UnScene

Daisy Waites • Emma Draper • Louisa Clarke • Natasha Mashembo

UnScene TV • FILM REVIEWS • OPINIONS • MORE

Love... actually?

What makes a good on-screen romance? Daisy Waites talks us through the key elements to convincing chemistry Earlier this year Bridgerton season 2 crashed onto Netflix, taking the title of most-watched English-language series to debut on a streaming platform.

But what is it about romance movies that captivate the audience to keep wanting more?

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The romantic dream presented by the genre pushes seemingly unattainable ideals in an effort to produce a world to which the viewer can escape.

Chick flicks such as Bridget Jones’s Diary taught millions of girls how to navigate love.

While for some, romance films were routed in childhood, such as Angus, Thongs and Perfect Snogging, a book series turned movie, which saw a teenager deal with the ups and downs of being young and in love.

Romantic relationships are

seemingly always at the heart of movies, with trials and tribulations becoming plot points.

However, there are a number of make-or-break elements that contribute toward a fantastic onscreen romance.

Sometimes you love someone because he is not the same as you.

And sometimes you love someone because it feels like home.

Bridget Jones’s Baby (2016)

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Rules for Romance Avoiding clichés

We’ve all been there – groaning at the cheesy nature of romcoms and silly clichés which have characters running circles to the sound of ‘will they, won’t they’.

Good plot and storyline

An enticing and progressive storyline which hits the pacing sweet spot – usually with a conflict at the epicentre that the couple must work through.

Character chemistry

Quite possibly the most important element of a romance.

If the audience doesn’t believe the characters are in love, the romance will fall flat on its face.

An obstacle

From rival love interests to conflicting personalities, all good romances have a hurdle the main character must overcome.

A unique twist

That ‘oh’ moment when everything falls into place, followed by an ending with heaps of dopamine that leaves you beaming, or one that leaves you emotionally flabbergasted as the credits role.

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The Fault in Our Stars proved that a happy ending isn’t the deciding factor of whether a romance is good or bad, it is in fact the components that matter and how the movie leaves you feeling.

Mamma Mia, Love Actually and The Proposal are the epitome of the ideal romance, working around the key components and drawing from other genres such as musicals and comedies to create a blissfully balanced and entertaining experience.

Meanwhile, Netflix has dedicated itself to churning out an

entourage of teen romances such as The Kissing Booth, To All the Boys and The Perfect Date, which fall short of their hype – as Netflix clumsily spew out what they think their young audience want.

Hint: More realistic representation, the audience wants to relate to the characters in some way!

There is often a difficult balance between creating relatable characters and trying to fit in with the female or male gaze.

Clueless is an exceptional example of female independence in a romance movie, with Alicia Silverstone playing Cher, a

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confident young woman navigating love and high school drama.

Whereas male-produced movies with romantic subplots like Fast and Furious and James Bond, become harder to relate to as women are treated as commodities.

Similar can be said about

Guy Ritchie’s Aladdin.

Arguably Jack Dawson in the Titanic sums up both the feeling of love and why the audience cannot look away from a good romance: “I’m too involved now. You jump, I jump remember? I can’t turn awar without knowing you’ll be alright.”

I’m too involved now. You jump, I jump remember?

I can’t turn away without knowing you’ll be alright.

Titanic (1998)

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The popularity of adaptations

By Daisy Waites

When thinking of successful movie-to-book adaptations, many will think of the likes of Harry Potter, The Hunger Games and Pride and Prejudice. These movies have set the bar for what is expected from both film and literature.

Currently, the number of books being adapted in 2022 is both encouraging and overwhelming to the industry, with die-hard fans split between fear of their favourite books being altered to fit the screen, and those that can’t wait to see them take life.

In each instance there is a need for directors to ensure the film doesn’t lose the charm found on the original pages.

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Books on screen Coming this year Death on the Nile

February

Bridgerton

March

Heartstopper

Bullet Train

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April

July

Salem’s Lot

September

December

September The Lord of the Rings (Prequel)

Matilda

COMING SOON: Next year is a big year for The Hunger Games fans, with the prequel book The Ballad of the Songbird coming to theatres November 2023

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Dazzling Doppelgänger REVIEW: Last Night in Soho – A disturbingly beautiful look at London’s haunting past

By Daisy Waites

Dazzling doppelgänger REVIEW: ‘Last Night in Soho’ – A disturbingly beautiful look at London’s haunting past

By Daisy Waites

This vivid masterpiece transports you to the dizzying world of the 60s through the eyes of Eloise Turner (Thomasin McKenzie), an aspiring fashion designer, whose dreams reveal apparitions of the past.

Director and co-writer Edgar Wright, renowned for Baby Driver and Shaun of the Dead, proves he can tackle any genre, not missing a beat in his first dip into the world of psychological horror.

Wright’s jaw-droppingly beautiful recreation of 1960s London is stunning to see, with the surface layer of glitz and glam coming through in the

warm vibrant colours and golden hues, which slowly slip away to gloom as the movie progresses.

Wright is truly a master at pacing: the mix of slow builds and sharp reveals leave the audience entranced and ready to be taken back to the past to learn more about Sandie (Anya TaylorJoy), an aspiring singer who Eloise visits in her sleep. Eloise begins to spiral as the movie goes on and the past begins to haunt her in the present, as the mystery of what happened to Sandie takes centre stage.

Taylor-Joy, best known for her role as Beth in The Queen’s Gambit,

plays a fashionable and witty young woman trying to make her way into the world of showbiz.

Her character is a direct contrast to Eloise, who is a shy student struggling to adapt to the harsh reality of university life.

The creative shots, making use of reflective surfaces and over the shoulder angles, remind the audience throughout of Eloise and Sandie’s ever-changing ghostly mirrored duality.

In many ways, Last Night in Soho’s use of camera work is eerily similar to Darren Aronofsky’s Black Swan, which also challenges the notion

of what a horror movie is by removing the idea of monsters.

While Eloise is haunted by the past in her sleep, Last Night in Soho is far from a ghost movie.

The thrilling cinematography and climactic script are enhanced further by a beautifully nostalgic soundtrack and scores

by Oscar and Emmy-winning composer Steven Price.

Last Night in Soho is everything you could want from a mysterious psychological thriller.

It is a masterpiece that leaves you guessing right up to the pivotal moment, then leaves you speechless as the credits roll.

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PS MAGAZINE

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Ghost in translation?

Review: the American remake of the BBC comedy show, ‘Ghosts’

By Natasha Mashembo

In 2019, the BBC blessed us with Ghosts, a heart-warming British comedy by the original Horrible Histories cast. The children who grew up watching this offbeat acting crew, including Martha Howe-Douglas and Mathew Baynton, were now young adults, ready for the first post-watershed comedy by 24

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their old friends. Yes, I was one of them. To many fans’ horror, a US adaptation of the uniquely English show emerged on CBS in 2021. Curious to see what damage might have been done to one of my favourite sitcoms, I watched season one so you don’t have to.

The original Ghosts followed the Six Idiots’ (as fans affectionately call them) previous project, Yonderland, which aired on Sky 1 from 2013 to 2016, but a prime time slot on BBC One meant that Ghosts immediately gained more viewers than its predecessor ever did.

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Thankfully, the remake was not done without the input of the original creators, who were all involved as executive producers under the company name, Them There.

The first two episodes are virtually carbon copies of the original. This includes many of the jokes, which do feel quite unnatural at times, as British jokes don’t always translate word-for-word into a different cultural setting.

However, the similarity of the first episodes makes sense to establish the story.

Only two other episodes, (“Dinner Party” and “Pete’s Wife”) have plot lines lifted directly from the original version and

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the rest are new ideas. This leaves plenty of room for unique content, as the US version boasts 18 episodes in season one alone, which is a shock to the system compared to the BBC’s six-episode series format.

As for the characters, husband and wife, Alison and Mike, are replaced by Samantha and Jay. Their personalities are largely the same, but Rose McIver and Utkarsh Ambudkar each bring their own flair to the roles.

The only ghosts who are almost identical to characters from the original series are Hetty Woodstone (Samantha’s fourth-greatgrandmother and lady of the manor, based on Lady Fanny Button) and Pete Martino (a 1980s “Pinecone Trooper” - or Scout - leader, who died from an arrow

through the neck, based on Pat Butcher).

Other ghosts fulfil a similar role to some of the UK ghosts but have been adapted to fit US history. Trevor Lefkowitz is a wealthy Wall Street trader who died without his trousers on in 2000 and has the power to interact with the physical world. This makes him very similar to Julian Fawcett MP in the original series, except Trevor was much younger when he died and often flirts with Samantha, so he also encapsulates the essence of Thomas Thorne, a Romantic poet who falls in love with Alison at first sight in BBC Ghosts.

Captain Isaac Higgintoot is the ghost of an American Revolutionary officer, jealous that

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Alexander Hamilton got a musical and he didn’t. Like the original Captain - a World War Two officer - Isaac is a closeted homosexual. While this is subtly hinted at throughout the original series, with other characters becoming aware as time goes on, most characters in the US version seem completely aware, as Isaac does not hide it as well as he thinks.

In both renditions, the jokes surrounding this are not at the Captain’s expense. They just highlight how hard he works to keep a secret that is comparatively insignificant today. Both captains are on a journey of selfacceptance and it will be interesting to see how their stories progress.

Viking, Thorfinn, is the oldest of the US ghosts.

Like Robin, a caveman in the original series, Thorfinn can interfere

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with lights.

There is also a 1950s era decapitated ghost, akin to Humphrey, the headless Tudor nobleman in BBC Ghosts, and the ghosts of cholera victims in the basement, based on the plague victims in the original.

Three of the main CBS ghosts are completely new. First is Alberta Haynes, a Prohibition-era jazz singer, whose humming is audible to the living. Sasappis is a cynical yet friendly Lenape Native American. Finally, Susan Montero, a.k.a Flower, is a hippie and former cult member. When she passes through a human, they enter a trance, as if under the influence of marijuana.

Surprisingly, I’ve become fairly invested in CBS Ghosts and will probably continue watching it. Comedy is subjective, and while I do think the original is funnier and more poignant, the US version has its own strengths, so if you are intrigued like I was, why not give it a try? It will haunt you either way.

War & Spice Review: ‘Dune’ (2021)

By Natasha Mashembo

Directed by Denis Villeneuve, Dune (2021) is an epic science fiction film, which brings Frank Herbert’s 1965 novel of the same name to life for the first time since the early noughties.

Unfolding through Greig Fraser’s breathtaking cinematography, Dune lends itself brilliantly to a big-screen experience.

Similarly, Hans Zimmer’s score combines ancient and futuristic sounds which reverberate eerily throughout.

Dune is dreamy, with expansive, flowing landscapes, but, much like a dream, it lacks discernible context. Any viewer new to the story is plunged straight into its complex, interplanetary setup with little explanation as to how society in the year 10191 came to be.

Working out exactly what “spice” is and why it’s so integral to the plot,

based on this film alone, is a challenge in itself.

Timothée Chalamet upholds his reputation as the “soft leading man” with his nuanced portrayal of the protagonist, Paul Atreides.

However, while Zendaya graced the red carpet alongside Chalamet, her fans may be disappointed. According to the Los Angeles Times, Zendaya’s character, Chani, only appears on screen for seven minutes of the film’s whopping 155-minute runtime, despite being one of its top-billed stars. This will eventually be rectified though, as Chani will form a much bigger part of Dune: Part 2, which is set to be released in October 2023.

Other cast members include Rebecca Ferguson, Oscar Isaac, Jason Momoa, Sharon Duncan-Brewster and Stellan Skarsgård, who each bring individual magnetism to an

already mesmerising project.

The film creates a juxtaposition of tranquillity and tension. The satisfying shift of the desert sand is hypnotic, despite the insidious nature of what might lurk beneath it.

Frustratingly, Dune leaves many unanswered questions which rely on the sequel to resolve.

Nonetheless, this may be more sensible than forcing such a saga into a single film, as David Lynch did in 1984. As a two-parter, Villeneuve’s version will be even longer than John Harrison’s 2000 three-part miniseries.

Anticipation for the next film will undoubtedly follow this one – along with Google searches from confused newbies who still don’t know their House Atreides from their House Harkonnen.

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More than a

GENTLEMAN

Five off-brand films to celebrate the true versatility of British actor, Colin Firth

By Natasha Mashembo

In popular culture, Colin Firth is synonymous with the archetypal dashing romantic lead, from his portrayal of Mr Darcy in both Pride and Prejudice (1995) and Bridget Jones’s Diary (2001) to the awkwardly sweet Harry Bright in Mamma Mia (2008). This could lead to the misconception that rom-coms are the extent of his repertoire. Therefore, I’ve made it my mission to compile some films that will shatter this illusion and perhaps help people appreciate Firth for the wellrounded actor he is.

Apartment Zero (1988)

In this peculiar British-Argentine psychological thriller, a young Firth is Adrian LeDuc, a British revival house owner and landlord in Buenos Aires. Adrian befriends his charming American tenant, Jack Carney (Hart Bochner), but soon suspects he may not be all he seems… With classic Hollywood allusions and a sprinkling of dark comedic moments throughout, Apartment Zero is an intriguing watch that I think a lot of people would enjoy.

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A Single Man (2009)

Based on the 1964 Christopher Isherwood novel of the same name, A Single Man follows a day in the life of college professor, George Falconer (Firth), who is struggling with the recent traumatic loss of his long-time partner, Jim (Matthew Goode). The cinematography is beautiful and implements an innovative use of colour. While I don’t usually re-watch emotional films, I regularly return to this one and get something new out of it every time. It’s also the directorial debut of Tom Ford - yes, the Tom Ford.

Before I Go To Sleep (2014)

There is little to say about this film without spoiling it, though if you’ve seen it or read the novel by S. J. Watson, you’ll understand.

Essentially, Before I Go To Sleep is a gripping thriller where a woman with amnesia (Nicole Kidman) wakes up forgetting who she is every day and tries to piece together her life with the help of her husband (Firth) and a doctor (Mark Strong). Sidenote: Firth also stars alongside Kidman in The Railway Man (2013) and Strong in Fever Pitch (1997), Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy (2011) and the Kingsman series.

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Operation Mincemeat (2022)

Currently in cinemas, Operation Mincemeat is an incredible new drama based on a WWII British deception operation. War films are rarely my thing, but I genuinely enjoyed this one. Furthermore, it features not one, but two former Mr Darcys (Firth and Matthew Macfadyen), as well as a reunion between Cedric (Firth) and Evangeline (Kelly Macdonald) from Nanny McPhee (2005). What more persuasion do you need?

Supernova (2020)

Romantic drama, Supernova, follows Sam (Firth) and Tusker (Stanley Tucci), partners for 20 years, on a road trip as they come to terms with the fact that one of them will soon lose the other to dementia. Firth and Tucci are so natural together that you feel like a fly on the wall of a real couple’s campervan, as your heart is warmed and broken at the same time.

On top of all that, some of the piano playing in the film was done by Firth himself. Just when it seemed he was talented enough!

Hopefully this list has shone a light on Colin Firth’s multifaceted career and regardless of what you think of him, perhaps you will enjoy these recommendations nonetheless.

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Love Island is back on our TVs in a couple of weeks and like all of you lovely readers, we are very excited about the sun, sex and drama that will hit our screens in June.

The show has become a staple in British reality TV, fi lling in the gap left by Big Brother. Which, ultimately, the show

takes the same structure as. It’s just the ‘islanders’ and the villa challenges to keep

verified on Instagram and the public will label

them entertained.

them as a villain or an angel and they’ll have to

But Love Island has not been immune from the same controversy that Big Brother

deal with the consequences.

And more recently, ex-contestants Sophie

faced whilst it was on the air. The show

Gradon and Mike Thalassitis died after

provides ALL the drama, but with that

committing suicide a few years after their

comes a cost.

respective seasons ended. Both of them were

Often the cost is the insane rise to fame

open with the battles of trolling they faced after

the islanders face the moment they come

the show ended. Mike was nicknamed ‘Muggy

out of the villa. They’re assigned agents,

Mike’ by fellow islander Chris Hughes, after

recoupling with Olivia Atwood. The nickname

Brother was. The producers have the power

followed him around even after the show ended.

to edit the show to get maximum drama and

Sophie also dealt with social media harassment

maximum ratings, which will of course mean

and internet trolling after she came out of the

some people are the ‘heroes’ and ‘villains’ of

villa, something she was very open about later

the season. But that doesn’t mean they are like

on.

this in real life. Reality TV isn’t always as real as we think it is.

As viewers of the show, these stories have to remind us that these are people, they’re real people. They have lives, friends and feelings just like us. The culture of bullying people

I’ve got a text!!

online and trolling is damaging to the mental health and well-being of the contestants, especially when they’re not able to defend themselves or their actions straight away.

We also need to remember that it is a reality tv show at the end of the day, just like Big

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Fashion on film Films can show us inpsiring stories, loving relationships and the possibilities of the future. But they also have incredible wardobes. Our favourite characters can inspire our own personal style, whether it’s the current Y2K mini skirts, 60s shift dresses or even red carpet glamour.

Here’s Emma Draper’s pick of the best dressed characters from the 60s to now.

Two One

Breakfast at Tiffany’s is the film that made Audrey Hepburn. It’s also the film that made the little black dress. The film tells the story of a young New York City socialite and slowly reveals her tragic backstory, and so the costumes had to reflect this. All of Hepburn’s costumes in the film were custom made by Givenchy and the rest were designed

by Edith Head. A lot of what she wears is black and white with very little colour apart from pink lipstick or a turquoise eye mask. At least with a black and white wardrobe you don’t have to worry about matching everything.

Available to watch on SkyGo.

Three At some point in life, everyone has wanted to ‘do a Donna’. AKA, run away to a Greek island to escape our probelms. But there’s also another we can learn from Donna, what to wear in summer.

Both Donna and Sophie have the perfect wardrobe thanks to Ann Roth. Floaty skirts and endless swimming costumes for Sophie and for Donna, fabric dungarees and light blouses. The perfect wardrobes for living out everyone’s dream on a greek island.

Available to stream on Amazon Prime.

One of UnScene’s favourite comfort films and one that we are constantly quoting has not only the best lines but also the best outfits. Mona May, the costume designer ofr the film, gave Cher and Dionne their own style independent from one another (we love strong independent women). But made sure they always look co-ordinated when they are on screen together.

Available to stream on Amazon Prime.

Four

Five

Firstly, that wedding is is hands down one of the most visually and aesthetically beautiful scenes ever. The film follows Rachel Chu (Constance Wu) as she naviagtes her relationship with Nick Young and his EXTREMELY wealthy family in Singapore. The costumes in this film are so expensive including the Marchesa gown Rachel wears to the wedding. The film is called crazy rich for a reason. But Mary E. Vogt had to source and create all the designs for the film including that wedding dress, which took over thee weeks.

Available to rent or buy on Amazon Prime.

Lindsay Lohan is the queen of the y2k fashion and Get a Clue is the pinnacle of this. The film follows Lexy Gold (Lohan) and her three friends, Jennifer (Brenda Song), Jack (Bug Hall) and Gabe (Al Mukadam) as they try and find their missing teacher in new York City. Jolie Andreatta who did the costumes for this, nailed it. Each of their outifts is spot on for the characters and definitely provides inspiration for the resurgence of y2k fashion.

Available to stream on Disney+.

Six Period drama’s made a comeback in 2020 with Autumn de Wilde’s Emma and of course, the first series of Bridgerton. The regency resurgence is happening and with it is a plethora of empire waist dresses and frothy fabrics for us to indulge in. The costume designer for Emma, Alexandra Byrne, created a wardrobe for the title character with candy colours, big bonnets and lace to differentiate Emma from her friend Harriet.

Available to stream on Netflix.

Seven Patricia Field had a huge task on her hands creating the costumes for a film based on the fashion world. Which just also happens to casually star Meryl Streep too.

But Andy’s transformation from office formalwear to high fashion chic is incredible. She begins to feel like she belongs to the fashion world once she starts to dress in the designer clothes. Of course there’s a lot of discourse around not changing yourself for anyone or anything but any viewer can see the amount of confidence she gains. Also Andy’s boyfriend, Nate, 100% the villain of the film.

Available to stream on Amazon Prime.

By Emma Draper

I have an unpopular opinion. I didn’t like the pop culture pandemic phenomenon Normal People. The show undoubtedly gripped everyone who was watching it at the beginning of lockdown in 2020. It was hailed as a romantic and supposedly relatable show about two teenagers, Marianne (Daisy Edgar-Jones) and Connell (Paul Mescal) who enter into a relationship founded on secrecy and sex.

In case you haven’t watched it yet, the show follows two characters, Marianne and Connell, as they grow through high school, university and adult life. It shows the differences between the two of them, Marianne’s wealthy but unhappy home life and the tension she has with her mum. Which drastically contrasts Connell’s life with his single mum and poorer upbringing.

I binged the show recently and I had high expectations (my first mistake). It had been on my list since it first came out, and was one of those things that just took a while for me to get around to watching. Honestly, I should’ve watched it sooner to put myself out of the misery of feeling like I’ve wasted my time.

The show is borderline boring.

It starts with the two characters in high school studying for their final exams. Marianne is the stereotypical unpopular loner who oozes pick me energy and fake edginess, while Connell is the good looking, popular

sporty lad who has it all in high school.

In their final year of school, the two start a secret relationship. None of Connell’s friends know as he decides to keep it from them, and neither do their parents. This is obviously the start of an extremely unhealthy relationship and the creation of toxic views on relationships.

The relationships between the two characters and Marianne’s other partners (Connell stays single) throughout the show are almost unhinged. Starting any form of relationship in secret is never a good idea, it opens doors for abuse, both emotional and physical, and can leave both people feeling isolated. Which is essentially what happens to both Marianne and Connell. This becomes especially apparent when Marianne’s Swedish boyfriend begins to pressure her into taking nude photographs and she’s in a foreign country with no friends, family and no Connell.

This is not a victim blaming piece, this is about the borderline romanticising of toxic relationships and relying too heavily on one person for comfort and happiness.

The foundation of a relationship is mutual support and communication.

However, neither Connell nor Marianne can seem to cope without the other and not in a, ‘I love you so much let’s be together forever’ way but in a ‘you give me happiness, comfort and love that I can’t get from

anyone else and I need to be with you forever.’ They struggle to cope without each other because they have become dependent on each other for happiness and solitude rather than being able to find it themselves.

The show also lacks a plot. Each episode is quite formulaic; something dramatic happens, they fight, they have sex, they make up. It never really strays from that sequence, which after a few episodes gets a bit boring and monotonous. Generally, the drama is over the secrecy of the relationship, arguments over Marianne’s current boyfriend or something Connell has done to upset Marianne.

It sounds like it should’ve been a good show, and the reviews surrounding the show would back this claim up entirely. But after watching I find the show to be a romanticised take on toxic relationships and, for me personally, not the most relatable show. Maybe if I’d watched it in 2020 when it came out and I hadn’t seen all the glowing reviews then I’d have a different opinion, but either way this show was not for me.

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I watched

Sweet Magnolias

with my Mum

& I recommend you do too

By Louisa Clarke

T

he pandemic began a new ritual for my family of watching something together every night and our already close-knit home became even closer because of it. To anyone who thinks that watching TV and film is an anti-social pastime, it would only take such a night with the Clarke’s to prove you wrong. I found we looked forward to it, thinking of films we would like to show each other and sharing theories on the mysteries of the latest episode. Various pairings in the family had their shows to watch together but myself and my mum had not found ours – until ‘Sweet Magnolias’.

Not to be confused with ‘Steel Magnolias’, this is a Netflix show following three adult women, connected by a strong, long-lived friendship, surrounded by an incredibly sweet, loving support system and community navigating romance, family drama and more, in a small town called Serenity, where the sun seems to always shine, and flowers

and trees are always in beautiful full bloom.

The feeling of this modern story is cosy, heart-warming, and emotional. The three main characters being strong women and mothers themselves, the connection between mother and child is at the forefront of the narrative, making it the perfect show for a mother-daughter watch. It truly opens your eyes to the undeniable importance of the women in our lives: our best friends, our mothers, their daughters, not just for the beautiful relationships and characters who step into these roles, but for the characters who are unfortunately missing those people in their life.

We soon got swept up in it, shipping couples and routing for the success of our favourite characters. We each have characters we can relate to at this point in our lives. Not to mention the feeling of the show itself, which my mum and I agree is ‘sugary sweet’.

Countless times we have turned to each other, our bottom lips slightly jutted out, letting out a simple ‘awww’ or nearly brought to tears by the emotional relationships and the way they support and unconditionally love each other through their troubles. Maybe it is best that we watch on separate sofas, or it would end in some very deep conversations and possible tears.

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All the controversial choices and changes in the making of movie musicals.

In 2017, a multi-talented cast starring Emma Watson and Dan Stevens brought Beauty and the Beast back to the silver screen. Different to the others on this list, the original was never on stage, rather this adaptation took on the creative process of live-action remake to an animated Disney classic. Amongst the classic costumes, beautiful vocals, and magical storyline sure not to disappoint devoted fans as well as newcomers, there are some moments of delightful innovation. The film explores the notion of princesses as role models in a whole new way to create a more modern fairy-tale.

Whilst Belle as a character already cracked the mould, when her love of reading and a simple desire for a future more than rubbing her husband’s feet made her ‘a funny girl, that belle’, steps are made to further development. Where originally Belle’s father Maurice was an inventor, Belle takes on this role. This is something Belle herself, Emma Watson, suggested.

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After hearing that it was no longer going to be part of the character of Maurice, Watson inquired about including it in her own characterisation, bringing us such scenes as when Belle builds a machine to do her washing so that she could finish more reading of a day. Audiences will have also noticed the film explored more of her backstory, connecting the iconic image of the rose to her mother, and placing her mother’s death in a genuine moment of history, the plague. This brings us to the newly composed music featured in moments like the one I just described, possibly the most recognised being ‘Evermore’, performed by Dan Stevens as the Beast when he allows Belle to leave the castle. This moment of pure, powerful emotion never fails to give me goosebumps and I know I’m not the only one. .*+"&*,&$+/&*,&'01"-

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In 2021, Lin-Manuel Miranda’s Tony Award winning Musical, In The Heights, was adapted for cinematic experience. Directed by Jon M. Chu, who will also be directing both parts of the new Wicked movie set to release in 2024 and 2025, the characters, songs and sets are all filled with such colour and light and come together in an incredibly uplifting watch. I, for one, was pleasantly surprised by the number of dancers and amazing choreography and even happier to see that it was the work of the amazing Christopher Scott. Quiara Alegría Hudes, who originally wrote the musical with Miranda, wrote the screenplay for the film. In The Heights, like multiple musical adaptations before it, made some changes to the songbook, changing the singers of certain lines and other small plot points.

However, I can say, as a Brit who had listened and loved the show through only streaming on Spotify, seeing it come to life for the first time was a beautiful, and in places heart-breaking, time. Audiences, including myself, were extremely happy to see Stephanie Beatriz, who you may know from Brooklyn Nine-Nine, gracing the screen as quite the triple threat and extending her history of portraying women of the LGBTQ+ community. The only controversy of casting I heard was the brief appearances of Lin-Manuel Miranda as Piraguero. People took to social media to ask whether this was genuinely necessary. This is where I jump to the defence of Miranda by reminding you that, in his own words, he did not think it was necessary, but he was convinced to do so. Yes, I see how it can be viewed as a way of keeping his name attached but let’s not take away from the beautiful moment in Carnival de Barrio where he sings in unison with Anthony Ramos, who played his best-friend and son in Hamilton – you gotta see it to get it – and now portrays his original role of Usnavi.

ADAPTATIONS

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By Louisa Clarke

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In 2021, we saw the movie release of the smash-hit Broadway musical, Dear Evan Hansen, starring the original Evan from the shows debut cast, Mr Ben Platt.

After the opening at the Music Box Theatre at the end of 2016, this musical earned huge critical acclaim. It was nominated for nine awards at the 71st Tony Awards and won six, including Best Musical, Best Score and Best Book. Despite winning the Tony for Best Actor the same year, many seem to hold the opinion that, by the time the film had rolled around, Ben Platt was too old to play the bullied 17-year-old high school senior and the ‘efforts’ to make him appear younger only made it worse. This controversy was deepened by the fact that his father, Marc Platt, was co-producing. People began to wonder if due to personal relationships, other actors had been overlooked. Interestingly and very excitingly, the role of Connor Murphy was given to Colton Ryan, a definite step up from Broadway when he was an understudy for the character.

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This 2021 film honours the classic work of Sondheim and Bernstein whilst somehow making the tale more current. The infamous number ‘Somewhere’ is repurposed as a message of hope for segregated and stereotyped minorities, looking towards a future of inclusivity and compassion. We also see representation of transgender identity struggles. In stage performances and the 1961 film, a character by the name of Anybodys is written and performed as a tomboy girl wanting to join the Jets. Here, the role is played by, nonbinary actor, Iris Menas, and the character is depicted as transmasculine. Rita Moreno, who played Anita in the original 1961 movie, returned playing Valentina. Our new Anita, Ariana DeBose, thanked Moreno for her original appearance when her own portrayal made her the first openly queer woman of colour to receive an Oscar, for Best Supporting Actress at the 94th Academy Awards this year. Having watched and admired the talent of Rachel Zegler on social media, to see her play Maria like this was such a treat. However, not everyone was cstatic about the casting of Ansel Elgort as the male lead, Tony. I, myself, saw many a TikTok around the release of the film jokingly pitching other actors. In my opinion, this is a small detail in an otherwise brilliant film and there are moments where he really does impress. It is interesting though, how his star quality as an established movie star is largely overlooked in favour of more experienced musical theatre performers, such as Zegler, Faist, DeBose, Cook and Zeigler. Even the classics that you may expect to be bored by are brought to the screen with such brilliant performances that they can’t help but impress.

Independent Cinema: Why Make The Switch?

By Louisa Clarke

Malisa Chafer, volunteer chairwoman of Portsmouth’s only independent cinema, No6 Cinema, says “film making is one of those most incredible creative processes.”

She believes it is important to showcase some of the best filmmakers to give people the chance to experience it, changing and opening minds. She highlights particularly film that works to educate and entertain. “I think that’s what I love about cinema”, says Chafer. “It is a window on other places and other ideas.”

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To first year film student of University of Portsmouth, Kearin Green, independent film is more intriguing for the lessons and authenticity the filmmakers bring to the table.

“In reality, as an art form, I think independent film is just much more real and it makes you feel a lot more, it’s very profound,” she says.

With everything that happened in recent years when artists fought to save the arts, people are recognising how important this industry is and the ways in which it can benefit society.

Green sees that young creators have made the UK film industry a lot braver when it comes to social issues.

According to her, cinema is the closest medium to viewing someone’s life and the most direct way to express a message. When you see someone talking, feeling, and experiencing, it’s the most personal you can get when it comes to expressing art through a medium.

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