August 2022 - Film and TV

August is done and the end of summer is near! I feel like once labour day goes by my brain starts going into fall mode. This past week the weather has started to cool down....well... mostly in the lower 20s, so not exactly cold. But we did have two mornings were we woke up to 12 degrees so its a bit chilly for August. Anyway this post isn't about the weather !  Its about the movies and TV shows I've watched this month ! I've been super busy trying to fit in as many activities at the end of summer that I haven't had much time to watch movies. You will see the difference in the amount of movies I watch once the cold weather starts. But for now this is the August round up! 

AN AMERICAN IN PARIS (1951) 

8/10. Another technicolour musical! This one is An American In Paris starting Gene Kelly and Leslie Caron. and I'm about to admit something.... The only movie I've seen starring Gene Kelly is Singing in the Rain. Which happens to be one of my Favourite Movies!  Not sure why I've never seen his other movies but TCM was having a Gene Kelly special and I happened to catch this one!  I thought it was amazing! 

And even tho Gene Kelly is the start of the picture I think Leslie Caron stole the show! It's hard to believe this was her first film! She was a ballet dancer and was discovered by Gene Kelly and his wife. She was perfect for this role!  She has a very sweet on screen presence and I love the way she speaks. She is also an incredible dancer! You see her showcasing her dancing skills in a brightly coloured montage (see photo above) which if you are on the vintage side of social media you've seen this dance number before. And there is also a 15-17 min ballet dance sequence at the end of the film that I found breathtaking. My favourite part of the dance sequence was the bit at the flower market (see below) 

I don't know how much time and money was spent on sets and costumes alone! everything was done to perfection! I gave the movie an 8/10 because I felt the ending was a bit rushed (story wise) it didn't really explain much and there were some loose ends. But it was entertaining and worth watching! I think I'm going to check out some other Gene Kelly Movies. (Although I might be biased in my love for Fred Astaire Movies)

GREASE (1978) 

100000/10! MY FAVOURITE MOVIE. If you haven't seen Grease please get out from under that rock you've been living under. We've all seen Grease and we all love it. I think it's also the reason why I started getting interested in vintage clothing. I actually have an almost exact replica of the dress sandy wears on their diner date (See above) its a true 1950s vintage dress and it looks almost the exact same (even down to the tiny polka dots). This is also my moms favourite movie so I watched it A LOT when I was little. I had to see it once I heard the news about Olivia Newton John... it was heartbreaking to hear about her passing. 

They actually played it at my local Drive in Theatre so I HAD to go see it. I love going to the drive in and this was the perfect movie to see ! I love all of the songs but I think my favourite one is summer lovin.  I love boy/girl perspective duets, the contrast between the ultra feminine and ultra masculine is my favourite in any musical.

I don't think I have anything else to say about Grease other than its sheer perfection and everyone should watch it weekly!  This movie should be featured every month on my blog,  I watch it all the time but I try to feature other movies. This month I didn't watch much tv so I decided to include it. 

THE WEDDING NIGHT (1935) 

6/10. I had high hopes for this movie. I've been wanting to explore more movies from the 1930s because I love the fashion. They are a bit harder to come by and they require a bit more digging to find and they aren't talked about much compared to other time periods (There are less of them).  I stumbled upon a DVD of the wedding night at a grocery store a few weeks ago (super random I know) But since I rarely see DVDs being sold these days (I usually get them at the thrift store) let alone from movies from the 30s I decided to give it a try! it was a dark rainy day so thought it would be the perfect backdrop to watch a movie. 

It wasn't as good as I thought it would be.... The ending was also really sad and totally unexpected given the tone of the rest of the film. It's also set in the countryside and I'm not much of a country girl lol so that made it a bit harder to relate to. I think the best part was Gary Cooper of course (He's so dreamy!) and Anna Sten's hair!  I'm tempted to cut mine short enough to style it like that.  I don't think I'll watch it again, it was a bit boring for me..  but I will look up for Gary Cooper movies to watch but I would sure love to watch more of him *wink*. I couldn't find a trailer but the whole movie is on youtube so I linked it above. 

And that pretty much wraps up the Films I watched this month. I'm sorry this post is so short, but like I said I haven't spent much time at home this month. I also didn't have any new TV shows to share. I'm still not done watching Mad Men, I feel like It's taken me over a  year to get through it. Once I finish it I'll do a review! The fall is coming up and that brings the cold weather and earlier sunsets so that means more time for Movies!  I also have my fingers crossed that the movie theatres will have new releases that aren't superhero movies. We are in desperate need of a good feminine movie.  Also I'm a bit torn on my September/October film review posts. September I wanted to focus on watching fall themed movies (Makes sense) and October I normally watch horror. Bit since I do these posts at the end of the month there is no point in sharing horror movies after halloween is over. So you might see an additional film/Tv review post early in October focusing on horror movies. ! Let me know your thoughts! 

JULY 2022 - Film and TV

Another month has gone by!  It's crazy that we are halfway through the summer! I had a bit more time this month to watch more movies and TV shows! Last month I only watched like 4 things haha if you didnt see last months post you can check it out here!  This months all of the movies and TV shows were new to me with the exception of one (Casablanca). 

A ROOM WITH A VIEW (1985)

9/10.  I have been meaning to watch this movie for ages and I finally got around to watching it! It is an academy award winner with a star studded cast including Helena Bonham Carter, Maggie Smith, Julian Sands and Daniel Day Lewis. It is based on the novel by the same name written by E.M Forster. The story takes place at the turn of the century (1907). It follows Lucy who meets George on a trip to Florence, where they share a brief romance.  Once she returns home she is engaged to another man named Cecil... that is until George appears again. 

One of the best things about this movie is the wardrobe !  it is SPECTACULAR, all the the clothes are historically accurate...a little too accurate If you told me these were real upper class people from 1907 I would believe you. The silhouettes were perfect. Both the men and women in this film had a beautiful wardrobes and it made me want to get some Edwardian dresses haha. I am in love with all of Lucys dresses (Duh) but I also love the light coloured suits the men wear, and I specifically liked that striped blazer Freddy (Lucys brother) wears. 

The cinematography is beautiful it's like watching a painting on film. The colour palette is rich but muted, very beautiful to look at. As for the the plot, the source material was written in 1908 so it's a bit more slow paced compared to current movies.  You also have to place yourself in the time period they are living in to understand how scandalous a kiss is. The movie is very romantic!  I find modern movies and plots tend to show too much when it comes to sex. When a kiss, hand touching, and longing stares can be just (if not more) romantic. Just my two cents. Overall I really enjoyed it and will probably watch it again! 

THE BOMBARDMENT (2021)

9/10. Also known as the shadow in my eye. This movie broke my heart and left me thinking about it for days. Even watching the trailer again to link it in this post made me sad.  Based on the true story of a school in Copenhagen that was mistakenly bombed by the British air force during WWII in 1945. I actually didn't know this story when I started the movie. 

The acting was amazing from the young cast, especially from Bertram Bisgaard who played Henry. The scene where he is at the doctor because he cant speak after seeing something traumatic nearly brought me to tears, it was heartbreaking, so incredibly well acted.  The kids bring so much innocence to the movie in contrast to the ongoing war around them. 

The movie was beautifully filmed but very haunting. There is a bit of a catholic plot in the film... which I go back on forth on if it was necessary. I don't mind the religious aspects in films, I just don't know how much it adds to the plot. Teresa was a bit unhinged... and I wanted to like the romantic plot in the movie but I don't think Teresa was in a good place to be involved in a relationship so it kinda ruined the romance for me. It was a bit more slow paced but I think it has to be for this subject matter. Overall it was a good movie and I recommend it if you are into these types of movies. 

CASABLANCA (1942)

9/10. I mean I feel like I don't even need to review this movie because it is one of the most popular films ever made.  I've seen it before but it was playing at the movie theater as part of the classic film series and I had to see it on the big screen! With stars like Humphrey Bogart and Ingrid Bergman you can't go wrong. 

A good example of a film noir with its dark shadows and moody lighting. Of course we all know the story, Rick owns a nightclub in Casablanca, everything is going well until an old flame appears (Lisa) with her husband. However her husband is being chased by the germans and Lisa knows Rick can help them leave the country.

Of course there is some beautiful fashion moments thanks to Ingrid Bergmans character, early 1940s structured shoulders and suits which isn't my taste but she wears it so well!  I love the white hat she wears (Photo above) its so beautiful and I hope to find something like it. I don't have much else to say about this film, its a classic and I'm sure most of you have seen it... if you haven't please come out from under that rock you've been living under and watch it lol. 

MIDNIGHT AT THE PERA PALACE (2022)

8/10. Ah ! This show is so underrated! Not sure if its popular in Turkey but I've never heard anyone talk about it here in Canada! I REALLY liked it!  I was a bit unsure when I first watched the trailer because it reminded me of a hallmark movie.... I decided to give it a try anyway and was pleasantly surprised! The show takes place at the Pera Palace, which is a real hotel in turkey where it is rumoured that Agatha Christie wrote Murder on the Orient Express. So of course you know the show has a mystery "whodunit" element to it!

The show starts out with Esra (A journalist) who goes to the Pera Palace to write and article. Due to a bad storm she is offered a room at the hotel to spend the night. By coincidence she ends up time travelling to 1919. The problem is that any little thing she does could interfere with the future... which of course ends up happening.  Luckily Ahmet  (hotel manager??)  notices and he travels back in time to bring Esra back. He realizes that she has altered the future and tried to helps her fix it. There is also a bit of a political conflict, one of them being that they have to prevent the assassination of Mustafa Kamal. 

Of course there is a love interest ;) Literally the best part!  and if the fact that they live in different time periods wasn't complicated enough... there is more to it!  But I wont spoil it!  I LOVED Halits character, His clothes are swoon worthy!  However I will admit that Esras clothes aren't the most historically accurate. The hair is also super out of place for the time period.... I could argue hat she's not actually from that time period so it makes sense, but the hairstyles on a lot of the other actresses are also not accurate (neither are the clothes) I tried to look past it but that was one of my biggest draw backs. As well as a small plot hole? But I cant really get into it without ruining the show (Sorry!)  If you've seen it DM me on instagram and we'll talk about it! I heard talk about a season 2 that is suppose to come out early 2023 and I hope its true! Season 1 is only 8 episodes so you should be able to get through it quite quickly... I think it took me 2 days to watch the whole thing. 

1922 (2017)

6.5/10.  Not sure how I haven't seen this movie before. I watched it on Netflix and it was so creepy... and also really sad. I think it's labeled as a horror? I would say it's more of a psychological drama. Based on the book by Stephen King  

The story is about a farmer who conspires to murder his wife for monetary gain, he also convinces his son to help him kill her. They soon become delusional and their actions start to eat away at them as the days pass. The story takes place in 1922 (duh)  and they completely nail the time period! The accents, clothes and set design. Every time they were inside the house I was looking around at the decor, I loved the wallpaper lol... ok I'm side tracking. 

While it was really well done I was hoping for a bit more horror in it, I think they could've pushed it a bit further!  But since it's a Stephen King novel it leans more on the psychological side, I was hoping for something a but closer to the shining in terms of horror. But It was a bit more slow paces with a lot of narration, so if you want something more fast paced you might not like this movie. For those reasons I gave it a 6.5.  I haven't read the book so I'm not sure how the ending compares but for a movie it ended  abruptly and I wish there was something more at the end.

GIRL IN THE PICTURE (2022)

10/10. This documentary was spectacular !  I logged on to Netflix and saw that it was recently added... I tried to look up reviews but I only saw two. turns out it had just come out that day!  After I finished watching it I recommended it to friends and posted about it on my instagram story and I had so many messages from people saying they really liked it. It's a tragic and heartbreaking story but its so well put together. Highly recommend it if you are into true crime documentaries. 

The documentary starts off with a woman being found on the side of the road. She was rushed to a Hospital and  Her husband eventually shows up. It turns out that she was a stripper, unfortunately she quickly dies in the hospital.  When she girls she worked with tried to get in touch with her family they realize she's not who she says she is. The police is notified and after a bit of digging they lay out the nightmare this girl has lived through. 

It's really had to review the documentary due to the sensitive subject matter and I also don't want to spoil it for those of you who haven't seen it. But I highly recommend it if you are into these types of documentaries. They do an amazing job at jumping back and forth the timeline without making it confusing. There are also tons of videos with photos and testimonies from people that knew her. 

June 2022: Film and TV

ELVIS (2022)

8/10. Starting this months Film and TV post with the much anticipated new Elvis movie!  I went to see it on opening night, the first showing!  I've been looking forward to this movie since the trailer came out! I love Elvis, his music, his movies... I mean he's iconic for a reason! My mom is also a big fan and grew up watching his movies so we were really excited to see it. 

Right off the bat I just want to say that Austin Butler did an AMAZING job!  He better win an Oscar for his performance. The voice, the mannerism, he even got Elvis's general bigger-than-life presence, he NAILED it, it was spot on!  I remember being obsessed with Austin Butler when he was in The Carrie Diaries, I thought he was so cute lol. But OMG seeing him as Elvis! *swoon*. You know all of those photos of girls screaming and fainting at Elvis concerts, and we all make fun of them because it's so dramatic? I UNDERSTAND NOW.  Truthfully he was the best part of the movie and thats why I gave it a 8/10... if it wasn't for him my rating would be much lower... let me explain. 

I might be alone on this but the movie itself was underwhelming. I know it got rave reviews at the Cannes Film Festival, and I want to believe it was because of Austins performance. It's a Baz Luhrmann movie so I was hoping for more The Great Gatsby but it was more Romeo and Juliet. It's a very distinct style and I don't think it's for everyone. I don't think there was much of a story? at least it didn't feel like there was? For the first 30 minutes of the movie I thought I was watching a trailer, it was like a long montage. Very fast paced and not many interactions between characters. It was like being on a rollercoaster the entire time. 

I also really didn't like Tom Hanks performance. Thats why I didn't include photos of him in my review even tho he's a main character (Thats how much I didn't like it lol) Tom Hanks is an amazing actor so I'm sure it was the direction he was given but it honestly felt like a joke. I couldn't take it seriously and all I could see was Tom Hanks in a costume. He annoyed me the entire movie and I wish that character would be written out and we focused more on Elvis. I know that doesn't make much sense because the whole movie revolves around him. The movie focuses on Elvis's relationship with his manager Colonel Tom Parker. But I thought it would be more of a biopic of Elvis. It just wasn't what I expected, the movie is not told from Elvis's perspective its from his managers.  I don't want to give any spoilers so thats all I'll say about it. I do think its worth watching for Austin Butlers performance alone, I'm still in awe at how perfectly he played Elvis. 

CRUEL INTENTIONS (1999)

10/10. Ah a 90s classic! I have a handful of movies that I like from the 90s and this happens to be one of them! I mean its Reese Witherspoon and Ryan Phillipe ! 6 months after the movie premiered they were married! and of course it also stars the ICONIC Sarah Michelle Geller. You might recognize Sarah Michelle Geller and Ryan Phillipe from I know what you did last summer (1997), Another one of my favourite 90s movies... but I'll save that for another day.  

The movie depicts two step siblings, Katherine and Sebastian.  They make a bet to see if Sebastian can "deflower" the new principals daughter before school starts. A girl who happens to write an article for a magazine talking about virginity and saving herself for marriage. Katherine also takes a girls named Cecile "under her wing" essentially using her as a toy for her entertainment. Cecile is played by Selma Blair, who would later star in  Legally Blonde with Reese Witherspoon! 

The movie takes place on The Upper East Side... and if you haven't noticed, the parallels are pretty similar to Gossip Girl. Not sure if it was actually used as source material for the books/show but if you are a fan of Gossip Girl you'll love this!  It's filled with amazing preppy 90s fashion, manipulation, seduction and twisted relationships. I love this movie and watched it a lot growing up, the characters are so interesting and I love the chemistry between Reese Witherspoon and Ryan Phillipe.... although It's probably an awkward movie for their kids to watch. 

THE GAY DIVORCEE (1934) 

8/10 I think this is the only new movie I watched this month (Except Elvis) and I really enjoyed it!  I watched it while sipping a big cup of coffee.  Staring Fred Astaire (Who you all know I love!) and Ginger Rogers! Two big names from the golden age of Hollywood. 

It was exactly what you would expect from a musical of the 1930s... pure elegance!  It tells the story of a woman wanting to getting a divorce from her husband, but the only way to do that is for her to have an affair. So with the help of her lawyer she cooks up a plan to fake an affair. It was tremendous fun! I highly recommend it to anyone interested in musicals or movies from this time period. 

Of course there was magnificent fashion, Ginger Rogers could wear a plastic bag and look fantastic but there were a lot of beautiful outfits in this movie, I feel so inspired to find some 1930s pieces! 

I even got inspiration from The dancers in the musical numbers! especially this one with the bathing suits!  However I think my favourite scene in the whole movie is when Ginger Rogers has her dress stuck in the suitcase. it was perfect! 

And as a side note- I am OBSESSED with these ballerina finger puppets!! The legs are your fingers! if anyone knows where I can find one let me know!  I'm so obsessed I'm tempted to make one myself! 

KEEP SWEET PRAY AND OBEY (2022)

7/10.  This is a new Netflix Documentary focusing on the FLDS and Warren Jeffs.  I think we are all fascinated by cults. How can someone fall into a cult? or worse... not realize they are in one? Some people could argue that all religions are cults, they are just more accepted in society and its less controlled so you are free to be a part of it or not (Not saying I agree or disagree). However in the case of the FLDS it does stem from religion but its a much more controlled. It's a smaller group of people all living in one general area, you can't come and go as you please. The members can't have opinions on the teachings, they just follow what the "prophet" says, no questions asked.  

In the documentary they talked about the previous "prophet" Rulon Jeffs, and how things changed for the FLDS once he passed away and his son Warren Jeffs took power. The FLDS always believed in Polygamy, The more wives a man has the higher up he is in society and the closer he is to God. (Wild I know... ). *TRIGGER WARNING* But things took a turn for the worst when Warren Jeffs became the new prophet. underaged girls started being married off to the men in the community which sparked questions of trafficking and abuse. It's crazy to see that communities like this still exist which such backwards beliefs.  And it's sad to see all of these women having no value in their community other than for sex.... and as a  ticket for the men to go heaven. It's even worse to see these woman putting their own daughters in the same situations. If you re interested in these types of topics I highly recommend it! it was really interesting and its really short, only 3 episodes!  

And that pretty much wraps this months Film and TV round up! There is a little bit of something for everyone lol my interest in what I watched this month was all over the place. I didn't watch many new movies the past two months because I've slowly been watching Mad Men. I've tried to watch it 4 times and its taking me a while to get through it. I'll do a review with all of my thoughts once I finish it! If you have any Movie recommendations let me know!