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I'm Listening to: Josh Groban

 
I am a huge Josh Groban fan! I've got all of his albums and got to see him in concert at The O2, London, for my 21st birthday.

 
 
I have also always loved musicals. I love walking down the street through the centre of the West End, and when I went to New York there was nothing like walking down Broadway with a slice of cake from Magnolia Bakery.
 
So when I heard that Josh Groban was releasing an album full of songs from musicals I was so excited! 'Stages' is full of songs from my favourite shows, such as Les Mis, Phantom of the Opera, Into the Woods, and Chess.
 
Here is the track listing:
1. Pure Imagination - I'm not a massive fan of this 'Charlie and the Chocolate factory' number but Josh's version is beautiful.
2. What I Did For Love - This is my second favourite track on the album, it is just stunning.
3. Bring Him Home - 'Les Mis' is my favourite musical and this song is so iconic, and although I love this it's hard to beat Alfie Boe's version.
4. Le Temps Des Cathedrals - This is the only non-English track on the album and it is beautiful and I could just listen to it over and over.
5. All I Ask Of You (with Kelly Clarkson) - A stunning duet that made me want to see 'The Phantom of the Opera' again.
6. Try To Remember - I hadn't heard this song before but it's now one of my favourites.
7. Over The Rainbow - This is another song that I'm not a huge fan as it's overdone, but Josh still does it really well.
8. Children Will Listen/Not While I'm Around - This is fantastic, whoever thought to combine an 'Into the Woods' song with a 'Sweeney Todd' track is a genius.
9. You'll Never Walk Alone - I can't stand this song, and to me it's just a football song for Liverpool FC, so unfortunately this is one I skip past.
10. Old Devil Moon - I was so excited to hear this one and I wasn't disappointed, it's stunning.
11. Finishing The Hat - Now this song has that real Broadway vibe about it and is another song I listen to on repeat.
12. If I Loved You (with Audra McDonald) - This track from 'Carousel' is one of my favourites and this version with Audra is the best I've ever heard.
13. Anthem - This is my favourite song on the whole album, and one of the best songs ever written.
14. Gold Can Turn To Sand - This was another one that I hadn't heard before but it tells a brilliant story through the lyrics.
15. Empty Chairs At Empty Tables - Again, from my favourite musical 'Les Mis' this song gives me goosebumps.

There is also an album available at Target in the US with a couple of bonus tracks that I am yet to hear.

But I would recommend this CD to anyone who is a lover of musicals because Josh's beautiful voice makes the songs even better.

 
Have you heard the album yet? What do you think of it? Do you have a favourite track?
 

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Film Review: Avengers Age of Ultron

 
Anyone who knows me will know that I have been waiting for this movie since the moment the first collaboration film - Avengers Assemble - ended. I am a huge Marvel fan and there is never a single week that goes by where I don't watch at least one Marvel film.
 
So I made sure I was there this week for the UK opening night, in my favourite seat at my local cinema, with my popcorn in hand, and the knowledge that there would be no post-credit scene. Now, if you are a die-hard Marvel movie fan then you were probably just as disappointed as I was when I heard that this little traditional had been left out. There is still a mid-credit scene though so don't miss that, but don't waste your time sitting through fifteen minutes of credits just to be shown the words 'The Avengers will return', as if we didn't already know that!


 
 
In Avengers Assemble I loved the storyline and I especially loved the villain, Loki - played by Tom Hiddleston. I thought that no bad guy could be better than Loki but robot Ultron - voiced by James Spader - is certainly right up there with him now. I still wouldn't say I preferred him to Loki as I would consider myself a Loki fan, because I love the way he does everything. There is something about James Spader's voice that I just love, but then it's the same with Tom Hiddleston.
 
 
This film's storyline is a great one that flows really well and is packed full of action scenes. We also get to find out a bit more about Hawkeye/Clint Barton (Jeremy Renner) and Black Widow/Natasha Romanoff (Scarlett Johansson). I don't want to give too much away - although most of you probably know by now if you're a fan of these films - there is an element of romance also included.
 
We also get to meet two new characters who have powers. We first met the twins in a credit scene, if you sat through and watched it, but they become full characters in Age of Ultron as we witness their lightning speed and telekinesis. 
 
 
The film begins with an awesome battle in the search for Loki's sceptre (no more spoilers than that) which I loved as we got straight into some action. Some of the moves from Captain America (Chris Evans) and Thor (Chris Hemsworth) throughout this film were some of the best and most memorable - especially when they team up!
 
The other brilliant part of this movie is the humour. I don't think anything could make me laugh more than the Hulk and Loki scene in the first Avengers film where Hulk smashed Loki around like a rag doll, but there were some that came very close. Look out for a particular scene with newcomer Vision (Paul Bettany) - who you probably know is the voice of Tony Stark/Ironman's creation, Jarvis. The whole cinema erupted when the above scene came on.
 
 
I really don't want to give too much away as I want you all to go and see it if you haven't already. I'm actually going again on Tuesday with my Dad because he said "I'll let you see it and if it's any good I'll go with you another day." Seriously?! As if I was going to come home and say it was rubbish, Marvel had made a dud film, and I'd never watch that again! I came home and woke him up to tell him the complete opposite.
 
 
I think it's pretty obvious I loved this film, so clearly I am going to give it:
 
 
Were you as excited as me for this movie? Have you seen it? What did you think? Share your thoughts with me via Twitter, Instagram, or in the comments section below.
 
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Film Review: Cinderella

 
 
I totally forgot to post this a few weeks back when I went to see the new live action film, Disney's Cinderella, so although I saw it on opening night I'm only just putting it on here now. Oops!
 
 
Our cinema had one of Cinderella's glass slipper on display, as well as having a Cinderella-themed charity event the following day with lots of activities for the children seeing it on the Saturday.
 
Being a mega-Disney fan and Cinderella being my favourite I had to have a picture with it! Also, being the oddball that I am I wore my blue sparkly cardigan (which obviously had nothing on her stunning ball gown in the movie) and wore sparkly princess-inspired make-up, although you can't see it in the picture. Trust me, if I could have worn a tiara and not looked stupid I would have done!

 
 
I did, however, wear my own sparkly 'slippers' for mine and Clay's movie night. It was as close to being Cinderella as I was going to get.
 
 
Anyway, back to the film. In a brief comment: I loved it.
 
Kenneth Branagh is one of my favourite actors/directors. He directed one of my favourite Marvel films, Thor, and he was the best Henry V in Shakespeare's play I have ever seen (with Tom Hiddleston a close second).
 
The films motto of 'have courage and be kind' has really stuck with me.
 
 
Lily James (Cinderella) and Richard Madden (Kit, the Prince) were phenomenal. I couldn't imagine two people better suited to the roles. Cate Blanchett (Lady Tremaine) was also amazing, and even though you dislike the way she treats Ella you do feel sorry for her a bit at the end, because you can see she did what she did because she was desperate. It was just the wrong way about it, obviously!
 
 
It's clear that I plan to give this film a very high score because of how much I've praised everything so far. I honestly couldn't fault it.
 
My favourite scenes were when she had her dress transformed by the fairy godmother (the brilliant Helena Bonham Carter) because this is the iconic scene that everyone was waiting for, apart from the glass slipper scene at the end when it fits, and the ballroom scene when Cinderella walks in, the prince sees her, and they dance.
 
I am determined to learn their first dance, it's so beautiful.
 
 
Here are a few pictures of my fairytale favourites, Lily James and Richard Madden.
 
 
So I think it would be obvious to say that I loved this movie. It told the classic tale in a way that still had you wondering what would happen next. I got that same feeling as when I first watched the Disney original back when I was a child.
 
I would score this film:
 

 
 
If you haven't seen this film yet get yourself down to the cinema as soon as you can!
 
 
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Throwback Thursday: My Trip to NYC

So it's 'Throwback Thursday' as some people like to call it, so I thought I would give you a post for it.
 
I'm sharing some photographs from my trip to New York City back in June 2013, where my now-fiancé Clay proposed.
 
We stayed at the Jolly Madison Towers Hotel in Manhattan on Madison avenue, which is right next to Fifth Avenue.

The first place we went was for a walk in Central Park. I didn't realise they had turtles that live in the lake area of the park. They were so cute!

This is me in front of Bow Bridge, which is just beautiful. It's like something out of a fairy-tale.

When we stopped for a while on a bench... Clay proposed! It was so beautiful, overlooking the lake and The Terrace (which has a marquee set up on it for a charity event)

The next day we went up the Empire State Building. You could see the whole city from up there!

We went to Madame Tussauds, and I got to be the President of the United States for just a moment. I even got a security guard!

Then (in Madame Tussauds still, obviously) I met Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin

Then, in my favourite section of Madame Tussauds, I got to take a picture with Ironman!

I held a shield with Captain America (I wouldn't stand a chance!)

My favourite Marvel superhero, Thor!

I wasn't afraid of the (waxwork) Hulk... I actually didn't stand here for very long!

We walked through Times Square early that first evening and had pizza and ice cream!

The next day we took the New York Water Taxi out to see some more sights. We went past Ellis Island and The Statue of Liberty but because of the previous hurricane's damage nobody could get off and go inside.

We got off at the site of the old World Trade Center's and went to the memorial, which was stunning. It was amazing how quiet it is in there being next to a main road. We just moved around and read as many names as we could and said a little prayer for them. They also had the 'survivor tree' which stood throughout the 9/11 attacks and was placed in the memorial site.

After visiting the WTC memorial (and seeing the new building) we hopped on board the Water Taxi again and went to Brooklyn, and walked across Brooklyn Bridge. It was unbelievably hot to walk across there in what was one of the hottest days I have ever experienced, anywhere!

The following day we went down to the Yankee Stadium for Old-Timer's Day, where the old famous baseball players come back for a short game, before the real game against the Tampa Bay Rays.

Our view of the baseball field from our seats! We actually came back the following day for a tour of the whole stadium too.

During the break between the Old-Timer's match and the real game. We had a true American game-day lunch of Southern-fried chicken, fries and the biggest Diet Coke you ever did see!

How big is that cup?! And a Yankees game isn't complete without a foam finger!

On our last day, we got ourselves a coffee from one of the thousands of Starbucks in the city and had breakfast 'outside' Tiffany's... It's as close as we could get to Breakfast at Tiffany's.

Here I am on my favourite spot in Central Park (apart from the bench Clay proposed on). It's The Terrace, where they filmed one of the final scenes from my favourite film Avengers Assemble.

Here is Thor, Loki, Steve Rogers (Captain America), and Tony Stark (Ironman) on the exact spot!

Here we are again. I was so sad to be leaving NYC!

Here is Joss Whedon (director, far left), Chris Hemsworth (Thor), Tom Hiddleston (Loki), and Jeremy Renner (Hawkeye) on The Terrace again.

And finally we went back through the park one last time to see 'our bench' before heading to do some last-minute shopping before heading back to JFK Airport.
 
It was a truly amazing trip. Have you ever been to New York? Share your favourite parts of your trip and the best places you went with me on Twitter, or in the comments below.
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