Bria Lou Reviews

Happy Christmas Eve guys! When I was deciding what film to review for Christmas Eve, I thought it would be more than fitting to write about a film that takes place on an 'eve'. And what better film than the third in a trilogy that I love? This film is the third film in the Valentines Day/Mother's Day franchise, both of which I thought were really interesting and love to watch repeatedly. But as you can guess, this story captures the lives of a set of New Yorkers on New Year's Eve. For some, they couldn't care less about the end of a year, but for others, it's the most important night of their lives. It's hard to give a more detailed description than that because each person's story is quite short, and I don't want to give anything away about any of the particular stories. The thing that this trilogy as a whole does really well is that each of these movies does a good job of setting up the characters. You don't get a lot of time with a...

Happy Blogmas Day 23! Here's another rambly post for you - and the last Christmas-based post before actual Christmas, as tomorrow I'm uploading a film review. It's so weird that I'm this close to the end of Blogmas when last month, I wasn't even sure that I was going to do it. And I guess that's what this post is about. I have no idea what's going to happen this time next year, but of course it's entirely possible that next year is the year that I give up Blogmas. As much as I hope that it's not, I don't want to forget how much time writing all these posts took, and the effort that it took to come up with 25 ideas and watch 12 movies specifically for this purpose. And next year, I might decide that it's not something I want to do, or I might decide that doing Blogmas is exactly what I need to do. But if it's not, then this will be one of my last ever Blogmas posts. So I wanted to think a bit about what Blogmas has meant to me o...

Happy Blogmas Day 22! This is one of those films that I've heard a lot of people talk about, but for some reason I just never thought about watching it. But like 'Midnight Sun', it's on Amazon Prime, so I thought that I'd give it a chance and add it to my Blogmas watch list. Jamie Randall (Jake Gyllenhaal) is a pharmaceutical salesman who knows just what to say to impress the ladies. That is, until he meets Maggie (Anne Hathaway), a woman with Parkinsons who he takes an instant liking to. But as their relationship develops, and becomes something real for the first time in both of their lives, can either of them handle a serious commitment? The film begins by showing Gyllenhaal's character having dinner with his family, and this made me instantly warm to the film. In the moments where the characters were arguing and making snide comments and talking over each other, it felt real, like you were getting a peek into someone's real family dinner, which se...

Happy Blogmas Day 21! I love winter. Every time we get to Blogmas, I go on and on about how much I love this time of year and my love for the winter never lessens. So for one of the last actual Blogmas posts before Blogmas is done for the year, I thought I'd talk about how I like to spend winter days, particularly those indoors, when there's nothing to do and it's too cold to go outside. Let me know in the comments how you spend winter days! Watch Movies Based on the amount of movie reviews I do, I think it's clear that watching movies is without a doubt one of my absolute favourite things to do. So of course, on winter days this is how I spend a lot of my time. But even if you're not as into movies as I am, is there anything better than having a Christmas movie on in the lead-up to the big day? Binge TV Shows This is something that everyone loves to do, and the Christmas period is the perfect time to do it. If you have nothing else to do, finish of...

Happy Blogmas Day 20! I can't even remember when this came out, but it's now on Amazon Prime, and as I remembered seeing the trailer on TV ages ago, I decided to include it in Blogmas! Katie (Bella Thorne) has a rare condition that causes her to have to avoid sunlight at all costs. So she becomes nocturnal, staying home during the day, every day, and coming out at night, when she plays her guitar under the cover of darkness. But one night, she meets Charlie (Patrick Schwarzenegger), a boy that she has liked from afar for years. As they go on night dates and fall deeper for each other, Katie has to decide whether or not to reveal her secret. But how can she have a normal life, when she's stuck in the dark? This movie wasn't what I thought it would be. When the trailer first came out on YouTube, a lot of people were comparing it to the film 'Everything, Everything', which does have a similar premise. But even with it's similar premise, these are two va...

Happy Blogmas Day 19! Don't you just love that picture? I love snowflakes so much that even looking at pictures of them makes me feel really happy inside. But anyway, on with the post. I'm just gonna be completely honest. I have planned every day of Blogmas, and so far I've completely stuck with the plan. But today's... I just don't know. I'd been putting it off for like a week, and today I made the decision that I didn't like the idea and wouldn't be writing it. But that meant that I had no idea what I was going to for today's post. And I still have no idea. Like, literally nothing. So, as this post is called 'festive ramble', I decided that I'd just write whatever came into my head, no matter how uninteresting it may be. Because, truth be told, Blogmas, or blogging every day at any time of year, is hard! I haven't blogged as much this year as I have in previous years, so I guess that might make it a bit harder. But I ...

Happy Blogmas Day 18! I heard a lot about this film when it first came out because it got a lot of awards buzz, and so many people were talking about it and praising it. But I wasn't as into awards back then as I am now, so I managed to miss the major hype surrounding it. But now I've seen it (thanks to Netflix!) and I wish I had seen it when it first came out! Andrew Neiman (Miles Teller) has one goal - to be one of the best Jazz drummers in the world. But he can't do it alone, so when he's picked out by legendary teacher Terence Fletcher (J.K. Simmons), he thinks that all his dreams have come true. But Fletcher knows what it takes to get to the top, and he'll work Neiman as hard as possible to get him there - even if it costs them both everything they've worked for. This film is amazing. Right from the first second, the film packs a punch. It begins with a drum solo and completely pulls you into the story without you even realising that the drum beat...

Happy Blogmas Day 17! I found a Christmas Tag on the website 'Root Report', which you can check out HERE ! I do a tag every year during Blogmas, and for the most part, none of the questions looked familiar, or like I'd answered them before. So I thought that this list of 30 questions was the perfect thing for me to do today! 1. As a kid, did a sibling ever receive a present that you wished was for you? Not to my knowledge. My sister and I are four and a half years apart, so for the most part, we got age appropriate gifts that the other wouldn't want. Having said that, when she got video games for Christmas (for some reason, I never did) I spent way longer playing them than she did! 2. Be honest: do you like giving gifts or receiving gifts better? Probably a controversial opinion, but definitely receiving. For me, giving gifts is really stressful, particularly when you're a broke student. You end up buying gifts for people who never even thought about gi...

Happy Blogmas Day 16! Like some of the others that I've reviewed this month, this movie was on my to-watch list for such a long time, but I never got around to actually watching it. So I added it into my Blogmas schedule so that I'd have no choice but to watch it! Two strangers on a train to different destinations share a look, then a word, then a whole conversation. And suddenly they're exploring Vienna together, knowing that they only have one night before they have to go their separate ways. But is one night enough time to make a connection? And what happens when they have to leave each other? The meeting scene between these two people happens so quickly that you're completely thrust into their lives. Coupled with the fact that their conversations become deep and important really quickly, it feels like you know them minutes after meeting them - which is replicated in the way that the feel about each other. You also feel completely comfortable with them right ...

Happy Blogmas Day 15! I have been watching so many Hallmark Christmas movies lately (I've discovered that the UK equivalent of the Hallmark channel in the US is Christmas 24 - or Movies 24 at all other times of the year)! Rather than doing 10+ posts of reviews of films with very similar plots, I decided to just put my favourites into one big post, so you can see for yourself which Hallmark movies are worth watching over the festive period. The Sweetest Christmas When a pastry chef enters a gingerbread competition, she can't even explain how much winning would mean to her. But when her oven breaks just before Christmas, it feels like her dream has been cruelly snatched away. That is, until she runs into her ex-boyfriend, who happens to own a restaurant with a working oven. But is she too focused on the competition to let the sparks fly between the two old flames? This was a really cute movie. I'd call it predictable, but I'd be using that word far too often in t...

Happy Blogmas Day 14! Today's review is of Netflix film 'Sierra Burgess Is A Loser'. I heard a lot of people talking about this when it first came out, and it got praised and slated in almost equal measure. I waited until now to watch it so that I could include it in Blogmas, and I have to say that, it wasn't what I thought it would be. When Veronica (Kristine Froseth) gives cute 'loser' Jamey (Noah Centineo) the number of another loser in an act of high school bitchiness, the romance that unfolds between him and Sierra Burgess (Shannon Purser) is something that no one expected. Something interesting about the movie is that you don't see the first few texts between Jamey and Sierra, you hear about them second hand. Because of that, the audience is thrust right into the main plot of the film with relatively no time to adjust. This mirrors the way that Sierra fell into the situation, and why it was able to spiral out of control. There is an interesti...

Happy Blogmas Day 13! Today's post is all about Christmas music! For me, Christmas music is the main thing that gets me in the festive spirit, and unlike many people, I have no problem listening to them all year round. But there's something to be said for listening to a Christmas playlist while wrapping presents, or drinking hot chocolate. So here's a list of some songs that get me in the festive spirit! Mistletoe - Justin Bieber I used to be obsessed with this song! But I was only re-introduced to it recently and I fell in love with it all over again. It's such a beautiful, romantic song, and it's definitely the perfect song to listen to at Christmas time! Fairytale Of New York - The Pogues This is one of the ones that I listen to all year around. To me, it's one of the best Christmas songs ever, I love every second of it. I don't know what it is about it, because it's quite unconventional I guess. But I love it so much, and if ...

Happy Blogmas Day 12! If you've been reading my blog for a while, particularly my Blogmases, which I do every year, then you'll know that Blogmas Day 12 is my birthday! I'm writing this in advance, but happy future birthday to me! Anyway, back to the point of the post, which is a review of a film that I only saw for the first time this month. It's a Christmas movie, so it's perfect for a Blogmas post! Two women, English girl Iris (Kate Winslet) and American girl Amanda (Cameron Diaz) both find themselves single and sad for the holidays. So when they get the option to switch houses for Christmas, they both jump at the chance, with Iris moving into Amanda's LA mansion and Amanda settling into Iris' small cottage. While out of their comfort zones, they discover just what life, and love, is all about. To me, this was a really original, intriguing idea. Although it's not uncommon for Christmas movies to feature two people basically swapping lives, t...

Happy Blogmas Day 11! For Blogmas last year, a lot of my posts were spontaneous and they just ended up being rambles that I hadn't thought too much about before writing. However, for the posts so far this month, they've all been properly planned out. So I thought that it would be nice to have a post that is just me writing whatever's in my mind down. And I thought that the best way to do this would be to talk about what I love and hate about Christmas. I think the thing I love the most about Christmas is the whole festive period that begins on December 1st. The whole world seems to slow down, take a breath, and relax a bit. Even though most people are still working up to and over Christmas, the atmosphere of people in general tends to be calmer. Until we get to the week of Christmas, and then all hell breaks loose as everyone scrambles to get everything done in time for the 'big day'. And this leads to something I hate about Christmas. The 'big day...

Happy Blogmas Day 10! I feel like this film has become somewhat of a classic, but I had never seen it until a few weeks ago, when I was searching Amazon Prime Video and chose it on a whim. Would you consider this a classic? Tell me in the comments! Bob (Bill Murray) and Charlotte (Scarlett Johansson) are Americans trying to separately navigate the whole new world that is Tokyo, Japan. By chance, they happen to meet each other in the hotel bar one night, and strike up a friendship that changes them both forever. The first thing I noticed about the film while watching was the contrast between how busy the city itself was, and Johansson's character's loneliness. There are many moments where the shot quickly changes from one to the other, allowing the audience to truly understand the extent of her isolation, and the way that she feels completely lost in this foreign city. The film itself begins slowly. We as the audience get the opportunity to live and breathe with these ...

Happy Blogmas Day 9! Today's post is all about Secret Santa. I'm putting it up today because if you're stuck for something to buy, you'll hopefully still have plenty of time to get whoever you picked something awesome! I've compiled a few ideas of things that I'd love to receive from a Secret Santa. Feel to leave some more options/choices in the comments! Travel/Regular Mug I was given a 'Marvel' travel mug for Christmas a few years back, and I still completely love it! Of course, if you know that whoever you're buying for doesn't drink hot drinks, then this is a no-go. But even if that is the case, a mug with something funny or personal to them on it is something that everyone can appreciate, even if they're not someone that you know that well. Christmas Tree Decorations I personally think that this is a really nice idea. It's so great when people have stories about where their Christmas decorations came from, and I love...

Happy Blogmas Day 8! Today's film review comes in the form of Sixteen Candles, one of those classic movies that everyone knows about, even if they haven't actually seen it. I myself hadn't seen it until very recently, but I immediately knew that I wanted to review it, so here's my review! It's Samantha's (Molly Ringwald) 16th birthday, the day when she feels like she should finally start becoming a woman. But rather than celebrate with her, her family are too preoccupied with her sister's wedding to even remember the special day. However, for Samantha, the only thing she cares about is capturing the affections of Jake Ryan (Michael Schoeffling), all the while avoiding Ted (Anthony Michael Hall), the only boy who actually likes her. There's something familiar and comforting about this movie, even if you weren't born at this time. You instantly feel safe in a John Hughes movie, there's something nostalgic there that you feel without even kn...

Happy Blogmas Day 7! We're officially a whole week into December! So, today I'm gonna talk about Christmas shopping. I'm not one of those people who enjoys Christmas shopping. I like thinking of gifts to give people, but I don't actually enjoy the shopping part, whether that's online or in real life. Because of that, I thought I'd compile a list of four places that make Christmas shopping really easy and enjoyable. If there are places that you like to shop, feel free to leave your own suggestions in the comments! Amazon Amazon is always my number one go-to when it comes to any kind of shopping, but particularly when it comes to Christmas. Doing shopping during the Christmas period is extremely daunting, especially if, like me, you're not that big of a shopper in general. So doing it online is a great option, and amazon is the place to go. It has the widest variety of stuff, a lot of what you can buy is really good quality, and if you're an ...

Happy Blogmas Day 6! Today's review, as you can see, is Crazy Rich Asians. I was really looking forward to see it, and now I'm really excited to review it! Rachel Chu (Constance Wu) is a college professor, happily living in the world of her work with charming and supportive boyfriend Nick Young (Henry Golding), so when Nick asks her to accompany him to his best friend's wedding in Singapore, she is slightly apprehensive. However, she bites the bullet and goes anyway - what's the worst that could happen? But when Rachel gets to Singapore, she finds that Nick isn't exactly who she thought he was. His family is ridiculously rich, and he's one of Singapore's most eligible bachelors. As Rachel is thrust into the spotlight, she has to decide if being with Nick is worth the fame, jealousy and worst of all, the family that look down on her. The first thing you'll notice about the film is the amazing use of visuals. Both in terms of the landscapes used, a...

Happy Blogmas Day 5! Dear Winter, This is the 5th year in a row, and it falls on Blogmas Day 5. That must mean something, maybe this is the 'Letter To Winter' that's supposed to be the most special, or magical? Either way, this one feels completely different to last year. I'm not freezing cold, I'm not shivering, my teeth aren't chattering, I'm not relying on the warmth of my laptop to stop me from getting too cold. And yet, it still feels Christmassy. That could be because I've been watching as many Christmas movies as possible, or maybe because I've written a whole load of Blogmas posts today, but there is definitely something magical in the air. A slight chill that reminds people exactly where and when we are. 20 days away from Christmas. A little bit more than that and we're gonna be in 2019, and that's so freaky. I've said it before and I'll say it again, this year has gone by ridiculously fast. I can't bel...