Recently I went to see the movie adaptation of 'Miss Peregrine's Home For Peculiar Children'. I wasn't quite sure what to expect from the film but, considering it was directed by Tim Burton, I had reasonably high expectations.

I'll begin with the first part of the film. I absolutely loved the opening title sequence and getting to see Tim Burton's interpretation of the pictures that really make the book what it is. We don't often see long opening title sequences in film anymore so this was an interesting, unique addition that gave it an old-fashioned feel. I loved the huge dramatic build up to what turned out to be simply a sunny Florida beach. The film was full of little comedic moments such as that which I really enjoyed. Plus I can't go without mentioning baby Jacob who was absolutely adorable. I will say however that I wasn't one hundred percent sure about the acting during the first few minutes. Whether that was the fault of the script, the actors, or the directions they were given, I wasn't convinced by Jacob and his granddad's "close" relationship.

The cinematography was haunting and very Tim Burton-esque, and the locations were perfect. The Welsh pub Jacob stays at with his father was exactly as I had imagined when reading the book. Even Miss Peregrine's school was almost identical to the picture I had in my head. Tim Burton's style and aesthetic perfectly fitted the story.

The children were also wonderful. Of course I could be completely wrong and they all happened to connect incredibly quickly on set, but it felt as though Tim Burton had made sure the Peculiars bonded pre-filming to really get across the fact that they had been living together for a hundred odd years. The friendship between them was clear on screen, and little details such as Enoch holding Claire's hand were both adorable and added to this.

I know a lot of people were angered by a few of the changes from the book, one being the choice to swap Olive and Emma's peculiarities. Personally I didn't find this swap at all detracted from the film so didn't make a huge difference to me. However neither did this change benefit the plot which made it all the more unnecessary. I will also say that I wasn't such a fan of Emma's personality in the film. She was such a fiery character in the book, and she didn't come across nearly as headstrong. Of course I can't go without mentioning the most obvious and bizarre change: the ending. Even if I could have separated the book from the film I'm still not sure if I would have enjoyed this "battle" scene. I was all right with this alteration, as it didn't hugely impact the overall plot, until the final few minutes. So much was changed for no particular reason: Abe ending up alive, Jacob going through various time periods to get back to Emma, and Miss Peregrine being revealed in her human form. The latter particularly frustrated me as it completely destroyed any possibility of making 'Hollow City' and 'Library of Souls' since the plots so heavily rely on Miss Peregrine being stuck in her bird form. Perhaps they chose to leave it as one film but at least they could have allowed themselves the chance to make the next two if they wanted. Then again, who am I to tell Tim Burton what to do with his movie?

All in all I did really enjoy this film, and had fun watching it which is arguably the most important aspect. The cast were brilliant and surprisingly mainstream (Judi Dench, Chris O'Dowd, Samuel L Jackson and Rupert Everett all made appearances); the cinematography was haunting; and the children were perfectly cast. My only real issue with the film was the ending and the fact that, should they choose to adapt the next two books, the plot will have to be entirely different.

4/5

As someone who loved these books as a child and has watched the 1974 film at least 10 times I adored the nostalgia and memories it brought back to me. Granted I was slightly distracted by my parents who don't seem to have grasped the concept of whispering but nevertheless this new adaptation made me desperate to go back to the Lake District and even to go sailing again which I haven't done in years. The brief shot of Catbells in the background reminded me of the extremely satisfying experience of walking up my first mountain. The overall look of this "reboot" was, despite obviously being much updated, almost identical to the original film. The locations, such as the chidrens' camping spot on the island and their "secret harbour", looked extraordinarily similar to these places I remember so well which only added to the nostalgia.

'Swallows and Amazons' is based on Arthur Ransome's 1930 novel. The story takes place during the Walker family's summer holiday in the Lake District. The four oldest children sail - in their borrowed boat 'Swallow' -  to a deserted island in the centre of Coniston Water. However the island turns out to already have been claimed by Nancy and Peggy Blackett co-owners of 'Amazon'. The two families battle it out on their boats to win the island, naturally putting aside their differences to discover the truth about the mysterious James Turner who lives a secluded life on his houseboat.

The Walker children - excluding the baby of course, although she was very cute - all looked like they could easily be siblings. The family blonde hair certainly helped but the four of them also acted just like brothers and sisters. The chemistry between them was lovely to watch and I actually enjoyed their little sibling tiffs since it made the entire family dynamic much more realistic than the perfect Walker family we see in the books. I feel like I can't review this film without at least mentioning the decision to change Titty's name to "Tatty". I'll agree the change was necessary since I found myself sniggering at her name even when I was 10. I can't help but think that her name should have been changed entirely or at least to something such as "Tilly" as "Tatty" isn't really much better than "Titty" in my opinion. That aside, the children, including the Blackett sisters, were absolutely believable and their childhood innocence was wonderful to witness.


Of course there was the odd change from Ransome's book. The most drastic being the addition of two Russian spies chasing after James Turner (or the pirate, Captain Flint as the children call him). I'm in two minds about this addition to the plot. Firstly, I can understand why it was felt the film needed a little more thrill and drama particularly for a modern audience who, let's be honest, have become almost accustomed to and expectant of explosions and car chases. I didn't feel like it affected the overall plot too much but acted as an exciting extra to a tale which, at its core, is about six children waging a "war" over the right to name an island. On the other hand that's all it is: six children waging a war over the right to name an island, and that's what gives the story is innocent, nonthreatening charm. Having said that the childish appeal was definitely still there along with the genuine comedic moments.

I've read various reviews that have called the film"not timeless but outdated". Who knows, maybe they're right but I certainly felt myself tearing up for pure nostalgic reasons. Some not so good reviews also seem, in my opinion, to have forgotten the target audience is children when they've complained about there not being enough action and blockbuster-esque scenes but I certainly remember being scared out of my wits during their night sail when I was a child. I'm not sure how people who have never read the books or watched the original might react to this new film but I personally loved the humour, excitement and memories it brought back for me.

4/5 stars

I (finally) went to see 'Room' on Saturday and, despite the fact that this is pretty late since a lot of people saw the film long ago, I decided to write about my feelings on it as I thought it was really well done. This review will contain spoilers for both the book and film so if you haven't read/watched I recommend you go and do just that and then come back.


Firstly I want to say that I really really enjoyed this film. That sounds kind of sickening when you know what the story is about but the relationship and chemistry between Jack and his Ma was so beautiful and heartwarming I couldn't get enough of it. Jack, played by 9 year old Jacob Tremblay, was absolutely incredible. When he was sad, I was sad. When he was happy, I was happy too. They couldn't have chosen a better actor to play Jack. Sorry Leo, but I really think Tremblay should have been nominated for that Oscar. Brie Larson played Joy (Ma) and I can confirm that she one hundred percent deserved her Oscar. I could feel both her frustration and love towards Jack as she desperately tried to help him understand their circumstances. None of us can possibly understand what it feels like to be in a situation like Jack and Joy's but Larson's performance somehow gave me a glimpse of what they might be going through.

I finished reading the book just days before watching the film yet I was on the edge of my seat during moments such as the escape scene. I knew exactly what was going to happen next but that didn't stop my heart beating any faster. I'll admit I didn't actually cry but I did well up on several occasions, particularly those between Jack and Joy. I was a little skeptical at first as to how they would manage to keep what was, in my opinion, the most important aspect of the story: Jack's perspective. Since the entire book is told from Jack's point of view the reader is given a  really unique and innocent understanding of the events that unfold in the novel. But the fact that Jack was part of almost, if not all, scenes in the film meant you could clearly tell that this was Jack's outlook we were getting.

However, I would say that there were a few aspects of the book that I think would have fitted well into the film adaptation, such as the explanation of why Joy has continued to breastfeed Jack, and also the fact that Joy had given birth to another baby before Jack as these may have helped someone who hadn't read the book get a deeper insight into what Jack and Joy's lives were really like whilst in Room. I would also say that the brief story line involving Joy's father not wishing to look at Jack because he reminded him of Old Nick could have been developed a little further. I didn't really feel that this was outrightly explained in the film so, again, I think you were at an advantage if you'd read the book first.

Having said that, the film was incredibly moving and they did an extremely good job of keeping me on my toes despite knowing what would happen next. The acting was absolutely mind blowing, and I also appreciated subtle references to their kidnapping such as the glimpse we get of Joy's mother reading 'The Book Thief' in which Max hides away in a basement to escape the Nazis.

4/5 stars

I'm super late with this considering I actually went to see this film the day it was released but I'm reviewing it anyway! And, if you haven't seen the film or read the book don't worry; I will warn you if I'm about to reveal a spoiler.

This film was pretty emotional for me. I saw the first film as soon as it was released, and read the books only weeks before that. I was 13, innocent and small when I discovered 'The Hunger Games'. Now I'm 17, stressed out and still small. I've done a lot of changing in that time (little growing however) but this franchise is something that has been there throughout all of it. I never actually read or watched Harry Potter as a child. I never had the excitement and thrill when the latest book or film came out. This series is essentially my Harry Potter, so you'll understand my slightly biased and emotional connection to it. Every year I've gone to see the latest film on the day it's released, and it broke my heart to watch this one and realise it was all over.

I loved every moment of this film. The special effects were all incredible and so realistic I could easily have been there with them. It had me jumping from my seat on multiple occasions despite being perfectly safe in the cinema. I haven't read the book in several years but I recall it being even darker than the last two. The issues and themes it dealt with - which the previous books lacked in -  were brought wonderfully to the screen.

Despite its political and weighty story line, this film had the just the right amount of comedy. Its dry humour was executed sharply and had the entire cinema chuckling at all the correct moments. The addition of a little comedy also contributed to the depth of each character. As a huge fan of the books and films, and as someone who admits to feeling arguably unnecessary feelings towards various characters, I was already very much invested in each character and their progress throughout this film. I have, however, seen it mentioned in several reviews that audience members who simply attended the screening because it was "the last hunger games film and there wasn't much else on" also felt a similar connection to every character. As I mentioned earlier, I was so drawn into this film it was like I was experiencing everything along with them. This feeling was very much increased by the astounding performances of the cast. Particularly Jennifer Lawrence (Katniss Everdeen), Sam Claflin (Finnick Odair) and Josh Hutcherson (Peeta Mellark). As usual Jennifer Lawrence stunned me in her role as Katniss. It is clear she puts her heart and soul into each scene allowing the audience to entirely connect with her character. Every expression she makes perfectly portrays Katniss' varied emotions and you can see in her eyes the fear she so often experiences. Sam Claflin featured very little in this film, much to my disappointment. This, however, made no difference to Claflin's performance. He mastered every scene and perfectly brought across the hidden emotions of the much-loved Finnick Odair. Peeta Mellark goes through a lot of traumatic experiences in this final film and Josh Hutcherson was so successful in bringing Peeta's difficulties to life it honestly hurt me to watch his character suffer so much.

When it was first announced that the concluding book in the trilogy would be split into two films I was sceptical. Was there enough action in the book to produce two exciting films? Was this simply a ruse to make more money? I can now say that splitting it into two films was a successful idea. It allowed for a lot more detail from the book to be added into the film, something all fans of the books will very much appreciate. One in particular was the *minor spoiler alert* game of "real or not real" played by Peeta and Katniss whilst Peeta struggles to regain his true memories. This addition added a lot more depth to their relationship which was truly heart-wrenching to witness.

Director Francis Lawrence did a wonderful job in bringing one of my favourite trilogies to life. This film was tense, funny and heart-breaking at exactly the right moments and did an incredible job in concluding the franchise. 4.5/5