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...




 

  Hello world. Apologies for the slight hiatus from Beview, but we are up and running as ever before and back with one of the most talked about film over the film season. I'm writing this review nearly a month after its release date, but in the midst of the glitzy Hollywood award season, it will be at least another few weeks until the Les Mis buzz dies down. (You'll be able to hear it in people's humming song choices.) Having been super-psyched for Tom Hooper's film adaptation ages before the film had even been given a release date, I had high expectations and was more than ready to compare the film with the stage musical.

I learnt several things from my movie experience: 1) Javert, played by Russell Crowe, is the definition of persistent. 2) Contrary to popular reports, Russell Crowe can actually sing. 3) I am pretty sure I gained an allergic reaction to my tears. 4) Guys cry. It's not a myth. Don't worry; all will be explained as we continue on...

The first thing you should know about Les Mis is that it is probably comprised of 99.9% singing and very little else. Don't be put off - it works. For some reason, the music feels natural and the flow of conversation through the medium of song is effortless, thanks to Cameron Mackintosh and co. who produced the original stage version. I'd grown up with a majority of the songs embedded in my in-built knowledge - Castle on a Cloud from the primary school days, Do You Hear the People Sing? from the secondary school days, and I Dreamed a Dream from - well, Susan Boyle. Les Mis boasts one of my favourite soundtracks of any musical - from big ensemble pieces and intimate tearjerkers (On My Own) to tug at every heartstring in the cinema. It's sheer depth originates from the actual story, but is made very real by the soundtrack. 

Big songs need big voices, however, so let's talk casting. The casting people realised this and went for big names. I'd heard about Hugh Jackman's Broadway one man show and of course, seen his Oscar and Tony Award Ceremony performances, so I was pretty pleased with his casting.  In interviews, you hear the rest of the cast gush about what a leader he was and you can see that in the film too. The Les Mis story follows his life and change-around. He is singing from the opening number to the final curtain call; he sings with the pained past of his character and protagonist Jean Valjean. We also have Anne Hathaway the scenestealer. Although her screen time as troubled but loving mother Fantine is limited, she makes a lasting impact. We've all seen that hair chopping and that song in the trailers, which is enough to send goosebumps rippling through the audience. It's hard to believe it's the same Anne Hathaway of The Princess Diaries all those years ago and she is a more than credible contender for the Best Supporting Actress Oscar. We also have Amanda Seyfried, who can obviously sing a la Mamma Mia, and her sweet innocent voice is a perfect match for Cosette, the adopted daughter of Valjean. Damn that girl can sing freakishly high.


Not all of the cast names are particularly known for their singing though. You can look at people like Russell Crowe and Eddie Redmayne and not automatically think "oh, they can sing" but they prove every critic wrong. With Eddie, I compared him to Nick Jonas who played Marius in the stage show I saw several years ago. Eddie made me cry in Empty Chairs and Empty Tables, Nick didn't. Redmayne 1, Jonas 0. And Russell Crowe wasn't the Pierce Brosnan of Mamma Mia at all (in other words, can't sing). Helena Bonham-Carter, in a role that was practically written for her, and Sacha Baron Cohen, are interestingly eccentric as the Thénardiers and maybe just slightly bonkers. Finally, Samantha Barks, who featured in the Beview Ones to Watch list of 2013, is the unsung heroine. No she does not have a big name - unless you count appearing in that reality show I'd Do Anything as the equivalence of Hollywood stardom. But she plays Eponine, the unfortunate bearer of unrequited love. She's a central character and I'm so glad the producers didn't opt for a big sparkly moviestar (rumour has it Taylor Swift auditioned?). I was lucky enough to see Samantha Barks as Eponine on stage, and she successfully transfers that magic onto the big screen. One to watch indeed! 

So I've rambled on quite a bit about the casting...now onto the plot. You can read the Wikipedia intro (but not the plot summary!): an ex-convict (Valjean/Jackman) becomes a changed man and agrees to care for Fantine's daughter Cosette whilst avoiding being captured again by police inspector Javert. Javert is quite literally obsessed, and I know musicals aren't exactly the most believable thing, but I struggled to comprehend just how crazy he was (and how little he aged over the 17 year timespan). Javert is a superangry Superman. I mean, Jean stole a loaf of bread like, a hundred years ago and you're still mad!? Throw a love triangle into the mix and the matter of the French revolution (particularly the June Rebellion led by student societies) and you have a very powerful story. Tom Hooper brings an impressive cinematographic backdrop of "Paris", and made a good call in having the actors sing live on the spot, rather than miming to a pre-recorded studio soundtrack. 

What I really enjoyed about the story/film were its morals. Standing up for what you believe in. Helping others. Turning from past sins and making changes in your life for the better. Singing whenever you feel like it. The decision to take such an iconic musical and reproduce it on such a big scale is a risk that has definitely paid off. You'll see that the emotional songs feature a lot of close-up, and it's because we get to see every tear and crease of the forehead (and every single one of Mr Redmayne's freckles. Not complaining.) that we could never see in the theatre, not even with the shiny red 50p binoculas. The best part is that thousands of people can finally share in such a phenomenal musical. And maybe sing along, too. 

Bev x
Ps. Point number 3). Yes I did sob my heart out on numerous occasions. So much so that my skin broke out into an allergic rash for the next few days...

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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 ;)

Life of Pi can be summed up by a list of synonyms: magical, captivating, breathtaking, spellbinding. Entering the cinema with a preconception of the film being cinematically spectacular in all it's 3D glory, but weak plot and storywise, I couldn't have been more wrong. 30 minutes in, I sat and wept and quietly sobbed my socks off until 30 minutes after the final credits had rolled. Both the plot and the visual masterpiece held me in a tear-stained vice. Even at home, I could not stop marvelling at what a beautiful film it had been and I'll tell you why...

The beauty of the film lies in the storytelling. Narrated by an adult Pi (short for Piscine Patel - the story behind this is a funny one), the audience knows the outcome before the film even begins: he lives to tell the tale. Ok, so we knew that already, but we have no idea what happened, except that it involved a boat, the sea, and a tiger. The narrative, following a style reminiscent of Forrest Gump and Titanic, is a conversation between Pi and The Writer (Rafe Spall). It provides the speech aspects of the film, as there is only so much communication between a teenage boy and a tiger in the flashbacks. Every scene is linked effortlessly and whilst I would usually get irritated by constant narrative, it brings a warming, personal touch to it all. Over 2 hours pass by unnoticed, even though there isn't a whole lot of action (how much could you fit into a boat anyway?), because the story is so delicate and intricate.

The storytelling is continued by a clever summary of Pi's life; from his childhood tales, his search for a God, his following of numerous religions, his first encounter with Richard Parker the tiger, and the events which lead to him and Richard Parker being stranded in the middle of the ocean. Every emotion is acted out powerfully by Suraj Sharma, who has never been in a single movie before this. Considering all his scenes were filmed sans tiger, the interaction was particularly impressive. I cried when he cried, laughed when he laughed. He shows raw talent which so many actors with years of Hollywood experience wouldn't be able to muster. Pi is a peculiar character, with his curiosity, defiance and sense of adventure appearing from his childhood days and proving to save his life at times. It's all done in a way that makes us, the viewers, feel for him at every stage of his staggering journey. He's clever, too, and that accounts for very interesting viewing when you might otherwise have thought that nothing interesting can happen on the same boat in the same spot of water.

The other star of the show is the tiger. The CGI is eerily realistic, successfully building a complete character of it's own out of a wild, untamed animal. The tiger is as much a part of the story of Pi's survival as Pi himself. I mean, how can a teenage boy survive within a few feet of a man-eating scary creature? It's a strange relationship indeed - Tom Hanks had Wilson for company in Castaway, and Pi has Richard Parker. The special digital effects and whatever went into the process of creating a lifelike tiger is incredibly impressive, with impressive detail right down to each whisker.

Speaking of special effects, onto the cinematic side of Life of Pi. The stars in the sky, the stillness of the ocean water, the wildlife of the water, the island (I shan't ruin anything) - everything has "wow" written all over it. If it doesn't win the Oscar for Best Cinematography I'll eat my foot. The 3D paints a vivid and exciting picture and works extremely well within the film - it doesn't need action and car chases and superheroes. It's not just stunning cinematography, but an actual piece of art. Over the years, Yann Martel's novel was deemed "unfilmable" but having watched an interview with director Ang Lee, he proclaimed: "nothing is unfilmable". And he's proved his point rather well. His direction and dedication will, no doubt, win awards. 

This is usually the point where I say something less positive about the film but I honestly cannot think of any. Sitting in the cinema seat, I was probably too overwhelmed by tears (or confusion over why I was actually crying that much) to notice anything I didn't like. Actually, I didn't like that I hadn't packed tissues. I honestly didn't expect to enjoy the film as much as I did, and apart from the whole "boy and tiger in the sea" plot, I had little idea of what to expect anyway. There's also an intriguing plot twist which made me wonder/ponder for days after watching it (again, I shan't ruin anything). 

Ultimately, it is a moving story of survival, strength and hope. It's littered with funny laugh-out-loud moments even in desperate situations, so yes, it is a depressing topic, but it's not depressing. If you're going to watch it - and I think that you should - I really would urge you to see it in the cinema whilst you still can. I simply can't imagine that a DVD would ever provide the same kind of magic I was transfixed by! And I'll leave you with one line (repeated a few times but entirely appropriate and not as cheesy as I make it sound) which you and I can take away from it all: "Above all, do not lose hope."

Bev x

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 ->)

Thanks to Cinderella, every strike of midnight is magical, right? Well the New Year's strike of twelve is the most magical of them all. After countless consecutive years of saying "Next year, I'll watch the fireworks in London", this year I finally ticked it off my bucket list. The buzz of the excited crowd - packed from babies to elderly couples - was like no other, and the backdrop of the London Eye was simply stunning. Say goodbye to one year and hello to the next with a bang. Sadly I was not accompanied by Prince Charming, but when fireworks are that jaw-dropping, well...my prince can wait a little while ;)

Bev x