My Thoughts on The Fault in Our Stars

Hello again to all of my sweeties! Today I am here to start a series of blog posts where I share my thoughts and opinions with you on a particular subject. I'm going to start off with a book and a film based on the book that has sparked a lot of opinions and criticism- I'm talking of course about The Fault in Our Stars, or as I'm going to refer to it from now on, TFIOS. There is two parts to this post- the book, and the film.

There will be some spoilers! So this post may not be for you if you haven't read the book/seen the movie :)



The Book

TFIOS is written by John Green, Youtuber, and author. He has a Youtube channel with his brother, Hank, where weekly they post vlogs to one another. The Vlogbrothers have a very dedicated fanbase- the Nerdfighters. One of the reasons why the Vlogbrothers are so successful is because of John's books, so each time he publishes a new novel, he is guarenteed a firm audience of people that will love, respect and admire his work. TFIOS is not his first novel, and his other works, like Looking for Alaska or Paper Towns are bestsellers, which will also be made into films in the near future.

I read TFIOS in October of last year. Then, it was a very popular novel, and a film was firmly in the making. I read it because I was very interested to see what all the hype was about, and because it was unavailable at the library (they only got it for me in April) I read the pdf version (not as exciting). It took me a while to get properly into the novel- I came to a stage where I had to almost force myself to read it, but I got into it towards the middle of the book, and I couldn't put it down when I did.

For those of you not familiar with the TFIOS story, it is a novel about Hazel, a teenage girl who suffers with terminal cancer. She is forced to go to support group by her parents in order to make friends and to get her mind of the fact that she will die soon. In support group, she meets Augustus, and *of course* falls in love with him, making the book about their relationship.

The book itself is written beautifully, John Green is a very talented writer, that's for sure. His descriptions are very clear and very vivid, and he has a very interesting way of expressing himself through the written word. It is no surprise he is a bestselling author, and he deserves every praise.

The plot is very clever, and I genuinely did not see the twist at the end coming. It could have been predicted, if you thought about it hard enough, but it didn't dawn on me, and so I was really taken aback. I do feel like Hazel and Gus' relationship makes a very fast transition from when they first meet to their trip to Amsterdam- there is no episode of where they get to know each other, it's just like they meet, and immediately, they are a couple.

I did find a few things in the book that made it a little strange. For example, I don't understand the kiss in the Anne Frank house. It's not 'hot' or romantic in any way- I have visited the Anne Frank house, and if my boyfriend leaned in for a kiss, I would kindly push him away. It's too inappropriate, it gives the love story of Hazel and Augustus a perverse flavour- their first kiss being in a house of a lot of pain, fear, gloomy-ness and the mark of one of humanity's greatest tragedies. It is, in plain english, weird. If the kiss would have taken place on the bench where Hazel and Gus rest on later, it would have been so much more relatable and normal. Also, the part where the couple eventually sleep with each other? Fair enough, but once again, it's a bit weird.

Also, the whole cancer aspect doesn't play a very big role in the book. There is some brief cancer talk, but it's very vague and doesn't have a lot of detail, showing that Green didn't do too much research before writing. This shows a little sloppiness and carelessness, but it's a small detail. If there was more cancer-related *technical* talk, the book would feel more real. However, this is only a small flaw.

One of the criticisms given to the book, by many people, is that John Green doesn't understand teenagers, as teenagers don't talk like Gus and Hazel do. This is true, the couple don't talk like other teens, but I doubt that Green doesn't understand teenagers- he is the leader of the Nerdfighters for crying out loud. This doesn't really bother me, as I like the intelligent way that they talk- Gus and Hazel can be classified as the 'exceptional' couple, and what makes them even more right for each other may be the way they talk. 

Unfortunately, there is a part at the end that literally ruined the whole book for me. Hazel goes into Gus' room after his passing and discovers photographs of a girl that looks very similar to Hazel. Hazel eventually realises that the girl in the photos is Gus' dead girlfriend, who passed away from cancer. It is then hinted that the reason why Gus was so attracted to Hazel when he met her is because she reminded him of his dead girlfriend.

But surely this means that all the time whilst Gus was with Hazel, he was secretly pretending in his mind that he was with his dead girlfriend?! This part, at the very end, ruins the love story of Hazel and Augustus for me. This part alone shows that the whole relationship was a sham- that really, Gus was just comforting himself over his dead girlfriend with a girl who looked very much like her. Thankfully, they didn't put this in the film, and rightly so.

Overall, I'm giving the book a 7/10. It is a good novel, and the ending is heartbreaking (yes, I did cry). I like the book in general, although some parts do put me off it a bit. I recommend you read it as it looks like it has become a modern classic- however, there are much better cancer stories in the market, my favourite ones include 'Ways to Live Forever' by Sally Nicholls, or a cancer love story, 'Before I Die' by Jenny Downham.

The Film



I think there is two questions surrounding anybody that's seen this film:

1.Did you cry?
2. Did you like it?

To answer the first question, yes. I did cry. My waterworks turned on when Hazel bumped into Gus, and they didn't stop well after the movie ended. Admittedly, they got worse throughout and Sarah had to hold me during my 'little' breakdown at the very end, so thankies love!:)

I did like the film, but I didn't love it. It was excellently average. Firstly, I'll talk about the performances. 

Shailene Woodley plays the part of Hazel, and her performance is outstanding. She is very obviously, a very gifted actress. Her husky voice somehow matches her role, and she looks exactly like the Hazel I imagined. She portrayed all the emotions correctly, and embodied her character extremely well, making Hazel real and believable. I really do like Woodley in TFIOS, she is one of the best parts of the film.

Ansel Elgort plays Augustus Waters, and I really didn't think his performance, in this movie, is great. Compared to Woodley, who was so natural, Elgort seemed awkward, and even a little bit creepy. I don't think Elgort embodied his role as well as Woodley did, and this is really evident in the scene where Hazel and Gus finally meet Peter Van Houten. As Van Houten turns out to be a bitter and unpleasant man, Hazel gets frustrated and Woodley portrays this very well. Elgort, however, I found was just awkward and unreactive, as he just sat there and stared into space, very fake-ily. Elgort's performance got good towards the end, as he himself became sick, his role changed and suddenly he became the Gus that we knew from the book.

The smaller characters were good. I liked Hazel's parents, who seemed like kind-hearted and loving parents, I liked Isaac, I even liked Peter Van Houten- he portrayed his role of a horrible writer very well. The overall performances were good, in my opinion.

In regards to very cinematic things, the film is quite weak. There is no interesting shots, every shot and every scene is pretty much the same as the one previous- with the exceptions of the 2 scenes where the main characters get very ill and need to be hospitalized. The film doesn't have a set colour palette- however I like the colours, I like the bright shades, and overall I think the film looks quite pretty- however being a lover of photography, details and bold colours attract me like a magpie to something shiny.

I feel like two many scenes begin with Hazel being in her bedroom, on her phone or asleep, a very dull start to some exciting scenes. A lot of scenes also start with very basic shots- establishing the scene, then a few characters simply talking. Like I said before, the 2 scenes where Hazel needs to be hospitalized and where Gus has a breakdown in the gas station are interesting and add excitement, however the film needs much more of those scenes.



The music in the film is also extremely poor. Admittedly, I liked how they put in Birdy's and Ed Sheeran's songs that they had written for the film, and I also liked how Kodaline's All I Want was incorporated. A lot of the time the music was barely there, and when Charli's Boom Boom Clap came on, I actually turned to Sarah and went 'Why this song?!'. For such an upbeat, clubbing-suitable song to be featured on such a sad, poigant film is downright inappropriate, and adds a very 'chick flick' like feel to the film, even though it is far from that.

Having said all these things, I do admit that the film was made for fangirls and Nerdfighters who adored TFIOS right down to the core. This kind of an audience usually ensures that the film will be successful and highly liked in between those who watch it. Cinematic scenes are not really needed as teenage girls aren't usually interested in films being rich in cinematography and unique editing, with the exception of some girls, obviously. This movie was made to have its quotes mouthed as the audience watched on, and the ultimate goal is to make you cry. This is all fair enough, but as the blockbuster it has become, and with a budget of 12m dollars, I personally think the film could have been done better. Thus, I'm giving TFIOS movie a 5.5/10.

Thank you so much for reading, (I hope I didn't bore you haha!) and please remember that this just my opinion :)

My Twitter- @gabysayshey


Gaby x

Amsterdam 2014

Hello again to all of my sweeties, today I am back to tell you about- or show you- my latest adventure. Myself and my lovely mother went to visit my sister in Amsterdam earlier in July, just for a weekend. Amsterdam is an absolutely gorgeous city, even prettier than Vilnius- there's more Victorian-inspired buildings, skyscrapers, colourful people and the city itself has a large mix of, well, everything- such a varied mix that overwhelms you and almost has a cheeky and witty taste. I loved Amsterdam- the city itself is beautiful, canals, tall terraced apartments, flavours of history and bicycles everywhere, and I've tried my best to capture this all on my Canon. Believe it or not, with a Canon slung around your neck, a tiny backpack on your back and jelly flats on your feet make it not the easiest thing in the world to run for the bus, but thankfully the bus drivers are like the ones in Ireland- friendly and chatty, and will wait for you:)

Upon our arrival, we went to Rotterdam, the city with the largest port in Europe. I saw a few ships and things, but nothing too impressive as it was cold, cloudy and I couldn't wait to go to bed after my flight.

We headed into Amsterdam the very next day- the city centre. 

The Netherlands is one of the few countries where cannabis- or 'weed'- is legal. Coffee Shops mean something a little different here- these are 'cafes' where cannabis cigarettes are sold, and if you choose to smoke weed, you must only do it in these little coffee shops. The Bulldog is a chain of cannabis coffee shops throughout Amsterdam, I must have seen about 20 over my stay. In the Red Light District, theres about 3 in a row- no photos from there because of obvious reasons (I hid my Canon in a shopping bag to avoid confiscation).  

I saw a bachelor party across the street- when you have a bachelor party in Holland, the groom must dress up as a girl. His friends saw me snapping a picture of the party across the street, and I came over to tell him he looked beautiful, and to take a picture. Here's me making his bride jealous (thankfully she wasn't there or I would've been in trouble).

A customised Magnum to celebrate their 25th anniversary- mine is topped with strawberry sugar, rose petals (actually tasty), pralines and white chocolate. For 4 euros, it was undeniably delicious.

The view opposite the Anne Frank house- which I did visit, and recommend highly. It makes the reality of World War II very real, and the museum raises the awareness of how wars effect people, and future generations.

In all its glory, Amsterdam would be nothing without its people- and as it is such a big city, it overflows in creative juices. Just like the heroin and cocaine salt and pepper shakers shown earlier on, there is a lot of genius and beautiful minds in the city.

I visited the Van Gogh Museum too- once again, I highly recommend it. The museum is very modern, and as you ascend from the bottom floor to the 3rd, Van Gogh's life goes on up until his death. I like how the museum is not just about Vincent, but about his friends, fellow artists, and even showcases a photo gallery, where the photographer sourced her inspiration from Van Gogh's work. My favourite Van Gogh's work is The Irises- I even bought an overpriced mug, with this painting on it.

I had a wonderful time in Amsterdam- even though I was very tired for a lot of it. It is a wonderful city- I hope to definitely come back and see even more of it, and maybe even live in an expensive townhouse along the canals one day, and owning a white motorcycle. In the meantime, I'm off to Lithuania shortly- no worries however, as I've got all of my blog posts scheduled, so stay tuned :)

Thank you so much for reading, and I hope you enjoyed browsing through my little glimpse of Amsterdam as much as I enjoyed photographing it :)

My Twitter- @gabysayshey

Gaby x

Mane n' Tail Original Shampoo+Conditioner Review

Having fine, not very thick hair and trying to grow it long, healthy and as thick as possible, can be a challenge. I have gone through many shampoos and conditioners ever since I started this quest- everything from L'Oreal to Lush, and to be quite honest, nothing has really worked. The products that were supposed to thicken out my hair (cough, L'Oreal Elvive's Fibreology) only weighed it down and made it oily after a day, and the products that were supposed to repair and moisturise my hair only damaged it further (Aussie's 3 Minute Miracle, I'm looking at you). I thought my hair was just, ahem, not great, and that it wasn't the products fault, I just had 'bad hair'. My hair however, isn't 'bad'- it's well past my shoulders, fine, silky and prone to oiliness- I just needed a shampoo and conditioner that would treat it well.

My hair dresser recommended I tried the Mane n' Tail products out, as she swore it made her hair grow, and thicken out. I was always a little sceptical of the quiet hype surrounding these products, but I decided to give them a go. I purchased the two bottles above, the original shampoo and conditioner. They're not the cheapest products in the world, with each bottle ranging from 7-10euros, but they're not the most expensive either.  I had high hopes for these products, and thankfully, they didn't dissapoint.

Firstly, they smell amazing. This isn't the one thing I look for in haircare products, but it really helps if they smell nice, as then your hair smells nice too. During the first few washes, my hair didn't lather, and I didn't notice anything remarkable, but once I had used the shampoo and the conditioner together a good few times (3 or more), I noticed a definite change in my hair. My hair feels and looks so much more thicker, voluminous and it has much more body to it now than it did before. Normally, I wouldn't wear my hair down, as it went all stringy and oily- however now, I wear it down all the time, and no matter how many times I fiddle with it, it stays soft, fluffy, and looks great.

As regards to the whole promise of Mane n' Tail products making your hair grow long and thick fast, I completely agree. My hair has been growing much more quickly, and it grew about 3-4cm since I first started using these (late April). I will say that Mane n' Tail products are best suited for people with oily hair- before, my hair wouldn't make it to the third day as it was so oily, as now, I can definitely go to the third day and even the fourth. There is products for dry and damaged hair in this range too, however if your hair is super dry, Mane n' Tail products wouldn't be for you.

The only fault I have with these products is that they make my hair fall out- sounds very scary, but as my hair grows longer, it does tend to fall out (when my hair was waist length, I had a lot of hair loss). This could be either due to the shampoo and the conditioner or it may be just how my hair works- however after I used up the above shampoo,  I went out and got the Gentle Replenishing version, and the hair loss decreased.

If you want to give Mane n' Tail a go, I would definitely recommend you do. You may want to get the travel sized products first, just to see if they suit your hair, as paying 9e for products that end up not working is a waste. I'm going to stick to Mane n' Tail for a while, as they're the only products that have made my hair look good as I've been growing it. 

Overall, I'm giving the Mane n' Tail original shampoo and conditioner an 8.5/10. The hair loss was a little worrying, but as I said, I changed the shampoo to a gentler version and this stopped. If you're growing your hair, or long for thicker hair, or even if your hair is prone to oiliness- I recommend Mane n' Tail, as you won't be dissapointed!

Thank you for reading! :)

****Update 30/10/14****

I no longer use this shampoo as even after trying different editions, it made my hair loss increase, up to the point where I was losing an unnatural amount of hair. I don't reccomend this shampoo unless you have very thick hair that you want to gradually thin down.

My Twitter- @gabysayshey

Gaby x

10 Films You Need To See

Hello again to all my sweeties, today I am back with a blogpost, discussing the 10 films you absolutely need to see, if you haven't already. These are my top 10 favourite films, and it was reaaally hard to narrow it down, and there's still some I wanted to cram in and change it to 15 films, (Read: include Lana Del Rey's Tropico and Black Swan), but I've stuck to 10. Very few of them are comedy or soppy romance films, however I feel they are all worth a watch with a bowl of buttery popcorn and a soft couch.  These films are amazing- both cinematically and plot-wise, so grab a cup of tea and a biscuit as I ramble on about them. Then, when the time comes, actually watch them, and hopefully fall in love with them, just like I have. Hope you enjoy! 

The Perks of Being a Wallflower

The ultimate 'hipster' film, whoever has watched this knows that it's far from it- it may be brilliantly indie in a lot of ways, and all is done with a vintage, realistic vibe. This is Stephen Chbosky at his finest- writing a novel, then directing a film based on his novel, and rightfully so. No one could have pulled this film off better- it is quietly brilliant, cheesy quotes and all. The plot is a cliche- teenage boy starting high school, friendless and lost. Charlie, with a history of mental illness, is not ordinary- and this movie is far from it too. With brilliant characters, a clever storyline, beautifully edited and angled shots, The Perks of Being a Wallflower is a must-see movie, especially for young adults.

Tick Where It Hurts

Ever since Stray Dog, Bertie Gilbert's first short film was released, Bertie hasn't stopped in single-handedly putting together two more films, only with the help of a small crew, all ideas being his own. Tick is extremely clever and well filmed- the plot is strong and engaging, the camera angles and lightening is beautiful and well thought out, with hidden messeges in the film, exploring different elements and adding a sense of brilliance to the film. I love Tick and how the more often you watch it, the more hidden touches you discover. Tick is only 20mins long, and available on Bertie's channel. 

Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind

This has to be the most clever movie I've seen since Shutter Island- it has the most clever plot twist in the end, and once again, is really well shot, scripted and edited. I love how it takes a turn and leads the viewer to be a little puzzled and wondering, but lets you figure out the turn of events yourself. That is an element a lot of films lack- innovation and mind play. Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind is an another brilliant film- starring Jim Carrey, however not in his usual comical role. Jim is a gifted actor, whether the film is a comedy or not, like this one. Kate Winslet stars as Clementine, with her blue hair and her wit, the opposite to Jim Carrey. A very under rated film, this is excellent and a must-see.

Now is Good

Every once in a while, Channel 4 gathers its best British young actors and puts together a film- like Now is Good. Now is Good is based on a book, and I am a little annoyed they didn't use the original title- Before I Die- but it's probably to attract a wider audience. I've read the book, and I did like it- but I loved the movie. I've watched it probably about 7 times now, I love the brilliant recognizable British faces (anyone remember Effy? She's in this), and the discovery of Kaya Scodelario from this is what led me to watch Skins. I cry lots at the end, every time- it is a very pretty, well shot film, with phrases that tug your heartstrings and scenes that add a taste of poignancy. Definitely watch this- and bring tissues. 

Calvary

Calvary has to be the first proper Irish-made film I've seen, featuring well-known Irish actors (Chris O'Dowd) and even Irish settings (Sligo and Dublin). I saw Calvary in the cinema, and with a PG 15+ rating, it contains some strong scenes, but nothing too awful. I love how almost controversial this film is- it features elements from Irish history and reputation that aren't the prettiest, however they are spun together in the best ways. Again, I'm a sucker for beautiful films- and this is no exception, with gorgeous shots of the Irish nature, and in general, it is filmed extremely well. Give this film a go if you know a thing or two about Irish history in the 20th century, and you will definitely enjoy it.

We Need To Talk About Kevin

I think I mentioned this in an another blog post, but I do strongly recommend you watch it. It will make you uncomfortable in the best ways possible, but nonetheless it is an excellent film. It may get a little tedious, so it is best suited for older viewers. Once again, the shots are beautiful, with raw emotions in each and every scene. This will definitely stay in your memory if you watch it, so take in every scene. The film is a tale of a mother's voes, but it is a remarkable movie.

127 Hours

You would have to live under a rock to not hear about this film, the baffling true story of a mountain-climber who, on one of his adventures, accidentally trapped his arm under a rock. With very little food, 100ml of water and a camcorder, his battle for survival begins- and this movie is an outstanding adaptation of the nightmare he went through in 3 days. James Franco even looks like the original mountain climber, adding a very real feel to the film. The shots, the editing, the scenes and the hallucinations the climber went through are expressed beautifully in this film. Yes, you may need tissues for this- but you will feel very lucky to be alive afterwards.

One Day

A very underrated film. When released, it was met with very harsh reviews, saying that the book was a lot better and the film adaptation was very poor, as it left a lot of parts out. This movie began my uncanny obsession with indie and beautifully built films. I saw the movie, loved it, read the book, loved it. Anne Hathaway is, as usual, unbelievable in this- she remains probably my favourite actress of all time, with the exclusion of her role in Alice in Wonderland (cringy, if anything). The concept of this film is very clever, the plot is very well thought out, and I love how the scenes transition form 1988- 2011, so there's no 'boring bits'. This is not a chick flick at all- it is a love story, and a brilliant one at that. Watch the movie, read the book- both are golden.

The Hunger Games Saga

Not to be your typical fangirl, but I love the Hunger Games to absolute pieces- I love the storyline, I love how innovative and creative the storylines are, and I love how the entire series is restricted to 3 parts- admittedly, some parts of Catching Fire are similar to the first movie, but each and every part is very clever, exciting, incredibly captivating and even poigant. The visual effects are a little dissapointing, but the Jennifer Lawrence-ness and the beaaautyy of Gale incorporate drama elements to the films- the performances are definitely noteworthy, as there is a lot of famous, gifted actors- however the shots are quite disappointing.  Nevertheless, this saga is excellent- highly worth a watch.

Submarine


Another British modern classic, thanks to Channel 4 and their casting abilities. Craig Roberts is a genius- being only 23 years old, he has over 10 years of experience in filmography, and being unbelievably talented doesn't hurt. Jordan Murphy (Chops in My Mad Fat Diary) also makes an appearance, and Yasmin Page stars alongside Roberts as Jordanna, all gifted, natural actors. I love the indie atmosphere in this film, the vintage feel is extremely effective and gives a very unique feel to the movie. It explores the life of teenager Oliver Tate, all in the backgroud of the album Alex Turner wrote, exclusively for Submarine. Directed by Richard Ayoade, the star of The IT Crowd, it is an excellent, true British film- one I could watch over and over. 

Thanks for reading! What are some of your all time favourite films?
My Twitter- @gabysayshey



Gaby x