn't resist giving opinions on it since it is probably one of the first animes that I really hooked onto, even though I've been having my own problems with it recently. They don't matter too much in the context of this blogpost, so I'll save that for another time. This anime, is part of a generation of anime/manga that never end (<i>see also: Bleach, One Piece, Gintama</i>). Naruto had 700 chapters (it's been a thing since 1999) and only finished last year, but the anime is miles behind it and will probably finish within my lifetime (probably). It also has spin off novels, a new spin off film based on the next generation of ninjas, with the potential to keep the franchise going on FOREVER.<br />
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The importance of this is that there are loads of characters. Loads. Too many. There are so many characters with different personalities and habits that it must be difficult to find that many voice actors, right? Wrong. I'm sure every voice actor/actress in Japan has had a go on Naruto. Some even twice. (I'm obviously exaggerating here, but not that much). Bearing this in mind, I'd say that the English dub isn't too bad. For some characters, I really prefer their English Actors. It's not too different from the Japanese, and after you get used to it it doesn't matter which version you watch. One thing I always find amusing is the inconsistencies of name pronunciation. Some of the English Dub actors really go for it and give a Japanese pronunciation, then the others go for a very terrible English-American pronunciation. It's great for mimicking.<br />
<h3>
Cowboy Bebop (1998)</h3>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.3999996185303px;">In 2071, roughly sixty years after an accident with a hyperspace gateway made the Earth uninhabitable, humanity has colonized most of the rocky planets and moons of the Solar System. Amid a rising crime rate, the Inter Solar System Police (ISSP) set up a legalized contract system, in which registered bounty hunters (also referred to as "Cowboys") chase criminals and bring them in alive in return for a reward.</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.3999996185303px;"> The series protagonists are bounty hunters working from the spaceship </span><i style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.3999996185303px;">Bebop</i><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.3999996185303px;">. The original crew are </span><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spike_Spiegel" style="background: none rgb(255, 255, 255); color: #0b0080; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.3999996185303px; text-decoration: none;" title="Spike Spiegel">Spike Spiegel</a><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.3999996185303px;">, an exiled former hitman of the criminal Red Dragon Syndicate, and his partner </span><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Cowboy_Bebop_characters#Jet_Black" style="background: none rgb(255, 255, 255); color: #0b0080; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.3999996185303px; text-decoration: none;" title="List of Cowboy Bebop characters">Jet Black</a><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.3999996185303px;">, a former ISSP officer. They are later joined by </span><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Cowboy_Bebop_characters#Faye_Valentine" style="background: none rgb(255, 255, 255); color: #0b0080; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.3999996185303px; text-decoration: none;" title="List of Cowboy Bebop characters">Faye Valentine</a><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.3999996185303px;">, an amnesiac </span><a class="mw-redirect" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Con_artist" style="background: none rgb(255, 255, 255); color: #0b0080; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.3999996185303px; text-decoration: none;" title="Con artist">con artist</a><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.3999996185303px;">; </span><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Cowboy_Bebop_characters#Edward" style="background: none rgb(255, 255, 255); color: #0b0080; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.3999996185303px; text-decoration: none;" title="List of Cowboy Bebop characters">Edward Wong</a><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.3999996185303px;">, an eccentric girl skilled in hacking; and Ein, a </span><a class="mw-redirect" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Genetically-engineered" style="background: none rgb(255, 255, 255); color: #0b0080; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.3999996185303px; text-decoration: none;" title="Genetically-engineered">genetically-engineered</a><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.3999996185303px;"> </span><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Welsh_Corgi" style="background: none rgb(255, 255, 255); color: #0b0080; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.3999996185303px; text-decoration: none;" title="Welsh Corgi">Welsh Corgi</a><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.3999996185303px;"> with human-like intelligence. Over the course of the series, the team get involved in disastrous mishaps leaving them out of pocket, while often confronting faces and events from their past:</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.3999996185303px;"> these include Jet's reasons for leaving the ISSP, and Faye's past as a woman from Earth injured in an accident and cryogenically frozen to save her life. [<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cowboy_Bebop">Wikipedia</a>]</span></blockquote>
Quite simply, the best anime ever? I can't say anymore than that. It is the ultimate classic anime, and if you haven't watched it then, like, why not? Do it. It's probably on YouTube somewhere. The concept is great, and the characters are awesome. Spike Spiegel is the cool, laid-back gun slinger protagonist that everyone wishes they could be, even though he's basically a loser. Jet is the wise, parent figure of the group. Faye is the bad girl. Edward is just Edward, the sweetest, weirdest character of the lot. What's great about it is that you just don't see anime of this kind anymore. It's got such a good mix of genres, and at the time it was exploring themes that people were reluctant to touch, especially for an anime. It has its moments of violence (but honestly I've seen worse), but it also has good comedy, interesting detective elements, it's smooth and classy and gives off a real film-noir vibe, all while fulfilling the "Western" genre.<br />
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Many say that the English dub is better than the Japanese dub. I don't necessarily agree, as I think they're both insanely good, but the English dub just suits the show better. Spike Spiegel just has the SEXIEST voice ever. No word of a lie. For such a smooth-talking character, you just expect a deep neutral-sounding American voice to come out of his mouth. Given that the theme music is of the jazz/blues variety, everything comes together better in the English dub.<br />
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Watch and enjoy:<br />
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So that's it from me. It's not a usual thing for me to splurge 2000+ words about anything onto a blogpost anymore, but hopefully that will change and you'll be hearing more from me in future. Who knows?fijamjayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15124116888254015208noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4265146889359621768.post-43436639733383829062014-09-05T01:02:00.002+01:002014-09-05T01:07:57.314+01:00I'm scared-This blog post is largely inspired by this video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cnV9uUjWxJI<br />
I urge you to watch this before continuing.<br />
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The current scandal involving the K-Pop singer Kim Hyun-Joong is a story that is simply shocking, but not even for the scandal itself. The response to the scandal from people who are his fans is what shocks and upsets me the most.<br />
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The "scandal" is that this man was accused of beating his ex-girlfriend. She has provided copious amounts of evidence to back her accusation (hospital records, photos, text messages) and goes by the name "A". At first even I was shocked to hear this, as having been a fan of this celebrity in the past it felt out of character - I will address this later on. However, upon reading that he released a statement <i>admitting</i> that he had beaten her was enough proof for me (and everyone, I argue) that he IS an abuser and he should be punished for it.<br />
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His statement (<a href="http://www.allkpop.com/article/2014/08/kim-hyun-joongs-agency-releases-official-statement-concerning-assault-charge-by-girlfriend">source</a>):<br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #5c5858; font-family: arial; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;">The agency stated, </span><i style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #5c5858; font-family: arial; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;">"After confirming [with Kim Hyun Joong], we found that it's true the two parties have known each other since 2012, but they didn't start dating until a few months ago... In the middle of their relationship, the two had an intense exchange of words. Though it's true that in their heightened emotional state things got physical, it's not true that there was continual physical assaults or that she's been battered and beaten over the past two months like what was reported." </i><br />
<br style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #5c5858; font-family: arial; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;" />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #5c5858; font-family: arial; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;">In terms of the reports that the woman in question suffered fractured ribs, KeyEast said,</span><i style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #5c5858; font-family: arial; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;">"Their physical fight was a one time occurrence, and her fractured ribs didn't occur due to their recent argument. Her ribs were injured when they were playing around previously, and the next day, they met with acquaintances. As there didn't seem to be anything abnormal, her injury wasn't recognized."</i><br />
<i style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #5c5858; font-family: arial; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;"><br /></i>
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How genuine does this sound to you?<br />
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Whether the statement is completely true or not, he has admitted that he has beaten her, and therefore IS an abuser. The truth is there in black and white. Since then, he has also delivered a consistent statement to the police. While the hard truth is being sugarcoated and the investigation continues, we await his conviction.<br />
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Returning to what I said earlier - "<i>even I was shocked to hear this, as having been a fan of this celebrity in the past it felt out of character</i>" - I honestly feel like such a fool, but I am more upset that I am not the only one. The backlash from his fans since the news was first released has been appalling. All over social media sites there have been young girls proclaiming that there is no way he could have done this and they have essentially rejected all claims and have turned to victim shaming instead of looking at the facts. I only hope that now since the release of his statement and his actions thereafter will persuade them to see why their actions were wrong.<br />
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This is one of the massive problems with fan culture that needs to be addressed urgently. Celebrities aren't who you think they are. It's as simple as that. In order for them to appeal to their fan-bases, they have agents and PRs who make sure that they are "the perfect person". Of course we all believed that he was a "good guy" - in interviews he's come across as the kind of man who would be a "perfect boyfriend". That's the <i>point. </i>He's a product. His image is being sold to his fans to make him buy-able. Don't believe every single thing you hear.<br />
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The fact that so many have been duped by the mask is terrifying. To have had people try and defend his actions and attack the victim seriously make me question whether or not the issues surrounding domestic abuse will ever go away. This isn't the first time we've witnessed extreme action on the internet. The Biebermania also sees vicious attacks on twitter against those to speak ill of Justin Bieber, and in extreme cases has even caused young girls to self harm in order to gain his attention.<br />
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In a time where we are finally starting to acknowledge that abuse is a huge problem in society, is this case a sign that more need to be done to show people that abused should never be condoned no matter what the circumstances are.<br />
<br />
To end this blog post - which is a complete mess (sorry about that by the way - I haven't written in a long time), I'd like to return to the video that I mentionned right at the beginning of the post. The response to her video has more or less reiterated what I said about scary fangirls/made me more scared. I don't even know anymore.<br />
<br />
http://infinitelyinspiritsy.blogspot.co.uk/2014/09/delusional-hyun-joong-fans-find-video.html<br />
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I don't know how I come across in this but the discussion ought to be had. I have tried to present the facts and give opinions... thoughts?fijamjayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15124116888254015208noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4265146889359621768.post-68221283897526362742014-08-18T16:03:00.000+01:002014-08-18T16:03:19.201+01:00ElementaryBeing a big fan of the BBC series Sherlock, I, along with many other Sherlockians, was very wary of the new American adaptation of Sherlock Holmes, Elementary. At first, before any of the episodes had aired, the general opinion of Elementary was that it can only be a rip off of Sherlock, considering how quickly it came about after Sherlock series 2 and how the BBC Sherlock team did not give permission for an American version but they did it anyway. What shocked people more was that Jonny Lee Miller, who had co-starred with Sherlock star Benedict Cumberbatch in Frankenstein, would be playing Holmes. Internet forums EXPLODED. Trying to be as unbiased as I could, I tried to stay out of the internet craziness and concentrate on finishing my copy of "Sherlock Holmes: The Complete Stories".<br />
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When it first aired a couple of months ago, the positive reviews came pouring in and I was rather excited to see what everyone was hyping about, being the nosey so and so that I am. As soon as it came on Sky Living I watched it, and thought I'd take it all in before I came to a judgement on it. But then decided that I couldn't possibly have an opinion on it after just one episode, and waited until I'd seen the next episode, then the next, and then the one after that. If I'm honest, I was just coming up with excuses to keep watching it. It is genuinely good and I don't think it's fair to just compare it to Sherlock, and I am not just saying that so that I don't have to choose between the two of them. <i><strike>Yes I am...</strike></i><br />
<i><strike><br />
</strike></i>The pilot episode had to be taken with a pinch of salt. Being biased against the programme didn't help in any way, but we sat down and gave it a chance. Jonny Lee Miller is impeccable. No one can fault his performance as Sherlock Holmes; his take on the character is brilliant. He's strange, rude, and a genius and very witty. My Dad and I gave him the thumbs up immediately. What makes Sherlock a great character is how alien he seems being one of the only Brits in a sea of Americans, making him seem even more unique than before. Even having a female Watson doesn't bother me anymore. The Holmes/Watson dynamic is still intact, although it seemed to take a few episodes for it to get comfortable. I am a big fan of how Holmes treats Watson in Elementary. He sees her as his partner (most of the time), and I can see him treating her as his equal in the near future, as although no one can ever be his intellectual equal, she is ballsy and brave and is picking up many useful skills from Holmes, mirroring the relationship built up by Conan Doyle, in which Watson is able to start making his own deductions and help Holmes a great deal more than their first few cases together. Although the stories were initially slow and not mysterious enough to be worthy of a Holmes story (I figured out one of the murderers before Holmes even found the evidence that led to it once!) once they picked up speed they started to boggle your mind and have you amazed at the conclusion. <br />
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Small tributesto the original Conan Doyle stories are seen, even though the stories are brand new, such as the classic love interest speculation surrounding 'The Woman', Irene Adler, and Captain 'Gregson', the American version of Lestrade. I must nag a tiny bit about certain things, however. After coming across a random review comparing BBC Sherlock to Elementary on Tumblr, I've started to get annoyed at small things in the show. At first, I was really happy about the fact that Sherlock was a recovering drug addict and was open about his sex life; it seems like a very Sherlock-thing to do, and instantly made him different to Cumberbatch's Sherlock. BUT, this magazine had decided that they preferred Miller's version because he had his top off and it was 'yummy'? I disagree. Cumberbatch does not need to take his shirt off to impress the female audience. He didn't even show his arms or legs in any episodes and girls still swooned. And it's not like Miller would need to do that either, if I'm honest, as his Sherlock, despite his oddball arrogance, is also quite charming as well as witty and, obviously, intelligent. Taking his shirt off is part of the way his character does things, not necessarily because they need more lusting females watching it. (At least, I hope not...)<br />
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Other things that are getting on my nerves are things that are similar to Sherlock. It has to be said. Despite the different styles of both shows - Elementary being like CSI and BBC Sherlock being like short feature films - the music is unbelievably similar, as is the idea of the last frame on the opening sequence. I'm just very glad that text on the screen as Holmes makes his deductions was not included in this list, otherwise I know a few thousand people who would not be impressed at all.<br />
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Overall, I'm quite happy to watch Elementary, which is a brilliant adaptation of the Sherlock Holmes stories. Most of the people I've talked to about it have really enjoyed it, and other recent adaptations like the Guy Ritchie Films starring Robert Downey Jnr and Jude Law, who also make a fantastic traditional Holmes/Watson duo. I'm really curious to see how things progress and if there will be. Moriarty and a Moran reincarnation popping up at some point before the first season ends, and where they will take the Irene storyline. If you're a fan of Sherlock Holmes, or detective stories in general then I'd recommend it. fijamjayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15124116888254015208noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4265146889359621768.post-16353597020818573522014-01-25T19:26:00.002+00:002014-08-18T16:01:13.029+01:00Visual Stunners - part iI have a thing for pretty movies. It's not really much of a secret. If a film has been shot well, then I tend to forget plot holes and small errors and just enjoy it. This post has been sitting in draft since August 2013, and since it has taken so long for me to return to this blog, I don't think people will mind if I break it up into bite-size chunks.<br />
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This first film is one of my favourite films and I absolutely did not mind rewatching it a few times to perfect this post. The cast is wonderful, the design and cinematography is breath-taking and the story is told in exactly the right way, in my opinion.<br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><i>A Single Man</i> (2009) - Tom Ford</span><br />
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<img height="236" src="https://fbcdn-sphotos-a-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-frc1/522380_10150827356584974_39976044_n.jpg" width="640" /><br />
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Tom Ford's directorial debut does not disappoint. In this category of beautiful and stylish films, <i>A Single Man</i> is the first that came to mind when I compiled a list of "visual stunners". It's hard to describe without giving anything away, but it is the tale of a man, George (Colin Firth), who is having to cope with the sudden death of his partner, Jim (Matthew Goode). Without his lover he has lost sight of his future, and the film is set on the last day of his life. With a 60s backdrop and a fashion designer directing, the film does not fail to impress visually. The film is comprised of flashbacks intertwined with the events that occur on this day, and his love story is unraveled as the story goes on.<br />
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Colour is used really well, which I felt was important for the viewer, especially with regards to the flashback scenes. George's memories are our only windows into his soul and the only way we can understand his strange behaviour and decisions. Colour plays an important part in this as it gives us an indicator as to how he feels about each moment. George's wardrobe is monochromatic; everyday he wears the same thing - a black suit, a new white shirt and a skinny black tie. This is a] what was in fashion (and still is), b] a suggestion that he likes things to be structured and now that Jim is not around there is nothing compelling him to be different and c] perhaps he is still mourning Jim? After all, Jim is the love of his life.<br />
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<br />
Generally, every frame, every word spoken and every word left unspoken is striking, and the fact that everyone is extremely well dressed just puts the icing on the cake. Tom Ford's eye for style and imagery s a real delight and makes the story stay with you long after you watch it - "<i>Fashion is fleeting, but film is forever.</i>"fijamjayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15124116888254015208noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4265146889359621768.post-56184659072954458802014-01-22T22:44:00.000+00:002014-01-24T22:27:52.881+00:00I am an idiot.For the first time in a long time, I have had a good day.<br />
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I have no idea why I was blessed with a good day, but I was. Until 5 minutes ago I had not been angry, or sad, and I talked a lot and I laughed and I smiled. These days are very rare for me. Spending more time with like-minded people put me in a good place and I got to be the person that I wanted to be for a while, knowing what I wanted to do and being inspired to get on with things - my EPQ project, this blog, etc.<br />
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I sat down at my desk, in a good mental place to finish writing one of the many posts that I have had in draft since August. This post was a masterpiece. It was a collection of my favourite "visual stunners". So, what did I do? I DELETED THE ENTIRE POST. I give up. I honestly just give up.<br />
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Posts on this blog will become more frequent in the coming weeks, when I stop crying about the blog I just deleted, since the "fans" have been begging to see another post.<br />
<br />fijamjayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15124116888254015208noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4265146889359621768.post-90710239219790075752013-08-05T23:12:00.002+01:002014-01-24T22:27:42.057+00:00Long time, no see.Is it acceptable for me to return to blogging after constantly promising that I'd devote more time to it but then not posting anything for 3 months? Unfortunately, life got in the way again.<br />
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I've generally kept this to myself since it started, but now seems like the perfect time to get it off my chest.<br />
Year 12 has been the hardest year of my life. I am aware of how awfully stupid that may sound to the old and wise, who will be thinking "Wait until you go to University!" or "Wait until the tax man comes knocking!" or whatever, but honestly - I know. So shut up. Let me wallow in my self pity until the next obstacle comes along, thank you very much.<br />
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Not only were my AS exams a lot more difficult than I anticipated, I was under a lot of pressure to do well at school consistently, not burn myself at work [if you have ever worked in a kitchen when it is really busy, you will understand my pain] and have to cope with the deterioration of one of my closest family members. In March, my Nan was diagnosed with breast cancer. During the Easter holidays, she suddenly started experiencing pain - the most pain she had ever felt in her life - and was admitted to hospital. She stayed there for a few days and was then moved to the Marie Curie Hospice in Solihull, where she stayed until she passed away on 25th May. During this time I was also meant to be revising for my AS exams, which went extremely badly, despite everyone telling me that I'm overreacting about it all. Either way, I've just been extremely unlucky but it's something that I've lived it and I wouldn't take any of it back.<br />
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However, it's not all doom and gloom. Since then, things have improved quite dramatically. On 1st May, I was appointed as House Captain of Warwick House at school [What team? WARWICK! What team? WARWICK! Warwick! GET YOUR HEAD IN THE GAME!] and I have a lovely shiny badge that I wear on my YSL blazer with pride. As a House Captain I feel like I've already done so much to contribute to our school's community, including saying the word "community" about 5 times in one minute when improvising a congratulatory speech on the last day of school. We organised/ran two major school events after we returned from study leave in June: Sports Day and House Festival - only a Camphillian could ever understand how much fun House Festival is. Although it was stressful, and a few small organisational issues made things hard on the day, House Festival was a huge success and most definitely THE BEST ONE EVER.<br />
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I've found that coping with and adapting to change extremely challenging, mainly because everything that happened so fast this year, but also because I don't want things to change. I don't want to grow up. I don't want to face my future. It's a bit silly, seeing as it's inevitable, but I really just want to sit down, enjoy my hobby and drink iced tea forever. I'm also really indecisive and I am scared to change because I don't want to regret anything I do, although ironically, this has meant that I've barely done anything, which I regret.<br />
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I don't really know where this blog post is going now. I started off begging for forgiveness, then I filled in the gaps that have been left open since I accidentally abandoned fionasbugle and now I've confessed my fears about the inevitability of growing up.<br />
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This has been a filler post. I have 5 posts lined up which should hopefully be up over the next few days. I also have another project that I'd like to share with anyone who takes time out to read my confusing blog entries - you must either really like films or really love me, which is definitely what I'll be needing to help me make this project a success.fijamjayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15124116888254015208noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4265146889359621768.post-32012347084613725712013-05-18T18:36:00.001+01:002014-08-18T16:02:07.219+01:00Top 3: MusicalsI suppose I've always loved a good show, and as soon as they make a film adaptation I fall in love with it, simply because I can watch and appreciate it whenever I please. Not every adaptation can live up to the Show, but there are a few exceptions.<br />
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<img src="http://www.dbcovers.com/imagenes/backdrops/grandes/sombrero_de_copa_1935//sombrero_de_copa_1935_1.jpg" height="360" width="640" /><br />
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The first of these is Top Hat. I believe that this was a film first and was then brought to the stage. It's brilliant. I personally have a huge thing for the 1930s - everything about it intrigues me from the fashion and music, to the shifts in society to the economic crises (can you tell I'm a history student?). Astaire and Rogers are an ideal duo and their chemistry is brilliant. The film is exactly how I think most people look back and remember the 1930s, except not everybody could sing and tap dance. I went to go and see the show last year with my nan and thoroughly enjoyed it, and our favourite song was "Cheek to Cheek". It's wonderful and light, easy to watch, funny, beautifully performed and easy to sing along to. Well worth a watch.<br />
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<img src="http://www.reachforthestage.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2012/01/bugsyjpeg.jpg" height="333" width="640" /><br />
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A childhood favourite of mine is Bugsy Malone. When I was in year 6 we decided to do our own version of Bugsy Malone for our end of year assembly. Unfortunately, I didn't get to take part because I went on holiday so I painted sets and joined in the choir, and I still regret not taking part to this day, even though I couldn't do anything about it. I liked the idea that it was a bunch of children in an adult world. The gangster theme and the weirdly likeable characters made the whole film enjoyable, and the songs are brilliant. It's weird to think that Jodie Foster was Tallulah. Weird. Weird. Weird. Buy the soundtrack, watch the film. You won't regret it.<br />
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<img src="http://assets.hulu.com/shows/key_art_moulin_rouge.jpg" height="248" width="640" /><br />
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Last but certainly not least, is Moulin Rouge. I just needed to fit it in somewhere. To me, this film is the epitome of perfection. I am a fan of Baz Luhrmann's style and even though I haven't been able to fully appreciate it up until now, it's always been a favourite film of mine. Two beautiful leads, an odd but strangely fairytale-like storyline and some stellar performances; what's not to love? A day does not go by without "Elephant Love Medley" being sung dramatically by me.<br />
Jim Broadbent, Nicole Kidman and Ewan McGregor are truly magnificent and the song selection is brilliant and perfect. Okay. Bye.fijamjayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15124116888254015208noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4265146889359621768.post-75412069622207777882013-05-04T10:14:00.001+01:002014-08-18T16:02:33.069+01:00Live Below The Line 2013So, as usual, this blog post comes with an introductory apology for my lack of posts. It's been a busy however-long-it's-been but now I do have things to share.<br />
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Some of you may be aware of the Enough Food IF Campaign - a campaign backed by over 150 charities to mark 2013 as the beginning of the end of world hunger. It's hard to believe that now, in 2013, world hunger is still a growing problem, with 1.2 billion people living below the poverty line, internationally defined as living on £1 a day or less. I probably spend more than that on my lunch alone. In a modern world full of 'we should be equal' and human rights, why is World Hunger still a thing?<br />
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Anyone can sign up and support the IF Campaign. Just google it and read about it. The campaign aims to tackle 4 problems: Aid, Land, Tax and transparency. To read about these, visit the website. Http://enoughfoodif.org/issues<br />
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This past week (29th April-3rd May) was the week of the Live Below The Line challenge. This meant living on £1 a day for 5 days to experience what it could possibly be like for someone living in extreme poverty. Of course, it's near impossible to know exactly what it's like. The £1 a day is just for food. We are still able to get the bus to school, drink clean water, come home and watch TV by the radiator; small things that one who lives in extreme poverty cannot do, and that most of us take for granted.<br />
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This week I lived on £1 a day for 5 days. For those of you who know me well, you are aware of how major this is. I am the daughter of a chef/waitress. Food has never been a problem for me, despite the current economic problems that have affected most in Britain today. I am a compulsive snacker, known for wolfing down everything and anything out of boredom. Effectively, I eat around 5 mini meals a day instead of the standard 3 square meals a day. This suits me well - I don't sit at the table with my family for dinner. I eat when I please and I fit my work around that. Upon discovering the IF Campaign on Twitter, I realised that this is a really bad thing. Perhaps it's unfair to be hard on myself, seeing as I've grown up to be this way, but in the grand scheme of things I just eat whatever I want and not what I need. I am guilty of greed. <br />
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This week I, and a few fellow classmates at college, did the challenge. I personally gave up meat for a week, something that shocked those closest to me. I have also lived without tea and coffee and crisps and brownies. Things that I deem necessary for my survival. I thought that the first day would be the hardest, seeing as I would have just thrown myself into a diet with fewer calories and nutrients etc. my diet mainly consisted of toast, egg and rice, with a baked potato as a treat on the last day. This was all very bland and unappetising, so I was generous with my seasoning to help me get through it all. I drank more water this week than I ever have in my life. I did lots of homework without a mug of black coffee by my side. <br />
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For most of the week, I coped really well, which I think surprised everyone, given my food history, but suddenly everything changed on the Friday. I came into school and ate my tiny everyday-value-apple as breakfast part i, as I had done every day. It suddenly wasn't enough. I had to wait two hours for breakfast part ii - 2 pieces of toast with spreadable cheese - and it was unbearable. My stomach ached, and I had to lie down or curl up into a ball to tame the pain. It even got to a point where I was lying down in the corner of my French class trying not to vocalise my pain - this made a very amusing anecdote, however, as my French teacher did not comment on the fact that I suddenly popped up out of nowhere halfway through to join in the lesson. I ate my toast and I thought I would be fine, until I walked up the millions of stairs up to my next lesson and the pain came back, along with a sudden wave of lethargy. I distracted myself with the fine potato I'd be eating at lunch while everyone else commented on how delirious I'd become in the space of a few hours. Lunch time came around and the microwaves in our common room had broken, so we ventured down to the food-tech room to cook our last Below The Line lunch. It didn't quite fill me up, so by the time I got to my physics lesson I was in absolute agony. I don't know why. But, I believe this to be what hunger feels like. I had planned to have a midnight feast to celebrate completing the challenge, but instead I made a roast pork meal for my family, ate my last ever Below The Line meal and went to bed at 6.30. I woke up later at 10.30 to post an early tweet of congratulations and relief, but managed to keep myself up until midnight to mark that the week was officially over. Since finishing the challenge, I've eaten an apple, an small orange and a piece of toast. The aching feeling inside has not yet gone away.<br />
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The challenge has taught me a lot. As clichéd as its sounds, I definitely appreciate food much more. I took care to cook everything properly and not be wasteful. I learned more about nutrition as people reassured me that it must be challenging because of the lack of x, y and z in my diet. I now appreciate my weekly shop at Tesco a lot more, because my budgeting and rationing was organised right down to the minute I'd be eating my snack apple and how much water I'd need to drink in each lesson to keep me sane.<br />
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Although the challenge is over, our fundraising does not end here. I am still looking for sponsors, and at school I will be organising a few small fundraising events such as a Come Dine Below The Line for the 6th Formers and a sweepstake with neat little prizes.<br />
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If you are interested in the cause then please consider sponsoring me for my efforts and checking out the IF Campaign and UNICEF websites for more information on how to get involved.<br />
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Sponsor me here: http://livebelowtheline.com/me/fionawild<br />
IF Campaign:<br />
http://enoughfoodif.org<br />
UNICEF UK:<br />
http://www.unicef.org.uk/enough-food-for-everyone-if/fijamjayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15124116888254015208noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4265146889359621768.post-90957607143746336092013-04-12T02:02:00.000+01:002014-08-18T16:04:42.995+01:00Top 3: Chick Flicks that are so bad that they're good.I'm not normally into fluffy pink things and princess dresses, but I can never hate a chick flick. Somewhere deep inside there is a little girl who wants a prince to help me out of a jam etc. And although I'm usually against the way that life is presented in such films, I always enjoy them. Here are a few that are truly awful.<br />
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<b>CHASING LIBERTY</b><br />
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<img src="http://mettelray.files.wordpress.com/2012/05/chasing.jpg" height="360" width="640" /><br />
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I have literally just finished watching this, which is why it's made it to my top 3. It was awfully cringey and so unrealistic that I almost wanted to turn it off. That's the thing about these kinds of films-they lack reality and it's really really annoying to someone like me (someone who actually thinks when they are watching). My summary of the film is this: president's daughter wants 'freedom', whines, bumps into a hot British guy (the beautiful Matthew Goode), and embarks on cheesy adventure to Berlin from Prague, via Venice. If you know the geography of Europe you'll understand why its worth mentioning where they go-it's not exactly the most direct route. I must say, though, despite the standard teenage rebellion and odd bursts of nudity, the heroine isn't a bratty kind of girl like in other films of this genre, she just says the same thing a lot which is why she's a bit annoying. But of course, one can not resist the love interest. He's perfect. Or at least to me he was. I particularly liked that he was incredibly sarcastic and cynical - much like myself - in a vain attempt to make him unlikeable. I can't tell if he was completely predictable or if I just had the exact same type of humour as he did, but he did get a lot of laughs from me, which is always good.<br />
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<b>27 DRESSES</b><br />
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<img src="http://cinema.rockwitch.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/27dresses.gif" /><br />
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Normally, if I bring up "27 Dresses" in a conversations it's followed by a squeal or a frustrated grumble. It is your bog standard, typical, clichéd chick flick. There is a very attractive women who just can't find the right guy or has found the right guy but her feelings aren't reciprocated. Then another guy comes along, helps the lass get her guy, then she realises that she wants the new bloke instead of the old one that she's spent most of the film pining after. You can't even say "oh, Fiona, you've spoiled the film now" because YOU KNOW IT'S GOING TO HAPPEN. This film is a really easy watch, though, and if you're a chick who enjoys a good flick then "27 Dresses" is a great place to start. It's nice and cheesy, there's an opportunity to have a little sing and lots of chances to laugh and cry. If you're into that mumbo jumbo.<br />
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<b>BRIDE WARS</b><br />
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<img src="http://www.wallpaperez.net/wallpaper/movie/Bride-Wars-1805.jpg" height="512" width="640" /><br />
This film wins the prize for most ridiculous chick flick in the history of ... everything.<br />
It truly is, though. I'm not exaggerating. Two best friends get engaged at a similar time and then they want to have a better wedding than the other. They get so ridiculously competitive that I just turned it off. I watched the second half of it a few weeks later just so that I got some closure with it (and I wanted to see who's wedding was better) and I'd predicted the ending almost word for word. I am quite clever and know how these films work, but word for word? That's a bit bad. Not for me, for the film. The worst thing is, I can see this kind of thing happening with a few of my friends, which makes me fear for my hair. It threw me off the idea of ever getting married and going to weddings and being a bridesmaid and MARRIAGE (but if Mr Hiddleston ever wants to get married I'll be there in a heartbeat).fijamjayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15124116888254015208noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4265146889359621768.post-77157297596306452512013-04-02T02:13:00.001+01:002014-08-18T16:04:20.644+01:00Top 3: (mini)seriesI've veered off the specific 'film reviewing' thing today to bring you my opinions on brilliant British telly. This is a mix of series/miniseries that I have thoroughly enjoyed over the years. I had the hardest time narrowing it down to 3, so I've put a list of other favourites down below. Enjoy.<br />
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*edit, 24/03* Also, I forgot to actually publish this... SOZ<br />
*edit 2/04* can you tell how much I procrastinate? I sorrys*<br />
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<b>BBC SHERLOCK</b><br />
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</b><img src="http://static.tumblr.com/schtckh/Wo3mahuo3/sherlock-banner_1_.jpg" height="98" width="640" /><br />
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It is no secret that Sherlock is my favourite thing in the history of ever. As a life long fan of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's hero, it is almost expected of me. It is a brilliant adaptation. And people who don't like it? ANDERSON. It is the most well cast, beautifully filmed, well written show I've ever had the pleasure to watch.<br />
If you're an Anderson, or live under a rock, I'll summarise it for you; BBC's Sherlock is 9 hours of adventure, wit and "feels". I love how well the stories have integrated into modern day London etc. and how much more relatable it has become. Not only that, but the characters are still perfect mirrors of Conan Doyle's - Sherlock is still cold, completely ahead of his time and very sociopathic; Moriarty is possibly even more terrifying than the book version; John is always loyal and completely amazed every time Sherlock <i>breathes. </i>One small thing that tends to get my goat, however, is how useless John seems to be. It's hard to explain without a fandom ROARING at you but I personally think that John deserves more time in the limelight than he has been given so far. He doesn't use his smarts enough because he's in the shadows of Sherlock's genius, and I don't think it's fair. He's an experienced medical man, and he must have some sort of deductive powers somewhere. We get glimpses of these, but they're always WRONG! or are used to tease the audience in an "you thought you'd got it, but really you didn't, sorry" kind of way. Watson is not supposed to be an injection of comedy, he is the narrator of the stories. Without Watson, there are no stories. Its not entirely awful, because he's probably the most relatable character in the show (other than Molly and Lestrade, the 'normal' people) but I'd just like to see more badass deductions from John in future if that's possible. Pls and thnku.<br />
There are plenty of other things I could say but I could go on for hours and hours and I'd completely lose my train of thought so just go and watch it over and over and just marvel at how well done it is and try not to cry your eyes out. LATERZ.<br />
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</b><b>ANY HUMAN HEART</b><br />
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I watched this because I had heard about who had been cast as the leads and am quite a big fan of actors like Jim Broadbent, Matthew Macfadyen and Hayley Atwell (to name a few), so I read about it and deemed it worthy of watching. It was beautiful. I loved the characters and the stories and how logical Logan Mountstuart's way of thinking is. I, too, have adopted the "it's just luck in the end" approach to life now. I'm a huge fan of period pieces, and this series, in four episodes, spans most of the 20th Century and it really opens your eyes to just how much things can change in a few years, how people adapt to the changes and then change themselves. I'll be honest: I watched it, fell in love with it, read the book, rewatched it and was a little disappointed that it wasn't as good as the book. That often happens. I guess that the book was just so brilliant that it was difficult to compress it down to 6 hours of footage but I appreciate that - at the end of the day it's still a fantastic series worth watching.<br />
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</b><b>SPOOKS</b><br />
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I've lived with Spooks for most of my life. It was one of those programmes that I distinctly remember my dad watching without realising that I was in the room, being SCARRED by what I was watching. Whenever I used to think of Spooks I thought of that poor lady getting her face cooked in a chip fryer. But I'd watched it from the beginning, and it stuck with me. Programmes like this really grab my attention because they're fictional but blatantly based on real life experiences. Spooks has taught me that we aren't ever really truly safe (which is a bit depressing) but we are protected by these people and we have no idea who they are. Nice. Cool.<br />
To me, the first "generation" of agents will always be the best - the golden trio (Tom, Zoe and Danny) are the original team and nothing will ever compare to them. That being said, I still love the other teams and actors that followed the enigmatic Matthew Macfadyen, Keeley Hawes and David Oyelowo (whose name I KNOW how to pronounce). Watching the final series last year absolutely broke my heart, but it definitely went out with a bang and there may be a film in the future so, my childhood may not be dead yet.<br />
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Others I'd recommend: <b>DANCING ON THE EDGE (2013)</b> - <i>it very nearly made the top 3</i>, Restless (2012), Ripper Street (2012), Band of Brothers (2001), Elementary (2012 -), Frozen Planet (2011 -), BBC Wallander (2008 -) , Call The Midwife (2012 -), Silk (2011 -)Pride and Prejudice (1995), State of Play (2003), Life on Mars/Ashes to Ashes (2006-2010), Mad Dogs (2011 -), Zen (2011), Skins (2007 -), Shameless UK (2004-2013), Merlin (2008-2012) and, of course, <b>DOCTOR WHO (forever)</b>.fijamjayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15124116888254015208noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4265146889359621768.post-11989610363654713232013-03-14T00:45:00.000+00:002014-01-24T22:24:07.605+00:00Top 3: Comic book filmsDON'T JUDGE ME FOR MY FIRST CHOICE OF GENRE.<br />
It's not a proper-proper-genre, but I had a hard time choosing films so I've gone with really specific categories to ensure that all the best ones get a mention on here. Brilliant. Glad that that's out of the way.<br />
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<b>IRON MAN (2008)</b></div>
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This will probably be my favourite film in this category forever and ever. I have always had a soft-spot for Marvel (much to my friend Maariyah's dismay [she's a DC gal]) and have enjoyed every Marvel film I've ever seen. The fact that more are on the way this year makes me squeal with delight. The fact that the first of the lot is Iron Man 3 just makes me want to jump up and down and flail a lot until I've actually seen it.</div>
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The main thing about this film for me is how spot on the casting is. It's a widely accepted fact: Robert Downey Jnr is Tony Stark. The two are so interchangeable that sometimes I can't tell them apart. Or I choose not to. Gwyneth Paltrow stole my heart with her utter bad-assery and loyalty to Stark. I hated Obadiah (that's a good thing) - Jeff Bridges' over-charming-ness caused suspicion right from the start, and in the end was a pretty great protagonist. And if anything, the soundtrack to the film sold it to me. It's so fitting and appropriate and indescribably perfect...</div>
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One of the many things I loved about the adaptation of Iron Man was it doesn't appear to be a typical, clichéd superhero flick at first. The first minute of the film introduces the Tony Stark that fans of the comics are familiar with (a lovable knob, who's rich and up himself in an amusing way) and then they suddenly chuck him into a really grim situation. Following a quick how-he-got-there section we follow a his struggle to do the right thing and survive doing so, with a stranger and a weird sciencey thing plugged into his chest to keep him alive. Then he gets out and it's all heroic and he avenges the death of the aforementioned stranger who helped him through the hard times and blah-di-blah. Considering how dark that part of the film is - what with the imprisonment, torture and general they-might-kill-him-any-second atmosphere - it's really easy to watch. Injections of comedy, which is normally just anything that Stark says, are placed in the right moments, and even though you know that he's one of those people that most of us tend to despise you can't hate him. </div>
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And then the rest of the storyline is generally awesome! And what really makes the film great for me is that it is a brilliant way to begin the whole Avengers storyline. All of the films of the Avengers are interlinked and it's so beautifully calculated and executed that it must be real. It's easy to get invested into this series of films, and Iron Man starts it all off.</div>
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<b>WATCHMEN (2009)</b></div>
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This slightly underrated film is another of my favourites. Watchmen is unbelievably true to the original material, and deserves to be remembered as a classic comic book movie. I watched the director's cut, and it was so long and dense that I thought I'd probably have to watch it in parts. When I first watched it, it was completely new to me - I had never heard of it but the trailer had intrigued me so I sat down and gave it a go. I couldn't turn it off. I find it easy to get into a film, but this time I was really conflicted. I'd started watching it at midnight, thinking that I'd turn it off at 1am, but 1am came and I couldn't bring myself to it. I needed to watch it and fit the pieces of the story together and absorb everything to understand what was happening. The beauty of the characters is that they are all just human. They don't have special powers (with the exception of Doctor Manhattan who is the big naked blue dude in the image above) and are just extraordinary people. Adrian Veidt/Ozymandias is a super genius with a muddled past, Nite Owl is the geeky good guy who plays by the rules and Silk Spectre and Silk Spectre II (mother and daughter) are the brilliantly heroic, sexy BAMF-y female heroes who are the only women in this gang of beefy hero guys. Not all of the goodies are goodies, however. The Comedian is very dark and antagonistic, despite being on the good side, and Rorschach is a vigilante with a creepy ink-blot style mask, sinister voice and an unhealthy determination to fight crime. It's refreshing to have personalities on different ends of the spectrum all in one group, and makes for very interesting interactions between them.</div>
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Other things that make it awesome:</div>
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-the fighting/violence is good. That probably sounds a bit odd, and, of course, that style of fighting isn't to everyone's taste, but I thought it was pretty decent. It's more graphic than the comics but that's no issue, really. If it's not what you like then just skip over it.</div>
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-the visual effects are marvellous. They managed to DESTROY NEW YORK CITY. AND BUILD A THINGY (I don't really know what it's meant to be) ON MARS. THAT'S, LIKE, A COMPLETELY DIFFERENT PLANET.</div>
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-one particular theme in the film made me think a lot about where I stand morally. Towards the end of the film the villain (I won't spoil the film for you) justifies his actions by saying something like "I've killed millions to save billions". I honestly couldn't say what my opinion on killing for the greater good is. It's tricky. Quotes like that made me question myself, and think WHAT IF THIS and WHAT IF THAT. It's really quite mind boggling. </div>
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If you're willing to sit through 3 hours of intense crime-fighting drama and can cope with the flashback-ing then give it a chance. </div>
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I'll end with a witty little quote.<br />
"<i>For someone that calls himself The Comedian, I can never tell when you're joking</i>." - Adrian Veidt/Ozymandias</div>
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This is just a film that I could easily watch over and over again without getting bored of it. (Although, one day I probably will get bored of it, due to the amount of times it gets played on Sky Movies...) It's a brilliant reboot of the X-Men franchise that I was brought up to enjoy. I loved all the other films. Even that one where they ruin Ryan Reynolds' face. (Why would you want to do that?) But, as a teenager, this one is my favourite because it's so fun and quick paced and there isn't a time where you would want to skip over to the next bit because it's all relevant and good and and and stuff.</div>
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I'm going to be honest with you, I'm a huge fan of the Cherik bromance. The chemistry between all of the characters good and makes it so much easier to like all the characters. The sense of community is great, and even though there are immature conflicts between them, which is bound to happen to a group of people thrown together at random, they all support each other right until the bitter end. Kevin Bacon (known to non-X-Men fans as "that bloke on the EE adverts") was great - a deliciously smarmy villain who is simply fighting for his cause; the cause that is justified rather well by the people who believe in it, even though to us simple non-mutants is just evil. Michael Fassbender, James McAvoy and Jennifer Lawrence shine brightly in the film, really pulling off their characters well and making them their own, rather than just lifting things from the other films. Costume and make up and effects are all great and not overdone, making the film believable and modest while boasting a fantastic cast and beautiful locations. </div>
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Little things about the film really make me giggle. Some of the jokes in the film are great tributes to the other films and comics if you know what they are, then you appreciate the film for what it is - it may be a reboot but it's not a mimic of the other films, it's different and original and new. Also, Michael Fassbender's accent is just as confused as Banshee is when it comes to women; his Germish accent (German/Irish) leans more to the Irish side, even though his character is German. But when you wouldn't have questioned it when watching it because his performance as Erik is just so damn gripping and moving, even though (in my opinion) he's quite a disagreeable character. </div>
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What I can never forgive them for is the <a href="http://insidemovies.ew.com/2011/08/23/x-men-first-class-deleted-scene/">cutting out of this scene</a>. It's not very long, and was so hilarious and helped me to appreciate just how powerful Charles' telepathy is, how funny he is, and - for the odd people out there - gives an indication of how close Charles and Erik are. Who knows?</div>
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{I realise that I got a bit lost when giving my opinions about the films, but I'll post it any ways. I'll get better with time, right?}</div>
fijamjayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15124116888254015208noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4265146889359621768.post-67436081892180591942013-03-13T19:45:00.003+00:002014-01-24T22:23:40.428+00:00Apologies 2.0{Bearing in mind that hardly anyone reads this any way so I'm only really apologising to Hannah, my number 1 fan and the person who has pressurised me into continuing with the blog posts (thanks for that, by the way, HanHan)...}<br />
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So, my Restless review is still hidden away in draft along with a review of Dancing on the Edge and a few of the BAFTA/Oscar nominated films that I planned to do as a BAFTA/Oscars special, which, as you can see, did not happen. I think I'll rewatch a few of them before posting them. I need to rewatch them as part of some extension work for History any way, so I get to watch some brilliant TV and get my work done while doing so - win win!<br />
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It turns out that all that time I spent "revising" instead of concentrating on the blog and my brilliant cinephile hobby was a waste, because I got a beautiful variation in my grades for the 3 exams that I sat. But, I've come to realise that I desperately need to start working super hard to get good grades so I can study History or History with Film Studies at University. Luckily, part of this 'working hard' lark is my EPQ which will be about films in some way. If anybody would like to help me decide just what to cover in my project that would be lovely.<br />
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The format of my next few posts is as follows: every few days I will be posting my top 3 from any genre you can think of [musicals, comedy, action, etc.] as well as my top 3 films for things like special effects and music or ... whatever. Sometimes I'll throw in mini-series because to me they are just a collection of films for TV. I'm not quite sure when the first one will go up, so it will be tonight or tomorrow.<br />
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One note before I finally click 'publish' {I've been writing this tiny post for two hours...} - I'm planning on starting a photo blog too, just to show off how awesome my life is. I'll post a link around here when it's up and running.<br />
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SO LONG, FAREWELL.fijamjayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15124116888254015208noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4265146889359621768.post-17423437637124873762013-02-10T16:16:00.002+00:002014-01-24T22:22:50.789+00:00ApologiesAt Christmas time I was completely inspired to write and write and write. In fact, I had so many ideas saved into draft that I could have posted something every day until July. But then reality caught up with me. *queue violins*<br />
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January was a tough month for me. I hate to sound whiny, but EXAMS ARE <b>POO</b>. I had a whole THREE exams - [the fourth was cancelled due to bad weather and has been postponed until May, *cries*] - and I'm pretty sure that I've failed two of them due to lack of understanding/revision. I know that I'm very lazy and easily distracted but I couldn't answer any of the questions on my M1 paper. My friend (whose name rhymes with Looby) had five exams, and another had none. Everyone, bar the lucky sods with no exams, was stressing out for at least a few days and it's not a great atmosphere for blog-writing. During this period of darkness I drank a lot of tea and ate lots of ice cream and watched nearly all the films available on Sky on Demand.<br />
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To compensate the lack of reviews/opinions I started a "film 365" on my Tumblr blog "evadelect0rskaya", where I post a picture of a film that I've watched every day for a year. That's going relatively well, although I've fallen behind with film watching because of my current workload (and love of sleep). But hopefully all of that will change by the end of the month!<br />
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I have lots of films on my "to watch" list, and lots of things to say about recent things on the telly so this blog will be alive again. I have a campaign project that I will talk more about in a future blog post as it involves me making my first proper film with my friends, will be starting a video diary of my trip to America next week and will be gushing lots of relatively spoiler-free reviews on here regularly by March.<br />
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To check out my film 365 to see what I've been watching click <a href="http://evadelect0rskaya.tumblr.com/ff365">here</a>*.<br />
The first of many reviews shall be posted later on tonight, and will probably be on "Restless".<br />
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*(Note that I have not posted comments of ratings out of 10 etc. on these posts <strike>because I am lazy</strike> in case I choose to review them later on )fijamjayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15124116888254015208noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4265146889359621768.post-39848433353165611932012-12-24T21:30:00.001+00:002014-08-18T16:03:47.792+01:00Fiona's week in film #1My first term of 6th form is now over (finally!) and I've watched lots of films this week to celebrate that fact. The great thing about the last week of term is that normally we watch films and eat biscuits instead of actually doing work, so as well as a brilliant staff pantomime this year we watched some pretty good films, too!<br />
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...wasn't particularly interesting, as we were still "doing work", but when I got home and grabbed my Dad's iPad and starting watching "Cambridge Spies" (2003). "Cambridge Spies" is a four part BBC drama about 4 of the Cambridge Spies who, like, became spies and stuff... You get the gist. I only had time to watch Episode 1, but it was quite enjoyable, and had all the good elements of a BBC drama: humour, some sort of heart breaking romance, seriousness and SUSPENSE. I'll make an effort to watch the other episodes some time soon, it's worth watching just for the cast and the pretty Cambridge scenery (although, there will probably be less of that as the series goes on... *sad face*).</div>
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<b>Tuesday</b> </div>
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...In French we watched "10 Things I Hate About You" (1999), because, obviously, it's very relevant to French AS. It's one of those films that you can't not love; Heath Ledger and Joseph Gordon-Levitt are adorable and most teenage girls cannot resist a romcom with good looking actors in it (I speak with experience). The only possible bone I have to pick with it is that it's based on "The Taming of the Shrew" and some things just don't seem right to me. I mean, obviously it's been modernised but Kat Stratford was not tamed much at all, was she? It was too romantic to be true to the original story. I don't know if that's the point but it bugged me a bit. Oh, but I did blub a bit at the poem. THE POEM.</div>
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...I watched "Wisdom of Crocodiles" (1998) at home. Nothing particularly special, it was a bit hard to follow at first - which may be because I was half asleep whilst watching it - but I'm into those kinds of psychological thriller films that can creep you out and make you think without the horror element in it too. Jude Law, who plays the main character, wasn't too bad, but overall the film can only be described as OK and little more. </div>
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...In French we watched an actual French film, "L'arnacoeur" (Heartbreaker). I'd already seen it before by the recommendation of my film maestro and fabulous French partner, Sophie, so I already knew that I was going to enjoy it. We ate the film with cloudy apple juice, lemonade, cakes, biscuits and cherry loaf and laughed at the utter cheesiness which oozed out of every pore possible throughout. The soundtrack is particularly uplifting, and (as a big fan of Dirty Dancing) I approved of shirtless dancing and fluffy romance, as well as witty humour throughout. Je l'aime.</div>
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On top of that, in General Studies the majority of our year - bar the unfortunate people who take Critical Thinking - got to watch The History Boys "because of the famous quote about general studies". Having not watched the whole film the whole way through before, I was very excited to finally see it. Despite it being hard to watch due to a bunch of unenthusiastic chatterboxes sitting behind us, I thoroughly enjoyed the 40 minutes we got to watch. As soon as I got home I watched it 'till the end, and honestly cried because the ending lacked Dakin/Irwin sexy time. Dominic Cooper is great at the whole charming sleazeball thing, so I'm glad that I share the name of his girlfriend/friend with benefits. And Stephen Campbell Moore is wow. I just loved his character so much. </div>
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...We watched the second half of L'arnacoeur and swooned over Romain Duris' dancing. A great way to spend the last lesson of the term. </div>
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I also managed to watch the first 10 minutes of "The Holiday" (2006), which is one of my favourite Christmas films - I still consider it to be a Christmas film despite it's lack of Christmassy content. It's got Jude Law in it, who can complain? It's sad to think that I have had an Iris crisis (yes, I just made up that term) in my life so far, and possibly still am. When Kate Winslet cries over a guy, you want to cry with her, although not necessarily for her guy this time. I'm a big fan of Rufus Sewell but he's a lot more charming without the curly mop thing. If you haven't seen it, see it. You'll want a Mr Napkinhead in your life, too.</div>
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...I watched "Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone" for old times' sake. Unfortunately noticed how ridiculously bad the younger cast members were (except Tom Felton. He wasn't too bad, probably because he'd been in two films prior to Harry Potter). But, of course, my inner Potterhead didn't care. Wingardium leviOsah.</div>
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The other film I managed to watch was a film called "Never Let Me Go" which was fascinating. I do adore Carey Mulligan, and Andrew Garfield with his English accent does make me giddy. Then Keira Knightley is there too. It's got a really interesting plot, and the beautiful images throughout the film made it pleasant to watch even though the story is somewhat dark. </div>
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...I don't know what I was thinking. I just thought "Oh, that Jeremy Irvine is a cutie, I need more of him in my life." and decided to put "Now is Good" on. I'd had a long day, dropping my brother off for a squash course in Coventry, wheeling my Nan around M&S in the panicked Christmas shopping crowd, the busiest shift at McDonalds I've ever had (and apparently the restaurant had ever had, too). I'd already watched the Homeland finale, which was HELL. It just started off so happy and beautiful and ended HORRIBLY (the story, not the episode, Homeland is always flawless, no matter what). I was a mess, mentally. So I whacked on the film thinking that Irvine's face would cheer me up.</div>
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I've read the book that the film is based on, and loved it even though some of the content in the book was like WOAH GIRL CALM YO'SELF. The film was much more appropriate, but it completely broke my heart. It wasn't necessarily the best film in the world, but it's one of those films that requires some chocolate and a humongous box of tissues to be handy. The story is about a 17 year old girl who has suffered from leukaemia and decides to stop treatment and live the rest of her short life to the max. I didn't expect much from Dakota Fanning considering she's American *shudders* but she pulled off the accent, so I couldn't really fault her performance. She wasn't quite who I'd pictured playing Tessa, but she didn't do a bad job, so I shan't complain. I absolutely fell in love with Adam (Irvine), and you just have to watch it to understand why. He's just utterly perfect. A girl's dream. My dream...</div>
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To me, though, the chap who plays Tessa's daddy, Paddy Considine, deserved the biggest pat on the back. He's really great, he managed to shine brighter than most in the film and I just wanted to hug him by the end of it. If I could see him through my tears.</div>
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fijamjayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15124116888254015208noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4265146889359621768.post-20481006970242278682012-12-24T19:23:00.001+00:002014-01-24T22:21:41.022+00:00New project!Hello, reader, and Merry Christmas.<br />
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Over the past few weeks I've been on a little stressful roller coaster as I've had to balance a lot of things on my flimsy paper plate. Unfortunately, writing reviews fell off said plate, and I don't want this to carry on. I've been involved in a few small internet-y projects over the past few months that have been a bit of a disappointment, so I want to do something in which I don't have to rely on anyone else for a while, although I may need help along the way.<br />
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My idea is that once a week, I'll post a list of films that I've watched with mini reviews and pictures etc. alongside any reviews that I post. This will be done on Sundays/Mondays (ideally). I used to try and watch a film a day, but I've had so much work to do that it isn't possible any more, so I'll bung TV episodes and specials in the pot too, just to spice things up a bit. I'll be re-watching many things too, just because I enjoyed them so much.<br />
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It would be awfully nice if people would help me out by recommending films and series to watch, too!<br />
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That's all for now, I'll be posting my first one later on tonight!<br />
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{P.S. It doesn't feel like it's Christmas tomorrow, does it?}fijamjayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15124116888254015208noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4265146889359621768.post-45711220838355834932012-10-22T23:12:00.002+01:002014-08-18T16:02:55.597+01:00and... ACTION!I thought my first review should be about the thing that I watch from the small hours to the small hours every weekend and every week day when I am "doing my homework". Anyone who follows me on twitter will know or can probably guess that it's going to be about Two and a Half Men. It used to be my guilty pleasure, but now it's a part of the daily routine. I don't quite know what about the series is so addictive. It could be how unbelievably relatable Alan can be , or how much Jake resembles my brother, Jake. Maybe it's Ashton Kutcher's existence. Whatever it is, I'm hooked.<br />
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I may be a whole series late in saying anything about it, but let's not dwell over that small fact. The NEW Two and a Half Men [Series 9, onwards] completely surpassed all of my expectations. I didn't think that anything on the planet could be funnier than Charlie's laid back, cynical sense of humour, but Walden is so adorably naive that I couldn't stop watching. My family are glad that I finished the 9th season in no time at all because they had to sit through it with me. They enjoyed it, Jake in particular, but they were too caught up on the current plotline in Eastenders to be patient with my obsessive viewing habits. SOD 'EM!<br />
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I have to be honest though, there are some things that ruined the season for me and made me miss Charlie more than I thought I would. The main thing is Walden's girlfriend, whatshername (let me google it... ZOEY). She's so annoyingly British in it. Unfortunately, after wikipedia-ing her (yes that's probably a verb now) I've learned that she is actually English AND a member of the royal family by marriage. I'm scared to say what I was going to now in case it's treason...<br />
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#YOLO<br />
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(Did I just say that? Oh dear... I'm going to regret that...)<br />
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Well, I really rather dislike when actors over exaggerate their accents or mannerisms when they are acting. It happens all the time and it makes you wonder, are they native or just pretending? I'm hardly ever convinced. What's even worse, though, is when they are actually attempting the accent and they fail miserably. I've lost favour with many actors over this, sadly. The most recent being Anne Hathaway in One Day. She's normally fabulous, yet in this film her accent distracted me from the great story that I'd adored in the book. I was tearing my hair out by the end of it because everything was perfect except for the failed Yorkshire accent. There's a load of examples I could use but you're probably sitting there with a couple popping up in your head already so I shan't bother. The fact that you are<i> now</i> probably thinking about it and can think of one is proof that I'm not crazy.<br />
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Other than the annoyingness of the love interest in the 9th season not much else bothers me. Walden, after a few episodes, seems really predictable: charming, lucky, rich, perhaps the angel version of Charlie, BUT every episode got more ridiculous and you never can quite know what Alan or Walden will do next. Alan seems to be less human and a million times more pathetic without Charlie around and despite the ridiculous things he does to get money without looking desperate (as if that ship didn't sail a umpteen seasons ago) he's still funny, just in a more cartoon character way. It's nice to see him, Jake and a lot of other characters being more involved than before, though. Even when, admittedly, most of my attention is on Walden's face - especially when shaven - I have begun to see how Alan's mind works. If he hasn't lost it.<br />
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I'm very much looking forward to the rest of series 10!</div>
fijamjayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15124116888254015208noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4265146889359621768.post-63887692137504358592012-10-05T17:33:00.001+01:002014-01-24T22:21:21.319+00:00PilotGood evening, all!<br />
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I'm at that age when you have to start thinking about what you want to do with your life, and honestly I'm not dealing with it very well. I assume that most people my age are in a similar situation to me and trust me, I sympathise. I really, really do. I'm at 6th Form college and I'm studying Maths and Further Maths, Physics, History and French. It's a varied mix, and when I tell my friends what I study their jaws drop because they either hate science or think that I'm crazy for studying French. I don't quite know what was going through my head when I chose these subjects. Perhaps the idea of being an engineer sounded promising and decided to glue itself to my brain, whilst my favourite subject, History clung insistently to my heart. And French? French is good. C'est chouette! C'est pas mal! I do enjoy it, even though I accent sounds German and I can never remember anything.<br />
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But 3 weeks into the first term and I am still hopelessly confused. I adore Physics but can't stand the lessons, Maths seems like effort, History is great and French is hard but the lessons are fabulous. I've started to regret not taking English, even though I know that certain topics within it would kill my brain cells slowly and painfully. And whenever I get home I'd rather get on with my hobby, watching films, than anything else. Which is why I am here!<br />
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On a whim I've decided to write a blog post for film reviews, reviews on TV series and episodes and give my opinion on anything that I find interesting. I just thought that it would be appropriate to do a pilot post first, so hopefully I'll be writing posts on a regular basis to keep me sane. I must say that despite the common idea that people who watch films all the time are unhealthy and/or lazy but I firmly disagree. I find it completely educational and I must be the only person on earth who can't snack while I watch films. I still go outside on occasion and I eat regularly and every once in a while I am prised away from the laptop or television to do my homework.<br />
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Without further ado, Fiona's Bugle!<br />
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((In case you don't understand the title, it's a clever use of The Daily Bugle from Spiderman.))fijamjayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15124116888254015208noreply@blogger.com0