Quote of the Day #26

"SANTA!!! OH MY GOD! SANTA...HERE??

I KNOW HIM! I KNOW HIM!"

Elf (2003)

Image: suzzanecamfield.wordpress.com

What's your favourite Christmas film?

Comment below or tweet @TicketStubBlog

November Film of the Month

It's the penultimate Film of the Month on Ticket Stub and we've been treated to some awesome films over the past four weeks. I've managed to see three of the best movies to hit screens this winter so let's get started.

As ever, here is the rating system:

* = Poor. Why did I even bother?!

** = OK. Could have done better.

*** = Good. Recommended though don’t feel bad you don’t get to see this one.

**** = Excellent. Not quite perfect but highly recommended.

***** = Masterpiece. You’d be a fool not to see this film.

All titles to films link to their respective IMDB pages so you can discover more about the plot, cast and crew.

Interstellar

Image; behindwoods.com

Christopher Nolan has served us another epic movie. It is grand in scale with stunning visual effects. There are plenty of moments to keep you guessing but the film falls short in a few places. Interstellar is a tad too sentimental where it reaches the point of becoming corny. In the final third act of the film, I really wasn't sure where on earth the plot was taking us as we enter into another dimension. Despite these set backs, the IMAX screening I attended made a huge difference to the viewing experience. I think for any sci-fi film, such as Gravity (2013) or 2001: A Space Odyssey (1968) - which there are many nods to in this and is also being shown in cinemas this December - they are made to be seen on the biggest screen possible. This is certainly true for Interstellar. The sound was particularly enhanced too - despite it being off balanced in places, as also reported in other reviews. Matthew McConaughey is a fantastic lead and there is a surprise cameo from a Hollywood star - no not Anne Hathaway (she's just OK in this), but someone else not included in the promotion of the movie. Though it has a long running time, it is definitely recommended viewing - if anything for Nolan's ambition which just falls short of being truly brilliant. Don't wait until DVD or Netflix though, go see it in cinemas.

 Rating: ****

The Hunger Games: Mockingjay - Part 1

Image: phoenixpx.deviantart.com

Last year, I went to see The Hunger Games: Catching Fire (2013) after quickly watching the first film on Netflix the night before and without seeing any trailers in the lead up to the film's release. I had one of the best movie experiences because of this - nothing was spoiled and every plot twist was a complete surprise. So often now, we watch trailers already knowing what the huge scenes will be, what the best lines are and the whole premise of the film. Therefore, I knew for this first part of the final installment I had to do the same. The night before I watched the sequel, conveniently on Netflix, and purposely avoided all promotions to do with Mockingjay. Again, this made a huge difference viewing the film. Mockingjay is so much darker than the previous two films and there is a lot of tension and politics thrown into the action. Jennifer Lawrence is awesome as Katniss. As well as being a great action hero, she is passionate and emotional so we can really root for her throughout the movie. She even sings a song called The Hanging Tree, which is one of the best moments. The late, great Philip Seymour Hoffman is wonderfully charming and comedic playing Plutarch.

The action is gripping and tense throughout. I cannot wait for the last film to be released next year. Yet again, I'll be avoiding all trailers and books! Obviously watch the first two films before venturing into this sequel.
Highly recommended.

Rating: ****

The Imitation Game

Image: filmnation.com

This is such an important film to see and one of the best of 2014. The Imitation Game is based on Alan Turing and the team who cracked the 'impossible' German code known as Enigma in the Second World War. Benedict Cumberbatch's performance is captivating right from the word go. 'Are you paying attention?' he asks at the beginning. Indeed, we are. Turing is an intelligent but tragic character. His genius and isolation is compellingly portrayed with flashbacks and jumps forward to the present day of the 1950s. Turing was homosexual at a time when being gay was illegal. He was prosecuted for homosexual acts in 1952 and eventually committed suicide in 1954. In 2013 however, Turing was given a royal posthumous pardon by the Queen.

The struggles of the team trying to decode Enigma and the moment of the breakthrough itself is enthralling. I found it especially moving when the team finally decode the German message. The rest of the cast are brilliant supporters too. I was pleasantly surprised by Keira Knightly's performance and adored Charles Dance as Commander Denniston.

Without Turing we wouldn't have computers or, in fact, nearly any of the technology which makes our world work today. Not only is this a superb film, it is an important one to educate new generations about the significance of breaking of Enigma and Turing's incredible intellect. Justice Minister, Chris Grayling, stated on the announcement of the pardon from the Queen that "Turing deserves to be remembered and recognised for his fantastic contribution to the war effort and his legacy to science." Let's hope this film can do the same too.

Rating: *****

A great month for films, but as you can see there is one clear winner.

Ticket Stub's November Film of the Month is...

The Imitation Game

Check out the trailer below:

What's been the best film you've seen this month?

Comment below or tweet @TicketStubBlog

The Biggest Trailers of the Week

I've titled this post the Biggest Trailers of the Week - more like the entire year!?! Two of the most highly anticipated films for 2015 have released trailers this week. Ticket Stub could not ignore either of them or even wait for a Trailer Tuesday to come around. Instead, I've combined these two epic film trailers together so you won't miss the most talked about videos of the week.

Firstly - Jurassic World. Universal gave us a frustratingly short teaser on Friday and late Tuesday evening released this beast of a trailer for the movie's third sequel. I've got to say it looks tense, awesome and epic on a grand scale. Chris Pratt, star of the highly successful Guardians of the Galaxy (2014), is the male lead in this installment. I'm also loving that cheeky reference to Spielberg's Jaws (1975) in the trailer. As if the shark wasn't deadly enough, let's see the ma-hu-sive sharped teeth dino-crocodile snapping up one of the most terrifying and iconic villains! 

Directed by Colin Trevorrow, the film sees Jurassic World - a dinosaur theme park - open to the public after 22 years since the events of Jurassic Park (1993). Things start to go terribly wrong though, as researchers introduce a new genetically modified hybrid dinosaur which causes destruction in its path.

Check out the trailer below. Jurassic World will be released 12th June 2015.

Now to the most talked about trailer of the year so far - Star Wars: Episode VII - The Force Awakens. Fans and film buffs were eagerly waiting today to see the first glimpse of the movie directed by J.J. Abrams. Some cinema-goers in the United States got the first viewing but it was at 15.06 GMT that the trailer was released to the world and nearly broke the internet.

Although only 1 min 30 secs, we caught a few clues as to what the film will entail. The lightsabers have had a makeover and that wonderful John Williams score is back! Also, I am pretty sure that the voice over is the brilliant Benedict Cumberbatch. He confirmed on The Graham Norton Show that he was on set and seemed to be sworn to secrecy about the filming. However, others on the Twittersphere suggest it could be Andy Serkis or Max Von Sydow. Take a listen and decide for yourself. 

The movie will be released on 18th December 2015:

What do you think of these trailers?

Are you excited for Jurassic World and Star Wars?

Comment below or tweet @TicketStubBlog

Throwback Thursday Trivia: Hollywood Walk of Fame

Image: reeseypeasy.com

The Hollywood Walk of Fame is one of the most visited attractions in the world. Over 10 million people visit it annually along the famous Hollywood Boulevard. As well as actors, the Walk of Fame celebrates the achievements of musicians, directors, producers and musical and theatrical groups. Rather charmingly, fictional characters are also paved in the stars, including: Mickey Mouse, Kermit the Frog and Bugs Bunny.

So why is there a Hollywood Walk of Fame? What is the point? Who came up with the idea?

The beginnings of the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
  Image: walkoffame.com

E. M. Stuart has been credited with the concept. He served as the volunteer president of the

Hollywood Chamber of Commerce. In 1953, he proposed the Walk as a means to "maintain the glory of a community whose name means glamour and excitement in the four corners of the world".

It's not entirely certain where the original idea came from, however it is said that the inspiration is down to the Hollywood Hotel's dining room ceiling which featured stars and the names celebrities painted on them. Initially though, the stars were to have caricatures of each individual but was deemed too difficult to create so the idea was dropped.

Between 1956-1957, the committee chose from the four industries at the time: motion picture, television. audio recording and radio. They selected 1,558 honorees for the sidewalk. These included big names such as Walt Disney, Cecil B. DeMille and Samuel Goldwyn. However, there was controversy when one of the most famous film stars was not selected - Mr Charles Chaplin.

Charlie Chaplin's controversial star. Image: boyculture.com

Although chosen in the original 1956 line up, Charlie Chaplin's name was omitted as the selection committee objected to his questionable morals and left-leaning political views. It wasn't until 1972 that Chaplin had his star firmly on the Hollywood sidewalk - the same year he won his Honorary Academy Award.

As of March 2014, there are 2,518 stars across the 1.3 mile Boulevard. On average, two stars are added each month and include the individual ceremonies for the recipients. Announced two days ago, Peter Jackson will have his star placed outside the Dolby Theatre, where the Oscars is held, on December 8th.

Sheffield's imitation of the Hollywood Walk of Fame. 
Sean Bean being presented with his Sheffield Legends plaque.
Image: themightybean.com

Imitations of the Hollywood Walk of Fame include one in Sheffield outside the Town Hall. Aptly named Sheffield Legends, the plaques celebrate the South Yorkshire city's talent - including the likes of Sean Bean and Michael Palin. The picture on the right doesn't quite have the same glamour as Hollywood though, does it?! 

To find out more about the Hollywood Walk of Fame, click the link to go to the official site.

Don't forget to follow Ticket Stub Film Club on Twitter. 

Join in the conversation and keep up to date on all things film.

Trailer Tuesday: Pitch Perfect 2

Image: cinemablend.com

The widely anticipated sequel to the surprise hit of 2012, Pitch Perfect, will be bursting onto screens next year as the new trailer for the movie was released earlier this week.

Anna Kendrick, Rebel Wilson, Ben Platt, Brittany Snow and Elizabeth Banks (who is also directing) return in the much loved singing and dancing musical comedy. Expect plenty of acapella battles and song mash-ups as this time the Barden Bellas head to compete in the World Championships. It already looks like a hoot and will no doubt be a box office success.

Pitch Perfect was an unexpected gem which got us all learning the cup song - I am a master at this now and it has become my new party trick! Why not learn it yourself with this handy guide below?

Pitch Perfect 2 will be released in May 2015. 
So you'll have loads of time to perfect the cup song!

Are you excited for Pitch Perfect 2?

Have you seen any other great trailers worth sharing?

Comment below or tweet @TicketStubBlog

Quote of the Day #25

"You talkin' to me?"

Taxi Driver (1976)

imgarcade.com

Happy Birthday to director Martin Scorsese today!

What's your favourite film of his?

Comment below or tweet @TicketStubBlog

Trailer Tuesday: Avengers: Age of Ultron (2015)

Image: designntrend.com

The Avengers are back! Yes - the sequel to Avengers Assemble (2012) and the eleventh installment in the Marvel series will once again be blasting into cinemas next year.

However, there has been a bit of controversy with this trailer. An unknown individual leaked it to the world causing Marvel to quickly release the official HD trailer six days early. They did well in trying to recover from the embarrassment though - by posting a tweet blaming Marvel's villainous organisation HYDRA for the leak. Now though, Marvel is demanding Google to name the leaker's identity. Surely though, this is just great publicity for the film?!

Enough of the hype, what about the movie itself and the cast? As with the previous Avengers, Robert Downey Jr, Chris Evans, Chris Hemsworth, Tom Hiddleston, Mark Ruffalo, Scarlett Johansson, Jeremy Renner, along, with the legend, Samuel L. Jackson have returned. Elizabeth Olsen and Aaron Taylor-Johnson also join the cast as the twins Pietro and Wanda Maximoff (better known as Scarlet Witch and Quicksilver). 

The movie will see Tony Stark attempting to jumpstart a dormant peacekeeping program - a self-aware artificial intelligence. However, things quickly go awry as Ultron emerges and turns against the human race and sets to eradicate them from Earth. Will the Avengers save the day once again?

Avengers: Age of Ultron won't be released until May 2015, but for now, enjoy the sneak peek trailer:

Are you excited for the new Avengers?

Seen any great trailers worth sharing?

Comment below or tweet @TicketStubBlog

Quote of the Day #24

"Hey, Buzz! You're flying!"

"This isn't flying. This is falling - with style!"

Toy Story (1995)

Image: pixar-planet.fr

Pixar have just announced there will be a

 Toy Story 4 coming out in 2017.

Are you excited?

Or did you think the trilogy ended perfectly?

Let me know in the comments or on Twitter @TicketStubBlog

October Film of the Month

Autumn is well and truly here. As the clocks go back and the dark nights draw in, it's time to head to the local cinema and see some (hopefully) great films. Four movies are included in this month's round up, so let's see who will come out on top.

As always, here is the all important rating system:

* = Poor. Why did I even bother?!

** = OK. Could have done better.

*** = Good. Recommended though don’t feel bad you don’t get to see this one.

**** = Excellent. Not quite perfect but highly recommended.

***** = Masterpiece. You’d be a fool not to see this film.

All movie titles link to their respective IMDB pages so you can find out more about plot, cast and crew.

Gone Girl

Image: thefilmstage.com

After quickly finishing the book the week before the official release of Gone Girl, I was super eager to see the film adaptation. With the story still fresh in my mind, there could have been many opportunities for the film not to meet my expectations. However, this never happened. David Fincher has created an epic tense drama, filmed beautifully and with a brilliant cast. It is hard to review without revealing the plot twists, but the way the story unfolds is captivating - just as the book is. Rosamund Pike is fantastic as the wife, Amy and Ben Affleck plays Nick just how I imagined. Don't be put off by the 2 and half hour running time. The action doesn't drag in the slightest and keeps you guessing (even though I knew the plot twists!).

Possibly a bit melodramatic in places and there are slight differences to the book - which inevitably always happens with movie adaptations - but they are fortunately not enough to make the film a disaster. An excellent thriller and I urge everyone to read the book too. Highly recommended.

Rating: ****

Effie Gray
  

Image: imdb.com

I love period dramas. Sense and Sensibility (1995) is one my favourites, written by the glorious Emma Thompson. Effie Gray is similarly written by the actress, who stars in the film too, however it falls flat in many places. Effie Gray takes itself too seriously and barely anything actually happens. I felt the film could have used more flashbacks to provide further context into the relationship between John Ruskin and Effie. Without these flashbacks, I didn't care for either character and therefore did not care for the story or film. It became almost comical. My friend and I did start laughing in places that were rather cringe-worthy. The cast on paper looks brilliant: Greg Wise, Emma Thompson, Dakota Fanning, Julie Walters and David Suchet. But it is a bit of style over substance. The landscapes look lovely and cinematic - but the story is , dare I say it, boring and dull. It did make me research more about the relationship but I wouldn't particularly recommend this film. Just OK.

Rating: **

The Rewrite
 

Image: teaser-trailer.com

Hugh Grant is back in a new action film...oh wait, no, not action....sci fi? No, that's not right either. Oh, wow! Of course, he's starring as the romantic English lead in a new rom-com. Who saw that coming?! Yes, Mr. Grant is embracing his type casting in a relatively charming film about a screenwriter who has to take a posting at a university to pay the bills. There a few funny jokes here and there but it is nothing to scream home about. An enjoyable rom-com, with some entertaining moments. Recommended for Hugh Grant fans (but even they might be disappointed).

Yes, the review for this film is that short.

Rating: **

Magic in the Moonlight

Image: indiewire.com

I enjoyed this film a lot more than expected. Emma Stone is enchanting - just as Colin Firth's character finds her. It is a charming film but is highly unlikely to be the awards season hit as Blue Jasmine (2013) was last year, with Cate Blanchett winning Best Actress at the Academy Awards. After studying Woody Allen's work at university, I've come to recognise many themes within his movies. Particularly, the subject of death and the afterlife which is at the core of this film. Although that sounds morbid, the script creates an entertaining perspective through Colin Firth's cynical character. Despite some good qualities, the film doesn't have the magic of Allen's Midnight in Paris (2011). Recommended for a Sunday afternoon if you haven't got too much to do.

Rating: ***

As you can see, there is a clear winner this month.

Ticket Stub's October Film of the Month is...

Gone Girl

Check out the trailer below:

What's been the best film of October?

What films are you looking forward to for November?

Comment below or tweet @TicketStubBlog with your suggestions.

Film Nails

If you haven't checked out Ticket Stub's Ideas for Film Fancy Dress post, click the link to be inspired for Halloween. For those of us who haven't got big parties to go to, but still want to get in the spirit of the spooky holiday, I've had a go at creating film inspired nail art.

Why not have a go yourself or tweet/comment with your best film nails.

Kill Bill: Vol. 1 (2003) - HALLOWEEN PICK

This is very simple and bold. Starting with a base coat, add two coatings of a bright yellow. Once dry, use a black nail art pen and create a vertical line to the left of each nail. I made mine quite thick. To finish, get a red nail varnish and splatter random splots of blood to the right hand corner. Make sure not to have too much paint on the brush for this.

Spider-Man (2002)

Start with the base coat. Paint two nails a dark blue to match Spider-Man's trouser legs, add a top coat. Paint the other three nails bright red. Using a black nail art pen, create webs. On the thumbnail, use a white nail art pen to recreate the eyes. I coloured in two of the gaps in the web and made them the same triangular shape as Spider-Man's. Use the black pen to outline.

Life of Pi (2012)

This design is based on the book cover - which is also used as a shot in the film.
Apply a base coat on all nails. Paint a bright orange for the thumb and pinkie, then colour the other nails with a sea blue. Once dry, using the white nail art pen, create a boat shape on the middle nail. With the black nail art pen, create a curved 'C' shape at one end of the boat for Pi (see top right). Using a small brush, take the orange and blob the other end of the boat for the tiger, Richard Parker. I then added some black dots/small lines to stripe. Finally, for the tiger print on the other nails, take the black and white pens and alternate stripes on the edges.




The Joker from The Dark Knight (2008) - HALLOWEEN PICK

For Heath Ledger's brilliant Joker, start with the important base coat. For the thumb, a white polish. Alternate the other four nails with purple and a dark green to match his suit. Once dry, create the high angled eyes using the black nail art pen. I then used a small brush and dipped it in the red polish to make the smile. It doesn't have to be neat at all - the messier, the creepier!

The Wizard of Oz (1939)

If you have a silver polish or a golden lion colour along with a green scarecrow polish, you could create all the characters. I instead went for something a bit quirky and easier! Base coat your nails then apply a bright yellow to the middle three nails and a deep red for the outside two. Once dry, add a red glitter top coat to the thumb and pinkie (I used Barry M's appropriately named 'Ruby Slippers'). For the yellow nails, create a brick pattern using the black nail art pen. And there you have the yellow brick road and ruby slippers from Oz!




A Clockwork Orange (1971) - HALLOWEEN PICK

This was super simple to create. Starting with the base coat, paint orange on all nails except the ring finger - paint this white. Once dry, use the black nail art pen to draw the bowler hat on the thumb and the wide eye with the lashes on the ring finger.

Why not have a go at creating your own film nails?

Who will you be going as for Halloween?

Comment below or tweet @TicketStubBlog

Trailer Tuesday: American Sniper (2014)

Image: seat42f.com

After directing the slightly disappointing Jersey Boys (2014) - click here to see my review - Clint Eastwood is back in the directorial chair. His new film, American Sniper, is set to be a much greater success. And if the trailer is anything to go by, it certainly will get audiences hooked.

The movie is based on Chris Kyle's autobiography of the same title. The Navy S.E.A.L has been acknowledged as the deadliest sniper in American military history. His confirmed kill count reached 160 deaths out of 255 claimed kills. He served four tours during the Iraq War and was awarded with various medals for his service.

Bradley Cooper plays Kyle and the movie spans his military career. Sienna Miller also stars as Kyle's wife, Taya Renae Kyle. 

The trailer is very tense and I am definitely intrigued to find out more.

The movie will be released in the States on Christmas Day, but UK audiences will have to wait until 16th January 2015.

Check out the trailer here:

Seen any great trailers worth sharing?

Comment below or tweet @TicketStubBlog with your suggestions

Quote of the Day #23

"I don't want to survive. I want to live"

12 Years a Slave (2013)

Image: newstatesman.com

Happy Birthday to Steve McQueen, director of 12 Years a Slave.
The film won Best Picture, Best Adapted Screenplay and

 Best Supporting Actress for Lupita Nyong'o at the Oscar awards earlier this year. 

Trailer Tuesday: The Theory of Everything (2014)

Image: focusfeatures.com

The first Trailer Tuesday of October is here!
This week's pick is the widely anticipated The Theory of Everything.

The bio-pic centres on physicist Stephen Hawking and his relationship with his wife, Jane. The film is based on Jane Hawking's memoir Travelling to Infinity: My life with Stephen. It sees the beginnings of their relationship at Cambridge University, the impact of his success and the challenges of his diagnosis with Motor Neurone Disease at the age of 21.

Eddie Redmayne stars as Stephen and there is already Oscar talk of him winning Best Actor. Felicity Jones plays Jane and they are also joined by Emily Watson, David Thewlis and Charlie Cox. The world premiere, at the recent Toronto International Film Festival, was well received by critics:

Tremendously moving and inspirational - NEW YORK POST

To say the response here was rapturous would not be understating the enthusiasm I heard - not just from pundits but also Academy voters with whom I spoke. One told me he came in with high expectations for a quality movie and this one exceeded them. - DEADLINE, Pete Hammond

UK audiences will have to wait until January next year to see the film and will be released in the States on November 7th.

Check out the trailer here:

Have you seen any recent trailers worth sharing?

Tweet @TicketStubBlog or comment with your suggestions below.

September Film of the Month

It's been a busy month - not with seeing a huge amount of films unfortunately - so this will be a brief Film of the Month post. October is looking particularly exciting though, with plenty of widely anticipated films being released. I'm quickly reading Gone Girl before it's out in cinemas next week - check out this Trailer Tuesday to find out more!

Looking at the month gone by, it hasn't been the most outstanding. However, hopefully now autumn leaves are falling and the dark nights are drawing in, awards and Oscar buzz will start to build. This all means we'll be watching some epic and thrilling films for the remainder of the year.

As always, here is the all important rating system:

* = Poor. Why did I even bother?!

** = OK. Could have done better.

*** = Good. Recommended though don’t feel bad you don’t get to see this one.

**** = Excellent. Not quite perfect but highly recommended.

***** = Masterpiece. You’d be a fool not to see this film.

All movie titles will link to their relevant IMDB pages so you can find out more about plot, cast and crew. 

Do you agree with the ratings? Let me know on Twitter or in the comments below.

Sex Tape

Image: beyondhollywood.com

I knew this movie was going to be awful before it began. With low exceptions, I was therefore slightly surprised at how I laughed a few times. But only a few. There isn't really much to say about the movie. (Great for a reviews section! Well done, Helena). What I mean by that is, you can pretty much get the gist of it by the trailer.

The thing I found most funny about the film is how it has coincidentally mirrored real life in recent weeks -  with celebrity sex tapes and pictures being leaked online because of The Cloud.

 'And you can't get it down from The Cloud?' says Diaz. 'Nobody understands The Cloud. It's a fucking mystery!' exclaims Segel. (You can see this dialogue in the trailer - like I said, just watch that and you've seen the film).

The product placement is also ridiculous. Apple must be having a field day with the amount of products taking up the precious screen time. It is pretty much an advert for Apple all the way through.

With only a few laughs, it is embarrassingly silly and underwhelming. Don't bother.

Rating: *

If I Stay

Image: en.wikipedia.org

Since The Fault in Our Stars was released, it seems that the dramatic and tragic teen love stories are becoming increasingly popular. If I Stay falls into this category. It is rather soppy and romantic, so I'm sure it will appeal to the target audience of young teenage girls. The acting and plot is very dramatic. With Mia between life and death, the scenes in the hospital become very melodramatic - especially in one instance where Mia is crying and falls to the ground in a OTT fashion looking straight down the lens of the camera.

Despite this, the soundtrack is brilliant. It is actually a huge element of the film, Mia is a cello player so Saint-Saens, Bach and Beethoven are heavily featured. Not only good for dramatic effect, this is also great for introducing young audiences to classical music. Mia's boyfriend, Adam, is in a band and is drawn to Mia's love of the cello. It is what brings them together. So along side the classical strings, are Ben Howard with his song Promise and a beautiful cover of Beyonce's Halo by Ane Brun. The indie-rock tunes are probably influenced by Mia's parents' taste in music too. The soundtrack is available on Spotify and is well worth the listen.

A few good parts, but too dramatic and soppy for my liking. Great for young teens though. 

Rating: ***

Night Will Fall

Image: bfi.org.uk

This has got to be up there with one of the best documentaries I have ever seen. On Sunday, my sister and I went to see Night Will Fall at the British Film Institute (BFI). This is a documentary about the cameramen from the Allied Forces, who were making their own documentary, headed by Sidney Bernstein, about the discovery of the concentration camps in Germany between 1944-45. 

The filming of German Concentration Camps Factual Survey was left unfinished until the Imperial War Museum London recently restored and completed the documentary with the notes left by the filmmakers. Alfred Hitchcock also worked on the film as a supervising director.

Alongside excerpts of the film's raw footage, are interviews with those individuals who were liberated from the camps and the soldiers who discovered the unimaginable atrocity. The interviews are heart breaking and incredibly moving. Especially so, when their descriptions are matched with the visually shocking images. I had seen photographs before from the camps, but no reel footage like this. The images are hard to describe as they are truly horrific: corpses being thrown into pits, men, women and children being left to rot and freeze in the snow. As one of the veterans describes, 'I had peered into Hell'. Watching this film only gives you a glimpse of what they saw, but my word, it is exactly as he says: Hell.

Although harrowing to watch, this documentary is incredibly important for every human being to see. Night Will Fall also reminds us of the significant importance of documentary film in revealing truth and creating a historic record. The original documentary, German Concentration Camps Factual Survey, will be shown at the BFI London Film Festival on October 13th 2014.

Rating: ****

As you can see, there is a clear winner for

September Film of the Month...

Night Will Fall

Take a look at the trailer below:

What is the best film you've seen this month?

Comment below or tweet @TicketStubBlog

Ideas for Film Fancy Dress

Calling all freshers and uni students! You're starting or returning to university, stuck for ideas for those fancy dress parties and bar crawls. And what about Halloween? That's coming up soon too!
Ticket Stub has come up with some creative, cheap and quirky choices to make you look like the best movie character of all time.

Have you made any awesome film costumes? I'd love to see your creations.
Tweet @TicketStubBlog with your pictures or comment below.

On a budget? 

This is a very simple idea and you can get all the bits from Primark. The Blues Brothers (1980) are instantly recognisable and suits everyone (short, tall, fat, slim, male, female) - you can't really go wrong! 

Image: picniccinema.co.uk

Team up with a friend and get yourselves: an old white shirt, black tie, black blazer and black trousers.
The main things you'll need to complete the look will be:

The sunglasses:

And the hats:

Draw on some sideburns, (or grow them if you have time!). And that is it.
 Stand next to each other, look like you're on a mission...a mission from God and you'll be rocking to Shake a Tail Feather in no time.

Feeling adventurous?

If you have some spare cardboard boxes, the world is your oyster! You can create so many unique ideas for fancy dress - especially if want to be an object, famous vehicle or a big scale building. You could go for Titanic? Or Optimus Prime? Or maybe King Kong on top of the Empire State? Haven't quite worked out how to do that yet, but how about this one?

Andrew in the finished costume: Carl and Ellie's house from Up (2009)

A few years back, my brother attended a party as Carl and Ellie's house from Up (2009). With help from my sister, they used cardboard boxes to make the structure, held the house by a pair of braces and attached a bunch of mini balloons to the back.

The costume in progress. Made with cardboard boxes, sticky tape and lots of paper.

The result was awesome and certainly made for a truly unique costume!
To find out how to make this, head over to Louise's blog.

Time on your hands? 

If you love make up as much as I do, you'll jump at the chance to try creative, bold looks. The make up and costume from Black Swan (2010) is a great idea for Halloween, especially if you have coloured contact lenses to partner the creepy yet captivating eye make up.

Image: etsy.com

I had a go trying out one of my eyes using the tutorial below:

And this was the result:

instagram.com/helenashappenings

 It is surprisingly easy to do. Make sure you have the time to take care with the design. It definitely looks effective and I had great fun recreating it.
Complete the costume with the black tutu, corseted top or black vest along with a tiara or silver headband. If you have a black dress which fans out (as the lady in the tutorial does) then this will go perfectly together. 

Don’t have much fancy dress?

If you haven't got much and can't really be bothered to make a huge effort, how about taking inspiration from The Big Lebowski (1998)? Jeff Bridges as The Dude in his dressing gown, sunglasses, white tee and sandals - all the standard things you can easily find in a student wardrobe.

Image: warosu.org

If not Jeff Bridges, you could also go for Arthur from The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy (2005). Again, a dressing gown and pjs - just hop out of bed and you're ready!

Image: hitchhikers.wikia.com

Quirky Couples

For those who want to go for couple fancy dress, why not try something different?
I've selected the best quirky film couples. Can you think of anymore?

Dr. Emmett Brown and Marty McFly 
Back to the Future (1985)

Marty: A red puffer jacket is the key piece of Marty's outfit. Team up with a checkered shirt, denim jacket and jeans. That's right - double denim. Don't forget a comfy pair of white trainers - Converse would do nicely. Don the dazed and confused look to fully match Marty.

Doc: A white one piece would be best, if not you could get away with a lab coat. White hair is a must - a wig or lots of talcon powder or even dry shampoo (not rubbed in) will do just the trick. Make sure is big and crazy like the good man himself! Add a black belt and some tools you think the Doc would have handy. Remember to express, with wide eyes, the 'OH MY GOODNESS THIS ACTUALLY WORKS' reaction.

Image: lifebetweenframes.blogspot.com

Shaun and Ed
Shaun of Dead (2004)

Sean: Another simple costume - white shirt, black trousers and a red tie (either around your head for the look seen later in the movie or as below). Include a name tag which you can print off from Google. Make sure you have the all important 'red on you'. Include the cricket bat to attack those zombies.

Ed: You can purchase Ed's 'I Got Wood' t-shirt from Amazon. Add a pair of long shorts and comfy trainers for the basics. To make it look like you didn't just turn up in your casual Saturday outfit, pop a splatter of fake blood on the t-shirt and hold a garden spade. You can always do Ed's look at the end of the film too - a great idea for Halloween.

Image: galleryhip.com

 Tweedle Dum & Tweedle Dee
Alice in Wonderland (1951)

Take some inspiration from Neil Patrick Harris and husband David Burtka. They have some incredible Halloween costumes and include the whole family too!

Image: graziadaily.co.za

Tweedle Dum and Tweedle Dee: Bright and bold. Yellow shirt, blue bow ties and striking red trousers. Include the white collars (or waistcoats as above) and the adorable hats to finish off. You can easily vary certain parts of the costume - for instance you could replace the trousers for red leggings and heels or perhaps a red skirt.

Image: alice-in-wonderland.net

Mia Wallace and Vincent Vega

Pulp Fiction (1994)

Mia: Brilliant if you have a black bob haircut with a fringe. If not, you must get a wig for this costume. Pair it with a white shirt with long sleeves and cropped bootcut trousers. We only see Mia's shoes for a split second - she spends most of her time bare foot. However, if you want to save your feet, pop on a pair of gold or metallic flats. Add a dark bold lip and blood red nails to finish.

Vincent: Again, great if you have long hair to tie back in a pony. If not, go for the wig option. Simply wear a blazer, white shirt, black trousers and black shoes. To complete, add a bootlace tie. Oh, and don't forget to twist.

Image: en.wikipedia.org

The Classic Couple

If you don't want to go down the quirky route, keep it classic with one of the most iconic movie couples.

Sandy and Danny
Grease (1978)

Sandy: This is the sexy Sandy. Big curly hair, preferably blonde - if not go for a wig. For the face, a bright red lip, a subtle smokey eye and small hooped gold earrings. Don't worry, you won't have to get sewn into this outfit, as Olivia Newton John did! Instead go for black fitted leggings or disco pants. For the top half, go for an off shoulder black top and add a belt round the waist. Finish with some sexy red heels. Feeling a little chilly? Throw on a leather jacket too.

Danny: Another simple costume idea. Black t-shirt and black trousers. The main thing? The hair. Slick it back and have a comb as a prop. Again, you can always go for a wig.

Image: pinterest.com

Need a group fancy dress?

Definitely for those medic bar crawls or if you have a huge group of you attending a party together, why not try going for a group fancy dress?

Ghostbusters (1984)

A popular costume favourite. Go for all beige, preferably with some overalls but you can easily improvise. Make your own name tag and print off the Ghostbusters logo and attach to the sleeve. You can even get a badge to sew on if you want to go all out. The other important component is the proton pack. You can buy an inflatable one, but making your own is way more fun. Check out the different versions you can go for by clicking here.

Image: insidemovies.ew.com

Oompa Loompas from Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory (1971)

My housemate at uni did this with her medic friends and it was hilariously brilliant. Be prepared to brave the orange make up and green wigs. White eyebrows are important too! Wear a brown t-shirt and white dungarees over the top. If you can't source the dungarees, go for white shorts and braces. Complete the costume with a stripey collar and stripey socks.

Image: telegraph.co.uk

The Addams Family (1991)

Da-na-na-na *click click*...

There are plenty of characters to chose from with the Addams Family. You could always go as one of them for an individual costume idea. Think gothic - lots of black, eyeliner and stripey tops. Key things to remember: plaits for Wednesday, bold red lip for Mortica and dark eyes and bald head for Fester.

Image: sgnewwave.com

Also, someone with very long hair has to go as Cousin Itt. Pop a pair of sunnies and a bowlers hat on top and you're done!

Image: weku.fm

The Wizard of Oz (1939)

Everyone will know exactly what movie you're from with this one. Dorothy, the Lion, Tin Man, Scarecrow and Toto are the key characters. You could also include Glinda or even one of the flying monkeys! The Wicked Witch of the West is perfect as a Halloween costume in itself. The great thing about these iconic costumes is you can be creative to achieve each look. For instance, you could make the Tin Man have a modern look with a bold metallic silver eye and lip makeup. Or if you're really stuck, you can always just wrap yourself up in foil!

Image: primetime.unrealitytv.co.uk

Hopefully that has given you some cool ideas to impress your friends at your next party.

Show me your film fancy dress creations by tweeting @TicketStubBlog or in the comments below.