Month: January 2019

Dumplin’- A Netflix Original Movie

Netflix’ newest release Dumplin’ is a heartwarming look into the mid-Texan pageant world and Willow-dean Dixon’s mission to show the pageant world that anyone can be a pageant Queen.

The movie is based on the book by Julie Murphy and tells the story of an overweight girl who’s mother is a former pageant queen and now runs the pageant contest in their area. Willow-dean was raised mostly by her now dead auntie and has no interest in the pageant world until she finds out her aunt had planned to compete the year that her mother had won. Willow-dean, along with a bunch of misfit friends, enters the pageant and breaks the stereotype.

Jennifer Aniston gives a standout performance as Willow-dean’s mother Rosie and also produced the film. Dumplin’ once again proves that Netflix Original Movies are becoming more and more popular with big celebrities and are continuing to produce great films.

The soundtrack of the film is provided by Dolly Parton’s greatest hits, if you didn’t like Dolly before, you certainly will after watching this movie. The typewriter intro of 9-5 gives the movie that southern female sass it provides in bucketloads.

This movie will make you laugh out-loud, sing along and cry along with the characters. It is a heartwarming timeless movie and will appeal to all ages.

Top 5 best TV series to binge watch

5. Arrested Development (2003-)

Arrested Development has to be one of the funniest and strangest TV shows about. The show follows the dysfunctional Bluth family as the patriarch of the family George Senior is imprisoned. This weird and wacky show is definitely worth the watch.

Available on Netflix.

4. Queer Eye (2018-)

The reboot of early noughties show Queer Eye for the Straight Guy is everything you’d hope it would be. The reality TV show follows 5 gay men in Georgia, USA helping mostly straight men and women get their home, lifestyle, grooming, fashion and cooking up to scratch. This show is all round hilarious and heart warming and is definitely worth a binge.

Available on Netflix.

3. The Crown (2016-)

The Crown tells the mostly true story of Queen Elizabeth II as she becomes Queen and the pitfalls and hurdles she faces. Claire Foy and Matt Smith are amazing as Queen Elizabeth II and the Duke of Edinburgh and give the viewer an insight into what life is like beyond the palace walls.

Available on Netflix.

2.Game of Thrones (2011-2019)

Game of Thrones is entering into its final season in 2019 but it’s not too late to catch up. The mythical fantasy features everything from Kings and Queens to dragons. The sometimes gruesome TV show is definitely worth the watch as it’ll be all everyones talking about in the coming months.

1. The US Office (2005-2013)

The American adaptation of the originally British show about a paper company in Scranton, Pennsylvania is one that everyone should see and deserves first place on this list. Steve Carrell as branch manager Michael Scott delivers a funnier and far more loveable version of Ricky Gervais’ David Brent. By the end of the ninth and final series the viewer finds themselves more attached to the characters than with any other show and is guaranteed to be a tear-jerker.

Available on Amazon Prime.

Netflix killed the Video Star

The streaming platform Netflix has been allowing customers to watch a film or TV series of their choosing since 2007. As of October 2018 Netflix had 137 million subscribers worldwide.

In recent years with the introduction of Netflix Originals, more and more people are choosing to stay at home and watch Netflix’ own productions than pay more for the cinema experience. What started as small, slightly cheesy films has now expanded to huge action-packed experiences starring some of the biggest actors and actresses. For example, at the end of 2018 Birdbox was released on Netflix starring Sandra Bullock the actress worth more than $200 million.

birdbox

This poses the question, will the cinema survive against the ever growing power of Netflix?

Customers pay a monthly fee for the streaming services of Netflix which in the UK is £9.99. This means they can watch as many TV series and Movies as many times as they like. Whereas in the cinema customers are paying an average of  £10 plus any additional costs for food to watch one movie once, then wait a number of months to either buy the movie or for it to appear on Netflix. The streaming service is becoming far more appealing.

Netflix has also released a new viewing experience, Black Mirror: Bandersnatch. The interactive/choose your own adventure film by the Netflix Original series Black Mirror. The viewer is given a series of options about the characters actions meaning you choose the story and you choose the ending.

There is, however, something great about going to the cinema. Would “Luke, I am your Father,” have shocked audiences as much if it were seen in your living room or would you have cried as much if you could pause the TV any time Forrest Gump says “Jenny”. The truth is, we still have a long way to go until cinema is obsolete, magic on the big screen just can’t be beat.