I've Been Thinking... - Three Spooky (Not Scary) Movies To Watch This Halloween.

Hi!!!

Today I have some movie recomendations for you. Halloween is fast approaching, and while I'm certainly not a fan of the scary and gory stuff, I do love the spooky and silly sides of Halloween. I'm sure I'm not alone on this and so, with this in mind, I've put together a list of some super fun, spooky movies for you to watch if you're a bit of a wimp like me (nothing to be ashamed of) or if you want to watch something that will be fun for the whole family, because it's far more fun when everyone is involved, isn't it? I've scoured the internet to find out all of your options for viewing these films, from DVDs to streaming services to showings on television channels so you have no excuse for not watching at least one.

Hocus Pocus.

After three centuries, three witch sisters are brought back to life on Halloween night, and it is up to two teenagers, a little girl, and an immortal cat to put an end to their reign of terror once and for all - and they only have until sunrise to do so.

Would it even be October without Hocus Pocus? It is a favourite for many, and it is very easy to see why - a Disney made, spooky comedy with an all-star cast (Bette Midler is a total STAR). It's absolutely hilarious and just the right amount of silly. I think it is a particularly good one to watch with friends - there are so many great lines to giggle at and then quote to each other for the rest of the year.
 Other big selling points are as follows: it

was directed by Kenny Ortega, who later directed and choreographed High School Musical, and it's full of autumnal colours and Bette Midler sings some jazz. It's a must see.

Get it on DVD here - it is also available on Sky Store and Netflix and is on Channel 4 at 3.20pm on Sunday 29th.

Hotel Transylvania.

Hotel Transylvania is a resort built and run by Dracula as a place for monsters to holiday away from the humans that frighten them and as a safe place to raise his daughter Mavis. Mavis is celebrating her 118th birthday with a party at the Hotel, surrounded by all kinds of famous and fabulous monsters. However, a human called Johnathon stumbles upon the Hotel, and ends up disguised as a monster so he doesn't make a scene. Everyone seems to like the new arrival, especially Mavis - but could Dracula deal with his daughter falling for a human?

This is an animated movie - I love animation as a medium and it makes this a really fun Halloween film. It's a really charming movie, full of all kinds of odd-ball characters, and Mavis (voiced by Selena Gomez) has a really great sense of style.

Get it on DVD here - it is also available on Sky Store and Netflix and is on ITV at 9:25am on Saturday 28th and ITV2 at 4:20pm on Sunday 29th.

Halloweentown.

This is the first in a series of films following the adventures of three children Marnie, Dylan and Sophie. Their grandmother, Aggie, comes to visit them on Halloween - she wants Marnie to start her training as a witch before her 13th birthday because otherwise she'll lose her powers for life. There is a dark force in Halloweentown and Aggie needs help to defeat it. The children follow their grandmother to Halloweentown, where they meet all kinds of supernatural creatures and where the adventure and fight for good really begins.

I am a Disney Channel child through and through and I've spent a lot of my life glued to Disney Channel Original Movies. Halloweentown was one of the first I watched when I was younger and I have loved it ever since.
It has become a firm favourite for me - there are plenty of spooky goings on, a fight to save a town, loveable characters and adventure. It's fun, it's a very entertaining story and it reminds me of being younger - what's not to love?

Get it on DVD here (U.S.A only) - it is also available through Disney Life and is on the UK Disney Channel at 11:37am on Thursday 26th.

This was such a fun post to put together, so I really hope you enjoyed this post and I hope you enjoy these movies if you do give them a try - sit down with a huge mug of tea or hot chocolate and work your way through them for maximum spookiness. 

Do you have a favourite spooky movie that I should add to my watch-list? Do you have any other comments or suggestions for future posts? Leave a comment and let me know.

Have a wonderful day, I'll speak to you all soon.

I hope you have a spook-tacular day!

GingerSnaps xxx

I've Been Thinking... - Summer Favourites.

Hi!!!

Good afternoon and happy September! It's officially Autumn, which makes me very happy. To round up Summer blog-wise, I thought I'd put together a post telling you about some of the things that I enjoyed the most throughout the season. Its also a chance for me to talk to you about the things that I normally would have reviewed - everything from books to theatre to music is here. Oh, and if you enjoy this post, then check out this one on my best friend's blog - it's very good.

Film - Spiderman: Homecoming

 I love Spiderman, he's one of my favourite Marvel characters (alongside Iron Man), and so I was really excited to see Homecoming. I won't deny that I was slightly unsure about another reboot when the others have been so recent but having seen the film, I think it is totally worth it. Homecoming might be my favourite Spiderman film of them all. I think Tom Holland is amazing as Spiderman, and the character seems truest to both life and the original spirit of the comics in this film. I loved Zendaya as MJ, and found the whole film engaging, funny and entertaining. I'm excited to see what's next for Tom Holland's Peter Parker.

Music - What Do You Think About The Car? by Declan McKenna.

This was the album I was most excited for this year, and I was not let down at all. It's riotous, colourful, experimental, inspiring, entertaining, chaotic, poetic and honestly you need to listen to it. It understands you, what you feel and hope for and if that's not worthy of a listen, I don't know what is. My favourite tracks are 'Why Do You Feel So Down', 'Listen To Your Friends', 'Humongous', 'The Kids Don't Want To Come Home' and 'Isombard'. Oh, and the lyric sheet folds out into this poster, which I thought was a really cool extra touch (and something I haven't seen for a while).
 

Makeup - Collection Glam Crystals Glitter Eyeliner

This summer, I decided to try out wearing glitter all over my face, but primarily as a highlight, something I'd wanted to do for ages because it looks so cool. Anyway, I've used glitter liners instead of loose glitter for years because it lasts better and stays put, and Collection's offerings are great quality and come in a number of lovely colours. I've been wearing Hustle a lot - it's a silver shot through with green, purple and black tones.

Books - Bridget Jones: The Edge of Reason by Helen Fielding.

 

 

I've only read one book all summer. I'd hoped to read more but that didn't' work out. Thankfully, the one book I did read was one I found highly enjoyable. If you're looking for a funny, highly addictive, fun to read book, then I'd recommend the second book in the Bridget Jones series to you. There's plenty that differs from the film, so it's not predictable but there is a familiarity to it, which is nice. I read it within a few days, and picked it up whenever I got chance. Say what you want about 'Chick Lit' but when it's done well, like this, I don't think even it's worst critics could deny how fun it is to read.

TV - Strike: The Cuckoo's Calling

Having read The Cuckoo's Calling - and having raved about it online (here) and in real life to anyone who would listen - I was incredibly excited to watch the first instalment of the Strike series on BBC One. Strike: The Cuckoo's Calling consists of three episodes, each an hour long, which are all on BBC iPlayer, and follows private investigator Comoran Strike as he investigates the death of supermodel Lula Landry. I adored it. I think that Tom Burke and Holliday Grainger are perfect as Strike and Robin - I'm very invested in those two characters in particular. The plot is fast paced, intricate, and you simply must watch it. Major props to Michael Kellior for his fantastic direction and to Ben Richards for his amazing writing for this series - both of which maintain the intricacies of the book beautifully. Oh, and the opening title sequence is really up my street - aesthetically and musically. Weird thing to point out but yeah.
 

Theatre - Aladdin

 

To celebrate my birthday, my friends and I went to London for the day to see Aladdin at the Prince Edward Theatre and to spend some quality time together. The show was absolutely incredible. The sets are intricate and beautiful. The cast are one of the strongest I have seen.
It made me feel so much - I laughed and I cried and I was so overwhelmed with happiness and joy and excitement that my heart was beating at a million miles an hour and I couldn't stop smiling. If like me Aladdin is your favourite Disney film, you're a huge Alan Menken fan (Proud of Your Boy is sung!!!! And a medley of Menken/Ashman Disney songs!!!), or you just really love dazzling theatre productions with a ridiculously talented cast, get yourself there to see it.

Thanks for reading.

What were your favourite things from this summer? Let me know in the comments.

I hope your week is off to a good start. I'll speak to you all soon.

I hope your day is delightful.

GingerSnaps xxx

I've Been Thinking... - Some of My Favourite Christmas Films.

Hi!!!

Good evening everyone, how are you all? Today is the third post in my "A Dash Of Ginger Festive Five" series and I'm really excited to write it. One of my favourite things to do at Christmas time is curling up and watching Christmas films with the Christmas lights on and a hot chocolate in hand as it always makes me feel so festive and happy. Since it is always such a huge part of my Christmas, I thought I'd share a few of my favourite Christmas films with you.

(Obviously, I haven't listed every single last one of my favourite Christmas films - as there are just so many - but these are some that I do really love and enjoy year in year out. These are my stand-outs.)

Some of My Favourite Christmas Movies.

 

One Christmas movie that has been a favourite of mine for many years is Miracle on 34th Street. I love both versions but my favourite is the one made in 1994. The story is absolutely beautiful and totally enchanting, I love all of the characters, and the cast and production of this film are wonderful. This film makes me feel all Christmassy and makes me smile every time I watch it.

 

Another fantastic Christmas movie is Nativity!. This film is hilarious and charming and I'm a huge fan of it. The characters are great (especially Mr Poppy - what a legend!) and the storyline is brilliant. This film is bound to put you in a good mood, the children in it are adorable and all of the characters are loveable. It's just a stroke of genius.

 

Elf. How could we get through a Christmas movie post without Elf? There is quite a bit of hype surrounding this film and I can say that, in my opinion, it is totally worth it. It's really funny and I quote it a ridiculous amount. I really like how it has just the right amount of classic Christmas-ness mixed with lots of laugh-out-loud moments.

If you know me, you'll know about my serious love for Love Actually. I just think it's brilliant - I'm a huge fan of Richard Curtis movies and of Christmas so this was always bound to be a favourite. It has lots of hilarious moments, some beautiful stories and the format of multiple intertwining stories is unique and works really well.

The Holiday is a really wonderful festive film and I've loved it since I first watched it. I think the story is beautiful, the characters are brilliant and I'm always left smiling and feeling really happy by the end. This was an instant favourite for me and I think it will be for you too - it is so sweet, so funny and so excellent. I also dressed in Iris (Kate Winslet's character in this) inspired outfits for a good year or so after seeing this film...

Saving Santa is a super fun animated Christmas film. It has a lovely storyline, it is really cute and the characters are very loveable. This has some really funny moments and it is a great feel good movie which is guaranteed to fill you full of Christmas cheer and joyfulness. I am a big fan of this one and I 100% think its worth a watch.

Arthur Christmas is a great one. I watched this the other night (I'd seen it before then but it reminded me how much I like it). There are some really touching moments in this as well as some funny and slightly crazy moments (it's not often that light up slippers can be used to calm down lions!) and the character of Arthur is really sweet.

The Polar Express has been a love of mine for many years and is a treasured part of Christmas for me. The storyline is wonderful and it takes you on an adventure with the characters. I think its a really lovely film and I enjoy it every time that I watch it. This is best enjoyed with a hot chocolate and pyjamas and I think you'll really like it.

For as long as I can remember, I've loved the Muppets so of course The Muppet Christmas Carol is on this list. I've seen it so many times but it never gets old and it always makes me feel festive and cheerful. There are songs, familiar Muppet faces and the classic and meaningful Charles Dickens storyline to look forward to so you should check it out.

Another favourite is Home Alone. This is such an out-there story but it works really well and makes all of the slapstick comedy more hilarious. I'll always want to ride a sledge down the stairs and I still admire the genius of the character Kevin for looking after himself so well and for his creativity when it comes to protecting his home. Classic Christmas comedy.

An undeniable seasonal classic is White Christmas. This has all the best bits of an old school musical - brilliant songs, great characters, memorable costumes and a fun story. This has a special place in my heart - I have lots of memories watching the film and last year my Mom and I went to see it at the Dominion Theatre.

I'm a big Disney fan so Mickey's Once Upon A Christmas/Mickey's Twice Upon A Christmas/Mickey's Magical Christmas: Snowed in at the House of Mouse are some of my favourites. The little sketches and stories within the film are charming and it's lovely to see some familiar faces in the form of Mickey and Co.

That's all for today then, folks. I hope that you enjoyed this post and that it has inspired you to curl up with your favourite Christmas film. I hope you're enjoying the "A Dash Of Ginger Festive Five" series so far, I'll see you tomorrow for the next instalment.

What is your favourite Christmas film? Have I drawn your attention to one you haven't seen before? Do you have any comments or suggestions for future posts? Let me know in the comments section.

Thank you for reading, I hope you're having a lovely week.

 

Have a terrific day!

 

GingerSnaps xxx



Oh My Life! - Tales Of My Life and Times - Road Trip!, Disney Sing-a-Longs, Air Guitars, THE DAY OF THE DOCTOR, Gavin and Stacey Times and Mr Blue Sky!

Hi!!!

Today's post is a good'un! (I know, I'm so modest...) Alllll the way back in April, I went to the Doctor Who Experience in Cardiff with one of my favourites ever - of course, my ever fabulous best friend Elf Girl (find her tiny elf-self HERE) - and it was, as you can imagine, a pretty epic day.

From where we live, it takes about two and a half hours to get to Cardiff, but we know how to handle such road trips - with air guitars and rock songs and Disney soundtracks and selfies in traffic, which is just the best. Like, seriously, I had such a great time spending two and a half hours sat in a car!

When we got to Cardiff, we had something to eat before heading over to the giant blue thing that is the Doctor Who Experience.
We bought our tickets and then had a bit of a walk round, taking photos of the bits and bobs that are sat lining the queue.

Once you get inside, there's the Interactive Experience that gets you much more involved in it all. I don't want to spoil it for any of you Whovians out there, but it is awesome!
Do it the GingerSnaps and Elf Girl way and make sassy comments the whole way around, feel confused about why random people keep talking to you and always elbow your way to the front.

Upon leaving the interactive bit, we entered the Exhibition Hall which is where all of the sets and artefacts are.
We ran around like crazy people trying to see everything and take photos with everything and we did pretty bloomin well. We also had our photo taken in the TARDIS - twice - and saw lots of really interesting things. There is more up the stairs from here, from lots of more recent episodes, which is cool, and we had loads of fun being silly and trying to pose like we were "running away from the bad guys" which inevitably involved falling over! Ooops! 

 

We spent the rest of the afternoon exploring Mermaid Quay, which is right by the experience, entering the children's colouring competition at Starbucks - including a FRIENDS reference - and making it to the wall (!!!), and heading out to Barry to fangirl over Gavin & Stacey and to get ourselves on every kids arcade ride possible (including a rollercoaster simulator on which we nearly lost a purse!)

The way home included singing ELO (Electric Light Orchestra) and Queen at the very tip top of our lungs and lots of laughing.

So, thanks to Elf Girl for asking me to join her, I had such an absolutely brilliant time. Go and check out her excellent blog (HERE), and the posts she has done about our day (HERE) and (HERE), the latter includes captions of epic proportions for some of the photos seen here, and some of her own - should make you chuckle.

To find out more about the Doctor Who Experience, click (ME).

Thank you for reading, I hope that you have enjoyed this post, and that this was interesting - especially for the Whovians amongst you.

Have you been to the Doctor Who Experience? What did you think? Would you like to go? Do you have any comments or suggestions for future posts that you'd like to see? Let me know in the comments below.

See you all soon,

 

Have an superb day!

 

GingerSnaps xxx

 

Oh My Life! - Tales Of My Life And Times - I Do Love A Onsie, A Disney Movie and Making A Two-Tonne Of Meringue Goodness...

Hi!!!


I thought I'd fill you in on one of my recent "lazy days". I feel like, in a strange way, I find "lazy days" work better as "Oh My Life!" posts, but you guys might not feel the same way. By the way, if you don't, then feel free to look through that little archive on the right hand side for something that takes your fancy.


I got up recently with nothing to do and nowhere to go (at least not particularly) and so decided to take up the opportunity to have some time to myself.

I had a shower and washed my hair when I woke up, and threw on my onesie when I got out. I'd actually like to put in a disclaimer in about the whole "onesie" topic...

From the day the onesie first hit the high streets, I decided that they were morally wrong and completely unacceptable. I also decided I'd never buy myself one. However, my mom bought me a super fluffy onesie from Next for Christmas and so I gave it a go. I LOVE IT! DO NOT knock the onesie until you have tried it - I guarantee you will enjoy it, even just a little bit. Also, my advice is to never buy a really cheap onesie; I'd advise a slightly more expensive one as it is much more comfortable and a lot less... meh. Oh yeah, and always opt for super fluffy!

So, yeah, I put on my onesie and made myself very, very comfortable on the sofa armed with a cup of tea. I spent most of my morning watching The Big Bang Theory, and eating the last of the Christmas Quality Street. Then it was scrambled egg on toast for lunch, which just improved my day further.

In the afternoon, I made the decision to check out what movies were on my Sky On Demand - other TV doobrees are available. I found "Mickey's Magical Christmas" and decided to watch that, despite it being January. I found the film really enjoyable, and I do love a good little Disney movie. I am an, if not *the* Ultimate Disney Addict/Fan.

Later on, like after dinner later on, I made a choice which involved creating some lovely meringues. I couldn't find the electric part of the whisk so worked up an hour's worth of a sweat before finally finding it... Oh My Life! But, I did end up with some pretty pink rose flavoured mini meringues to enjoy. I guess all's well that ends well. Especially when meringues are involved.



And, so, that's it. Considering this post was about a whole day, I kind of expected more of a lengthy post, but the joy of a lazy day is that there is very little to say and yet so much happiness can come from them. While it was a "lazy day", I tried to do some things, because I hate feeling like I have wasted a day.

I hoped that this post has been enjoyable for you. Have you had a "lazy day" recently? What do you get up to on a "lazy day"?

Have a really good day everybody!

GingerSnaps xxx

Say Cheese!!! - Photography - Monster Attack On Tesco!!!

Hi!!!


Yeah, that is right, a Monster Attack On Tesco... I said it.

When out and about in somewhere or other we stopped at a Tesco to get something for dinner when we arrived home.

 I was just casually wandering around Tesco, looking for a classy little Pot Noodle when all of a sudden I saw Sulley! 

I love Monsters Inc. and so this was such a massive highlight of my day!

A short and sweet post today, so that's your lot folks. I hope you liked that photograph and that it made you smile like it makes me smile.

Do you like Monsters Inc.? Have you ever seen something like this when in the supermarket? Let me know in the comments.

Have a fab day, guys!

GingerSnaps xxx