Film Review: 'Me Before You'

Firstly, I apologise once again for my 2 month blogging break. This was partly due to exams/moving back home from uni/getting back into work routine etc., partly because my tablet was out of action for a while (thankfully has now been replaced with a lovely new one, hurrah for warranties!) and partly because for a while now I've not been satisfied with my blog name, and wanted a chance to rebrand and re-inspire myself (see yesterday's post, 'A Lick of Paint...')

While in the middle of exams, I did watch a fair few films on Netflix, but didn't review them. However, nearly a fortnight ago I finally got to go the cinema for the first time in ages with one of my gorgeous friends and we saw this film, highly anticipated by me since I read it earlier this year (Check out my review here)

I had been trying to make arrangements to see this since it's release, but unfortunately plans fell through until one Wednesday afternoon.

It is very difficult for films to live up to books. There are, in my opinion, a few reason for this, but 2 key ones:

1) They have to miss out lots of things for the screenplay

Despite the chunky size of the book, very little was missed out from the original tale in the film version. This was possibly because author JoJo Moyes also wrote the screenplay.

2) The actors' portrayals of the characters are either unrealistic or just very different from how you imagined them

An all-star cast headed by Emilia Clarke as Lou and Sam Claflin as Will, along with some familiar faces I hadn't expected such as Matthew Lewis (Neville Longbottom in Harry Potter), Jenna Louise Coleman (Clara in Doctor Who) and Brendan Coyle (Mr. Bates in Downton Abbey), honestly couldn't have been more perfect in their roles. Possibly Lewis, in the role of Lou's boyfriend Patrick, was a little different than I pictured, but overall everyone was pretty perfect AND down to earth.

I think the beginning of films often come across as pretty staged, well for me they do. I suppose it's because you're brain needs time to accept the actors as the characters and the story as true. As soon as I relax and settle into a film suddenly it can draw me in.

One thing I must note is the absolutely beautiful soundtrack of this film. Many of the songs were well known but the versions and combination played an absolutely crucial role in swaying the viewers emotions. I don't make a habit of listening to film music on its own but that is one soundtrack I must revisit.

Talking of emotion, this film is a definite tear jerker. I don't tend to cry at films, and in this case I even knew what was coming, how the storyline would unfold. However, even I was welling up, more so than I have for any film in a while, including TFIOS. I wasn't full on balling, but this film did an excellent job at achieving what I reckon was it's goal, making you think. Making you appreciate your life and everyone and everything in it.

Overall, I would thoroughly recommend, I honestly can't wait to get the DVD!

A Lick of Paint ...

... and a whole new name!

As some of you may have noticed, my blog has had something of a rebrand! The design is not totally set in stone, I like it for now but there is definitely room for further personalisation. However, I didn't want my blog out of action for much longer, and my main focus was my new blog name!

I never knew how tough picking a blog name would be! I have been running my blog for two and a half years now and at the time I used a quote I loved. But I've wanted to change it for ages because, let's be real, it was far too long for a blog name.

Last night I finally decided it was time to act on my intentions, so I sat, in a flurry of late night motivation, for ages with a notebook and tried loads of different word combinations. But I kept drawing blanks- everything I liked the sound of was either already the name of a blog, or kind of cheesy! Eventually, I stripped back all the fluffy adjectives and tried to think of what my blog is, what my aim is.

Picking a name and branding your blog is especially difficult without a theme, and although there are some patterns to my blog (positivity posts, book ad film reviews etc.) I am not ready to limit myself to one theme. Many of my friends with blogs have just used their name, but to be honest I don't think may name is catchy enough for that!

When people come across my blog what I want is for them to see an 'aspiring writer', but not think of that term, because I strongly believe that all those who write are writers. I want to stay true to the type of blog I began with when it was headed with my Ernest Hemingway quote, a place where I publish (mostly!) uncorrected thoughts and opinions, an informal practice space for my personal writing.

And so, welcome to 'Draft One', a starting point, a beginning, a journey. One student informally logging life.