Tessa D'Alfonso

Photo by Mick Reynolds

Call Me by Your Name (2017), directed by Luca Guadagnino, is a beautifully crafted piece of cinema. The film’s glorious cinematography, transportive musical score, profound screenplay and strong performances set the story of a budding romance apart from all others.

A couple of months ago as I was going through my Ben Barnes obsession, I stumbled across one of his films, Dorian Gray (2009). I discovered that it was one of the many film adaptations of the classic novel The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde. Naturally, a week later I had it sitting on my bedside table with a bookmark lodged between the pages.

Marilyn Monroe, born Norma Jeane Mortenson, is one of the world's biggest stars. Known for her roles as a 'dumb blonde,' Monroe was treated as an object in Hollywood's Golden Age. Her difficult upbringing and fractured relationships fed her depression and anxiety, which led to her premature death at the age of 36. Throughout her career, she hinted at her struggle in playing the role of 'Marilyn Monroe.'

I've never been much for romantic comedies. I find them predictable and—whilst they can be entertaining—many are embarrassing (or, in modern terms: cringy). However, Bride Wars (Gary Winick, 2009) is one film where I find myself putting away my critical side (although, sometimes it creeps up on me).

Peter Jackson's 2005 King Kong remake of the 1933 original centers on seeking beauty and love in an ugly, unfair world. The narrative explores the damage of greed, and the different approaches to fear.