2015 Round-Up

Greetings readers! This is officially the last time you will hear from me in 2015, seeing as the new year is fast approaching. I apologise for my severe lack of posting this year, which will only get worse until October, but I promise once I get this pesky HSC over and done with you won't be able to get rid of me. Anyway, on to more exciting news, 2016 is almost here! I'm pretty pumped, and you should all be too. However, before we officially so goodbye to 2015, I say we should give it a send-off by commemorating some of the most memorable moments we've all experienced over the past 12 months. Without further ado, here is the year at a glance . . .

Left Shark

I don't know about you, but I have a special place in my heart for Katy Perry's clearly confused Superbowl back up dancer.

"Sure, Jan"

For some reason, Jan and Marcia Brady from 'The Brady Bunch Movie' made a massive comeback and took over the internet. It was amazing. 

Netflix (and chill) came to Australia

All I can say is thank you. 

Zayn Left One Direction

Meh.

The Kylie Jenner Lip Challenge

If you have no idea what this is, I envy your innocence. Basically in 2015, everyone wanted to have lips as big as Kylie Jenner so tried to use weird suction techniques to achieve this. Spoiler alert, it probably won't work. 

Deez Nuts

Again, if you're a bit estranged from the internet, for those of you who don't know, Deez Nuts is a viral video of internet personality WelvenDaGreat saying 'deez nuts' into a phone, and for some reason, it became a massive world wide web phenomenon, so much so that a person under the pseudonym 'Deez Nuts' is running for president of the United States. True story.

Just Do It

Shai La Beouf was hella inspirational this year and it was literally the best thing ever. If you haven't seen it, watch it now, and even if you have, just watch it again. 

'Don't Judge Me' Challenge

This is oh so stupid and frustrating, and hopefully leaves with 2015. It literally consisted of people putting dots on their face, drawing a fake monobrow, covering the camera, and revealing their real face and being like 'don't judge me'. It's supposed to be some empowering message about 'don't judge a book by its cover', but the point is lost when that's not your actual cover. People making themselves appear to be what society deems to be 'ugly' is just weirdly offensive, and then revealing themselves covered in make up with perfect hair and impeccable lighting is stupid and does nothing to get their point across. Also, if throughout the video we never even get a sense of what is beneath this 'cover' personality wise, then how is this even close to supporting the initial argument? And if you do this challenge, ironically, I will definitely judge you, for being an absolute idiot. I could literally write an entire post on this, but I'll refrain because I don't think anyone wants to read my angry ranting. Basically, I'm just asking, who is this helping? No one. No one at all. 

Minions

Minions took over the world and are now everywhere. There are minion dolls, minion tick tacks, minion bed covers and countless more. They are literally on every product imaginable, and I love it. 

Whipping and 'Nae Nae'-ing

You've heard the song, you've seen the video clip, so you know the drill. If not, watch it right now and get up on the craze. Basically, it's 2015's 'Gangnam Style' and 'Harlem Shake'.

John Cena

I don't even know why, but wrestler John Cena is literally everywhere on the internet right now. Maybe it's because he was in 'Trainwreck', or maybe he's just heavily meme-able? Whatever it is, I have no idea. 

"What are THOOOSSEEE?"

I can't even explain this one, just watch the video. 

"Miley, what's good?"

Having been alive for the past 12 months, there's no way you would've missed out on this. If you've forgotten, I'll give you a small refresher. Nicki Minaj. VMA's. Awkward showdown. Take another look at the video here. 

Kanye and Lindsay are running for President in 2020

No, this is not an elaborate fanfiction, Kanye West and Lindsay Lohan are indeed running for president in 2020. Why? I have no idea, but it's not my country so I'll just enjoy watching the train wreck happen from afar. 

Poot Lovato

If you haven't heard about the conspiracy surrounding Poot Lovato, then you are simply not living. While non-believers say that the photo below is simply a picture of Demi Lovato from a weird angle in bad lighting, others are saying that it is actually her long lost twin, Poot Lovato, who has been locked in a basement for her entire life, and the photo shown is actually her first time seeing the light of day. It is actually hilarious and one of my favourite things ever.

The Wrong Miss Universe was Crowned

This was officially the cringiest moment of the year (which you can watch again here). I just, I can't. Steve Harvey, watch out, Miss Columbia is coming for you. 

The Dress

This confusing piece of fabric literally took over my life. Also, just to clarify, IT'S BLUE AND BLACK. 

And that's the end of the post. Hopefully you enjoyed this rather epic throwback Thursday, and delve in to 2016 having sufficiently waved goodbye to the past twelve months. Oh, and one more thing y'all, HAPPY NEW YEAR! Catch you all in 2016. Til' next time . . .

Annabel xx

16 of the Best Underrated Teen Movies

Hello once again blogosphere! I know, I am a super terrible human. I have been majorly slack with updating as of late, but have no fear, I'm still alive. I've just completed my first term of Year 12, which means the past few months for me have been spent stressing, completing assignments and studying like a maniac. Of course, there are three more terms to come in 2016 which will be even worse, but for the next 6 or 7 weeks, I can be fully dedicated to Teenage Fanatic. To help get though the stresses of their senior year, there's always one place any adolescent can turn - the neatly packaged life lessons contained within a satisfying teen movie. Come on, let's be honest, we all love them. They're 90 minutes of cheesy, predictable high school drama and they definitely shouldn't be anything more. The problem is, after watching each of the teen classics for the 20th time, it takes a little more than Judd Nelson's victorious air punch or Ferris Bueller's sporadic musical stylings to keep you motivated, however all hope is not lost. Once you've powered through the super popular flicks, there are always more obscure movies to binge watch right around the corner. So without further ado, I present to you the best underrated teen movies you've probably never heard of . . .

1. Don't Tell Mum the Babysitter's Dead (1991)

As the title certainly suggests, high school student Sue Ellen is forced to join the work force and earn money for her family in this 90's film when their elderly babysitter drops dead, and instead of alerting their parents (who are on an extended vacation in Australia), the kids take matters into their own hands. It's not exactly super obscure, but in terms of my generation, it's not exactly well known. The plot is of course totally predictable, but that just adds to the fun. There's comedy, romance, and some pretty funky fashion, what else could one wish for?

2. Bart Got A Room (2008)

This film, pretty much no one has heard of, so if you're lucky enough to get your hands on a copy (in any way you can, I don't judge), I suggest you take the time to watch it. Basically, the plot revolves around high school senior Danny who needs a date for the upcoming prom. The pressure's on when he discovers that even Bart, the most unpopular guy in school, has managed to not only find a girl to go with him, but has even booked a room for them to spend the night in (and I'll let you fill in the blanks as to what ensues from there). It's super quirky and doesn't take itself too seriously (especially for an indie film), and is sure to totally satisfy your teen movie needs.   

3. The Rocker (2008)

This flick, which is surprisingly underrated, is very 'School of Rock'-esque. It's about Robert 'Fish' Fisherman, a drummer for the 80's band 'Vesuvius', who upon being kicked out by his fellow band members, joins his nephew's band and hits the road with a bunch of high school students. Once again, the plot is definitely predictable, but it shouldn't be any other way. The movie is super entertaining, and frankly, I'm surprised it isn't more popular, but nevertheless you should give it a shot. 

4. Lucas (1986)

Considering the 80's was jam packed with classic teen flicks, I guess 'Lucas' just got a bit lost in the bunch, and therefore wasn't overwhelmingly popular. However, it totally should've been. The movie focusses on nerdy 14 year old Lucas Bly who attempts to woo Maggie, an older girl who moves in to town. Obviously, they don't get together because that would be creepy, but the movie's super sweet and funny, and is 100% worth a watch. 

5. Submarine (2010)

This movie is the absolute epitome of quirkiness. It almost feels like a foreign film, but its surprisingly distributed by US and UK companies, and you know, is of course in English. It's kind of hard to explain, but it basically follows high school student Oliver through random events in his life, including the beginning of his first, super weird relationship, and the marital issues of his parents. Of course I'm making it sound super dramatic, but trust me when I say it's not. It's just odd, in the best way. I don't think it was ever intended to appeal to a super large audience, hence the fact that it's underrated, but you should definitely give it a go. 

6. Teen Witch (1989)

I actually cannot stress how much I love this movie. Is it lame? Absolutely. But that's what makes it so wonderfully entertaining. It's about Louise, a nerdy high school student who learns from her psychic that she has magical abilities that will begin to appear on her 16th birthday. I mean, how can this movie not be amazing? It really is the ultimate teen flick, and I highly suggest you check it out when you get the chance. 

7. The To Do List (2013)

This movie is amazing, that's all there is to it. Set in 1993 (because why not?), the flick is all about high school valedictorian Brandy, who upon graduating decides that she needs to shed her uptight image, deciding to create a list of things she never did in school that she wants to achieve before college starts. Already, the premise is great, but the actual film is so much better. It's super, super funny and does not take itself seriously at all. I dare you not to like this movie. 

8. Detention (2011)

Not gonna lie, this film is pretty weird. The plot is crazy, the transitions between scenes is super abrupt, and the humour is pretty dark, but I am definitely a fan. I watched this when it first came out in 2011 (although not at the movies because it wasn't even released here in Australia). At the young age of 13, I was pretty scared prior to watching this film considering it's in the horror comedy genre, but I'm pretty sure this is when I started to appreciate black comedy. The movie revolves around outcast Shanley Caswell and hipster Clapton Davis at Grizzly Lake High School, in which the students are being hunted down by serial killer Cinderhella. As if you're not already lured? The film gets pretty weird, and delves in to all sorts of alternate universes, but as long as you're paying attention, this movie is definitely a winner. 

9. Saved! (2004)

What could possibly be better than a religious satire set in an uptight, super Christian high school? Literally nothing. This movie is about Mary, a rather religious teenager who does the deed with her boyfriend in order to prevent him from being gay, thinking it's a part of Jesus' plan, however as a result, ends up pregnant. The premise pretty much sells itself, and seeing Mandy Moore play a psycho religious nutter is not something to be missed. Plus, it just so happens to be on Netflix in the indie section, so check it out ASAP!

10. The Spectacular Now (2013)

Not gonna lie, this movie isn't exactly a comedy. Sure, there are light-hearted moments, but this film is more of an exposé revealing the inner workings of the teen psyche. The movie focuses on Sutter and Amy, two high school seniors with completely different views on life after school, who decide to enter in to a relationship. It's not actually that predictable, and is very much an indie film. Basically, what I'm trying to say is I highly suggest you give it a go. 

11. Welcome Home, Roxy Carmichael (1990)

I'm actually surprised that this film isn't mainstream considering its pretty stellar cast, but today, that's all about to change. It revolves around a small town in Ohio, and how everyone is preparing to welcome home movie star Roxy Carmichael, focussing specifically on her old flame Denton and troubled teen Dinky, who believes that Roxy is her birth mother. It's a little bit strange, not gonna lie, but since when has that been a problem? It's entertaining, a little bit angsty, and has a fun makeover scene - that is literally the formula for a great teen movie right there!

12. Project X (2012)

This movie isn't exactly unheard of, but it certainly isn't prolific either. 'Project X' is about high school student Thomas, who upon turning 17, decides to throw a massive party while his parents are away in an attempt to eradicate his anonymity. It's a bit like 'Superbad' and '21 and Over' being that all of the events of this crazy party take place in one night, but the film kind of takes a slightly more subtle approach. One of Thomas's friends is documenting the whole party on camera, which is what the audience is pretending they are watching as opposed to an actual feature film. The lack of a soundtrack kind of highlights some of the awkwardness that actually does ensue at these ragers, and the film itself is definitely worth checking out. 

13. Get Over It (2001)

I've come across one or two people in my travels who have seen this movie, but considering it has the makings of being a super popular teen flick, I'm surprised it hasn't become a household name. The movie is about high school student Berke, who upon being dumped by his girlfriend Allison joins the school play, a musical version of 'A Midsummer Night's Dream', in order to win back her heart. Of course the film itself is actually based on the renowned Shakespearean comedy, giving a little self-reflexive nod to its premise. It's pretty wacky, but it's also super entertaining and worth your time. 

14. Jawbreaker (1999)

If you've hopped on to Teenage Fanatic in the past, you may be able to recall that I've spoken about this movie before, however aside from me, weirdly, not that many people have heard of it. So of course, I've included it on this list to hopefully rectify that. The film is about a group of mean high school girls who are accidentally responsible for murdering their friend on her 17th birthday by making her choke on a jawbreaker. It's obviously a black comedy, and may seem a tad callous to the faint of heart, but don't worry, the main perpetrator predictably gets her comeuppance in the end, so all is good. It's funny, satisfying, and not too taxing on the brain - a perfect teen movie combination!

15. Ghost World (2001)

This isn't exactly I guess what everyone would classify as a 'teen movie', but is rather a really good film that just so happens to be about teenagers. Nevertheless, it is totally underrated and 100% worth watching. It's about two neo-cool high school girls named Enid and Rebecca, whose friendship totally changes just before they graduate high school. I have to admit, I did a terrible job of summarising the plot, but it's really good I swear. Like good enough to garner a bunch of Academy Award nominations. It was highly praised by critics (as it should be), however was never particularly popular with the public. So I suggest you try and fix that and watch this movie ASAP!

16. It's a Boy Girl Thing (2006)

If you love 'Freaky Friday', this movie is certainly right up your alley. It's all about next door neighbours and adversaries Nell and Woody, who whilst bickering at a field trip, are cursed by an ancient Incan spell and awake the next day to find that they've switched bodies. Of course it's super horrible because they absolutely hate each other, and are at opposite ends of the high school food chain, but as with any romantic teen movie, I think we can all take a guess at how it ends. Yes, it's totally predictable, but once again, how disappointing would it be if it weren't? It's super entertaining, corny enough to be fun, and absolutely worthy of watching. 

So that pretty much concludes this rather extensive post. Hopefully my large list will help make up for the fact that I've been a bit MIA lately, and help you find some new and exciting teen movies to binge watch over the Christmas break. I suggest you all get to work right now, and enjoy every second of the cliche awesomeness you're about to have the pleasure of viewing. Til' next time . . .

Annabel xx

5 Reasons to Start Watching 'Scream Queens'

Hello readers! In an attempt to make up for my major lack of posting recently, I'm going to try and power through November. Assuming you own a television, it's only natural that you've stumbled across the new hit horror comedy 'Scream Queens'. Not gonna lie, it's pretty great. It revolves around a bunch of sorority girls who are being hunted down one by one by a serial killer in a red devil costume. Obviously, the premise sounds intriguing already, but just to win you guys over and make sure that you give it a go, I'm going to list 5 reasons why this is the next show that is sure take over your whole life. Intro complete, let's get down to business . . .

1. The Genre

It's a well known fact that everyone loves a good horror comedy, but this is so much more than that. 'Scream Queens' manages to be a parody of horror cliches, while also being a horror show itself. Super contradictory, right? Well, you'd think so, but it actually works super well. It's very self aware, and manages to succumb to horror tropes in a way that finds the midpoint between 'Scream' and 'Scary Movie'. It's not so scary that you'll be frightened away, but also not too much like a parody that it gets lame and stupid. The perfect balance between the two is already enough to lure you in, but the show also happens to be jam packed with satirical references to some young people in modern society. What more could you want?

2. The Cast

Not very often does a show become a massive hit before the first episode has aired, yet 'Scream Queens' managed to be an exception. This may be because fans have placed total trust in Ryan Murphy, which is probably a factor, but I'd say you could probably chalk most of it up to the cast. Not going to lie, it's pretty amazing. Almost everyone in the show is famous already, and even if they aren't they're relatives certainly are *cough* Billie Lourd *cough*. I'm not even kidding, the show is headlined by none other than original scream queen Jamie Lee Curtis, Emma Roberts of AHS (and literally everything else ever), 'Glee' alum Lea Michele, oscar nominee Abigail Breslin of 'Little Miss Sunshine', 'Nashville's' Oliver Hudson, Keke Palmer from 'True Jackson VP', The DUFF's Skylar Samuels, Diego Boneta of 'Rock of Ages', and not to mention special guest stars Nick Jonas and Ariana Grande. It's seriously crazy how many big names Ryan was able to pull!

3. The Mystery

Even though the show mainly acts as a horror parody, the mystery is still very much alive. Despite the whole show being exaggerated and hilarious, as each episode draws to a close, the question of who the red devil is still manages to trump all. How can comedy and intrigue possibly meld together? It's all just a part of the magic of 'Scream Queens'. But of course, the mystery doesn't just stop there. I mean, who's the baby in the bathtub? What's with Nick Jonas? How are the girls' parents (apart from Grace's dad) allowing them to stay at Kappa Kappa Tau no questions asked? We're all dying to know.

4. The Deaths

I don't mean to be gruesome, but the deaths on 'Scream Queens' are truly awesome and hysterically funny. Without giving away too many of the gory details, let me just tell you that someone gets their face burnt off right from the get go, someone got their head mowed off, lots of people get stabbed and a person gets their arms sawed off. What more could you want? Plus, it's not like these deaths are few and far between, at least one person gets killed off every episode. How exciting is that? If you're not lured by that, then there's simply no hope for you. 

5. The One-Liners

I feel like one-liners are kind of a Ryan Murphy specialty, and trust me when I say that 'Scream Queens' is no different. Whether its an offhanded comment or a full-on Chanel moment, literally all of the dialogue is so on point. All of the one-liners are clever, funny and sometimes, totally unexpected. Plus, in a lot of cases, some of these lines happen to be totally offensive and wildly inappropriate. How can that not sound like fun? If you're still not convinced, a) there's something wrong with you, and b) you just have to go and check it out for yourself. 

So that's pretty much all I have in store for you. Even if my 5 reasons weren't enough to sway you (which they totally should be, but whatever), then just do me a solid and give it a shot anyway. Trust me, you won't be disappointed. Don't go in expecting full-blown horror or a classic sit-com, just expect an eclectic combination of the two and I guarantee you'll like it. So just spend the next 24 hours or so binge-watching the first 6 episodes, and then you'll be ready to watch the premiere of episode 7 tomorrow night. Til' next time . . .

Annabel xx

10 Struggles of an ENFP

Blogosphere, I greet you once more! Sorry for the horrendous delay, things have been a little hectic lately. Exciting news, I spent the most recent holidays in New York which was amazing (and which I totally plan on bragging all about in future posts), and now I'm back at school, I've officially started Year 12, how crazy is that? I don't even know what is happening. Anyway, to effectively push that as far out of my mind as possible, today I bring you a post based on the fairly recent '16 Personalities' test that has been flooding the internet. It's kind of scarily accurate, and after taking the test, I got ENFP. Apparently I'm called 'The Campaigner', and according to my acronym, I'm Extroverted, Intuitive, a Thinker, Prospective and Assertive. Is that good? I have no idea, but I think it pretty much sums me up. To add to the fun, based on these personality types there is a whole explanation of different traits, so inspired by a post by Thought Catalog, I've decided to list some of the struggles that I share with my fellow ENFP's. So without further ado, here they all are . . .

1. Getting really Pumped from Socialising but Hating Superficial Conversations

Don't get me wrong, I seriously love social interaction the majority of the time, but sometimes I just can't be bothered. Talking to people gets me super hyped up and energised, but when conversations turn meaningless and superficial, it just takes so much effort to be apart of them. I mean, why can't I talk about the meaning of life and express my philosophical musings while doing some hardcore karaoke?

2. Being Motivated to Do Things but Also Wanting to Stay Home and Do Nothing

Like seriously, there are times when I get ridiculously psyched to go out and do stuff with my life and ponder becoming Prime Minister or something, but then there's Netflix. Enough said. 

3. Having so many Amazing Ideas that will Forever Remain Half Finished

I have written half a musical, 75% of 3 novels, started to create 4 of my own businesses, and planned about 15 extravagant events that have never come to be. Why? Because I need to let my creativity out in some way, otherwise it gets weird in here. 

4. Contradicting Yourself because you legit see Different Sides of the Same Situation

I have so many conflicting ideas, because truth be told, I can see most situations from lots of different people's perspectives and don't know which one is most correct or which one to adopt for myself. So basically there's just a constant internal debate going on inside my mind, and believe me when I say it gets strange in here. 

5. Being Super Creative and Productive the Day Something is Due

The prospect of work is never fun, however ENFP's will often find something to get excited about and start freaking out over it. However, this spark of creativity is most likely to hit you the day your assessment is due, which means you have at least a good hour of solid, productive work before you have to hand it in. 

6. Having People Think You're Stupid Because You're Super Optimistic and Upbeat

For some reason, being happy and excited leads people to think that you were born without an inch of intelligence, which I can say first hand is pretty annoying. But never fear, just wait for your exam results and all will be revealed. 

7. Taking on More Than you Can Probably Handle and Then Making Sure you Can out of Stubbornness

I don't know about you, but I know that I constantly take on heaps of responsibilities, and then when people say that perhaps it's a bit much, I get super stubborn and determined to prove them wrong, which I inevitably do. Is this a good quality? Honestly, no idea. 

8. Needing to Spend Way More Time Alone Than other Extroverts

People and socialisation is great and everything, but I really do need time to just go home, hide in my own personal cave, do some blogging, watch some Netflix, and hide myself from the world. Maybe it's because I'm an only child, maybe it's just a me thing, but in the words of that wise, young Mexican girl, por que no los dos? 

9. Seeming Shallow Because You Change Topics at Lightening Speed

I'm not even going to begin to understand the inner workings of my mind, but I do know it gets a little hectic in there. I have so many different ideas happening at once, and when I'm in a conversation, I feel the need to get through as many of them as I can, especially if I'm confined to a 45 minute lunch break. But really, I promise you I'm not shallow, in fact I care about everything way more than I probably should. I'm just trying to burn through as many topics as I can in record speed. 

10. Being a Total Contradiction 100% of the Time

As I say, I have a bunch of conflicting views which definitely spill over into the way I act. I'm an extrovert but love some alone time, I'm lazy in theory but hella motivated in practice and I'm bubbly and excitable but still not a total idiot. Honestly, I don't even know, but I enjoy being me.

So there you have it, a list of all the strange little idiosyncrasies us ENFP's share. If you have to endure any of these struggles, welcome to the club, and if you don't, well I'm sure you have some (lamer) struggles of your own. If you have no idea what I'm talking about, I suggest you go and take the test for yourself, because it's pretty spot on. Til' next time . . .

Annabel xx