Top 5 for Friday - A Right Royal Knees Up

Whichever way you turn this week, it is hard to avoid the fact that on the other side of the world a certain family is having a "small" ceremony as one of their clan ties the knot. We have got right into the spirit of things here at Warkworth Library with my Mum's wedding dress taking pride of place in our display (her reaction when I rang up to see if she still had it and if I could borrow it are a subject for a whole other day).

For today's Top 5 I have a list of movies you can watch to warm you up for the main event. Whether they concentrate on royalty or matrimony, there is something here for everyone (if you haven't already overdosed on "the wedding")

1. Kings & Queens: the real dramas of Britain's greatest monarchs. If you are a bit of an English History buff like me (one of the highlights of my Northern Hemisphere jaunt several years ago was walking through the Tower of London on the same stones as all the people I had only read about in books) then this documentary is for you. In a thousand years, the British monarchy has evolved from divinely appointed warrior kings to benign political figureheads. Among them are some of the most fascinating historical figures - conquerors, murderers, lovers and schemers. Their gripping stories - from Henry II's 'murder' of Thomas A'Becket to George III's loss of America - are at the heart of the nation's history. From this millenium of violence, romance, intrigue and controversy, Cambridge University's Dr Nigel Spivey tells the stories of twelve great kings and queens. At the scenes of the decisive moments in British history, accompanied by dramatic reconstructions, he pieces together the incidents, battles and motivations that shaped their lives.


2. The Queen. It sometimes seems strange to watch a movie about a past so recent that we actually lived through it. I got that feeling several times watching this movie about the reaction of the royal family, and especially Queen Elizabeth II in the aftermath of the death of Princess Diana. However in much the same way that I am in awe of the actors who created The King's Speech, this movie is worth watching just for the performance of Dame Helen Mirren. An intimate, moving portrait of Queen Elizabeth and Tony Blair following the untimely death of Princess Diana. The Queen's restrained reaction causes a public relations debacle that Prime Minister Blair must defuse. The two struggle to reach a compromise between what was a private tragedy for the Royal family and the public's demand for an open display of mourning.


3. Four Weddings and a Funeral. It's not royalty but it is English and there are weddings. And it is heaps of light-hearted fun which is always good for a rainy afternoon. A young man meets and falls in love with a young woman while attending various weddings (and a funeral), including her wedding to someone else, and his to another woman.


4. Elizabeth. The life of Queen Elizabeth I has been the subject of several movies. One of the best stars Cate Blanchett and Geoffrey Rush. Queen Elizabeth I must learn to weigh her counsel carefully and ignore her private yearnings if she is to keep her crown, and her head. A thriller of intrigue in the court of one of history's greatest monarchs.


5. Sione's Wedding. Neither British or royal, this home grown comedy is another movie that can bear rewatching over and over. I can't wait for the sequel that is currently being filmed (one of our Auckland libraries was used for a scene recently). Meet best friends Michael, Albert, Stanley and Sefa; the ladies' man, the good boy, the weird one and the party boy. They're staring down the barrel of their thirtieth birthdays, but still act as if they're sixteen; they get drunk, they chase the wrong women and they have a remarkable record of misbehaving and causing chaos at every wedding they attend. But now Michael's younger brother Sione is getting married, and everything is about to change. Sione is their boy, the kid they used to look after, who grew up while they were still partying. And to ensure his big day isn't spoiled by his boys and their idiot antics, Sione has issued an ultimatum; the guys all have to bring dates to the wedding. And not just any dates; real girlfriends, someone they've made a commitment to. They have one month. So just how hard can it be to get a date for your best boy's wedding?

So whether you are sitting down for Tea and Tiara's tonight, are dressing up or are ignoring it completely and cheering the Breakers on instead, have an awesome day, night and weekend.

Go the Breakers!!