You Should Be Reading: Me Before You

“I will never, ever regret the things I’ve done. Because most days, all you have are places in your memory that you can go to.”

Jojo Moyes‘ 2012 best-selling book, Me Before You, tells the story of a 26-year-old girl from a small English town, Lou Clarke, who has just lost her job in the local cafe. With only one option left at the job centre, Lou is employed as a carer by the wealthy Traynor family, despite having no skills or experience, to help support her struggling family. Here, Lou is placed in charge of Will, a once successful man who enjoyed all aspects of his life, who is now a quadriplegic, paralysed from the neck down after being involved in an accident. As Lou attempts to show Will what life can be like if he opens his mind, Will encourages Lou to live her life to the fullest as an unexpected relationship blossoms.

Set to be released on 3rd June, the film adaptation is directed by Thea Sharrock and stars Emilia Clarke as Lou and Sam Claflin as Will.

Film Review: Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows (Part 2)

It’s the end of an era, and a sad one at that. For the millions of Harry Potter fans around the world, it has all finally come to a close. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2, directed by David Yates, is the latest and final instalment to the Harry Potter franchise, based on the novels by J. K. Rowling.

After a decade of filming, the magical trio of Harry Potter (Daniel Radcliffe), Ron Weasley (Rupert Grint) and Hermione Granger (Emma Watson) finish their time at Hogwarts with a fight-to-the-death war. One can’t live whilst the other survives, and the long-awaited finale is here. But will Harry succeed?

Film Review: Harry Potter And The Deathly Hallows (Part 1)

Harry Potter and The Deathly Hallows is the seventh and final book of J. K. Rowling’s Harry Potter franchise. Directed by David Yates, Harry (Daniel Radcliffe), Ron (Rupert Grint) and Hermione (Emma Watson) drop out of Hogwarts to seek the remaining Horcruxes in order to defeat Voldemort (Ralph Fiennes). On their journey, the trio learn about The Deathly Hallows, three sacred objects that together could also help them on their way. Following Voldemort’s return and Dumbledore’s death, they must sneak into the Ministry of Magic and Hogwarts itself whilst having to remain hidden from the dark takeover of Voldemort and his Death Eaters.

Film Review: Harry Potter And The Half-Blood Prince

Directed by David Yates and based on the sixth book in J.K. Rowling‘s Harry Potter series of novels, Harry Potter And The Half-Blood Prince sees Harry (Daniel Radcliffe), Ron (Rupert Grint) and Hermione (Emma Watson) enter their sixth year at Hogwarts, as both the muggle and wizarding world are under Voldemort’s tightening grip. Meanwhile, Dumbledore enlists the aid of resourceful yet unsuspecting bon vivant Professor Horace Slughorn (Jim Broadbent) as we learn more about the dark past of the boy who grew up to become Lord Voldemort. Does Slughorn hold the key to their enemy’s Achilles’ heel?

Film Review: Harry Potter And The Order of The Phoenix

Directed by David Yates and based on the fifth book in J.K. Rowling‘s Harry Potter series of novels, Harry Potter And The Order of The Phoenix sees Harry (Daniel Radcliffe), Ron (Rupert Grint) and Hermione (Emma Watson) return for their fifth year at Hogwarts, only to find that the magical community is in a state of denial about his recent encounter with the sinister Lord Voldemort (Ralph Fiennes). Suspecting that Headmaster Albus Dumbledore (Michael Gambon) may be fueling the rumours, Minister for Magic Cornelius Fudge (Robert Hardy) entrusts newly arrived Defense Against the Dark Arts professor Dolores Umbridge (Imelda Staunton) with the task of keeping a protective watch over the wizarding school. With the school failing to provide the students with the tools that they will need to defend Hogwarts against the powers of the Dark Arts, the trio takes it upon themselves to recruit a small group of students to form “Dumbledore’s Army”.

Film Review: Harry Potter And The Goblet of Fire

Directed by Mike Newell and based on the fourth book in J.K. Rowling‘s Harry Potter series of novels, sees Harry (Daniel Radcliffe), Ron (Rupert Grint) and Hermione (Emma Watson) return for their fourth year at Hogwarts as Harry’s famous lightning-bolt scar begins aching and causing him mysterious visions. Introduced to yet another Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher, former dark wizard catcher Mad-Eye Moody (Brendan Gleeson), Harry’s wishes for an uneventful school year are almost immediately shattered when he is unexpectedly chosen, along with fellow student Cedric Diggory (Robert Pattinson), as Hogwarts’ representative in the Tri-Wizard Tournament. Worse still, Harry doesn’t realize that the most feared wizard in the world, Lord Voldemort (Ralph Fiennes), is anticipating the tournament, as well.

Film Review: Harry Potter And The Prisoner of Azkaban

Directed by Alfonso Cuarón and based on the third book in J.K. Rowling‘s Harry Potter series of novels, Harry Potter And The Prisoner of Azkaban sees Harry (Daniel Radcliffe), Ron (Rupert Grint) and Hermione (Emma Watson) enter their third year at Hogwarts as trouble begins to brew when it is revealed that convicted murderer Sirius Black (Gary Oldman) has escaped from Azkaban and is coming after Harry. With yet another Defense Against the Dark Arts professor, Remus Lupin (David Thewlis) tries to help Harry defend himself against the Dementors, the soul-sucking guards of Azkaban who have been employed at Hogwarts to protect the students. But they’re the least of his worries.

Film Review: Harry Potter And The Chamber of Secrets

Directed by Chris Columbus and based on the second book in J.K. Rowling‘s Harry Potter series of novels, Harry Potter And The Chamber of Secrets sees the return of young wizards Harry (Daniel Radcliffe), Ron (Rupert Grint) and Hermione (Emma Watson) for their second year at Hogwarts with a new Defense against the Dark Arts, Gilderoy Lockhart (Kenneth Branagh). But it’s not long before the trio find themselves in trouble again, as a mysterious presence begins stalking the corridors of a school of magic and leaving its victims paralyzed. It seems that someone has opened the mysterious Chamber of Secrets, letting loose the monster and all its calamitous powers.

Book v Film: Harry Potter And The Philosopher’s Stone

“He couldn’t know that at this very moment, people meeting up in secret all over the country were holding up their glasses and saying in hushed voices: ‘To Harry Potter – the boy who lived!’”

Directed by Chris Columbus, Harry Potter And The Philosopher’s Stone is the first film in J.K. Rowling‘s seven-book Harry Potter series of novels to be adapted onto the big screen. The story follows a seemingly ordinary boy, Harry Potter (Daniel Radcliffe), who, on his 11th birthday, is visited by a half-giant, Hagrid (Robbie Coltrane), and invited to attend Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Soon discovering that he is famous in the Wizarding World for surviving an attack by the evil Lord Voldemort when Harry was only a baby, Harry must fulfil his destiny and prove his worth, with the help of his new friends Ron (Rupert Grint) and Hermione (Emma Watson).

Film Review: Harry Potter And The Philosopher’s Stone

Directed by Chris Columbus, Harry Potter And The Philosopher’s Stone is the first film in J.K. Rowling‘s seven-book Harry Potter series of novels to be adapted onto the big screen. The story follows a seemingly ordinary boy, Harry Potter (Daniel Radcliffe), who, on his 11th birthday, is visited by a half-giant, Hagrid (Robbie Coltrane), and invited to attend Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Soon discovering that he is famous in the Wizarding World for surviving an attack by the evil Lord Voldemort when Harry was only a baby, Harry must fulfil his destiny and prove his worth, with the help of his new friends Ron (Rupert Grint) and Hermione (Emma Watson).