Change Your Image
serenar27
Lists
An error has ocurred. Please try againReviews
Sitting in Bars with Cake (2023)
A Pleasant Surprise
When I decided to watch 'Sitting in Bars with Cake' over the weekend, I was not expecting it to turn out to be one of my favourite films of the year. I went into the film expecting a fluffy chick-flick, with no idea that I'd end up crying throughout its majority.
Adapted from a cookbook of the same name, 'Sitting in Bars with Cake' follows a pair of best friends who embark on a 'cakebarring' endeavour. Jane is a shy 20-something who enjoys baking cakes, and her best friend Corinne encourages her to take baked goods to bars in order to meet new people. Unfortunately, there is a setback to this venture when Jane gets diagnosed with a life-altering illness.
'Sitting in Bars with Cake' is a moving film about the importance of friendship. It touches on the power of food in bringing people together. The film is bound to resonate with anyone who enjoyed 'Me and Earl and the Dying Girl', 'The Fault in Our Stars', 'Julie & Julia', 'Waitress', 'Now Is Good' and 'Chocolat'.
A Good Person (2023)
Another stellar performance from Miss Flo
Florence Pugh is absolutely incredible in everything she's in, isn't she? Morgan Freeman is also a standout as Daniel, and Celeste O'Connor is clearly one to watch. A Good Person is a very heavy film, that takes audiences on an emotional rollercoaster as the protagonist tries to overcome her addiction, whilst befriending her ex's father and his granddaughter, who have their own troubles. It may be a relatively long film, that does feel like a Hallmark movie at times, but A Good Person is a powerful watch about grief, addiction, guilt and loneliness. Ignore the critics and give this film a chance.
Egghead & Twinkie (2023)
A standout for 2023
Egghead & Twinkie is what you'd get if you blend together Little Miss Sunshine, The Half of It and Japanese anime. While many of its tropes have been done countless times before, Egghead & Twinkie is a refreshing coming out film that crosses multiple genres: coming of age drama, comedy, and road trip. The lead characters are brilliant, and their friendship is one of the best parts of the film. Twinkie's journey - physically and metaphorically - is an absolute joy to watch, as are the flashback scenes and moments with Jess. While Egghead's confession that he has feelings for Twinkie, and her own coming out, could've ruined their relationship, it brings them even closer than ever.
Everything I Know About Love (2022)
Cross fingers for season 2
Despite not having read Dolly Alderton's memoir that the series is based on, I was drawn to Everything I Know About Love due to the fact that I enjoyed her novel Ghosts and I'll watch anything starring Bel Powley. The series centres on a group of women in her 20s who move to London after uni and are faced with finding their first jobs, as well as navigating friendships and relationships. Maggie is the "party girl" of the group, and prefers to go out clubbing and hook up with strangers, while her housemates focus more on their careers and finding serious partners. While Nell and Amara met Maggie at uni, Birdy has been Maggie's bestie for over a decade, and living in London proves to cause a real strain on their relationship. After Birdy enters her first relationship, Maggie feels that she's losing her best friend - and at the same time, Birdy thinks that Maggie is suffocating her and wants to try to be her own person.
Everything I Know About Love is a fun series and I loved the dynamics between the four girls, as well as the dance routines and the scenes centering on the younger versions of Maggie and Birdy. The soundtrack is brilliant too, featuring songs like Domino (Jessie J), Don't Stop Movin' (S Club 7), Lights On (Katy B and Ms Dynamite) and Gold Dust (DJ Fresh). As is the case for most current series, Everything I Know About Love felt rather short with only 7 episodes, and I was left wanting more. I hope it gets renewed for another season.
Marrowbone (2017)
Another stand-out performance from Anya Taylor-Joy
I was planning on watching a horror movie this evening, and after being torn between Byzanthium and The Secret of Marrowbone, I settled on the latter. I made the right decision. This film is categorised under the horror genre but it is more of a psychological thriller, and the 'scary' aspects are more to do with creeking floorboards, mild jump scares and haunting music. There are a few twists throughout the film, and one unexpected one towards the end: I feel that it made sense, but it wasn't really necessary, and I still would've enjoyed this film regardless. Anya Taylor-Joy is brilliant in The Secret of Marrowbone, as is George MacKay, who plays the lead. This film will appeal to people who prefer slow-burn series and films to full-blown horrors, like The Haunting of Bly Manor and The Blackcoat's Daughter.