Beyond the Trailer: Beauty and the Beast (2017)

Disney's Beauty and the Beast (2017)

If you read my Cinderella review, I grew up watching Disney movies and had been one of those little girls who lived on fairy tales.  I still do in a way.

There had been two Disney movies in my childhood I would say really shaped me.  One is the Little Mermaid (1988), which I will probably talk about in more detail when the live action drops.  The other was Beauty and the Beast (1991).

Belle was particularly special to me in my later teens as it was the time when I really began noticing how different I was.  Instead of going out with other people my age, I preferred to stay in the library during recess and after school before the school bus took us home.

Belle is very important to me for more than just her beauty, she helped me remember that being the way I am is alright.  My love for books, my pursuit of cleverness and wit and simply being different.  That is why out of all the adaptations Disney has done lately, I knew I would be especially passionate about this one.  

Beyond the Trailer: La La Land (2016)

La La Land Poster (2017)

In honour of Valentines being just around the corner, I decided to blog about the first romance movie I have seen for the year 2017.

The moment I saw the trailer, I knew this was something I couldn't miss as I am a fan of old Fred Astaire movies.  This movie didn't at all disappoint.   

For those unfamiliar with Fred Astaire, you can start by watching "The Band Wagon" or if you are an Audrey Hepburn fan, you can watch "Funny Face." While not an Astaire film, I also recommend Gene Kelly's "Singing in the Rain."

Writing this review will probably just parrot what a lot of people have already said about it, but I can't help but want to pursue it anyway to show my appreciation for the writing and work done.

Before going to the theatre, I basically already knew what to expect.  I knew there would be singing and random dancing  but with a story that made those old movies survive the test of time.

After watching it, it is probably safe to say that this is probably one of the best romance movies that I have seen in a very long while.  It was lighthearted at the right time but it also knew when to take itself seriously.

Beyond the Trailer: Through the Looking Glass (2016)

Alice in Through the Looking Glass (2016)

Disney is really taking advantage of the success of most of their live action movies.

While I admit that I wasn't the biggest fan of Tim Burton's Alice in Wonderland, I would be lying if I said I hadn't been looking forward to this movie since they first announced it.

How could I miss watching anything resembling one of my all-time favorite stories? Even now, I still call the times I seem to daydream and disappear inside my head "My Wonderland."

Alice in Wonderland had always been a part of my childhood. Much like how the animated Cinderella influenced me as a child, Alice had done the same and probably in some ways maybe even more.

I knew it would be ridiculous to expect a faithful adaptation. It would be ridiculous to expect that, but I wanted something that I would at least enjoy. I didn't hate the first movie though and I don't think it was a bad movie, but it was not without flaws. The world building not being my type was probably another contributing factor of this.

Another reason for my curiosity of this film is the change of directors. Tim Burton didn't return to direct this movie. Instead, it is being directed by James Bobin. I haven't seen any of his other works, so I honestly didn't know what changes to expect but I was certainly expecting it.

Beyond the Trailer: Disney Descendants (2015)

Disney Descendants (2015)
(L to R) Carlos, Evie, Mal and Jay

"Ben, the teenaged son of King Beast and Queen Belle, invites the exiled children of defeated villains to attend a prep school with the heroes' children."

The colorful costuming and Villains Vs Heroes (Royals Vs Rebels?) makes me think of Ever After High, the singing makes me think of High School Musical --- and the vapid and vain heroines Vs the quirky and interesting villains? Is like they took a page from the School of Good and Evil.

I knew it was going to be a trainwreck the moment I heard about it. However, out of my love for the original I decided to watch without any biased feelings.

Apparently, I didn't need them. Even without knowing anything about the original movies, it is still a horrible adaptation. It had cute moments, but I personally didn't think they were enough to save the whole film.

The children acted better than the adults. The adults either over-acted or had lukewarm acting. Considering they are playing beloved characters, it was disappointing.

I like Dove Cameron's Mal and Sofia Carson's Evie. But while I think Booboo Stewart is absolutely hot, I am not so certain about his character. He and Carlos got the worst end of the stick when it came to character development. It is a shame since I thought Carlos was a decent actor and cute too.

(L to R) Carlos, Evie, Mal and Ben

This movie has "building potential new franchise" all over it. They even have dolls. Why is Mal's eyes brown though. I could have sworn they were green in the movie.

The dolls were made by Hasbro Toy Co. The company that gave us G.I. Joe and Jem and the Holograms.

Anyone remember Jem and the Holograms? Anyone? I guess not. 

Beyond the Trailer: Cinderella (2015)

Cinderella (2015)
Poster

Growing up as little girls, many probably had their favorite Disney Princess.  The original animated Cinderella made in 1950 was a popular choice.

With the growing popularity of live action fairy tale adaptations in Disney such as Alice in Wonderland (2010), Maleficent and recently, Once Upon a Time, it is no surprise that Disney is trying to take advantage of it.

Has anybody else noticed that they are mostly utilizing the blonde and beautiful female leads in all these versions, such as Alice, Aurora and Cinderella?

As one of their most popular princesses, it is no surprise that Cinderella was given an adaptation, with Cinderella played by Lily James and the Prince played by Richard Madden. And being one of those little girls who grew up watching this princess, I, of course jumped at the chance to watch it in Cinemas.

The Cinderella fairy tale had been given several adaptations and versions over the years. We have Ever After (1998), with the titular character played by Drew Barrymore and Glass Slipper (1955) with French actress, Leslie Caron; A Cinderella Story  (2004) with the former Disney star, Hilary Duff. These are just to name a few. So the challenge was really to give the story something to make it stand out.

Beyond the Trailer: Romeo and Juliet (2013)

Romeo and Juliet (2013)
Poster

I've been a fan of Shakespeare's works since I was in high school. It wasn't that I was immediately taken by it. At first, I didn't have the patience for Shakespeare's writing that felt practically like another language. The more I read it, the more I loved it. I was especially fond of "A Midsummer Night's Dream" and it continues until now to be my favorite work from Shakespeare.

However, Romeo and Juliet is unarguably one of Shakespeare's most known works. Maybe it is the love or the tragedy element in the story but some people regard it as the greatest love story ever told.

While I have seen other versions of the story, such as the 1968 version with Olivia Hussey and Leonard Whiting  and the 1996 version with Leonardo di Caprio and Claire Danes, I have decided to focus on the latest adaptation of the timeless story released 2013 with titular characters played by Douglas Booth and Hailee Steinfeld.

Beyond the Trailer: Walking on Sunshine (2014)

Power Plant Cinema Ticket:
Walking on Sunshine

I got a complimentary ticket from my mom that allows me to watch any film at the Power Plant Cinema. I was excited because it would be my first time watching a film there.

Being a fan of the musical genre, I decided to give this movie a shot. Reviews compared it to 'Mama Mia' and 'Pitch Perfect' and I had enjoyed those two movies a lot too. It promises some of then best songs from the 80's and the cast also included Leona Lewis whom I've always admired for her voice. I wasn't sure what she would like be as an actress, but I was interested.

I'm sure people would first be curious about what the movie is about.

Movie Poster

The story begins with Taylor who had went on a holiday in Puglia, Italy with her friend, Elena before she starts university. There, she falls in love with a local named, Raf. Unfortunately, their romance ended when Taylor returned to finish her university schooling.

Three years later, her sister surprises her by inviting her to Italy. There, she announced her intentions of getting married. Taylor was very much against the idea of marrying someone she had only known for five weeks, but the surprises didn't end there. Her sister's fiancé was none other than the love of her life, Raf.