The F Word (What If)

Daniel Radcliffe and Zoe Kazan navigate “the friend zone” in The F Word. (Photo credit)

One of the highlights of the summer movie season for me this year was getting a sneak preview a couple of weeks ago of director Michael Dowse’s The F Word, an irreverent rom-com featuring plenty of comedic charm, a witty script, and a fresh new take on the familiar tale of “will they/won’t they”. The “F” word in question is “Friends” and when it comes to matters of the heart that can be the dirtiest word of all. Early on in its run, the TV show Friends cautioned us about being in “the friend zone” – once we’re in said zone, conventional wisdom, pop culture, and in some cases, personal experience all teach us it is fixed and unyielding. That without an initial spark or attraction, we are “doomed” to languish in friendship for all eternity. Wait… why is that bad, exactly?

A Fan Girl’s Guide to Britain

I just returned from a fabulous trip across the pond where some friends and I had many adventures in England, Ireland, and Wales. We found lots of fun photo ops that were motivated by our mutual love for movies and television. In the event you find yourself traveling in the UK and are in need of some pop culture inspiration, you might want to consider some of these British entertainment adventures.

For Harry Potter Fans:

Of course London is riddled with J.K. Rowling’s hero’s haunts and you can even take “Muggle tours” to get the full Harry experience (but not, apparently on Wednesdays, our only free day there). Denied the tour because of unfortunate timing yet being the intrepid fans that we are, we headed to King’s Cross Station one evening to find the magical Platform 9 ¾ where wizarding students can catch the Hogwarts Express.

Luck of the Irish

In honour of my upcoming trip to Ireland (among other UK destinations) in T-minus 9 hours and counting, I’m reposting my piece on favourite Irish movies. May it put you all in an Emerald Isle state of mind!

Popcorn Dinner

It’s been awhile, dear friends, but never fear, Popcorn Dinner is back! Ages ago I did a post about my favourite English movies promising more movie snapshots from the British Isles in the future. The time is now! I dubbed March “Irish Movie Month” (and yes, I recognize it’s now almost May, but that’s sometimes how long these things take) and had loads of fun watching a bunch of films with a distinctly Irish flavour. I’ve never actually been to Ireland – an oversight from my time living in the UK that I hope to rectify someday soon – but here’s an overview of what I’ve learned about the country from the movies, whatever your mood or preferences…

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“Um… who’s Jeff Goldblum?”

Recently, I came across Jeff Goldblum’s vocal doppelganger. He looks absolutely nothing like him at all, but seriously, if you close your eyes and just listen to him talk, you would swear Jeff Goldblum was in the room. I was thoroughly enjoying this phenomenon and mentioned it (with barely contained enthusiasm) to some co-workers. They smiled politely and nodded a little, laughing uncomfortably. I said, “You don’t think so?” and after a brief pause one brave soul asked, “Who’s Jeff Goldblum?” He was not the only one – others were equally perplexed.

August, Osage County: A Study in Discomfort

Julianne Nicholson, Meryl Streep, and Julia Roberts bring the somber in August: Osage County. (Photo credit)

It’s right about now that I can be found frantically trying to catch up on all of the year’s best movies. Usually around the end of January I realize I have seen very little of note and am scrambling to fill in the blanks come Oscar season. With Meryl Streep and Julia Roberts earning Globe, SAG and Oscar nominations for their roles, August: Osage County was high on my awards-season must-see list.