Favourite Films and TV ATM

Queer Eye

Quite frankly if you haven't heard about Queer Eye, has your internet been disabled for the last week or so? The makeover show we have been waiting for is here, it's not superficial and its building bridges. The Fab Five (Bobby, Karamo, Antoni, Tan and Jonathan) are challenging the perception of gay people in the deep south of the USA, men on the show admitting they simply had not mixed with LGBT people in their lives. Whilst this is in essence a makeover show it is so much more, and I challenge you not to cry during an episode.

Ladybird

Relatable AF. Is my short review of Lady Bird. 

The narrative here isn’t the important part of the film, we follow Lady Bird in her last year of high school. It’s an exploration of that relationship between teenage daughter and Mum. I don’t feel like the trailer, really tells you what the film is going to be about, and the film surprised me so much. 

I, Tonya

Margot Robbie, I did not realise quite how great an actress you are, entirely transformed within this film.
I, Tonya follows the life and career of Tonya Harding US Olympic Ice Skater up until the 1994 including the infamous attack on Nancy Harrigan. I knew I had to see this film as soon as I saw the first trailer and was instantly curious about Tonya Harding, a little bit of modern history I was entirely unaware of.
Truth was the theme of this film, there were key scenes played with the different versions of events given by the people in Tonya's life. I feel as an audience that it left me feeling a bit agitated at times not being an easy watch, replicating how the characters were feeling on screen.
Since watching the film I have been watching the original footage of the skating and some interviews doing some of my own research.

Call Me By Your Name

A film I was sure I'd be waiting for the DVD release to watch. My friend Grace has been singing it's praises for a number of months, and I was gutted to have missed it in cinemas.
Call Me By Your Name is such a gorgeously shot film telling the story of Elio spending the summer of 1983 in his parent's summer residence in Italy. When Oliver working with Elio's father as an intern meet and after a slow start a summer romance ensues.
A stunning coming of age story, and there are many positives for LGBT people. Firstly neither Elio or Oliver die, or has a terminal illness. Secondly the scene between Elio and his father, whilst Elio is suffering with heartbreak, is every kid's ideal coming out conversation with a parent.

Edinburgh Fringe #2

Hello! Welcome to my second and last Edinburgh Fringe post. On my second day I got to see three different things.

Lucy Pearman: Maid of Cabbage

‘Traditionally unmarried maids were sent of to look for the perfect cabbage’

I booked to see this, as it was one of the actors from Prom Kween and i had a slot midday I wanted to fill with something. I really had no idea what to expect, as we followed the tale of the new maid - searching for a cabbage to avoid being fired. There was plenty of audience participation, I must say I am glad Wasn’t directly involved - but it was great seeing unsuspecting people being used, to read, as a horse and of course competing in a cabbage competition. It was totally bonkers and hilarious, its a free show but very popular so get tickets whilst you can. Go and see it if you want to see something completely different.

Quarter Life Crisis

This is another one person play. I was drawn in to watch this as the description might as well have been #millenialproblems. This isn’t a belly laugh type of production, however I did enjoy this relatable play. There was elements of audience participation, compared to Maid of Cabbage a lot less embarrassing in nature. Enjoyable but I’ not sure I’m in a hurry to go and see it again… Just left me a little underwhelmed - but art is subjective and that cannot be helped.

Testosterone

Is the story of Kit a transgender man, recounting the story of his transition and the wider theme of what it actually is to be a man. Whilst exploring an extremely important topic, the use of physical theatre, comedy and song - made what for some is a difficult subject or something that is an alien concept, accessible and understandable. Whether you are male, female and non-binary there is something for everyone to take away from this piece of theatre. The Rhum and Clay theatre company have hit the balance of playful and important perfectly. You have to see this, it is for everyone not just the LGBT+ community.

Thanks for popping by!

xxx 

Beauty and the Beast ... a few thoughts

Beauty and the Beast, was everything I wanted it to be and more. It made me laugh, it made me cry and feel every other emotion in between.

(what a compelling opening statement, scroll down to read more)

As soon as the opening scene began I knew I would love. Throughout you could really see Emma Watson's take on the character Belle, she followed her own will and didn't change herself in order to fit in. I loved that in the live action version, Belle took on the inventor spirit opposed to Maurice.

The animation of the "furniture" characters was so astonishingly real looking, I'm not sure I will ever look at a candelabra in quite the same way again. Throughout I thought the cinematography was stunning, that alone was enough to start the waterworks.

The additional songs were just scrummy, right now as I write this I have Days in the Sun on repeat!

I loved that this version gave a more in depth understanding of the characters with the history of Belle and the Beast, that as well as them being "real people" or in the Beast's case amazing animation/make up?!, made me empathise more deeply with the characters than the animation version could ever do.

The balance of happy, sad, touching and humorous moments was perfect, one minute I was in tears, the next I would be laughing. There were a few moments when I had to stop myself audibly sobbing in the cinema.

On an equality note there was a wide range of people represented in the film, and not a big deal made out of it. That is so important, it was just a thing that was there. However I know some people would say that Le Fou as the "first openly gay" Disney character wasn't enough of a representation for LGBT+ people. But personally I thought it was enough, because it shows that gay people are not overly sexualised and it just isn't a big deal who a person is or isn't attracted to. Especially in light of the YouTube scandal of blocking LGBT+ content in restricted mode. One day the main story line in a Disney film will be a LGBT+ one, and I feel that isn't so far off. 

I feel so happy knowing that generations of children will grow up watching this film, so full of heart and goodness.

xxx