Oh hey there.

Firstly, huge apologies for my absence on here. You will not want me to bore you with the details so I'll save you a long story and just say that busy was an understatement. I am back for good though. (Starts singing Take That songs...)

Secondly, since I've got lots of catching up to do, you'll have lots to read and keep you occupied...including Milan Fashion Week, Batman v Superman, and something else I'm not even supposed to talk about yet! Speaking of Superman though, I'm fresh from seeing Henry Cavill at the press screening tonight which was very exciting, and I'm excited to write all about the film for you too.

Watch this space! And many more spaces to come!

Much love,
Bev xx

The mustard yellow is one of my all-time favourite colours, and recently I've been spotting it everywhere. Living in beautiful Italia, I've walked past glamorous women casually wearing full-length mustard dresses and looking effortlessly sunny and stunning. Vanessa Hudgens pulled off a gorgeous backless gown by Galia Lahav at the 2015 Industry Dance Awards. And more recently, Gigi Hadid wore a brighter bodysuit-slash-dress by Emilia Wickstead to the VMAs.

The colour is gorgeous. Which is why I simply had to wear it to this year's Venice Film Festival. Instead of a dress, I managed to find a matching crochet top and maxi dress combo in the same shade of mustard yellow. A perfect match for the red carpet, but equally walking the streets of Venice too.

Big Hero 6 is Disney's latest offering and a frontrunner for the Best Animation category at this year's Oscars (in light of The Lego Movie's exclusion). I'll admit that the name doesn't exactly strike you as a must-see movie, but after watching it at the UK premiere/gala screening yesterday, I can't stress strongly enough that this is a must-see movie. Big shout-out to Paul, Disney's best employee, for the invite! 


Big Hero 6 takes our love of superheroes, unconventional heroes and teams of heroes, and mixes it with Disney's love of robots and adorable characters (and excellence at creating them). We all fell in love with Frozen's Olaf, and history is about to repeat one year later with the  hugable Baymax. You'll be in for a fun-filled, save-the-world, futuristic treat for audiences both young and old. It's been well-received in many countries for months now, and will finally be released in the UK on 30th January. 

Without going too much into plot detail, the main character is a genius teenager named Hiro. The film's set in a futuristic San Fransokyo (a hybrid city made up of San Francisco and Tokyo, whatwouldyaknow), and the kid is literally a genius. And note this is Disney, so nothing is impossible for him. A crew of self-imposed robotics nerds form an unlikely team - kinda like a child-friendly version of Kick Ass - to take on a masked villain. Obviously it's a lot more exciting than that, but I shall not be ruining your cinema viewing anytime soon. 

It's not just a team of mismatched teenagers though; much of the film's value is born from Baymax, the cutest robot creation since Wall-E. Baymax is a healthcare companion, whose awkward inability to grasp human concepts makes hilarious viewing, and is also the irreplaceable sidekick. I mean, the dude knows karate and his fistbump is something else entirely. Turned into a not-so-secret lethal weapon by Hiro, he's the source of all the "aww" moments, the laughs, and he even made me cry a little bit. I have to commend the creators for creating such a special and memorable character - one of the standout assets of the film.

The film's storyline isn't as complicated as all the robotic science involved (don't worry, you don't actually have to understand it), but what makes it stand out for me is Hiro's character growth, clever writing and moments, and sheer heart of it. The animations are slick and pay great homage to the Japanese comic book feel, especially with Hiro's super spiky hair. Big Hero 6 may have a few superhero-origin/dramatic backstory cliches, and sure you may be able to make a few correct predictions here and there, but it is a thoughtful adventure. There's unexpected depth you wouldn't usually find in an animation about a kid who makes mind-powered robots and has a 3D printer. 

Big Hero 6 has a noticeably different visual feel to Disney's usual animation offerings, but it's great to see the Japanese influence shine through, and ethnically-diverse main characters. It is a hugely entertaining watch, and you would not be forgiven for immediately writing it off without giving it a chance. 

I write this review fresh from the cinema, tear-stained face, red eyes and all. The thing is, The Fault in our Stars is one of those films where you walk into the light of the real world beyond the screen, still filled with emotion and breathlessness. This is something I'm excited to write about, with the film still very raw in my recent memory. I mean, for ages we've all heard critics raving about how wonderful the book is, but seeing how that is translated onto the big screen is a whole other story. (I've tried to keep this as spoiler-free as possible, but if you're reading this and debating whether or not to see the film, go see that first then come back soon!)

The Fault in our Stars is a film adaptation of John Green's bestselling novel, all about living and dying, and the love story of 16 year old Hazel Grace Lancaster and Augustus Waters. She's a thyroid cancer patient who recognises that her time is limited, and he's now cancer-free following a leg amputation.  I read TFIOS only several weeks ago, and this was after months and months of repeatedly being recommended it but still putting it off. I guess you could say I am part of the target audience of this book/film, and you'd be absolutely right. I felt all the emotions the author John Green (subtly) poured into the soul of the book and their protagonists Hazel and Augustus. The characters, despite their tragic experiences with cancer, offer a refreshing view to such an often-taboo subject. He's a leather jacket sporting guy, whose refusal to light a cigarette is poignant. Written as a confident, good-looking and optimistic teenager, he lifts the main character, Hazel Grace Lancaster, into a place filled with metaphors and wisdom beyond their years. 

Ansel Elgort was not how I initially imagined Augustus after reading the book, but I was completely won over by his performance in the film. It's so easy to believe that he is crazy in love with Hazel; an Ansel smile and those puppy dog eyes are all it takes (am I being a little biased here?). The film revolves around the two individuals, as well as  their relationship, and Augustus is so much more than a pretty-faced love interest. Ansel captures the likeable essence of Gus, from the intelligent humour and take on life, to the vulnerabilities. And of course there's the incredible performance from Shailene Woodley in yet another remarkable role. Again, writing from a fan-of-the-book perspective, I couldn't have thought up a better translation from script to screen. From a critical point of view too, she's spot on. From the quips, the stand-off with "douche-pants" Peter van Houten, the "little infinities" speech (which had me in hysterics) to the tears which never give away fabrication of any sort. The chemistry between the two is more than believable. In a world where films about teenage romance are literally everywhere, this is an example of where teenage romance is so genuine, and you're rooting for them not just because the director wants you to. Both actors arguably have their stars on the rise. They're like a rollercoaster that keeps going up....  

Hazel's narratives in the film work well to include Hazel's musings in the book. They're littered here and there but not powerful enough to detract from what's going on, plus there's something awfully honest in Woodley's voice alone. For example, "I fell in love the way you fall asleep: slowly, and then all at once." What a bloomin' good metaphor. Readers of TFIOS will recognise passages word-for-word, and then realise that the film is actually (unlike many others) very faithful to the original material. It works; it's complete, like putting a face to a name. There are minor changes I observed (namely the ex-girlfriend, a few minor characters, and a slight technicality with the ending), but nothing too extreme or controversial. The supporting characters, particularly Isaac and Hazel's parents, are also well cast with the flawed mother-daughter relationship being surprisingly human and real. 

I can't complete this review without a brief comment on the soundtrack. This includes a nice accreditation for Vivaldi, and other more-popularised tracks such as Charli XCX's Boom Clap, Kodaline's All I Want (which has me on the edge of tears when I hear it on a happy day), and obviously the credits song All of the Stars by Ed Sheeran. They all offer an emotion, whether joy or heartbreak, in perfect harmony with the film. 

I won't go on about the emotional side to it. It's a film about cancer, it's a well-known tearjerker, and most people go in with an inkling (or full knowledge) of what's going to happen. Yet there's still something about the combination of everything (the simplicity of the filmmaking, the music, the acting) which delivers the punch harder than you're expecting it. 

Of course I can't comment on the perspective of those watching without having read the book, which I expect would have been many. Since I like the novel, and made references to it in order to fill in any gaps, I was able to let things slide - like the way Gus is so into her before they've even met, with the whole eye contract across the room thing, and so idealistically upfront about it. Is that realistic, or is that just my hopeless romantic side wishing wistfully? Ok, making out in the Anne Frank House is not a clever idea (but the readings of the diary in the background make it make sense), and the Peter van Houten/An Imperial Affliction part is probably not explained well enough to those who have no idea who Anna is. 

TFIOS is by no means a perfect film, but I do think the essence of the book was captured well, the acting brought the characters to life, and I was more than satisfied as a reader watching a film adaptation of a good book. Ok, so the "girl meets boy and they fall in love story but there's a twist" is a little predictable and I understand if viewers find it all a bit cheesy. But if you can see past that, you can witness a beautifully-told celebration of defying the things that threaten you, the fragility of living and more importantly, the magic and honesty of falling in love for the first time, and living in the face of dying. 

I'm going to start this post with two confessions. 1) My apologies to the guys. You're not going to like this very much.. 2) I have a slight fascination/minor obsession with looking at the nice red carpet outfits of the stars. Continuing on with that, it's only fair to the fashion-fascinated side of me that I write a little bit about such dresses. And what better timing than just after the weekend's glitzy BAFTAs and Grammys? For those who probably don't know (that's most of you), I used to have a fashion blog called the White Shirt Challenge (Google treasure hunt it if you so wish) involving wearing a white shirt in many, many different ways for at least 30 days, and it's been a while since I've done a fashion post. So this is where I  ramble on a bit about pretty dresses and the weekend's rockin' outfits on both sides of the big pond. Again, sorry males.

1. Monochrome

You only need to flip open any women's magazine to "discover" that this season is supposedly all about the black and whites. I've always been a fan, and trends like this don't need to be "in" to be worn, but it's been very popular on the carpets of late. If this were a competition, Beyonce has the edge. And not just because every girl secretly wants to be Beyonce a little bit...




 

Beview finally has a Twitter account which will be launching in the next few days. To catch up with anything and everything, join us. Follow @BeviewBlog here and tell all your friends and family and neighbours and siblings and cats and dogs about it. If you have Twitter, follow it. If you don't have Twitter, join it! (We only have 1 follower at the moment which is kinda sad...)

It looks a bit like this...



 @BeviewBlog

Bev x

...Yep, I bet you heard that one before. About 300 times on each of your friends' Facebook statuses. (This is Blogger; doesn't count.). Anyway, it's been a while since a Beview update so here are some lovely snapshots of my wintry landscape from the weekend. Enjoy! 

Bev x



 The making of something special. It's easy once you're on a roll (see what I did there?); the tricky part is having to lift it.

 In true John Lewis ad style, I went the extra mile and donated my scarf so this cool chap could feel loved. Sadly, he was destroyed by ruthless passerbys later on in the day, the only remnants being a single carrot, two grapes and three M&Ms. The Snowman meets Texas Chainsaw Massacre.


The new boyfriend. He's well cool ;)

Beview's faces of 2013 was very entertaining to compile. I love spotting talent before it becomes globally, household-name-ish mainstream and all that, and these talented folk are extremely talented indeed. I knew of Justin Bieber, Taylor Swift and Ed Sheerans' music before they tore up the charts, and have been confident since Day One that Jeremy Irvine will establish himself as one of Britain's leading actors, so I reckon that gives my psychic abilities a teensy bit of credibility ;) 

Here are my "Ones to Watch" for 2013:

Alice Englert, actress
She's the daughter of an Oscar-nomiated director but Alice, who has already had a leading role in "Ginger & Rosa" opposite Elle Fanning, is set to make her mark in the upcoming film "Beautiful Creatures". It features stuff of the supernatural, a feisty protagonist and teenage romance. She's already impressed me in the red carpet stakes, and as a leading lady only at the start of her film career, she will definitely have earnt her place in the Young Hollywood ranks by the end of 2013.

Intensi-T, beatboxer
Tom Povey, better known as Intensi-T, is quite simply one of the best beatboxers around. He's performed at T4 on the Beach, supported Boyz II Men, and has beatboxed alongside the likes of Ed Sheeran, Nicola Roberts and Rizzle Kicks. His new single "Little Friend" (featuring another up-and-comer Ollie Green) is out now (tis a tune!) and even has his own headline show this month. (You can get tickets here). Having met him several times, I'd call him a friend as well as one of the nicest and most talented people I have ever known. He will be featuring in the first Beview interview this year too! 

Josh Kumra, singer songwriter
It's no secret that I am a little bit in love with Josh Kumra's voice. I've written about him before and seen him perform live (he is lovely), and he's had success with the Wretch 32 collaboration "Don't Go". With a tour and debut album out this year, Josh is going from strength to strength and I don't doubt at all that more and more people will fall in love with his soulful voice. One of my favourite songs of all time is "The Answer", and his new tune "Waiting for You" is out on 6th January.

Samantha Barks, actress, singer and performer 
The upcoming Les Miserables film has made a big fuss about it's big name cast including Hugh Jackman, Russell Crowe, Anne Hathaway and Amanda Seyfried but it is Samantha Barks who will steal the spotlight as Eponine. Having beat out competition including rumoured Taylor Swift, she's the unsung star of the show. I was lucky enough to watch the West End version whilst Sam was still playing the role and I cannot think of anyone better suited. You may remember her from BBC's "I'd Do Anything" as one of the Nancy finalists.

Nina Nesbitt, singer songwriter
Regular readers of this blog may have noticed the name "Nina Nesbitt" crop up quite a bit, and it's because I am so convinced she will become one of the faces of British music.  When her music first came to my attention she had little over 2000 Twitter followers, which has since rocketed to nearly 50,000 and rising. Armed with a guitar, a softly spoken voice and some very catchy tunes, the debut album she's been working on will be released this year. Of her existing hits, my favourites are "Boy", "The Apple Tree" and "Noserings and Shoestrings". It was her haunting cover of David Gray's "Babylon", however, which told me she'd definitely make a big entrance onto the music scene. And she's only 18!

Saoirse Ronan, actress
Saoirse's been on the scene for quite a few years now (remember Atonement?), playing a tremendous range of characters - from vampires to teenage asassins and even the dead. Her movie CV has a lot of film adaptations of books, including The Lovely Bones (one of my favourite books ever), upcoming How I Live Now, and The Host - more commonly known as "the other book written by the Twilight author". It's released in March and although it doesn't share the whole "global phenomenon" element, I reckon it'll be a hit and reaffirm her status as one of the best actresses of her age.

Sophie Sumner, model
Sophie was a runner-up in Britain's Next Top Model several years ago and more recently won the America's Next Top Model: British Invasion series. Since then, she's been featured in Vogue Italia and fronted numerous magazines and campaigns all over the world. They say that the winners of TV competitions fade out of the picture after a short while, but this will most definitely not be the case. Look out for the catwalks!

HAIM, band
Pronounced "Hime", integrating aspects of pop, nu-folk and electrobeats, this is no typical girlband. These three Californian sisters (with the surname "Haim" would you believe it?) have recently been announced as BBC's Sound of 2013. Considering previous winners include Jessie J, Ellie Goulding and Adele, it's safe to say that the poll-topping artists can have very bright futures. 


Bev x
 (myself and Josh ->)

Out of all the films I've reviewed (or beviewed - let's be honest, it's catching on...) in 2012, this is possibly the one I am most excited to write about. I was a massive fan of Peter Jackson's Lord of the Rings trilogy and the hype preceding The Hobbit has been very difficult to miss.

In this 2 hour 46 minute extravaganza, where do I begin? Well, how about beginning at the beginning. We see a very different Middle Earth to the one we saw in LOTR, and a lengthy prequel about the land of the dwarves - and its fall. The Shire is as bright and bubbly as you remember it, and after a brief introduction you meet Mr Bilbo Baggins, played tremendously well by Martin Freeman. I quite like the series Sherlock, so it was interesting seeing him take on such a coveted role as this. He completely pulls it off as a tiny, hairy-footed hobbit and his cluelessness will make you laugh at least several times throughout the film. Freeman had no choice but to turn down the role at first, but director Peter Jackson rescheduled the filming times to suit him. It must have caused a lot of hassle, but it was definitely worth it. Those boots have been filled by a worthy and completely credible actor.

Bilbo is joined by a band of homeless, troublesome dwarves threatening to destroy the peaceful hobbit's life as they try and recruit him to be their "burgular". These are no ordinary dwarves; they are on a quest, or an adventure, to reclaim their homeland. The casting is spot on, with a mix of intriguing personalities played by actors such as Sylvester McCoy,  James Nesbitt and lesser known names such as Adam Brown who plays "Ori". They are clearly distinguished as individuals but, despite the long running time, I only knew the names of one or two dwarves by the end of the film and quite a few were unfortunately slightly forgettable (especially if you're comparing it to the Fellowship of LOTR). More screen time and character developing might have solved this, but it might have added unnecessary minutes. Another minor criticism I'd add is that some of their costume make-up is slightly, ever-so-slightly overdone. The leader of the dwarves, Thorin, is the only one I really remember but for good reason. In a career-defining role, Richard Armitage is brilliantly brilliant. There are moments where he reminded me of Aragorn, and his story as heir to the throne is one prominent to the plot. 

We get to see some new faces and alas, some familiar ones too. Cate Blanchett as the impossibly beautiful Galadriel, the seemingly ageless Hugo Weaving as elf Lord Elrond (well, they are elves after all) and Gandalf in his Grey but nonetheless still very wise and powerful form. Even young Frodo Baggins - before he turned to the dark side of the f...wait, wrong film. But the possible standout of the bunch is the wide, blue-eyed precious creature. With "precious" pronounced "precioussssss". I am, of course, talking about Andy Serkis's Gollum, to whom Simon Cowell would definitely and accurately say, "you made that your own." His character, so iconically known from LOTR, is the current ring-bearer before the actual significance of the ring is even known. His famous split-personality often sheds a comical light, rather than a sinister one, as he and Mr Baggins engage in a fight using the deadly weapons...of riddles. (You'll see.)

After a confusing turn of events regarding the director of the film, I am very glad Peter Jackson got to take the helm again. Joined by the same screenwriters and composer (Howard Shore) as before, it has a fresh but familiar feel to it. There's a new riff playing (and being sung) throughout, but also a lot of the original LOTR score. I really like that there is constantly instrumental music to accompany and embellish every mood of the film, but it's done in such a way that you don't even notice it. It all goes very well together. 

In terms of special effects, the standard is very high these days. Jackson made a controversial choice to film a High Frame Rate (48 frames per second I believe) which I personally don't think made a massive impact, but it has come under fire from a lot of critics. I found some of the camera swoops over Middle Earth a bit blurry in 3D, but that could quite possibly just be my eyes. Having watched it in 3D was a very cool experience too, but it's probably one of those films where it enhances, but isn't necessarily necessary. The gorgeous backdrop of New Zealand provides a spectacular scenery without the need of special effects, but for everything else, it still looks entirely believable. And not forgetting the king of special effects, Gollum; top marks again go to anyone involved in bringing my favourite love-to-hate character to life.

The actual plot of the book The Hobbit has been split into three films, so The Unexpected Journey covers the introduction and how it all came to be, and the journey to the Lonely Mountains. Whilst they don't even get to the point of meeting dragon Smaug (voiced by Benedict Cumberbatch), there is plenty of action once the film gets properly started. Sometimes-clumsy fight scenes and hilarious near-death experiences are very different to the LOTR trilogy and its experienced swordsmen/archers/axebearers, but the action is nonetheless entertaining to watch and there are enough encounters with evil goblins to keep every film fan satisfied.

In most reviews I've read, or where I've heard friends talk about the film, they've pretty much all said "yeah it's a good film, but it's no way near as good as Lord of the Rings." And I've found that in this review alone, I've drawn constant comparisons to the trilogy. But it must be known and acknowledged that The Hobbit is very different; it's more light-hearted in places, there is no one common enemy, and it's all about a different kind of journey. It is undoubtedly an incredible film - one of the best I have seen all year - and if you take away any expectation or comparison generated from LOTR, it is still undoubtedly an incredible film. Whether or not you choose to compare and be disappointed is up to you, but I for one was certainly not disappointed. I can't wait for the next two instalments and I think the future is very bright for The Hobbit trilogy and the brand new adventure it presents.

Bev x 
PS. Apologies for the lengthy review! It is, after all, a lengthy film...

Ho ho ho, Merry Christmas! This will be my official Beview Christmas letter to you, and I hope that as I write this, you are sipping on a nice cuppa hot chocolate, sitting against a radiator with Magic FM's Christmas tunes in the background. Or maybe that's just me...(but you should try it; it feels very nice.) Anyway, this is Beview's very first Christmas. This time last year, I was blogging from The Lollipop House, and I was rambling on about how I did not feel at all Christmasy...possibly the curse of age or otherwise. I'm now older and wiser - by one significant year - and I have to admit the Christmas spirit of TV adverts has still not struck me to the snow-encrusted floor. I have, however, indulged in the appropriate amount of chocolate/roast dinners/mulled wine, watched Love Actually, sung Christmas carols and tunes, attempted Christmas shopping, marvelled at Christmas lights, bought German Bratwurst from the Christmas markets, and smothered my head with an obscene number of hats. 

And there is still time. Time to reflect upon the birth of Jesus and the real reason we celebrate Christmas in the first place. Time to actually get myself an advent calendar. Time to find the perfect Christmas jumper. Time to watch Elf and Miracle on 34th Street and belt out Mariah Carey songs until my lungs start hurting...

But at the end of the day, Christmas is all about making a difference to others, and spreading that special Christmas cheer even if you aren't necessarily feeling it yourself. Whether it's the simple "Merry Christmas" to the driver as you exit the bus or taxi, or to the cashier after you spend ages dancing to and fro the different shelves of the shop as you ponder which gift your friend will like more. And it's being with the people you love and letting them know you love them. Don't worry if you haven't done it yet; there is still time.

Merry Christmas everyone! 
Bev xxx 
PS. If you're feeling all Christmasy and nice, and want to give me a brilliant Christmas present (who doesn't!?), like the official Beview Facebook page :D http://www.facebook.com/beviewblog 

-          I went to see Jason Mraz at the o2 Arena and it was simply quite epic. I’ve been trying to get hold of any Jason Mraz-related tickets for years and it definitely exceeded my expectations; I’ll be putting a gig review up here at some point.
-          There was a sense of Twilight closure as I watched Breaking Dawn Part 2 at the cinema. Again, there’ll be a review of that up soon too. I highly doubt it’ll be the last time you see Taylor Lautner’s ripped abs but there’ll be no more glittering skin after this.
-          Christmas fever is starting, and to make up for completely not feeling “Christmasy” at all last year, I’m starting early. With decorations and of course, shopping.
-          I bought a nice black lace dress from Asos under the pretence that it is my “Christmas party” dress. And totally justified it too because I bought it on sale.
-          There have been a lot of visits to Virgos Lounge on my computer, with their stunning embellishments for the Christmas season. I’m a firm fan.
-          I’ve been doing quite a bit of experimenty cooking lately, with a high success rate and 0 cases of food poisoning. Following that sushi recipe, I’ll be posting more on that soon…
-          I am completely out of it in terms of the whole X Factor shebang.  Something about everyone voting for a certain Christopher Malloney just to piss Simon Cowell off? Is he really that bad?
-          Some people confuse me.
 


-          Christmas. Does it even need saying?
-          Cooking Christmas-related food. Time to tackle that turkey…
-          The Hobbit – I was/am a massive Lord of the Rings fan and I’m intrigued to find out what Mr Jackson and co. have done with this series. I have great expectations.
-          Speak of the devil, Great Expectations – the film adaptation. It stars Jeremy Irvine as Pip so that alone will get me into the cinema.
-          Other films. I may as well invest in an Odeon Card and start collecting points, as there’s a lot I want to see. Including the stellar-starstudded Les Miserables where surrounding cinema-goers may have to endure me trying to be Susan Boyle during “I Dreamed a Dream”.
-          Taking a break from hectic life, relaxing by non-existent fireplaces with a glass of mulled wine and catching up with my lovely friends and family.
-          More friends and family time.
-          Getting to wear my new black dress.
-          2013.