Beauty & The Beast 2017 Review (From A Girl Obsessed)

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You could be thinking, "well why should I bother reading this review when you can't be bothered to post on your blog for over a year" and yeah you'd be right in thinking that, but I urge you to carry on reading because it's going to be a wild ride (maybe). And we'll maybe get to the whole not posting in forever thing maybe later. Or maybe we won't, we'll see how carried away I get with this review.

First things first, if you know me, even a teeny tiny bit - you'll know that Beauty & The Beast is my all time favourite movie in the whole entire world. Not only is it my favourite movie, but it is an obsession that I have had since I was a kid. I have spent my life buying every possible B&TB related item I could get my hands on, I have watched it literally thousands of times, I have seen it live multiple times - on stage in the UK, in Disney World Florida and in Disney Land Paris. It was the only VHS that I ever kept (even though I no longer own a VHS player!), some of the only CD's I've ever owned (the original movie soundtrack and the Broadway original soundtrack obviously)...to put it lightly, my love for Beauty & The Beast is never ending and ever-evolving. I know a lot of people feel like this about it, so I promise I'm not insane.

When I found out that it was being remade 2/3 years ago I had a bit of a breakdown, because I just couldn't see how it could possibly be made any better. And the fear that it could be ruined was heartbreaking to me. Over the past few years I really feel like I've been through a lot with this remake, and now I've finally watched it, I feel like I have a lot to say. 

Here is my warning. This post is going to be full to the brim with spoilers. I wanted to do a non-spoilery section and a spoilery section but I'm really crap at keeping secrets, so I'm just going to go for it. If you don't want spoilers STOP READING NOW, LEAVE QUICKLY.

SPOILERS! SPOILERS! SPOILERS! YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED!

 
 Before I get into the nitty gritty, I want to start with saying how much I absolutely adored this movie. We saw it in 3D in the biggest cinema screen I have ever been in, and if you can go and watch it in 3D because it is beyond magical

The film is very close to a shot by shot remake, there are a few extra scenes/songs added into it but to be honest I truly think they were only put in so that the story makes more sense. It starts with the Prince being visited by the beggar woman, except this time she isn't visiting an 11 year old kid but a grown man who is hosting a ball in his castle. Though I have to admit I was slightly disappointed that they didn't use the classic stain-glass windows to start. I was happy that they changed the prologue to explain why nobody in the village could remember that there used to be a royal family, plus this change made the ending so much more satisfying. 

I can't fault any of the cast, like at all. I honestly was worried about Emma Watson playing Belle. In my head she will always be Hermione Granger, but the more I got into the film the less I thought about Harry Potter. She was honestly amazing, though I am still jealous she got the part that I've always wanted to play. Gaston & Lefou were PERFECT, absolutely hilarious, at times terrifying and they even looked the part. Dan Stevens as the Beast...well where do I start?! The animated version of the Beast used to be my everything, he was the man(beast) for me but this new Beast is something else. Intellectual, witty, sweet - the perfect Prince. His portrayal was truly breathtaking, and I was honestly sobbing all the way through his solo Evermore because it was so beautiful. All of the animated objects in the castle where fantastic, and they had some of the best comedic lines as well.

Visually the film was absolutely stunning. Like I said earlier, make sure you see it in 3D. There were times when I actually felt like I was in the castle with them which made the film feel more personal. 

The music is as gorgeous as it ever was. I actually downloaded the soundtrack literally the moment it came out in the UK, so I was fully prepared for the new songs, as well as changes to some of the older songs. Thankfully the new songs are great (Evermore is AMAZING, just something else) and the original songs have only been changed ever so slightly - probably because their lyrics were out of date. I just want to take a second to talk about Be Our Guest because it was the song I was most nervous about - I didn't think they would be able to recreate such an iconic scene but Christ was I wrong. It was fantastic and absolutely hilarious. Me and my sister were in hysterics all the way through - I really loved how Lumiere's personality came across, it was fantastic. Plus I'm pretty sure he dabbed during it - hilarious.

I'm trying to think of negative things, so this review will stop being so biased, but I'm finding it so hard. I suppose I could of done without the book/Paris scene. Whilst I understand why they put it in (so we'd have more of a background on Belle's mother), I wasn't sure it was necessary. Plus, why wasn't the Beast using it constantly? I know he says something like "there's no place in the world for a Beast" but I do think he could of at least been using it just to get out of his decaying castle. I dunno. 

The ending was probably my favourite bit (it is in the animated film though) I was honestly pertrified of Gaston by the end - his evilness really comes through. I was hysterical by the time he fell! I'm so glad they kept that part pretty much the same. I enjoyed (I say enjoyed but it was heartbreaking) the moments before the spell gets broken. Watching the objects...well die...was awful. I was sobbing for ages. It was like watching my friends die. I wasn't the only person in the cinema crying either! I'm not sure the Enchantress twist really worked though - the petal had already fallen and then Agathe comes in and magically rebuilds the rose. I wasn't really sure if Agathe was supposed to be the Enchantress? Why wasn't that explained properly?! It was a bit random but I got past that as soon as I saw the way the Prince looked at Belle - major swoon!! 

It was nice that they ALL got their happy endings. The Prince & Belle, then the villagers remembering their loved ones (Mrs Potts finding Mr Potts was a highlight for me!) - as well as Lefou getting his dance at the end. It was a much more satisfying ending for the characters we'd previously fallen in love with, in the animated movie it does feel like their happy ending gets overshadowed by true love.

Overall I really really LOVED this film. It was so faithful to the original but had a few well-done changes to it. I will definitely be going to see it again (and again and again - can the DVD just be out already!?!) 
What did you think of the film? Let me know in the comments! 

Images owned by Disney
 
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Rocky Horror Picture Show Live At Manchester Opera House

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Ever since I was about thirteen years old, Rocky Horror has been my favourite thing in the world. Over the last few years my obsession has become ridiculous and not a night out goes by without me insisting that the Time Warp gets played by the DJ. There's always just been something so comforting about Rocky Horror, especially when I look back at my teenage self - a confused, self conscious little goth girl. It's always been one of those sorts of movies/shows that has been there and made me feel more like I belonged in the world. 

Last night, on the 9th January 2016, I finally got to see Rocky Horror live at the Manchester Opera House. After weeks of planning my outfit and listening to the original Roxy cast (because if you're going to listen to Rocky, you have to listen to the original recording), it was finally time to see the show I've longed to see for such a long time. I'd mentally prepped myself for what I thought the show was going to be like and I was ready to see a few people dressed up, but to be honest I don't think anything could of prepared me for the sea of Frank's, Columbia's and Magenta's we met with as soon as we got out of our friend's car.

It was fantastic, I was in my element from the moment we walked into the Opera House and I literally couldn't stop smiling. There were hundreds and hundreds of people dressed up. A crowd of strangers all brought together by the love of the strange. Men in bras, french knickers and fishnets paraded around like it was no big deal, perfect replicas of costumes from the show all around me. I've never felt so at home. Just before the show started, whilst we were all sitting in our seats, a man that must of been around 40 stripped to his golden leather shorts and the whole audience went absolutely wild. It was rowdy before the show even started, and I couldn't of been happier or more excited.

The show itself was insane. The audience loved every single second of it, shouting out at the cast and getting involved. And the cast were spectacular - their performances were almost dead on, and they did everything in their power to get us all up dancing (not that it took much to be honest). At a normal show you'd have to just sit there, you'd be asked to be quiet if you spoke or started to sing - but here anything went and nobody minded if you were singing too loudly or shouting profanities at the cast. My only gripe was that Frank Furter was american, this was something that I just couldn't get over. He was perfect performance wise and absolutely hilarious, but whyyyyyyy the american accent? I turned to my friend Tina during the show and joked that he was no Tim Curry, to which Tina replied "I know..I expected Tim Curry" - obviously our standards were ridiculously high. He was amazing though...he just wasn't Tim Curry.

I would honestly recommend this show to absolutely anyone. I'm genuinely thinking about trying to get some last minute tickets for another one of the shows asap because I can honestly say it was one of the best nights of my life. I've never laughed so much, had so much fun and felt so like I perfectly belonged in my entire life - surrounded by a bunch of like-minded, absolutely wonderful freaks.

 
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2015 Roundup - A New Start & Things To Come

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I have literally been thinking about writing this for the last two weeks but I've honestly just had no time. Between working every day and Christmas, New Year - well let's just say it's been a hard month and I feel like I've had absolutely no time to myself. Hopefully that's all changed now and my life is going to get back to being somewhat normal! 

2015
2015 was a disappointing year for me, it started off so well. I felt on top of the world this time last year. I was half way through my degree, had an amazing job at Waterstones and was working part-time in a little production team, creating films for the likes of John Lewis and Thwaites. I was so, so proud of what I was accomplishing but half way through the year it all fell to pieces. Firstly, I was made redundant at Waterstones which absolutely and completely broke my heart. Still to this day I can't walk into the store or read a book properly without getting upset, I know that may seem ridiculous but I honestly loved that job more than anything and losing that job also meant that I lost contact with two of the most amazing co-workers ever to exist. Not long after losing my actual job it all went to crap with my little side job. I was promised full-time work, and had that chance ripped from beneath me. I won't go into much detail and I don't really want to hurt anyones feelings, but I will say that nothing hurts more than having someone you so utterly and completely trusted and admired to let - not just me, but others - down in such a terrible way. I ended up feeling so lost, I don't think I've ever cried so much in my life. No money, no job, so many bills to pay. My poor mother and father had to literally pick me up off the ground and I will never be more grateful for the things that they did for me this year. But I have to admit that I'm still mentally recovering from these events and probably will be for a long time. It's been a real hit on my mental health and my own confidence. 

It's not all been doom and gloom though. I finished my degree with a 2:1 which was amazing. I worked so, so hard and it was a great accomplishment. I went on a gorgeous holiday with Kieron to Madeira and we celebrated our four year anniversary! I ended up getting a new job as well which meant that I was no longer in debt. It also has meant that I've been able to save up for a house and another holiday - both of these things will be happening in the next few months. I also became best friends with Katie and we opened a wedding photography and videography business JK Studios together. My aim for this year is to fully get JK Studios off the ground, we just need a bit more money and a bit more time to get things fully started. I've had so many amazing nights out with my friends in 2015 as well, and I truly found out who my real friends were. I have had a lot less arguments when drunk this year, which is an accomplishment for me. In fact, I think I've become a nicer drunk and Hurricane Jane has definitely been out a lot less. 

Onto 2016

So far, 2016 has been an exciting prospect for me. At the moment, even though I'm still feeling low in myself, I'm quite optimistic. I'm starting the year going to see one of my all time, favourite musicals Rocky Horror, live in Manchester with my 5 besties. I feel like I've been waiting to see this show since the day I was born. Nobody loves Rocky Horror more than me! I've got my outfit all sorted - lots of black leather - and I've got less than a week to wait. Oh I can't wait! Next month I've got my Works Christmas Do (in February hahahaa what is that all about?!) and me and Kieron are also going to go to Tenerife on a cheeky little holiday. In March Kieron and I will be celebrating our five year anniversary which is insane and we will start looking for a house to move into together. These next six months are hopefully going to be amazing. 

I'm ready for a big change this year. I think I did a lot of growing up last year and had to deal with a lot, but this year is the year of sorting myself out. I've started eating a lot healthier and that's already making me feel so much better within myself. I've been watching so much Niomi Smart on youtube that all I can think about it granola and berries at the moment! 

I'm also going to start making more and more youtube videos. I have a lot planned, I just need a new camera and a bit more time but it's so exciting. I'm ready to take my blog to the next level, which means I'm going to have to put more effort into being apart of the community. I definitely lost my way with this blog last year but 2016 is going to be the year of Poptarts Beauty.

So fingers crossed it's going to be a great year.

 
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Introducing ScaredyBrat Wigs!

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I feel like I've been trying to write this blog post for the last eight thousand years but I keep getting terribly distracted with my apparently hectic lifestyle (ie:- I've been working non-stop!!! Damn it Christmas!!) 

If you don't follow me on social media - firstly, why the heck not?! I have been posting like a mad woman about the wonderful, fabulous ScaredyBrat wigs, which I am now a promoter for! Official Scaredy Brat right over here. I've been a hair extension wearer for what feels like my whole life, and I'm a massive fan of hair pieces, but I thought 'it's time to start wearing wigs'. 

I was sent the gorgeous Dahlia wig which is a long dark brown/black shade that fades out into a stunning chestnut brown colour. It is a synthetic wig, but you would never be able to tell as it looks and feels so much like real hair. I know that when people think about wigs they think about those really awful Halloween type of wigs that are just shoved in a packet and come out all knotty and hard to wear - but this is absolutely nothing like that. It's such good quality and it fits amazingly on my teeny tiny head. It really is a stunning piece and I've been wearing it constantly since it arrived at my doorstep. I love the colour so much that I've actually considered dying my hair back to a dark brown colour. The Dahlia wig is only £25.99 as well - an absolute bargain. 

As you can see, I have nothing but love for this wig and ScaredyBrat wigs as a whole. I can't wait to start a proper wig collection. I've already started saving my pennies up because I am dying to try a lace front wig...maybe a green one. Oh gosh, I'm so excited.

If you're like me and you LOVE this wig, you can now try to win it on Instagram! ScaredyBrat are always holding amazing competitions for their followers so make sure that you check them out by clicking on the photograph below. Whilst you are there, make sure you check out the other Scaredy Brat ladies because they are all absolutely stunning. You won't regret it!
 
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Punk Rock Princess

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Coat - River Island


Ohhh look at me taking this so deadly seriously. This is one of my fave kind of outfits. It's one of those 'whatever' outfits, something that you can just throw on without a thought but still look nice. My wardrobe is absolutely full of band tees and Joni jeans, they're pretty much all I wear. I classed up this look with my gorgeous new jacket/coat from River Island and a cute little black bag, which was also from River Island. I don't know about you, but I absolutely love River Island for accessories and jackets, they are always so on trend. 

 
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Lush Every Day Essentials

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Grease Lightning - Spot Treatment
One of my favourite products and a definite must have if you are prone to pesky spots. Grease Lightning is a little miracle in a bottle - actually it's a anti-acne spot corrector gel - but miracle in a bottle sounds much better. I don't really get that many spots, but when I do they are stubborn AF and this is my go-to product to get rid of them. Basically you apply the liquid gel to the spot infected area and let it sink in. You can apply as many times as you like, with as much as you need and just let it do it's thing. It dehydrates the spot and shrinks them down to nothing within a few days. I absolutely adore it. 

Tea Tree Water - Toner Water
A toner for those with super sensitive skin. As I said before, I don't usually get many spots, but I try to keep facial products to a minimum because my skin can become sore and irritated easily - this is why I like to use Lush's Tea Tree Water. It's fantastic for those with oily or troublesome skin as it's anti-bacterial, antiseptic and antifungal. It only has only 6 ingredients, 4 of which are completely natural: Tea Tree Water, Grapefruit Water, Limonene and Juniper Berry. It smells lovely as well, it doesn't have an overwhelming tea tree scent which is great because I am not the biggest fan of that smell. It removes makeup amazingly, even tough eye makeup comes off with this baby. 

Angels On Bare Skin
Angels On Bare Skin is my final Lush Essential. It's a facial cleanser made of all natural ingredients. Firstly let me say that it smells fantastic. It literally smells like food, I just want to eat it every time I open it. The ingredients used in this product create a calming effect on the skin to help to stop spots and irritated areas on your face.  Infact it actually leaves your face feeling hydrated and looking super glowy. The only downside to this is that it is so messy. It's basically a pot of oats and oils, so when you apply it to your face it gets everywhere - but it's so worth it in the long run. 

 
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Introducing Katie AKA Fat & Fabulous

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Today I am super excited to introduce you to one of my very bestest friends - Katie Parker. Katie has recently started up an amazing and completely inspiring blog and youtube called Fat & Fabulous, which I urge you all to go and have a look at. I cannot tell you how wonderful and thought provoking her ideas are, you really need to just go and have a look for yourself. She is a beautiful human being inside and out! 

Katie's Youtube
Katie's Blog
Katie's Twitter
Katie's Photography

Tell her I sent you! x

 
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