Your Next Fix on Netflix

Stay Home! Save lives! This mantra is ringing in the ears of the British public and will have left many wondering what to do. Luckily I have the answer: binge watch films! You could have your own Netflix or the password to your best mate's but either way, most of us have access to a library of great films (and some pretty awful ones too.) Never fear, I have done the work for you and scrolled through Netflix watching great and awful films along the way. I have done all of this so you can sit back, relax and find a new favourite flick!

I recommend you grab your favourite blanket, a cup of something warm or a glass of something alcoholic and download Netflix Party! Sit down and enjoy some wonderful films and pass this tedious time with your friends and family (virtually of course.)

Legally Blonde

Elle Woods (Reese Witherspoon) is a highly popular high schooler who is dumped by her boyfriend (Matthew Davis) for being too 'blonde'! Woods decides that to prove him and every other person who has underestimated her because of the stereotype surrounding her hair colour wrong, she should follow him to Harvard school of law. This is a fun flick for the whole family! It tells us a story about how there is more to people than what we see. Elle grows and becomes so much more and achieves her full potential. From frequenting the mall and sitting by the pool, Elle Woods grows into a powerful female icon. You will find yourself laughing with and rooting for Elle as she fights for not just blondes but women. Reese Witherspoon is the heart and soul of this film, she is so much fun to watch. She is hugely likeable and nails all the comedic moments. Her character and acting is the reason this film is so brilliant and why so many people happily return to watch its classic Elle Woods moments over and over. The rest of the cast are average, playing characters who are archetypal and two dimensional. Those characters are purely there to service Elle and do a great job doing this. It is Elle Wood that is the highlight to Legally Blonde. Have you seen this film enough times to quote it word for word or are you a Legally Blonde novice who has not had the joy of experiencing its charms and humour? Either way, it is a perfect watch for while you are stuck at home. It is a breath of fresh air. A positive film that proves cynics wrong about the age-old idiom 'Don't judge a book by its cover.' It may not be the most innovative or highest form of film but it entertains. I defy anyone not to have a good time while watching it.

7/10

The Big Short

The story of the 2008 financial crash is told through a series of separate stories that all investigate the negligent, rotten core of the housing market from different angles. The first of the three looks at Michael Burry (Christian Bale,) the CEO of an investment company. He discovers a pattern of bad housing deals. The second follows Mark Baum (Steve Carrel) who enlists the help of the slick and slimy Jaren Vennet (Ryan Gosling). The final looks at two wet behind the ears investment bankers Charlie Geller (John Magaro) and Jamie Shipley (Finn Wittrock) who discover the same issue but are laughed out of all the major banks. That is until Ben Rickert (Brad Pitt) decides to come out of retirement from investment banking to help them. The three stories investigate the different sides of the crash, uncovering the blasé approach of the banks and their hubristic attitude.  Each story could be its own plot and having the three pushed together sounds overwhelming but Adam McKay directs it all with such skill that it comes together seamlessly. The entire story flows together and each individual one has space to breathe, helping you understand the characters individually. The film is smart and fresh. It all has real pace to it making a film about banking interesting and even funny. The characters speak to the camera and cameos are invited to sit in a bathtub with a glass of champagne explaining complicated banking jargon. Margot Robbie being one of them. This is nothing short of brilliant, much like the film. The stellar cast in this film are unsurprisingly amazing, it is an acting masterclass from start to finish with Steve Carrel driving the film forward. He is nuanced with a deep emotional backstory that is raw and real and yet, at the same time it is still classic Carrel with humour injected into the role as well. It was refreshing to see him play a darker character and showcased his incredible acting range. The only issue is I would have loved to see more of Christian Bale, Brad Pitt and Ryan Gosling. This film is essential. There is no need for prior knowledge, the film handles its content with amazing dexterity leaving you with a firm understanding of what exactly happened in the fateful year of 2008. The story has zip and pace that keeps you glued to the screen something you just could not have predicted about a film to do with banking and economic instability. A film that is just as entertaining as Legally Blonde but in a different way, a must see all the same. This is another one that seen it or not, you have to keep on playing.

9/10