Thursday, 21 October 2010

Paranormal Activity 2 : A Must See


If like me you are a horror movie lover you would have eagerly awaited the arrival of Paranormal Activity 2, and most probably found yourself doubting it’s ability to live up to it’s low budget indie predecessor? So, it was with apprehension I waited in what was nearly an empty cinema this evening for the movie to begin.

We are yet again faced with a similar situation to Paranormal Activity; hand held cameras, night vision and demons. You may even recognise some faces from PA1, but I can guarantee, unlike PA1 you you won’t be waiting until the end of the film for all the action.

My horror loving comrades, you will not be disappointed, PA2 delivers and even manages to surpass its first instalment. If you allow yourself to be fully absorbed by this film, it will have you on the edge of your seat, gasping, jumping and harbouring goose bumps for most of the (approx. 1.30h) running time. PA2 is cleverly written and will give you a deeper understanding of why events in PA1 took place. You will laugh at how easily it makes you jump!

See this movie. It’s a must for Halloween weekend. 5*



Thursday, 14 October 2010

The William Bray - Restaurant Review


A newly renovated gastronomic restaurant/bar nestled in the heart of Shere, makes for a very pleasant night out.

As soon as you sit at your table, you are aware that the restaurant has a sporting influence; neutrally painted walls teamed with hardwood floors, allows the owners original F1 racing photographs and memorabilia to take centre stage. The William Bray is owned by former Formula One driver, Julian Bailey. Julian found it only fitting to name the William Bray after the 18th Century lawyer who once inhabited the building, known for his sociableness and love of sports.

Having also had a run as the famous 'Stig' on Top Gear, Julian has managed to create a very stylish eatery, that sits in one of the most photographed villages in Surrey, so picturesque in fact, that the village was used as a backdrop in hit movies such as 'The Holiday' featuring Cameron Diaz, and 'The Wedding Date' with Deborah Messing.

The mixed menu remains unpretentious whilst offering contemporary food to suit all; Starters of 'Scallops Tempura to Mains of 'Liver with Bubble and Squeak' or 'Curried Monkfish' are on offer, all finished off with a fun desert menu including treats like 'Cinnamon sugared raspberry doughnuts with a custard shake'. The food menu is just as diverse as the drinks menu. Wines to suit every meal, The William Bray also has an extensive Beer and Whiskey selection as well as being a supplier of the famous Ruinart Champagne.

The food was very well presented, and tasted even better than it appeared. The decor was warm and tasteful, and the welcoming from the staff very friendly. The wine was lovely, the service quick and my chocolate tart, devine. My one problem was the lighting. A bit too bright for our evening meal, it could have been a little more atmospheric, but other than that 'The William Bray' is a must for anyone travelling by Guildford in the future, or planning to spend a sunny Sunday out of London.

Monday, 11 October 2010

Review - The Life & Death of Charlie St. Cloud...

"Trust your heart if the seas catch fire, live by love though the stars walk backwards" - E. E. Cummings

Taking chances in life isn't always easy. Sometimes you have to let go of the things and people you love in order to do so. Charlie St Cloud is just that, a story about learning to let go, and learning to take chances.


Zac Efron plays Charlie St Cloud, a handsome sailing scholar about to attend Stanford who has an unbreakable endearing bond with his younger brother Sam (played by Charlie Tahan). Charlie, knowing the fatherless family cannot afford baseball camp for Sam offers to practice with him an hour everyday before he leaves for College on one condition; Sam must never be late. That evening the two brothers are involved in a fatal car accident, Sam dies but Charlie is bought back to life by paramedic (Ray Liotta). Consumed by grief and tormented by the loss of his brother, Charlie is unable to cope with the funeral and runs off into the woods. It is here we are reintroduced to Sam's ghost, who reminds Charlie of their deal to practice everyday at sunset.

5 years on, and Charlie has taken a job as the Graveyard caretaker to be closer to his brother. Sticking true to his word, he practices everyday with Sams ghost and all is well, until Charlie starts to fall for Amanda Crew (Tess Carrol), an attractive sailing aficionado, about to set sail round the world. Their budding relationship starts to threaten Charlies ability to keep his promise to Sam, and Amanda doesn't have long before she leaves. Charlie is left with the difficult decision of choosing between the two and learning that in order to move on, you have to let go.
I was neither moved to to tears by this movie, (although there are plenty of moving scenes) or tempted to leave half way through. Efron and his leading lady Crew carry this movie and hold it together well. Efron is brilliant as Charlie, he is sincere, real and truly believable and you will find yourself really connecting to his character throughout the movie. His acting ability is not the only reason to see Charlie St Cloud, his impeccably toned arms and divinely pretty face make this 99 minutes of pure pleasure to watch. Plenty of close ups, great settings, well written script, a few laughs and a very decent kissing scene make this movie a real treat. I was really taken aback by the twist, didn't have a clue. So ignore the harsh critical write ups, 'The Life and death of Charlie St Cloud ' is really pleasant and I recommend it for every Efron fan. This is not a chick flick, so boys don't worry if the girls want you to go, you may actually find yourself liking it.



Thursday, 7 October 2010

Excited for Efrons NEW Movie

I don't know about you but I'm really excited to see this movie. If like me you are a Zac Efron fan, I'm sure you'll be itching to watch Charlie St Cloud when it hits the cinemas on Friday...However, if you would prefer to wait and see what people think of the movie, wait for the Bezine Review which will be up by Sunday at the latest. Here is the trailer. Enjoy! B xx

Saturday, 2 October 2010

Hottie of The Month - Ben Feldman


HANDS DOWN THE CUTEST ACTOR BY FAR.......

Good looks with that geeky boy next door charm! Good actor too.

Friday, 1 October 2010

Eat Love Pray - Movie Review


After reading Elizabeth Gilbert's book, I was intrigued to see how Hollywood would make this heartfelt, sincere novel come to life. Could they do it justice? How well will Julia Roberts portray Elizabeth Gilbert? I had my doubts, believe me I did. How could you take a book full of such honesty, pain and adventure and turn it into a Hollywood blockbuster without damaging it?



In the beginning of the film that we learn about Liz's background and her failing marriage; we follow her difficult divorce, feel the pain of her husbands unrequited love, bare a small ounce of her guilt at leaving her husband and we take a dive into her new love affair with a younger man. If I hadn't of read the book, I wouldn't have known the real hardships of Liz's divorce, I wouldn't have known the true anguish she felt and I wouldn't have known how long she had been unhappy. The film touches on these issues, but it's more of a skimming than the true immersion it should be.


This movie although lacking the true depth of the book, is a great accompaniment. Julia Roberts is brilliant as Liz, and she really does her best with the script she's been given. The only part of the movie I started to get slightly fidgety in was India, which was rather fitting as it's the part of the book I found quite Laborious; life in the Ashram however, isn't mean to be easy it's meant to be tough, so maybe my inability to sit still was my way of feeling emphatic towards Elizabeth's struggle to find stillness. Do not worry, you are thoroughly rewarded after sitting through India, by the lightness of Bali, the Indonesian part of the Movie. Not only do you find yourself immediately relaxing, you also get to enjoying a very romantic meeting of two kindred spirits whom nurse each others broken hearts back to health.


Please read the book first, as it will really make this movie a completely different experience. Not only will you be able to truly enjoy the film, you won't find yourself having to put all the missing pieces together. Although some characters were missing, and details missed out of the movie which I would have enjoyed to see, the movies settings were truly beautiful and the opening credits do read "Based On" not "Exactly the same as" so you are warned.


All in all Eat Pray Love is a really lovely film, and it's really worth going to see, especially if you'd like to escape the recent rain and head off to Italy, India and Indonesia with Javier Bardem, Billy Crudup and James Franco for a couple of hours.