SmileyPies

I saw this movie this evening at a preview screening in Southampton knowing only 3 things: It was about weddings, all the scripts were improvised, and it contained one of my most hated people: Jimmy Carr. Fortunately though, I was pleasantly surprised. The film contained the cream of the British comedy crop - actors from Spaced, The Office, Peep Show, Green Wing etc etc, and was suitably hilarious. It follows three couples who are chosen to compete for the title of 'most original wedding' for Confetti magazine. The winner gets a half million pound house. Jessica Stevenson and Martin Freeman make for the nicest and most realistic couple in the film, and their wedding contains the most colourful characters.. notably Jessica's character Sam's sister, a dancer who tries to take over the wedding's choreography (their theme is old MGM musicals) to the couple's obvious annoyance. It was odd seeing the pairing of peep show's Jez and Sophie in the film, and i didn't know if i'd be able to shrug off the feeling that Mark would be getting jealous...the feeling passed. These two were brilliant playing the couple who had chosen a naturist wedding. The Green Wing's Stephen Mangan and Man Stroke Woman's Meredith MacNeill were also hilarious as the couple having a tennis themed wedding - along with a host of marital issues. The show-stealers in the film though had to be the wedding planners. Both gave mesmerising performances and were utterly fabulous. The film's dialogue was apparently improvised, and it shows in the realistic reactions of the characters, particularly these two. They alone were worth going to see the film for. Even if the rest had been terrible. Which it wasn't.

And finally...the true test of the film's greatness... I actually didn't hate Jimmy Carr in it. Wonderful. And also some kind of miracle...

The film's not out yet but i recommend anyone who gets the wonderful quirky British comedies of the last few years to seriously give this one a go when it's released. It's worth it.

Last year I went on a college trip to France, where I stayed (with a friend) with a French family. Every evening, the mother would sit down to do some cross-stitch, and the father sat down with us to watch TV. Only the ONLY thing they ever seemed to watch was On a tout essayé! Now usually I'm all for watching new things, being a media and film student, and I understood it ok, being a french student, but the fact is that the show *wasn't* funny, *wasn't* clever and i nearly ended up screaming on the last night when it reappeared on the TV one last time. I'm sure the french like it......or maybe it's a case of the family *not* liking us. Either way, they were quite happy to watch it. Maybe I missed something. Possibly it's just french humour that doesn't translate well to English. Rant over.

I saw Priscilla when it first came out, and, seeing as I'm only 17 now, I wasn't that old then. Thing is, despite my short stature and inability to be able to understand half the jokes (I'm sure!) I was mesmerised, and have never looked back. From the first time I saw it, Priscilla has been my favourite film of all time. I bought it on video as soon as it came out, and have seen it around 200 times (I'm not kidding or exaggerating) yet still I love it more than ever.

I love its mixture of camp humour and serious messages about the morals and mixed messages in our society. I love Bob. He rules! If only other men cared so little about anything but who you are on the inside.

I also love Adam, and the story about uncle Barry in the bath! hehehe. And I love the way he gets at Bernadette by calling her Ralph. The only thing I can say which annoys me in this film is the appauling acting by Mitsy's wife and son, who seem to think they are the new family in 'Neighbours' and the wife in particular opens her mouth so wide every time she speaks, I think she's going to eat me! But other than that, which is such a small proportion of the film, and does not distract in any way from its simple camp charm, this is an absolutely AMAZING film! I will continue watching it til the day I die! Peace out. Laura-Leigh (Smileypies)