Tuesday, 24 February 2015
Monday, 23 February 2015
Academy Awards 2015 Best Dressed
Awards season ended on a dizzying high at last night's Academy Awards held at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles.
As far as awards go, everything either went exactly as predicted or was surprisingly tense. There were the obvious and expected lock-ins: many technical awards going to the outstanding The Grand Budapest Hotel; 3 of the acting awards merely completing a formality and actually handing over the virtually pre-engraved golden statues to J.K. Simmons, Julianne Moore and Patricia Arquette; and CitizenFour taking home Best Documentary. But at the end it all boiled down to a clash of the titans: it was Eddie Redmayne Vs Michael Keaton; Richard Linklater Vs Alejandro G. Iñárritu; and the main event, Boyhood Vs Birdman for Best Picture.
I might have been sleep-deprived and a little delirious by the time the winners of the major awards started to be announced, but I found them to be as tense as last week's episode of Broadchurch. I clutched the arm of the sofa and hid behind a cushion with my heart in my throat as Redmayne - brilliantly - won for his turn as Professor Stephen Hawking in The Theory of Everything (I was fearful either Keaton would clinch it or in a nightmare scenario Bradley Cooper would sweep from nowhere and be rewarded for American Sniper…). Honestly though, I was majorly disappointed that Birdman soared to victory in such a spectacular manner - scooping Best Picture/Directing/Original Screenplay/Cinematography. I loved it as a film but was ultimately routing for Boyhood: the astonishing 12 year masterpiece. It's a shame, but not the end of the world!
The red carpet was pretty impressive too: fashion-wise every awards show over the last few months has led to this point, and the stars pulled out all of the stops, as anticipated.
As far as awards go, everything either went exactly as predicted or was surprisingly tense. There were the obvious and expected lock-ins: many technical awards going to the outstanding The Grand Budapest Hotel; 3 of the acting awards merely completing a formality and actually handing over the virtually pre-engraved golden statues to J.K. Simmons, Julianne Moore and Patricia Arquette; and CitizenFour taking home Best Documentary. But at the end it all boiled down to a clash of the titans: it was Eddie Redmayne Vs Michael Keaton; Richard Linklater Vs Alejandro G. Iñárritu; and the main event, Boyhood Vs Birdman for Best Picture.
I might have been sleep-deprived and a little delirious by the time the winners of the major awards started to be announced, but I found them to be as tense as last week's episode of Broadchurch. I clutched the arm of the sofa and hid behind a cushion with my heart in my throat as Redmayne - brilliantly - won for his turn as Professor Stephen Hawking in The Theory of Everything (I was fearful either Keaton would clinch it or in a nightmare scenario Bradley Cooper would sweep from nowhere and be rewarded for American Sniper…). Honestly though, I was majorly disappointed that Birdman soared to victory in such a spectacular manner - scooping Best Picture/Directing/Original Screenplay/Cinematography. I loved it as a film but was ultimately routing for Boyhood: the astonishing 12 year masterpiece. It's a shame, but not the end of the world!
The red carpet was pretty impressive too: fashion-wise every awards show over the last few months has led to this point, and the stars pulled out all of the stops, as anticipated.
Sunday, 22 February 2015
The Ciné File Vol. 21
As awards season reaches fever pitch today (rather excitingly it's the Oscars tonight!) I've taken a different route with film this week, choosing classics or recent winners over brand new films. Although only a couple of those I've seen have won Oscars in the past, I've spent the time organised my film-watching habits this week and have downloaded quite a few onto the Sky Box. Now I need to find the time to actually watch them...
There are no new releases reviewed this week: I've been avoiding the cinema because it's half term (too many annoying children) and Fifty Shades of Grey mania has hit (too many enormous groups of drunk women). Normal service will hopefully resume next week, but until then I've been getting my film fix wrapped up inside with Sky Movies and piles of DVDs.
There are no new releases reviewed this week: I've been avoiding the cinema because it's half term (too many annoying children) and Fifty Shades of Grey mania has hit (too many enormous groups of drunk women). Normal service will hopefully resume next week, but until then I've been getting my film fix wrapped up inside with Sky Movies and piles of DVDs.
Tuesday, 17 February 2015
Sunday, 15 February 2015
The Ciné File Vol. 20
This week I've finally managed to see the latest Sondheim musical to take over cinemas: the fairytale mash-up devoid of a Disney happy-ever-after Into the Woods, along with a preview screening of the horrendously confusing time-travel mess Predestination.
Plus, I've dipped my toes into Jane Austen waters and found myself pleasantly surprised by the 1995 epic adaptation of Sense and Sensibility. Who knew I'd actually like it? *(not me!)
Plus, I've dipped my toes into Jane Austen waters and found myself pleasantly surprised by the 1995 epic adaptation of Sense and Sensibility. Who knew I'd actually like it? *(not me!)
Friday, 13 February 2015
Strawberry & White Chocolate Muffins
Baking posts have been rather lacking recently. Since I became stuck in a routine of Technical Thursdays each week and then went a little mad in December and did an insane amount of Christmas baking, I've taken a little break from my favourite hobby. January was a relatively baking-free zone for me.
However, aside from the fact that I just enjoy it, I find baking to be a huge stress-reliever. When everything starts to get a bit much and life verges on becoming totally overwhelming, plugging in my fuchsia KitchenAid, switching on the oven and mixing in a selection of ingredients together to magically create something delicious (or not so: disasters do happen after all…) calms me down like nothing else. Yesterday was one of those drowning-in-my-head sort of days.
The logical step to combat this? Grabbing the first recipe book to hand - the Be-Ro book, obviously - and making a batch of Strawberry & White Chocolate Muffins. I might not be able to eat them, but making them has made the day before feel like a storm in a teacup. And, as they're vaguely Galentine's/Valentine's in theme, it made sense to include the recipe here, today.
Whether you're looking for last-minute Galentine's Day treats for your very best pals or a super easy recipe using the most traditional of Valentine's Day flavours then these muffins are exactly what you're looking for.
However, aside from the fact that I just enjoy it, I find baking to be a huge stress-reliever. When everything starts to get a bit much and life verges on becoming totally overwhelming, plugging in my fuchsia KitchenAid, switching on the oven and mixing in a selection of ingredients together to magically create something delicious (or not so: disasters do happen after all…) calms me down like nothing else. Yesterday was one of those drowning-in-my-head sort of days.
The logical step to combat this? Grabbing the first recipe book to hand - the Be-Ro book, obviously - and making a batch of Strawberry & White Chocolate Muffins. I might not be able to eat them, but making them has made the day before feel like a storm in a teacup. And, as they're vaguely Galentine's/Valentine's in theme, it made sense to include the recipe here, today.
Whether you're looking for last-minute Galentine's Day treats for your very best pals or a super easy recipe using the most traditional of Valentine's Day flavours then these muffins are exactly what you're looking for.
Tuesday, 10 February 2015
Monday, 9 February 2015
EE BAFTAs 2015 Best Dressed
It's an astonishing year for film, but unfortunately the red carpet this year was so underwhelming.
The BAFTAs are my favourite awards show - mainly because they're so quintessentially British - but I've never been so unenthused to write a fashion post. Normally I can't wait to write all about the red carpet, buoyed along by the news of the ceremony itself: the delight of the winners, the losers' fixed fake smiles, overly long acceptance speeches and Stephen Fry's fantastic one-liners. I don't know whether I set unrealistic expectations in my head yesterday, but the ceremony went as expected - there were very few surprises, and aside from the embarrassing lack of love for Mr Turner I was pleased with all the winners - and the red carpet was so, so disappointing.
Don't get me wrong, on the whole everyone looked good, but virtually every sartorial choice was exceedingly safe - bordering on boring - and wasn't exactly eye-catching. The menswear was much, much better than the dresses worn by the women, but it's harder to have an immediate glowing impact with a tux than it is with a gown. Nothing beats a well cut and exquisitely tailored suit, but even the majority of men seemed to play it safe and stick to traditional, black tuxes instead of mixing it up with different textures and colours. The Times film critic Kate Muir offered up the #BAFTAsSoBland hashtag, and I have to agree. Eugh, what went wrong?!
The BAFTAs are my favourite awards show - mainly because they're so quintessentially British - but I've never been so unenthused to write a fashion post. Normally I can't wait to write all about the red carpet, buoyed along by the news of the ceremony itself: the delight of the winners, the losers' fixed fake smiles, overly long acceptance speeches and Stephen Fry's fantastic one-liners. I don't know whether I set unrealistic expectations in my head yesterday, but the ceremony went as expected - there were very few surprises, and aside from the embarrassing lack of love for Mr Turner I was pleased with all the winners - and the red carpet was so, so disappointing.
Don't get me wrong, on the whole everyone looked good, but virtually every sartorial choice was exceedingly safe - bordering on boring - and wasn't exactly eye-catching. The menswear was much, much better than the dresses worn by the women, but it's harder to have an immediate glowing impact with a tux than it is with a gown. Nothing beats a well cut and exquisitely tailored suit, but even the majority of men seemed to play it safe and stick to traditional, black tuxes instead of mixing it up with different textures and colours. The Times film critic Kate Muir offered up the #BAFTAsSoBland hashtag, and I have to agree. Eugh, what went wrong?!
Sunday, 8 February 2015
The Ciné File Vol. 19
Oddly I've been surrounded by film all week, but despite having Sky Movies on in the background pretty much all the time I've been at home, I haven't actually sat and watched many films this week.
I have, however, managed to squeeze in a trip to the cinema to see Kingsman: The Secret Service; and watched two of my absolute favourite films from 2014 - The Grand Budapest Hotel, and Guardians of the Galaxy.
I have, however, managed to squeeze in a trip to the cinema to see Kingsman: The Secret Service; and watched two of my absolute favourite films from 2014 - The Grand Budapest Hotel, and Guardians of the Galaxy.
Tuesday, 3 February 2015
Transformation Tuesday: Week 32
Well this week went okay.
(I'm trying to be coy: I'm utterly giddy with the result.)
(I'm trying to be coy: I'm utterly giddy with the result.)
Monday, 2 February 2015
Coming Soon: February 2015
It's that time again! Here's the latest Coming Soon post: a look at the best new releases hitting cinemas in February.
As awards season draws to a close, February sees the start of more comedies, more sci-fi and more action, all of which are clear non-awards contenders. There are still a couple - Cake for example - that have only just filtered across the Atlantic and into U.K. cinemas, but on the whole films are now starting to become more light-hearted and less involved. As much as I love a good Oscar nominee, sometimes it's nice to just go to the cinema to be purely entertained, rather than to spend two hours concentrating on the intricate cinematography, admiring the beautiful scores and revelling in truly astonishing acting. Not every film has to be two hours of award-winning brilliance for it to be worth your time.
Hopefully there's something for everyone in this post, from the controversial The Interview; to the latest sci-fi epic from the Wachowskis, Jupiter Ascending; to the sequel featuring an enormous list of acting royalty, The Second Best Exotic Marigold Hotel; to the critically acclaimed and criminally snubbed Selma.
As awards season draws to a close, February sees the start of more comedies, more sci-fi and more action, all of which are clear non-awards contenders. There are still a couple - Cake for example - that have only just filtered across the Atlantic and into U.K. cinemas, but on the whole films are now starting to become more light-hearted and less involved. As much as I love a good Oscar nominee, sometimes it's nice to just go to the cinema to be purely entertained, rather than to spend two hours concentrating on the intricate cinematography, admiring the beautiful scores and revelling in truly astonishing acting. Not every film has to be two hours of award-winning brilliance for it to be worth your time.
Hopefully there's something for everyone in this post, from the controversial The Interview; to the latest sci-fi epic from the Wachowskis, Jupiter Ascending; to the sequel featuring an enormous list of acting royalty, The Second Best Exotic Marigold Hotel; to the critically acclaimed and criminally snubbed Selma.
Sunday, 1 February 2015
The Ciné File Vol. 18
This week has been a really, really poor one for film for me. I sadly haven't managed to go to the cinema despite having a list of new releases I want to see longer than my arm, and I've only seen a couple of movies at home that ended up being horrendously disappointing.
It's not all bad though, as my week was saved by truly great television in the form of Series 1 of Broadchurch. I've finally jumped on the bandwagon, and I couldn't be more impressed. What a series!
