December Films

- Muppets Most Wanted - I'm not a mega Muppet fan or anything, but this one was my favourite of all their films. When Ray Liotta, as an inmate in a Siberian Gulag discovered that Kermit was not the evil criminal mastermind Constantine, but an impostor and shouted to the inmates "let's throw him in the recycling compactor" I nearly did a spit take. He said it with such conviction, as though there would ever exist a Russian prison that adhered to strict recycling policies. Oh my gosh, too dang funny. I thought the cast was absolutely outstanding and the music was BRILLIANT. Days later and I'm still humming and singing them as I dance around the house. I totes recommend it!

- Esio Trot

- Nightwatch - Whilst relaxing at Michel's in Antwerpen I got the opportunity to re-watch a pretty decent Ewan McGregor film from '97. I've never seen the original Danish version but this Nightwatch had just the right amount of suspense, with a really good cast. Ewan McGregor and Josh Brolin in one film? How could I go wrong?

- In a Lonely Place - I had seen this film years ago and the most memorable moment was the night club scene Hadda Brooks singing what became one of my favourite songs of all time, I Hadn't Anyone til You. Bogart put in a solid performance as an angry and frankly, a bit misunderstood, writer. Definitely worth a watch. (Special shout out to Cerpts for scoring me a lovely version of the song, as sung by Ella Fitzgerald. MUAH!! Big kisses.)

- Inside Out - I got the chance to re-watch this on the flight back from Dublin and it was as cute as the last time I saw it, which was also in-flight. Pixar continues to create some of the most original, unique and endearing artwork imaginable. Inside Out is the story of the emotions at the helm of a young girl. The voice casting was right on - Amy Poehler as Joy, Phyllis Smith as Sadness, Lewis Black as Anger, Mindy Kaling as Disgust, and Bill Hader as Fear. But my favourite character, which should come as no surprise, was Bing Bong the imaginary friend as voiced by Richard Kind. Just a really well executed and charmingly sweet film.

- The Grand Budapest Hotel

- Die Hard - My favourite Christmas movie, if only because The Gathering was a TV movie and doesn't officially count as an actual film. I used to have such a crush on Bruce Willis in the 80s, when I was all about the funny fellas. But this flick introduced me, and pretty much the rest of the world, to the incredible and dashing Alan Rickman. What a subtly brilliant performance he gives. And Alexander Godunov was so good as a baddie.

- Jodorowsky's Dune

- Crocodile Dundee - One of the best fun films of my childhood. I never tire of this, The Goonies, or Adventures in Babysitting. It was just what I needed on a quiet evening on the very last day of a hard, hard year.

[The year has come to a close and of all the films I've watched in 2016, The Diary of a Teenage Girl is my number one.]