This month in media

So, technically I'm a bit late with this month's post, but I thought I'd write it anyway. Unfortunately I haven't had the time to read anything other than books from the college library, but I look forward to changing that over the Christmas break (Waterstones here I come!). On the other hand, I have seen several films and plays which you may enjoy; do leave a comment below if you have any opinions on them (or even better, leave your own suggestions)!

Film/Drama

Rules for Living - this play takes a relatively normal family with a few secrets and throws them all together over Christmas dinner. Each character has their own 'rules for living' - that is, set things that they must do when triggered by something else ( e.g so-and-so must dance until she gets attention). Some of these rules made me laugh out loud, but there were also moments when I felt truly touched by the messy, fractured relationships within the family. A Christmassy play with a deeper message.

Mujeres al borde de un ataque de nervios (Women on the verge of a nervous breakdown) - by Pedro Almodóvar
This was my first experience of an Almodóvar film, and whilst it won't be my last, it didn't have me rushing to watch another. The central character, Pepa, has just been dumped by her boyfriend, and over the course of the film we see how she tries to cope with this. However, she hadn't banked on a phone call from her good friend Candela asking for help because she has got into trouble with a group of terrorists; nor had she imagined that the engaged couple coming to view her apartment would be related to her ex-lover. The film is, as the title suggests, very focused on women - a refreshing change from Hollywood action films. Though I enjoyed it (relatively speaking), it's not my favourite film, though perhaps that's because I watched it in the early hours of a Saturday morning.

Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them
My one cinema trip this term had to be dedicated to JK Rowling's newest release. It took me a while to get into the film, but Eddie Redmayne's geekish charm soon won me over. I like the way it brings up events which only received a brief mention in the Potter books (Grindelwald), and though it is slightly dark in places, it is a good way to escape back into magical life when real life (essays!) becomes too much to deal with.

A Streetcar Named Desire
I studied this at school a few years ago and love it now as much as I did then. Carrying on with the theme of watching films with female protagonists, this play is exciting, tense, and heartbreaking all at the same time. Not one to watch if you want to feel uplifted, but definitely worthwhile - even if it's just for the music and Marlon Brando's biceps. 

Music
Hozier: good for when you're driving, helpful when you're studying, calming when you're trying to relax... Hozier's first album is just perfect. But then you probably knew that already...

Michael Bublé's Christmas Album: need I say more? Due to short university terms, we celebrate Christmas (affectionally known as Bridgemas) on the 25th November, so I felt it was perfectly acceptable to break out the Christmas tunes before December had even begun.