Peppa Pig's 'My First Album' Review feat. Tamsyn Chandler

Will Peppa Pig's debut deliver some bangers?

Peppa Pig is the latest pop princess to hit the music scene, with her debut album My First Album hitting streaming services earlier today. In order to unpack the artistry within, I've teamed up with the incredible Tamsyn Chandler. Be sure to load the album and listen along with us as we dissect it track by track before offering our final thoughts.

'Booksmart' Film Review | "Straight As, Zero Fs"

The film for a generation.

I haven't written for this blog in months on account of exam season, so I'm feeling a little rusty. I felt compelled to log back in today, though, because I think Olivia Wilde's theatrical debut Booksmart may be the most relevant and masterful coming-of-age film released in the last few years. The film is rightfully set to attain the acclaim and respect afforded to the thematically similar Lady Bird (which hit screens in 2017 and nabbed 5 Oscar nominations the next year). Unfortunately, Booksmart is receiving neither as much attention as Lady Bird nor as many box office dollars, so I feel it my duty to insist that everyone reading this review go and support this phenomenal indie film. 

'Tucked' Film Review | BFI Flare Festival 2019

This drag race is a marathon, not a sprint.

Tucked, along with the queens in which it presents, exists as an anomaly in the wider drag landscape. Drag recently hit the mainstream thanks to the popularity of RuPaul's Drag Race, but that show prioritizes a very specific type of drag. Because of this, 'drag' as pop culture seemingly focuses on uplifting skinny, white performers while disregarding their equally talented counterparts. It's about time, then, that both old and black queens got the chance to step into the spotlight; Tucked offers this opportunity to both.

'Vita & Virginia' Film Review | BFI Flare Film Festival 2019

Literature, Letters and Lesbians

Back in 2014 (when I originally started JG Review) I would sneakily upload blog posts in the back row of my GCSE computer lessons and hope to one day cover Film as a member of the press. While I haven't (yet) figured out a way to get paid for that, I have managed to get into film festival coverage which is, honestly, still shocking to me. Before I begin my review of Vita & Virginia, then, I want to quickly thank anyone who has ever visited and read something on this blog - your clicks and support have literally opened doors that were too heavy for me to push on my own. To any of my regular readers and supporters: because of you I'm currently covering my second Film Festival, and not for a student paper or magazine but for this blog - thank you! 

You can expect an imminent wave of reviews and features covering films highlighted in this year's BFI Flare Film Festival, an event aimed at uplifting and showcasing the latest LGBTQ+ cinema. I'm hoping to be able to exclusively interview some directors who have brought their films to the festival, but it's about time I spoke about the first I got to see here...

London Film Festival 2018: 'The Favourite' Film Review

This review contains mild spoilers for the first act of 'The Favourite'.

The Favourite (based on Ophelia Feild's novel of the same name) relishes in the royal rumour surrounding England's Queen Anne. The last reigning Stuart monarch allegedly engaged in a scandalous affair with two fellow ladies in her court - a lesbian love affair that isn't widely spoken about in educational establishments.

Yorgos Lanthimos, a director known for his quirky comedies, found himself inspired by this premise and has delivered a wickedly funny film that, annoyingly, left me a bit lost. Here, Emma Stone (Abigail) and Rachel Weisz (Sarah, Abigail's cousin) portray the aristocrats vying for Queen Anne's affection (Olivia Coleman). 

Marvel's Avengers S.T.A.T.I.O.N. Arrives in London - My Thoughts!

An incredible new experience is arriving in London this year...

The ultimate Marvel Cinematic Universe exhibition is arriving at London's ExCel Centre on November 30th, perfect for any Avengers fanboy or fangirl. Attending the S.T.A.T.I.O.N (standing for Science Training and Tactical Intelligence Operative Network) allows participants to "step inside their favourite films and become part of the MCU"!

London Film Festival 2018: 'Sorry To Bother You' Film Review

The more you watch, the weirder it gets.

Boots Riley's Sorry to Bother You has been hailed by critics and audiences as "Get Out on acid", but I think that description dilutes the brave and insanely creative storytelling on display here. Sure, there are a few sequences that seem similar to 2017's race-thriller, but for the most part Sorry To Bother You tackles completely different aspects of one large topic.

This film is deeply surrealist. This surrealism is first introduced in the form of fun, creative visual flairs but Sorry To Bother You gets more and more insane in a progression that escalates right up until the final scene. While the comparison, then, to Get Out seems slightly patronizing, the "on acid" part was pretty on the money.

London Film Festival 2018: 'Beautiful Boy' Film Review

I've just come out of the London Film Festival press screening for Beautiful Boy, so my thoughts here are pretty fresh and raw. 

Beautiful Boy isn't a perfect film but my God is it a powerful one. This is the story of real-life journalist David Sheff's (Steve Carrell) love for his son Nic (Timothée Chalamet), who finds himself grappling with an addiction to crystal methamphetamine. The film is based on Sheff's book of the same name as well as Nic Sheff's book Tweak. 

Chalamet, despite being more of a supporting actor to Carell, delivers the film's best performance - a performance that varies greatly from his characterisation of Elio in last year's Call Me By Your Name, affirming his vast and exciting range as an actor. While it's definitely early days, I would be shocked if he doesn't receive yet another Academy Award nomination, and I think he'd have a pretty good shot at winning, too. 

London Film Festival 2018: 'Widows' Film Review

A masterpiece.

Attending the 2018 London Film Festival as a member of the press comes with its perks. We get to go to screenings in cinemas that have uber-comfy chairs, we get a cool, self-validating press lanyard, we might even get a free novel on our way into the movie theatre. That was the case for Widows, anyway, a film based on a 1980's BBC series which was itself based on a novel by Lynda La Plante - a book that now happily rests in my backpack, thanks 20th Century Fox!

'A Star Is Born' Film Review

On the edge of glory...

Bradley Cooper's remake of A Star is Born marks the fourth time Judy Garland's original got an overhaul. This isn't just a re-cast, though, because this version of the film offers commentary on the symbol of the contemporary pop star in a way that not only feels relevant to a modern audience but necessary. Musicians so often seem to sell out to reach the big time, but as Cooper's Jackson Maine states repeatedly in the film (and as I'm about to horribly misquote): when you get given a voice you have to speak with your soul. You have to speak with your soul because, if you don't, no one will listen.

London Film Festival 2018: 'The Guilty' Film Review

My second London Film Festival screening was pretty fantastic...

The Guilty is an elegant, beautiful and gripping crime thriller. From the moment the film begins you're drawn into the plot like water down a plughole - there's an inescapable magnetic force at play which is only exaggerated by the story's single location. Don't let this put you off though; in well crafted films like this it's what you can't see that frightens you most. Also like that water down a plughole you'll feel unstable and disorientated by the time the film ends, a bewilderment not only created through Jakob Cedergren's nuanced lead performance but by the script's audacity to relentlessly surprise.

London Film Festival 2018: 'Assassination Nation' Film Review

Data Whining...

Assassination Nation is a distinctly confusing film. It's both relevant and unnecessary. It's enjoyable and yet disgustingly uncomfortable to watch. It's progressive and yet it rests on such obviously outdated tropes. Simply put, I think it's not as clever of a film as it makes out to be

Disney vs Netflix | Everything You Need To Know About Disney's Upcoming Streaming Service

 Walt Disney's CEO Bob Iger is squaring up to Netflix...

You've probably noticed that the way we consume content is changing pretty quickly.

20 years ago, Blockbuster provided a new, efficient film distribution service in the form of VHS rentals and it was this chain of stores that saw in the age of the DVD. The high definition Blu-Ray has since usurped the now out-dated disc and - mostly thanks to Netflix - things have started to go digital. Less and less people are watching TV channels, subscribing to cable TV and visiting the cinema; at the same time, YouTube and streaming services are creating a direct-to-the-consumer distribution model that seems to mark the final evolution from ape (VHS) to homo sapien (streaming). 

What I Saw @ The Edinburgh Fringe Festival 2018 | Recommendations and Reviews

A round-up of the best (and least-best) shows I got the chance to see at the 2018 Edinburgh Fringe Festival...

Hey guys, I got the oppurtunity to travel to the famous Edinburgh Fringe Festival this year and it was amazing. Let's talk about what I saw there.

10 of my Favourite Films | The Trysting Trees Tag

Ok, it's not actually 'called' that, but just run with it.

I was tagged by my friend Ellie on Facebook to take part in a little viral tag where you list your 10 favourite films during 10 consecutive days. Although I should technically be sharing this list on my timeline I decided that, amidst my barrage of Beyonce videos and political rants, I would just post them all on here - the site I created solely to talk about movies. 

The Best LGBTQ Films To Watch During Pride Season | Great Queer Cinema

Visual Albums, Rom-Coms and Indies, Oh My!

Ok, so London Pride is about to take over the UK's capital and June (the International Pride Month) has just come to an end. It's probably the best time of the year to support queer cinema and watch a new LGBTQ movie, so allow me to take you through some of the best including ones you definitely haven't seen.

'Wonder Woman 1984' to Tackle The Gay Rights Movement and AIDS Crisis | Wonder Woman 2 Update

Steve Trevor is also set to return, giving something for Gal to Pine over...

According to recent rumours (that have now been backed up by on-set photos), Wonder Woman 2 - or Wonder Woman 1984 as it was officially announced to be called last week - is set to tackle the AIDS Crisis and Gay Rights Movement for the first time in a Hollywood blockbuster. This seems to be a bold move in the progression of LGBTQ representation within Hollywood and it feels fitting for a character like Wonder Woman to lead the charge considering her place as a feminist and queer icon.

2002's 'Scooby-Doo' Was Originally an R-Rated, Drug-Riddled, Queer-Inclusive Rom-Com

Note: this article was written before James Gunn's offensive tweets resurfaced in 2018.

It's come to my attention that the live-action Scooby-Doo movies were originally intended to be far more salacious than than the cult-classic, family films which litter DVD shelves today. Really, it shouldn't be a surprise that the productions were initially aimed at an older audience when you realise that both Scooby-Doo 1 and 2 were written by James Gunn - the writer/producer/director behind Marvel's Guardians of the Galaxy franchise. The Marvel series made waves for its shockingly adult humour when it began in 2014 - one line delivered by Chris Pratt about black-lights and Jackson Pollock paintings, for example, ruffled the feathers of many a conservative parent.

The Importance of Male Sensitivity in 'Avengers: Infinity War'

This post contains major spoilers for Avengers: Infinity War.

Last night I gave in and re-watched Avengers: Infinity War. In the few days the film has been out it has garnered over half a billion dollars and secured the biggest world-wide opening weekend of all time. During my second viewing, though, I noticed something that I didn’t the first time round: the huge amount of male sensitivity featured within the movie.

"Avengers: Infinity War" Ending and End Credits Scene Explained | Spoiler Alert

"There's no one in the car..."

I'm not gonna keep saying this. Spoilers ahead. Major spoilers. The most spoilers. Spoiler Alert. Huge spoilers ahead. 

I just wanna quickly say that so much of Infinity War's magic comes from it's spoilers. It's shocks and awe-inspiring moments are a result of 18 films worth of build up. People have literally grown up with these characters, myself included, but not everyone has the time or money to buy a ticket to see it opening weekend. Don't be selfish, don't spoil this film for others. In the words of the Russo Brothers (who directed this very movie), 'Thanos Demands Your Silence'.

Cool, ready? 

Let's go.