About Time

Starring: Rachel McAdams, Domhnall Gleeson, Bill Nighy, Lydia Wilson, Tom Hollander, Margot Robbie

Year: 2013

I LOVE THIS MOVIE!! Ya sure, it's about time travel. Yes, the men of this particular family can travel back in time. But believe me when I say, it's not at all science fiction. There are no special affects. No "beam me up Scotties".

"About Time" is a love story. But not just a romantic love story between Mary (McAdams) and Tim (Gleeson). It goes much deeper. It's also a family's love story. The close relationship between Tim (Gleeson) and his little sister Kit Kat (Wilson). And the very close and beautiful relationship between Tim and his dad (Nighy).

This movie truly warms the heart in so many ways.

At the age of twenty-one, Tim's father shares a family secret, that he too learned of when he was twenty-one. The secret...that all the men in the family can travel in time. Not travel forwards in time. But rather have the choice to go back in time to change certain moments. Certain actions. For the better. And in order to do so, they don't twitch their noses (older audience will understand) or wave a wand (younger), but just simply find a dark space, clench their fists and close their eyes. I know. It still sounds a bit hokey-pokey, sci-fi-ish. But I promise it is not. Not at all.

It's about appreciating your life; reflecting on the good things in your life and living each day as it should be lived. Not wishing you could go back and change it in any way. Just living each day, so that at the end of the day, when you recap the moments of your day, you wouldn't change a thing.

Fun Facts: One day Richard Curtis (one of my favourite film writers and the writer of this film) asked a friend "What would you do if it were your last day?" They each pondered the question. They concluded that a person couldn't really change who they are. Because no matter what, who you truly are deep inside, never changes. But a person could think of what is most important and live that day filled with love and passion for what really matters. With no regrets. And end each day with a full and satisfied heart. And just like that, the premise of this story was born. Another fun fact - as I have mentioned in a previous post (Notting Hill) - in most films Curtis writes, he refers to an unfortunate person as Bernard. Look for it in this one too!

I could go on and on about this film. It warms the heart, feeds the soul. It's romantic, inspiring, funny and thought-provoking. And yes, it has some teary moments too - I won't deny that. But so worth the tears. You will fall in love with each and every character, including sweet, quiet Uncle Desmond. And it's got a beautiful soundtrack too. My two favourites (if I have to limit it to two - which I clearly don't since I can set my own rules lol), would be "The Luckiest" by Ben Folds and "How Long Will I Love You" by Jon Boden & Sam Sweeney. Which actually leads to another fun fact. Curtis heard the song "The Luckiest" years prior to even writing About Time, but always knew he wanted to include it in one of his movies one day. He certainly waited for the right one.

If you have never seen this movie, please promise you will. And if you have seen it, but it's been a while, please make time to watch it again. It will most definitely leave an imprint on your heart.

Favourite Lines:

*We're all travelling through time together every day of our lives. All we can do is do our best to relish this remarkable ride.

* I just try to live every day as if I've deliberately come back to this one day to enjoy it as if it was the full final day of my extraordinary life.

*All time travelling in the world, can't make someone love you.

*Live life as if there were no second chances.

*My Son. My Dad.

From one movie "buff" to another....get that popcorn popped, the lights dimmed and the movie rolling.

Emma

Starring: Anya Taylor-Joy, Bill Nighy, Johnny Flynn, Mia Goth

Year: 2020

No, this is not the 1996 version starring Gwyneth Paltrow and Ewan McGregor. This is a brand spankin' new one! And I have to admit, it didn't grab me at first. In fact, I found it so difficult to understand at the start, that I was actually thinking of turning it off. Plus I didn't really connect with the characters - which for me, kinda sets the tone. But then something happened. Something caught me. Not sure exactly what. And I continued on.

Based on Jane Austen's 1815 novel (over 200 years later! - what would Jane think now??), it's the story of Emma (Taylor-Joy), who's a rich, spoiled, selfish girl that does nothing but meddle in other people's love lives. While she has a lovely relationship with her father (Nighy), she isn't so lovely to her friends. Especially to her bestie Harriet (Goth) or to Mr. Knightley (Flynn). She is so busy matchmaking (and not really ever good at it), she doesn't seem to be bothered to find a match for herself. But honestly, it's not like you are really rooting for her to find her true love anyway, as she isn't exactly the most likeable of characters. And because she is so busy finding matches for everyone else, she almost misses her own match, who has pretty much been at her side the entire time.

Fun Facts: There was a dialect coach on set, as well as, an etiquette expert. If they did something that couldn't have happened in that time period, it was corrected. There was, however, one scene where they did make an exception to the rule. When Emma and Mr. Knightley are dancing, they aren't wearing gloves (a no-no in those days), while all the other characters that are dancing have gloves on. The director, Autumn de Wilde, wanted them to have bare hands - to add a touch of sexual tension to the scene. The etiquette expert allowed it as the characters had just finished dinner and it could make sense. Another fun fact, is that the colours of all the costumes were very bright, in comparison to most period pieces where clothing is usually quite drab. Autumn de Wilde said that all fabrics originally, would have probably been colourful but faded over time; as most items of clothing became hand-me-downs. She didn't want dull and faded for any of her characters. She wanted bright, fresh, new. There is also a scene where Emma gets a nose bleed - which Taylor-Joy was actually able to do, on cue. Her nosebleed was real and she was pretty proud of it.

While the story is familiar (if you have read the book or seen previous versions of the movie), it was a pleasant change. The only thing I felt was missing was the chemistry between Emma and Mr. Knightley. I admit I was happy at the end. I wasn't disappointed. I just wish their chemistry would have been stronger.

While this movie will never rank up to the heights of "Pride & Prejudice" (Keira Knightley & Matthew Macfadyen) (in my opinion), Emma is fun and funny. And brimming with colour. From the costumes, to the sets, to the jewellery, to the assortment of foods set out on the tables. You can just see the attention to detail in each and every scene. Including the men's collars. Autumn made sure the collars were as uncomfortable for these men in 2020 as they were in 1815.

Favourite Lines:

*You must never flatter me in front of Mr. Knightley. He considers me vain enough already.

*The words must be your own.

*You must be the best judge of your own happiness.

*If I loved you less, then I might be able to talk about it more.

From one movie "buff" to another....get that popcorn popped, the lights dimmed and the movie rolling.

Notting Hill

Starring: Julie Roberts, Hugh Grant, Rhys Ifans, Emma Chambers, Hugh Bonneville

Year: 1999

I am so excited to write about this movie. Especially after having watched "Dolittle". I definitely needed a familiar favourite and I gotta say, this is probably my all-time familiar favourite. I just have no clue where to begin.

It's a Richard Curtis film, for starters. And it has everything you are looking for in a romantic-comedy. It's filmed right in idyllic Notting Hill. It has a great soundtrack. Actors (each and every one of them!) with great chemistry. And characters that you can't help but love.

Even though it's your typical boy meets girl, boy loses girl (twice), boy finds girl again and they live happily-ever-after story....it's not typical at all. There are so many layers to this film. So many beautiful layers. William (Grant), an easy-going travel bookshop owner, with a non-existent love life. Anna (Roberts), a beautiful mega movie star, with paparazzi following her every move. William lives in Notting Hill. Anna lives in Beverly Hills. They couldn't have more opposite lives.

And then there are the additional layers. Spike (Ifans), William's so-very-odd flatmate. Honey (Chambers), William's flighty but adorable little sister. And his group of misfit friends that feel like old comfortable sweaters on a cool autumn night.

This movie is about love, obviously. But not just romantic love. It's about the love between family, friends and even quirky flatmates that find their way in somehow. It's funny, touching and heart-warming. If you're looking for feel-good, look no further. This is it!

Favourite scenes? Oh I have a few!! But I will limit it to three. My most favourite would be Honey's birthday dinner party. The chemistry between the friends, their history, their shared jokes, their loyalty to one another, warms my heart every time. Add the brownie to the mix and you've got one memorable scene. My second favourite would have to be when William and Anna climb the fence (whoopsidaisies!) and find their way into a private garden (to the song "When You Say Nothing At All" by Ronan Keating). Songs really add to the scenes. My third fave would have to be at the end, when they arrive at some premiere (I'm guessing) for one of Anna's movies, To Elvis Costello's "She". Oh, sorry I lied. One more favourite. The scene with a bench. The inscription on the bench. "For June who loved this garden. From Joseph who always sat beside her". Softens the heart right??

Fun Facts: Richard Curtis (writer) once dated a woman who eventually married a Bernard. He now always includes a "Bernard" in his storylines. Bernard always being a horrible person. Watch out for reference to Bernard in this film! Hugh Grant's hardest scene was the sex scene with Julia. While Julia's contract stipulates she doesn't do any nude scenes, Hugh's does not. He ended up having to go nude for one of the scenes and wear a nude coloured thong to cover his bits. He was so nervous and self conscious that his privates might fall out, he actually wore five thongs all at once!! And a more personal fun fact: This is how I came up with the name for my blog. Even though William actually says "Whoopsidaisies", once I heard him say it, it just stuck with me.

Notting Hill makes me smile. It gives me pure happiness every time I watch it. It's a true-blue feel-good movie. Once you've watched it once, you will watch it again. Guaranteed!

Favourite Lines:

*Who will get the last brownie?

*Rita Hayworth used to say "They go to bed with Gilda; they wake up with me".

*Whoopsidaisies.

*Surreal but nice.

*Some people do spend their whole lives together.

*I'm just a girl, standing in front of a boy, asking him to love her.

From one movie "buff" to another....get that popcorn popped, the lights dimmed and the movie rolling.