| 5 Essentials for surviving a Horror film |

Its now officially October. This can only mean one thing… Halloween. With halloween, comes a plethora of gore-filled, bloodcurdling and chilling horror films, films we cant help but watch in the month. However, we have all shouted at the screen ‘don’t go in there!’, as the dumb blonde enters the cellar. We’ve all spectated from a third party perspective in entertainment. But how would we feel about being in the films ourselves, what would we take to ward off vampires, survive from zombies or hide from the classic slasher villain?

The team over at Man Crates have acted on this much speculated over question. Seeing as they cater to the needs of a wide variety, with extraordinary gifts for men they want to know what the ideal crate would look like if you were looking to survive a horror film.  

Of course, in the horror genre there is a plentiful amount of sub-genres, like slasher flick, gothic horror, zombie film and body horror. This being said, this is my personal list of the essentials needed to survive the majority of them. 

5. Boom Stick

Ash definitely got this one bang on. With the iconic boom stick you can ward off all evil you might find in a horror film.

4. Vampire kit

In my eyes, this is an essential. The old fashioned and authentic vampire trunk is all you need, complete with stakes, bibles and of course a little bit of garlic.

3. Zombie Survival Kit

Man Crates offer the perfect necessity to any zombie flick. If dawn of the dead, 28 days later or Night of the Living Dead had this kit with them, the slaughter may have gone a lot smoother. 

2. Twinkies

In true Zombieland style, you've got to enjoy the small things. 

1. Sidekick

Where would the protagonist be without the faithful sidekick? Most likely dead. This is why you need an Ed (Shaun of the Dead), Jack (An American Werewolf in London), Annie (Halloween), or Glen (Nightmare on Elm Street) when surviving any horror film.

| Top 10 Horror Films |

In my latest efforts to avoid all forms of school work, my time has been spent outside revision books and more engrossed than ever, in the horror genre; something relatable with the fright and heebie-jeebies of the exam season, perhaps?. Nevertheless, I thought I’d convey my views regarding the most enjoyable, repellent and downright horrific horror flicks of all time.

10) Texas Chainsaw Massacre (1974)

 9) The Exorcist (1973)

 8) Friday the 13th (1980)

 7) The Evil Dead (1981)

 6) Frankenstein (1931)

 5) A Nightmare on Elm Street (1984)

 4) Nosferatu (1922)

 3) Halloween (1978)

 2) The Shining (1980)

 1) Psycho (1960)

A Clockwork Orange | VIOLENCE MAKES VIOLENCE

In 1972, Stanley Kubrick’s masterpiece A Clockwork Orange was unleashed onto the 

unsuspecting British public, in theatres all over the United Kingdom. The film ratings board of Great Britain had been especially harsh on this viciously violent movie, and the board’s harshness was soon justified: a multitude of replicated crimes, allegedly inspired by the movie, broke out across the country. The most horrific of these involved a 17-year-old Dutch tourist, who was raped by a gang of youths chanting—just as in the film—the lyrics to the song “Singing in the Rain.” Kubrick subsequently succumbed to public pressure and forbade the showing of the film in Great Britain; a self-imposed ban that lasted until his death in 1999. The public reaction to the movie was motivated by an unspoken theory of art and ethics; namely, that the aesthetic good is inextricably bound to the moral good, that good art makes good people. The great irony is that the work of art in question is itself an attack upon this commonly held (but rarely challenged) assumption.

Alex, the protagonist of A Clockwork Orange, has the most refined aesthetic taste of all the characters in the movie—he loves Beethoven and appreciates beauty for its own sake, even if that beauty is almost solely restricted to the female form. And yet, Alex has the blackest heart in a cast of villains. This dichotomy induces in the audience an unpleasant cognitive dissonance, conflicting with our assumptions. Despite this conflicting influence, Kubrick’s mastery of cinematography draws us into rapport with the young man. Throughout the first act of the movie, we see Alex savagely beat a homeless old man, steal a car only to run other drivers off the road, rape one woman and murder another. Even then, it all seems somehow playful. An early scene in which Alex’s gang fights with another group of thugs epitomises Kubrick’s approach to violence in the first act; the young men fight with stage furniture that shatters upon impact, making the brawl seem lighthearted. Yes, we in the audience think, this violence is morally reprehensible—but it certainly is fun to watch!

This tone is sustained until Alex is detained and sentenced for the murder of a middle-aged woman. In prison he volunteers for an experimental process that claims to ‘cure’ criminals of their sociopathy. The so-called Ludovico technique conditions Alex against violence by forcing him to watch footage of crimes and immoral acts while under the influence of a drug that makes him wretch and gag, giving him a feeling of impending death. And it works. Alex is made a better person not by appreciating beautiful things, but by being forced to see the true monstrosity inherent in violence. The transformation central to the plot of A Clockwork Orange enacts a theory that contradicts the public reaction to the film: crime is reduced by showing more violent films, not fewer.

Upon release, Alex finds himself without a home and on the street, where he meets the same characters that he persecuted in the first act. This time they take revenge upon him, assisted by Alex’s inability to remain conscious during the violence, a side effect of the Ludovico technique. I  believe Kubrick attacked our complicity in the depravity of the first act: he guided us to enjoy the savagery of the first act, and we gladly allowed it. Now, he turns the violence upon our surrogate and turns his directorial expertise to reveal the horror of that violence. And this is the director’s ultimate attack on the common conception of beauty: he uses his control over the audience’s experience to replace the drugs and straitjackets of the Ludovico technique with the pain we feel upon seeing the rehabilitated Alex so brutally punished.

When the critics of A Clockwork Orange said that the movie promoted violence through the sympathetic but evil character of Alex, they got the story only partially correct. The first act of the film certainly does, but only for the purpose of revealing our guilt in the third act. Thus we should see A Clockwork Orange, a movie banned in Britain for twenty-seven years on the grounds of excessive violence, for the anti-violent, but philosophically radical, piece of art that it actually is.

Peaky Blinders | Review

The first time that I heard of Peaky Blinders I was in HMV accumulating a lengthy christmas list last year. At the sound of the words ‘Tom Hardy’ - which were in the a conversation in the next row - I was immediately on my way round to covertly inspect the scene. What I saw looking back at me was Peaky Blinders- Series 2. Even though I had seldom heard of the show, by just looking at the cast list, brief reviews on the cover and soundtrack which included Red Right Hand by Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds (it doesn’t stop there – the entire soundtrack is made up from gritty, gravelly contemporary pieces)- I knew I needed the programme in my life. 

At first glance the name intrigued me, just what was a Peaky Blinder? A selection of elucidations entered my mind, however, it turns out that Peaky Blinders were a criminal gang based in Birmingham, England, in the late 19th century following World War 1. They were one of the urban youth gangs in the era, which were among the earliest of modern street subcultures, with names which evolved from the fact that the members stitched razor blades into the peak of their flat caps, which could then be used as weapons (this made for some pretty satirical fight scenes, I’ll tell you that!)

Cillian Murphy portrays the gang’s leader Tommy Shelby- an ambitious, dangerous and traumatised head to the pack. After serving in the war, Tommy is like a lot of the cast, recovering… economically, socially and emotionally. Yes, okay, he’s on the earnest take (although much of the plot revolves around his endeavours to legitimise the family business albeit by fairly nefarious means); has come home with a sense of profound disassociation that neither women, nicotine or the occasional hit of opium can shift and is not at all adverse to slashing faces with his cap razors and whatnot, but in basically every episode there were also reminders of the good heart that beats beneath the impassive surface, as evidenced by his extraordinary loyalty and generosity to his family and friends.

Shelby family dynamic is sometime which interests the audience, as it is the second son who is in charge and not the elder; making us particularly sympathise with Arthur Shelby (Paul Anderson), whose position seemed to me to be rather an awkward one even if it is obvious why it is Tommy who is in charge of the whole shebang rather than him. Of course, as the show progresses, it becomes startlingly clear that there are more deep-seeded reasons than mere precedence to pity Arthur Shelby - who is as damaged as his younger brother by their experiences as tunnellers in World War One - but instead of retreating into himself, has become more dubious and shockingly violent. In the second series, the dark side of his nature becomes ever more crude and overwhelming, when his character evolves deeper, as he discovers ‘Tokyo’ or cocaine and is given a London nightclub to look after, with foreseeable horrible results.

These siblings and the admirable third Shelby brother John, who caused worry when thinking that he might fortuitously swallow and choke on the tooth pick that he chews on incessantly in the first series, all make the series worth a watch.

The actual members of the Peaky Blinders

For me though, it was Polly Shelby, the Shelby brother’s aunt and family matriarch, who really stole the whole show. Played with a mesmerising, powerful charisma and bravado by Draco Malfoy’s mother, as fiercely protective and loyal of her family as Tommy, she was the avenging angel of the show and, like a vixen protecting her cubs, never more terrifying than when made to feel vulnerable or forced to protect her own. Polly was only one of the selection of strong female characters who gave a foundation of appeal in the show. With the significant sister (Ada) being one of these, a heart breaking love story is interpreted into the programme, showing a forbiden love between a Shelby and Communist, Freddie Thorne. However, it is impossible to commend Tommy’s feeble love interest, cross spy, cross over confident admirer of her singing talents.

There should also be a special mention at this point for Tom Hardy’s amazing and surprisingly comedic, yet still absolutely terrifying performance as series two protagonist Alfie Solomons, a barking mad Jewish gangster based in north London. Its no secret, I’m a self obsessed Tom Hardy stalker - cough, uh - fan. With him on board, not a lot could have gone wrong (except maybe a dodgy accent here and there). 

In anticipation, I wait for series 3 of Peaky Blinders; an absolute must see and effortless to enjoy. Additionally, binge watching is a breeze, at only 6 episodes a series- both series barely took a couple days. The cinematography is golden and iconic, the script is outrageous and the cast are perfect. This review is going to be concluded with a quote from Tom Hardy regarding a change of look :

“I ain't shaving my beard off. To shave my beard off would be to cut my f*cking nuts off. You know what I mean? Without them, I am no longer… I am now a lie. Why would I do that?”… there, ended perfectly.

Beware the Moon | An American Werewolf in London | Review

Although the 1980s were not kind to most traditional monsters - vampires, mummies, gargoyles, and the like - however, the decade also offered a remarkably prominent werewolf movie.  In the summer of 1981 John Landis' An American Werewolf in London was released. The very film which would, in many ways, set the standard for the modern werewolf movie. In the 34 years since its first release, it has not yet been surpassed (not even by the Jack Nicholson/ Mike Nichols collaboration, Wolf).

Often, there's an acute line between horror and humour. This evolves from the natural defence mechanism of the human psyche; laughing at something which causes discomfort. Hence, while some people are shocked and disturbed by a film like The Exorcist, others snigger and giggle like they're watching a cheesy Adam Sandler comedy. On rare occasions, directors attempt to exploit this fine link. Most of the time, they fail miserably, and the results can be painfully unfunny, parodic and non-frightening. However, a few filmmakers defy the odds and mine the right vein of ore. The list is disappointingly short, and includes names like Sam Raimi (The Evil Dead and its two sequels) and John Landis.

Landis came to An American Werewolf in London riding the crest of a wave of popularity. His two previous movies, Animal House and The Blues Brothers, had proven to be juggernaut box office successes. An American Werewolf in London would make it a trifecta. Afterwards, the director's career began a slow downward slide, beginning with the on-set disaster associated with his segment of The Twilight Zone. Landis rebounded briefly with Trading Places, but, by the roll around of the '90s, he was mostly regarded as a has-been and living proof of how easily even a proven filmmaker can fall out of favour in the industry.

In terms of storyline and plot structure, there's nothing innovative and unforeseen about An American Werewolf in London. What makes this film unique is its successful marriage of horror and comedy. The humorous sequences are funny enough to laugh at, while the gruesome scenes retain the power to fright. This ability to refrain from being a mimicry, is in large part due to the identification of the main character, whom we hope against odds will find some way out of the story’s impossible predicament. Had this individual been imbued with less humanity, he would have turned into a caricature and the entire film would have devolved into a grotesque farce.

The movie opens in the wild moors of Yorkshire, where two Americans, David Kessler (David Naughton) and Jack Goodman (Griffin Dunne), are on a backpacking trip. By the time they reach a small village near the threat of nightfall, they are freezing and famished, so they decide to stop in at the local pub, a place with the ominous name "The Slaughtered Lamb". Their reception there is decidedly frosty, as they receive angry glares from the customers and the barmaid. After they ask one too many questions, they are rudely told to leave, although, before departing, they are given a warning to stick to the road and not wander onto the moors - a warning they ignore, much to their regret.

When it comes, the attack is swift and merciless. A huge, wolf-like creatures leaps from the shadows, savagely killing Jack and injuring David before several of the townspeople, armed with guns, subdue it. The next thing David knows, he is recovering in a London hospital under the tender ministrations of a captivating nurse named Alex Price (Jenny Agutter) and the pragmatic Dr. Hirsch (John Woodvine). Despite a series of harrowing nightmares, David seems to be progressing - until he receives an unsettling visit from his zombified friend, Jack, who informs him that he has become one of the walking dead and that David, on the night of the next full moon, will exhibit the curse of lycanthropy and transform into a werewolf.

Of the three early-'80s werewolf movies, the transformation sequences in An American Werewolf in London are the most effective, beating out those in The Howling by a slobbering snout (Wolfen isn't even up to par enough in the running). There are a lot of similarities, which should come as no surprise, since both were supervised by makeup man extraordinary Rick Baker (who was also responsible for changing Jack Nicholson from man to beast in Wolf). Baker, working with "old-fashioned" tools like prosthetics and makeup, creates a series of memorable and lasting images.  The transformation starts with David leaping up from reading a book after an extended sequence of pacing and worrying in anticipation of the full moon., “Jesus Christ! Jesus Christ! What?” is all we hear… just before he tears at his clothing, perspiring and mewling out of pain, limbs begin to elongate, mangle, and sprout tufts of hair. David writhes on the floor and we hear what sounds like cracking bone. It’s a far cry from the fade-in transformation of Lon Chaney Jr. in 1941’s The Wolfman (a film that gets name-checked and referenced throughout American Werewolf). This transformation looks excruciating. It’s also held up considerably well in the more than thirty years since the film’s initial release. All in all, it is no surprise that Baker claimed an oscar for his work in the department.

In the end, An American Werewolf in London successfully attempts to update the werewolf genre; there is no such thing as silver bullets or other silly plot points unlike prior werewolf movies. This horror classic attempts to simplify the lore and the fact that it is humorous does not hinder the sinister elements, or the impact of the creature. Because what does the werewolf lore represent? It represents the idea of stripping someone of their humanity and leaving them at their most primal state. The werewolf-phobia or ‘lupophobia’ seems to stem from the fear of humanity at its most basic form. This is quite possibly why the darker tones of An American Werewolf in London mix perfectly with the abundance of absurdity, as the link between humanity and overwhelmingness of animalistic instinct is present and presented, excellently throughout the film. Without a doubt, it's my favourite werewolf flick proves to be just one of those movies that you’ll never really be through with, a classic.

Under the Skin | Passport to the UK

Recently, I have been contacted and requested to become a UK contributor to the arts site The Thoroughfare. Based in the US, it has been running for a short amount of time; showing an immense amount of potential for the future. For my debut on the site, a feature has been created linking the two locations (UK & USA) named Passport to the UK. 

Basically, this means that I will review/ write regarding films and books established in the United Kingdom. For my first post, I chose to review the 2013 Sci-Fi Thriller: Under the Skin. 

To see the full version of the piece click here. For entertaining articles, reviews and much more, be sure to check out some of their other posts on a wide variety of crafts and arts.

The Letters | Review

I have recently been asked to review a new book by the author Ella Drayton. The Letters is a very fast-paced novel about Brodie Barrett, a widowed single mother of a 10 year old girl and a homicide detective for the Birmingham Police Department. Everything seems fine in her world until her ex-fiance, Keaton Maddox, walks back into her life; finding herself caught between the demands of her job, devotion to her daughter, the desire for romance to once again be an essential part of her life.

She is ready to start a new life with Keaton but he's also got a pregnant girlfriend working at his restaurant. Things at work start heating up for Brodie when someone decides to send her love letters at work. These aren't your ordinary love letters. These letters leave clues for Brodie to find bodies of her admirer's victims.

The book was chilling, but a the same time relatable and hilarious. Despite a lot of typos and missing words, I enjoyed the book- even though it’s not one I would normally pick up in store. The book clearly needs a re-edit, but the story, nevertheless, remains amusing throughout.

Readers will appreciate that the story remains focused on the clues, the characters have their individual strengths and weaknesses and the regional dialog is authentic throughout, best of all- the delightful sarcasm. As often happens when the truth is hidden in plain sight, the identity of the killer came as a surprise, without spoiling, it was very clever. All in all this was an enjoyable read, even though it’s not a genre I dabble in often.

The Letters on Amazon

The Letters on Goodreads

Ella Drayton

American Sniper | Review

When first watching adverts for American Sniper to be frank, I wasn’t too excited. Watching the imminent murders of hundreds of Islamic citizens still doesn’t stand at the top of my to do list, but as I spoke to countless people - who claimed it to be a ’10/10’ and a ‘masterpiece’ - I decided I would have to see it for myself.

The film is a controversial biopic following America’s most ‘dangerous’ sniper, some might to go as far as to call it propaganda. This name falls to the movie, as it can be viewed as a fascist glorification of war heroes and therefore, their murder. Nick Broomfield even labeled it as a movie ‘Hitler would be proud to have made’. This isn’t to be seen as criticisms of a soldier, for doing what he's told, not at all. However, this film cannot be seen as only a human’s story, with no political ripples. 

Very little actually happens in American Sniper. The spiritual and emotional progress of the characters is limited to basic states of existence (good or bad, alive or dead), and none of them evolve despite numerous encounters with tragedy and misfortune. By the end of the movie, Kyle, his buddies, and their enemies alike are all making the same kinds of choices they were making in the beginning. Even Kyle, who regarded himself as a sheepdog guarding sheep against wolves—in the film, strangely, the sheep are either American citizens or Marines, or both—never sways from that belief. There is little potential reflected or implied in the characters, and no surprises. Shocks, yes—explosions, yes—but plot twists, edification, some hint at the sublime behind the everyday deaths … no.

Kyle spends his time overseas trying to kill ‘bad guys’, and his time at home in a relationship with his wife. Despite a wealth of action, and opportunities to expand or grow, the only thing that changes over time is that the man onscreen begins to express remorse over some of the women and children he killed; he maintains the necessity of killing terrorists that, to his mind, are a direct threat to America, but once back home, he finds it necessary to do something, anything, to heal himself and others like him. Late in the film, this leads to his generously sharing his time and energy with other combat veterans suffering from the grievous injuries they sustained in combat; this seems like progress, and is satisfying to watch and feel.

The film has come in for sharp criticism for being jingoistic and characterising Iraqi insurgents as “savages” and Fallujah as “the new Wild West”. Despite this, the film broke box office records in the US for the Super Bowl weekend, grossing £21m. It is by far the most commercially successful film about the recent wars in the Middle East.  Needless to say, positive viewers are engrossed by the heartwarming, patriotic story portrayed, too much- in order to look past blatant Islamophobia.

From all the success Sniper has secreted, some viewers ask the question: should a film like this be made now, of all times while troop activity still powers on? Or is it just an attempt to boost moral that has faded since the first invasion after the 9/11 attacks?

This reflects a truth that the movie itself seeks to avoid: War is political, and a movie about war is bound to make political pronouncements. When you sit down to enjoy American Sniper, you are committing a political act, and your evaluation of the movie, and Kyle as a person, reflects your political attitudes. But it's more complicated than the simple equation that progressives dislike it and conservatives enjoy it. Politics notwithstanding, those who've seen it tend to describe the experience in religious terms: awe-struck congregations of Americans seeing the Iraq war as solely the fault of the Middle East.

Possibly the most ridiculous thing about the film is the fact that it views the killing of one assassin ‘Abu Musab al-Zarqawi’ as the decider of the war.  Maybe Clint Eastwood doesn't understand that the concept of terrorism is everywhere and these ‘evil’ and ‘savage’ people don’t only exist in Iraq or the Middle East. Never the less, we see Chris Kyle attempting to fulfil his mission by shooting the all black wearing, pirate stubble adorning ‘baddy’.

At the center of American Sniper is Bradley Cooper's convincing performance as Chris Kyle. It confirms that Cooper, having graduated from the "Hangover" films to the Oscar-nominated seriocomic portrayals in "Silver Linings Playbook" and "American Hustle," can henceforth be considered a Serious Actor. Cooper inhabits Kyle's skin, bulking up physically and keeping his usual manic energy at a simmer instead of a full boil.

It's unfortunate, though, that Cooper's introspective, nuanced work comes in the service of such a superficial portrait. If the star does his utmost to make a one-dimensional character interesting, his director, Clint Eastwood, adapts Kyle's memoir — a life story rife with moral complexity — by hammering it flat.

But the remorse, at least, may be largely fictional. If the real-life Chris Kyle—or, at least, the Chris Kyle who wrote American Sniper, the best-selling 2012 memoir—is to be believed, he ended up rejecting any real responsibility for his choices. Some say that heroes are defined in part by the epiphanies they experience. Kyle learns nothing he didn't already know about war and life during his time onscreen, and that makes him something else. But what? The movie is unwilling to hazard a guess, although the answer might possibly lie in the title.

Into the Woods | Review

If you go down to the woods today… you’ll find A-listers dressed like Game of Thrones extras belting out show tunes. 

The fact that I am a self confessed musical, fairy tale and Meryl Streep enthusiast offers some reasoning to why I found myself watching Into the Woods last week. However, by the time 16 minutes had passed, I knew why I was staying. The first 16 minutes alone is one whole song, interlocking the characters of the story, showing their motives and ‘wishes’. Choral structure has been used previously of course, but the attention and work is evidential when watching this movie.

Into the Woods is a modern twist on several of the beloved Brothers Grimm fairy tales, intertwining the plots of a few choice stories from Sondheim's classic. This humorous and heartfelt musical follows the classic tales of Cinderella (Anna Kendrick), bratty Little Red Riding Hood (Lilla Crawford), dimwitted Jack and the Beanstalk (Daniel Huttlestone, aka the chirpy peasant from Les Miserables), and Rapunzel (MacKenzie Mauzy)-all tied together by an original story involving a baker and his wife (James Corden & Emily Blunt), their wish to begin a family and their interaction with the desperate witch (Meryl Streep), who has cast a curse on them.

All of their paths lead eventually… into the woods (who would have guessed?), where everything is uncertain, dangerous and exciting. One of the most detrimental things in the wood can be seen in the form of the wolf (Johnny Depp). With his cheap looking pinstriped zoot suit and pipe cleaner- like Salvador Dali whiskers he creeps into the story only for a brief cameo.  The costuming is something that was extremely anticipated in Depp’s character as the costume design legend herself Colleen Atwood (known for designing outfits for Edwards Scissorhands, Sweeny Todd and Alice in Wonderland) crafted it out of laborious creativity. Bearing this in mind, hopes we not reached and the audience were left questioning the 50s style Avery inspired choice of wardrobe. The idea was there, just without the effect intended. Throughout the short encounter with the wolf I couldn't help but laugh at the character and its persona, he couldn’t do much more to bring out the subliminal lasciviousness of the song “Hello, Little Girl”. ‘Creepy’ is a mild way to put it, as he creeps up in a paedophilic manner, all I could think was: ‘why didn’t Depp just stick to Sweeny Todd!?’

Although there is a inevitable fight for the limelight only two clearly claim the spotlight. Meryl Streep. The mere name name should make a smile creep onto your face. The woman can do no wrong and as she channels Tangled’s mother Gothel in a melodramatic hippy way. She is much like the non-villain Maleficent, seen previously last year with Angelina Jolie’s performance of the film named after the heavily cheek-boned protagonist, however, Meryl’s acting out does Jolie’s countless monotone expressions. Streep never wavers from engaging and seeing Blunt and her reunited since Devil wears Prada is a delight.

 The other actor that (surprisingly) made Into the Woods worthwhile appeared in the form of Chris Pine. His Prince Charming “raised to be charming not sincere” portrayal is everything that we have not seen but have subconsciously longed for in a Prince. Although in a way he it is only an extreme version of the one sided Princes we have seen since the dawn of Disney. Nevertheless, his satirical role adds the main level of humour to the story.

The most memorable scene involves Pine and his Rapunzel-loving Brother on top of a waterfall in a battle of voice and self pity. As they splash among the cobbles the realisation sets in, the songs are the back bone of the film. Throughout the film - much like Sweeny Todd - the singing barely wavers. Some could resent this show tune vibe, but to stage lovers- it is great! The songs are everything the stories deserve… catchy, touching and (most importantly) fitting. Never did I think ‘there isn’t a point to this song’, as I do with many musicals. There isn’t much things worse than a generic musical with meaningless songs; shooed in for the sake of it.

As far as happy endings go, the sceptical approach makes this release a tricky fit for the holiday family niche. But Disney should do nicely over the long haul with a classy film that will entertain youth audiences yet contains enough sly humor and narrative complexity to keep adults engaged.  Much like a number of Disney films that have had a more gothic revamp, (to name a few: Snow White and the Huntsman, Maleficent and the upcoming Cinderella) Into the Woods is another regurgitation of a classic; made brilliant by the actors and score, the justice is done to our cherished fables.

Top 20 Books | The Countdown

This week I am going to commence something I’ve wanted to start for a withstanding amount of time. I love to read books, anyone who knows me will know that’s fact; as I often walk around reading (to the annoyance of my friends). However sometimes I find it hard to find books with plots that catch my eye, as I am fond of so many different genres. Subsequently, I spend a lot of time on sites such as goodreads.com and amazon; looking for suggestions.

So, as a guide to all of you - like me - scouring the internet for best reads and recommendations, I am going to compress my whole collection into a countdown of my top 20 books, as a judgement on the text. Critically acclaimed books always draw me in because they must be well reviewed for a reason, on the other hand, there may be books popping up which are not so well known and agreed on. 

If you have similar favourites, further interest or outright disapproval of my choices leave a comment and I’ll be happy to respond. I hope this advice will compel to immerse readers into some of my personally best beloved books. Stay tuned.

Dallas Buyers Club | Review

So, who would of know Matthew McConaughey can perform as a highly descent actor!? After the likes of endless rom-coms such as 'Failure to launch'(2006) and 'How to lose a guy in 10 days'(2003) this new found serious-acting Matthew is a breath of fresh air. He has recently dived into a pit of dramatically induced pieces, such as the television mini series True Detective (2014), Interstellar(2014) and Killer Joe(2011). These are the works that favour his style of witty to versatile well.

In Dallas buyers club we behold the surreal true story of Ron Woodroof, a sweaty grease ball of a Texan. From the start we witness his life innovate. He starts off as a cheap cocaine (and even cheaper hooker) doing, gay-hating piece of trailer trash.

After a chance work accident he finds himself in hospital, 29 days to live and HIV positive, a diagnosis he is unable to process. The apparentness of the illness is surreal, a previous well-built McCaughey appears gut wrenched and frail in a Christian Bale-in-The-Machinist severity. The previous up to snuff Matthew seems non-existent; replaced by this gaunt aged emaciated individual.

The illness that is consuming his life seems fight-able to Ron, making it compelling for the audience to witness. As he tries to carry on his usual crummy day-to-day he finds himself held back. Abandoned by his friends- who stereotypically perceive him as having 'faggot blood' and with no job, Ron refuses anguish and travels to Mexico to acquire unapproved drugs that stall the disease.

Enlightened by a still obnoxious Woodroof he exploits the opportunity for a quick buck. With the unlikely be-friending of fellow AIDS patient and transvestite Rayon (Jared Leto) Dallas Buyers Club is created, a legal dodging membership (which includes the drugs as a bonus) for a monthly compensation.

At first Rayon and Ron clash, their two different identities repel them from each other, Ron's wild homophobia targets directly towards Rayon, yet still Woodroof is slowly over won by Rayon's sweetness and charm. Together Leto and McConaughey work together in harmony on the screen, lifting this gritty drama to surviving saga of day to day triumphs around the USA government. The duo's work is easily the most dramatically capable pieces they have ever ventured into.

Both parts are truly sublime but McConaughey excels above all. His schemes never falter but still you a left warmed up to Ron even though his 'charitable' efforts towards fellow AIDS sufferers are more like a personal business. Perhaps you are effected by Ron's life due to his effort to romance his former doctor Dr. Eve Saks (Screen Actors Guild Award winner Jennifer Garner) or just his defying illness and ability to preserve and stick at life.

Overall this film is an impressive contribution to film, although not easy to watch as the downer of the subject is hard to consume the screenplay and realism brought by the acting and plot uplifts the audience. The inspiring true (and important) story is easily one of 2013's best films. Dallas buyers club is just one of the illustrations of McConaughey's contribution to notable acting, which I am sure with develop over the next few years to become the peak of his acting career.

*****