Here’s a sneaky peek at what I’ve been reading, watching and using this past month.

Films I’ve watched.

Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone: I had a massive Harry binge this month. In the lead up to the final film’s release, I watched one Potter flick every night for a week.

 

 

Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets

 

 

Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban

 

 

Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire: This one is my favourite of all the Potter films. It has the perfect mix of adventure, comedy, romance and tragedy.

 

 

Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix

 

 

Harry Potter and the Half-blood Prince: Of all of the Harry Potter movies, I like this one the least. I think that the filmmakers spent far too long hashing out the romantic relationships between the characters and forgot to focus on the actual plot of the story. This instalment left a lot of plot gaps that the final two films had to work hard to fill.

 

 

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 1

 

 

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2: I saw this film at the cinema just a few days after it was released, and I was very, very impressed. It was the perfect way to wrap up this epic series of films.

 

 

Funny Face: Audrey Hepburn is at her cutest in this film. She stars as a young bookstore employee who becomes an overnight modelling sensation. I especially love the scene where she dances in a Parisian beat club.

 

 

Scott Pilgrim vs The World: This is fast becoming one of my best-loved films. I adore the geeky references and quirky characters, particularly Michael Cera as the title character. In this hilarious film, Scott Pilgrim falls head over heels for Ramona Flowers, the literal girl of his dreams. However, before he can date her, he has to fight and defeat her seven evil exes (in epic, video-game style).

 

 

Grease: Grease is my go-to film when I’ve had a dreadful day. It’s upbeat tunes and corny jokes are the perfect thing to get me giggling when I’m glum. I have a bit of a crush on Danny Zuko, but I figure that’s alright, because John Travolta was not yet a scientologist when he made this film.

 

 

500 Days of Summer: An unconventional tale of boy-meets-girl, starring Zooey Deschanel and Joseph Gordon-Levitt. I’m especially smitten by the dance sequence in the park.

 

 

The Amityville Horror (original version): I was in the mood for horror films this weekend, so I settled down with Ross, my housemate and her boyfriend to watch this classic horror movie. I had read the book and found it to be one of the most terrifying stories I’d ever read, so I was apprehensive about watching the film. The movie was pretty good, but it was nowhere near as unsettling as the novel. I think that this is partially because the special effects were limited, and partially because some of the most frightening events in the book are difficult to convey on film, so they were omitted. All in all, I enjoyed this film, but it wasn’t quite as creepy as I’d hoped.

 

 

A Nightmare on Elm Street: To continue with the horror movie theme, we decided to check out the first Nightmare on Elm Street movie. I prefer horror flicks that have an element of suspense and thrill, so this slasher-style movie wasn’t really my cup of tea. I was excited to see Johnny Depp in his movie debut, but the feeling was cut short when he was pulled into his mattress by Freddy Krueger and spewed out as a gieser of gore, splattering onto the ceiling. I found Freddy to be a pretty creepy villain, particularly when he was lurking about in the depths of the bathtub. I have to admit that I wasn’t such a fan of this classic horror flick.

 

 

Products I’ve used up

Floating Island Bath Melt from Lush: I threw this foaming beauty into my tub and was rewarded with a delicious lemon- and sandalwood-scented brew in which to soak my weary muscles. It left my skin silky smooth and re-energised me.

 

 

Foamingly Clean Facial Wash from Benefit: I was a big fan of this cleanser. It foamed nicely, had a fresh scent and removed every last speck of makeup, dirt and grime with very little effort. .

 

 

Summer Hill Hand Therapy from Crabtree and Evelyn: I was given this tube by my grandmother, and it has lasted me a very long time. This cream has the most gorgeous floral scent, absorbs well and leaves your hands super smooth and soft. My only beef with this product is that the metal tube is really rigid, so it’s sometimes difficult to control how much lotion you squeeze out. I’ve wasted so much of this product because of this flaw.

 

 

Honey I Washed the Kids soap from Lush: This soap smells good enough to eat and leaves your skin super-duper silky. It’s light honey scent isn’t too feminine, so it can be used by lads and lasses alike.

 

 

Rehab shampoo from Lush: I was given a sample of this shampoo to try by my gorgeous local Lush ladies, and I was instantly hooked. It has a sublimely refreshing citrus and mint scent and got my hair thoroughly clean without drying it out. My hair was bouncier and shinier than I’ve seen it in a long time after a wash with this beauty.

 

 

Lux bar soap: I found this delightfully vintage-looking bar of Lux soap in the bottom of my bathroom cupboard, and used it up pretty quickly. It has a light, classic scent and gets your body clean in no time flat.

 

 

Benefit Playstick foundation in Jaxx: This is one of the few foundations that I’ve found which matches my skin tone properly. It’s really pale and blends perfectly with my skin. It’s long-lasting and very smooth. I’ve always shied away from stick foundations, but this one is pretty darn good. It takes a bit of work to apply, but once it’s on, it gives a flawless finish that’s not cakey in the slightest.

 

 

Books I’ve read.

Scott Pilgrim series by Bryan Lee O’Malley: Ross lent me his stack of Scott Pilgrim graphic novels, and I ripped through them with alarming speed. These novels are really funny and the artwork is sickeningly cute.

 

 

The English Patient by Michael Ondaatje: Set in the fallout of WW2 in a small, rundown villa, this book was moving and thought-provoking. I enjoyed it a lot more than I expected to.

 

 

Pleasant Avenue by The Sandman: This witty tale of 21st birthday parties, insane relatives and neighbourhood gossip had me laughing so hard I’m sure that the other passengers on the bus thought I was nuts.

 

 

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows by J.K Rowling: I’m not sure how many times I’ve read this book since it’s release four years ago, but it’s at least five. I adore the final chapter in Harry’s long quest to defeat Lord Voldemort.

 

 

The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald: This book is one of those stories I’ve always felt I needed to read, just so that I could say I had. The tale of the mysterious Jay Gatsby was a lot darker than I had anticipated, and I really rather enjoyed it.