What I'm Watching #1

Hey everyone!

So I'm starting a new series today just based on what I'm watching. With the amount I watch (seriously, it's unhealthy) I figured I might as well put it to some good use! 90% of the time I can be caught starfished out on my bed, my hair scraped into a messy bun and gorming in front of my TV. I'm that lazy.

 

 

Vampire Academy (2014)

Starring: Zoey Deutch, Lucy Fry, Danila Kozlovsky, Dominic Sherwood, Sarah Hyland.

Rose Hathaway is a Dhampir, half human-half vampire, a guardian of the Moroi, peaceful, mortal vampires living discreetly within our world. Her calling is to protect the Moroi from bloodthirsty, immortal Vampires, the Strigoi.

Let me just start this one by saying, I have been waiting for this film for years. And by years, I mean 7 to be exact. Ever since I read the first Vampire Academy book, the characters have stuck with me, to the point that every six months I pretty much froth at the mouth in anticipation of the next book.. So when this film was announced last year, I screamed in delight. Like actually screamed and scared my parents half to death.

As this film was released in America first, I did my research and found that fans either loved it, or well...didn't. Thankfully I fall on the 'love' side, as in my opinion it sticks quite true to the books, getting all the crucial details into the film and even adding some additional comical moments. Zoey Deutch is amazing in her portrayal of the main character Rose Hathaway, bringing out Rose's sarcasm and wit perfectly. And Danila Kozlovsky as Dimitri Belikov...just wow, he's as perfect as I imagined.

In short, this film has everything; action, romance, comedy...the works!

Tucker & Dale vs. Evil (2010)

Starring: Alan Tudyk, Tyler Labine, Katrina Bowden, Jesse Moss.

Tucker and Dale are on vacation at their dilapidated mountain cabin when they they are attacked by a group of preppy college kids.

Even though this film came out a few years ago, I only had the privilege of seeing it this year. Initially I didn't know what it was about and it didn't really jump out at me, I only saw it in passing on Netflix. However someone convinced me to give it a try, and I'm glad they did as it was nothing like I expected!

Initially I thought it was just a low budget horror film, but it's actually more of a horror comedy. Any fan of horror films knows the typical set up: a bunch of college students in the woods are stalked by some crazy hillbillies or similar. This film is perfect in that it reverses the typical dynamic; the typical killers are actually just misunderstood, and the events of the film are just typical misfortune. 

Safe Haven (2013)

Starring: Julianne Hough, Josh Duhamel, Cobie Smulders, David Lyons.

A young woman with a mysterious past lands in Southport, North Carolina where her bond with a widower forces her to confront the dark secret that haunts her.

Based on a Nicholas Sparks novel, Safe Haven focuses on a woman escaping an abusive relationship. Escaping to a new town, she has a chance for a fresh start but eventually her past manages to track her down.

One thing that stuck out for me in this film was Cobie Smulders' performance, she is exceptional! Especially towards the end, my heartstrings were being tugged quite a bit. I don't want to spoil it for anyone, but it is emotional!

Overall, its quite a feel good film. I'm not 100% into romance films as they're too unrealistic for my liking (cynical I know), but this one is pretty decent in my opinion.

Evil Dead (2013)

Starring: Jane Levy, Shiloh Fernandez, Lou Taylor Pucci, Jessica Lucas, Elizabeth Blackmore.

Five friends head to a remote cabin, where the discovery of a Book of the Dead leads them to unwittingly summon up demons living in the nearby woods. The evil presence possesses them until only one is left to fight for survival.

This was a film that I had been looking forward to for ages when it first came out. I'm a fan of classic horror films, and as such the original 'Evil Dead' was possibly one of my favourites. So when I heard about a remake, I was both excited and wary - what if it didn't live up to the original?

Thankfully that's not the case here - it's not a remake as such, but rather a kind of new take on it. For gore fans there's PLENTY in this film; I can remember seeing it in the cinema and jeez was I shocked! There's even an inventive little scene featuring an electric meat cutter. I won't say much more...

 

 

Orange is the New Black (2013-)

Starring: Taylor Schilling, Laura Prepon, Kate Mulgrew, Natasha Lyonne, Jason Biggs.

The story of Piper Chapman, a woman in her thirties who is sentenced to fifteen months in prison after being convicted of a decade-old crime of transporting money for her drug-dealing girlfriend.

Ah, OITNB. Of course this beauty would be here somewhere. It seems everyone's gone crazy for this recently, and honestly who can blame them? I first heard about this through my friend, who wouldn't stop gushing about it to me. When I looked it up, I didn't really think it was my kind of thing. But when I started watching it, I couldn't have been more wrong. I think I honestly need to stop being quite so judgmental when it comes to TV shows and films!

Piper Chapman is imprisoned for a crime she committed a decade earlier, and at first we're made to sympathize with her. However as the episodes go on, I found myself feeling less sorry for her, and actually more interested in the back stories of the other characters. One storyline I particularly love is that of Daya and Bennett (I may have a slight crush on him), and I can't wait to see how it all pans out. And I adore Laura Prepon's portrayal of Piper's ex Alex Vause. At first I think we're actually meant to dislike her because of the role she plays in Piper's imprisonment, but I actually warmed to the character quickly. I think I actually love her just a little bit!

Aftershock (2012)

Starring: Eli Roth, Andrea Osvárt, Ariel Levy, Lorenza Izzo, Nicolás Martínez.

In Chile, a group of travelers who are in an underground nightclub when a massive earthquake hits quickly learn that reaching the surface is just the beginning of their nightmare.

This film me and a friend actually just stumbled across by accident when looking for a film to watch one day, and it was pretty much just one of those 'eh, why not' moments. What I found weird was Eli Roth, acting. I know he's had a few minor roles in films I've seen before (Piranha), but I've never actually seen him in a main role before. I guess I'm just used to him directing and such!

Anyway, Aftershock is another one of the films I'd recommend if you're after gore. It takes a while to get to the basis of the film (the first 30 minutes or so seem to be dedicated to setting up the characters) unlike other horror films. Whilst it had it's certain good moments, I had trouble completely believing in the film. I know there's a certain 'suspension of disbelief' you need when watching films, but still...to believe that after an earthquake society would go completely downhill as it does in this film? It seemed a little farfetched for my liking. And especially the ending.

The Cabin In The Woods (2012)

Starring: Kristen Connolly, Chris Hemsworth, Anna Hutchison, Fran Kranz, Jesse Williams.

Five friends go for a break at a remote cabin in the woods, where they get more than they bargained for. Together, they must discover the truth behind the cabin in the woods.

Yet another horror film (sorry guys, I promise the next installment will be a bit more upbeat!). I must admit, this one I watched purely for Chris Hemsworth (drool). As far as your typical 'cabin in the woods' type horror films go, this is actually surprisingly different. Sure there's the cliché characters, but the way it all pans out is surprising, leaving with a bit of an 'eh what just happened' kind of ending.

How I Met Your Mother (2005-2014)

Starring: Josh Radnor, Jason Segel, Cobie Smulders, Neil Patrick Harris, Alyson Hannigan.

Ted searches for the woman of his dreams in New York City with the help of his four best friends.

After finishing OITNB, I was in need of a new TV show to binge watch. And after setting up my Xbox so it received the american version of netflix, I was immediately greeted with HIMYM. I'd seen an odd episode here and there on TV, but never watched it properly. Some of the episodes I'd seen were the later ones, so it was weird watching it from the beginning when I knew where some of the characters would end up.

What struck me most was how similar I was to Ted - a few failed relationships but never willing to give up on finding true love. It was weird to say the least. My favourite character has to be Barney - I mean, how can one guy be so amazing? I think its the suits. No scratch that, it's definitely the suits.

Overall HIMYM is a perfect comedy and could be a hit with anyone given the chance. One thing that annoyed me though was there's only 8 seasons on Netflix (I didn't know there was 9 seasons in total). So when I got to the end I almost screamed in frustration, especially when we finally get to see who the mother is, only then to be denied the 9th season! Netflix, I'm unimpressed with you, how could you?!

There it is, a few things I've been watching this week! How about you, do you have any recommendations for me?

❤