Jess (Drew Barrymore) and Milly (Toni Colette) have been best friends since they were children sharing every aspect of their lives. Milly is a uber-fashionable, sexy, successful PR agent, married to Kit (Dominic Cooper) with two children and Jess is a bit of a hippy spirit working for a charity with her partner, Jago (Paddy Considine). When Milly discovers she has cancer, Jess immediately wants to take care of her but as the disease starts to strip away every element of Milly’s identity her relationships with everyone especially Jess start to suffer. I went to see this with my bestie, Dawn, who has been my other half for eleven years now and it was very easy to see elements of our relationship in the film since we have been as close as family if not more so since we moved to London together. As a look at how female friendships work, Miss You Already is very affecting and it demonstrates how sometimes our relationships with our friends are as complex and important as our relationships with our spouses. When it comes to looking at how facing illness and mortality affects individuals as well as their loved ones also packs a punch and while there are moments of sentimentality the story isn’t afraid to face up to the uglier side of cancer both physical and emotional. Unsurprisingly Colette is a powerhouse, which isn’t quite matched by Barrymore but the two have great chemistry and the central friendship is very believable. It’s not all roses (and tissues) though. There are lapses in pace that make Miss You Already feel longer than its 112 minutes. I also felt like Milly’s dalliance with a hot younger man (even though it was Tyson Ritter, because I mean who wouldn’t) to make herself feel attractive again was a bit cliche. Go and see it with your best girlfriend. Take tissues. 3/5
Remember that time I did a shit on a swan?
When Wallace (Daniel Radcliffe) meets Chantry (Zoe Kazan) at his best friend, Allan’s (Adam Driver) party he immediately feels a connection with her. The only problem is that Chantry has a long term serious boyfriend in the form of UN copyright lawyer, Ben (Rafe Spall). The two become friends, regularly hanging out with Chantry unaware of Wallace’s feelings for her. When Ben is offered a six month secondment to Dublin, Chantry stays behind driving her and Wallace closer but how far can just friends go before something has to give?I went into this film with very low expectations and was very pleasantly surprised. With a core themes of the nature of love and whether platonic friendship between men and women can really exist, there isn’t anything particularly new and unique here. However, Kazan is as adorable and charming as ever, the dialogue is snappy and often absolutely hilarious and Allan’s whirlwind relationship with his girlfriend, Nicole (Mackenzie Davis) is so much fun to watch. The only downside is Radcliffe. He gives a perfectly serviceable performance and he and Kazan have chemistry but both myself and my friend, Neil, who watched this with me just couldn’t buy him as a romantic lead. I guess in some ways he will always be Harry Potter and it doesn’t help that he’s a little midget man. If you fancy a funny rom-com that runs like an updated version of When Harry Met Sally you’ve found it. Recommended. 3.5/5
So I whipped out my wand and said, ‘do you remember that time I did a shit on a swan?’
Nat (Rose Byrne) and Josh (Rafe Spall) get married after a whirlwind courtship. It doesn’t take them long to realise that they barely know each other and that they might not really be suited to each other at all. In the meantime Nat starts working with Guy (Simon Baker) who she quite fancies and Josh reconnects with his ex (Anna Faris). As you can tell from this brief description that sums up the entire film that there isn’t really enough here for a whole film so writer-director, Dan Mazer pads it out with Stephen Merchant being cringeworthily crude, a bad threesome and Minne Driver and Jason Flemyng (who I usually love) playing Josh’s annoying sister and brother-in-law. It’s all crap and boring and I found it almost impossible to pay any attention to this waste of film. Avoid. 0/5
And I have never loved you more than that time you did a shit on a swan…
Tom Hanks, Jim Broadbent, Halle Berry, Jim Sturgess, Doona Bae, Ben Wishaw and others play a series of different characters through various points of history that are loosely connected together in this adaptation of the David Mitchell novel. The stories include a young composer working with an older musical legend who holds his future in his hands, a journalist investigating a corporate scandal, a lawyer helping an stowaway slave, a replicant concubine attempting to escape her faith and a savage dystopian future society under threat. For the most part this film was critically panned and I can see why. Not all the stories come together as they should, some of the make-up and accents don’t work and the whole thing is very jumbled and very long. On the other hand I found the majority of the story threads really compelling, the performances outstanding and like anything involving the Wachowskis it looked unbelievable. My favourite story was the one about the relationship between Adam Ewing (Sturgess) and Autua (David Gyasi), the slave he saved and ultimately saved him. I could see the connected themes of freedom, control and the idea of whether we live on after we die and even though I ran out of steam about 120 minutes into Cloud Atlas’ bloated running time I have to say I enjoyed it. Now hows that for a confusing review? 3/5
You really shouldn’t have taken that shit on that swan
abbiosbiston 
Love the “avoid 0/5” 🙂
I would definitely not recommend it!
I really liked What If, but I don’t think I’ve watched any of others. Will definitely avoid Give It a Year then hahaha
It’s not the worst film I have ever seen but it’s right up in the ranks!
Yeah, I think I’ll just stay away from it.
I haven’t watched any of these. What If sounds like something that might be enjoyable for me. I’ll take your advice and avoid I give it a Year. 😀 Good post!
What If is such fun. We really laughed from beginning to end.
Give it a year sounds like Give it a Miss haha. I tried reading Cloud Atlas but it was just so long and slow. What do you think of Rafe Spall?
I loved Cloud Atlas but it’s very post modern and I can see it being a bit much.
I like Rafe Spall. I think he’s great at playing a bit of a dick. I think he has a long way to go though to match his father’s talent.
Okay, I had to google the “shitting on a swan” thing. Lol. Mighty Boosh? I watched two of those once! Anyway, how have I missed a Drew Barrymore movie? Too bad I have no female friends to see it with. 😉 I gotta watch Cloud Atlas but the book confused me – I’m way too dumb. Maybe I’ll watch that What If one but I’ll take your advice & avoid the other one!
Boosh indeed. I am a big fan! If the book of Cloud Atlas wasn’t for you I am not sure the film would be either.
And you do have female friends… some of us are just a bit virtual 😉
saw what if…it was ok nothing special.
turned off cloud atlas because it was so bad
havent heard of the other two
I think Cloud Altas is always going to be a bit love-hate.
For me hate 😉
I know someone who worked as an extra on “I Give it a Year” – maybe I should send your review to him! 😉 😛
Oh dear! I am sure he was the best thing in it!
Hehe! He probably was! 😛
I might give What If a rent, I like Zoe Kazan in Ruby Sparks and I’m curious to see Radcliffe in a rom-com 🙂
Zoe Kazan is just adorable in this. If you liked her in Ruby Sparks you’ll definitely enjoy this.
Seriously skipping ONE on here, but the rest I still need to look into!
I bet I can guess which one. Lol!