1917 (2019)

Whenever a new war film hits cinemas chances are it's World War II-related. And how to blame those filmmakers? I'm the first who finds it a very, if not the most fascinating one. Sam Mendes goes against the crowd with his latest film 1917, a World War I film that can be described with two words, masterful filmmaking.

Before I Go to Sleep (2014)

Since it's listed as a horror and it has a very interesting cast --Nicole Kidman, Colin Firth, and Mark Strong--, I picked Before I Go to Sleep as one of the movies to watch this October (I'm doing 31 days of horror).

The film follows Christine Lucas (Nicole Kidman), a forty-year-old housewife who wakes up every day with a stranger in her bed, her husband Ben (Colin Firth), who explains to her that she had a car accident ten years earlier which resulted in a brain damage that erases her memory when she goes to sleep. One day, when Ben leaves for work, she receives a phone call from Dr. Mike Nasch (Mark Strong), a neurologist who is apparently treating her, who reminds her to record her thoughts and daily progress on a camera and instructs her to not tell her husband. Soon, she starts discovering the truth.

Mamma Mia! (2008)

Though I haven't seen it in ages, Mamma Mia! is still my favourite musical. Maybe it's because it's the first adult film, and by adult I mean non-animated film, I saw on the big screen with my mother, or maybe because it actually is a pretty good film, but I love it. Since there's still plenty of time since the sequel hits theatres (September in my shitty country and yes, I'm going with my mom this time too) I rewatched this and I took advantage of it to review it. 

Sophie Sheridan (Amanda Seyfried), a 20-year-old who lives on a beautiful Greek island with her mother Donna (Meryl Streep) and is about to get married, has only one dream, that her father walks her down the aisle. The problem is that she has no idea who her father is. So when she finds her mother's old diary and learns her mother had three relationships before she was born, she invites the three men on the island, absolutely positive that she would recognize her father as soon as she sees it. Of course she doesn't, and things get way more complicated as Donna finds out the three men are on the island.

Bridget Jones's Diary (2001)

Genres

Comedy, Drama, Romance

Director

Sharon Maguire

Countries

UK, USA, France

Cast

Renée Zellweger, Colin Firth, Hugh Grant, Jim Broadbent, Gemma Jones, Celia Imrie, James Faulkner, Shirley Henderson, James Callis, Sally Phillips, Lisa Barbuscia, Donald Douglas, Charmian May, Paul Brooke, Embeth Davidtz, Patrick Barlow, Felicity Montagu, Neil Pearson, Dolly Wells

Storyline

32-year-old Bridget Jones (Renée Zellweger) is determined to improve herself while looking for the right man.

Opinion

I never cared for Bridget Jones's Diary but over the years I've heard a lot of good words about it and since recently I've been craving romantic films (don't even dare ask me why) I decided to spend a quiet evening, alone in my pyjamas, watching it. And I really enjoyed this corny but hilarious chick flick.

Don't expect anything new from this film because it tells a predictable story that has been done to death, it is incredibly clichéd and the twists, although there are a few, are just as corny as they can get, but frankly I didn't care because in spite of all those flaws the story was engaging and entertaining, and I found myself rooting for one of the guys.

However, what makes this film so different and quite charming is the main character, Bridget Jones. Her personality is simply spectacular. She is funny, clumsy, sincere, genuine, sweet and a total charmer. Plus Renée Zellweger gives such an amazing performance - you can see how much she committed to the role - it's impossible to dislike her. Also, Bridget is so normal it's easy to relate to her.

The guy characters are solid as well having, on the one hand, Daniel Cleaver, a handsome and charming womaniser, and on the other hand, Mark Darcy, an arrogant and rude man that will slowly win your heart and the credits go to Colin Firth for giving such a delightful performance.

Other than the character, arguably the best part of the film is the soundtrack. Although I've been given the impression not everybody shares my opinion, I loved each song and I think they really fit the film well.