Film eview for college: Elf

This was a Christmas task that the class was given after watching the film Elf together. We were given 20 minutes to write a review and this is what I achieved:

 

When Buddy the elf (Will Ferrell) finds himself in the know about his human father who lives in New York City, he begins his voyage to the big apple, leaving behind the fantasy sugarplum coated land of The North Pole, fellow elves and of course, Santa Claus.
       Will Ferrell pulls off the stereotypical ‘Santa’s elf’ role exceptionally by keeping up a constant exaggerated persona throughout the movie, making it an all-time favourite Christmas comedy of mine.
       The movie is definitely a true gem when it comes to Christmas films and is bound to be enjoyed by all of the family, no matter what age. It is easy to watch and follow, yet contains humour fit for the kids and for adults, creating a perfect balance.
       The animation that features in the scenes in The North Pole creates a perfect interpretation of the location and settles a good contrast between the fantasy land and the busy streets of New York City. This includes the ‘fairy tale’ language that Buddy uses throughout the film such as ‘sugarplums’, ‘candy cane forest’ and ‘swirly twirly gumdrops’.
       This all appears extremely childish which is exactly what Will Ferrell pulls off as the character of Buddy. He appears very vulnerable and child-like which is humorous, yet suggests that children who watch the movie will easily be able to relate to the character even though he is an adult. For example, when Buddy arrives in New York he is extremely cautious, confused and curious. When he first sees a zebra crossing for the first time, he excitedly hops over the white lines, completely oblivious of the fact he is playing around in the middle of a busy road. Buddy’s clumsiness and silliness is what attracts the film to the younger market. However, mild adult humour also features in the film to grab the attention of all the mums and dads. For example, when Buddy picks up the Christmas lingerie in the store but doesn’t understand what the sign means next to it; “For that special someone”.  All Buddy’s actions are shadowed by clumsy sound effects and fast paced camerawork which exaggerates his silly personality even more so.
       At first, the character of Buddy seems slightly weird, but then we learn to love him and feel sympathy for him as he begins to build relationships, learns lessons and becomes a hero in the finale. As the narrative progresses, Buddy learns many life lessons and as the audience, we are able to watch him grow and develop.
       Buddy’s Dad is a representation of what I assume many working men are like. Men who watch the movie may be able to view themselves as the role of Buddy’s father through similarities within his personality and life. For example, he is cynical, moody and doesn’t have much Christmas spirit. When Buddy’s brother Michael says to Buddy; “He only cares about money. He doesn’t care about you, or me, or anybody.” This may make fathers feel guilty about how much they work and how little time they spend with their families. The movie may help men/people change the way they view Christmas and remind them that Christmas should be a time of appreciating your family and friends, having a good time and realising the good things that you have in your life.
       Buddy’s decisions are what shape the narrative and the events that happen in the movie, both good and bad. This is what makes the film a good example of the phrase ‘work and play’ as there are plenty of scenes involving the concept of ‘play’, which are balanced out by the scenes that are set in the offices.
       Although Christmas is the main theme of the film, I believe it is not only a Christmas film, but an exceptionally amusing comedy that can be enjoyed at any time of the year.
       I would most definitely recommend the movie Elf and I give it a massive thumbs up!

Greetings from Beacons! - Travel feature

For one of my college assignments I was required to produce a basic travel feature of somewhere I have been before. In the summer I went to Beacons Festival with some of my friends so I decided to write the feature about that. Here it is:



Greetings from Beacons!
Beacons is a cutting edge music and arts festival that takes place in the picturesque setting of Funkirk Estate in Skipton situated in the Yorkshire Dales amongst the dry stone walls and rolling moors. It was formally known as The Moor Music Festival until the name and the location of the festival were changed in 2011. Beacons gives any festival lover the chance to leave behind vast crowds in stadium-sized stages, and instead allows you to experience intimate performances in traditional marquees for half the price and double the fun. The festival is brought to you by a collective of tastemakers who for years, have been bringing the best music to well-known Northern venues such as Leeds’ Nation of Shopkeepers and Brudenell Social Club and Sheffield’s Bungalows and Bears, Club Pony and the Shipping Forecast.

Vibes n' Pretty Things

Beacons offers good positive vibes to its attendees as it is surrounded by green and fresh mountainous hills. The festival is capped at a capacity of 7,500 people, which is much appreciated as many describe it as having a ‘lovely large garden party feel’. A host of interactive light and sound installations, hand crafted structures and flag installations are positioned throughout the site. Large sculptures and art visuals that have been donated to the festival by various artists are dotted around the festival vicinity adding a unique and special touch to the surroundings of both the campsite and arena.

 

Sound Selection

Music-wise, the festival supplies you with the latest bass star next to an acoustic indie hero, as dance music and guitar music collide. Beacons is viewed as the perfect festival for indecisive or ‘open to all’ music fans as the event covers genres from electro to folk. Whilst covering every genre, the festival considers its main genres to be electro, indie, reggae, rock and trip hop. Although the line-up is some-what smaller than the average music festival, the bands and artists are carefully selected so there is something for everyone to enjoy.

 

Scran, Booze & Shindigs

Aside from the music stages, there are also endless amounts of workshops, an exclusive cinema programme and children’s entertainment; making the festival appealing to all ages and family friendly. The festival is also well known for its wide variety of wholesome food and drink stalls such as Reds True BBQ, Skipton Pie and Mash, The Whiskey Lounge and many more which all offer something far nicer than your traditional camping food; ie bland pot noodles and boring tins of baked beans.

 

Frontiers of the Future

Beacons is also well known for ‘Fancy Dress Friday’ which also comes with a theme; this year being ‘Frontiers of the Future’ which invited attendees of the festival to come dressed up as space cadets, daft punks, disco robots and various other extra-terrestrial beings. For those who were not aware of ‘Fancy Dress Friday’, the festival also has a ‘Beacons Boutique’ tent, supplying you with everything from costumes to cosy camping gear if you may be in need.

 

Your Home Away From Home

Beacons offers a wide range of different camping options for visitors such as family camping that is supplied with climbing frames, arts and crafts and activity tents with cartoon showings for the kids throughout the day and evening. Quiet camping is also available for those who require their full 8 hours sleep at night as this campsite minimalizes the disturbance of nearby party-goers. Luxury accommodation is also available including beautiful tipis and bell tents that are available for hire for groups up the six people. This will supply you with the ultimate boutique experience with your fully carpeted and equipped tent fit for a king or queen.

 

Beacons Family

In comparison to other music festivals, Beacons does not seem to attract many rowdy or obnoxious youths. Of course, the primary attendees are young people, but this does not threaten the appearance of older people. With such a diverse range of ages and cultures, everyone at Beacons seems to get along well. Strangers become friends, and friends become family. The good vibes of the festival make everyone feel so ecstatic and joyous that speaking to a stranger seems only the norm. The festival reps and members are staff are surprisingly so friendly and helpful compared to larger festivals where they all just look bloody miserable throughout the weekend. This is what prevents uncalled for bad behaviour at the festival, as there is no need for it if people feel comfortable with the people around them.

Bea-Prepared!

• If you want to get to the front of the crowd for a certain band you love, you might have to see one or two of the bands in the line-up ahead of that band. You might be lucky enough to already know their music, but if you don't, it might be a good idea to research these artists and get to know their music. Hopefully, you'll enjoy it, if not, you make the decision to endure the music you may dislike.

• Open yourself to the music too; Beacons offers a wide range of artists and bands that suit to all different tastes and preferences. Make a list of the ones you would want to see before you go, then you can easily find out the set times by purchasing one of the Beacons programmes on arrival.
• Music is only half of the enjoyment of Beacons, or any music festival for that matter. Your enjoyment at the festival will double if you’re with good company or make new friends. At Beacons, the fun and excitement is never-ending all weekend, but if you’re on your own and don’t make friends, it could possibly be difficult to make the most out of the festival if you don’t have people to share the experience with.
• If you’re shy, pluck up the courage to talk to people who are camped around you, or people you are stood with in a tent as you evidently have the same music tastes! As said before, everyone at Beacons is friendly and helpful and it is very easy to make friends. Festivals are one of the greatest forms of escapism and Beacons supplies you with that perfectly. If you’re able to forget about anything troubling you that is going on in your life for the weekend, you’ll have the best time of your life.
• Enjoy yourself! Don’t fuss if you haven’t had a shower in a few days, don’t be bothered about having to pee outside and don’t worry if you smell a little! In the end, everyone is in the same boat as you and all that matters is having a great time with no worries.

That's a wrap
Locally, Beacons is becoming well known for its unscripted interludes, which usually occur during the evenings, after the crowds are ushered to bed for early sound curfews, and, unwilling to be confined to their tents for the night, take to creating their own entertainment. An unavoidable aspect of the festival for some is the early ending times each night. Considering the amount of partying and full days of music that Beacons has to offer, 2AM does feel like an incredibly early time to be wrapping up, especially at a music festival. However, this is a positive aspect to the festival regarding the families and those who love a good night’s sleep, but this also has an interesting effect on the party-goers who attend the festival. The early finishing times at the arena means that those who want to stay up late can enjoy the other on-site activities in the early morning hours and brings an almost classy feel to the atmosphere and proceedings. This is one of the things that differs Beacons from other music festivals, as it isn’t such a big crazy party, but it is a great place to listen to some amazing music with top notch sound.

Revlon Colorstay foundation, Sleek brow kit & Anatomicals No Old Bags Allowed eye gel

The other day I went into Superdrug after college after just getting paid, in search for a new foundation. When it comes to foundation, I am always keen to try new ones. This includes brands I have never tried before, shades and different foundations designed for different skin types. The last foundation that I purchased (and loved!) was Collection's Lasting Perfection Ultimate Wear Foundation in shade 2 Ivory. This foundation was fairly cheap (retailing at £5.99) and did the job pretty well. However, I had been meaning to purchase Revlon Colorstay foundation for months and months and a friend of mine absolutely loves it, so I decided to treat myself and got it in the shade 150 Buff.

I first applied the foundation with my Cosmopolitan Blend Perfection Sponge and it really didn't apply very well at all. The foundation appeared watery and the coverage was terrible! I was really disheartened as I felt as though I had spent £12.49 on a crap product. HOWEVER, the next day I decided to apply the foundation with my fingertips and it worked a dream!

• The shade I bought is perfect for my skintone and doesn't have an orange undertone like most of the foundations I have tried recently.
• It feels light and makes me feel fresh faced 
• The coverage is amazing and it applies really nicely into my face

The only bad point I have to say about the foundation is the fact that it doesn't come with a pump. It is a bit of a ball ache trying to pour the right amount onto my hand, but it's worth it for the quality of the foundation

I WOULD DEFINITELY BUY THIS PRODUCT AGAIN!

The second product I picked off the shelf was the Sleek Brow kit in shade Dark 818. I had heard wonderful things about this product and couldn't wait to buy it. I am a massive fan of Sleek's blushers and concealers and had been meaning to try a new eyebrow product for ages. It comes as a small compact with a mirror, mini set of tweezers, angle and blending brushes, shaping wax and setting powder. After using this product I have decided I will NEVER use an eyebrow pencil ever again! It's amazing! The shaping wax and angled brush work perfectly together on the brow and the blending brush and setting powder conceal and set the product so it literally doesn't move all day. 

100% an amazing product and everyone should try it. 

The final product I purchased was the Anatomicals No Old Bags Allowed eye gel. The reason I bought this product is because I often wake up in the morning with huge puffy bags under my eyes if I haven't had a good nights sleep. I have tried caffeine eye roll ons before and they never seemed to work for me, so after doing a bit of research I decided to try this eye gel. It's cheap (retailing at £3.49), so couldn't really give it a miss! I dabbed the product gently onto my under eyes after cleansing my face and within about 2 minutes I could feel the skin tightening. However, I didn't see much of an improved appearance. After using the product a few times I've noticed my eye bags have actually reduced in the mornings, so I'll continue to use it as it actually does make my eyes feel more awake. 

I would recommend this product. 

Here are the links for the products I purchased incase anyone wants to have a look!

Thanks guys!

Holl xxx

Revlon Colorstay Foundation in shade Buff 150: 

http://www.superdrug.com/revlon/revlon-colorstay-make-up-normaldry-skin-foundation-buff-150/invt/364371&bklist=

Sleek Eyebrow Kit in shade Dark 818: 

http://www.superdrug.com/sleek-makeup/sleek-make-up-brow-kit-dark/invt/283070&bklist=

Anatomicals No Old Bags Allowed Eye Gel: 

http://www.superdrug.com/anatomicals/anatomicals-no-old-bags-allowed-eye-gel-15ml/invt/611252&bklist=

Hello again creatures of the earth

I just stumbled across my blog and decided that I want to start writing on it again... not that I had many posts... a whole... erm... 2.

I am going to be doing beauty, music and random reviews and hopefully gain a nice big juicy readership in order to help my career as a journalist.

I am currently at college studying Journalism for a year to then hopefully go off to university in September and continue my studies for another 3 years. What's more sensible than an aspiring journalist creating and writing a blog?

I have got a little mind map in my head of what I'm going to be writing about so stay tuned (even though nobody even reads this). I'm a goon.

The Original Tangle Teezer

So, today my brand new fluorescent pink Tangle Teezer arrived! I had been meaning to purchase one for months & months, but it was only until I got my hair weave done about a month ago, that I realised the true pain of people with knotty hair. THERE ARE KNOTS EVERYWHERE, ALL THE TIME! I used to wear clip in extensions that were easy to style, straighten and comb; I managed to keep them knot free almost 99% of the time. However, this all changed when I got my weave. Due to the fact that the extension hair is now sewn into my real hair, it is a lot harder to keep it in control and it demands a far larger scale of care and treatment. I wash my weave once a week, as washing it any more than that can cause the hair to fall out or become too dry. The first time I washed it I was there for about an hour with a hairbrush when I came out of the shower, trying desperately to thin out and free the hundreds of tangles and knots that my hair had gained from the wash. It was at that point that I decided it was time to purchase the Tangle Teezer, as all I had ever heard were good reviews on it.

I'm not too sure why it took me so long to purchase this item. A friend of mine swears by hers, and I have used it a few times and absolutely loved it. I think it was because of the price (retailing on average from £7-£10 depending on where you purchase it from), and the fact that I never had knotty hair anyway. But, I can safely say it is the best money I have spent in a long long time. As soon as I took the product out of the compact packaging, I stroked it through my hair and weave a few times and it was literally as though I had just gained the hair of an angel! I couldn't believe how well and quickly it ran through my hair and knots and literally left my hair feeling smooth and silky within seconds.

I almost feel stupid for not purchasing this product sooner as it would have saved me a lot of time and effort with my hair, but I cannot explain how happy I am to have this little goddess in my life now. If you are going to do one thing today, please take my advice & purchase one of these little babies because believe me, you will not regret it!

I bought mine from Amazon:
£7.33
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Tangle-Teezer-Professional-Detangling-Hairbrush/dp/B00264NW7G/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1366325702&sr=8-1&keywords=tangle+teezer

Lush Cosmetics - Bubblegum Lip Scrub

Okay, so this is the first ever makeup/cosmetic review I have ever done, so here goes!
I had wanted this product for a while before I bought it, & if you ask me; I never bought it purely for the reason that I have previously tried lip scrubs, & all it seems is you are paying pounds for a little pot of castor sugar! However, this is a Lush Cosmetics product, & I do love a good treat from Lush every now & then, so I decided to purchase it. In my opinion, a retail price of £5.25 could be seen as rather steep for a tiny pot of sugar, jojoba oil and bubblegum flavouring all concocted together; but I've never tasted a cosmetic as perfectly sweet and delicious as this one!

I have previously tried the Lush Mint Julips scrub in which I found was far too harsh on my lips due to the mint flavouring giving me a burning sensation which was not pleasant. However, the connotations of bubblegum really do match up to what they are supposed to in this product; it it sweet, soothing and leaves your lips tasting absolutely fabulous. It also smells delicious and I love the fluorescent colour of the product. Not only does it do exactly what it says on the tin; "This sugary perfectly pink polisher keeps lips in tip top condition and tasting of candy floss" - CORRECT; but it is something more effective and unique in comparison to your average Lip Salve or Vaseline.

After using the product a couple of times all nasty winter-nipped dry skin had vanished from my lips and I could taste the sweet candy floss/bubblegum flavour on my lips for ages after I had used it. Not often i would spend a fiver on something so simple for my lips; but I am very glad that I did!

Available at:
Lush Cosmetics; £5.25 per 25g pot
https://www.lush.co.uk/product/67/Bubblegum---25g