Alan Rickman: The Perfect Villain And Much More

If you've read some of my previous posts you'll know I have a thing for Die Hard being The only Christmas movie that everyone should watch, and not just because it has explosions and witty one-liners and action galore but because of the superb Alan Rickman.

Forget Bruce Willis.

Alan Rickman is the man.  Charming, debonair with just the right amount of snark and a voice that could turn you into a swoony puddle.

It's no wonder he made such wickedly wonderful villains.   

Then again he was pretty much wonderful in everything he did.  Whether as the suave Hans Gruber in Die Hard or as the evil Sheriff in Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves or as a the romantic ghost in Truly, Madly, Deeply; if he was in a movie you just knew you had to watch it just for him a lone.

With his sudden passing binge watching all his movies seems like the perfect thing to do so why not check out some of his best work 

From the sick bed... Or Madly Watching All The Things

Being sick sucks.

It's kind of  obvious but I feel I just had to put it out there on behalf of .... well everyone really.  There is though one shining light when one is sick.  When you're at the moment between being not quite capable of standing on two feet without the room swaying from side to side and wishing for death to swallow you up and take you now.

You know the moment.  The one where you can lay on the couch, all snugly with tissues, water and medication nearby and just veg out in front of the television.

It is, as they say, the perfect moment to catch up on all the things you've been missing out on or to indulge in something you love.

Fargo

Dark, comic, and violent, Fargo is The show that everyone is talking about.  And no wonder. Because it is seriously good.

There's murder and blackmail and ruthless hit men and people with funny names.  And it's all set in Minnesota.  In the middle of winter.  Where the temperature can drop to minus 20.

Minus 20

Just a tad chilly then.

So it's the perfect show to curl up on the couch and watch with a hot drink, maybe even a hot toddy.

Penny Dreadful

Seriously dark and twisted Penny Dreadful is just my kind of show.

It also features some famous characters from literature such as Dr Frankenstein and Dorian Gray.  It also features the amazing and always lovely Eva Green.

Who I adore.

That she wasn't nominated for an Emmy or a Golden Globe for her portrayal of the haunted and gutsy Vanessa is a tragedy.

Black Sails

Pirates.

Do I really need to say anything else?

Okay maybe just a little more.

Pirates.  Hunting for treasure. Led by Toby Stephens who is kind of swoon worthy in the bad boy way.

Pretty much sums it up.  It's also pretty damn good. Because Pirates.

Did I mention pirates?

Arrow

I'd be the first to admit that Arrow isn't a great show.  But that's okay because it is a good show.  One that keeps getting better and better with each season.

It's a superhero show. So there's costumes and some kick ass fighting and training scenes.  There is also the awesome Felicity Smoak.  IT girl extraordinaire who is geeky and funny and all-round wonderful.  And there's Olicity moments.  Which as far as I'm concerned is the only OTP (One True Pairing)

And if that doesn't work for you well there's always Stephen Amell's abs.  Which almost deserve a show of there own.

Pure indulgence.

Perception

Quirky, intelligent, entertaining.  These are just a few words that I would use to describe this show.

And it's glorious.  And it's all due to Eric McCormack's (he of Will and Grace fame) portrayal of Dr Daniel Pierce, a neuroscience professor who helps the FBI while at the same time battling his own mental health issue, paranoid schizophrenia.

He's also an fascinating lecturer. So much so that I almost wish his classes were real just so I could attend them.

Pretty incredible for a fictional character.

Angel

I know that I have mentioned this show in the past.  But regularly marathoning my favourite shows is just something that I do.  And this is one that I have been marathoning recently.

Weirdly enough Angel isn't my favourite character.  Instead I adore Fred and Wesley (who becomes a total badass) and of course, Spike.

It also made me cry.  Like buckets.  Because Joss Whedon is a cruel, cruel man.  If you watch season 5 you'll know what I mean.

Happy Birthday Audrey Hepburn

I'm sure many of you would have seen on Google this week that it would've been Audrey Hepburn's 85th birthday on the 4th of May 2014. Audrey is my absolute favourite actress so I couldn't let the occasion go by without writing a blog post about her.

She had a very interesting life not only with her career as an actress but growing up during the second world war and her humanitarian work in later life. Her son Sean Hepburn-Ferrer wrote a book about her entitled Audrey Hepburn, Elegant Spirit if you want to know more about her life. We also have quite a lot of the films she starred in so make sure you watch those sometime. I personally love her in Sabrina so try to at least watch that or the iconic Breakfast at Tiffany's.

Gardens of the World with Audrey Hepburn (1993)

Always (1989)

Wait until Dark (1967)

How to Steal a Million (1966)

My Fair Lady (1964)

Breakfast at Tiffany's (1961)

The Unforgiven (1960)

War and Peace (1956)

Sabrina (1954)

Roman Holiday (1953) 

My favourite new movies

I've been sick the past week so all I've been doing is staying in bed and watching movies, they were all relatively new so I thought I would share with you a few of my favourites out of the pile I watched.

Frozen

I'm a huge Disney fan so I was super excited when Disney's Frozen came out. I love what they're doing with Disney Princesses now too, no more of this giving your voice away for a guy you don't even know shizz. Elsa and Anna are total bad asses and much more human than Disney Princesses of the past. This movie is so much fun that I went out and bought the soundtrack... I really like musicals.

Gravity

I wasn't expecting to like this movie but I really did! I kind of assumed it would be a tons of explosions, no plot line kind of movie but it was actually very interesting. I did find it quite stressful in parts because I was getting so into the story line but I think that's quite a good thing really. I can totally see why this movie got the Oscar for visual effects and other technical aspects of the film, it really is amazing to see what they can create these days.

The Heat

I watched this just a couple of days after watching Gravity and it was amazing to watch Sandra Bullock go from an Astronaut in the very serious and dramatic Gravity to an FBI Agent in The Heat which is pure comedy. This movie is hilarious. Melissa McCarthy is just as funny as Sandra Bullock and the two of them together is just magical. I really hope they do another movie together.

Reality Bites: An Indiana Jones Fantasy

In the AU of my life - that's Alternative Universe for those not in the know - I'd like to think that I was writer or a bookstore owner or even maybe an archaeologist.

Like Daniel Jackson from Stargate, a space traveling archaeologist or even better Bernice Summerfield from Doctor Who, a space traveling, time traveling archaeologist.

I can see myself now, covered in dust and grime, uncovering some amazing galactic discovery that would change the universe with a handsome bad boy space captain by my side.  You know the kind, the one with the sexy grin and the snarky attitude.  Hey it's my fantasy after all and if you're going to dream why not dream big.

Since I'm not an archaeologist or even a historian I have to settle to watching others.  Those that can't... watch or something like that.  And let me tell you there are some amazing documentaries around, so if you're like me and are something of a history buff with a secret yearning to carry a bull whip and act all Indiana Jones then why not check out some, if not all, of the titles below.

Vikings presented by Neil Oliver

The world of the Vikings has always intrigued me, maybe because I have my very own Viking, so learning about these warrior people was something I've always wanted to do.

Even better, presenter and archaeologist Neil Oliver really knows his stuff and makes it all come alive.

A History of Scotland by Neil Oliver

Not only an archaeologist, Neil Oliver is also a Scotsman so it was probably only natural that he would do a documentary about the land of his birth.

Personally I could listen to him all day just for his Scottish accent alone.  A man with brains and a sexy accent. Pretty much a winner really.

Andrew Marr's History of the World

A fascinating look at some of the lesser well known aspects of world history with some insightful parallels made between the past and what is happening in today's world.

This is history through a journalist's eyes and well worth watching.

Beneath the Sands : Ancient Egypt Revealed

Egypt.

Land of the Pharaohs. The Spinx. Lost treasures and curses. Death on the Nile

Agatha Christie is totally to blame.

Although I could do without the death & murder part.  The 1920's clothes on the other hand...

Origins of Us

Archaeology is much more than the history of the world.  It is also the history of us.

Where did we come from?

Why are we the way we are?

How did we evolve?

Mankind The Story of All of Us 

The History Channel is made for people like me.  I could, if I had the time and the access, pretty much watch it all day.  Luckily I don't because death by history overdose might just raise a few strange queries.

Instead I can drip feed myself all courtesy of the libraries dvd collection.

The Crusades

Knights and swords and battles, The crusades is an era of history that captives the imaginations of many.

It was also an era that was bloody and brutal and with no true winner and the outcome of this echoes throughout history right up to today, with the implications effecting both the West and East and all over one little city, Jerusalem.

Indian Ocean with Simon Reeve

In my new favourite documentary series Indian Ocean with Simon Reeve (and I don't say that lightly; you know how I feel about David Attenborough) Simon Reeve travels around some of the countries that boarder the Indian Ocean. Including but not limited to: South Africa, Madagascar, Seychelles, Somalia, Indonesia and Australia. This show is super interesting and Simon is a brilliant host so I highly recommend it. Plus there's a Turtle in pretty much every episode and Turtles are one of the cutest animals in the whole word and if you don't like them you have no soul.

The thing I absolutely love about this show is that it doesn't skip over the sad or slightly less pretty parts of these countries. Not only does it show you the beautiful beaches, amazing culture and totally rad turtles but it covers shark fining in Mozambique, the drug trade in South Africa and the pirates in Somalia among other harsh truths.

I have learned so much watching this show, it's a really awesome look into how the Indian Ocean effects the lives of so many different places, people and animals.

(Plus Simon Reeve is super handsome).

This month I'm loving...

Online chatting.

Whether it's via twitter or a forum I just have to say it's absolutely *awesome*.

The conversations that people have online are intelligent, interesting and inspirational.  They are also - quite often in fact - really funny.  Where else can you chat about the books with outlandish titles, linear writing vs free-form writing (or chapter hopping as I call it - and which I am entirely notorious for doing in my own writing) and which TV show pairing is awesome or just plain icky and voice your opinion that the she or he of such pairing should be killed, preferably in the most gruesome way possible.

I always come away from these chats with a warm, glowy feel-good feeling that helps to inspire and encourage me throughout the day.  I also often come away with an ever increasing list of music to listen to, things to read and movies/TV shows to watch.  So much so that I've pretty much given up the idea that I will ever get my To-be-read, watched and listen to pile down. 

And that's exactly how I like it.

Pitch Perfect

I found out about this movie entirely from twitter conversations which raved about it. So of course I just had to check it out.

As you do.

It's funny, has awesome female characters and some great singing.  It also has The Cup song.  And if you don't know what this is then you really do need to check it out.  It just might make you want to watch this movie for that scene alone.

Bleak Expectations

I *adore* Anthony Head, better known as Giles from Buffy as well as a realm of British TV shows and the Nescafe coffee ads from the late 80's.

I now adore him even more after listening to this radio comedy in which he plays Mr Gently Benevolent, the sinister villain. 

Bleak Expectations is a silly, hammy and utterly irreverent take on just about every Charles Dickens novel written plus a few others.  My favourite was the War of The Worlds send-up of which I will probably never look at in quite the same way again.

Reviver by Seth Patrick

"Jonah Miller is a Reviver, able to temporarily revive the dead so they can say goodbye to their loved ones--or tell the police who killed them. But while reviving the victim of a brutal murder, he encounters a terrifying presence. Something is on the other side watching..."

A crime novel.  A horror novel. A science fiction novel. Reviver combines them all in this creepy and absorbing read.

172 Hours On The Moon by Johan Harstad

"More than forty years since the first moon landing,  no-one has been back since then - until now. Three teenagers are about to find out why..."

Blood-curling creepy.  The ending will just blow your mind.

Pretty Girl-13 by Liz Coley

"16 year old Angie finds herself in her neighborhood with no recollection of her abduction or the 3 years that have passed since, until alternate personalities start telling her their stories through letters."

Gripping and sad, Pretty Girl-13 is a story of a girl trying to come back after the truly horrific has happened to her.

Backtrack by Jason Dean

"James Bishop is no stranger to being on the wrong side of the law. Finally a free man, with his name cleared, he has the chance to get his life back on track. But as he flees the scene of the hold-up with a terrified hostage, he once again finds himself a wanted man."

This novel starts out one way and then takes a complete 180 and spins everything you thought you know on its head.  Don't you just love stories that do that?

Marathons: A Pure Indulgence (Part 4): Teenage Angst

I haven't been a teenager for quite a few years but you wouldn't think it if you met me.  I am, it seems, permanently stuck as a geeky 14 year old.  So it probably comes as no surprise that I have a secret passion for teen shows.

Some people love watching soaps and others reality shows but for me my addiction is for trashy, angsty teen shows.  The angstier the better.

It's kind of sad really...

Gilmore Girls

Gilmore Girls is my go to show.  The show I watch when I just want to unwind and veg out and marvel at the sheer amazingness that it is.

There's snappy dialogue, pop culture references galore and quirky, eccentric characters.  And even better a character who loves books!

As you can imagine it was pretty much a given that I was going to love this show.

Awkward

A little more raunchy than GG (Gilmore Girls) ... because hey it's MTV, Awkward is funny, realistic comedy about the issues facing teens.

There's problems with parents and school and boys and that's only the beginning.  Because life for Jenna is never easy... especially when everyone thinks her accident was in fact a suicide attempt gone wrong.

Life sure can suck sometimes

Gossip Girl

Pretty, rich teens, doing pretty, rich things and wearing pretty, expensive clothing.

Yeah I can so relate...

Still that's part of its charm.

After all everyone needs some fantasy...

Glee

Any show that features singing, dancing high school students has got my vote. Especially when it has a sense of humour like this show does and features the wonderful Jane Lynch.

I *adore* Jane Lynch which is reason enough to watch this show.

Veronica Mars

Forget Nancy Drew.  Veronica Mars is so much better. Think Nancy D meets Dawson's Creek with a touch of Twin Peaks thrown in.

Wonderfully brilliant, the show has such a following that a massive fundraising campaign by fans resulted in a movie being made - due for release sometime next year.

How cool is that.

Pretty little liars

Secrets. Lies. Betrayals.

Pretty Little Liars is so my kind of thing.  So it's kind of shocking that I haven't even watched it. yet... something I am definitely going to be fixing with a massive marathon session some time soon.

Dawson's Creek

I'm almost embarrassed to admit that I liked this show.

Dawson was an annoying dude who I just wanted to slap across the face and tell him to "man up" and Joey was a dithering mess who couldn't seem to decide what she wanted.

The fact that I liked it despite these short comings just goes to show what teenage angst can do for the brain.  Then again Pacey (Joshua Jackson) was a dream... after all any guy who names his boat True Love (watch High Society & you'll understand) just to declare his love is a definite winner.

John Hughes and Other 80's Teen Flicks

I just had to include a list of these movies because Reasons.

The music alone is enough reason to watch them.  If I had it my way every teenager today would be made to watch these as a Saturday night marathon.  Along with bowls of buttery popcorn, M&M's and vast amounts of Coke Cola.

The Breakfast Club              Pretty in Pink
Sixteen Candles                  Say Anything
Ferris Bueller's Day Off        Footloose

They'll Never Win An Oscar But Do We Really Care...

I thought about doing an Oscar's post (hence the title) but then wondered do we really care about the Oscars?

It's always interesting to find out who wins and take a peek at the fashions the stars are wearing but at the end of the day how many of us remember which movie won an Oscar and which didn't? And does any of it really affect our viewing habits and the movies that we love.

So instead I've decided to dedicate this post to the movies that don't get much (if any recognition).  The movies that are our guilty pleasures that cheer us up when we're down or that we enjoy just for the hell of it.

These are the movies we love.  That we wallow in when we're bored or sad or just wanting to veg out in front of the TV.

Some of these movies are so bad that their actually good.  There are also movies that were good all along but  rarely acknowledged and then there are the movies that we just love and we don't care if others think we're mad for liking them.

So what are your favourite movies to wallow in?

Pretty in Pink

"She's a high school girl from the wrong side of town. He's the wealthy heartthrob who asks her to the prom. But as fast as their romance builds, it's threatened by the painful reality of peer pressure."

I make no apologies for this movie or the one below being on this list.  

80's movies aimed at teens were the best.  Featuring great music, romance, and rebellion - these are perfect movies to put you in a feel good frame of mind and take you back to your teenage years.

Also check out: The Breakfast Club, Sixteen Candles, Some Kind of Wonderful, Say Anything.
Footloose

"A city-boy moves to a small Midwestern town where the local officials have banned dancing and rock 'n roll music."

Ahhh Kevin Bacon.

Better known now as the husband of Kyra Sedgwick (The Closer) and the star of new show The Following, he was back in the 80's a fresh face young guy who knew how to dance.

Forget the remake, this is the only Footloose movie you need to see.

Also check out: Dirty Dancing, Flashdance, Fame

Withnail and I 

"Two down-and-out British actors leave their city life for a disastrous vacation in the country with an eccentric uncle."

I saw Paul McGann at a convention a few years ago and he was brilliant.

Funny and interesting and filled with great stories and yes he talked about Withnail and I, a movie he still gets people asking about and begging for him to quote lines from.

Also check out: Trainspotting, Quarophenia, Human Traffic, Rushmore, Ghost World.
 
Starship Troopers

"Courageous soldiers travel to the distant and desolate Klendathu system for the ultimate showdown between the species."

You've gotta love a movie that is this bad and luckily for the movie itself there are people out there who do.

It has bad acting, a bunch of pretty boys and girls who try to act all badass, aliens from outer space and plenty of blood and gore. It is also wonderfully funny, something I an sure wasn't the intention in the first place but which has earned it it's cult following.

Also check out any of the following (the acting is heaps better): Any of the Alien franchise,  Predator (1 & 2), Tremors.

The Lost Boys

"When two brothers move to the sleepy town of Santa Carla one of them begins to undergo a change..."

Before their was Twilight or Vampire Diaries or even Buffy there was The Lost Boys. Vampires who were ruthless killers with a touch of pretty boy thrown in for good measure. 

Also check out: Near Dark, Fright Night (the original 1985 version), John Carpenters Vampires, From Dusk to Dawn.

Miller's Crossing

"During prohibition two gangland bosses struggle for control over a city, with one of the boss's lieutenants caught in the middle."
  
This one of those great movie's that didn't  get the recognition it deserved when it was first released but luckily is now seen as one of the best crime movies ever made.

Also check out: Any of the Coen brothers other movies (Fargo, Blood Simple, No Country For Old Men, Raising Arizona, The Big Lebowski),  GoodFellas, Once Upon A Time In America.

Dazed and confused

"The adventures of incoming high school and junior high students on the last day of school, in May of 1976."

Stoners, skaters, jocks and geeks this movie features them all as well as an awesome 70's classic rock soundtrack.  It's worth watching this movie just for the soundtrack alone.

Also check out: Fast Times at Ridgemont High, Empire Records, American Graffiti

The Princess bride 
 
"The adventures of Buttercup, the most beautiful woman in the world, and Westley, the man she loves, in the fairytale kingdom of Florin."

Probably one of my all time favourite movies.  I ADORE Princess Bride. The writing, the acting, the story are all just beautiful.

This is how a fairytale should be told.

Also check out: The Neverending Story, Labyrinth,

And some more cult favourites you may want to check out: Planet of the Apes (1968 version), Beetlejuice, Cherry 2000, Go, The Evil Dead, Army of Darkness, Reservoir Dogs, Highlander, The Fifth Element, Conan the Barbarian (1982 version), Red Sonja.

Shoot Them Up, Blow Them Up: My Kind of Valentine

Don't you just hate it when a perfectly good action story is ruined by an romantic interlude.  And I don't just mean a quick kiss and "I love you honey" type of thing.  I'm talking full out romance, the drawn out looks, the long speech, the whole package.

I mean come on... we've got time to declare our undying love for each other while people are shooting at us and the world is generally going to hell with a handgun.

Really???

Somehow I don't think so.

And it's kind of sad that writers think that the only way a woman can enjoy a action story is to have some romance thrown in.  Personally I enjoy nothing more than a shoot them up, blow them up kind of movie where the romance is minimal or even better non existent.

Now don't get me wrong. I'm a big believer in romance - of all varieties.  Whether it's true love, soul mates, love at first sight, I'm there.  I just don't need romance for the sake of romance or because I'm a chick.

I'd much rather have an action story be what it is: gripping, exciting with the odd touch of humour and filled with explosions, kick ass fighting, baddies to cheer for and men who don't take no for an answer.

Skyfall

How can you go wrong with a James Bond movie and the latest is definitely one of the best.  There's a baddie whose a little bit psycho, explosions, shoot outs and kick ass fighting.

God this is so my kind of movie and the perfect movie to watch on Valentine's Day.

After all nothing says romance like 'Honey pass me the gun so I can kill some bad guys'  
 The Avengers

I've been a fan of Joss Whedon for years.  After all he created one of the best shows ever in the form of Buffy the Vampire Slayer and he is just brilliant at creating and writing well rounded characters, flaws and all.

So hearing that he wrote and directed The Avengers was more than reason enough to see it and of course it doesn't disappoint.  The characters aren't quite as fleshed out but then again this is a movie not a TV series so time is limited.  There is though enough of his usual touches with some great one liners and moments of humour plus some serious ass kicking.

The Long Kiss Goodnight

 Now this is my kind of movie.

A heroine who doesn't need rescuing but who can quite easily rescue herself and take out a few bad guys along the way.

Even better she gives the ultimate pay back to a lover gone bad. Yes!


Aliens

Another kick ass heroine and one of the best action sci-fi movies ever made. This is the ultimate movie.  And one where fans know the words line by line (trust me - having witness a cinema full of guys quoting the lines at an anniversary screening was one of the funniest thing... EVER!)

This time the baddies aren't CIA or criminals on the run but aliens who are out to make your life hell.

Don't you just hate it when the world needs rescuing from suck face aliens.

Die Hard

Die Hard is not only my go to movie for Christmas but is also a perfect Valentine's Day movie.

There's the divinely wonderful baddie in the form of Alan Rickman (be still my beating heart...), explosions galore and one liners that make the heart flutter.

Who needs romance when you've got terrorists to cheer for.

Kick Ass

A boy who wants to be a super-hero meets a girl who kind of is.

Kick Ass the movie might be called but Hit Girl is the star of this all out bloody, funny, action movie.

With her purple hair, cool cape and black eye mask Hit Girl is the idol of many a girl (and women).

Even better Kick Ass 2 is due for release later this year and Hit Girl is back, older and badassier than ever.

Person of Interest

There is no romance in this show except for the bromance (and those out there know what I mean) between the characters of Reese and Finch, and it's perfect because of that.

Finch is the brains and Reese... well he's the muscle.  A stealthy,  deadlier, shoot-first-ask-questions-later kind of guy and between them their out to help 'The Machine' save the lives of people who find themselves in bad situations.

It's a perfect blend of conspiracy, corruption, crime and ... comrade-a-ship.

All I can say is... bring on the mayhem!