'X-Men: Days of Future Past' Review (with GIF's!)

Hello again readers! Yesterday, I (not so) willingly went to see the new instalment in the X-Men series, and I thought, why waste a reviewing opportunity? So if you're a hard-core fan, or even if you're just somewhat vaguely interested, I suggest you stick around to see whether or not it lives up to all the hype.

Why did I even see it in the first place? Pretty much one reason - peer pressure. My friends were all going to see it, and I just decided to tag along. I mean don't get me wrong, I'm no X-Men novice, but do I consider myself to be an uber fangirl? Not so much. I guess I probably would've seen it anyway, seeing as it had J-Law in it, and of course the super awesome Peter Dinklage, but despite myself, I actually thought it was really good.

How about we start off by getting into some pretty extensive plot retelling? Well, the movie begins in a dismal, not-so-distant future in which mutants and human advocates are enclosed in a detention camp in Central Park (seriously, how much more dystopia can us avid cinema viewers handle?). Constantly trying to escape from exterminating robots called Sentinels, Professor X (Patrick Stewart), Magneto (Ian McKellen) and the gang seek refuge in a Chinese monastery. Thanks to Kitty Pryde (Ellen Page)'s knack for transferring the consciousness of a person (or mutant) through time, she is pivotal in X brother's (yeah, we're on a nickname basis) plan to send Wolverine (Hugh Jackman) back to the moment when avatar-esque shapeshifter Raven/Mystique (Jennifer Lawrence) assassinated Sentinel creator Bolivar Trask (Peter Dinklage). Confused? I think yes.

In the past, things seemed to get pretty cray. We once again met a young Professor X (James McAvoy) and a young Magneto (Michael Fassbender), who seemed to want to kill every human he came in contact with. We also saw a young Hank McCoy who we later know as Beast (Nicholas Hoult) before his death in the X-Men series. Plus, we were also introduced to Quicksilver (Evan Peters), who fans are speculating to be the son of Magneto (don't you love conspiracy theories?).

Once again, to avoid disclosing too many spoilers and causing some serious nerd rage, I think I better stop there.

What did I think of the movie? As a said, I thought it was pretty awesome. Although I haven't watched every movie really closely and analysed every single piece of dialogue, I still found the film relatively easy to follow (despite the massive time jumps). The acting was really great, the story was interesting, and at no point did I get angry at the implausibility of it all.

Even though it's classified as a 'superhero movie' (way to be specific Wikipedia), it was actually really funny. With X-Men, I find that the movies are either a hit or a miss. I saw the first one which I've many a time described as 'meh', I've seen 'First Class' which was really awesome, and now I've seen this one, which I have to say lives up to the standard of the latter. I also found that it was really cleverly written. As I said, you don't need to be a super obsessive fan to enjoy it, however if you are, there are a bunch of Easter Eggs in there for you guys to freak out over.

I'll just give you a little piece of advice now, if you're going to see it purely for Sunspot or Iceman, don't get your hopes very high. They only pop up occasionally, and even then, not for very long. I was surprised to see that Halle Berry only got one line near the end of the movie, but I guess that's what happens in a massive X-Men reunion complete with a bunch of little cameos.

Overall, I thought the movie was really well put together. Whether you're nerdy or bored, I think you'll enjoy this new X-Men prequel/sequel. There's something in it for everybody, and it somehow manages to flow really nicely. I suggest that you all go and grab a ticket while it's still in cinemas (because there's nothing like mutants on a big screen). My only criticism would be that J-Law wasn't featured all that much, but really that's only minor (and biased).

So that's the end of my little X-Men review. I hope that I've persuaded you movie goers to give this flick a try, and maybe helped you make an informed decision. Til' next time . . .

Annabel xx

100th Blog Post!

Get excited blogosphere, because these very words you're reading mark the 100th blog post I've done on Teenage Fanatic, how amazingly awesome is that?! I have to say, I'm feeling pretty proud.  I made my first 'Welcome' post way back on August 30th last year and it literally had 12 page views, and now look how much it's grown! To celebrate my initiation into triple digits, I thought I'd list 100 fun facts that you probably didn't know about me. Will any of you care? Probably not. But that's okay, because it's the 100th post, and whatever wacky things I say go.

1. My dog is named after Buffy from 'Buffy the Vampire Slayer'
2. My favourite food is cheesy puff pastry sticks
3. I'm left handed
4. I'm an only child
5. I have a fish called Rachel (do I even need to say what show it's named after?)
6. My middle name is Grace
7. My favourite colour is pink (I bet you're all terribly shocked)
8. I do about 15 hours of dancing a week
9. I look like a mash-up of my mum and my dad
10. I have two last names
11. I have a birth mark on my left hand that looks like a bruise
12. I'm a vegetarian (and a former vegan - although that didn't last long)
13. I have a whistle register
14. I hate the outdoors
15. I have a stray cat
16. My least favourite colour is brown
17. I hate nuts, cream and mint
18. My favourite subject is drama
19. My least favourite subject is maths
20. My least favourite movie is 'Twilight'
21. I don't know how to ride a bike
22. I've never played Tetris
23. I run really weirdly
24. In year 5, I was scarred for life by 'Murder on the Orient Express'
25. My favourite Disney princess is Ariel
26. I used to do squad swimming
27. I'm afraid of birds
28. I get really embarrassed when I drop drinks in a public place
29. My friends call me Lucifer
30. My rapper name is McCannibal
31. I was in a Total Girl Magazine once
32. I auditioned for a McDonald's commercial when I was little
33. I don't drink milk unless it's flavoured
34. My favourite drink is Coke
35. I think my life is a TV show
36. I flinch really easily
37. I had a dream when I was little that my Uncle flew into space in a green fluorescent chair. My Grandma then ran after him yelling "Wait, you forgot your lunch!"
38. I used to film my own episodes of 'Glee' in the holidays
39. I used to be obsessed with dolls (in a non Chucky-esque way)
40. I threw a tantrum at a Hi-Five concert when I was teething and threw a lollipop at a man.
41. I hate it when people crack their knuckles/neck/anything that has the ability to crack
42. I am double jointed
43. I hate Taylor Swift (but you all know that!)
44. My ears are 6cm long
45. My favourite animals are meerkats (although dolphins are pretty close!)
46. I've never been to Hungry Jack's
47. I do my hair for school in the 2 minute car ride on the way there
48. When I really want something, I make weird growling noises
49. I refused to get new school shoes for ages because my old, broken ones were really comfortable
50. My mum took my Madeline doll to France without me when I was little and got photos of her in front of random tourist destinations
51. I have 2 bedrooms because we are yet to convert my childhood space into a spare room
52. I feel really bad when I tell people I'm a vegetarian and they feel the need to accommodate for me - I once went to the trouble of suspiciously chucking sausages onto my friend's plate when her mum wasn't looking
53. I make really weird facial expressions when I speak
54. I accidentally fell asleep in the movies the second time I watched 'Frozen'
55. I have an extensive nightly facial routine
56. It takes me an entire year to get through my Easter Egg collection (pretty much because I keep forgetting they're there)
57. In the holidays, I get addicted to Sims
58. I always wear skirts
59. I try and spend at least $50 on birthday presents (and they're usually themed)
60. I hate exercise
61. I hate school camps (especially ones involving mud courses)
62. I eat a lot of take-away food
63. I compare the people I hate to fictional characters
64. I order Rachel Berry inspired outfits online
65. I am yet to sleep at a sleepover
66. I frequently break into 'Bohemian Rhapsody' with my friends in public
67. Sometimes my mum calls me by my dog's name
68. I never wear earrings, even though my ears are pierced
69. I've never seen 'Titanic'
70. I share a birthday with Barrack Obama and Cole and Dylan Sprouse
71. When I was 8 I decided I was going to have 3 kids - Ashley, Ariel and Abigail
72. At 3, my dream job was to sit on the lounge, eat grilled cheese sandwiches and get paid by the government (and it really doesn't sound so bad)
73. I used to watch 'A Cinderella Story' every weekend
74. I can name every 'Glee' episode ever written and give you an in depth analysis of it
75. I lost my first tooth in a Tim Tam
76. I went to Nando's for the first time this year
77. I used to throw mini tantrums whenever my ice cream started to melt (and I still kinda do)
78. I get strangely angry in traffic (and I'm not even driving)
79. I sing about 90% of the time
80. I think most tea tastes like what I imagine urine to taste like
81. I find the smell of wine really gross
82. I once vomited on a kid at school on his first day
83. I once wrote a song entitled 'Mr Poo'
84. In pre-school, I acted out scenes from 'Harry Potter' with my friends
85. I said 'chimley' instead of 'chimney' up until year 4
86. I get weirdly superstitious
87. I really love cheese (especially haloumi, closely followed by brie)
88. Hanging is my least favourite form of death
89. My shoe size is 9/10 (Australian)
90. I don't know how to put on eye make-up properly
91. I make a lot of schedules that I never follow
92. My friends and I have recently started quoting 'Bad Lip Reading' videos in public and confusing everybody
93. With MA or R movies I think may be scary, I always look at the Parents Guide to see if I can handle them
94. I've never seen snow
95. I've never been able to successfully complete a diary - I just have a bunch of unfinished ones
96. I've never had coffee
97. I absolutely hate shoe shopping
98. I'm not allergic to anything
99. I used to tell people I wanted to be a Forensic Anthropologist so I'd sound smart (even though I don't like Science)
100. It takes me ages to write a list of 100 fun facts about myself

So that's finally the end of my list! Hopefully you didn't find these facts too mind numbingly boring. I am still ridiculously excited that I've managed to make it to 100 blog posts already, now that's dedication. Til' next time . . .

Annabel xx

Summer Blog Challenge 1: Summer Bag Essentials

Hello again readers! I am very pleased to inform you that I will be completing a 2014 Summer Blog Challenge set by the lovely Amy. What has inspired me to be such an active member of the blogosphere? I really don't know. But it sounded fun, so hey, why not? The first topic everyone's been given is 'Summer Bag Essentials'. And yes, I know Australia is currently at the beginning of what seems to be a very chilly winter, but let's just pretend that's not the case for the time being (a girl can dream). When I think summer, I think beach, so what better way to blow this topic out of the water then by listing some beach bag essentials? Let's get started . . .

1. Weather Proof Mini Bags

How awesomely cute are these? There's no denying that these are certainly beach themed, and they just so happen to use some of the best colours ever. But wait, there's more, they're actually practical! It's a well known fact that pretty much everything you bring with you to the beach gets sandy and wet, so why not keep it in a tiny, insulated bag free from any outside influence? That sounds like a great solution. And they can literally work as what ever you want them to! A lunch bag, a cosmetic bag, the opportunities are endless. 

2. A Reliable Pair of Sunglasses

There's only one way to avoid the wrath of the sun's glare when lazing about at the beach - sunglasses. They're lightweight, they're practical, and they manage to prevent you from embarrassingly screwing your face up and squinting as you attempt to have some semblance of vision. Plus, if you're able to get some snazzy, pink, love-heart ones like these, all the better. 

3. Scented Sun Screen

Yep, that's right, Teenage Fanatic is promoting sun safety, spread that round folks! Definitely an essential item in everyone's beach bag should be sun screen. I don't know about you, but I would quite like to continue living. I've grown quite fond of life, so I don't really plan on getting skin cancer anytime soon, which unfortunately seems to be the alternative to not lathering on some sun protective lotion. Either that, or you'll end up looking like this:

I think I'll take the far superior option and just suck it up and buy some sun screen - like the Hawaiian Tropic one above! It has all sorts of magical powers. By applying, you'll have super smooth, moisturised skin, plus you'll smell like a coconut! Does life get any better?

4. Beached Themed iPhone Case

There's no doubting that themed items can make an ordinary outing truly spectacular. So next time you rock up to the beach, why not make sure everything you're bringing along fits the occasion? You'll look like a professional coordinator. Plus, who wouldn't want their iPhone case to be covered in sparkly starfish? I know I do. 

So that's the end of my super short list! I hope you enjoyed my first instalment of the Summer Blog Challenge (because there are many more to come). Now go out and live your lives readers! Til' next time . . .

Annabel xx

Sayonara May: Hiya June

Hello again blogosphere! Today is officially the 2nd of June, which means we have to say goodbye to our shorts and t-shirts and reacquaint ourselves with our winter woolies (unless of course you live in the Northern Hemisphere, then just disregard everything I said). I am actually so jealous of America right now, damn those 3 month summer breaks, but nonetheless, I must soldier on. Of course it's all very exciting at the moment, a new month, a new season, what's not to like (except for that pesky television hiatus)? But before we officially move on from the month of May, how about we follow Teenage Fanatic's usual monthly tradition of reflecting on all the biggest celebrity news in the past 31 days.

5. Lea Michele releases her book 'Brunette Ambition'

Although this should be headlining all sorts of newspapers, I can recognise that perhaps not everyone found this gleeful news as awesome as I did, hence its place at number 5 on the list. But isn't this exciting? The autobiography that all Leanatics have been waiting for has finally arrived. I mean, not only does it explain in the detail the awesomeness that has been her 'Glee' studded life, but it also has a bunch of other stuff like meat free recipes, which let's face it, are always handy to a vego like me. Plus, the memoirs of someone who was already in the Broadway circuit at age 8 are ought to be interesting. Also, no doubt about it, Lea Michele just happens to be ridiculously awesome, and there's no way I would ever miss out on an opportunity to develop my stalkerish tendencies. 

4. Emma Watson Graduates

There was big news a few years ago when it was announced that 'Harry Potter' star Emma Watson was going to ditch Hollywood for a while and go to university, but finally, it seems the glorious day has come and she has now graduated. Honestly, I don't know how she did it. If I were a child star being paid millions of dollars a day, I wouldn't bother studying at all. Who needs school when you've got global success? But oh no, she obviously managed to keep her nose to the grindstone considering she got into Brown University, one of the top Ivy League schools in America. I most certainly am impressed. And now, she can walk out, head held high, with a Bachelor's Degree in English literature. Plus, on another good note, we'll see her grace our screens again in all sorts of new major motion picture endeavours! This day just keeps getting better and better. 

3. Billboard Music Awards

Being the award show guru that I am, there's no way this wasn't making it on the list. Did I do a round-up of them? No I did not, purely because it felt like a boring repeat of the Grammys post. However, that does not make it any less legendary. There were a bunch of performances by some pretty cool A-list celebrities, and of course there were some fashion highs and lows that I bet you're all just dying to judge. It seems that everyone ever decided to rock up and be apart of the whole thing, and I guess if I were a celebrity, I would take every red carpet opportunity I was given. Haven't seen it yet? I suggest you get downloading.

2. Maya Angelou Dies

It was really awful to find out that famous, successful poet Maya Angelou tragically passed away the other day. To be fair, she was 86, but that still doesn't make it any less sad. Maybe not everyone knew who she was, but I certainly did. We've been studying her poems at school for a while now, and it sucks that she isn't around more. Did you know she was biffle for liffles with Martin Luther King Jnr? Apparently, the man had good taste, because she was a pretty awesome person. Barrack Obama also seemed to be saddened by the news, publicly calling her his 'fierce friend'. At least she can continue to live on throughout her poetry (which children will be forced to study for at least the next decade). 

1. Kimye Wedding

I absolutely hate that this is number one, but unfortunately there's no denying that this was a pretty big global event. Yep, you've heard the news that Kim Kardashian and Kanye West finally tied the knot. To be honest, considering North West and all, I just assumed they were already married, but no, apparently not. Surprisingly, this massive event was kept under wraps, which seems awfully odd for a family who have volunteered to have their entire lives publicised on a reality TV show. However, somehow the whole world found out about them getting hitched within about 15 minutes of the beginning of the ceremony, don't you love the invasive paparazzi? And it seems that their little wedding photo that hit Instagram broke all kinds of records, racking up a whopping 1.96 million likes (making me really hate humanity). The only thing I found vaguely interesting about it was the fact that Kim's own brother wasn't even willing to stay for the ceremony, opting to leave early. Did I even know she had a brother before this? No, not at all. But I'm with Fat Rob all the way. 

So that's the end of my little post to begin the month. I hope you're all officially ready to let go of May now and move onto the glorious month ahead. Til' next time . . .

Annabel xx

App Review: Quiz Up

Greetings again readers! I thought that today, I would take a little stab at reviewing one of the apps that has been taking the world by storm - QuizUp. Never heard of it? Dying to find out more? Well you've come to the right place my friends. Buckle up for a brutally honest review, and see if this app is worth wasting data for.

Have you ever sat at home and wondered 'why can't I be tested on something I frequently geek out over and verse people around the world?'. Well readers, you are in luck, because QuizUp is here to help.

I'm just going to start off by saying that I absolutely, 100% love this app. My friend put me onto it a few weeks ago and I thought it was majorly awesome from the get-go. All of this quizzing is at your fingertips for a small payment of absolutely nothing. Yes, you read that right, this app is totally free! I couldn't believe it either, especially when I saw all the content it has to offer. Literally, name a TV show and I bet it would be on there. Also, if you're addicted to 'Jeopardy' like I am (seriously, I think I have a problem), they've got an awesome general knowledge section that'll keep you busy for hours. But wait, there's more. Not only does it refer to popular culture, oh no, you can actually be quizzed on something worthwhile. They've got a bunch of categories like geography and science, so you can fill your brain with all sorts of educational stuff (although why you'd want to, I do not know).

However, before I go any further in this review, I have to warn you of the severe risk involved with playing QuizUp. It is ridiculously addictive. Don't believe me? Check out the meme.

I'm serious. You start off thinking you'll only be a couple of minutes, then your phone runs out of battery and you realise you've been playing for hours.

So yes, I think you're all aware now of the super awesomeness of QuizUp, but how exactly does it work? I've got you covered. The app is actually so easy to use (which is nice for a change). First up, welcome to the home page:

This'll keep constantly changing based on what's new and hip, but rest assured it won't really deviate from this all that much. You can already tell it's going to be an amazing app because it's so colourful, and that's before you've even get to the topics!

To navigate around the app, you simply just click on the little lines in the right hand corner, and bam, you can access whatever you want.

As I was saying before, once you click on the topics tab, a world of opportunity opens up before you.

This is when you are able to unleash your inner (or in my case, not so inner) competitor and blurt out everything single nerdy fact you know. Surprise surprise, the topic I seem to gravitate towards the majority of the time is 'Glee'. Once you've clicked the category you want, the app automatically finds someone for you to go head-to-head with and test out your knowledge. I am proud to say I am currently undefeated in 'Glee' (not that I'm bragging or anything - even though I totally am). The first question will look like this (except it will obviously relate to whatever topic you've chosen). They're all in a multiple choice style, and you're only ever given 4 options. The quicker you are, the more points you'll get out of 20 for each question.

Once the battle is over, you get to find out once and for all who reigns supreme. And I guarantee you, win or lose, you'll be hitting that 'Play Another' button in the bottom right hand corner almost immediately.

See, I told you it was ridiculously easy. Now, I seriously urge you all to go get playing. I mean after all, it was practically endorsed by Darren Criss and Chris Colfer, who would argue with them?

Go readers, go get playing. I apologise in advance for taking up hours of your life with this totally addictive app. If you ever find yourself playing against gleeknumerouno, get excited, because you'll be my opponent. Til' next time . . .

Annabel xx

Coolest Celebrities Who are Under 25

Hello again blogosphere! It's no secret that teenagers are epicly awesome, but when it comes to young people in the media, things always tend to get a bit cray (just look at Miley Cyrus). So I thought, why not clear up our reputation by picking out some of the most awesome celebrities who are under 25?  Also, it's always fun to celebrate our fellow, non-awful youths. Without further ado, here's the list . . .

Chloë Grace Moretz

Although maybe not everyone knows who she is, I can pretty much guarantee you that you've seen one of her movies. Don't believe me? Just take a look at a few of them:

- Kick Ass (1&2)

- Hugo

- Carrie 

- Diary of a Wimpy Kid

- Let Me In

- 500 Days of Summer

Trust me, there are about a million more, but I think you get the gist - she's been in everything. Casting a horror movie? No problem, she's your girl. I think you can already kinda see why she's on this list, but just to make it even more of a wow factor, she's only 17. 17! She's not even 2 years older than me and she's been in a whole bunch of successful major motion pictures! That's pretty impressive (I'm only a little bit jealous). She also just happens to have recently done an off-Broadway play this year called 'The Library', and being a massive theatre nerd, that just has to be respected. 

Freddie Highmore

You may not know him by name, but you certainly know him. Remember that kid who just happened to be in every kid's movie ever? Yeah, it's that guy. From Charlie and the Chocolate Factory to the Spiderwick Chronicles, Freddie Highmore just seemed to pop up all over my childhood. And now, believe it or not, he's grown up as well! Isn't it funny how that happens? But why exactly is he featured on this list? Well for one, he's been constantly working since he was about 7, so that's pretty impressive, but oh no, the awesomeness doesn't stop there. He is fluent in two languages other than English, studying Spanish and Arabic at Cambridge University. For some reason, this doesn't surprise me as much as it should. Maybe it's because he's English, and people with an English accent just always sound smarter (which is officially the best racial stereotype ever), or maybe it's because he's studying all the time on 'Bates Motel' (in between the murder of course), I just don't know. But you have to admit, that is pretty awesome.

AnnaSophia Robb

Even though she's only 20, it feels like AnnaSophia's been around for ages. Seriously, I can remember her when I was little when she was starring in things like 'Bridge to Terabithia' and 'Charlie and the Chocolate Factory'. So, when I saw her in the adds for 'The Carrie Diaries', I felt like I'd grown up with her. But why exactly did she make it on this list? Well for one, she's a child actress who hasn't totally gone off the rails, and that is a rare occurrence nowadays. Plus, she's proven that she can stick it out in the industry. But most importantly, she actually got accepted into Stanford University, how cool is that? A celebrity with a brain, now how did that happen? I mean of course she hasn't actually been there yet, as she deferred to do 'The Carrie Diaries', but now that that's been cancelled, the world's her educational oyster. 

Ansel Elgort

If you've been tapped into the media lately, there's no doubt you've heard of Ansel Elgort. He seems to be all the rage at the moment, seeing as he's been in the popular 'Divergent', and will star in the upcoming movie 'The Fault in Our Stars'. But would you have had any idea who he was this time last year? I can pretty much guarantee you that your answer would be no. Why? Because he's totally just come out of nowhere. You know how there are always these articles about random celebrities who have seemingly just appeared overnight, but then you check it out and they've actually been working pretty consistently for ages? With Ansel, this is certainly not the case. When I say he appeared out of nowhere, I literally mean it. He basically went from doing absolutely nothing, to being cast as Tommy in the remake of 'Carrie'. Then, next minute, he's 20 and starring in 3 major motion pictures that were released within 1 year. That's pretty incredible! Plus, he builds miniature models of hobbits, so I can't help but find that extremely cool.

Jennifer Lawrence

There's absolutely no doubt that J-Law should be on this list. She's known and loved by pretty much everyone, and just happens to be super awesome. First up, let's just take a moment to see everything she's accomplished. Well, she's already won an Oscar for 'Silver Linings Playbook', she's been nominated for 2 others ('Winter's Bone', 'American Hustle'), plus she is currently the star in one of the most popular teen movie series', and she's only 23! How is that even possible? Plus, she just happens to be an insanely epic human being. Have you seen her interviews? They're completely wacky and awesome. Also, did you know that she has no formal acting training? That's pretty amazing.

Nolan Gould

If you've ever seen an episode of 'Modern Family' (and odds are you have), you'll be familiar with this guy. You know, the kid who isn't exactly the sharpest crayon in the box? However, it seems that in this case, art certainly does not imitate life when it comes to Nolan Gould. And why is that? Because he's actually a super genius. He's officially a member of MENSA, which means he has one of the highest IQ's in the world. He graduated high school at 13, and is now taking college classes. How does a human do that? I do not know. Plus, to top it all off, he's only 15. He's literally a few months younger than me, and is already in university as well as working professionally as an actor. Talk about insane jealousy. 

Maisie Williams

At 17, this girl just happens to be a key player in one of the most popular current TV series', 'Game of Thrones'. Already, it's pretty obvious why she's on this list. She got the role of Arya Stark when she was only 12, and before that, she'd never acted before. Prodigy? I think yes. Plus, while she was on set, she taught herself to be left handed. As a natural leftie, I find this pretty awesome. But why did she feel the need to become ambidextrous? Dedication to the craft, that's what it was. Apparently, in the GOT book 'A Song of Ice and Fire', it is fleetingly mentioned that Arya is left-handed, and although only hardcore fans would notice, Maisie still taught herself how to sword fight as a true leftie. That's pretty impressive. Plus, she's apart of a dance group that frequently participates in flash mobs, how amazingly awesome is that?

Ezra Miller

If you're any kind of teen (or have a grasp on anything vaguely teen related), you'll have heard of 'The Perks of Being a Wallflower'. Behold, the guy who played Patrick. I mean sure, he's been in a bunch of other stuff like 'We Need to Talk About Kevin' and is set to star in 'Madame Bovary', but let's get real, we all know him from that. Sure, these are pretty great achievements for someone who's only 21, but what in particular makes him eligible for a place on this list? Why, the fact that he learnt opera to overcome a speech impediment pretty much sums it up. 

Saoirse Ronan

Ask me how to pronounce her name and I'd be in trouble, but there's no doubting that Saoirse is pretty awesome. Who is she you may ask? Pretty much the go-to-girl for any quirky role ever. She became super famous in 2007 after starring in 'Atonement' at age 13, and just happened to get an Academy Award Nomination for her performance. She's also been in a bunch of other stuff, most recently acting in Wes Anderson's 'Grand Budapest Hotel', and is still only 20. But you know, apart from the whole Oscar nomination thing, why is she on the list? Well, for one, she's won 15 of the 31 awards she's been nominated for, which is no doubt an excellent achievement. Plus, she is quite the master of accents. Name a nationality, she can mimic them. Also, fun fact, in Irish, her full name means 'free, unified seal', how cool is that?

Rico Rodriguez

This kid just so happens to be the second 15 year old 'Modern Family' star on this list, except this guy's literally 4 days older than me (which is weird, considering he looks about 10). On the show, he plays a young boy who seems way older than he is, and in this case, his character pretty much appropriately sums him up (hence his place on this list). Seriously, by the time he was 14, he had already written and released his novel 'Real Life Lessons...So Far', how freakishly cool is that? At 15, going on 16, I've released absolutely no books and starred in no TV shows (but hey, at least I have a blog). This all just feels unfair!

So that's officially the end of my list! Although it was pretty long, I still had to cut it down quite significantly. Dammit, why are so many young people ridiculously successful? What even is life? Anyway, you can now just go back to your normal lives and wait for the deep seeded jealousy to kick in. Til' next time . . .

Annabel xx

Song Reviews: iTunes Charts

Greetings again readers! Today I've decided to access my (not so) inner critic, this time taking to the mainstream music currently topping the iTunes charts. Perhaps take a browse and determine which songs are for you, and which songs to maybe skip out on. Before I even get close to the fun part (which is of course judging everybody else who isn't me), here are the current top 10 in the iTunes single charts in Australia.

I have to admit, I haven't actually heard of all these songs. How? What kind of life do I lead? I honestly don't know, but I've somehow managed to largely evade mainstream popular culture without becoming a total hipster. Therefore, my music scope is rather narrow (in the awesomest kind of way). However, to make this a fair fight, I've decided to judge all songs simply from the 1:30 snippets iTunes provides. Will it all be worth it? You'll have to stick around and find out.

10. Bad (feat. Vassy) [Radio Edit] - David Guetta

To be completely honest, from what I heard in that one minute thirty, I really don't know how this qualifies as a song. Seriously, in the words of Jenna Marbles, what are this? It legitimately starts off to a completely techno beat, before what sounds to be Alvin and the Chipmunks join in with something that with wishful thinking, can almost be described as melodic. How is this popular? I do not know. Sometimes I worry for our generation. What kind of people find this style of music (if that's what you can even call it) appealing? I mean sure, I understand that it's David Guetta, and that he's a DJ and all that, but seriously? He should've just stuck with 'Titanium' a lived off the profits that he gained from that for the rest of his life. 

9. Fancy (feat. Charli XCX) - Iggy Azalea

Although I didn't vaguely recognise the title at all, I actually am, believe it or not, somewhat familiar with this song. Could I recite any of it? Absolutely not. However, that doesn't mean I don't like it. I have to say, despite myself, I do actually like this song. There's no doubting that Iggy's rapping is pretty top notch, and the melody in the song doesn't disappoint (despite the monotony). I mean I still have absolutely no idea who Charli XCX is or whether not they were even in the song, but that doesn't matter, I like it all the same. Plus, Iggy Azalea just happens to be Australian, and of course I have to celebrate a native celebrity! 

8. Geronimo - Sheppard

I most certainly have heard this song. Everywhere. For the past month. Constantly. Do I like it? I haven't decided yet. Yeah sure, it's ridiculously catchy and gets stuck in your head for hours on end, but is that pleasant? Not particularly. I actually prefer the verses to the chorus, because when that main riff kicks in, I just want to claw my eyes out. Maybe that's just me, but I just find it so predictable and monotonous that I can't deal. Besides that, I guess I can't really find anything wrong with it, except for the fact that once you've heard the first 1:30 iTunes snippet, you've basically heard it all. It just keeps going and going, until you really don't care about it at all. But as I say, it's probably just me. 

7. Am I Wrong - Nico & Vinz

For this one, I am relying purely on the iTunes preview, because believe it or not, I have no idea what this song is. Was listening to it particularly worth it? No, not at all. I mean, don't get me wrong, there wasn't anything that stood out as being terribly unlistenable, but on the other hand, there wasn't anything that stood out at all. It is legitimately one of the most boring songs, I seriously don't know how it's so popular. It just keeps plodding along and doesn't ever change, I mean is melody these days seriously out of the question? 

6. Waves (Robin Schulz Radio Edit) - Mr Probz

Meh. That pretty much sums this one up. It wasn't awful, it wasn't fabulous, it was just a song. I can see why people go for it, considering it's got a strong backbeat and a repetitive melody that seems to be all the rage these days, but am I a huge fan? Not really. The tune's okay, but as I say, the repetition is killing me. Also, why would someone want to write a song about waves? Surely writing about anything else, like radioactive dinosaurs or something would be far superior to a song about oceanic processes, but whatever. Also, I really want to find out what exactly the radio edited out. Variety perhaps? I just don't know. 

5. Problem (feat. Iggy Azalea) - Ariana Grande

This song is definitely my favourite on the list. I know it's mainstream, but you've gotta love it. It's just so catchy! And isn't it the perfect car song? The one you jam to when you think no one's looking (when they actually are and are silently judging you). I actually love it so much. It grows on you, it really does! Plus, you can be a real dweeb and start jamming to both the ridiculously high poppy parts and the groovin' rap part (and yeah, I used the word groovin'). In the words of Hannah Montana, you get the best of both worlds. It honestly pains me to be so in sync with the masses, but there's no doubting the greatness of this song. 

4. Faded - ZHU

This song seems to have a kinda weird techno vibe. I can't really tell you if I've heard this song, because it's just one of those totally forgettable things, but is it totally unenjoyable? By no stretch of the imagination. It's a bit weird, but good weird (in an electronica dance music kinda way). I can't tell you whether or not I like the song, nor the the gender of the lead vocalist, but it's certainly different, which I can respect. If you were out there living your life on the dance floor and had just done some seriously intense fist pumping, this song would be a nice one to just chill out to and lower the roof just a tad before launching into another energetic dance spree. Would you download it? Maybe not. 

3. Chandelier - Sia

I'm just going to put it out there, after 'Problem', this is probably my second favourite song on the list. Again, it's just super catchy. I am honestly ashamed of my appreciation of mainstream music, what kind of nerd am I? But legit, it's a good song. Do I know any of the lyrics at all? Absolutely not. It's kind of sad really, because before this blog post, I didn't even know the song was called Chandelier, I seriously had no idea. Maybe it's because Sia doesn't annunciate particularly well, or maybe it's because I have some sort of hearing impairment. Whatever the reason, it hasn't hindered my ability to recognise the awesomeness of the song. In fact, the single's just so good you don't even need to have a vague idea of the lyrics to enjoy it! Plus, Sia just so happens to be the second Australian singer on the charts, so I can't help but feel a little bit of patriotism settle in. 

2. Stolen Dance (Radio Edit) - Milky Chance

This is once again one of the songs I had never heard before, but I have to say, as an impartial observer, I quite liked this song. It's a bit quirky and doesn't feel horribly horribly mainstream (despite the fact it now is). Plus, it's by this little out-of-nowhere alternative pop folk group from Germany, so of course it isn't riddled with awful bass drops and horrendous auto-tune, which is of course a massive bonus. I would actually almost consider downloading it, if it weren't for the fact that I don't ever listen to that kind of music. All in all, I was pleasantly surprised. 

1. Que Sera - Justice Crew

Surprisingly, the song that's at number one is no where near my favourite on the list. Is the song okay? Sure. Is it any more than that? Not really. Sure, it's got an okay tune that just keeps on repeating itself, but I'm not a big fan of it. Especially when the chorus kicks in, it's just so cliche and quintessentially pop centric that you want to strangle whoever's singing it (however, that's probably just me and my homicidal tendencies that seem to pop up). Saying that, as it has reached number one on the iTunes charts, I guess it would have to be pretty popular for some reason, so maybe there's just some greatness there that I'm not getting (either that, or Australia's stupid). 

So that's the end of my ridiculously judgemental song reviews. Perhaps I was able to inform your decision and ensure that you don't waste your next iTunes gift card on unlistenable music, although knowing me, I was probably just being a harsh critic. Now I suggest you go get downloading! Enjoy your lives. Til' next time . . .

Annabel xx