The Inheritance Cycle – Top 3 most memorable moments

Now, when I say “Eragon” most people probably think of the not-so-brilliant film of 2006, but there’s much more to Eragon than that. Eragon is the first of four books in The Inheritance Cycle by Christopher Paolini (followed by Eldest, Brisingr, and Inheritance), a series that I would highly recommend. The Inheritance Cycle was responsible for igniting my love of fantasy: dragons, magic, elves, dwarves, languages, and beautifully written … what’s not to love?

Not only were these books an absolute joy to read, they were so immersive and magical that I became really emotionally invested in the story and the characters. If you have read them, perhaps you can relate to these ‘most memorable moments’ from the Cycle. If you haven’t read them, I suggest that you do (granted they look a little intimidating in size, but they are well worth it!) and then maybe come back and read the memorable moments after.

**SPOILERS AHEAD**

Inside Out – Does the genius of Pixar know no bounds?

Now anyone who knows me will tell you how much I love Disney films, and Pixar films are most definitely a part of that package. I admire the studio’s courage for moving to solely computer animation, but Pixar films have always been a big part of my life since I never knew a time without them. I actually love Pixar films for their genius: bringing toys to life; exploring the monsters in the wardrobe; venturing both forward and back in time; and now bringing our emotions to life. It never fails to surprise me how original their films are, and likewise, they never fail to impress me. Their latest production Inside Out (Docter:2015) was no exception.

For anyone who has missed out on the trailers for Inside Out, it’s about 11 year old Riley, who is undergoing some changes in her life, and told from the perspective of the leading emotions in her head: Joy, Sadness, Fear, Anger, and Disgust.

**SPOILER FREE POST**

Humans – Channel 4’s latest triumph

The lines between human and machine have begun to blur in this near future, science-fiction drama, when the latest family must-have is a Synth: a robot designed to make home life easier, only distinguishable from humans by unnaturally bright green eyes. The Hawkins family purchase a new Synth for themselves, but mum Laura suspects that something is amiss.

The final episode aired here in the UK on Sunday, but the whole series (along with some bonus content) is available to view on Channel 4‘s website, and I would highly recommend it.

**SPOILER FREE POST**

Humans focuses around the Hawkins family and their experiences with their new Synth ‘Anita’ along with numerous other characters whose true importance is revealed as the series goes on. However, it isn’t just an empty narrative built for escapism – there is some real poignancy in the questions raised about the current relationship between humans and technology.

A Summer in Cinema

The weather this summer has been spectacularly bad, which makes a surprising change for England … no seriously, we usually get some pretty hot days, but we’ve not managed much above 20 degrees this year. As a result of this, I’ve spent quite some time at the local cinema during June and July, with a plan to go again to see Ant-Man and Inside Out at some point too. So, here’s my list so far: Pitch Perfect 2, Jurassic World, Minions, Slow West, and Mission: Impossible – Rogue Nation. Let’s discuss them, shall we?

**SPOILER FREE POST**

Pitch Perfect 2 (Banks:2015)

I actually think I preferred this to the first film, from way back when in 2012 (was it really that long ago)?! To be brutally honest, I think the main reason for this was Das Sound Machine, because they are INCREDIBLE. Their performance at the World Championships is without a doubt my favourite track from either of the two films. I also preferred the selection of music in Pitch Perfect 2 – from Tina Turner to Fall Out Boy to Carrie Underwood – and I got more out of this Riff-Off than the original. Green Bay Packers fans, I implore you to watch this film purely for that scene. However, the story of the first film was stronger, both for the Bellas and for Beca herself, mainly due to its smaller scale. The humour and the one-liners in the second instalment made me laugh more too, though I’m not sure any of them quite topped Fat Amy’s nugget of pure gold “Sometimes I get the feeling I can do crystal meth, but then I think mmm… better not.”

Jurassic World (Trevorrow:2015)

The Shawshank Redemption – What is freedom?

Last night I was introduced to IMDb’s highest rated movie of all time, The Shawshank Redemption (Darabont:1994), which boasts a score at the dizzying heights of 9.2. I’d be a liar if I said I wasn’t impressed. I thought the acting was faultless, and the casting of Morgan Freeman as Red gave the story some serious gravitas through his narration – everyone knows how epic his voice is – and he brought life to the incredible script written for this film. The story itself was interesting. I personally didn’t find it particularly moving, not to the point of shedding a tear anyway, but it was a story about hope, patience and freedom.

That led me to thinking about freedom, and what freedom really means. Of course it means different things to different people, and I realised that this is what I’d seen in Shawshank: the different kinds of freedom.

**SPOILERS AHEAD**