REVIEW: Me Before You (12A)

Daenerys Targaryen and Meville Longbottom are dating, maybe. After 7 years together and stuck in a small town; Louisa Clark (Game of Thrones, Emilia Clarke) gets her last paycheck as a waitress and then finds herself unemployed. Her struggling family which also includes sister Katherine (Dr Who's Jenna Coleman) and dad, granddad and mum all are encouraging her to get a job. When a rich, handsome, castle owning 30-something William Traynor (Sam Claflin) is injured in a traffic accident leaving him a as quadriplegic, his mum and dad (Charles Dance) seek to employ a carer-cum-friend for their lonely, heartbroken and disillusioned son. His and Louisa's fates cross thanks to the job centre and she becomes carer for him. Initially very reticent about the whole arrangement, both parties reluctantly work together but find out they can both teach each other a thing or two about life.

This movie is an emotionally charged rom-com - one part com, two parts rom and is really well made. Emilia Clarke looks so different to her Game of Thrones character which is a testament to her acting talents and Jenna Coleman makes for a perfect sister to her in the movie. Sometimes she overdoes the smiling and grinning and loves her eyebrow acting (like Chris Pratt ;-)) but overall is a great movie. The chemistry between the leads is fantastic and you really feel for them. The film's soundtrack is great too - with uplifting instrumentals and careful use of no less than two Ed Sheeran songs, it just adds to the experience. With a smattering of stars from both silver and small screens and an absolutely fabulous cameo from a great English actress, Me Before You is one film that tugs at the heart strings and won't let go. 

Really, really good.

Me Before You is out 3rd June at all good cinemas.

POPSCORE: 8/10

What am I talking about? Me Before You movie
Where can I find out more? http://mebeforeyoumovie.com/
If you liked this try: Love Actually, Fifty Shades of Grey (maybe), Beauty and the Beast (Disney), The Fault In Our Stars

Anything else?

This movie is based on Jojo Moyes book, Me Before You.
Both Emilia Clarke and Charles Dance star in Game of Thrones

REVIEW: Sing Street

Sing Street - set in 1985, Dublin.

Imagine, if you will, the Inbetweeners crossed with Irish humour (like Father Ted or Mrs Brown's Boys) meets the Commitments meets Grease and you pretty much have Sing Street. Posh lad Conor moves from a posh school in Dublin to a state school. With his family, themselves verging on breaking point, tensions are high in the house. Dad, Robert (Game of Thrones Aiden Gillen) and mum are struggling financially and, finding solace in music, Conor strums guitar in his bedroom as the vocals from his parents ensue downstairs. Meanwhile his older brother, Brendan, (known as the drop out stoner) listens to his eclectic record collection to drown out the sound of the warring parents downstairs.

School isn't much better either as the school bully takes his opportunity to stamp his mark on the new kid and, after one particular encounter that involved a punch to the face, a small Irish accented voice said, "you should have done what he said". Turning around he sees a diminutive ginger kid who he befriends and starts talking to him. When school finishes, he sees a beautiful girl on the steps of a building opposite the school and he asks ginger kid who she is. He doesn't give any real answer, but our hero goes over to get her number which is met by an incredulous look from ginger kid. For reasons unknown he comes out with the best chat up line in 80's history. When she states that she's a model, he says that he's a singer in a band and would like to know if she would like to star in his next music video. The only issue is that he doesn't have a band - or a way to make a music video.

A story about true love and a quest for a girl is mixed delightfully with a quest for identity, Sing Street is a refreshing look at both the struggles of a musician and the angst of teenage years. Set in the 1980's it has a heady mix of great original 80's influenced music and classic 80's tracks too.  The original songs are catchy in their own right and the soundtrack is fantastic. Older brother, Brendan, serves as Conor's musical sage and provides Conor with more inspiration to help with his musical identity.

Sing Street is one of those rare gem of a films that make you laugh, cry and all in between, but  when the credits roll you feel good and optimistic. It's a fantastic film.

Sing Street is out on May 20th at all good cinemas now and will be available on DVD from 26th July!

POPSCORE: 9/10

What am I talking about? Sing Street movie
Where can I find out more? singstreetmovie.com
If you liked this try: The Commitments, Grease, Coyote Ugly, The Inbetweeners

Anything else?
Ferdia Walsh-Peelo's (who plays the lead role of Conor) father attended the real Synge Street Christian Brothers School.