Christmas(ish) because, well, these films are a bit of a motley crew. A couple aren’t Christmas movies and a couple are but shouldn’t be.  ~The Man Who Invented Christmas Shortly before Christmas in 1843, Charles Dickens finds himself short of money after a rather unfortunate series of flops. He lands upon the idea of a Christmas ghost story, inspired by his teenage housemaid, but then struggles to write it. He wanders the foggy streets of London finding inspiration in the places and people he meets, using snippets from here and there to create his own characters. When he settles upon…

Read More British Christmas(ish) Movies For The Holiday Season

It’s been a solid nine months since the last season of Bridgerton dropped and likely several more before season three is released. If you’re a big fan, it’s possible you are now suffering withdrawals from all of that sartorial splendor, for while it’s a show which revels in scandals and manners set against a lush backdrop of houses and balls, it is the exquisiteness of the clothing which truly commands centre stage. And particularly fun is the elegant, icy pale tailoring of the Bridgertons facing off against the candy colored finery of the Featheringtons, which leans ever so gently into…

Read More Nine Glossy British TV Shows With Fabulous Fashion (For Bridgerton Withdrawals)

I have always found the Victorian era to be rather fascinating. The lower classes experienced rampant poverty, appalling work conditions and terrible overcrowding in houses, creating a cesspool of crime and disease and making it no big surprise that the drinking of cheap gin reached epidemic levels. The wealthier classes meanwhile, indulged a deep interest in taxidermy and seances and exhibited a morbid curiosity of all things freakish and weird leading to a resurgence in gothic literature and mysticism. Yet all of this was curiously juxtaposed with an explosion of technological and scientific advances, increasingly liberal views and real social…

Read More British Victorian (esque) TV Dramas Perfect for the Spooky Season

  ~I, Daniel Blake Ken Loach at his finest, this movie is real and raw and guaranteed to make your blood boil at the excruciating Catch-22 the main character finds himself in. Daniel Blake is a 59 year old widowed carpenter recovering from a heart attack. Doctors say he is not able to go back to work, the government begs to differ and denies his benefits. Yes, it’s sad. Yes, it’s bleak. Yes, it’s depressing. But what makes it all bearable is that Daniel is real and authentic and deeply kind and passionate, as witnessed by the (platonic) relationship he…

Read More Seven British Movies About Social Issues

I have professed my love of the highly stylized movie before and the recent rendition of Emma proves to be a delicious addition to the genre. It’s a frothy confection with interiors awash in pink and pastels, reminiscent of a Wes Anderson film, punctuated by the vibrant jewel tones of some of the outfits. I’m pretty sure this is what it would look like to take up residence inside a macaron box. And while the clothes may be exquisite, with a breathtaking attention to detail, it must be said that it is the sublime hats which rather steal the show.…

Read More A Collection Of Jane Austen Films