BAFTA Awards Live-Blog!

So we have the wonderful Stephen Fry hosting. This, as always, is an excellent choice as he is such an excellent ambassador for our little island. Lauren Mvula and Tinie Tempah opened splendidly. emind me to have some Lauren Mvula songs as upcoming song of the days. Also DID TINIE TEMPAH JUST BRO-FIST PRINCE WILLIAM? Winning.

There are so many films I didn't get to see like Saving Mr Banks and Mandela: The Long Walk to Freedom. I did see Gravity, which takes the first award, and I feel this was deserved. Gravity was one of my favourite films of 2013 and I thought that it was a real cinematic triumph. Oprah Winffrey, who is giving the award, looks stunning.

Can we talk about how stunning Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie looked on the red carpet tonight? They are honestly my favourite Hollywood couple.

For animation I feel like Frozen is going to win the award. Hell, it has been in the cinema for two months now. It's only up against Monsters University and Despicable Me 2. YEP! Frozen won. I thought so.

Emma Thompson is charming but also a little scatty. She's had a lot of rather excited appearances at awards ceremonies lately.

I think Michael Fassbender should take the award for playing a character so vile that I couldn't find him attractive at all in this performance. He played the most unredeemable, loathsome man. The award goes to Barkhad Abdi - I've not seen Captain Phillips but I've heard good things about the film and of his performance.

I love seeing American actors in the crowd trying to wrap their heads around British humour.
Whoever wrote the jokes for Stephen Fry should win a BAFTA of their own. Excellent punning!

Awards for cinematography could go to Gravity, Inside Llewyn Davis, 12 Years A Slave, Captain Phillips and Nebraska. I could see Gravity taking the award. That said it's the only film in the category I've seen the whole way through.
Yep - Gravity took it. Do people bet on the BAFTAs? I feel like I should have bet on the BAFTAs.


The award for supporting actress now. I don't even need to hear who is nominated. My vote lies with Lupita N'yongo. I've not seen all of 12 Years a Slave but the parts I've seen have shown how harrowing a performance she gave. LEONARDO, STOP BEING CHARMING. Jennifer Lawrence gave a good performance, I think it was the only redeeming point of American Hustle, but I think Nyong'o deserves the award more. I think she had to go to a very dark place emotionally for her role. Julia Roberts was fine in August Osage Country but in terms of characterisation she played herself mostly... just with many emotions. Lupita had to act out some truly disturbing scenes and it was horrifyingly believable. Then there's Oprah. Jennifer Lawrence just beat Oprah and Lupita Nyong'o. I'm going to be honest, I don't really agree with it. I like Jennifer Lawrence.

I didn't get to see Philomena. It was in my local cinema for such a short time.

Now for the award for original screen play. The nominees are Nebraska, Blue Jasmine, Gravity, American Hustle, Inside Llewyn Davis. The BAFTA goes to American Hustle. Cate Blanchett looks piiiiiiissssssseddddd. I think we've learned now to not piss off Galadriel already.

Stephen Fry correcting grammar. STOP MAKING ME LOVE YOU, SIR, YOU SAUCY FIEND.
12 Years a Slave - I really hope this film wins best picture. I'm seeing it in entirety on Wednesday. I've seen lots of the film but not the whole thing. I'm not ready to feel that much. What I've seen is already enough to leave me feeling uneasy. Chiwetel Ejiofor is brilliant. Lupita Nyong'o is utterly luminous. Michael Fassbender is terrifying and Brad Pitt is charming as ever. 

Now for the nominations for best adapted screenplay. The nominees are The Wolf Of Wall Steet (which is a winner for me already - one of the best films I've seen in a long time), Captain Phillips, 12 Years A Slave, Behind The Candelabra and Philomena. The award goes for Philomena which, unfortunately, I have not seen. 

Can the EE Rising Star award go to Lupita Nyong'o please? Thank you.
It didn't go to Lupita Nyong'o.
WRONG. 

Now we come to the part where we remember lost stars and people within the film industry.
God, I want to be a part of the film industry in some small way. If it's screen writing or directing one indie movie - anything. I'd love to be a part of this crazy world. 

Man, Uma Thurman has such swagger when she walks. She's such a stunning human being. Her hair and make up look awesome tonight and that's a wonderful dress - classic but simple.
GIVE THE AWARD TO CHIWETEL EJIOFOR RIGHT THE FUCK NOW.
Ok, I'd understand an award for Leonardo DiCaprio because Leonardo DiCaprio but Chiwetel has my vote. Yes! You go, Chiwetel! Ooh, he got a kiss from Brad Pitt. That's probably better than a BAFTA. Everyone in the room seems so happy for him and rightly so. 

MICHAEL SHEEN IS ON SCREEN.
OH MY GOD.
THAT MAN.
I can't wait for another season of Masters of Sex.
It's one of my favourite new shows. 

The award for best director goes to Alfonso Cuaron and this seems fair - he took on such a massive project that was no doubt a challenge to direct and adapt from paper to screen. 

The award for best leading actress goes to Cate Blanchett.
I think Sandra Bullock should have won. We know Bullock for her gutsy comedic roles but in Gravity she really turned the tide and took on a new genre. She played something much outside herself and the roles we've previously seen her in. She allowed herself to appear strong at times and vulnerable at others. That said I've not seen Blue Jasmine so I'm not sure what to say but I'm sure it was fabulous and a well deserved win. It's sweet that Blanchett dedicated her role to Phillip Seymour Hoffman. He seems to have touched so many people in the world of film. It looked like Blanchett was tearing up a little as she left the stage - bless her sweet heart. 

The final two awards are for best film and the BAFTA fellowship which will go to Helen Mirren. So strange that Prince William will deliver the award to someone who has played his own grandmother in a film.

Best film I think will go to 12 Years A Slave. It's such a human film and it explores a really dark period of human history in a candid, unapologetic manner. Ok, so the nominees for this award are Gravity, 12 Years A Slave, American Hustle, Captain Phillips and Philomena.
I suppose Gravity could take this.
Oh yes!
12 Years A Slave!
I really should have bet on the BAFTAs. Steve McQueen is awards gold after his success with 12 Years A Slave and, previously, with the film Shame. I think that McQueen is a rising star and the director to look out for in the future. Although he has only made three feature films (excluding short films here) they have had relative success. This is the director to work with. This is the man to stand beside when his next project rolls around. He also delivered a short but poignant speech reminding us that slavery isn't just a dark thing of the past. 

There were a lot of hits and a few misses but overall it was a good awards season.
So many Hollywood stars made it over to the BAFTAs and I think that the awards are truly becoming a bigger and grander event.
Now the countdown to the Academy Awards begins.
And the Oscar goes to...

31 Horror Films in 31 Days Challenge, Film Sixteen: 28 Weeks Later (2007)

This is yet another blog-along post where I'll be blogging along as I watch another horror film as part of the 31 Horror Films in 31 Days challenge. 
 Warning: Since I'm blogging my thoughts whilst watching the film THERE WILL BE SPOILERS.

These are raw blog posts. I start and I write until I finish without any editing afterwards. I just post the raw thoughts from the film as they occur. I enter this film with absolutely no prior knowledge. Enjoy, 

This film is, of course, the sequel to 28 Days Later which I have seen but not for some time. 

I like this idea of trying to maintain an image of domesticity in the midst of a zombie apocalypse. What a nice yet tragic start to the film...

In a zombie apocalypse I'd raid every supermarket and create a huge stockpile and feast for years. 

Ok, Don closed the door. I think we all react in fear and our survival instinct kicks in.  Would I risk my life to save someone I just met? I'm not sure... I would for someone I loved. For a Scot Robert Carlyle runs well for a man from my homeland where deep fried Mars Bars are their own food group. 

I don't remember the zombies turning this fast in 28 Days Later. Maybe I just watch too many zombie films

OK, they mentioned that their kids had been sent abroad, yes? What if the kids took a strain of the infection with them and set the rage virus loose elsewhere. 

Wait, is that Hawkeye? IT'S TOTALLY HAWKEYE.

Ok, officially interested in the differing iris colours and how that's going to tie into the plot.

"Welcome back to Britain": worst homecoming ever. 

Sneaking out and being rebellious teens is a pretty shit idea when there are ZOMBIES EVERYWHERE. For once could teens in films just obey the rules? Kids are stupid. 

The church they just ran past looked like the church from the Doctor Who episode where Rose tried to save her Dad.

So these kids risked their lives to go to their old house to grab some of their old clothes? Hmm... to be fair I'd really miss my clothes if I were living in quarantine. If I have to live through a zombie apocalypse I want my glamorous kimonos and comfy pyjama bottoms. 

So is their Mum a weird zombie-human hybrid? 

Is the army/helicopter dude the actor who played Mercutio in Baz Luhrmann's Romeo and Juliet? I looked it up. It is. Awesome. I'm awesome at this game.

"I love you Don" - No, if I were her I'd be saying "You left me to die, you arse!"

Eww! Spit strain close up!

Oops. Don just ate the cure. Oh... horrible.  Ew, ew, ew... This character, human or zombie, really doesn't like his wife. 

In a zombie apocalypse, just like when there is a fire in the building, learn to close the damn doors for your own protection.


Who stands perfectly still when a zombie is running at them? Silly kids.

Possible product placement. Andy is now in some sort of warehouse and there are loads of bottles of Coke by the looks of things. I'd take the opportunity to drink some. Who knows when you'll next have nourishment? I'd take any nourishment I could get and take some for the road if I could carry them. 

Hawkeye to the rescue!

My cat doesn't look impressed with this film. 

You're not at a good place on your relationship if you don't have a zombie survival plan. Hmm... I may make a post on that for the blog and for HuffPost. Watch this space...

What I love most about these films is the shots of an empty London because anyone who has ever been to London knows how busy it is. It's a city that never sleeps therefore seeing it so empty is truly kind of shocking. 

I can't ever watch zombie films without thinking of all the people who works as extras. I mean they get paid to be covered in fake blood and run around screaming. Isn't that the kind of job we all wish we had? It seems like a job where you could really vent your frustrations. 

Of course... an abandoned funfair is exactly the place you want to end up in during a zombie apocalypse.

If I was covered in zombie blood I'd want to wash it off of me asap. 

I'm pretty sure someone gave me the DVD boxset of 28 Days Later and 28 Weeks Later as a birthday present 6 years back. My Dad also got me the Final Destination boxset for Christmas. Nothing says "time to celebrate" like gritty, death-filled horror. 

Awh. Good guy Hawkeye. 

The actress playing Tammy reminds me of Sophie Turner who plays Sansa Stark in Game of Thrones. She also looks like the actress who plays Foxface in The Hunger Games. 

Again, the moral of the story seems to be that kids mess things up in a zombie apocalypse and have now spread the Rage virus to the rest of Europe. If you'd just stayed in your nice penthouse apartment with your family everything would've been fine. Sneaking out of a safe quarantine is not only one of the stupidest things you could do in the situation, but it is also one of the stupidest things I've seen in a movie EVER.

I want to know the correlation between Rage virus immunity and different coloured eyes.

Decent zombie flick. I loved the shots of empty London. It paints an incredibly haunting portrait of a post-apocalyptic city and illustrates how quickly a city can become a breeding ground for chaos. It's one of the better zombie films I've seen. 

#31HorrorFilms31days Fim: 28 Weeks Later Bio: Rebellious kids acting out means EVERYONE DIES. Just obey the rules for once, kids.
— Gabrielle Leimon (@GabrielleLeimon) October 26, 2013

Tea

I've noticed a trend, a rising popularity of tea consumption.

I was once a coffee drinker. My family are all coffee drinkers so I followed suit. A year ago, when I was reading the diet book I so often mention, I converted to tea. I specifically devoted myself to green tea. I became an absolute Twinings convert. You'll so often find me drinking their green tea with cranberry (of which I am currently on my third cup) or green tea with lemon (sometimes even a slice of real lemon too, see my post on the health benefits of lemon water)

I can't help but wonder if the sudden, overwhelming popularity of tea has risen due to the Western fascination with British culture. Shows like Sherlock and Doctor Who have become incredibly popular, particularly in America but globally also. Though tea originates from China, it's seen as a quintessentially British thing. I'm constantly seeing posts on G+, Facebook and Tumblr about tea, 'if tea can't solve it then it's a serious problem', 'KEEP CALM AND DRINK TEA' and find myself wondering...

At the end of the day ... isn't it just flavoured water perhaps with a splash of milk or some sugar?