My Letterboxd Four Favourites

Hello Readers,

I am sure many fellow film fanatics will be well aware of the platform Letterboxd but as a recent convert, I want to share what my four favourites are as users list in their profile.

I see many celebrities listing highbrow films by directors such as Fellini, Hitchcock and even more obscure but as someone who enjoys films more from the 21st century, my favourites are not as revered. I have no issues with people appreciating older cinema but even after studying film, I have never quite connected with the classics. I chose films that I would happily watch over and over without getting bored and ones with strong themes or just something that makes me laugh.

Here is a link to my Letterboxd profile if you would like to check out what I have been watching the past couple of months: https://letterboxd.com/robynhirstallen/

The Day After Tomorrow (2004)

Even before Letterboxd, this film has been in my top 3 since I saw it about 15 years ago. One of my favourite sub genres of films are natural disasters and this definitely fits into that category. While far-fetched and exaggerated, it does show the dangers of climate change and what may happen if we don’t take it seriously.

What I think draws me into films like this as well as films that are post-apocalyptic or alternate futures, is that the people left in the world have to work together to survive and you get to see humanity more united that it is or has been for a long time. It also creates a certain jeopardy that is not caused by one person or a group of people but rather by something that cannot be controlled and is unavoidable.

The Day After Tomorrow has three main plot lines: the first is about Sam and his friends who have flown to New York City for a debate competition. Jake Gyllenhaal (Sam) and Emmy Rossum (Laura) and Arjay Smith (Brian) star as the trio of high schoolers. After the floods, they are helped by another debater, J.D. (Austin Nichols) and shelter in the New York Public Library.

The second group are Sam’s father, Jack, played by Dennis Quaid along with his friends Jason and Frank. They were recently in Antarctica studying cold fronts and set off from Washington DC to rescue Sam and his friends while the weather turns into a new Ice Age.

The third group work in a laboratory in Scotland studying the weather and quickly come to realise that they aren’t going to be going anywhere any time soon. We get snippets from events around the world such as tornadoes in Los Angeles, snow in India, floods, hurricanes, tsunamis and many other unbelievable weather events.

While the visual effects may not be as impressive and what we are used to seeing 20 years later, I think that they do hold up and the scenes when the floods invade Manhattan are quite realistic. The director, Roland Emmerich is known for films of this genre and scale such as 2012 and Independence Day so I think he got the tone right by including round the world events but also focusing on the relationships between the main characters.

Sam only joined the debate team to impress his crush, Laura while Brian and Laura are very academic. When J.D. joins their group, there is a bit of friction as Laura takes a shine to him but when she gets sick, everyone puts her health first. Jack and his colleagues have been trying to prove that climate change is real and that another Ice Age could happen but unfortunately the government don’t listen to him. His wife is a healthcare professional and we see her looking after sick children and waiting with them to be evacuated from Washington DC to the Southern States.

Overall, the film has jeopardy, adventure, action and drama along with characters you can relate to. One of the most heartbreaking scenes is when everyone sheltering in the library leaves and then you see them frozen to death outside after a cold front swept through.

Available on Disney+

Mamma Mia! (2008)

A smash hit musical and the subsequent films revived the music of ABBA in recent years. Since their success at Eurovision in 1974, the band’s popularity dwindled after their break up but Catherine Johnson put them back on everyone’s playlists.

I am a big fan of musicals, especially musical films as when watching at the cinema or at home you can always hear every lyric and see every dance routine without someone trying to record it in front of you. Mamma Mia! is the first musical film I remember watching around age 10 and even though the themes and the story were more for adults, I enjoyed the music, comedy and dance routines.

This film has been a family favourite since that first watch and has always been there when you need cheering up or are simply in the mood for sun and singing. The A list cast certainly adds to the fun with Meryl Streep making a star turn as Donna Sheridan along with Julie Walters and Christine Baranski, the trio make excellent Dynamos with their differences bringing them together. The three male leads, all Donna’s past lovers, Colin Firth, Pierce Brosnan and Stellan Skarsgård bring the comedy and while there have been notes about their lack of singing ability, I think that all adds to the fun and lightheartedness of the film.

The main plot centres around Donna’s daughter Sophie, played by Amanda Seyfried wanting to invite her father to her wedding to fiance Sky (Dominic Cooper). She sends out invitations to her three suspects as discovered in her mother’s old diaries. When Donna finds the three having turned up at her hotel on a remote Greek island, she panics and hilarity ensues. It’s clear that Sam (Brosnan) was the true love of her life but circumstances kept him away.

In the original musical, Bill is Australian but he was changed to Swedish to honour the band ABBA and the actor playing him in the film. There were a few other changes with some songs being cut for time but with the same person writing the screenplay for the film, it was a faithful adaption.

My personal favourite songs are Dancing Queen where all the women of the town follow Donna and her sidekicks through the town in a big group number; Mamma Mia, Donna’s solo number and the grande finale Take a Chance on Me where Rosie (Walters) makes her play for Bill that ends in everyone dancing and water bursting through the floor tiles.

For me this film never gets old and is so joyful, I had to include it in my Four Favourites. It has always been hanging around my top 5 films and I included it in a post a while ago about my Desert Island Films. There was a sequel in 2018 which I enjoyed but nothing beats the first film.

If you enjoy musicals and/or the music of ABBA, you will definitely enjoy this film. I have introduced many people to it and no one has ever come away with negative thoughts even if they are not the biggest musical fan. There are elements to enjoy such as the comedy, the summer island paradise and heartwarming story.

Available on Amazon Prime

Little Miss Sunshine (2006)

This film has a lot of themes going on that would make it a great study in a film lecture or something similar and is quite dark but when I watched this for the first time at a similar age to Olive (Abigail Breslin), these were not the things that stayed with me. I wouldn’t say this film has made it to my top 5 until I joined Letterboxd but after a re-watch last year and truly appreciating the film with adult eyes, I couldn’t help but include it.

The film centres around the Hoover family and their various problems. Teenager Dwayne (Paul Dano) has committed to a vow of silence until he achieves his dream of becoming a fighter pilot. Olive’s father, Richard (Greg Kinnear) is trying to switch careers into becoming a life coach and influential speaker and is currently negotiating a contract to jump start his career. His father, Edwin (Alan Arkin) has a drug problem and has come to live with the family. He also starts coaching Olive in beauty pageanting after she entered and won a local contest.

A family road trip ensues for Olive to participate in the Little Miss Sunshine Pageant in Redondo Beach, California. The family go in their iconic yellow Volkswagen camper van that has many problems along the way. Also on the trip are Sheryl (Toni Collette) who is reluctant to let her daughter, Olive compete and Sheryl’s brother, Frank (Steve Carell) who is staying with the family after losing his professor position and attempting suicide due to a affair with a male student ending badly.

While many of the Hoover family’s problems seem quite dark, it is a light-hearted film with emotional moments. For example, the scene where they accidentally leave Olive at the gas station and the van cannot stop so she has to run alongside it and hop in is a memorable one.

The cast and the script really make this film into something outstanding and one that is talked about still almost 15 years later. The family deal with things together and even events or problems that could make them give up, help to bond them closer together.

The final scenes where Olive is performing in the pageant are very funny and the juxtaposition of all the other competitors being over-sexualised compared with the shock at Olive’s inappropriate dance shows how society picks and chooses what to be offended by.

It is hard to find another film that evokes that same emotions but one with more positive situations is The Way Way Back from 2013 which also stars Toni Collette and Steve Carell.

Overall I think this film is a light hearted drama with comedic moments featuring an elite cast and a great script. Would recommend to slightly older viewers to truly understand the themes.

Available on Disney+

This is Where I Leave You (2014)

Another comedy drama but this one has more laugh out loud moments. Another great cast with Jane Fonda as the matriarch of the Altman family. She brings her four grown up children back to their childhood home to sit shiva after their father’s death even though he was an atheist. Shiva is a Jewish tradition of a seven day mourning period where the first degree relatives welcome other mourners and share in their grief.

This situation forces the family back together each bringing their own problems. Our protagonist Judd (Jason Bateman) starts the film by finding his wife, Quinn (Abigail Spencer) in bed with her secret lover (Dax Shepard). He decides to divorce her but does not tell the family. Wendy (Tina Fey) has two young kids with her husband who is not very interested in being present with his family and finds any excuse to call work. She also experiences what could have been by reconnecting with Horry, a neighbour whom she dated in high school until he suffered a brain injury.

Paul (Corey Stoll) and his wife, Annie (Kathryn Hahn) are struggling to conceive and it is also revealed that Annie used to be Judd’s girlfriend when they were younger. Last is the baby of the family, Phillip (Adam Driver) who turns up to the house with his girlfriend who was his therapist and is quite a bit older than him.

Trapped together, the family start to unravel with many secrets coming forward. Judd finds out that his ex-wife Quinn is pregnant with no idea if he is the father. Annie tries seducing Judd after wondering if her husband is the issue with their fertility issues and Phillip’s girlfriend leaves him after he flirts with younger women.

What drew me to this film is the feeling of connection and family. While there are many hilarious moments, there are also lovely moments such as Wendy being comforted by her mother and Judd finding love again with Penny (Rose Byrne). One of the funniest moments is when the brothers sneak out of temple to smoke a joint that was found in their late father’s jacket.

The actors in the film are all known for comedy, an early role for Adam Driver who really keeps up with the other actors and I think again the script really helps. Other actors featured are Timothy Olyphant, Connie Britton and Ben Schwartz.

I have re-watched this film a few times but not for a while but I think the Four Favourites is about films you could come across playing on TV and happily sit there and watch. They are not necessarily films I revisit every year but I would always recommend them to people and they evoke feelings of comfort or humour when re-watching.

Not available for free but available to buy/rent on most streaming platforms

So these are my current Four Favourites on Letterboxd and while I am happy with my choices, they are not set in stone so if I do swap any then an updated version of this post could be on the cards.

Happy Watching,

Robyn

Film Review: Mean Girls – a musical reboot of a cultural classic holds up

Hi Readers,

Last week I saw the reboot/revival of the cultural icon and successful musical now coming to the West End: Mean Girls. Many people online did not seem aware that the film was a musical in spite of the existence of the musical, the casting of Reneé Rapp (who starred as Regina George in the Broadway version) and the trailer.

The 2004 film starring the best of 2000s Hollywood – Lindsay Lohan, Rachel McAdams, Amanda Seyfried, Tina Fey, Lizzy Caplan, Amy Poehler and Lacey Chabert (more of a 90s icon) – has generated endless chatter, memes, Halloween outfits, recreations and TikToks. This new version has updated some of the politically incorrect or offensive language – i.e Regina is now a fugly cow and Cady is not approached about muffins in the cafeteria.

The Broadway version adapted by Tina Fey only had a short life on stage due to the Covid 19 pandemic so its great to see it immortalised on the screen with its original star Reneé Rapp. Since her turn as Regina, Reneé has gone on to star in the popular HBO series, The Sex Lives of College Girls and released music – Tummy Hurts, Snow Angels and become a bi icon.

Mean Girls (2024)

The film starts with an upbeat opening number by Janis (Auli’i Cravalho) and Damien (Jacquel Spivey) the ones who guide Cady through North Shore High School and its teenage population. It only seems right that they guide the audience through the film. Some updates to their characters include changing their ethnicity and giving them more up to date interests. For example, Janis wears more popular but still hippy clothes, loves blue eye-shadow and her art involves string and sewing.

Cady (Angourie Rice) moves from Kenya with her mother (Jenna Fischer) to the Chicago area in the US and goes from a quiet home-schooled life to figuring out the cliques and social norms of the American high school. The character of Cady’s father has been erased along with the story of her first crush at four years old. What has stayed is Cady’s iconic blue checked shirt that she wears on the first day.

When Cady meets the Plastics they look more high school age than in the original and have a more up to date style. Regina (Reneé Rapp) is wearing a full black leather number with Gretchen (Bebé Woods) and Karen (Avantika) wearing preppy/colourful outfits.

After Cady learns her new calculus class crush, Aaron Samuels (Christoper Briney) is Regina’s ex-boyfriend and therefore strictly off-limits, she agrees to help Janis and Damien bring Regina down a peg or two.

Karen’s solo song ‘Sexy’ tells the audience the boundaries of Halloween costumes and that as long as your outfit is sexy than anything goes. Cady unfortunately does not get this memo and turns up as a Vampire Bride. Seeing Aaron with Cady alerts Regina to the potential threat that Cady poses she and quickly marks her territory by kissing Aaron.

Much like in the original film, Janis, Damien and Cady devise a plan to take away everything from Regina: her perfect skin, hot body, loyal sidekicks and reignited relationship with Aaron.

While Cady only hangs out with Janis and Damien in secret she is gradually turning more Plastic including writing about her teacher, Mrs Norbury (Tina Fey) in the Burn Book and pretending to be dumb so Aaron will tutor her.

Much of the film follows the original including the entire junior class gathering in the gym for a female bonding experience, Cady’s enrolment in the Mathletes and the famous Spring Fling scene with the tiara.

I think that this revival of the film based on the musical is a fresh take on the iconic tale keeping in many of the iconic lines – ‘That’s so fetch’; ‘It’s October 3rd’; ‘the limit does not exist’; ‘You can’t sit with us’ and ‘On Wednesdays we wear pink’. There were some important updates to incorporate the changes in culture and what is acceptable to say especially among teenagers.

I think that the original songs gave a great insight into the character’s thoughts especially Regina and Janis. Making Janis and Damien the narrator characters who introduce the show was clever as they are the ones that introduce Cady and the audience to the cliques in the canteen and the Plastics.

My favourite song from the soundtrack is Apex Predator as it has a good beat and really shows the power and influence that Regina has over the student population.

I’m glad that the musical made it to the big screens as it was cut short on Broadway due to pandemic and it is now coming to the West End.

The cast was well chosen and they all brought new aspects to the roles. I like that Reneé Rapp was not the skinniest girl so showing that all body types can be considered desirable. Rather than focusing on their appearances, it appeared that the Plastics popularity comes from power and knowing things about everyone as demonstrated with the Burn Book.

Overall, I thought the film was fun and for everyone that grew up with the original 2004 version, it was a blast to the past. Definitely worth a watch if you enjoy musicals or the original. I give it 5/5.

Happy Watching,

Robyn

My Top Netflix Picks

Hello readers,

I have recently got a Netflix account so this post will be listing what I have been watching on the popular streaming service. I know I haven’t posted in a while but I was busy as I’m sure you all were over the Christmas/New Year Period. Hope you all had a great festive/ holiday season.

Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt (2015)

I am currently on Season 2 out of 3 of this show and so far I am really enjoying it. Each episode is only 25 – 30 minutes so it is easy to binge watch which I have been doing.

The premise of the show is that Kimmy Schmidt and three other women were trapped in a bunker for 15 years from 2000 to present day. They are set free to live the lives they were robbed of by their cult leader, the evil Reverend. Kimmy is 29 and decides to live in New York City and create her new adult life there away from Dunsville, Indiana where she was held captive. She meets Lillian, a crazy lady who hates what hipsters are doing to the neighbourhood and Titus Andromedon, someone who also moved to New York City to pursue a dream: to be in the Broadway show, The Lion King. They all help Kimmy readjust to the modern world of mobile phones, the Internet and dating. She also gets a job working for Mrs Jacqueline Voorhees, a rich woman who can’t seem to do anything for herself.

This sitcom is definitely funny in its own unique way. The characters always seem to have a crisis but that’s life! Ellie Kemper (The Office, Bridesmaids) stars as Kimmy; Titus Burgess (30 Rock) as Titus Andromedon, Kimmy’s fabulous roommate; Carol Kane (Hester Street, Taxi, The Princess Bride) as Lillian, their wacky landlord and Jane Krakowski (30 Rock, Ally McBeal) as Jacqueline Voorhees, Kimmy’s self-centred boss.

This show is great if you are looking for something different and fun to binge watch as there are currently 3 seasons on Netflix. Also nominated for 16 Primetime Emmys and 4 SAG awards. The show is written by Tina Fey (30 Rock) and Robert Carlock (30 Rock, Friends).

Stranger Things (2016)

I know many people have seen this show, but I couldn’t not write about it. It is set in 1983 in the fictional mid-west small American town, Hawkins, Indiana. Four friends in middle school, Mike, Dustin, Lucas and Will gather in Mike’s basement to play Dungeons and Dragons. On the way home, Mike disappears. In his place appears a strange girl, Eleven who can move things with her mind. Mike’s sister, Nancy also investigates her friend, Barb who goes missing just like Will. Chief Jim Hopper is on the case, he thinks Hawkins Lab has something to do with the disappearances.

The acting and aesthetic of this show is really outstanding. You really believe it is set in 1983. The creators, the Duffer Brothers took inspiration from many 80s films like the Goonies, ET,Ghostbusters and many more. Each episode is 40 – 55 minutes and there are currently two seasons out but this show is also very binge-worthy. I am re-watching it for the second time because it is that good.

The ensemble cast are: Winona Ryder (Little Women, The Age of Innocence) as Will’s mum, Joyce Byers; David Harbour (Revolutionary Road, Suicide Squad) as Chief Jim Hopper; Finn Wolfhard (IT) as Mike Wheeler, the leader of the party; Gaten Matarazzo as Dustin Henderson, the goofy, knowledgeable one; Caleb McLaughlin as Lucas Sinclair, the practical one who brings the gadgets; Millie Bobby Brown as the mysterious Eleven; Natalia Dyer as Will’s sister, Nancy Wheeler; Charlie Heaton as Jonathan Byers, Will’s older brother; Joe Keery as Nancy’s boyfriend, Steve Harrington; Cara Buono as Mike’s mum, Karen Wheeler and Noah Schnapp as Will Byers.

Above are the main cast for Season 1, there are some added cast members in Season 2 but I don’t want to give anything away.

This show is a drama/mystery/horror and once you start watching you will be hooked. It has also been nominated for 4 Golden Globes (including one win by David Harbour), 18 Primetime Emmys (including 5 wins), 4 Sag awards (1 win by the ensemble cast) and 1 BAFTA nomination.

The Good Place (2016)

This sitcom style show has a different vibe to most TV programmes you see these days. Yes it is funny, with a certain amount of drama with some well developed characters but everyone in it is dead. It takes place in somewhere called The Good Place, somewhere everyone who was really kind and generous on Earth go after death to live out eternity, like paradise. Only those who have dedicated their lives to others go there. Everyone else goes to the Bad Place to be tortured.

Eleanor Shellstrop goes to the Good Place, at first she thinks she earned it but when she finds out the architect of the neighbourhood, Michael thinks she is someone else, she knows she is in the Good Place by mistake. When the neighbour experiences problems and Eleanor realises she is causing them, she decides to try and earn a spot in the Good Place through her ‘soulmate’ teaching her ethics. Chidi is meant to be Eleanor’s soulmate but due to an error, they realise they are only destined to be friends. She also befriends her neighbours, Tahani and Jianyu, who are soulmates or are they?

The show stars Kristen Bell (Frozen, Veronica Mars) as Eleanor; Ted Danson (Cheers, Becker) as Michael; William Jackson Harper (Paterson, High Maintenance) as Chidi; Jameela Jamil (The Republic of Telly and The Great Comic Relief Bake Off – herself) as Tahani, someone who Eleanor finds condescending and is the only one with an accent; D’Arcy Carden (Broad City, Other People) as Janet, a computer program who looks like a person, Janet contains all the knowledge in the universe and Manny Jacinto (The Romeo Section, Once Upon a Time) as Jianyu, a Buddhist monk who took a vow of silence aged 8.

This comedy is something different and I would recommend to ages 12 and up. I have seen season 1 as that is all there is on Netflix but there is also a season 2. Very easy to watch as each episode is about 23 minutes. It also won a Critics Choice award for Most Exciting New Series.

Jack Whitehall: Travels with My Father (2017)

This documentary starring Jack Whitehall (Bad Education, Fresh Meat) an actor and comedian and his uptight and middle class father, Michael. In this 6 part series, father and son go on the gap year Jack never had around South East Asia. They visit Thailand, Cambodia, Vietnam and go to many spots that only the locals know about. Jack takes his father along for some well needed bonding time as the two are like chalk and cheese. I find Jack Whitehall entertaining and the funny dynamic with his father makes this travel show different from the rest. Good to watch if you enjoy Jack’s humour from his TV series’ or stand up. The filming of the scenery is very good and you see this part of the world from a bird’s eye view and more.

Easy to watch as each episode is only half an hour. I binged this series in a couple of days. It is funny but also informative particularly of the history of Cambodia and the suffering the people have endured in the past, something which I was unaware of previous to watching the show. I would say it is suitable for 15 years and up due to the complex and often rude language used.

The Crown (2016)

This show tells the story of Queen Elizabeth II and her husband, Prince Philip, the monarchy of the United Kingdom and the Commonwealth. It starts in 1947 when Elizabeth and Philip got married. It then depicts the history of the Crown from King George VI to it being passed down to his daughter. The show also features other members of the royal family from the 1950s, the Queen Mother, Queen Mary, Duke of Windsor, Princess Margaret and Prince Charles and Princess Anne as children. The show depicts the hardship and joys Elizabeth faced as a new queen whilst still trying to be a good wife and mother.

The audience is shown the emotions of the people behind the stories in the newspapers and how they dealt with each crisis. Many people view the Royal Family as having it easy, but there was a lot they weren’t allowed to do and they had virtually no privacy then.

Whilst the show portrays real life people and events that actually happened, we have no way of knowing if what the characters said to each other in private is correct or not. Nevertheless, I think that the show is excellent. The acting and set design make you believe that the actors actually are the people they are pretending to be.

Starring in the Crown created by Peter Morgan is Claire Foy (Breathe, Wolf Hall) as Queen Elizabeth II; Matt Smith (Doctor Who, Pride and Prejudice and Zombies) as Prince Philip; Vanessa Kirby (About Time, Everest) as Princess Margaret; Victoria Hamilton (Doctor Foster, Scoop) as the Queen Mother; Pip Torrens (Pride and Prejudice, Star Wars: Episode VII) as Tommy Lascelles, Private Secretary to King George and Queen Elizabeth and John Lithgow (Cliffhanger, Interstellar) as Sir Winston Churchill.

The show has won 2 Golden Globes (1 for Claire Foy), been nominated for another 3 (1 for Claire Foy and 1 for John Lithgow), won 3 Primetime Emmys (1 for John Lithgow), nominated for another 9 (1 for Claire Foy), won 2 BAFTAs, nominated for another 10 (1 for Claire Foy, Jared Harris (The Man from U.N.C.L.E., Lincoln) who played King George VI briefly in Series 1; John Lithgow and Vanessa Kirby).

The Crown has also won 2 SAG awards (1 for Claire Foy and 1 for John Lithgow), been nominated for another 3 (1 for Claire Foy), won a Critics Choice TV award for Best Supporting Actor – John Lithgow and been nominated for 2 more (1 for Jared Harris).

Clearly, the show is a success for Netflix and one of their most popular shows. There are currently 2 series out, I am half way through series 2 and I really love it. I didn’t know half of what happened in the Royal Family at the time and the acting, costumes and set really transport you there. Each episode is about 1 hour long but it is definitely worth watching.

Grace & Frankie (2015)

The premise of the show is quite simple, Grace and Frankie are told by their husbands, Sol and Robert that they both want a divorce because they want to marry each other. Turns out both Grace and Frankie’s 40 year long marriage was only real for half that time. Robert and Sol, who are partners in a law firm have been secretly gay and in a relationship for the last 20 years and want to get married as it is now legal.

Grace and Frankie have known each other for those 40 years but they are far from friends. Grace ran her own beauty business and believes appearance is everything. Grace teaches art to former convicts and is also a hippy who likes to take drugs and live wild and free. After their husbands leave them, they share their co-owned beach house and gradually begin to get along. Both have two children, Grace has feisty Brianna who now runs her business and Mallory who has 2 kids and a husband of her own who is more conventional and generous. Frankie has 2 boys, both adopted, Bud who is practical and a lawyer like his dad and Coyote who is a recovering drug addict searching for his purpose in life.

Together both families navigate their new and unexpected dynamic with hilarity and drama along the way. Starring in the show are Jane Fonda (Barbarella, 9 to 5) as Grace, Lily Tomlin (9 to 5, Grandma) as Frankie, Sam Waterston (Law and Order, The Great Gatsby, 1974) as Sol, Martin Sheen (The West Wing, Apocalypse Now) as Robert, Brooklyn Decker (Just Go With It, What to Expect When You’re Expecting) as Mallory, June Diane Raphael (The Disaster Artist, Forgetting Sarah Marshall) as Brianna, Ethan Embry (Sweet Home Alabama, That Thing You Do!) as Coyote and Baron Vaughn (Cloverfield, Black Dynamite) as Nwabudike ‘Bud’.

This comedy has been nominated for 1 Golden Globe for Lily Tomlin, 7 Primetime Emmys (2 for Lily Tomlin, 1 for Jane Fonda) and 4 SAG awards (2 for Lily Tomlin, 2 for Jane Fonda).

Each episode is around 25-30 minutes and there are currently 3 series with a fourth coming on Netflix very soon. I have just finished series 1 and I will definitely be continuing to watch it.

Recommendations I have received from friends are Gilmore Girls, Brooklyn 99, 13 Reasons Why, Black Mirror, How to Get Away with Murder and Orphan Black.

Hope any Netflix users find my review useful.

Happy Watching,

Robyn 🙂

Top 10 Films to Watch on a Girly Sleepover

Hello again,

Now I know if any guys are reading this are thinking wow that title is sexist, then I have to agree but from the little male culture I understand, boys don’t tend to watch these types of films on sleepovers. Instead they watch action or horrors. However if you are a guy and like any films mentioned please tell me in the comments. Anyway seeing as I am a girl and have been on many a girly sleepover here are my top ten film choices.

  1. What Happens in Vegas (2008)

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This rom-com starring Cameron Diaz and Ashton Kutcher is one of my all time favourites. It is set at first in Las Vegas where two strangers get crazy drunk and married then one of them wins $3 million on a slot machine and they are forced to be married for 6 months. Sounds simple right? It is although the twist is the two characters who got married whilst very drunk hate each other and have to live with each other for six months. I personally love hate-to- love stories which this definitely is. I also like the New York setting where they both live as its adds glamour. Lake Bell (No Escape) plays Diaz’s best friend and Vegas buddy whereas Rob Corddry (also mentioned in my Weekly Recommendations) is Kutcher’s friend (and lawyer). These two provide great comedy to the film as they also hate each other but with a burning passion. Jason Sudeikis (Horrible Bosses), Zach Galifianakis (The Hangover), Queen Latifah (Girls Trip) and Krysten Ritter (Jessica Jones) also star. Overall I think this movie is a classic for sleepovers and a good all round film if you need to believe in love again. Overall I rate What Happens in Vegas 5/5.

2. Angus, Thongs and Perfect Snogging (2008)

Related imageA great film based on a series of books by Louise Rennison. Georgia is just like any normal girl, she has friends, lives with her family and her cat and goes to school. Except she is far from it. Her sister Libby, believes herself to be cat, her actual cat Angus is an absolute mongrel, her parents argue all the time and the Sex God that has just moved to town has no awareness of her existence. Georgia charters her crazy life in her diary. This film starring Aaron Taylor-Johnson (Avengers: Age of Ultron) as Robbie the Sex God, Kimberley Nixon (Fresh Meat) as Georgia’s enemy ‘Wet Lindsay’, Alan Davies (QI), Karen Taylor (The Sketch Show), Eleanor Tomlinson (Poldark) as Best Friend Jas and Georgia is played by Georgia Groome (London to Brighton) is one that will make you laugh out loud and close to tears. Most girls who have been or are teenagers can relate to the conversation Georgia has with her mates. She also dresses as a cocktail olive at the beginning so what’s not to love? I have actually seen this film on a girly sleepover so it is definitely perfect for one. I have deducted one point for the fact that the ending would not happen in real life. No spoilers! Overall I give Angus, Thongs and Perfect Snogging 4/5.

3. Mean Girls (2004)

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This film is seen as a classic by many, for its great cast, quotable lines and relatable story about wanting to fit in at high school. Lindsay Lohan plays Cady, a girl who has lived in Africa her whole life and is suddenly dropped into an American high school. For the first time in her life she has to worry about what she wears, who she associates with and her place in the social hierarchy. She in filtrates the most popular girl group in the school, the Plastics. They are made up of Regina George – The Queen Bee who rules the school and her minions – Gretchen, whose dad invented the Toaster Strudel and Karen, who is possibly “the dumbest girl you will ever meet”.  Cady plans to ruin Regina’s life but she soon becomes one of the Plastics. In between trying not to fall for Regina’s gorgeous ex Aaron Samuels, get out of Mathletes run by Ms Norbury and remembering who her real friends are, Janice and Damian. This film is a must see for any teenager trying to navigate school. Joining Lohan in a great ensemble cast are Amanda Seyfried (Mamma Mia), Rachel McAdams (The Notebook), Lacey Chabert (Party of Five), Tina Fey (SNL), Amy Poehler (Parks and Recreation), Jonathan Bennett (Cheaper By The Dozen 2), Lizzy Caplan (Now You See Me 2) and Daniel Franzese (I Spit On Your Grave).

‘That’s so fetch! Gretchen, stop trying to make fetch happen! It’s not going to happen!’ A great film to see on a sleepover, you will quoting the script for months! Overall I rate Mean Girls 5/5.

4. She’s the Man (2006)

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Based loosely on the Shakespeare play ‘Twelfth Night’ this football film had great laughs and heart. Viola just wants to play football but her school cuts the girls teams she dresses as her brother and pretends to be him at his new school for two weeks while he cuts school and goes to London. What could go wrong? What Viola didn’t account for was falling for her cute roommate and having to deal’s with her brother’s psycho ex-girlfriend. She also has to work much harder to keep up with the boy’s football team. Will she be able to prove to her ex and her old school that girls can play football too. This film is laugh out loud funny with some unique lines, it will make you sigh and cringe for the heroine Viola, played by Amanda Bynes at the height of her career. Also starring are Channing Tatum (Magic Mike) as her roommate, Vinnie Jones (Snatch), Laura Ramsey (The Ruins), Julie Hagerty (Just Friends) and Robert Hoffman (Step Up 2). Overall I rate this She’s The Man 5/5.

5. It’s a Boy Girl Thing (2006)

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A classic enemies to lovers story, this teen movie has a rather unusual twist. Nell and Woody have nothing in common except their loathing for each other. She is a clever, hardworking, poetry loving academic with Yale University in her sights and Woody is lazy and rude and his place at a bog standard college is resting on his football skills. They also happen to be neighbours. On a school trip to a museum, a mysterious statue casts a spell on them and the next morning, they wake up in each others bodies. At first, they both see this as a chance to mess with the others’ life but they soon figure that to achieve their college dreams they have to work together. This film really highlights the (stereotypical) differences between boys and girls and it had a lot of heart. Physical comedy and costumes were also very important in this film. Also starring are Sherry Miller (Sabrina The Teenage Witch), Robert Joy (Sweet November), Sharon Osbourne (X Factor) and Maury Chaykin (Dances with Wolves). Overall I give It’s A Boy Girl Thing 3.5/5.

6. We’re the Millers (2013)

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This comedy always makes me laugh out loud but be warned there are some very dirty jokes and slight nudity so stay away if you are under 15. For those who are old enough, We’re the Millers is a comedy about a man called Dave, who is a drug dealer (Jason Sudeikis) tasked with bringing a huge amount of weed back from Mexico and to do it he enlists the help of his neighbours to pretend to be his family. Rose (Jennifer Aniston) is a stripper who needs the money Dave is offering to go on this crazy road trip, Casey (Emma Roberts) is a runaway who has nowhere to go and Kenny (Will Poulter) is just plain weird. The 4 of them fly to Mexico and drive an RV back to the good ol’ USA. Sounds simple but many mishaps befall them. They are chased by drug dealers, bitten by spiders and have to get through the week without losing their tempers. They start off doing it for the money but do they start to become the family they are pretending to be? With hilarious and very dirty jokes, this comedy will have everyone crying with laughter. Also starring are Kathryn Hahn (Bad Moms), Ed Helms (The Hangover), Nick Offerman (Parks and Recreation) and Molly C. Quinn (Castle).  Overall I give We’re The Millers 5/5.

7. 17 Again (2009)

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Zac Efron (High School Musical) stars as Mike, who had it all at 17, a beautiful girlfriend, a great friend Ned, a promising future playing basketball. Until his career away when his girlfriend became pregnant. At 37, his life has gone down hill, his wife Scarlet wants a divorce, he is living with Ned, who since high school became uber rich (but still a nerd), his son Alex is bullied and his daughter Maggie is dating a jerk. He gets a chance to fix his life though when he falls through a time vortex and emerges looking how he did when he was 17. He goes back to high school to help his kids but is the person he really need to help himself? Also starring are Matthew Perry (The Whole Nine Yards) as Mike aged 37, Leslie Mann (Knocked Up) as his wife, Thomas Lennon (Night at the Museum) as Ned, Michelle Trachtenberg (Buffy the Vampire Slayer) as Maggie and Sterling Knight (Starstruck) as Alex. This film has its funny moments and cringey ones but essentially it is about a man trying to get his old life back whilst looking like he did at 17. Overall I give 17 Again 3/5.

8. The Breakfast Club (1985)

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This film is an 80’s teen classic and also one for people aged 15 or over. The film is about 5 teens who get all day detention on a Saturday. They don’t really know each other as they are all from different walks of life. They all slowly start to become closer and rebel against their horrible teacher Mr. Vernon (Paul Gleason). They realise that they have more in common with the others than everyone thinks. Directed by John Hughes, who has a reputation for making great 80’s teen movie like Sixteen Candles (1984) and led by an all star cast, The Breakfast Club has become a must see for anyone who has been to high school and knows what it is like to try and find your gang. Starring Emilio Estevez (The Way) as Andrew ‘The Jock’, Molly Ringwald (Sixteen Candles) as Claire ‘The Princess’, Anthony Michael Hall (The Dark Knight) as Brian ‘The Brain’, Ally Sheedy (Short Circuit) as Allison ‘The Basket Case’ and Judd Nelson (St. Elmo’s Fire) as John Bender ‘The Criminal’. This film is as funny as it is it poignant and the script really resonates with you. It is also fun and it makes you want to be part of The Breakfast Club. Overall I give The Breakfast Club 5/5.

9. Did You Hear About the Morgans? (2009)

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This film has a more unusual plot but the same Hollywood script is still there. A separated couple who both have very high profile jobs in New York City. They become witnesses to a murder and to go into witness protection. As they are still legally married they are sent to the same place, Ray, Wyoming. A very small town where people live like they are in a western from the 1950s. Paul and Meryl have to learn to live with each other after he cheated and they are stuck in the same house. They also have to learn how to shoot, ride a horse and avoid bears. Starring Hugh Grant (About a Boy) as Paul and Sarah Jessica Parker (Sex and the City) as Meryl, this film is great for believing in love again and perfect for a sleepover. Be prepared for laughs and the odd sad moment. Also starring Elizabeth Moss (Mad Men), Michael Kelly (Changeling), Sam Elliott (Hulk) and Mary Steenburger (Back to the Future Part III) this is a simple little rom-com designed to warm your heart. It’s downside is that it is a bit unbelievable at times. Overall I give Did You Hear About the Morgans? 3/5.

10. The Switch (2010)

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Jason Bateman and Jennifer Aniston star in this hilarious comedy. Jennifer plays Kassie a woman who decides she wants to have a baby – even though she hasn’t got a man. She decides to use a sperm donor. Her friend Wally (Bateman) supports her decision even though he is against it – because he is secretly in love with her. At her insemination party, Wally gets very drunk and spills the sperm sample. He then switches it for his. He was so drunk he doesn’t realise what he did. Kassie moves away but comes back 7 years later with her son, Sebastian. The sperm donor is now divorced and looking to get together with Kassie. Wally whilst looking after Sebastian can’t help noticing the similarities between himself and Kassie’s son. This laugh out loud comedy is great for anyone 12 and upwards. You will route for Wally long before he admits he in love with Kassie. A stellar supporting cast of Jeff Goldblum (Jurassic Park), Patrick Wilson (The Conjuring), Juliette Lewis (Natural Born Killers), Thomas Robinson (Tomorrowland: A World Beyond) and Bryce Robinson (Marley & Me). A classic rom-com and the child actor is amazing, overall I give The Switch 5/5.

These are the films I think would be great for a girly sleepover, feel free to leave a comment suggesting any others you like to watch on a sleepover.

Happy Watching,

Robyn