Hairspray

Starring: John Travolta, Christopher Walken, Zac Efron, Brittany Snow, Michelle Pfeiffer, Amanda Bynes, Queen Latifah, James Marsden and Nikki Blonsky

Director: Adam Shankman

Hairspray is set in Baltimore in the 1960s, dance-loving teen Tracy Turnblad (Nikki Blonsky) auditions for a place on "The Corny Collins Show" and wins much to Velma Von Tussle's (Michelle Pfeiffer) dismay. With this spot on the show she becomes an celebrity overnight, a trendsetter in dance and fashion and appearance. Her new status as a teen sensation allows her to become more of an influence on the racial integration of the show but it is it also enough for her to win beauty queen crown on "The Corny Collins Show"?

With Hairspray already being a Broadway/West End show and a movie released in the eighties it had a lot of expectations and this movie certainly met them. The songs are catchy, fun and sung very well by all cast members. Although the movie is fun-filled there are some serious moments too and an underlying message to that everyone should be treated equally. John Travolta's role as Edna Turnblad in particular adds humour to the movie and he really pulls off his role as Tracey's mother. Nikki Blonsky does a wonderful performance in this, especially for it being her Hollywood movie debut. There are no obvious negatives to this movie in my opinion but maybe there could have been more focus on racial integration rather than Tracey winning her spot on the television show. Overall this movie is for you if you are looking for an upbeat, fun-packed movie with great songs and singing from all cast members.

Favourite Male Performance: James Marsden- Corny Collins

Favourite Female Performance: Nikki Blonsky- Tracey Turnblad

Favourite Song(s)- You Can't Stop the Beat, Good Morning Baltimore, Run and Tell That

Positive: Brilliant songs and singing from all cast members, great sets.

Negative: Perhaps people would like the movie to have more focus on the racial integration rather than Tracey winning a place on the show.

Overall Rating: 9/10

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Still Alice

Starring: Julianne Moore, Alec Baldwin, Kristen Stewart, Kate Bosworth, Hunter Parrish and Shane McRae

Directed by: Richard Glatzer and Wash Westmoreland

Still Alice is a movie depicting the devastating illness of Alzheimer's disease. It is a very moving and hard hitting film that touches your inner most being. Alice is a linguistics professor who begins to have random memory loss. Alice suffers more frequent episodes and by this time she knows that there is something seriously wrong. After her diagnosis she sits all her family down and tells them the awful news that she has a rare hereditary form of Alzheimer's disease and there is a chance she could have it passed on to her children.

Alec Baldwin's performance of playing Alice's husband John is brilliant, he really captures the elements of day to day life, looking after Alice, running the household and holding down his job superbly.
Julianne Moore's portrayal of Alice is spell bounding, she reels you in from the offset and her best performance yet and it is no surprise that she scooped Best Actress at the 87th Academy Awards 2015.

The movie is pretty much faultless but a negative would be that the children were not involved as much as I would have liked (excluding Kristen Stewart- Lydia).
Overall a film worth visiting the cinema, it leaves you thinking of your own mortality, harrowing at times but delivers great awareness and insight of this horrible disease.

Favourite Male Performance: Alec Baldwin- John Howland

Favourite Female Performance: Julianne Moore- Alice Howland

Positive: Acting from cast, raised awareness

Negative: The lack of involvement of the children

Overall Rating: 8.5/10

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The Theory of Everything

Starring: Eddie Redmayne, Felicity Jones, Charlie Cox, Emily Watson, David Thewlis and Simon McBurney

Director: James Marsh 

The Theory of Everything is a biographical romantic drama film adapted by Anthony McCarten from the memoir Travelling to Infinity: My Life with Stephen by Jane Wilde Hawking. This book deals with her relationship with her ex-husband, theoretical physicist Stephen Hawking, his diagnosis of motor neuron disease (Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis), and his success in physics.

Set in the 1960s, Cambridge University student and future physicist Stephen Hawking (Eddie Redmayne) falls in love with fellow college student Jane Wilde (Felicity Jones). At the age of 21,  Stephen Hawking learns that he is suffering from motor neuron disease (ALS) . Despite the diagnosis and being told he only had two years to live by his doctor, he and Jane battle to defy the odds whilst still studying at University. He and Jane make new discoveries within the fields of medicine and science and achieve more than either could have ever anticipated.

The relationship between Stephen and Jane is very moving. The love, commitment and respect from Jane shines right through the film. Both leading roles are acted beautifully and their Academy Awards nominations were very much deserved. Eddie Redmayne receiving his Oscar was no surprise, a truly merited winner who portrayed Stephen Hawking's deterioration very authentically. 

Favourite Male Performance: Eddie Redmayne- Stephen Hawking

Favourite Female Performance: Felicity Jones- Jane Wilde

Positive: Acting from leading roles, the love story

Negative: Not a lot- though still unsure of Stephen Hawking's profession

Overall Rating: 7.5/10

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