The Best Films For Every Mood

It's Sundays, so for many people, that means movie night!! Now, I'm very very picky with the films I watch - I have to love the film, I won't just turn a random movie on if I think I won't like it. So, I thought I'd compile a list of the best films (in my opinion!) for every mood, from romantic films to empowering ones - sad ones to festive ones. Most of these are available on things like Sky, Netflix, Amazon Prime or Hulu... - I can't remember the last time I went to the cinema, as I just watch films at home!! If you want the full movie experience at home, there are a great range of Panasonic wireless home cinema systems here, which make amazing gifts or just treats for your family!

The best film if you want something... empowering: Hidden Figures!! Hidden Figures is a super lovely, emotional, empowering film about 3 black women working for NASA in the 60s. I watched it a year or so ago, but it still sticks with me as one of my fave movies ever!

The best film if you want something... to watch with your family: Pete's Dragon. I actually did a more in-depth review back in October 2017, which you can read here, but I just had to mention it in this post again. It's a very uplifting (but also emotional in parts) film that is similar to a classic Disney movie, but has a little more depth to it.

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The best film if you want something... with a great soundtrack: La La Land. La La Land will always be one of my favourites; the songs are so beautiful (I have the soundtrack downloaded on Spotify!), I really like the characters and the actors did a great job.

The best film if you want something... uplifting: Mamma Mia HWGA. I'm pretty sure evvvverybody has seen it by now, but just in case you haven't I had to put it down as the best uplifting film.

The best film if you want something... romantic: Love, Simon!! I watched this on a plane, so I haven't had the chance to introduce this to my family, but I will do at some point. This is a very classic teen romcom kinda film, but with a twist... the focus of the play is on a relationship between two boys! It's so good to see mainstream media covering the LGBTQ+ community so well, and I highly recommend.

The best film if you want something... to make you cry: The Imitation Game. Now, this isn't a film that is full of sad moments where you should cry, however there are a couple of scenes that were super sad (I won't say what though, because I'm #spoilerfree!).

The best film if you want something... Christmassy: Love Actually. Festive films don't really apply to this time of year, but I had to mention my favourite Christmas film - Love Actually. It's so funny and sweet, plus the cinematography is beautiful!

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So these are The Best Films For Every Mood! Thank you Panasonic for collaborating with me on this post. This is an ad, but all views and opinions are 100% my own!! Have you watched any of these? What are your favourite films?

xxx

The Best TV Shows for Families to Watch

My family and I absolutely love to watch some TV in the evenings.. and I think many other families also enjoy this. However, sometimes it can be hard to find the perfect show that everyone in your family enjoys, so today I thought I'd compile a list of The Best TV Shows for Families, ranging from Netflix sitcoms to quiz shows! Now I'm 14, my sister is 12 and my brother is 9, so some of these may not work for people with younger kids (but I will put an age rating on those, so you know).

House of Games - Richard Osman
(quiz show)

This BBC quiz show is a firm favourite amongst my family for a couple of reasons. Firstly, whilst we don't usually know the celebrities, they're always very warm and funny; as is Richard Osman. Also, the questions are quite different - things like guess the songs and guessing the number of random things (like number of cups of tea drank per day). This makes for a fun laugh, plus it means all the family can get involved.

The Good Place
(Netflix sitcom)  - 9 and above

This Netflix original is one of my all-time faves and I highly recommend. I originally just watched it by myself, but loved it so much I suggested my family watched it too. It has got quite some thought-provoking, tricky-to-wrap-your-head-around themes, like ethics and this idea of good vs evil, which may not make it suitable for younger kids - however my brother loves it. This is an absolutely hilarious show and I cannot praise it enough.

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Modern Family
(sitcom)

My family love Modern Family - we've been watching it for years! It's so funny, and the acting is amazing - plus it has some really good plot lines (but is still character-driven). The diversity in this show is so good as well; it represents 3 very different types of family. Also, most episodes have an underlying moral which is so sweet.

Anne With An E
(drama)

I haven't actually watched this one, but I've heard such good things about it, so I just had to include it! Anne With An E is a TV adaption of the amazing classic book Anne Of Green Gables, and it's next on our family's watchlist. Apparently it's so heart-warming + touching, and has beautiful videography.

Brooklyn 99 (12+ or mature 9+)
(Netflix sitcom)

I LOVE THIS SHOW! I rave about this show to anyone and everyone (you may have seen me mention it in quite a few blog posts hehe, including my latest post!) It is so wholesome and is so well -written - it's super witty and funny. Plus it's super diverse (contains 2 latina women, 2 black guys and 1 gay man) which shows lots of representation and it talks about lots of important topics like racial profiling and sexual assault, but in a not-too-heavy way. This does contain quite a few sexual references though, but nothing too inappropriate and most would go over a 9 year old's head!


So those are some of the best TV shows to watch with your family! We're always on the look-out for good television that's suitable and interesting for kids, so if you have any recommendations - please drop them below in the comments:) Have you watched any of these shows? What do you and your family love to watch? Was this helpful? Would you like a part2?

Lex x

The Perfect Cosy Winter Night In with Popcorn Shed

Hi! Happy New Year - I hope 2019 is treating you well. I always find January, whilst motivating, quite a sad month... it's cold, dark and the festivities are over:( However, one of the great things about winter nights... cosy nights in! I love a good night in, so I thought I'd share today my Perfect Cosy Winter Night In, including the fun-nest and tastiest popcorn, my fav TV shows/films and the skincare products I swear by. 

Popcorn Shed + Netflix

I'm a HUGE TV show fan (I somehow managed to watch all of Friends in 1 month!!), and for me there's nothing better than loading up Netflix, finding a great show and having a snack. Popcorn Shed are a super cool brand which sell fun, quirky flavoured popcorn, like cheese, chocolate and cherry flavoured popcorn! My personal favourite flavour is the salted caramel (shame that it's also my mum's fave, as she eaten quite a lot of mine hehe!) These fun flavours are great for a laugh with your friends, a sleepover and movie nights in (I really want to do a blind taste test with them!), and they taste amazing.

You can get their popcorn in loads of well-known retailers like Amazon, Homesense, Co-op, Ocado, Superdrug, Harrods etc, so check them out!

My favourite Netflix shows of all-time are Friends, How I Met Your Mother, Brooklyn 99 and The Good Place.. if you're a fan of sitcoms I highly recommend all of these - they're all so hilarious! I've just finished Alexa and Katie which is a tween show on Netflix, and it's so cute, light-hearted and funny... it really takes me back to the Disney Channel days!

Pamper sesh!

I love doing a thorough skincare routine, but most days I just forget! For my perfect winter night in though, I would really go full-out with the skincare - moisturise, exfoliate, cleanse, face mask, spot zap, face spray etc etc! I recently bought a new cleanser - the Burt's Bees deep cleansing cream - and I'm in love! I have quite sensitive skin, but it doesn't affect me at all and after using it my face feels so fresh and clear!! The other skincare product I swear by is the Mario Badescu rosewater spray. I have really dry skin, especially in the winter, and this just helps hydrate and rejuvenate it. What are your go-to skincare products?

Bubble bath

This one's prettttty self-explanatory.... you can't go wrong with a classic bubble bath. I love treating myself to bath products, particularly from Lush, and there's nothing nicer than ending your day with a warm bath.

Games night with my family!

My fam and I love playing games together, so that has to be part of my perfect night in! We have loads of favourite games, but our top ones are probably Rat-a-tat-cat, Monopoly Empire, Cluedo and Tension! We also love classic good ol card games, like Rummy and 6-Card-Brag.

A Good Book in Bed

I'm a huge reader, and always have been, but over the last year or so, I've felt like I've been reading less and less, so I've started setting aside more time to read in bed before I go to sleep, and I'm loving it! I'm currently reading Nine Perfect Strangers by Liane Moriarty and I'm in love! Will definitely do a review when I'm finished, so watch out for that.

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So those are my fave things to do on a perfect cosy winter night in! Thanks Popcorn Shed for sending me some of your delicious popcorn, my family are obsessed (especially my mum😉) What’s part of YOUR ideal night in?

Xxx

Pete's Dragon + Preparing For A Movie Night

Hola Lexicans! So as Autumn is officially here, I've been planning a range of autumnal posts and when I was doing this, I thought to myself 'What Do I Think Of When I Say Autumn', and one of the first things was a cosy night in. A couple of weeks ago, my family and I watched a film (Pete's Dragon) together which we loved, so I thought for this post I would do a mini review on Pete's Dragon, plus talk about how to prepare for a cosy autumnal movie night in. Also, this post is really exciting, as it is a collaboration with whichmovienext.com - a really cool company that gives you recommendations of other movies similar to one you may have recently enjoyed.

So if you haven't already heard of Pete's Dragon (according to my sister it is really famous but I hadn't actually heard of it until we watched it whoops aha) basically it is about an 11 year old boy who was orphaned as a toddler and has stayed on this island by himself, with only one thing as company - a dragon he named Elliot - for years without being noticed. Until the daughter of a lumberjack crew member spots him and tells her dad. I won't tell you anymore as I don't want to spoil it, but it does involve the authorities getting involved and them trying to tear Pete away from his beloved pet dragon.

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I really really enjoyed this film. The first thing to note, is that I am not a big fan of fantasy (*readers gasp* *readers boo* yess I know, many of you are fantasy fans, but I am not #sorrynotsorry) but I still loved the movie. I thought, particularly from the title, that it would be all about the dragon, and from a fantastical point of view, but really it was more of a heart-warming, emotional story about the boy (which I do love!). I nearly cried at various points in the film, but in the end I felt super happy and flipping loved the finish. Would definitely recommend this as a family film, if you like a bit more emotion and depth than your classic Disney movie.

Now, for the 5 things you need to make your movie night amazing:
1. FOOD (obviously!!) My personal faves for movie nights are twirl bites, salted popcorn and chocolate buttons! Also, make a hot chocolate or cup of tea to drink during the film!
2. Light some candles - particularly now it's autumn, it just makes it feel way more cosy.
3. If you have a fireplace, light it! Once again, it really adds to the cosy, autumn vibe.
4. Collect together all the throws and blankets you can find to keep you warm.
5. Wear your comfiest clothes - for me, my onesie or an oversized sweater with pyjama bottoms.

So those are my 5 things that make any autumn movie night 109393920x better:) Thanks to whichmovienext.com for partnering with me on this post! Have you watched Pete's Dragon? What did you think? What are your necessities for movie nights?

Note: This post is sponsored, but all words and opinions are my own.

Xxx

How To Get Over A Great TV Show

Hola Lexicans! I'm not sure just yet where this post is going but one thing I do know for certain, is it will be along the lines of TV. Also before I start this post, my blog birthday is coming up so incredibly soon, on the Saturday 7th October, so basically less than a week ahhhh and I will have been blogging then for 4 years. Uh huh. 4 DAMN YEARS since I started posting on here, so I will definitely be doing something for that, I'm just not entirely sure what yet, so if you could email me - whatlexieloves{at}gmail{dot}com - or comment down below any ideas, that would be so incredibly appreciated. Anywayayays, on to the post.

A few days ago, I finished How I Met Your Mother. I had only been watching the series for about 3 weeks, maybe 4 at best (and it has 9 series - 208 episodes - I KNOW do the maths if you want, all I do is watch Netflix; I get it ok ahah) but it felt like I had been watching it for ages and HIMYM was already part of my life. I also had that feeling around a month ago when I finished Brooklyn Nine Nine (another amazing show that I literally love so incredibly much). If any of you have ever finished a great TV series (which I'm sure you have) you will know saying goodbye to the series and all the characters is a very sad and emotional thing to do. And, if you don't really understand that feeling it is very similar to finishing a great book, which we all know is the absolute worst soo... I finished it and for the rest of the day I felt so emotionally drained (probably should have watched it in the evening so I could have slept on it ahahah). Now, I needed to find a way to help me get over this show, so I thought I would list to you the 5 things NOT to do when you have a TV show hangover.


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1. DO NOT start another TV show immediately. Well, this one is open to argument but in my opinion, it's a bad idea. It will either go one of two ways: 1. the show is rubbish and reminds you how good the series you were watching was and how you'll 'never find a series as good again' or 2. you'll end up loving it, which will be great and cure you for a while, UNTIL you finish that show, and then you'll be in the loop over again.

2. DO NOT go onto YouTube and then start looking at videos like 'The Top 5 Most Heartbreaking Moments On {insert the show here}' IT WILL NOT MAKE YOU FEEL ANY BETTER!

3. DO NOT go and watch interviews with the cast members.

4. DO NOT search for an alternate ending as you do know damn well that it will be just as emotional.

5. And in my opinion most importantly of all, DO NOT go back and start rewatching some of your favourite episodes (which in my case are often the saddest episodes again) YOU WILL JUST FEEL SAD ALL OVER AGAIN!

So those are my top 5 things you should not do when getting over a TV show; obviously this post was more just a bit of fun, but honestly and as a person who has done all 5 of these things, it really won't help.

I'm currently preparing an autumn and winter fashion collection, so that should be up in a few weeks, but I'm also doing a post with a movie review and what you need for a movie night in which should be up in a few days, so watch out for that! What TV show do you love? And if you've watched and love How I Met Your Mother, LET ME KNOW I need someone to chat about it to!!

Xxx

Boss Baby

Hola Lexicans! Agh I promised myself I'd get back into blogging yet I still haven't posted for 10 days (I'm aiming to be posting at least twice a week). Anyway, a couple of weeks ago, I went to see Boss Baby with my mum, sister and brother and decided to post my review of it on here!

Tim is an imaginative 7 year old, with a perfect life. He has all his parent's attention, and is generally just a very happy kid. But then one day a new baby brother arrives at his house. In a taxi. Wearing a suit. Holding a briefcase. All of sudden, it's 'bye bye Tim and hello new baby' as all the attentions spins onto his little brother, whilst a new hatred is formed between the two. However, what Tim's parents don't know is the this baby is totally out of the ordinary, and actually works for Baby Corp, a company researching why puppies have supposedly taken over babies. He means business...

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I had seen trailers and adverts for this film for months and months in advance. When I went the movie had actually been released for a while now and was comparatively old, yet the cinema was packed with people. Straight away I found this film so funny. It was really light-hearted yet gave a really good message for people with new younger siblings who may take all the attention at first, so I loved the way it was touched upon. I did find certain parts of the film a little repetitive and unnecessary but there was never one point I actually felt bored (which for someone like me, with a very short attention span and not really a liking for films, is an achievement!) I actually found the ending to the film extremely touching and heart-warming and at one point was really close to tears!!

I found the little fantasy sequences, for example when they become pirates, really funny and fitting. It's not a new concept yet Boss Baby made it seem brand new and fit it into the actual film really well. I also liked how that scene came back later and saved them!

Overall I would definitely recommend Boss Baby to everyone. There were people of all different ages in the cinema and they all found it equally as funny - toddlers, teenagers and adults alike. Have you watched this film? What did you think of it?

Xxx

Beauty And The Beast 2017 adaption

Hola Lexicans! Last weekend, I went to see the new film Beauty and the Beast with my Nanny and my sister. I really enjoyed this film and as lots of people want to see it, I thought it would be perfect for me to do a review!

Now, as I mention at the beginning of a lot of my film reviews - I am not a movie junkie. I do go and watch a lot of films, but unless I'm really enjoying the film, I just don't have the attention span for it. So, I wanted to go and see Beauty and the Beast, but I wasn't really that fussed, despite the fact that I loved the modern version of Cinderella.

I think practically everyone knows the story of Beauty and the Beast, so I'm not going to explain it here. One thing I loved about this modern twist on the film is how Belle (played by Emma Watson) is portrayed. She is very 'different' to the other girls in her town, curious, intelligent and always reading, and this film has a hidden message in about not letting your differences let you down and to embrace them instead, which I thought was a great message to send out, particularly to young girls watching this film.

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I also thought that the songs in Beauty and the Beast were amazing. One of my best friends was so excited for the BatB release and had been signing the songs from it weeks on end before the launch and I can see why. Be Our Guest, one of the most famous songs from the original, was definitely my favourite, and the scene whilst the song was playing was also amazing - so bright and vibrant; my favourite part of the movie.

I did think that towards the end, the film got very long-winded and could have been cut down a little bit, there were a couple of unnecessary scenes but apart from that, I absolutely loved the film!

I would definitely recommend it for anyone who enjoyed the original or saw the modern Cinderella and Maleficent movies and enjoyed them, and I hope Disney do more modern versions of original films in the future.

Xxx

La La Land - one of the most hyped films ever

Hola Lexicans! So a couple of weeks ago I went to see the new film La La Land. This is potentially one of the most hyped up films ever so I was so excited to go and see it myself and today I'm going to be sharing my opinions on the film and answer that great question - Is It Worth The Hype? Also at the end, in white, are spoilers and my personal opinion.

La La Land tells the story of aspring actress Mia and jazz musician Seb, both of whom are living in L.A. and trying to work out their lives. One day, they meet and from there end up falling in love. Now, if you've been reading my blog for a while now, you may know that I am not one for romance in both stories and films so when I first saw the trailers for this, I was a little sceptical. However, after hearing all the hype from big-time reviewers, and mixed opinions from my friends, I knew I needed to go and see this film for myself.

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I'm just going to go out and say it. I. Loved. This. Film. I found the characters so believable and well-developed, particularly Seb and watching their relationship grow was just beautiful. As I mentioned, I'm not really one for romance, but I absolutely loved watching this movie. Another thing I loved about it was how all the shots, particularly of LA were so beautiful - every scene was perfectly styled which I loved.

Also, all the songs were AMAZING, so well written and sung which was a really nice addition to the film. I had them going round in my head for ages afterwards. Even just listening back to some of the songs now, makes me feel so happy and emotional.

Is It Worth The Hype?
Yes. Whilst there is nothing revolutionary about the film, it's just so happy and uplifting. There are several points, particularly towards the end were it made me feel emotions, and films never normally do that to me. It's weird because it made me feel sad and emotional yet at the same time that was uplifting and I loved it. I would definitely recommend you go and see it.

Xxx

P.S. SPOILERS IN WHITE - HIGHLIGHT THE TEXT TO READ. IF YOU HAVEN'T SEEN THE FILM, I WOULD NOT RECOMMEND READING THIS NEXT BIT IN WHITE.

Mia and Sebastian don't end up together. Mia ends up marrying someone else and having another child. What happens is they both follow their dreams and achieve them. Mia goes to Seb's jazz club with her husband and Seb plays 'their' song (City of Stars, which is beautiful by the way!!) Whilst this song is playing, an alternative of what could have happened (Mia and Sebastian getting together) is showed. This ending absolutely broke my heart. Whilst they followed their dreams, the whole film was about their relationship and it is hinted they will end up together. I absolutely loved them together and I think I cried about the ending. If you have already watched the film, do you agree? Comment down below (but without spoilers!) or you can email me at whatlexieloves@gmail.com if your message includes spoilers. I'd love to hear from you:)