Tag: films

News

Oscar 2021 Nominations Make History

Post author By Suzanne Robinson
Post date March 16, 2021
No Comments on Oscar 2021 Nominations Make History

Emerald Fennell who is nominated for best director at the 2021 Oscars for Promising Young Woman

Two women have been nominated for best director at this years Oscars. I don’t understand why more women haven’t been nominated over the years.

Not only have there been nominations for women in this years Oscars but there has been more people of colour nominated as well, and about bloody time.

Promising Young Woman

Promising Young Woman is a black comedy thriller that is stunning to watch. I was lucky to see it at Mt Vic Flicks a while ago now.

The film was written, produced and directed by Emerald Fennell who has been the show runner for Killing Eve (another one of my favourite shows). Promising Young Woman was Emerald Fennell’s directoral debut.

Promising Young Woman received the best original screenplay at the Critics’ Choice Awards, has been nominated at the Golden Globes for Best Screenplay, Best Film and Best Director.

Carey Mulligan who plays Cassie Thomas seeks revenge for her best friends rape at medical school. Mulligan plays the strategic Cassie so well that you are in the world of revenge and you want to help Cassie get justice too. I did find it sad that both Cassie and her best mate lost their lives to a horrible tragedy with the sexual assault and rape. You find out that her friend who was raped killed herself and Cassie has been seeking revenge for her bestie ever since. Both girls were at the top of their class and could have been amazing doctors and who knows, cure a disease we have been trying to rid the world of. I do understand the anger and upset but I am saddened that something like this ruins lives and makes people drop out of school, change direction and not live the life they deserve or have been working towards. It is also sad that it shows yet again that men and boys get protected and the women and girls doubted and not taken seriously when they take incidents like this to higher channels to get resolved and of course have the boys or men charged and answer for their crimes. After seeing this movie with a girlfriend of mine I remarked that it is horrible to think that these talented girls let the boys win by taking their dreams. I know being raped and assaulted is horrible and I do agree that the men responsible needed to pay and be probably punished but losing your life to one horrible incindet is horrible too. If you have seen the film let me know your thoughts.

Nomadland

“Nomadland is a 2020 American drama film written, edited, and directed by Chloé Zhao. It stars Frances McDormand as a woman who leaves home to travel around the American West. It also features David Strathairn in a supporting role, as well as real-life nomads Linda May, Swankie, and Bob Wells, as fictionalized versions of themselves. The film is based on the 2017 non-fiction book Nomadland: Surviving America in the Twenty-First Century by Jessica Bruder.”

Frances McDormand and Peter Spears optioned the film rights to the book in 2017. McDormand saw After seeing Chloé Zhao’s film The Rider at the 2017 Toronto International Film Festival and wanted Zhao to direct the

The nominations for the 2021 Oscars are….. drum roll please……

Best Picture
The Father
Judas and the Black Messiah
Mank
Minari
Nomadland
Promising Young Woman
Sound of Metal
The Trial of the Chicago 7

Best Director
Thomas Vinterburg, Another Round
Emerald Fennell, Promising Young Woman
David Fincher, Mank
Lee Isaac Chung, Minari
Chloé Zhao, Nomadland

Best Actress in a Leading Role
Viola Davis, Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom
Andra Day, The United States vs. Billie Holiday
Vanessa Kirby, Pieces of a Woman
Frances McDormand, Nomadland
Carey Mulligan, Promising Young Woman

Best Actor in a Leading Role
Riz Ahmed, Sound of Metal
Chadwick Boseman, Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom
Anthony Hopkins, The Father
Gary Oldman, Mank
Steven Yeun, Minari

Best Actress in a Supporting Role
Maria Bakalova, Borat Subsequent Moviefilm
Glenn Close, Hillbilly Elegy
Olivia Colman, The Father
Amanda Seyfried, Mank
Yuh-Jung Youn, Minari

Best Actor in a Supporting Role
Sacha Baron Cohen, The Trial of the Chicago 7
Daniel Kaluuya, Judas and the Black Messiah
Leslie Odom Jr., One Night in Miami
Paul Raci, Sound of Metal
LaKeith Stanfield, Judas and the Black Messiah

Best Adapted Screenplay
Borat Subsequent Moviefilm (Peter Baynham, Sacha Baron Cohen, Jena Friedman, Anthony Hines, Lee Kern, Dan Mazer, Erica Rivinoja & Dan Swimer)
The Father (Christopher Hampton & Florian Zeller)
Nomadland (Chloé Zhao)
One Night in Miami (Kemp Powers)
The White Tiger (Ramin Bahrani)

Best Original Screenplay
Judas and the Black Messiah (Will Berson, Shaka King, Keith Lucas & Kenny Lucas)
Minari (Lee Isaac Chung)
Promising Young Woman (Emerald Fennell)
Sound of Metal (Derek Cianfrance, Abraham Marder & Darius Marder)
The Trial of the Chicago 7 (Aaron Sorkin)

Best Costume Design
Emma
Mank
Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom
Mulan
Pinocchio

Best Original Score
Da 5 Bloods
Mank
Minari
News of the World
Soul

Best Animated Short Film
Burrow
Genius Loci
If Anything Happens I Love You
Opera
Yes-People

Best Live-Action Short Film
Feeling Through
The Letter Room
The Present
Two Distant Strangers
White Eye

Best Documentary Feature
Collective
Crip Camp
The Mole Agent
My Octopus Teacher
Time

Best Documentary Short Subject
Colette
A Concerto Is a Conversation
Do Not Split
Hunger Ward
A Love Song for Latasha

Best International Feature Film
Denmark, Another Round
Hong Kong, Better Days
Romania, Collective
Tunisia, The Man Who Sold His Skin
Bosnia and Herzegovina, Quo Vadis, Aida?

Best Sound
Greyhound
Mank
News of the World
Sound of Metal
Soul

Best Production Design
The Father
Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom
Mank
News of the World
Tenet

Best Film Editing
The Father
Nomadland
Promising Young Woman
Sound of Metal
The Trial of the Chicago 7

Best Cinematography
Judas and the Black Messiah
Mank
News of the World
Nomadland
The Trial of the Chicago 7

Best Visual Effects
Love and Monsters
The Midnight Sky
Mulan
The One and Only Ivan
Tenet

Best Animated Feature Film
Onward
Over the Moon
A Shaun the Sheep Movie: Farmageddon
Soul
Wolfwalkers

Best Makeup and Hairstyling
Emma
Hillbilly Elegy
Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom
Mank
Pinocchio

Best Original Song
“Husavik” from Eurovision Song Contest: The Story of Fire Saga
“Fight For You” from Judas and the Black Messiah
“lo Sì (Seen)” from The Life Ahead (La Vita Davanti a Se)
“Speak Now” from One Night in Miami
“Hear My Voice” from The Trial of the Chicago 7

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It is so great to see more women getting nominated. Have you seen any of these films? If so what are your thoughts?

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Tags best director nomination, Carey Mulligan, Emerald Fennell, films, Frances McDormand, Killing Eve, lockdown, Netflix, Nomadland, Oscar Nominations Make History, Oscars 2021, Promising Young Woman, streaming

Family

Minion Appreciation Day is Everyday!

Post author By Suzanne Robinson
Post date June 2, 2018
No Comments on Minion Appreciation Day is Everyday!

Alexander is obsessed.

Actually obsessed is putting it mildly.

What is another word that would mean highly obsessed?

I am not sure there is one… but if there was, it would be perfect for my little boy’s insane love for the Minions.

The Minions are Alexander's favourite film and characters at the moment. — The Minions are Alexander’s favourite film and characters at the moment.

He is extremely obsessed with the Minions! More like to an insane level.

One day Alexander wanted to see the Minions movie. I got the movie and put it on for my boy. He couldn’t stop grinning and he was so happy.

Now it is the film we all must watch. A film that is on constant repeat.

He grabs the remote otherwise known as the Mot and says, “Minions Mumma, sit down Mumma!” I have now lost count of how many times I have seen this film.

A screenshot of the Minions being silly.

Due to seeing the Minions film for what feels like a million and one times, I have decided to introduce the other Despicable Me films.

Alexander was not a fan at first. The minions took too long to show up in the Despicable Me film. Mummy had to fast forward to the bits where the minions were as my little boy was screaming “Minions Mumma!”

On a recent trip to the shops, I saw all these Minions Party decorations. Thank goodness Alexander was at childcare at the time. I do think we need to organise a Minions party for him next year, well that is if he is still so obsessed!

The twins are so over the minion fascination and really don’t want to watch the film at all. This, of course, means one little boy gets so upset and has tantrums to ensure he can watch his favourite film.

Alexander is loving his little Minions figurine.

Do your kids have a film or show that they watch 100% of the time? If they don’t watch it will it cause a meltdown?

Have you tried to get your super obsessed child to watch something else? Did it end well?

Or did you end up watching your child’s favourite show due to the complaining?

The girls were super obsessed with Yo Gabba Gabba. They were fans of Muno and Foofa. So as you can imagine this show was also on constant repeat too!

To make things a little easier for me I tried to introduce some other shows to the kids.

I had Fawlty Towers available and put an episode or two. The twins loved it and kept on asking me to put on the angry man that jumps up and down. OH good, finally something else other than a kid show and cartoons.

When the twins, hubby and I went away to the Gold Coast in 2013 we were at a winery. There was a play area with an old phone. One kid was pretending to be Sybil Fawlty and the other was Basil Fawlty.

One was on the phone just saying, Oh I know. Oh, I know….. then she said… Basil! Basil!

An older lady came up to me and asked if the kids were fans of Fawlty Towers. I explained that I got sick of watching kid shows and put it on to break up the viewing and annoyance I was facing due to seeing the same shows all the time.

Fawlty Towers doesn’t have bad words, no one swears, there is just a lot of slapstick and fun. There is some innuendo but if you don’t get it, and are too young it is not that bad.

Maybe Alexander would love Fawlty Towers too? I did start the twins at an older age, so I think it might have to wait.

What show or shows are you watching on repeat currently?

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Tags Basil Fawlty, Despicable Me, favourite tv shows, Fawlty Towers, film, films, kids, Minions, moms., movies, mums, parenting, parents, Sybil Fawlty, The Minions Movie, toddler, two year old

SING Movie A Perfect Night In

Post author By Suzanne Robinson
Post date April 3, 2017
No Comments on SING Movie A Perfect Night In

Having movie night with my girls. We are so happy and excited to be watching SING on DVD.

This post is in partnership with
Universal Pictures Home Entertainment.

Movie nights with family are so much fun. It is so nice to spend some quality time with my girls.

SING DVD that we are so excited to watch and our Rosita (Pig) cupcakes and Buster Moon (Koala) cupcakes. Learn about how we made them.

Movie nights are even better when the weather is getting cold, and you can snuggle up, and watch a fabulous and much awaited film.

We were all super excited to watch SING on DVD.

From the creators of Despicable Me, Illumination presents SING, a musical comedy about finding the shining star that lives inside all of us. Sing your way into stores today to pick up a copy of SING Special Edition on Blu-ray and DVD featuring 3 mini movies and more music!

We saw SING at the movies, however since then the kids have been asking to see it again.

The twins were so excited and happy to finally have their own copy of SING. Now they can watch it whenever they wish and can entertain friends during the school holidays.

SING is a heart warming film that kids and parents will all love. The music is fabulous and you will catch yourself tapping your feet and singing along. While others might want to get up and have a dance while the characters in the movie strut their stuff.

My happy girls loved sharing the SING film on DVD with their Meena the Elephant plushies.

Snacks and Treats for SING Family Night

To make the whole movie night more fun the twins and I made cupcakes.

Now these weren’t ordinary cupcakes. We decorated some as pigs for Rosita and koalas for Buster Moon.

Buster Moon (Koala) and Rosita (Pig) Cupcakes inspired by the movie SING.

If you wish to recreate my pig and koala SING inspired cupcakes here is what you need to do.

1. Make 12 cupcakes. I chose to have vanilla cake mix to make it easy. You can either have chocolate or make the mixture by scratch.

2. I added dark chocolate bits to the mixture. It is up to you, you might prefer to add something else like say banana instead. Be inventive and have fun!

3. Once the cupcakes cooled down I decorated them.

Koala icing: To get the grey icing colour I added some black icing pen to just icing sugar and water. You can add as much black as you wish to get the desired colour. I did read somewhere that you can get black food colouring but I have never seen or heard of this, so I did the next best thing. I think it worked out well.

Pig icing: I mixed icing sugar, water, and some red food colouring to get the pink colour for the pig cupcake. Mix until the desired colour of pink is achieved.

5. I created 6 koala cupcakes for Buster Moon and 6 pig cupcakes for Rosita.

6. Decorations for Buster Moon: Marshmallows for the ears, dark chocolate bits for the eyes and a chocolate coated almond for the nose.

7. Decorations for Rosita: Marshmallows for the ears (Pink), dark chocolate bits for the eyes, a marshmallow stuck horizontally with 2 dots of black icing for the nose.

8. Now all the SING cupcakes are done, the only thing left to do is to eat them!

All the SING cupcakes ready for our movie night. Rosita (PIG) cupcakes and Buster Moon (Koala) cupcakes.

You must have popcorn for movie night and that is why everyone had their own box of special homemade popcorn.

The girls loved watching the popcorn pop in the microwave and were amazed at how much each bag made.

To make it more of an event I got little popcorn boxes. This made sure that each person had their own popcorn while watching the film.

The SING DVD has great extras

They are:

• Gunter Babysits
• Love At First Sight
• Eddie’s Life Coach
• The Making of the Mini-Movies

Love at First Sight Mini Movie Sneak Peak

Movie Night is Great Family Time

Sharing a film with your kids is so nice. Laughing at the same things is also an enjoyable moment.

Do you love having family movie nights? For your family movie nights do you ensure that you have ample treats on hand to enjoy your film?

My kids love to have movie days also and more so in holidays.

The living room becomes one big bed. Pillows, blankets and more are added to the floor and then we all get very comfortable to watch some favourite films.

Soon it will be holidays and I’m sure your little ones will be wanting to relax and have fun watching SING. Have fun dancing, singing and more!

Movie nights are so much fun, especially with a fun film like SING.

Enjoy your home movie night. I hope that you all have a fun time.

Film Reviews

Disney’s Inside Out

Do you love Disney Films? I do! I love the magic, the wonder and the imagination that the films have. It also makes you feel like you are in the created world and it makes you want to go back again and again. Maybe I have never really grown up and that is why I still adore Disney Films.

So when I got an email asking if I would like to attend a Disney Premiere…… of course I said YES! Wouldn’t you? I bet you would!

Due to this fabulous event being held on a school night it took a bit more to organise kids and myself getting into the city. I got the kids an hour early from school and we raced home to get dressed and ready. Once all done, we got a taxi to the train station and then we were off to the city.

I fed the kids in the city as the film was going to end late so wanted to make sure their bellies were full before the show. Once dinner was completed we walked over to the movies and waited for hubby.

Normally on a Monday night we are home, and doing all the normal Monday night things. Homework, Readers, Making dinner and the like. It was a nice a change to be in the city with the family for a fun event.

So what film did we see?

We saw Inside Out. Yes we were lucky to get tickets to see it before the film officially opens on June 18th, this Thursday actually.

If you have not seen the trailer for the film, check it out below. This is one of my favourite parts of the film.

What is Inside Out About?

Riley who is an eleven year old girl moves from Minnesota due to her dad that he has a new job. They relocate to San Francisco and this is where Riley struggles to stay happy due to her new home, new school, new friends and new city.

Riley’s emotions, Joy, Fear, Disgust, Anger and Sadness try and help with this adjustment to San Francisco however Sadness accidentally turns a core emotion that was happy into a sad one memory. This impacts Riley’s emotional state and she struggles to keep joyful and be her usual self. With the loss of Riley’s core memories, Joy and Sadness work on trying to restore them so that Riley can once be her happy self.

The other emotions are left in the control room to help right the mistake but due to Joy and Sadness being available, Anger, Disgust, and Fear are left to help Riley.

This film is a great way for children to address emotions and understand how certain feelings impact your character and you as a person.

It is a good talking point when your child is either grumpy to say do you feel like, Anger today or if Happy do you feel like Joy? I’m sure you will agree that this is a fun way to understand more of what your child is feeling and thinking.

For the premiere it was in 3D and I had no idea. It was very impressive and it looked amazing. Not sure if every cinema is running a 3D version of Inside Out, you might need to check. I also don’t know if it was just something for the preview.

It is a great film to take the kids to these school holidays. You will love it just as much as the kids.

We all had a great time. It was a huge day and we got back very late for a school night. Although it was a HUGE day it was worth it and we were glad to be part of it. Thanks Disney for the invitation to the Inside Out Premiere and we all had a blast!

Here are some of the pictures from the night.

Family photo booth fun at the Inside Out Premiere.

I’m sure you will be in love with this film as much as we did. Have fun and it is just in time for the holidays.

Have you seen Inside Out? What did you think? What was your favourite character? Was it one of the emotions? Let us know.