Favourite Films and TV Shows of 2021 So Far| Carenza Bramwell

As we are now over halfway through 2021, I thought it would be fun to look back at the year and talk about my favourite films and TV shows. As of writing this, I have watched 90 things. I have watched 59 movies and 31 TV shows. I have been rewatching a lot of favourites, including a complete rewatch of the Marvel films. I went through my list of things I've watched and picked 5 favourites. 

The Queen's Gambit

A highlight from the start of the year and one I still can't stop thinking about. I have a full review, which you can read here. I don't know how they did it, but they made chess an engaging subject. Beth and the other characters all had something about them. They were icons. I loved this show so much that I have since read the book and feel that the show is superior. If for some reason you haven't watched the show, you really should as it's one of the best I've watched in a while. The writing. The acting. The set design. The whole package. It was incredible. 

The Mauritanian 

Despite the dark subject matter of this film, you can't help but feel hopeful as it ends. Tahar Rahim as the central character brings light to an otherwise quite bleak film. As it's based on real events, it can leave you feeling angry that this happened. I still want to read the book that this is based on. I think the other cast members are just as strong in their performances, but this is Rahim's film. I'd recommend doing some research on this film before watching it. It was another one where all the elements came together to create an amazing film. You can read my review of it here. 

 

Shadow and Bone

I was not expecting to like this show. I hadn't been the biggest fan of the books so I didn't see the hype around the show. A friend of mine convinced me to watch it and I ended up watching it twice. I was that hooked that as soon as I finished watching it for the first time, I started watching it a second time. I went and reread the books because of it. They made some great changes as I really don't care for the books. I have a full review of the show, which you can read here. I think it goes without saying that I am very excited for series two and for them to introduce some of my favourite characters to this show. 

 

The Machines vs the Mitchells 

If you are looking for something funny, heartwarming and beautiful, then look no further. This is probably my favourite film of 2021 so far. It was great from start to end. I loved the characters, the animation, the story. I don't think there was a single thing I didn't like about this film. Olivia Coleman voices the villain and is clearly having a blast. At it's core, this is a film about a family coming together despite being very different. I loved all of their storylines. I think, to put it simply, I loved this film. 

Breeders Series Two

I watched this series in one day because I could not stop watching. I had rewatched series one and thought it was good, but this series knocked it out of the park. Obviously as it's a second series, I won't be going into details so I can avoid spoilers. They threw everything they could at these characters. I found the storylines really engaging. They tackled some important topics. The performances were superb. If you are looking for a new sitcom, then I'd strongly recommend this one. This is a show about parenting and as someone who is very much not a parent (and won't be for quite some time, if ever), there is something for everyone in this show. We all know people like that. 

So that was a very quick list of my favourite films and TV shows of 2021 so far. I'll be doing an updated one at the end of this year, with hopefully some more things on it. Have you watched anything from this list? What are some of your favourites so far? 

My Thoughts on All the Spider-Man Movies from 2002 to Present Day| Carenza Bramwell

This is a slightly different blog post from me, but recently I decided to watch all the Spider-Man films to decide which I thought was the best. By all the Spider-Man films, I mean I watched the Tobey Maguire trilogy, the Andrew Garfield duology, the MCU films with Tom Holland and Spider-Man Into the Spiderverse. The majority of these were rewatches except for Spider-Man Into the Spiderverse. I'll be talking through each film and sharing my thoughts. There are most likely going to be spoilers for these films, so if you haven't watched them, I'd recommend either not reading this post or going away to watch them and then coming back. All images have been taken from Google Images and do not belong to me. 

Spider-Man (2002)

Taken from Google Images

It's been a very long time since I watched these films. I remembered vague moments, but essentially I was watching the Tobey Maguire ones for the first time. I really struggled to connect with this version of Peter Parker and Spider-Man. Now I can't say I know that much, if anything, about the character outside of what I have seen in films about him. To me, something just felt off about this portrayal. That isn't a critique against Maguire, more one about the film as a whole. This film does have the iconic upside down kiss moment, which is a great moment of cinema. For me, it just didn't have that emotional pull. I didn't connect with any of the characters. It's been well over a month since I watched it and to be honest, I can't remember much outside of the things that happen in other origin movies. I gave it 3/5 stars.   

Spider-Man 2 (2004)

   

Taken from Google Images

This film suffered from second film slump. The villain was by far the most interesting so far. A lot of this film revolved around the love triangle between Peter, MJ and Harry. I just didn't care for it. Again, I failed to connect or care with the characters. Like the first film, it had some great cinematic moments, such as when Peter stops the train from falling off the bridge. The characters feel very flat, which is an odd choice for a superhero film. The plot was okay, but if you can't make me care about the characters, then you have lost me. I gave it 3/5 stars.

Spider-Man 3 (2007)

This was my least favourite of the trilogy and there are several reasons for that. My main reason is about the plot with MJ, Gwen and Peter. I hated that they had Peter kiss Gwen when MJ was watching. His excuse for kissing her was awful, her reaction was validated. The way women have been portrayed in these films is most likely a reflection of the time, but this was the early 2000s and so not excusable. They have the potential to be great characters and were reduced to screaming, love interests. My other reason for not liking this film is that it tried to do too much. There were three villains. That's too many. Both of these reasons made for an okay viewing experience. I think it's safe to say that Maguire's trilogy was my least favourite of all the iterations of Spider-Man. I gave this film 3/5 stars.

The Amazing Spider-Man (2012)

These were actually the Spider-Man films that got me into Spider-Man. I know they're not the most popular versions, but I hold a soft spot for them. I connected a lot more with this portrayal of Spider-Man. I think it has the right balance of goofy and serious. It is quite dark in tone, but it works. The soundtrack is great, I regularly listen to it when I want a good study session. Andrew Garfield and Emma Stone are an incredible duo in this film. There's a lot of chemistry between them. Gwen Stacey also holds a lot of authority, she grounds Peter when he's being all heroic. It does take a while to get to the action and introduce the villain. He's an okay villain with an okay motive. I have watched this film about five times and I enjoy it every single time. I gave it 4/5 stars.

The Amazing Spider-Man 2 (2014)

Like Spider-Man 2, this film suffers from too many villains. Both are great villains and were worthy of their own films to fully explore them. I know that Jamie Foxx is set to reprise his role in the MCU Spider-Man film, which I'm excited to see. Gwen's arc in this film shows her for the strong character she is. She is carving her own path independent of Peter. This makes her death even sadder. I think this is down to the chemistry between Garfield and Stone, you can see how much they love each other. This film is also a tad too long. While I enjoy it and am sad they didn't give Garfield a third film, I think The Amazing Spider-Man is my favourite of this duology. I gave it 4/5 stars. 

Spider-Man: Homecoming (2017)  

For a while I was convinced that Tom Holland might be my favourite Spider-Man. For one thing, he actually looks the part. He is believable as a goofy teenager. This film captures that perfectly. It reminds us that while Spider-Man is a superhero, Peter is just a kid. The scene were Peter is trapped under some rubble and starts panicking really humanises him. You very rarely see that vulnerable side of these characters. The side characters of Ned and MJ are great. This is the first time that Aunt May doesn't really play a big role in Peter's life, which is an interesting choice. The romance with Liz and the villain are probably my least favourite things about this film. It gets a lot of things right that it's predecessors haven't. I gave it 4/5 stars.

 

Spider-Man: Far From Home (2019)

As an individual Spider-Man film, this is okay. I think that because these are so embedded into the MCU it is hard to discuss it as it's own film. We do see some development in Peter and Spider-Man. It is slightly darker in tone that Homecoming. The romance with MJ comes out of nowhere, in my opinion. This has some very nice comedic moments. The villain was okay. Jake Gyllenhaal and Tom Holland had excellent chemistry. The ending of this film leaves Peter's journey in a very interesting place. I am excited to see what they do with Peter and Spider-Man in the next film. I like this version of Spider-Man, but it's so hard to talk about it as a Spider-Man film when this one is linked to Endgame. I gave it 4/5 stars.

Spider-Man Into the Spider-Verse (2018) 

I finally watched this film after having wanted to watch it for ages. I thought the animation style was stunning, probably one of the best I've ever seen. It's insane just how far animation has progressed in the past 15-20 years. I watched this film in four sittings, which was probably a mistake. I think it's a film that demands to be watched in one sitting. I struggled with the plot and staying connected, but that was probably my own fault. I did go and read the Wikipedia summary after I had watched it. It's one I'll watch again. I knew that Miles Morales was a version of Spider-Man, but I didn't know much about him. I'm now interested in all the different versions and learning more about them. As I've already said this film was visually stunning, but I struggled with the plot. I will watch the sequel as I am interested to see where they could take this story. I gave it 4/5 stars. 

General Thoughts and Ranking

I really like Spider-Man as a character. I will always hold a soft spot for the Amazing Spider-Man films as they are the films that introduced me to the franchise. I do want to read some Spider-Man comics but have no clue where to start. I know a lot of people really like the Maguire films, but I didn't connect with them at all. 

1) The Amazing Spider-Man (2012)

2) Spider-Man: Homecoming (2017)

3) The Amazing Spider-Man 2 (2014)

4) Spider-Man Into the Spider-Verse (2018)

5) Spider-Man: Far From Home (2019)

6) Spider-Man 2 (2004)

7) Spider-Man (2002)

8) Spider-Man 3 (2007) 

What is your favourite Spider-Man film? 

 

  

Balancing Reading and Watching Time| Carenza Bramwell

If you are a long term follower of my blog or any other social media sites, then you will know I am both a big reader and a big watcher (of film and TV). Since last March, both have become even more important in my life. I wanted to use this blog post to talk about my passion for both and how I balance both. 

What Books, Films and TV Shows Mean to Me

It is a slightly cliche answer, but reading has always been a passion of mine. I come from a family of readers, so it's practically in my DNA. Over the past few years, I have made it a part of my daily routine to always have some time to read. Similarly, with films and TV shows, they have been a part of my life for as long as I can remember. I wouldn't say it was as active as reading, but there were films and TV shows I waited for and was so excited to finally watch. Since starting university, but particularly in the last year, my passion for films and TV shows has become more pronounced. I watched way over double what I read last year. Being able to escape into these worlds (which I also do with books) was bliss. 

I am also a Creative and Professional Writing student, with the hopes of one day becoming a professional writer. I had thought that I would always go down the fiction route, wanting to write books as they had shaped my life so much. I think I'm now leaning more towards working in film and TV when I graduate. I haven't fully decided as I enjoy writing both and there's nothing to say I can't write both. So not only do I enjoy books, films and TV shows as a consumer, I also like writing them, which plays into why they are so important to me. 

How to Balance Both Passions

Reading and watching are very time consuming passions (hobbies?), which means I have to set aside a lot of time for both. Part of this is for my own enjoyment and part of this is for my degree/to learn more. In 2020, the balance definitely leaned more on the favour of film and TV. This is something I'm trying to balance more in 2021. Whenever I finish uni for the day, my main goal is to try and read for an hour. That doesn't always happen for various reasons. If I don't read for an hour, I like to at least read a couple of chapters.

Sometimes I will prioritise watching films and TV shows over reading. I like watching things before I go to bed as I've found I can get sleepy while reading but it takes me a while to fall asleep. So I've started watching things before I go to bed so I am actually quite tired before I fall asleep. I do set a time limit of 11:30pm being the latest I will be switching things off and going to sleep. This is the balance I've found that works for me personally, so it's really about finding the balance that works for you.

Is One More Important than the Other?

I wanted to include a section on which is more important to me as I feel that is something that should be discussed. The honest answer is no. Both are equally important to me, however, I will always prioritise reading over watching. Most of my content is about books, so therefore I have to put more of my time into books. However, career wise, I see myself going down the film and TV route. This does make finding a balance difficult because they are both so important to me. I think I will always end up watching more than I read because you know how long something is going to take to watch, you can never predict how long something is going to take to watch. So in a rather long winded way, my answer is that both are just as important and finding a balance can be difficult.

My Reading and Watching Routine

I start my day by watching something that is roughly twenty minutes long to help with some back problems I have. I then will watch something that is around half an hour with my parents at lunchtime. Reading is usually my priority and I will read while tea is being cooked. I then watch something with my parents while we eat our tea and spend time together after our busy days working. I like to read a couple of chapters roughly before I got to bed. I end my day by watching something, always making sure to be turning everything off by 11:30pm. 

That concludes this post on my reading and watching habits and how I try to balance the two.

Carenza :) x 

What I've Been Watching Recently- Christmas Edition| Carenza Bramwell

Welcome to the final what I've been watching recently for 2020. This is most likely the final one overall as I am thinking of moving more towards reviews and opinion pieces rather than these long lists. From late September to the end of the year, I didn't watch as much as I've been very busy with university. 

TV 

Fleabag

One of my favourite shows of all time, I actually rewatched it twice in 2020. Once by myself and once with my housemates. This show is incredible and I haven't watched anything quite like it. I can't stop talking about it. Will always be a favourite for me. 

The Living and the Dead

Another rewatch for me. The Living and the Dead is a Halloween/Spooky season show that I have to watch every October. It's a historical paranormal drama. If you are looking for a spooky, historical drama with a great cast and superb soundtrack, then look no further. 

Miracle Workers

This is a show one of my housemates enjoyed so we decided to watch it as a group. I enjoyed the first season more than the second. A solid show, but I did find the characters two similar between the series. There were some funny moment, but mostly it was an okay show. I will probably watch the third series.

Ghosts

Ghosts has become one of my favourite shows. It's from the Horrible Histories team. It's a sitcom about a young couple who inherit a house haunted by ghosts. I have loved every single episode and I cannot wait for the next series. If you are looking for something lighthearted at the moment, I'd recommend this.

You, Me and the Apocalypse

A rewatch for me after watching ghosts was You, Me and the Apocalypse. This is a short lived show about what happens at the end of the world. I loved it when I watched in 2016 and I loved it when I watched in 2020. I'm still very sad that it never got a second series. 

Avenue 5

Next, I watched Avenue 5, a sitcom about people from the future stuck on a cruise in space. Another enjoyable show. There were some really good performances. I would definitely watch the second series whenever it comes out. 

Breeders

A show I was very excited to watch was Breeders, by Martin Freeman. This is a show about parenthood and how people struggle with it. It had some solid moments. It's another one that I would consider watching the second series of when it drops. 

The Sister

Sadly, a show I did not enjoy was The Sister. This is a murder mystery crime show about a man involved in a young women's death and how he has hidden involvement in it. There were no shocks or good twists. I just didn't care for the characters. It was just a bit disappointing as a show. 

Schitt's Creek

Going from something I didn't like from something that is my favourite show of the year, Schitt's Creek. I have watched it three times. By far my favourite show. I have taken to walking around the house going "ewww David". Very happy I decided to watch this show as it brought some joy to my 2020.  

Films

Spirited Away

I am a huge Studio Ghibli fan, so I finally watched Spirited Away. It's a classic Studio Ghibli film so it was time I watched. I really enjoyed it. Very happy I finally watched it and it was something I had to watch for uni. 

Whiplash

Another film I had to watch for uni was Whiplash. I am a fan of Damien Chazelle's work, but Whiplash was a very difficult film to watch. The two central performances were incredible. The story was not something I'd normally enjoy. I needed to watch something happier after that film.  

Coraline

Halloween is one of my favourite times of year, so naturally the next three films are Halloween ones. The first is Coraline, which I loved when it came out in 2009. We put it on in the background as we worked on some Halloween arts and crafts. I'm still ashamed that I've never read the book, but I love the film so much I think that it's okay. 

The Nightmare Before Christmas

Every year since I started uni in 2018, my friend and I have tried to watch this film. Finally, in my final Halloween at uni we managed it. I adore this film. It's a staple of my Halloween. It's very good and makes my Halloween. 

Beetlejuice

A film I had never seen was Beetlejuice. It's another classic Halloween film. However, I feel I'd have enjoyed it more if I grew up with it. It just wasn't my sort of film. There were some very good moments, but overall I didn't enjoy it that much. 

Zodiac

I had been introduced to David Fincher's work by one of my lecturers and had started watching Mindhunter on Netflix (which I still need to finish), so my family and I watched Zodiac. This is about the Zodiac killer. An atmospheric film with some solid performances. I would like to watch more of Fincher's work.  

Palm Springs

A film I had wanted to watch ever since I saw the trailer for it was Palm Springs. It's a rom-com about two people stuck in an endless time-loop. Sounds very familiar at this point. It was one of my favourite films of the year. It comes out on Amazon Prime later this year. If you like Groundhog style comedies, then I'd recommend this.

The Princess Bride

My housemates go to comfort film is The Princess Bride. This is a film I had never seen. We decided to watch it as with the way things are we both needed a pick me up. I see why this is a well beloved film. It's cosy and fun. It takes a lot to make me laugh, but this film made me laugh. Would love to watch it again and am very interested in reading the book. 

Onwards

The latest Pixar film was finally available on Disney+. Every now and then a Disney/Pixar film hits the spot. This was another solid film from Pixar. I have spotted that an alarming amount of Pixar films deal with death and this was no exception. I loved the central relationship between the two brothers. I'd watch it again and it's made me want to watch the new Pixar film, Soul. 

Happiest Season

This has become my new favourite Christmas film. It's a gay Christmas film about two young women. I felt it tackled some really difficult issues really well. I loved the chemistry between Kristin Stewarts' character and Daniel Levy's. The had the sweetest friendship. I know it will become a film I watch year after year. 

Anna and the Apocalypse

Another favourite Christmas film is Anna and the Apocalypse. This is a Christmas zombie musical comedy. Think La La Land and Shaun of the Dead had a baby. I have watched every year since 2018. I have listened to the soundtrack so many times, it's another one I have the soundtrack for on vinyl. If you are looking for a slightly more offbeat Christmas film, then look no further. 

Love, Actually 

My final film for 2020 was Love, Actually. This is another Christmas film I watch year after year. It's a classic. It's just a really good Christmas comedy. It doesn't feel like Christmas if I don't watch this film.

That concludes my last ever what I've been watching recently post. What are some stand out films and TV shows from 2020?

Carenza :) x 

Best Films and TV Shows of 2020

2020 was the year I fell in love with films and TV shows. I watched more than I have ever watched in a single year. It was the year I realised that this was the area I'd like to work in after graduating. I've gone through the very long list of things I watched and picked my favourites. There is also a very small honourable mentions sections. 

Films

Palm Springs 

I had wanted to watch this for a while and it did not disappoint. It's a rom-com sci-fi film about two people stuck in a Groundhog-esque time loop. Sounds familiar? Two people doomed to live the same day over and over. It stars Andy Samberg and Cristin Milioti as the two people stuck in the time loop. Not only is the premise funny, but the two central characters are. It came out almost a year ago, but it's still being talked about. I think thing I liked about it the most was how realistic the characters felt. They were flawed, which felt refreshing. It's a film I can see myself rewatching soon. 

Booksmart

This is another film I had wanted to watch for a while and was very happy when it dropped on Amazon Prime in spring 2020. It's about two traditionally goody two shoes students going wild on their final night of high school. Naturally chaos ensues. It's made by a predominately female creative team, which I loved. It was a film I could relate to a lot. Again it's one I could see myself rewatching and enjoying. A solid coming of age story with comedic moments and ones that tackled more serious issues. A great film about two young women and their friendship.  

Little Women

The last film I saw in a cinema before the world went to shit. Greta Gerwig is a favourite writer-director of mine. I had never read Little Women before I saw the film and I'm glad that I saw it first. A positive story of four young women growing up. Beautiful writing and directing. Stunning performances. The cinematography is amazing. I have seen it twice. It's a cosy film to watch. I look forward to whatever Greta works on next as I have the upmost faith in her. 

TV Shows

Schitt's Creek

My favourite TV show of the year was a late discovery and that is Schitt's Creek. If you follow me on Twitter, then you will probably be sick to death of me talking about how much I love this show. It's about the Rose family who go from Kim Kardashian level of wealth to loosing everything and having to move into a motel in Schitt's Creek, the town they own. It's wholesome. It's funny. It has one of the best LGBT+ relationships I've ever seen. It rightly won the emmy's it did. I have watched it three times between November 1st and January 5th. It's my go to comfort show. I think it's safe to say that I love it.

Ghosts

The latest project from Team Horrible Histories, I had watched the first series in 2019, but with the second series released in 2020, I watched it all. Another wholesome comedy show. If you were a fan of Horrible Histories growing up, then I'd recommend this. It's about a young couple that inherit an old house filled with the ghosts of people who have died there, played by the Horrible Histories troupe, who have also written the show. The Christmas special was amazing and I can't wait for series three. 

The Mandalorian

I would describe myself as a passive Star Wars fan. I have seen the films, I get quite excited when a new one comes out, but I don't know that much about the universe. If truth be told, the only I wanted to watch it for Baby Yoda. I was therefore pleasantly surprised when I ended up loving it. I feel it's something you can enjoy if you're not a die-hard fan. The relationship between the Mandalorian and Baby Yoda was adorable. The ending of Season Two had me gasping out-loud. Looking forward to Season Three.  

The Witcher

After seeing a lot of people talking about it on Twitter and having some friends tell me to watch it, I decided to watch The Witcher. I hadn't been that interested in it, but soon became hooked. I have watched it twice this year. Jaskier is my favourite character. Geralt is good, but I'd take Jaskier over him any day. I have listened to the soundtrack more times than I care to admit. I picked up the books because of it, which I'm not as big a fan of. Buzzing for series two, whenever it finally drops. 

Sex Education 

Sex Education was a favourite of mine in 2019, so unsurprisingly series two was a huge hit. It's another show that feels refreshing. It also tackled some really important issues. Like every other show on this list, I can't wait for series three. Maeve Wiley is still a favourite character of mine. I also now own the soundtrack on vinyl. 

Honourable Mentions

This is the honourable mentions section, with things I enjoyed but didn't love as much and a brief sentence on why I liked them. 

• Fresh Meat- university comedy that made me appreciate my time at university (I'm still a student), especially during the current situation
• The Good Place- comedy about people in the afterlife, wholesome show with the perfect ending
• Euphoria- drama about American teenagers, tackling issues such as drug addiction, loved the performances and writing, can't wait to watch the next series 
• 1917- war drama about WW1, told through one continuous shot, beautiful piece of cinematography
• Knives Out- crime comedy, one of these best murder mysteries I've seen, buzzing for the sequel
• Parasite- the Oscar winner for 2020, gripping from beginning to end, would love to watch more from the creator

That concludes my best of films and TV shows for 2020. What were some of your favourite films and TV shows from 2020?

Carenza :) x 

What I've Been Watching Recently- Summer Edition| Carenza Bramwell

Another couple of months have flown by, we are now in the final quarter of the year. It means it's time for me to share what I've been watching lately. The summer actually ended up being a fairly tame viewing period for me, compared to my previous posts in this series. As always, I'll be going through the TV Shows and Films separately.  

Taken from Google Images

TV

Mrs America

First on my list is Mrs America, a miniseries from HBO. This came from the creative team behind Mad Men, which is a favourite show of mine. It follows a movement in the 1970s about the Equal Rights Amendment. This was a proposed bill to get women equal rights in America. It follows both sides of the argument, the women who were for and against it. Each episode was based around a different woman in the series. I found it to be a really engaging show, especially in today's climate, with the ERA only just having passed in America. If you're interested in feminism and politics, I'd recommend. Plus it has a phenomenal cast and crew behind it.  

Lucifer Season Five Part One

Next, is another favourite of mine and that is the most recent series of Lucifer. I have been banging on about Lucifer since I first watched in 2016. Compared to season four, which has been my favourite so far, this season was okay. It still had that enjoyable Lucifer vibe. I am looking forward to part two, especially the musical episode. My favourite was the 1920s noir episode, they just had too much fun with that and made it really enjoyable. 

Avatar the Last Airbender

Since rewatching Legend of Korra in April/May, I had been in the mood for Avatar. I then started seeing lots of people on Twitter rewatching it and that was all I needed to decide to rewatch it. Like LoK, I haven't watched it fully in about four years. This a childhood favourite of mine and it still stands as being a great show for me as an adult. My favourite character is Zuko, he's so dramatic and he goes through one of the best redemption arcs in the history of TV. I've now started reading the comics as I've been meaning to read them for years. If you haven't seen Avatar, I'd highly recommend it as it's so good. 

Umbrella Academy Season Two

A show I was very excited for was the second season of Umbrella Academy. My uni housemates and I had binged the first season back in 2019. I loved it so much. However, I ended up not being the biggest fan of this season. I just didn't find it as engaging as the first season. It also felt like it was falling into that trap where it's difficult to top the first season. I think I'm in the minority as most people I've spoken to enjoyed season two. I will continue watching season three when it comes out, but I don't think I'll be going into it with as much excitement as this season. 

Fosse Verdon

This is a show I watched for university. I've been meaning to watch it for a while as I'm quite interested in Broadway theatre. It tells the story of Bob Fosse and Gwen Verdon, a married couple in the Broadway theatre industry. They worked together on projects such as Cabaret and Chicago. It follows their lives from before they met to the end of their lives. It was told in a non-linear narrative, which I really enjoyed. The performances were solid and the crew behind it were also great. I would highly recommend it. 

His Dark Materials 

Another show I watched for university was His Dark Materials. It's been on my radar for a while and when it ended up being an example of something I could watch this year, I had to choose it. After the first couple of episodes, I found I was fully invested. The world building was a little bit clunky for a BBC adaptation. I would like to have had a bit more explanation at times. Again, it was another show with a solid cast and crew behind it. I know they've filmed a second season and that it's coming out soon. I'm quite excited for it and I'll have to finally read the books as I never read them as a child. 

The Capture

I had started watching The Capture this time last year, but I had to return to university so I couldn't finish it. It was about to vanish from BBC iPlayer so I decided to watch it. The show had such a promising premise, about how you can't always trust modern technology and how we're advancing as a society. However, the delivery was a bit clunky and just didn't work for me. I think it was the scripts that didn't work as the central performances were very good. I did not like the ending at all and was sadly quite disappointed by this show. 

Euphoria 

The last TV show on my list is Euphoria. I had wanted to watch this since it dropped and was getting a lot of hype. I finally watched it this past week and man, it's so good. I'd compare it to Sex Education with it tackling issues to teens/young people and making them realistic. It doesn't diminish any of the issues and this show felt very realistic. As I keep on saying, it had a solid cast and crew behind it. I really enjoyed the writing style. The soundtrack was also incredible. I'm very excited for season two after the finale. 

Films

In Bruges

If you're a long time reader of my blog, then you will know one of my favourite films is In Bruges. I have seen it six times in the last year. I just adore it. Last year, my family and I went to Bruges. Obviously, this year we couldn't go to Bruges so we decided to rewatch the film. I've seen it so many times I can quote it and I've read the screenplay. I will always adore Martin McDonagh's work and this is no exception.

Aladdin (2019)

While my family had Disney+, we decided to watch Aladdin. None of us had seen it in the cinema. It was enjoyable, but I feel it was missing something from the original. I did like the addition of Jasmine's song, but I found Jaffar to be an underwhelming villain. It certainly had some impressive visuals.   

Beauty and the Beast (2017)

Sticking with the Disney train, I rewatched Beauty and the Beast. I have a controversial opinion and that is I prefer this to the original cartoon. It gave it that slight modern update it needed. It also had a bit more humour to it than I remember the original having. I really enjoyed this and will continue to enjoy it when I rewatch it every now and then.  

Inglorious Basterds

A very different film I watched is Inglorious Basterds. I am slowly starting to watch more Tarantino films. I had wanted to watch this for a while and it actually ended up being a film I watched for university. I didn't realise that Tarantino films were that long. It was not what I was expecting when I went into it, but then I have no idea what I was actually expecting from it. I did enjoy it and it had that trademark Tarantino level of violence. I would consider watching more Tarantino films as I've enjoyed the two I watched. 

The Invisible Man

I'm not one to normally enjoy horror or psychological thrillers, however I did enjoy The Invisible Man. A new adaptation of the story of the same name by HG Wells and countless film adaptations over the year. This one had a more modern and clever approach to it. Elizabeth Moss gave a stellar performance. You really didn't know if you could trust what you were seeing. A surprising film for me, I may consider watching more in this genre in the future. 

Thor Ragnarok 

You can't go wrong with a Marvel film. You especially can't go wrong with Thor Ragnarok. This is a favourite for me and my family. There's not much I can say except that I enjoy the humour in it and the performances. It's a solid film. 

Jojo Rabbit

After watching Thor, we had to rewatch Jojo Rabbit. We saw it on New Years Eve last year and all loved it. I was desperate to watch it again as I had had some issues with my hearing when we saw it and had missed half the jokes. It rightly deserved an Oscar for Best Adapted Screenplay. It managed to make quite a dark topic funny without it being offensive. It's a film I see myself coming back to time and time again.  

Black Panther

With the sad passing of Chadwick Boseman at such a young age, we decided to watch Black Panther in his honour. I know a lot of people find this film empowering and it's sad it took so long to see a black superhero on our screens. It is an amazing film. I was devastated by his passing, but glad he was able to make such a profound impact on the film industry during his time. 

Amelie

On my birthday, I decided I wanted to watch Amelie. I have fallen head over heels with the musical and needed to rewatch the original. I think it's on its way to becoming a favourite film of mine. I love the story and the characters. The music is also incredible. I haven't really seen a film like it. It just reaffirmed my love for Paris and French films. It's one I would highly recommend.  

Cabaret

As I mentioned earlier, I watched a TV show about the original creator of this film. I had gotten some of the lyrics stuck in my head so we decided to watch it. It's a surprisingly good film and works as one of the best musical films out there. It has inspired me to pick up works by Christopher Isherwood, who wrote the book the film is based on. Plus some of the songs are absolute ear worms.  

Wreck it Ralph

My friends were horrified to hear I hadn't seen Wreck it Ralph, so we watched it. I found it to be an okay Disney films, not the best I've seen but by no means the worst. I've heard interesting things about the sequel. It was enjoyable and that's about as much as I have to say about it. 

Basil the Great Mouse Detective

A favourite Disney film of mine is Basil the Great Mouse Detective. This is essentially a Sherlock Holmes retelling but with mice. I've loved it since childhood. It's probably where my love of Sherlock stems from. It's a hidden gem of a Disney film and not many people have seen it. If you have Disney+, then I would really suggest watching it as it's a beautiful Disney film. 

The Rescuers

My friends were then horrified to hear that I had never seen The Rescuers, which is considered to be a classic Disney film. Again, I found it to be okay. I have no interest in watching the sequel at the moment. Maybe if I had been a child, I would have enjoyed it but as an adult it just wasn't for me. 

Joker

Joker was a film I had mixed feelings about. I wanted to watch it but I was also not that fussed about it. I finally watched it with friends. I can see why so many people find it enjoyable. I'm not sure where I stand on it. I think the writing and acting were great. I'm just not sure why we needed a Joker origin story. I would consider watching the sequel though. 

Enola Holmes

Finally, I watched Enola Holmes. As I've already mentioned, I do love a Sherlock inspired story. I found this to be enjoyable. I can't help but agree with the comments online that it would have been better as a TV show. It had a solid cast and creative team behind it. I think I would have enjoyed it more if I had been a bit younger, say closer to Enola's age. It is nice that there is a strong female detective young women can look up to.

And that concludes all the things I've watched recently, what have you been watching recently?

Carenza :) x

 

Biggest Surprises of 2020- Books and TV| Carenza Bramwell

Aside from the biggest surprise of 2020 being that we are in a global pandemic and this year just keeps on getting worse, there have been some surprises in my life. I'm always finding new books and TV shows/films that I love, there are always some that take me surprise. Here are some of the biggest surprises- both good and bad- of 2020. 

A big surprise of 2020 has been how much I've gotten into film and TV shows. I've always enjoyed them, but I've been taking more time watch them this year. It's probably not good as a bookworm that I've watched almost double the amount of books I've read. 

A film I didn't expect to enjoy as much as I did was 1917. I wanted to see it after hearing friends rave about it. War films aren't usually my cup of tea. They all tell very similar stories, in my opinion, but I ended up really enjoying 1917. The story was compelling and the cinematography was breathtaking. The acting was also amazing. My favourite part was probably the music. I adore film soundtracks. I can't wait to add this one to my collection. I've watched a lot of behind the scenes features on 1917 as I'm a sucker for behind the scene stuff. 1917 pleasantly took me by surprise and ended up being the second and last film I saw in the cinema this year. 

Birdman had been on my radar for a while, so my family and I finally watched it. Again, it was a film I didn't think I would enjoy as much as I did. The cast were superb, but the story was incredible. As it was a "one-shot" film, the story kept moving at the right pace. I'm very glad that I've finally watched it. I highly recommend it.

A TV show that also took me by surprise was Fresh Meat. It's a 2011 sitcom about a group of uni students living together. It looked good fun and stars Jack Whitehall, a comedian I quite like. I didn't expect to be fully sucked into the story the way I was. I was invested in these characters lives fully and felt like I was going on this journey with them. It could be as I'm about to go in my third year of uni. I haven't watched any UK university shows so this was a really good one to watch.

However, a book I ended up being quite disappointed with was Infinity Son by Adam Silvera. Adam is one of my favourite authors and I adore his contemporary novels. But his first foray into fantasy just didn't sit well with me. I found the characters very annoying and I did not understand the magic system at all. I hope he releases more contemporary novels as I think I'll be sticking to those in the future.

Some books that I enjoyed that I didn't expect to enjoy were the Legend trilogy by Marie Lu and Crescent City by Sarah J Maas. I had owned the Legend series for years but I finally read it. It was a fun and easy to read. It was nowhere near the most highbrow series I've read. I flew through the series in the space of a week. I have no intentions of reading the new books coming out, but Marie Lu is a good author and writes fun, easy to read books. Crescent City was a book I was not interested in at first, but seeing everyone read it, I had to pick it up. I was surprised by how much I enjoyed it. After ACOWAR in 2017, I thought I was done with Sarah's books, but this has restored my faith a bit. I will be continuing with this series.

So those are some stories I've consumed that surprised me in one way or another!

Carenza :) x

What I've Been Watching Recently- Spring Edition| Carenza Bramwell

It's that time again to share with you the insane amount of TV and films I have watched recently. I've mentioned before that I've really gotten into watching stuff recently as it's what I want to go into once I've finished my degree. Without any further delay, here is a list of all the things I've been watching lately.

Taken from Google Images

TV

Torchwood

My family and I are huge fans of Doctor Who, so I watched the "adult" spin off series Torchwood. It follows the adventures of Captain Jack and his crew. Ianto was my favourite character. It was a bit cheesy in places, but a good laugh. 

Primeval

Primeval was a favourite show of mine as a child and I hadn't watched it since it finished in 2011, so we rewatched it. If you've never seen it, I would recommend it. It's about a group of people investigating why dinosaurs have appeared in the modern day. Again, it's a bit cheesy and very early noughties, but I still really enjoyed it. 

The Salisbury Poisonings 

We binged the latest mini series from the BBC in a day. It's subject matter, which is a real event, is very heavy hitting and even though you know the outcome, it was one you had to keep watching. It only has three episodes and is very well written. 

The Politician

I discovered the Politician at the end of last year and really enjoyed the first series. I rewatched the first series in preparation for the second one that came out in June. I have to say that the first series was a lot better. I was a bit disappointed in this new series. I'm unsure how I feel about a third one.

Final Space

My friends had been nagging me to watch this for a while and I had gotten through the first series twice without finishing it, so I finally bit the bullet and committed to watching it. I liked the first series a lot more than the second one. I think if there was a third series I would watch it as they are funny the plot lines. 

Hollywood

Hollywood was a mini series by the same creator of the Politician. The trailer looked really good, but it just didn't quite work. It was supposed to be a diverse retelling of Hollywood in the 1930/40s. The cast was really strong but the story just didn't work for me. 

Criminal UK

I had wanted to watch this for a while and finally had an excuse as I needed to watch it for uni. Even though it had three episodes, each was very strong. It had good writing and a good cast. I know it's part of a series of shows based in different countries, so I might also have to watch those as well. 

The Good Place

I had been meaning to watch The Good Place for a while after seeing stuff about it online. I was pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoyed it. I think my favourite series were the first and the final one. It had one of the best, most solid endings to a show. Even though it is sad when a show decides to end, it is best when it goes out with a great ending rather than dragging it out forever. 

Fresh Meat

This was on my lockdown watch list. Again, it was another show that pleasantly took me by surprise. I could relate to it a lot as I'm going into my final year of university. It was also another show that had a great ending. 

The Mandalorian

My family have taken out a months subscription to Disney+ to watch various things. The Mandalorian was one of them. I had seen "baby yoda" everywhere and I wanted to watch it. It was really good and I also liked the character of the Mandalorian. I think it has a second series coming out some point later this year, so we'll have to take out another months subscription to watch it. And yes, baby yoda is as cute as everyone says.

Jack Whitehall: Travels with My Father

Jack Whitehall stared in Fresh Meat and is a comedian I really like. This show was a solid reality show. I think Jack and his father have a great dynamic. It was nice at the end of each season seeing them sitting down and talking about their relationship with each other. It made me desperate to travel.

I May Destroy You

Another show I had seen everyone raving about was I May Destroy You. Michalea Coel took something that happened to her and turned it into an incredible TV show. My only critique is that I wasn't the biggest fan of the last episode. I now really want to watch her other show, Chewing Gum. 

What We Do In The Shadows (Season Two)

I hadn't realised there was a second series of What We Do In The Shadows until a friend told me. I really enjoyed the first season and the second was just as good. The film is also a great bit of comedy. I really hope for a third series.

Films

Pitch Perfect

After watching A Simple Favour, which Anna Kendrick stared in, I was in the mood for some more Anna Kendrick film. I have a bit of a soft spot for the first Pitch Perfect film. I still think this is the best one out of the two I've seen, I still haven't seen the third one. It's just got girl power and good music, what's not to love?

Love Wedding Repeat

This was one I had stumbled across a trailer for and thought it looked good. It was a solid rom-com. Parts of it were a bit odd, but it had a solid cast. I'd probably watch it again at some point in the future. 

The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey

I watched this with my mum one day when it was like 30 degrees in the UK because it was two hot but to do anything other than watch a movie. I know a lot of people don't like the Hobbit films, but I enjoy them. 

The Personal History of David Copperfield

I had wanted to see this but I just missed seeing this in the cinema. It had a great cast and a great retelling of a classic story. It was very funny and I am glad I watched it. It's by the same guy who wrote The Death of Stalin, a film I really enjoyed, and The Thick Of It.

Fight Club

Another film I watched for uni was Fight Club. I've been watching this for a while but I finally had an excuse to watch it. I did like it, especially with the twist at the end. 

Melancholia 

As I've mentioned before, my family has a subscription to Curzon Home Cinema, which has a lot of unusual films. This was a very unusual film about the end of the world. It was a very miserable film. I probably won't ever watch it again. 

Birdman

Another film I've been meaning to watch is Birdman. I ended up really enjoying it. I wasn't sure of the direction it was going in at first, but it ended up being a solid film. It's hard to put into words how I feel about it. I would recommend it. 

Life of Crime

Yet another Curzon film, was Life of Crime. The trailer ended up being a lot better than the actual film. It just flopped for me. 

Eurovision: The Story of Fire Saga

Critics don't like it, but audiences do. It is a very cheesy film with some Eurovision worthy songs. Rachel McAdams and Dan Stevens stole this film. Ja Ja Ding Dong has been played non-stop in my house. I'd watch it again. 

Finding Dory

I loved Finding Nemo so much as a child that I was banned from watching it. I watched it on repeat and drove my family crazy. I was never that bothered about watching Finding Dory, but I'm glad I did. It was a really good film. I loved the sea otters!

Coco

Another Disney-Pixar film I had really wanted to see but had never. A good friend of mine spoiled this film for me (I've just about forgiven her for it), but I still enjoyed it even though I knew the big twist. The animation was beautiful and the story was great. The songs were also solid. Very glad I finally watched it.

Inside Out

The same goes for Inside Out except I wasn't spoiled for this one. I think out of the two I preferred Coco as Inside Out was quite deep and dark for a Disney film.

Wallace and Gromit: The Curse of the Were-Rabbit

I've grown up watching Wallace and Gromit films. I just fancied rewatching it when I couldn't decide what to watch one night before bed. There are some jokes that are a lot funnier now that I'm an adult. They'll always be great films.

Pitch Perfect 2

Since I watched Pitch Perfect, I randomly decided to watch Pitch Perfect 2. I still think the first one is the best one and I didn't enjoy this one as much. At some point I will watch the third one, but I'm not sure why the decided to make this into a trilogy. 

Mamma Mia

In March, I watched Mamma Mia Here We Go Again! I then realised I couldn't remember much of what happened in the first film and as I had just watched Pitch Perfect 2, I was in the mood for another musical. It is a solid film, even with the questionable singing from some of the actors. I do think I prefer this one to the second film.

Into the Woods

I have one reason for watching Into the Woods- the "Agony" scene. The two princes being overly dramatic. It is the best scene in the film. 

Frozen

While we have Disney+, I really wanted to watch Frozen 2. It had been many years since I saw the first film, so my mum and I rewatched it. There were jokes that I understood a bit better now that I am an adult. 

Booksmart

I had wanted to watch this for a while as coming age comedies are some of my favourites. I did end up really enjoying this, but it could have been a bit shorter. The two main actresses were amazing in their roles. 

Brooklyn

Saoirse Ronan is my favourite actress so I've been watching as many of her performances as I can. Brooklyn was a really good film. I was a bit confused when it was set, so I had to Google it. It was nice to see Saoirse use her Irish accent.

Star Trek

When I say Star Trek, I mean that I have actually watched four Star Trek films. I watched the most recent trilogy- Star Trek, Star Trek Into Darkness and Star Trek Beyond. I also watched a 1980s one, Star Trek The Wrath of Kahn. These are fun and easy moments. It also has a great cast. I hope there is a fourth film, but at this point I don't think there will be.

12 Years A Slave

I decided to watch this for university. It was an incredibly difficult watch, but a great film. I'm glad that I've finally watched it. It was another film that benefited from an amazing cast. It's so sad that this was based on a true story. 

This Beautiful Fantastic

I stumbled across this on Amazon Prime and originally I thought it was a French film. It's been called the British "Amelie". I did enjoy it, but I had a few issues with it. The plot was a bit flimsy. The other thing was that the main character's mental illness was shown to be more of a quirk than an actual illness. That just didn't sit well with me. 

Frozen 2

Lastly, I watched Frozen 2. In all truthfulness, this was a good film, but I prefer the first one. The animation on this one was incredible, you can see just how much they've improved in the past few years. My favourite moment was Kristoff's overly dramatic song.

So that concludes my list of things I've watched over the past couple of months.

Carenza :) x 

Stories That Influenced Me| Carenza Bramwell

I am about to go into my third year of studying Creative Writing. Being a writer and creator has always been a career that interested me. But I didn't just wake up one day and think "I'm going to be a writer". No I made this choice due to the stories I consumed in my life. In today's blog post, I will be sharing 4 stories that have shaped me. These are going to be books, tv shows, films and plays.

Angels in America

Any long time follower of my blog will know how much Angels in America by Tony Kushner means to me. I saw this play almost three years ago at a key point in my life. I hadn't decided if or what I was doing with regards to going to university. I wasn't even that bothered about seeing Angels in America, but after seeing it, well it changed my life. Angels in America is a play set in 1980s New York and it follows a group of people who ended up becoming connected. It tackles politics at the time and the AIDs crisis. It also has themes of magical realism and humanity in it. I remember being sat in the cinema, seeing it as a live broadcast, and being blown away by it. I had never seen anything like it before and I wanted to create something just as epic. I've already mentioned how it changed my life, but it sent me down the direction I find myself on now. I wouldn't be studying creative writing if it wasn't for this play.

 

Lady Bird

Lady Bird also had a similar influence on me. I saw it in February 2018, six months before I was due to go to university. Lady Bird is in a similar situation, she too is about to leave home and move away to university. It captured the complicated yet loving relationships parents and their children can have. Greta Gerwig instantly became a favourite writer-director of mine. She brings such humanity to her work and it was nice to see something created by a woman for once. She will be someone I admire for many years to come. Lady Bird herself is a deeply flawed character, yet it makes her relatable. Greta's characters all felt real. It was a beautiful film and one I think about a lot. 

   

The Shadowhunter Chronicles 

I was going to put Harry Potter for a book that influenced me, but with everything JK Rowling has done, I'm not sure I can do that in good conscience. It is cliched of me to pick the Shadowhunter Chronicles by Cassandra Clare. They are not the most high brow examples of literature, but they certainly shaped my life. I have always been a reader, but the movie and books from this world opened my eyes to things I didn't even know existed. These were the books that made me fall in love with reading in a way I didn't know was possible. They're fun and fluffy. They were there for me during the darkest part of my life and I will forever be grateful for stumbling across them.

Dirk Gently's Holistic Detective Agency 

I had never been a big TV watcher until I stumbled across Dirk Gently. I actually have a post all about how much Dirk Gently means to me. Similar to The Shadowhunter Chronicles, it was something that introduced me to a wide world of TV that I hadn't ever thought about. I'm now considering pursuing a career in writing and working in TV. I'm not sure I'd do this if I hadn't found this show by accident. I'm still very sad that it never got a proper ending and it looks unlikely that it would ever be picked up for a final season. 

There are obviously tonnes more stories that have inspired me to become the person I am today, but these four are the central ones to who I am.

Carenza :) x

What I've Been Watching Recently- Lockdown Edition| Carenza Bramwell

With no end date in sight for lockdown being lifted, I have been watching a lot of TV to pass the time. I wasn't really a TV person up until the start of this year. With everything happening in 2020, I have been watching a lot more TV than before. So much so that I have nearly watched double the amount of TV than books I've read. Like my last "What I've Been Watching Recently", I will be splitting it into TV and Film, with a small summary of my thoughts on everything.

From Google Images

TV

Friday Night Dinner

I had watched most of Friday Night Dinner last year after a friend introduced me to it so I decided to introduce my parents to it. It has become a family favourite. Season six wasn't the best and the ending makes me feel like they're going to pull an Outnumbered and come back in ten years time with everyone all grown up. I'd highly recommend it as it's a great bit of British comedy.

The Vicar of Dibley

Speaking of classic British comedy, I randomly decided to rewatch The Vicar of Dibley. It has been many years since I watched it but I'm so glad I decided to rewatch it. It's some classic British comedy and will always be a top notch show in my opinion.

Legend of Korra

Another rewatch for me was Legend of Korra. I have always been a huge fan of Avatar and Korra. They're classics. I still need to get my hands on the comics and read them. Korra is a great character and the LGBT rep is great in this one. Plus Pabu is adorable. 

Quiz

Everyone was raving about Quiz so I had to watch it. James Graham is a fantastic writer and Quiz did not disappoint. The cast was amazing and the set design was through the roof. I still don't know if I believe if they did cheat or if they didn't cheat. I would recommend it as there's only three episodes and they're about 45 mins to an hour long. 

Peaky Blinders

I finally watched Peaky Blinders. I had watched at least the first two episodes twice before fully committing to this show. I loved the first season, but the other series are getting a bit predictable and implausible. I am interested to see what happens in season six. I'm ashamed it took me this long to watch it but I have finally caught up on this iconic show.

Devs

This was a show I had heard a lot about and one my parents were interested in. Sadly, I did not end up enjoying it as much as my family did. I felt that it was a case of style over substance. It could have been shorter and the writing in places was very dodgy. It was an interesting sci-fi/thriller and I would recommend it, it just didn't end up being for me in the end.

Killing Eve

Killing Eve is one of my favourite shows and with the world going to shit, they pushed forward the release of season three. My dad and I binged the entire first season in prep for it's release. Sadly, season three was a bit disappointing. It didn't have the same overarching plot as the first two seasons, but it still had that amazing comedic moments. I am a bit unsure how I feel about a season four, but I will continue to watch it.

Films

Scott Pilgram Vs the World

A rewatch for me. Scott Pilgram is a film I really enjoy, partly due to the cast and partly due to the writer-director behind it (Edgar Wright). It's a fun, cosy film that I like to rewatch every now and then. 

Blinded By the Light

This was a film that my parents wanted to watch. I don't think I was quite the target demographic for this film as while I enjoyed it, it just didn't land well with me. My one big critique is that the characters randomly burst into song every now and then. It didn't work for me. It was a good, rom-com, feel-good film, but I was not the target audience for this film. If you grew up in the 80s and loved Bruce Springsteen, then I would recommend it.

Grand Budapest Hotel

With the world being terrible, many companies across the world started these joint cinema experiences. One that we joined in with was the Secret Cinema one, which has recently ended. The first film was Grand Budapest Hotel. My dad and I had already watched it, but I think my mum hadn't. The experience was good but they recommended lots of activities to go alongside the screening, which wasn't really our cup of tea. Grand Budapest Hotel is a bizarre, but great film. 

La La Land

Another joint cinema experience we joined in with was Lionsgate Live. For four weeks, they streamed four of their films for free on YouTube for a group experience. La La Land is one of my favourite films and my mum had never seen it before. It's a fun, cosy film and I'm glad we decided to join in.

Star Wars- A New Hope

May 4th, or May the Force Be With You Day. We had to watch a Star Wars film. We chose the one that started it all. Star Wars will always be special in this household so we had to celebrate Star Wars day.

Knives Out
Knives Out was a film I was desperate to see at the end of 2019, but sadly missed the chance to see in the cinema. We rented it online and I am very happy that I finally watched it. I had no idea what to expect going in, but it ended it up being quite funny. It could have been shorter in places, however, I am very excited for the sequel. 

Wild Tales

My family have recently taken out a subscription to Curzon Home Cinema, home to mostly indie and international films. We watched Wild Tales, a Spanish film, made up of six stories. The only thing that links these stories is violence. Some where better than others and it was a bizarre film. I am enjoying watching more unusual films. 

City of Bones

I saw that City of Bones was on Netflix and I really felt like rewatching it. If it wasn't an adaptation of CoB, it would be a great film. As an adaptation, it's not the best. It is classic YA adaptation from 2013. I just felt like being back in that world. 

Eddie the Eagle

Another Lionsgate Live film was Eddie the Eagle. A biopic about Eddie the Eagle, an olympian in the winter Olympics. It was a fun, British comedy. I am glad I watched it. I had never heard of Eddie before watching this film. 

Still Life

This was another Curzon film. It was about a man who went around organising funerals for people who had no families or were estranged from their families. It followed him on his last case, tracing friends and family of this man who had recently died. It turned out that the man who had died lived in the same building as the man investigating him. It was a very sad film, but it had a heart warming ending. 

Howl's Moving Castle

Netflix have recently added a tonne of Studio Ghibli films to their repertoire. I decided to rewatch Howl's Moving Castle as it's one of my favourites. I need to watch some more Studio Ghibli films as there's a few I haven't seen.

My Old Lady

This was also a film from Curzon. It's based on an old French play about a man who inherits an apartment in Paris from his father, but finds out that someone is living there. The woman who is living there rents is paid to live there by the mans father. You could tell it was based on a play as it didn't quite work for screen, but it was still a sweet little film.

Bend It Like Beckham

Yet another Lionsgate Live film. A British classic. I had been meaning to watch this one for a while and I'm so glad that I got to finally watch it. It's a solid British rom-com, with some great female characters. It is also by the same writer-director behind Blinded By the Light. 

The Hunger Games

The final Lionsgate Live film. It has been so many years since I watched the Hunger Games films and I never even finished them for some bizarre reason. It is widely regarded as one of the best book to movie adaptations ever. I am now really desperate to watch the rest of the films.

Solaris (1972 Russian Version)
My mum had really wanted to watch some of the Russian films on Curzon, so we chose Solaris. Solaris has been adapted a few times for cinema, but this was the 1972 version. It was three hours long and it was weird. At one point there was a fifteen minute long scene of this man just driving around. I am interested in watching the 2002 version, but the Russian one was just weird.

Misbehaviour
I had really wanted to watch Misbehaviour after seeing trailers for it in the cinema (God I miss going to the cinema), so we rented it through Curzon. A historical piece based on real life. It was a good, fun, feminist film. I would highly recommend it. Plus it has Kiera Knightley in it. It tackles issues of feminism and racism in the late 1970s.

Colette
Another Kiera Knightley film. I had seen this in the cinema at the time of its release last year. Colette is a really interesting woman and it's made me want to read some of her books. Plus, Kiera Knightley is the queen of historical films.

The Lost Boys
This is a weird 1980s film we decided to watch. It's a vampire film, but very cheesy and very much of its era. It was okay and that's about as much as I can say about it.

Parasite
I sadly missed seeing Parasite in the cinema, so when it became available to rent on Curzon, we had to watch it. I'm glad to say that it's as amazing as everyone said it was. It rightly won all those Oscars and I would love to watch more films from its creator.

A Simple Favour 
My last entry on this very long list is A Simple Favour. I had this on my radar for a while and I finally decided to watch it. It was a solid mystery thriller, with interesting characters and twists and turns. I loved that it had two female characters at its core. I would love to watch more films like it in the future.

So those were all the TV shows and films I've watched recently. I'm trying to watch more new content rather than keep on rewatching old stuff I've seen a million times over and over again.
Carenza :) x

Feel Good Movies and TV Shows to Watch Right Now| Carenza Bramwell

Welcome to my final post on things to do during lockdown. I've decided to stop writing these posts for a few reasons. Firstly, I've found that they've become quite repetitive and are draining me creatively. They aren't what I'd usually write about. Secondly, I'd like my blog to be a safe space, free from the troubles happening in the world. I hope you've enjoyed the content I've been posting, but from now on my blog will be back to more bookish and creative content like it used to be. 

In today's post, I thought I'd share with you some of my favourite feel good movies and tv shows to watch at the moment. Recently, I've been getting more into films and tv shows to the point where I've watched more things than I've read books this year. These are my go to watches when I need a pick me up and want to feel good.

Movies

Many of the entries on these two lists will not come as a surprise to long time readers of mine as they are favourites of mine. Therefore, it is not a surprise that the first film on this list is my favourite film, Lady Bird. I have watched Lady Bird twice in 2020 and watched snippets multiple times. Set in 2003, it tells the story of seventeen year old Lady Bird and her need to escape her hometown of Sacramento, California. Watching it will make you feel fuzzy and fall in love with Greta Gerwig (writer/director) and lead actress Saoirse Ronan. 

You can never go wrong with a classic movie franchise such as Harry Potter when you need a feel good movie to watch. I recently rewatched Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban for the first time in a few years. It just made me feel so happy to be back in this world again. Other franchises I would suggest are the Lord of the Rings/Hobbit and MCU. 

Recently added to Netflix in the UK, My Neighbour Totoro is one of my favourite films. There is also bunch of other Studio Ghibli films on there too. My Neighbour Totoro holds a special place in my heart as it was one of the first Studio Ghibli films I watched. This one has particular good feels as who wouldn't love for Totoro to visit, since he (I think it's a he?) is such a big fluff ball and he makes trees grow. 

Finally, a film I used to watch a lot when I was younger is Juno. It's a classic teen comedy. Juno finds out she is pregnant after sleeping with her crush. It then tells the story as she goes through the process of finding adoptive parents for her unborn child. I don't know why I love this film so much, but it's so simple and sweet, you can't help but love it.  

TV

Again, long time readers of mine will not be surprised to see Brooklyn Nine-Nine on the top of this list as it might be my favourite TV show of all time. I have watched an unhealthy amount of Brooklyn Nine-Nine in the past few months. The episodes are twenty minutes long and I do really enjoy police/cop stories. Season five is and will always be my favourite season. I've just finished rewatching season one and I'm buzzing to start season two.

The next entry is actually the only one on this list that I haven't watched all of and that is Final Space. I've nearly finished the first season, but like B99, the episodes are twenty minutes long and it's a fun cartoon set in space. I can't wait to see how this story continues. 

A classic that never fails to liven my spirits is Miranda. I've watched this more times than I care to admit, but it is a classic and essential British comedy. The central character is so chaotic it's hard not to love her. 

Lastly, another favourite of mine, Dirk Gently's Holistic Detective Agency on Netflix. If you're looking for something a bit more fantastical with sci-fi elements, then I'd highly recommend this. It's hard to put into words what it's about, so I would suggest watching the trailer for it. I'm still gutted that it got cancelled before it could have a proper ending. 

 

So those are some of my go to feel good watches if you're needing a pick me up or something new to watch.

Carenza :) x