10 Reasons Why Gossip Girl is a TV Classic

Now I know that Gossip Girl is probably not really old enough to be considered a TV Classic just yet, but I have no doubt that it will be. In fact, I only finished watching the series about a month ago, and it’s already heading that way for me.

Around the same time that I began work on my dissertation, I finally joined the 21^st century and downloaded Netflix. This was a potentially dangerous move, I know, but I managed to muster enough strength to banish myself to the library each day throughout the process.

I’d seen the first series of Gossip Girl years ago, back in the day of buying boxsets (I’ve never sounded so old), but didn’t get round to buying the later series, which is why this show was top of my list.

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City Break: Berlin

At the beginning of April I spent five days in Berlin with my family, as my Mum wanted us to have one final family holiday before I graduate and have to become a real adult (what a terrifying thought).

None of us had visited the city before, except for my Mum, who had been when she was a child, when the wall was still dividing the East and West sides. As this was our first time, there was a lot we wanted to fit into the five days, so we made an itinerary before we went.

Review: Cinderella (2015)

*WARNING: May contain spoilers!*

In the film industry at present, where fairy tales are expected to be reinvented with innovative twists or at least challenge the norms of the genre, successfully remaking the classic tale of Cinderella as a straight-up live-action version, is a surprisingly difficult task. In light of some of Disney’s recent triumphs, such as Maleficent (2014) and Frozen (2013), which offer alternatives to the typified Disney princess formula, it is no longer enough to dazzle young girls with sparkling dresses and a happily-ever-after. In fact, we assume these blockbusters to entertain the whole family, and leave the cinema slightly disappointed if we are not offered the winning combination of unlikely heroes, sassy remarks and a comedic talking snowman.

With these pioneering remakes as its backdrop, it would be easy for the far more conventional Cinderella to fall flat; yet it is through Kenneth Branagh’s determined simplicity and almost nostalgic tribute to the style of the original animation, combined with the aesthetic of modern fairy tales such as Nanny McPhee (2005) that this film really flourishes.

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