Happy New Year 2013!

I just wanted to take a moment to say 'Happy New Year!' to all of my readers! Thank you so much for supporting me this year and reading my posts, it encourages me to write more and do something i really enjoy. Looking forward to posting more in 2013, don't forget to comment below and let me know what else you would like me to write about :)

This is 40

Starring: Leslie Mann, Paul Rudd
Star rating: ***

There seems to be glut of films around at the moment which talk about what life is really like in the real world, away from the Hollywood film reel. As i have got addicted to US smash hit TV show 'Girls', this film is an extension of the real life romance angle. The director Judd Apatow is well known for films like 'Knocked Up' and i have always had a soft spot for them and their off-beat humour.

I think this film is intended to be a sequel to 2007's 'Knocked Up' where Alison (Katherine Heigl) got pregnant by stoner (Seth Rogen) after a one night stand. This film does not mention them though and instead focuses on Alison's sister Debbie (Leslie Mann) and her husband Pete (Paul Rudd). The couple live in the suburbs with their two kids, Sadie and Charlotte. Debbie runs a vintage clothes shop and Pete, a failing record label. They are both approaching their 40th birthday and they are not sure where they are headed in their lives and are overrun by their invasive kids.

To be honest, i was not sure what to expect with this film but i really enjoyed every moment. Leslie Mann and Paul Rudd are well cast as the couple who really have it all but are not satisfied with it any more. The couple's characters have not developed since 'Knocked Up' but that is what we love about them. Yes, Debbie is shrill and always nagging but that is the way many women feel as they get older. Paul is like the big kid who has not grown up but we all know men like this. Do not watch this movie if you are expecting massive revelations but it is an easy watch and that is what we need in the post festive low.

Disney on Ice 2012

London according to Disney

Ever since i have been little, i have always loved Disney films. The magic that they create and the characters they bring to life, still to this day make me fall in love with make believe. I know that as an adult i am not meant to believe in fairytales but there is huge part of me that still does. My love surprised me with a visit to Disney on Ice this year at Wembley Arena and it was fantastic. I really enjoyed every moment of the show.

Captain Hook meeting his end by Peter Pan

Life of Pi 3D

Having read this book, i was interested to see how this film would translate on to the big screen. Ang Lee, the director has many films like this under his belt so i was expecting an adventure which would take my breath away. The casting of Bollywood actors Irfaan Khan and Tabu had me curious to see how they would play out their roles because lets face it, Bollywood actors get the most ridiculous Hollywood role. Need i remind of you of Aishwarya Rai's Bride and Prejudice? Anyway, i was really looking forward to this film and the fact it would be in 3D made me even more excited.

The film begins in Montreal, Canada where a middle aged Piscine Molitar 'Pi' Patel (Irfaan Khan) is talking to a French writer about his story as a child. We end up in French India where the streets resemble the South of France and where Pi's father runs a zoo in the state's garden. Young Pi (Suraj Sharma) is intrigued by life around him and his faith in God takes prevalence in his curiosity. He absorbs religions around him, Hinduism, Islam and Christianity and takes it upon himself to pray to God in the broadest way possible. Due to financial difficulties, Pi's family decide to relocate to Canada and off they go on a Japanese freight ship. This is where disaster strikes and Pi ends up on a lifeboat accompanied by a Bengal Tiger, Richard Parker.

To say i was in awe of this film is an understatement. Ang Lee has bought the book to life with some magical special effects and this film shows off CGI to its utmost potential. From the magnificent tiger to the violent thrashing sea, no expense has been spared to portray such a brilliant tale to the audience. The film does take time to get going as the first half is narrative about Pi's early days as a young boy. Irfaan Khan does brilliantly as the older Pi who has lived life in an unconventional way. Suraj Sharma does a great job as the younger Pi and his sheer exasperation at the sea and the Gods that he believes in, comes across well to the audience. I am not so sure about how to feel about the storyline to be honest, but even as a book it bewildered me. It is one of those films that you have to accept for the way it is and the fact that it is meant to be something magical rather than something logical. This film is a must see for those of you who want to be in awe of a film this year and it is a great ending to a fantastic year of cinema. 

The Bodyguard

Starring: Heather Headley, Lloyd Owen

Star rating: ****

Tribute concerts, theatre shows or otherwise, have always been something i am really sceptical about. I can't get my head around the concept that these can be anything but cheesy. The stage cast are always made up, by frankly people described as wannabes and the audience are made up by groupies of the original music group/singer etc. I went to see Viva Forever earlier this month, and was massively disappointed by the lack of imagination put into portraying a band which had been such a big part of my childhood. (check out my review here). So with a very critical outlook, I headed to the Adelphi Theatre to watch 'The Bodyguard'.

The stage production is literally based on the 90s thriller where global popstar is being pursued by a psycho stalker who thinks he can own her by killing her. A bodyguard is hired to protect the popstar and her family and the storyline is based around the relationship between the singer and her bodyguard.

It has to be noted that this musical only came about because of the death of Whitney Houston and even if you are not a fan of the singer, this production is a must see. The songs of the famous star are emulated to great accuracy and the voices of the lead, Heather Headley fill the room with such magic, that you do just feel like you are being enchanted. Special mention has to be given to the set design and the choreography which is so fantastically done, you are moved on from one scene to the next so smoothly that you don't even notice. The lack of chemistry between the two leads, Headley and Lloyd Owen, is a bit of a let down but the musical numbers more than make up for this. Watch this show to experience some real magic in the West End with a fantastic soundtrack.

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Argo

Starring: Alan Arkin, Ben Affleck, Bryan Cranston, Christopher Denham, Clea DuVall, John Goodman, Kerry Bishe, Rory Cochrane, Scoot McNairy, Tate Donovan, Victor Garber

Star rating: ***

When i saw the trailer for this film, my curiousity was piqued. It was based on a true story which had the historian in me wanting to know more about this extraordinary story. Ben Affleck is well known as an actor who has political inclinations and so his directorial debut was meant to be something to watch out for. 

In 1979, six American Officials escape the US embassy in Tehran as it is overcome by pro-Ayotullah mob who keep the rest of the officials hostage. The six take refuge in a Canadian ambassador's residence and meanwhile, back at the CIA headquarters, Tony Mendez (Ben Affleck) an ex-filtration expert in getting Americans out of enemy territories, is given the case. Mendez cracks a plan to go to Tehran armed with six fake Canadian passports, posing as a Canadian film producer scouting a film location for a sci-fi film, Argo. To make it realistic, he enlists the help of Hollywood to vouch for him and they spread the news about the film despite the fact it will never be made. 

As films go, this isn't the fastest paced of films and it does take a lot of time for the film to get going. Ben Affleck is his usual stoic best and places the role of calm-under-pressure Tony Mendez. The film could have been a lot more complicated than it is which makes the story easy to follow for the audience. Affleck succeeds in taking the audience on the journey with him and that is where he succeeds. The audience is hooked on the mission from the word go and that makes it a watch able film. 

Pitch Perfect

Starring: Adam DeVine, Alexis Knapp, Anna Camp, Anna Kendrick, Ben Platt, Brittany Snow, Rebel Wilson, Skylar Astin
Star rating: ***

There is no doubt that teen school musical films have been done to death. From the early High School Musical films to the Step Up series, these films have become a trend which is fast losing its shine. The hit US TV show Glee has created cult followings of young teens and adults alike and it is a hard act to follow. The storylines never differ from the originals too, the unpopular teenagers finding their voice through song and dance. So, i was sceptical to watch this film and see what could be so different about it.

Beca (Anna Kendrick) is a sassy freespirited music lover who is going through college to satisfy her overbearing father who thinks her music is a phase. She strong armed to join the Bellas, an all girl a capella group who are recovering from their failure in a national competition last year. In their aim to be the best this year, they take on a diverse range of characters from the quiet Asian to Fat Amy (Rebel Wilson) who calls herself that before someone else does.

As films go from this genre, this definitely will not be the one to stand out from the already well-saturated market. It is hard to feel something for the characters who are such stereotypes and they don't have a major part to play in the film at all. Kendrick does her best as Beca but she is so reserved throughout the film that we don't really see her character develop. Rebel Wilson does take the screen space away and her role bordering on the ridiculous makes her stand out from the rest. The musical numbers are well sung and their final number looks great on the big screen, however apart from that, there isn't much else i can say about the film. A good past time watch but don't expect anything too groundbreaking. 

Christmas at Harrods

I love London at this time of year and the true magic of Christmas can be felt in the air on every street in London. One of the best things i find is the amount of effort that shops put in their windows enticing us in to buy sneaky early Christmas presents for ourselves. The one place i really love at Christmas is Harrods, the window displays are magical and this year they have put a grown up twist on the Disney Princesses theme. The dresses and the scenes that they have recreated are just beautiful. Check them out below!

Winter Wonderland

London is one of the best places on Earth when it comes to Christmas and the number of free events that take place throughout the Christmas months, make it all the more magical. Winter Wonderland takes place in Hyde Park and i have been little and it still thrills me just the way it did when i was small. The decorations are on another level where they take so much time out to make it so beautiful. There is a Christmas market that leads into the fair with a huge ferris wheel, bumper cars and a Bavarian food outlet in the middle and an Ice Kingdom. The ferris wheel is one of my favourite features of Winter Wonderland and if you go on it at the right time, you can watch the sunset over London and see the whole of the city in its glory.

Polar Bear Kingdom

Marzipan stall at the Christmas Market

Viva Forever

When I heard that the Spice Girls were having a musical produced based around their backlog of songs, i was so excited. Their launch event at the King's Cross hotel where they shot their 'Wannabe' video made me want to dip back into the world of nostalgia and to sing my heart out to the great Spice Girls hits. I wanted to be a part of reliving the best moments of the Spice Girls era and take on the inspiration of 'Girl Power' just as i had as the wide eyed girl aged 10.

'Viva Forever' is no way related to the story of the 'Spice Girls'. For starters there are four girls in this story instead of five and it based around them reaching the finals of their version of X-Factor called Starmaker. The judges are very much based around the X-Factor show and an ageing singer, Simone stages a coup at the semi-finals and says that only one of the girls can get through, Viva. Viva now struggles with the fact she is adopted and her broken friendships as she tries to hit the big time under the guidance of Simone and her team.

 

 

Though i am a hardcore fan of the Spice Girls, i only wish the shows creators had taken more inspiration from the real life story of the girls rather than inventing this story that frankly has no key messages. Girl Power is just limited to one lacklustre line and the strongest woman in the show who play's Viva's mother is the only one who really stands out in her defiance of society's conventions. The soundtrack has been really well performed and one particular mash up of 'Mama' and 'Goodbye' is fantastic where actresses show off their remarkable singing skills. The actors do the best with what they have and have some real talent in the young girls recruited for the show.

 

I think audience participation was key for a show like this that celebrated the Spice Girls legacy. Apart from the sing-a-long at the end, the audience are left rather confused whether they can join in and frankly, i think this should have been encouraged with some of the big numbers like 'Stop' and 'Spice Up Your Life'. 

Charles Worthington Salon at Home Range

I have the most ridiculous hair ever. During the summer, i have the most greasiest hair on this planet and then during the winter, the ends of my hair are so dry and i get so many split ends. One of my favourite bloggers, FleurDeForce (http://fleurdeforce.blogspot.co.uk/) recommended this range in one of her vlogs and i bought it and i am totally hooked. The Intense Rescue Melting Balm (above) is a great treatment and it only needs to be in your hair for 20 minutes. You literally scoop some out, warm it between your fingers and it turns into hair oil which you can just rub into the ends of your hair before washing.

The Overnight Ultimate Hair Healer is brilliant in between washes, you just rub it into the ends of your hair and it nourishes your split ends and smells fantastic.

I am not a big advocate of putting chemicals into my hair but these really help re-energise the ends of my hair in the cold winter months. 

Mac Eye Shadow Quad

Firstly let me just talk about the make up brand Mac. I love their make up products and i am a firm believer in their powder foundation and their blot powder which i bought about two years ago. However since then, i have never been back and here's the reason why. Mac has terrible customer service.

There i have said it. Every time i have walked past their concession in a department store and their flashy little stores, i am always afraid to go in there. All the times i have attempted to go in there, the girls have disregarded my need for help due to my clueless nature towards make up. I find it so intimidating that these girls with their expert make up skills, look me up and down, and assume that i am wasting their time. Here is a news flash to them, girls like me are MORE likely to shop in your store because we need someone to tell us what on earth to do with all these things so well laid out. I have had Mac girls reluctantly test foundation on my face because they think my acne is contagious. I have had Mac girls point me vaguely towards the eye shadows and tell me to 'figure out what shade i am'. I even heard one mutter to another that i would be wasting their time anyway so after 10 minutes, she should call her and say she has an appointment.

However, on Friday, i went into Selfridges and ventured tentatively into the Mac concession and found a helpful make up artist. She basically helped me pick out these colours (see below) and even showed me how to take it from a day to night look.

Lipsticks Lipsticks Lipsticks

I don't know where i stand on the lipsticks vs lip gloss debate. I have always been more of a lip gloss girl because they are low maintenance and easier to do whilst running around. Recently i popped into Chanel and fell totally in love with their Coco Rouge Shine lipstick range and ending up buying one:

Chanel Coco Rouge Shine (£24)

Okay so this is a pricey for a lipstick but it was just the shade i was looking for as my autumn lip colour. It is a very berry pink shade, perfect for the darker months and it also stands out very well. The lip stick is hydrating too but the down side is that it does need topping up throughout the day as it goes on very sheer.

Rimmel London Kate Matte Range (£5.99)

My colour for this season has got to be the burgundy red, it is vampy but on the side of sexy. I actually tried this shade on at Chanel but could not bring myself to spend so much on it as i was afraid of such a strong colour. Having worn it a couple of times, i love it! It contrasts really well with my skin tone and i don't wear much foundation or anything so its perfect to help me feel that much more special during the dark wintry days. 

Gadget Show Live Christmas 2012

Those of you who know me, also know that i am a total gadget addict. I always love to have the latest gadget and have a play on it before anyone else does. For this very reason, i was given the unique opportunity to go the Gadget Show Live at the Excel and see some of these wonderful gizmos and gadgets in action. From laptops to inflatable Android robots, this show had it all and i really had a great time at the show. To round off my day there, i had the opportunity to watch a live show where the cast and crew re-enacted their favourite moments of the TV show to the theme of the '12 Days of Christmas'. It truly is a great day out and those of you living near or in Birmingham, it is coming to you in April! If any of you bloggers out there are attending, then link me in my comment section below :)

The fantastic ears above actually react as you do by detecting your brainwaves!

 

Windows were the real stars of the show launching their new tablet and laptops range