What happens when zombies invade the old English countryside and bring on the apocalypse? There's a whole lot of murder, mayhem and proper manners. I love Pride and Prejudice from Jane Austen. I've watched the movie and I've enjoyed reading the book - it's a classic that must be read. But mix in a horde of zombies and you've got yourself a campy horror-comedy. The movie I will be reviewing today is the zombie flick: Pride & Prejudice & Zombies.
The Plot: The zombie apocalypse has ravaged England and left the country in a state of panic. After the virus has been contained, life in the quaint countryside has returned to normal, but families have adapted their way of life to the everyday survival and training against the zombie horde. The Bennetts are one such family, who work to raise their five eligible daughters, including Elizabeth Bennett (Lily James), to find suitable husbands and combat the zombie threat.
The Results: 3.5/5!
Pride & Prejudice & Zombies is exactly what you would expect from a zombie flick. It's campy, it's cheeky and it doesn't take itself too seriously. The movie is adapted from the book of the same name, which is a parody of the Jane Austen novel. The cast does a great job of portraying the characters and integrating their personalities into the campy parody, particularly Lily James who shines in the lead role and Matt Smith as the bumbling Mr. Collins. Their fight scenes are few and far between but when they do occur, it is a highlight and they're greatly choreographed. On the negative side, the film doesn't really offer anything new and the special effects can come across as lazy or a bit cheesy. Like, for instance, the zombie heads exploding every time they get shot! If you're a fan of the original book or quite enjoy a zombie flick, this movie might be up your alley.
Not all film sequels are successful. Sometimes the long wait and anticipation for a follow-up to the original hit can overshadow any opinion of the sequel. Simply living up to the glory of the first film is too much for any potential next edition to craft their own place in the franchise. Many films (and especially TV shows in their second seasons) have suffered from this fatal flaw. The movie I will be reviewing today is the modelesque comedy flick: Zoolander 2.
The Plot: Attractive pop stars from around the world are being murdered and leaving a selfie behind of mimicking the signature look of iconic former male supermodel, Derek Zoolander (Ben Stiller). When Zoolander and his friend, Hansel (Owen Wilson), come out of retirement, they join Interpol's investigation to find the cause of the murders.
The Results: 1/5!
Zoolander 2 suffers from the sequel curse. The jokes aren't as funny, the film is filled with an overabundance of cameos, and it rests a little too much on reusing jokes from the original hit that made THAT film so special. As a fan of the original movie, I had high hopes that Zoolander 2 would share the same charm but still offer something new. However, as strange as it may sound, the movie didn't feel realistic anymore - almost as if it was a parody of what a Zoolander sequel could be. The first, while a campy over-exaggeration of the fashion world, still had a sense of reality too it that could be believable; in comparison, Zoolander 2 was just too much flash that didn't offer much of anything.
Most romantic-comedies usually follow the same formula:
1. Girl meets boy
2. Girl dates boy
3. Girl and boy hit a dramatic point
4. Girl and boy break-up
5. Boy makes a spectacular gesture for the pair to get back together
It's a sweet and touching moment that warms the heart. But what about the other side of the story? The good moments when we're just single and the only person we can rely on is ourselves? You don't see that too often in a rom-com; romance and love is the winning trend than a single love life. The latest movie I watched in theatres (just in time for Valentine's Day) focuses more on the latter than the tried and true former style. This movie review is for the cheeky and hilarious: How To Be Single.
The Premise: Alice (Dakota Johnson) is a recently graduated woman in her twenties who decides to take a break from her long-term boyfriend to experience the single life in New York. When things don't go as planned, Alice, along with her new wild friend Robin (Rebel Wilson), head out into the big city for nights of wild fun and personal growth.
The Results: 3.5/5!
How To Be Single is a fun and cheeky comedy that turns the single culture on its nose. The film isn't just about cheap laughs and disgusting moments to illicit comedy, there are some thought-provoking monologues about single life and about growing as a person because of it. If there was a film that reminded me of the comedy, Pitch Perfect would be the one. The one-liners are quick but effective, and the dialogue feels natural. The movie can come across as wordy at times and a little unbelievable about being 20-something single in a city (I mean...those New York apartments?! Come on!). Overall, if you need a good laugh and a little confidence booster about being single, this is for you.
Who else is surprised I watched ANOTHER SUPERHERO MOVIE? (Anyone?!) This is a film I've been eagerly waiting to see for a while. It might be due to the star cast, the humour or the fact this character was previously portrayed before to less than stellar results. Either way, this was a must for my friends and I. The movie I will be reviewing today is the less than serious (and proud of it!) superhero flick: Deadpool.
The Plot: Wade (Ryan Reynolds), a no nonsense gun for hire, is transformed into the crime-fighting mercenary Deadpool by a mysterious organization. After escaping the facility and years of tortured, Deadpool goes on a mission to hunt down everyone who might've been the cause for his pain and transformation.
The Results: 5/5!
To sum up everything: I loved Deadpool. It was fun, witty, cheeky, and completely self-aware about how ridiculous the movie is. It pokes fun at itself as well as the audience who is watching it. The fight scenes are excellently choreographed, the dialogue isn't too self-serving and the characters feel like real (and despicable) people. Ryan Reynolds works as the titular role and it's a great move that he returned to done the suit again after the terrible version used in the Wolverine movie. Deadpool is Ryan Reynolds and vice versa - they're a perfect mix and that's one of the reasons Deadpool the movie works as a whole. If you like superhero action movies or simply a funny popcorn movie to watch right now in theatres, Deadpool is the one you should see. I already can't wait for the sequel; let's hope they don't mess with success by going too far off course.
I don't talk about music often on this blog, but when I do, I like to feature some songs that I'm loving in my playlist. Between Tuesday Tunes
and this yearly ongoing post, it's a quick series to get a taste of music. Basically a nice change to try something new between most of my geeky posts!
Similar to last year's post, I've kept track of my Top 25 favourite musicians and songs of the year - and ranked them accordingly. If you're unfamiliar with the series, I rank the top songs, artists and groups who made a big impact on my playlists for the current year. I've done this for the last five years: 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013 and 2014
Similar to last year's post, I've kept track of my Top 25 favourite musicians and songs of the year - and ranked them accordingly. If you're unfamiliar with the series, I rank the top songs, artists and groups who made a big impact on my playlists for the current year. I've done this for the last five years: 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013 and 2014
Note: Songs from past lists won't be included in this edition. If certain artists are featured in the same
song, I may only reference the song once. Also, this is my personal
list, you may disagree with your own choices.
Let's start with the 25th spot...
25. Britney Spears
Songs: Pretty Girls
LYR (Last Year's Ranking): NEW
24. Carly Rae Jepsen
Songs: Run Away With Me, I Really Like You
LYR: NEW
23. X Ambassadors
LYR: NEW
23. X Ambassadors
Songs: Renegades
LYR: NEW
22. Steve Aoki
LYR: NEW
22. Steve Aoki
Songs: Delirious
LYR: NEW
21. MO
LYR: NEW
21. MO
Songs: Say You'll Be There
LYR : NEW
20. Elle King
LYR : NEW
20. Elle King
Songs: Ex's & Oh's
LYR: NEW
19. HAIM
LYR: NEW
19. HAIM
Songs: Falling
LYR : NEW
18. ZEDD
LYR : NEW
18. ZEDD
Songs: I Want You To Know
LYR: NEW
17. Young Empires
LYR: NEW
17. Young Empires
Songs: The Gates
LYR: NEW
16. Janelle Monae
LYR: NEW
16. Janelle Monae
Songs: Yoga
LYR: NEW
15. Tove Lo
LYR: NEW
15. Tove Lo
Songs: Talking Body
LYR: #9
14. Chvrches
LYR: #9
14. Chvrches
Songs: Leave A Trace
LYR: NEW
13. Ariana Grande
LYR: NEW
13. Ariana Grande
Songs: One Last Time, Focus
LYR: #13
12. Major Lazer
LYR: #13
12. Major Lazer
Songs: Powerful, Lean On
LYR: NEW
11. Ryn Weaver
LYR: NEW
11. Ryn Weaver
Songs: The Fool, Promises, Sail On
LYR: NEW
LYR: NEW
Songs: Hotline Bling
LYR: NEW
It's hard not to like Drake. Growing up in Toronto, you can feel his influence everywhere - people either absolutely love him or they're over him. Also, I grew up watching Degrassi! Beyond one or two of his earlier songs, this year may have been the one where I listed to his track on repeat. I blame most of my friends for pulling me into the Drake train for 2015.
Songs: Activate Me, Bleeding Love
LYR: NEW
Who is ASTR? Exactly. I had never heard of the pop group before until a fateful (alright, it's not that dramatic) night at the Mod Club. They were the first opening act for Ryn Weaver and I caught half of their performance since I arrived late. I love pop music. I love dance music. And their blend of both genres together instantly became a hit for me. I've listened to some of their tracks on repeat ever since then.
8. Taylor Swift
8. Taylor Swift
Songs: Bad Blood, Wildest Dreams
LYR: #1
LYR: #1
The year of Swiftie continues for me. I was pulled back in by the release of "Bad Blood" and it kept going with a few other tracks. Unfortunately, she did fall down the list a few spots this year; partly due to the lack of releases. However, I expect her to stand her down in next year's ranking.
7. The Weeknd
Songs: Can't Feel My Face, The Hills, Earned It
LYR: NEW
Songs: Can't Feel My Face, The Hills, Earned It
LYR: NEW
Similar to Drake's placement on this list, The Weeknd's influence in my beloved city has made me a fan. The first time I was introduced to him was when he sang with Ariana Grande in one of her tracks and since then, the name constantly keeps coming up when reading music features. His tracks are catchy, he's a great singer and he's doing pretty well for himself. I'm excited to see what comes next from him.
Songs: Fools, Talk Me Down, Wild
LYR: #24
I still associate Troye Sivan with YouTube as compared to his music fame. But the difference is starting to disappear. During last year's list, I featured one of his songs that became a surprise hit with me. While scrolling through MUCH online, I saw that Troye had released several new tracks and a new album. He's a great singer and if you like soulful pop, I'd definitely recommend for you to check him out.
Songs: Hello
LYR: NEW
It's Adele! Is there any other reason why she shouldn't be in the Top 10? Her voice is incredible, her video is dramatic, and no one can really compare to the queen. She only had one major track come out in 2015 and that may explain why she's not higher on the list. If there is one song she needs to do for 2016, she NEEDS to do a cover of a Spice Girls song. Her ride-along video is still one of the best she did.
4. Selena Gomez
4. Selena Gomez
Songs: Same Old Love, Good For You
LYR: #16
LYR: #16
Selena Gomez is another artist who had a big year in 2015. Two of her tracks became mainstays for my music playlist - one because it was catchy and the other because I was going through a breakup. Trust me when I say this, "Same Old Love" helped a lot, as well as a few other songs featured in this year's list.
Songs: All Hands On Deck, Player
LYR: NEW
I can't stop listening to her songs. They're catchy! Similar to many other artists on this list, I wasn't too familiar with her work before hearing one of her tracks. Since then, I might have listed to "All Hands On Deck" multiple times and contemplating whether to check out her show when she visits Toronto on tour. I'm still on the fence, but I've been pleasantly surprised with what I've heard.
Songs: How Deep Is Your Love, Pray To God
LYR: NEW
Calvin Harris may not be the main vocals (or any vocals) on his tracks, but he is the featured artist and DJ who released the songs. His music is catchy and great to dance to, whether live or through playlist. The one time I did hear him perform was a few years ago in Las Vegas when he was the feature DJ at one of the late night clubs. He was incredible! A definite highlight of my first ever trip to Las Vegas and I couldn't believe he was spinning. His recent tracks from 2015 were equally as amazing. I can't wait to hear his next collaborations. Hopefully one with Taylor Swift?! (We all can dream!)
1. Ellie Goulding
1. Ellie Goulding
LYR: #2
She's back at the top for another year. I will admit that this year may have been the hardest to narrow down between the Top 10. There were many amazing artists who released tracks that I loved in 2015, but I had to go with Ellie Goulding yet again. Similar to Selena Gomez, her two songs helped me through two times - one of happiness and the other through sadness. With the release of her new album, I wouldn't be surprised if she makes another appearance on next year's list. Until then, she rules the top spot for 2015!
Which musicians were on your 2015 list? Share your thoughts in the comments below.
*Images provided by Entertainment Weekly, Billboard, Billboard, GQ, SXSW and Original Tune*