Film review: Pride

So just the other week before I left for my big move to Aberdeen I went to the cinema with my best friend to see the movie "Pride". Alright, so I know that this review is a little late but I just had to let you all know about this beautiful gem of a movie. If there is something I love, well that is British films. Usually they are always spectacular with an extremely moving and heartwarming story and after seeing "Pride", I can tell you that this film is without a doubt one of the best and most moving British films that has been made for years.

Directed by theater director Matthew Warchus "Pride" tells the true story of a group of Gay and Lesbian activists called LGSM who offer their support and form an unlikely alliance with the Welsh Miners, after their strike in the 80's which was prolonged by Margaret Thatcher's rigid policies. At the start of the film we are introduced to two different characters, Mark Ashton (Played brilliantly by Ben
Schnetzer) who is a confident Northern Irish social Activist and Joe (The rising star George Mackay) who is a shy closeted kid who is headed out to the gay march without his parent's knowledge. It is during this scene that Mark finds the parallels between his cause and the striking miners, so him and Joe along with Mark's friend Mike band together a small group. Outspoken Steph, Jeff, bookshop owner Gethin and his long term partner Jonathan set up a group called LGSM - Lesbians and Gay's support the miners to raise money for the starving families. Unfortunately despite their efforts the union rejects their support and the group are forced to directly contact a small community within Wales and the miners leader Dai. Initially they are met with suspicion and prejudice but they win over a certain few, notably Sian James (who is played superbly by Jessica Gunning) and a few others (Imelda Staunton and Bill Nighy). Over time they begin to win over the miners who come to realise the similarities between them and the group, that LGBT rights are also human rights and one of the most unlikely yet successful alliances is forged within Britain. 

"Pride" boasts an absolute stellar ensemble cast with rising stars and also a few big names such as Bill Nighy, Imelda Staunton and also Andrew Scott. The cast work brilliantly with one another and unlike other films, there is not just one breakout star as the whole cast absolutely shine in their roles. Ben Schnetzer is effortless as the charismatic leader of the LGSM group and I have to mention that Andrew Scott is brilliant as the soft Gethin who has not been home to Wales after he was forced to leave home when he came out as gay to his religious mother. Scott's role maybe minor however it was one of the highlights of the film as the actor got to deal with a lot more of the emotional complexities within the film. Later during the film he goes back to Wales with the LGSM group is encouraged by Hefina (Imelda Staunton) to return home and visit his mother. 

Despite the heavy subject matter of the film, "Pride" is not gloomy and is in fact a heartwarming and uplifting film that is also enormously fun. It's a story of hope and courage that will make you laugh, cry and also smile and that is what makes "Pride" an extremely rare film. It packs real emotion that you can feel and unlike quite a few brit flicks it doesn't follow down the "cheesey" route and moves along at a fierce pace with vivid performances from each cast member who you can feel a sort of empathy towards.

So to finish of my review, I do realise that I seem to have extremely hyped this film up to be brilliant and that's because I truly believe it is one of the finest films to have been made this year. Actually if I have to be honest with you, I have always been a massive lover of British films and "Pride" is probably one of the best British films to have been made in years, thanks to the heart - warming and feel good story as well as brilliant performances. I guess in many ways the story of "Pride" teaches us that if something means a lot to you then you should always fight for what you believe in, no matter the circumstance and this is what makes it a truly inspiring story. It's strengths do not just lie in the humour but the successful aspirations of being the underdog as well as the decency of humanity starting to shine through a most unlikely but brilliant alliance between the LGSM group and the miners.

All I have to say is please see "Pride" while it is still in the cinemas. It is a film, that in my opinion, deserves to be seen by everyone.

Rating: 10/10 

Peace and love, Rachelcouture xoxo

Summer holidays: What have I been up to?

So it's safe to say that I have been quite absent from my blogging for the past few months of the summer break. If I am terribly honest with you all I have been extremely busy getting ready to leave my home for university this month and I was also delivered some bad news at the start of my summer break which has hit me and my family pretty badly. However things are getting back to normal and I feel like I am getting back on my feet after a stressful few months.

So most of my Summer break has mainly consisted of spending time with my Family and friends before I head off to Aberdeen. I must admit that I have been trying to spend as much time as I can with my family before I head away seeing as in a couple of weeks I will be hundreds of miles from them, which is a rather scary thought. Of course I am ecstatic to be starting University later this month but I must admit that moving to Aberdeen will be a massive change for me, not to mention I will be at least 3 hours away from my family and close friends.

However here are some adventures I have got up to during my Summer break;

Deep sea world Aquarium

I am a massive fan of sea creatures and the sea  in general, so I am a regular visitor to my local Aquarium "Deep Sea World" at North Queensferry. During the Summer I visited here twice with my Sister and her two kids. My Niece, much like myself, loves animals and she always has a blast when we go to Deep Sea World. We decided to surprise my Niece by taking her Deep Sea World and she had a ball.  Honestly, I am like a massive child myself when I go here and I think the place is brilliant for kids, as most of the staff members are trained in Marine Biology and there are regular classes you can attend throughout the aquarium, where the staff members teach you all about the animals. There is also class rooms for you to go and visit where sometimes you get to hold one of the animals, such as the snakes or tarantulas. I have to say I have never been brave enough, seeing as I have a massive fear of spiders. Despite not being brave enough to ever be near the spiders, I must admit that it is quite a shock that I have always wanted to dive with the sharks at Deep sea world. I know, it's weird right? But my boyfriend has done the dive years ago and says it was excellent and I have always loved sharks, Magnificent animals they are and not to mention, terribly misunderstood.

Films, films and more films. 
As you all know by now I am a massive film enthusiast. I usually go to the cinema at least three or four times a month to see the latest films. Not to mention I am going again this Friday to see "Before I go to sleep" with my parents. Rather looking forward to that film, I must admit.
So far this summer my favourite films that I have been to see are "Dawn of the planet of the apes", "Guardians of the Galaxy" and "The fault in our stars". These three films stand out as my favourite summer box office hits. Each one was very different and I absolutely loved them, I walked out of the cinema at each showing incredibly satisfied. Here is a little bit about why these three films were my favourite;

"Dawn of the Planet of the Apes" 
Of course I have to say that this has been my all time favourite film this year and is my film of the summer. I have always been a massive planet of the apes fan and I have always been a great admirer of Andy Serkis and his work. I have to agree with pretty much every review for this film that it is a cinematography masterpiece. Andy Serkis is brilliant as Ceaser the ape and his work in motion capture is just phenomenal. Though credit has to also be given to Jason Clarke and Gary Oldman who I think were spectacular in their own roles. Honestly I know it's a little late but if you haven't seen this film, please do. It is an absolute masterpiece.

Guardians Of the Galaxy
As a massive marvel fan of course I was going to run to the cinema to see this film. Guardians was one film I had been hotly anticipating for some time now seeing as it had been advertised at least a year ago. Unlike some very early reviews I was never skeptical about this film, yet saying that I was still not expecting the film to be as great as it was. "Guardians" is definitely the best film that Marvel have released so far. It's funny, heartwarming, filled with action and ambitious. One of the greatest elements about this film was, much like "The Avengers", the cast worked brilliantly with one another. Definitely a must see film

The fault in our Stars
So this film was a pleasant surprise for me. I am not big on rom coms or weepy films that much but I had heard good reviews about this film so I decided to try it out. I am glad I did go to see this film because it was genuinely brilliant. Shailenne woodley and Ansel Elgort shine in the roles of Hazel and Gus, two teenagers with cancer that fall in love. I think the best thing about this film is that it is funny, charming and heartwarming as well as having the ability to make you feel emotional and I have to admit, a little teary eyed. The fault in our stars was scripted and acted brilliantly. Definitely another summer must see.


Food and cocktails
So as it was my summer holidays I have taken this time to de stress from all things college and uni related, and what a better way to relax than going out for food and cocktails with my family and friends. I think everyone knows by now that I am a bit of a food enthusiast as well and me and my best friend regularly spend our time going out for a lovely meal and wine or cocktails. One restuarant I have been visting quite a lot recently, is Zizzi. A delicious Italian in Glasgow. I absolutely love Italian food and Zizzi serve some of the nicest dishes I have ever tasted. The pasta linguini and Lasagne are among my favourite dishes to eat.

Just the other day there I headed out to another restaurant that is fast becoming one of my favourite places to eat. Wagamamas. It's one of my best friends favourite places to eat, I have only been a few times but I have never been let down. The food is excellent. I must admit that I am a massive sucker for their "Firecracker Chicken" and trust me, this dish lives up to it's name, but if your like me and love spicy food. Then this is the dish for you. 

Back to Blonde
Just after my summer break began I decided that I needed a new change again in my life. Naturally that meant getting my hair done and changing the way it was. I have been growing my hair out of it's short length for quite some time now, I hope next Summer my hair will nearly be as long as it was before I had to chop it all off! I have had dark hair for quite some time now and I think everyone knows how much I like to experiment with my hair! I decided that I wanted to go back to my natural highlighted blonde for the Summer. We were having such nicer weather this year which was a surprise and after my personal issues I felt like I needed to get back to who I used to be and let some light back into my life for positivity, it's sounds stupid I know but going back blonde has made me feel more like my older and happier self for some unknown reason.

There is much more that I have got up to this summer, unfortunately not nearly as much as I wished I could but that couldn't be helped. However after this summer I am feeling ready to move away to Aberdeen and start my university degree. I can't believe just two more years and I will have an honours degree in Fashion! My future is looking great!.

I hope you all have had a fantastic Summer and relaxed for the last few months and I promise not to leave my blogging for so long next time, again I do apologize for how long I have been absent but personal issues got in the way.

Peace and Love, Rachel Couture  xoxo

Mallzee: The personal shopper in your pocket

"MALLZEE IS LIKE TINDER FOR SHOPPING"

- GLAMOUR

So I think it's a known fact that shopping is a girls favorite past time. There's nothing better than browsing through your favorite stores for something new to add to your wardrobe, but sometimes I must admit that I can be too lazy and that's where I am thankful for online shopping, however if your like me, sometimes online shopping can be a chore where you have to filter through tons of items that you don't wish to purchase or aren't to your taste. Well that's where Mallzee comes in. This personalized shopping app is your very own personal stylist in your pocket, where you can instantly buy your new purchases or save them for later where you can ask your friends opinion on them later. 

With over 200 stores available on this app, from Urban Outfitters, Miss Selfridge, ASOS and many other of your favorite brands, your not short of choices. Meaning you can find your perfect new outfit! 

The greatest thing about the Mallzee app is that it acts like your own personal stylist, right in your own hands. Something I think I am fairly in need of when I go shopping! If you feel like you need a second opinion on the items that you are thinking about purchasing, Mallzee will give you their opinion based on your fashion tastes! Which is good because it gives you a fashion buddy right there with you during your online experience, which will eliminate any of the friendship tests that you face when asking how an outfit looks on you!

 

The more you interact with this app the more it will become accustomed to your fashion tastes and the process is simple and easy, all you have to do is swipe left or right for a yes or no on certain products, which will then save the items or completely delete them, making it easier over time for you to find what items you are looking for. 

So overall I think the Mallzee app is exceptional for the fashionista in all of us, it's a unique idea for online shopping and it's something that I think you all need to invest in, especially if your as mad as about online shopping as I am, because Mallzee simplifies the process allowing you to have a simple and hassle free shopping experience. 

So if your thinking of downloading the Mallzee app, which I do highly recommend, just click on this link below to gain the newest version of the app. 

https://itunes.apple.com/gb/app/mallzee-personal-fashion-shopping/id681106862?mt=8

Much love, Rachel Couture xoxo

Murdered by my Boyfriend: A powerful short drama into Domestic Violence

On Monday night I sat down to watch  "Murdered by my Boyfriend, and I can tell you that for the first time in a very long time, I genuinely cried.

"Murdered by my Boyfriend" was a one off short drama by BBC three, detailing the horrific story of domestic violence within a relationship which was loosely based of a true story, which makes it all the more horrifying and powerful.

The drama follows the life and death of 17 year old Ashley who is living with her volatile and controlling boyfriend, Reece, who's names were changed at the request of the victims family. What makes "murdered by my boyfriend" so compelling was the screenwriter's, Regina Moriarty, ability to cleverly tackle the myths surrounding domestic violence. Instead of creating an initial volatile relationship between the pair, the audience witnesses these two people fall madly in love with each other, while Ashley talks about her hopes and her dreams to her friends. This charming man sweeps the ambitious Ashley of her feet one night at a party creating an atmosphere that most of the audience can relate to.

The drama also follows the 4 years that these two young lovers were together and within the first few months we see the cracks begin to appear within the relationship. It's not all at once and that's where the drama got clever and to be quite frank, scary. Small pieces at a time the ever charming Reece begins to take control of Ashley's life. It starts when he is dropping her off at her house and as she gets out the car she receives a text message, which Reece reads immediately. He passes the incident off as wanting to "see who his competition is" in a joking manner, but this is just the beginning and the viewers can see the alarm bells ringing at the small hint of controlling behavior.

After just 4 months Ashley finds out that she is pregnant and to me this was the defining moment when Reece finally got Ashley within his grasp. As a 17 year old college student she is worried about her future and being a young mother but Reece begs her to keep the baby, that he envisions them as a beautiful family in the future and promising her everything that she had ever wanted. Stability, love and faithfulness. Just a few months into the pregnancy we see the charming facade of Reece begin to fade as he ignores Ashley as she begs him to listen to her and reassure her that everything is going to be alright, and this is where he abuses Ashley for the first time by cruelly smacking her head against a wall before going back to his weightlifting. At first the stunned Ashley walks out on Reece as he pleads with her to stay, that it will never happen again but she pushes him off and walks out of the house, leaving Reece crying on the doorstep as he watched her leave. And even though the title tells you what ultimately happens, I cannot stop thinking "Keep on walking" as Ashley strides down the street before she turns back to the sobbing man and cradling him as he clutches onto her as she says "How could I leave him now? When everything before this was good".

After the birth of their daughter Jasmine, we witness the mood of their relationship darken. The audience watch as Reece physically and emotionally abuses Ashley, knocking her dreams of motherhood and love whilst also viciously tearing down her self esteem bit by bit. When Ashley wants to go out with her friends he would whisper to their daughter "Is that what mummy's wearing?" making her change into something else that he would approve off and when she was away he would stalk her facebook profile to see what she was getting up to. At this moment Ashley voices over "He made me nothing".

What is the most harrowing part of this hour long drama is that the viewers know that in the end, Ashley will be killed by Reece. We just don't know when and when the scene finally plays out at the end it is brutal and shocking, especially as their daughter witnesses her father beating Ashley before he quickly takes Jasmine back to her room and as she screams "Mummy" over and over the audience witnesses as Reece goes back to his harrowing attack but this time with an ironing board.

What is truly emotional about the drama is that we are witness to the likeable and charming side of Reece as well as his volatile nature. We watch him decorating their daughters bedroom or making cupcakes with Jasmine but then we witness as he savagely beats Ashley at her work in front of customers and at this moment we realize the complexity of the situation for the victims who are tragically involved in these relationships. Despite Ashley's friends begging her to leave him, "If someone did this to you on the street, they'd get locked up",  she still struggles to leave him.

In the end "Murdered by my Boyfriend" was one of the most important pieces of television in a long time and I believe it should be seen by everyone, especially the younger generation. It dealt with such a shocking and harrowing topic so cleverly by making the audience relate to the victim and the performances of Ashley and Reece by Georgina Campbell and Royce Pierreson were so brilliant and real, they drew you in.

What is more upsetting is as the closing credits come up on screen the audience is left with this sobering fact:

“It took four years for Ashley to die. In that time, at least 229 other women in Britain were murdered as a result of domestic violence.”

After seeing this drama I do hope that Ashley's story helps to highlight this terrible abuse and spread the message everywhere that this abuse cannot and will not be tolerated. In fact you can still catch "Murdered by my Boyfriend" on BBC iplayer and I encourage as many people to see this drama as soon as possible.

Album of the week: Lana Del rey "Ultraviolence"

So anyone that knows me knows just how much I love the ever sultry singer Lana Del Rey and how much I have been anticipating her third album titled "Ultraviolence", which was released just earlier this week.

Like most people, Lana first came to my attention when she burst into the pop world with her beautiful raspy vocals on her smash hit second album, "Born to Die". As a massive fan of the old/vintage Hollywood style that Lana incorporated into her cinematic styled videos I was immediately enthralled by this new talent. Not to mention Lana's voice is one of the most haunting I have heard for a while and quite frankly cannot be compared with any other artist on the scene right now.

2012's "Born to Die" was an album of Siren songs about a dream unfulfilled and had an idea of 1950's romanticism. "Ultraviolence" still sees Lana use her hauntingly raspy vocals to portray her gloomy, depressing lyrics but this album also portrays Lana's more absorbing and matured music as "Ultraviolence" sees the singer move away from the pop friendly tracks that you heard on "Born to die" and shed her Lolita image as it embraces a much more darker and menacing atmosphere and lyrics......and it works perfectly.

The tone and atmosphere is pretty much set as the album opens with "Cruel World" which is a slow six and a half minutes where Del Rey dances on the funeral of a relationship as she sings "I shared my body and my mind with you. That's all over now. I did what I had to do. I found another anyhow". Her soft voice croons over a slow thumping beat.

From there on the album takes on a much more dramatic production than "Born to Die" could ever live up to, with songs such as the title track "Ultraviolent" which is about an abusive relationship with Lana singing softly and sadly "He hit me and it felt like a kiss". Yes of course the subject of violence within a relationship makes you twinge but overall this song is probably one of the best tracks on the album as it is well produced in the way it is smart yet also tragic as Del Rey sings "I can hear violins. I can hear sirens".

Another track which in my opinion is a pivotal moment for Lana embracing her more darker side is "Sad Girl" as the opening lyrics to the song are "Being a mistress on the side it might not appeal to fools like you" shows Lana unapologetic for taking on a married man and effectively portrays what she thinks of women who don't agree with her.

Overall I personally feel as though Lana Del rey has created an absolute cinematic masterpiece of an album. It's not your average pop album that will be released on the market and that makes Lana stand out from the rest of her peers within the pop industry at the moment.

Vocally and lyrically I feel as though this is an accomplished piece of work for Lana Del Rey as her already powerful voice reaches notable highs and also reaches impressive lows throughout the whole album.

Another factor that makes "Ultraviolence" so good is that it is a brave, unapologetic and intense album that features very few radio friendly tracks and this is what the music industry has been missing for quite some time right now. A female artist to come along and not be afraid of who she is and embrace her darker nature without feeling the need to sugar coat any of her gloomy lyrics to appeal to appeal to a wider audience. "Ultraviolence" is a punch at her critics who shrugged of her work without recognizing her talent, and she feels no remorse. "Ultraviolent" also sees Lana finally recognise who she is as an artist and become more comfortable within her own skin and the whole album feels like her own honest American dream.

Overall rating: 9/10

Loved tracks: Cruel world, Ultraviolence, West coast, sad girl, fucked my way to the top.

End of term Fashion Show: "Noble Savage" Jacket and Skirt.

So as of Monday this week I have successfully completed and passed my 2 year HND: fashion Design with production & retail at Fife college! It's been an extremely tough two years but I have enjoyed every moment of the course, meeting fabulous new friends and realizing where I want to be in the fashion industry after I have finished my degree at university.

So as I have now completed my HND our Business class and the creative students of the course had an end of term Fashion show just last Thursday, where all of us students got to show of our designs that we had been working on for the last few months. 

My Jacket and Skirt creation was adapted from my Designing and producing fashion garments project that I had been working on since the start of my second year. I named my project/collection "Noble Savage" as my collection was influenced by the amazon Rainforest and the indigenous tribes that lived within the amazon that have been completely unconnected to modern civilization. One of the main influences was the book "Noble Savages: my life among two dangerous tribes the Yanomamo and the anthropologists" by Naopoleon A. Chagnon, who disproved the theory, after spending over 30 years with the yanomamo tribe, that indigenous tribes live in peace and also raised questions about our own humanity. The book itself is a fascinating read and for those who are not familiar with Napoleon and the controversies that surrounded his work, this book provides brilliant insight into his work with the Yanomamo tribe and also the controversy that surrounded his work.

To represent the "Natural" theme of the amazonian rain forest, I used a load of natural man made fabrics. As you can see from my Jacket and Skirt creation I my two main fabrics that I have used are Leather and Army print cotton. In Particular the leather was used to represent the oil spillage within the amazon and other rainforests, which is threatening all life force within these beautiful areas. 

Overall I was extremely proud of the way my design turned out and see it modeled in my Graduate fashion show was a brilliant ending to an extremely educating and fabulous two years that I spent at my college.

Coloured/Working Drawing

Final Jacket & Skirt Design  

Much love, Rachel Couture xoxo

Foxes: Style Icon & Artist of the moment

So I have been listening to the beautiful album "Glorious" by the super talented Foxes on repeat these last few weeks and I have to admit that I have become obsessed with this talented young lady and her sultry fashion sense and lyrics.

The first time I had heard foxes magnificent voice was on Fall Out boy's "one more yesterday" from their latest record "Save Rock and Roll" and from that moment I was instantly hooked by this new and enchanting voice. As a massive music enthusiast I am always looking for new artists that I can add to my playlist and Foxes was instantly added.

After first hearing her I came across the debut album "Glorious" and I was overcome by how talented and beautiful this album was. It's mash up of futuristic beats and lush melodies that highlight Foxes, real name Louisa Rose Allen, ethereal voice. "Glorious" was the kind of anthemic pop album that I had been waiting for, for a very long time.

Okay so not only am I in love with her music, I am also a massive fan of Foxes retro fashion style. It's always a plus in my book when an artist that I really love has a good sense of fashion and this is where Foxes again ticks all the right boxes for me. The blend of 60's femininity with a tomboyishness reflects her music, it's a complete mash up which shouldn't work, but in Foxes case, It works extremely well and reflects everything about her. Foxes fashion is like the effortless girl next door and she describes her fashion style as "A mix of vintage with high street"....A girl after my own fashion loving heart.

So if your a music and fashion enthusiast like me then I'd recommend that you check out Foxes, you truly won't be dissapointed. This is one lady who has a truly raw talent for what she does and her debut "Glorious" will be the soundtrack to my 2014 summer.