Questions 'Pretty Little Liars' Fans have Definitely Asked

Welcome once again blogosphere! Today, since I'm on a bit of a blogging roll, I thought I'd appeal to all you PLL fans out there. I know I'm certainly one of them, and I thought we could have a little bit of a heart to heart. It may be a fabulous show, but we have to admit, it has one significant problem. What is this you ask? Well, simply the fact that WE STILL DON'T KNOW ANYTHING! It's literally been 5 seasons, and yet, to this date, the only A reveal that's turned out to be correct, is Mona, which doesn't even matter anymore because she's turned over a new leaf. I mean, we still love PLL anyway and will never ever stop watching, but you have to admit, it can be a little frustrating. So today, for all of you, I've decided to list some of the questions that all Pretty Little Liars fans have asked at one point of another. Intro complete, here they are . . .

1. I'm not even kidding, who is A?

At the end of Season 2, it seemed as if all of our hopes and dreams had come true. Finally, Mona is A! But wait, there's more, the answers kept coming! Bam, Toby is A, Ezra is A...except, they're not. Okay fine, but at least we still have Mona right? Wrong. Turns out, she's totally reformed. So what do we know now? Absolutely nothing. 

2. How many copies are there of that ugly yellow shirt?

Seriously, it's everywhere. A must have a truckload of them. 

3. Who even is this person?

There are literally so many characters on the show, it's hard to keep track. 

4. Is [insert character here] dead?

I'm pretty sure every character has been dead at one point.

5. Do you think that [insert character here] is actually alive?

Who knows? Probably. 

6. Are the girls ever going to graduate?

Seriously, they've been in their senior year since season 3.

7. Please, for the love of everyone, can they not just tell they're parents?!

The show would definitely be a whole lot shorter.

8. Is Jenna still blind?

Honestly, who knows?

9. What does A even have against the girls?

Like seriously, they're 16, what could they have possibly done to warrant all of this?

10. How did Alison even get friends in the first place?

She's truly horrible. 

11. Did we ever find out who Red Coat was?

Was that Season 3 and 4 storyline just irrelevant? And what about Black Veil?

12. What is Aria wearing?

Literally, I think this in every episode. 

13. How much money does A have?

They actually have so many lairs, and were able to intricately recreate all 4 of their bedrooms in the 'dollhouse'. Where does this cash come from? And why spend it on this?

14. Actually, how much money do the girls have?

Considering Rosewood High has a ridiculous amount of dances and fashion shows in one year, the girls all seem to be dressed up to the nines. 

15. How are the girls not dead yet?

All 4 of them have had so many near death experiences, and they've literally come so close to A, so really, how are they still breathing?

16. What actually was Ravenswood?

They just went to a random supernatural town to look for clues, and then they were like 'nah, never mind, let's go back to Rosewood'. 

17. Sine when were they together?

There have been so many relationships over the course of the show, I forget about them all the time. Do you remember when Hanna and Wren were together? Yeah, neither do I. 

18. AM I A?!?

I'm seriously questioning it. 

So that's all I have for you! I can probably think of at least a dozen more, but I think I better stop there. PLL fans, you probably know where I'm coming from with this list. It can be hella frustrating sometimes, but at the end of the day, it's all worth it. The show is, after all, super awesome, so I think we can forgive it for messing with our minds. Til' next time . . .

Annabel xx  

Tony Awards 2015: Best and Worst Dressed

Readers, hello and welcome! Considering I have been pretty slack this month, my aim is to pump out as many blog posts as I can before we officially say goodbye to June. So what better way to do that then discuss the fashion we saw at my absolute favourite award show of the year? You guys, the Tony awards are magical. Kristin Chenoweth and Alan Cumming were phenomenal hosts, and if you didn't watch it, you are really missing out on life. In order to celebrate this wonderful event, I've decided to list for you, as always, who I feel were best and worst dressed. So without further ado, here is my judgement . . .

Best Dressed

Jennifer Lopez

So much yes. There's no doubting that J-Lo always kills it on the carpet, but at the Tony's, she looked particularly awesome. The colour of the dress is super nice, and the pattern I feel is very appropriate, considering she was there to present a number from 'Finding Neverland'. She looks elegant and pretty, and in the best way possible, a little retro. Overall, a definite success. 

Elisabeth Moss

 

Honestly, I think Elisabeth Moss looks really lovely. It's pretty, it's young, and it's kind of like a breath of fresh air. I mean, it's summer after all in the US, so florals are super appropriate for the season. It literally looks as if she's just come from a tea party, and honestly, I'd say it's pretty hard to fault. All in all, a fabulous ensemble. 

Rose Byrne

I don't know why exactly, but I really do like this. It's a bit unusual, and ordinarily I'm not sure I would be a fan of the style, but for some reason, I just think it looks really cool. It was a bit different which I liked, and Rose really looks great in red. Maybe it's my Aussie pride, but I really can't get over how great this ensemble is. Honestly, a massive winner in my books. 

Helen Mirren

I don't know about you, but I know that I definitely want to be like Helen Mirren when I grow up. Come on, she looks awesome! Her dress is fabulous, and she totally rocks it. For 69, she really knows how to work a carpet, and I'm not even kidding when I say I'm a little bit jealous. She just looks super pretty and awesome, and reminds me a bit of a fairy godmother. Basically, what I'm trying to say is that she totally killed it.

Kelli O-Hara

I cannot see a single flaw in this outfit. Not even kidding, Kelli looks super great! The detailing on the dress is gorgeous, and the colour, although a bit unusual, totally works. It is a perfect combination of hard and soft, with the structured torso and flowy skirt, and she just looks amazing. In addition to looking fab, she also happened to take home the Tony Award for Best Actress in a Musical for The King and I, so there's no doubting that this was a pretty good day for Kelli O'Hara. Overall, the whole ensemble was wonderful. 

Worst Dressed

Keisza

I honestly don't even know where to start. First of all, who is she? Secondly, why? Why would someone want to wear this on a red carpet, to the Tony awards no less! I'm all for quirky fashion choices, but Keisza (if that's even a name) looks horrible. She honestly looks as if she slapped on a sheer, full body stocking, and accidentally ran into a kindergarten classroom, where toddlers went on to stick random paddle bop sticks, cotton buds and feathers to her. Clearly, her hair somehow managed to suffer in the altercation as well. If this is the case, I totally forgive her, however I highly doubt it is. 

Emily Skeggs

Okay, so this one isn't totally out of the box, it just manages to be horrible within the box. I mean, if she wanted to take a fashion risk I would commend her, however her outfit manages to be awful and boring at the same time. The style of the dress is tired and overdone, yet the pattern is purely atrocious. Honestly, to me, this is the worst kind of mash-up there is. 

Rita Wilson

Ugh, gross. I just, I want to know why. Why would you dress like this? There is honestly nothing nice about this ensemble at all. If you look closely, even the pattern is horrible. The style is definitely not flattering, on anyone, ever, and she manages to look like a conservative dominatrix, which you think would be an oxymoron, but somehow she nails it. The sequins look tacky, the neckline looks super weird, and not in a good way, and even her hair doesn't look nice. I'm sorry Rita, but eww. 

Ruth Wilson

This is really hard for me because I love pink so much, but this is just a no. The colour is fine, if you're Barbie, but unfortunately on anyone over 6 who is not at a dress-up party, it just looks tacky. The dress seems detached almost, and has two clashing ideas going on at the same time, yet even individually, both of these ideas happen to suck. The top of the dress is form fitting and conservative, which looks gross on any formal dress, but when combined with the shapeless, sweeping skirt, it looks even worse. Ruth, this look just isn't working out for you. 

Bee Shaffer

As Anna Wintour's daughter, you'd think Bee would know a thing or two about fashion, but evidently, this isn't the case. This dress, for lack of a better word, is just gross. The pattern is truly horrible, the shape (or lack thereof) is definitely not flattering, and the hair makes her look super harsh and old. It screams grungy mermaid, and that is never a good thing. Sorry Bee, better luck next time. 

So that officially brings you to the end of my list. Hopefully you agree with my picks, and if not, feel free to express your opinion in the comments section. Before you go, I urge you to watch the 2015 Tony Awards for yourself and experience its extreme awesomeness first hand. I promise, you'll thank me later. Til' next time . . .

Annabel xx

'Let the Right One In' vs 'Let Me In'

Blogosphere, hello and welcome back! Today, in order to be a part of a project set up by the awesome translation company Smartling, I've decided to comparatively look at the Swedish film 'Let the Right One In' (2008) alongside the American remake 'Let Me In' (2010). Yes, they are indeed both horror movies (which I am admittedly not the most avid viewer of), however given that the super cool plot line of the films outweighs the fear factor, I was able to sit through them without suffering from a potentially life threatening cardiac arrest (which, you know, is definitely a bonus). I have always found the idea of international remakes pretty cool, because it means that everyone around the world is able to connect with the same storyline, however sometimes they don't quite work out as planned. In this post, I'm going to give you guys my own evaluation. Does the American remake do justice to the original? You'll have to wait and see.

Differences Between the Two Films

In order to make a judgment, I've decided to list some of the differences between the films to see whether anything vital was lost in translation. 

The Style of Storytelling

In 'Let the Right One In', the film moves rather slowly, as the rate at which the audience gradually discovers everything parallels the journey of the characters. However, in 'Let Me In', the plot is non-linear, as the film begins in what would be the middle of the story, meaning that as we make our way through the movie, the audience has more knowledge of the events that will transpire than the characters. Although these differences are seemingly inconsequential, they really do change the feeling of the two films. The original Swedish film seems a bit more intimate, and at times, more straightforward, while the style of the American one leaves the audience unsure of the film's themes at times, meaning that we have to think a bit harder throughout. Which is better? It's honestly hard to say. Overall, I'd say that despite the approach being very different, they're both equally as effective.   

The Car Scene

Although the plots of the two films are practically identical, and often can be found paralleling one another on a scene by scene basis, there's one in 'Let Me In' which does not feature at all in the original. Of course, it is in the same style and accords with the overall atmosphere of the Swedish film, however it incorporates some references targeted to resonate with an American audience. Without giving too much away, it's the scene in the movie where the father messes up a kill and has to disfigure himself, and trust me, it's sure to stop anyone who intends to walk to their car alone at night. The scene occurs around a typical American automobile, so you can be sure that the take home message is that things in America are not as they appear to be, this being done by perverting a national icon with violence and gore. Point America!

The Neighbours

In 'Let the Right One In', there is an awkward sequence in which some adult neighbours are seen hanging around at a bar and at each other's houses, before one is attacked by a blood-thirsty Eli, another is turned into a vampire, and the rest are attacked by a pack of CGI cats. Why? No one really knows. In the American remake, there are still some adult neighbours around, but they become more like caricatures of what suburban adulthood is supposed to entail, and act as a warning for the father, who does not wish to end up like them. Although in 'Let Me In' one of the neighbours does get bitten by Abby, they are not then attacked by a horde cats, which I think we can agree is for the best.  

Budget

While 'Let Me In' is by no means an extravagantly expensive film by Hollywood standards, its budget was much larger than its Swedish predecessor 'Let the Right One In'. In the remake, I can admit that you can definitely see a difference. Abby's transformation is much more convincing and, if it's even possible, realistic, and the prosthetics on the father when he's in hospital are definitely convincing. However, in the American film, it becomes a bit much when you see fight scene after fight scene, while in the original, what was not seen on camera, and therefore, was unknown, made parts of the story much more menacing. All in all, I'd have to give this round to Sweden. 

The Setting

Where a film is set is definitely a contributing factor that relates to the themes it deals with and the overall atmosphere of the movie, meaning that the creative decision to set 'Let Me In' in 1980's America makes it significantly differ from the original. Throughout it, there are a bunch of pop culture references, including Owen's obsession with Now & Laters, frequent images of Reagan popping up, as well as the ubiquitous 80's catch cry 'It's 10pm. Do you know where your children are?' broadcast on TV. It may not seem like much, but the setting helps to enhance the juxtaposition between seemingly wholesome American suburban life and the dark themes of the film. Then again, 'Let the Right One In' is effective in its own right, so deciding which setting is superior isn't really possible. 

Conclusion

Overall, taking into account all of their differences, I would have to say that these two films are pretty even. I know, I know, it's a boring outcome, but hey, it's true. Not often does international cinema translate well into English, however somehow, this film is an exception. The two are very similar, but differ just enough to make them awesome in their own right. All in all, I suggest you check out both films, however if you only get time to watch one, you can be sure that they are of equal quality, and tackle the same themes awesomely.

That's pretty much all I have for you. Hopefully you enjoyed my comments on the effectiveness of the translation of foreign films, and have some new movies to check out in your free time. Thanks again to Smartling for pioneering this project! Til' next time . . .

Annabel xx

6 Movie Characters that Prove Nerdy Girls Trump All

Hello again readers, welcome back! I apologise for my recent lack of blog posts, I am actually ashamed of my suckishness. To be fair, school has been pretty hectic as of late. However, I am back to make up for it, and will hopefully get myself back on track super quickly. Today, I thought I'd represent my nerdiness with pride. It's not really a secret that being a nerd doesn't exactly make you the most popular person in school, and ordinarily, you'd assume that no one would aspire to be one, but that it's just one of those things that you're stuck with. Well, while that may be true for some, today, I'm going to list for you guys some of the most awesome female nerdy protagonists in movies that no doubt, we've probably all wanted to be at one point. Intro complete, let's get into it . . .

6. Casey - 'Ice Princess'

There's no doubting that 'Ice Princess' is a definite classic, and as far as Disney Channel Original movies go, it is admittedly pretty fab. What makes it so wonderful you ask? Well that would have to be protagonist Casey Carlyle (played by the awesome Michelle Trachtenberg). For those of you who need a refresher, 'Ice Princess' revolves around a girl who longs to be apart of the world of professional figure skating. What's the catch? She's really into her academics, and her over-protective mother is initially less than supportive. What really makes Casey awesome is that she proves that she can have it all - she can excel at figure skating and still get straight A's. In fact, she's even able to use her smarts in working out the perfect aerodynamics needed to improve her jumps. This epic mash-up of skating and academics is definitely one for the ages, and totally proves that being smart rules.

5. Matilda - 'Matilda'

Matilda, 100%, is as cool as they come. She's super smart and has a passion for learning and reading, and is always motivated, despite her less than stellar upbringing. Her brain power is kind of amazing, so much so that she just happens to be equipped with some handy telekinesis (which unlike Carrie, she uses mainly for good rather than evil). Matilda definitely has a lot to handle - negligent and resentful parents, an unhinged, totally irrational school principal - yet she manages to come out on top in the end. How is this so? Because she's super clever. A word to the wise, never doubt where being smart can get you.

4. Nancy Drew - 'Nancy Drew'

I cannot express to you how much I love 'Nancy Drew'. I am serious, it is amazing. In my youth, the books were literally my entire world. I learnt so much from them, and was totally inspired to go out and solve some cases myself (although in all honesty, I never did). The movie just happens to be amazing as well, and for me, this franchise will forever be the epitome of fictional crime solving (which is indeed a big call). But what made it so great? Probably the fact that a bookish, goody two shoes teen was able to solve mysteries like a boss. Another point for team nerd!

3. Cady - 'Mean Girls'

'Mean Girls' is definitely one of the ultimate early 2000's teen movies, and has undoubtably earned its place on that list. Sure, the plastics are great, but we wouldn't love the film so much if it hadn't been for the naive, super smart Cady. Throughout the film, we could see her gravitate towards the pink side and lose herself for a little bit, but just like all good teen movies with a moral message, she came back to the land of the nerd in the end. She joined the mathletes, embraced her uber brain power, and was even given the title of prom queen, further proving that smart girls can have it all. I don't know about you, but that sounds like a pretty rad ending to me. 

2. Gabriella - 'High School Musical'

It's no secret that back in the mid 2000's, pretty much every tween ever had an obsession with the HSM franchise (or at least I know I certainly did). There were fabulous dance numbers, moments where everyone spontaneously broke into song, and some of the most quotable dialogue to date (which I totally whip out whenever I can). For me, I know that Gabriella Montez was somewhat of a role model. A secret nerd who had to choose between her love for academics and her passion for performing? Talk about the story of my life. Except, that's just it, in the end, she didn't have to choose! Once again, we have a smart female protagonist who was able to juggle everything! I know that I'm not the only one who was inspired when Gabriella fought against the odds and was able to participate in the Academic Decathlon and make it to the auditorium to belt out 'Breaking Free' with Troy on the same day. What can I say? She's definitely an inspiration to all. 

1. Hermione - 'Harry Potter'

Low and behold, the absolute queen of all things nerd. Hermione Granger was absolutely, 100%, everyone's role model back in the day (and well, if I'm being honest, still is). Not even kidding, even back in pre-school, I used to act out scenes from the Harry Potter movies with all my little nerdy friends and insist on being Hermione every time. Because come on, who wouldn't want that? She's hella sassy, and her intellect outshines literally everyone. Us nerds have totally come to accept her as our leader, because let's face it, she's everyone's favourite know-it-all. There's nothing she can't do, and without her, Harry would've been nothing. Plus, she just so happens to be ridiculously quotable.  

So that's about all I have in store for you. Hopefully you agree with my picks and the order I decided to put them in, and are inspired to embrace your inner nerdiness. After all, smart girls literally rule the world, fictional or otherwise. Til' next time . . .

Annabel xx