February Blues

Unfortunately, I spend a lot of my time watching films and I want to share two of my favourites from last month.

Blue Valentine (2010)

Running time: 112 mins 

Certificate: 18

Genre: Drama/Romance

Director: Dereck Cianfrance

Stars: Ryan Gosling, Michelle Williams

IMDB Rating: 7.4/10

My Rating: 8/10 

I am a huge Ryan Gosling fan and am always up for watching a film that he has starred in. And might I add I am not just a fan of his beautiful face. Although my hands up in the air,  because I admit that I first saw Gosling in The Notebook when I was going through my Nicholas Sparks phase. A phase that I am sure most girls my age had as teen. Gosling was the right kind of awkward in his portrayal of Noah and I adore when that seamlessly comes across in a film. Last year I fell in love with The Place BeyondThe Pines and after doing spending some time on google I found out that Gosling and Cianfrance had also worked together on Blue Valentine. If like me you are a fan of the dark, mysterious, mean but loving character type that Gosling tends to play in most of his films, or perhaps just if you have a thing for beautiful but realistic cinema, then this is the film for you. The plot isn’t necessarily a happy one, but the narrative takes many twists and turns which I’m sure will still leave you feeling happy and fulfilled. Gosling plays Dean, an alcoholic father and husband in his late twenties who paints houses for a living. Dean is married to Cindy who is played by the equally beautiful Michelle Williams. Cindy is a young mother who had dreamt of a life much different to the one that she ended up with. Told between flashbacks from the present day back to when Dean and Cindy first met, the narrative tells the story of a marriage that seems as though it should have ended before the film even started. What I adore most about this film is its soundtrack. The best of being Dean and Cindy’s ‘song’ in the film which is titled You and Me by Penny & the Quarters (which apparently, although it was recorded in the 1970’s, hadn’t been released until it was used in the film). The song has a very hopeful sentiment to it which makes the narrative just that little bit more bitter sweet. 

Blue is the Warmest Colour (2013)

Running time: 179 mins

Certificate: 18

Genre: Drama/Romance

Director: Abdellatif Kechiche

Stars: Léa Seydoux, Adèle Exarchopoulos

IMDB Rating: 8/10

My Rating: 7/10

Unless you have been living in a cave for the past few months, or for some bizarre reason you like to steer well clear from social media, then you probably have heard about Abdellatif Kechiche’s Blue is theWarmest Colour. Yes it’s a French film and just like Amelie, everyone who has (and probably those who haven’t) watched it have decided they love it. So don’t watch this film and be that dick who says “OMG I’m a fan of foreign film” because you will sound like exactly that, a dick. Similarly to Blue Valentine, Blue is the Warmest Colour isn’t your average happy/smiley romance film. Instead I would say this is more of a film for the real romantics out there. Set in the present day, BITWC tells the story of Adele (played by Adele Exarchopoulus), a teenage school girl coming to terms with the fact that she is a lesbian. Emma (played by Lea Seydoux), a blue haired art student, helps her to realise this a little faster. Exarchopoulus’ performance is amazing I literally fell in love with her, plus I think her and Seydoux have great chemistry (despite critics saying different). The thing that has lots of people talking about BITWC are the sex scenes. TBH I think that people always have overly high expectations when it comes to films about gay romance and in general they are never pleased. Although the scenes are explicit, I think they rightfully demonstrate the electricity between Adele and Emma. Also at the end of the film Emma makes a little speech that I think clarifies that this is the reason the scenes are so explicit. It is worth a watch for anyone who loves beautiful cinema and beautiful love stories. Seydoux's performance has also made me very excited for The Grand Budapest Hotel which will be released in cinema's 21/3/14!

Speak soon!