The Lion King 2019 Review

Like many 90s born kids, one of my favourite ever films growing up was the Lion King. It was one of our most over-played and excessively worn VHS tapes alongside Matilda and The Jungle Book. It tugged on everyone's heartstrings and gave us some of our best loved Disney characters and soundtracks, soundtracks that we knew every single word to and still do. The 1994 version was undoubtedly a classic that has stood the test of time. And so, like many, I was initially apprehensive about a re-make, particularly when the sequels and go-between films weren't particularly memorable. 

However, Disney have upped the ante where re-makes are concerned in recent years and have already given some of our much-loved classics a revamp, successfully. Alice in Wonderland for one, seemed to garner massive popularity and although it's subjective and a matter of personal preference, I am a big fan of their other re-makes such as The Jungle Book, Beauty and the Beast, Aladdin and although not explicitly a re-make, Mary Poppins Returns. All of these were my childhood favourites and so that provides a fair assessment of their standing.

Obviously Disney have been at the height of discussion recently after having cast for their Little Mermaid remake (on which I currently have no opinion and shall reserve judgement until having seen it) but all of the above films had also been widely discussed and scrutinised before their release. And honestly, whilst it's quite easy to get deep and analytical about Disney movies, these films still provide such entertainment and pleasure for audiences. So, with all that in mind, off I popped to see the Lion King 2019 re-make.

The usual jubilation surged as the castle intro began and the sparkly logo appeared and straight after, just like the original, the Circle of Life began. This opening straight away seemed identical to the 1994 version and then on in, much of the film was too. Which in one respect is brilliant because if too much had altered, it really would have faced scrutiny and it would lose the nostalgic aspect which is what we all buy into in the first place. I think the photo-realistic technology is fascinating, much like when I watched Jungle Book, also directed by Jon Favreau, I was in awe of that. But whilst it is fascinating, there were points about it that I disliked, which I'll touch on later.

From a casting point of view, I think it was good and I think the voices fit perfectly with the characters and particularly loved that James Earl Jones reprised his role. I think Seth Rogen and Billy Eichner did Timon and Pumbaa really well also and provided some of the personality we know and love from the first. I was also happy that all the well-known songs were included. But, I wasn't really a fan of the alteration of Be Prepared which was one of my faves from the original but, you win some, you lose some.

One thing I thought about after having watched it was that the characters possibly had less character this time round. This could purely be because we have the original so well-etched into our minds but I think that the photo-realistic imaging, whilst fascinating, takes that over-exaggerated caricature element away and so makes the characters much less expressive.  I also think some of the cast of the original were just so perfect for those characters such as Nathan Lane, Whoopi Goldberg, Jeremy Irons and Rowan Atkinson. For those reasons, I think it lacked some of what the original had, but at the same time it's rarely known that a re-make would be better than the original anyway.

Overall, the 2019 Lion King satisfied a deeply nostalgic itch and provided positives and negatives, which are hard to put into perspective when the original is so iconic and moulded into our brains. It's definitely worth a watch if you're a fan but as most would predict, nothing will ever beat the 90s version. 

Why the Spice Girls Were the Idols of a Generation

With the long awaited and much anticipated Spice World reunion kicking off last Friday in Croke Park, Dublin, Spicemania is once again building and the world is once again twitching at the curtains to watch their every move. 

But just why is it that a generation idolised these 5 world-dominating females in the mid 90s and even to this day?

As a female born in 1991, I was understandably a massive fan of the Spice Girls and really, they were the first thing that I ever considered myself a fan of. 

Now, I was only 5/6 years old when they came on the scene and whilst hardly any of the lyrics would make sense to a child of that age, for me, it was all about what they symbolised. They symbolised a strong, fun group of females who had each others' backs invariably. They symbolised the fact that 5 girls who have totally different vibes, different interests and different styles could be the very best of friends. They symbolised the fact that people could be unique, true to themselves and regardless of that, could absolutely conquer the world in whatever it was that they set their mind to. 

And that vibe was something that, I'm sure, carried itself through the fandom. When I think back to being that 5/6 year old in primary school, I reminisce about the fact that myself and several other girls would 'play Spice Girls' during play-time, decide who was going to be who and then spend the remaining 15/20 minutes in a circle re-enacting Wannabe or Stop. This became a daily thing and before we knew it, every morning and afternoon break was spent playing 'pop-group'. To the point where teachers were noticing it and the other kids too. As we got older, those girls and I would drift and fall into different friendship groups, take different paths and therefore become somewhat disassociated with each other. But thinking back to that time on the playgrounds of our primary, there were no cliques, no popularity contests, no pre-occupation with image or reputation, albeit the odd heated debate over who got to be Baby that day but overall just several young girls having such fun, with such innocence and simplicity and just coming together over a mutual love for their idols.

Growing up, you start to realise that those symbolisations were very much at the heart of what Spice Girls were about, regardless of the demographic of their fans. Of course, Spicemania surged internationally and manifested itself on the shelves of shops, on radio stations and on TV channels across the world. Girl Power became their catchphrase and with the Union Jack dress and the platforms, they became iconic. SpiceWorld, One Hour of Girl Power and the Pepsi, Walkers and Cadbury campaigns - they were quite simply, everywhere. 

For that reason, many will question the phenomenon from the point of view of consumerism, feminism and the overall role model debate. But at face value, these ladies and their mantra of Girl Power, allowed young women in particular to grow up amidst a wave of female empowerment, total celebration of diversity in personality, a desire to support and encourage other girls and allowed them to watch five women from entirely different backgrounds completely dominate the 90s and take control of their own legacy and success. In my book, that can only be a bloody magnificent thing, especially given that previously, periods like this had been few and far between.

When Geri left in 1998, it immediately threw those ideologies of support, encouragement and loyalty into disarray. Hence why it was such a big deal, both to fans and amongst the group. Only on reflection does it make total sense as to why this happened. These were 5 totally different people, who spent every second of everyday with each other, in a massive pressure cooker with no time to reflect and recuperate and the eyes of the world constantly watching and judging. Whilst it took a while to heal, the reunion in 2008 proved that no matter the circumstance, these ladies were those kind of people who can be away from each other for a substantial period of time but once reunited, would be right back in that moment. I never had the opportunity to go to this reunion tour which was a shame as it was all 5, back in their full glory. But thankfully, the 2019 reunion, although just a four piece, has gone to colossal heights and this time round, that little girl who remembers the days of 'playing Spice Girls' in the primary playground will get the chance to see those she idolised.

So to answer the question, why were the Spice Girls the idols of a generation?

They were the idols of a generation because they helped to spread the message that you can be real and just 100% unapologetically yourself and it doesn't matter if that is entirely different from the person standing next to you. 

They helped to spread the message that girls can do anything they set their minds to, even if the societal landscape at the time might suggest otherwise. 

They helped to spread the message that even if you are entirely different from the friend standing next to you, that we should still encourage, support and empower each other wholeheartedly. 

They helped spread the message that you can do anything when you have faith in yourself and have a damn good network of support around you. 

Mel B once said that she feels incredibly powerful when she's in the company of the other four girls and that is something that resonates with me, as I'm sure it does with many of their other fans. I have groups of friends who are like family and who I instantly feel comfortable, powerful and supported in the presence of too.

Be around people who make you feel that important and powerful, who help you believe in yourself and spread positivity.

And let's all be those people too, because the Spice Girls taught us so.

Liked this post? Check out Britannia Rules the (Radio) Waves, another one of my posts centred around the music and pop culture that shaped me.

How 90s TV Characters Subconsciously Shaped My Wardrobe

Growing up, we experiment with our identity and appearance constantly, channelling a range of subcultures and buying into every fad and trend that crosses our path until we eventually find what suits us best. When I think about the photographs I've seen from my childhood, there are clearly phases and I've tried it all. Tomboy, glam, emo, chav, you name it, the subcultures came and went and whatever era you grew up in, the same would've applied. With each passing craze, you take the bits that you like and start to build your own style and own look.

At 27, I'd like to think that where I am now is a true reflection of what I like and what suits me. And reflecting on the earliest of the childhood photos, it seems I'm kind of back right where I started. Toddler Terri would always don pinafores, plaid checks, big t-shirts, frilly socks and dungarees and I'm not ashamed to say that twenty-something Terri absolutely still does all of the above. But as a regular Urban Outfitters buyer, I find myself looking for nostalgic, vintage vibes in all that I buy and recently, whilst watching TV re-runs, it became apparent just who might've been responsible for subconsciously embedding the styles I love into my current wardrobe.

I mean, one of these ladies had THE most wanted hairstyle of the 90s so it's completely understandable that these three would influence a generation. Despite being only 3 years old when Friends first hit screens, I tapped into as I grew up and like most people, still find myself watching the re-runs now. The only difference being, style savvy, adult me has a new found appreciation for the outfits that Rachel, Monica and Phoebe rocked in the earliest seasons. Every time seasons 1 - 3 are on TV, I am desperately longing to have the pinafores, the crops, the sweaters, the patterned maxis and tea dresses, the jewellery and the layering techniques that these three had.

The queen of the clashing print. Clarissa Darling, played by Melissa Joan Hart in Clarissa Explains It All was easily one of the coolest females to grace my screen growing up. I loved her bedroom, her sarcasm in each little monologue, I totally fancied her next door neighbour and wanted her hair and wardrobe all for myself. Her outfits were so outrageously 90s with big bold colours and patterns but in grungey, slouchy fits and my goodness, she loved a scrunchie. Whilst both Clarissa and Melissa's later role, Sabrina, were my youth idols, Clarissa Darling definitely had the upper hand in the style stakes.

The dry, witty, often shy Brit who kept the 3 Crane men in tow on a daily basis. Daphne Moon of Frasier fame was relatable in more ways than one but her style was made up of the prettiest patterned dresses, statement skirts teamed with cardigans and slouchy blouses all in the most graceful, flattering fits. Her layered hair, often in an up-do with effortless fringe was very much of the decade, as were her accessories.

And let's not forget the fact that quite a lot of my viewing during the 90s was in fact animated and the cartoons of the decade certainly were not without their quirky bad-ass females. Spinelli (Recess), Daria, Jane (Daria) and Debbie (The Wild Thornberries) were three that I loved and three that I think are probably now responsible for my subconscious love of boots, over-sized shirts & jackets, plaid and baggy/ripped jeans. Probably also responsible for my sarcastic, pessimistic and slightly passive aggressive nature but this was the decade of irony and girl power so I'm owning it!

Recent purchases and bargain buys

Payday showed its beautiful face last week and in my book, that means only one thing - shopping!

I headed off to town with one of my best friends and fellow shopaholic, Jade and spent far too much money on clothes as per usual.

Unfortunately it wasn't a successful shopping trip for me because I made the rookie error of not trying things on before buying them and therefore got home to find nothing fit me! However, after a second trip and a few exchanges, I now have a few new purchases that I am super happy with!

My absolute favourite buy has to be these Leigh Super Soft Skinny Jeans from Topshop. I never really shop in Topshop, because I feel that it's one of the more expensive high street fashion retailers and I rarely have any money so I tend to steer clear. That's not to say I don't love their clothes, I've never had any problems with anything I have bought from there, I just can't afford to do it very often! However, we headed in for a browse and ended up picking up a whole host of jeans to try on in the fitting rooms.

Generally I have issues with jeans, because I can never find any that fit me soundly. I am quite a slim person, and during my adolescence, the only shape I had was that of a stick. I had no shape and was incredibly thin for years, but then all of a sudden I finally gained hips and am now still a slim person, only with an abnormally large derrierè. For this reason I struggle with jeans and the only place I've found that sell jeans which do fit me nicely is, H&M. But, since we had plenty of time, I thought I'd grab a few different styles in Topshop and see which ones did me favours and which ones didn't.

Of all the styles I tried, I found that the best were the Leigh range. The pair I tried on were incredibly comfortable, looked good, fit me well and left me plenty of room to eat as much as I would in a pair of leggings and not feel like I'd been cut in half. With this in mind, I scouted round the shop for other styles in the same range and came across this pair, which I am in love with. I have worn them to death this last week and can safely say that even though they were about £34 with student discount, they are definitely one of my soundest investments.

To go with my new b-e-a-utiful jeans, I picked up two cami style tops from H&M. The one on the left is probably my favourite, it has a beautiful floral pattern and has buttons up the front and a racer style back. I'm not massive on floral but I love the print on this. The second one, on the right is very me. It is a simple cami with a black and white chevron style print and I love it. I love this style of vest at the minute and they look great with a good pair of jeans. I think both of these were around £9.99 in H&M.

Keeping with H&M, on my first shopping trip I bought this dress in a size 8 because although I am usually a 10 or 12, this style of smock dress is a bigger fit and since there were no other sizes, I thought I'd see if I could get away with an 8. This did not happen, I got stuck in the dress. I was gutted, I'd fallen in love with the boho paisley print and style of this dress and when I realised I couldn't even get my arms through it, I could've wept. I headed back to H&M yesterday to exchange the dress and could've wept again because out of nowhere, there was now a 14. Even though it wasn't a 10 or 12, I needed to own this dress, so I tried the 14 on in the fitting rooms and beamed from ear to ear to find it fit almost perfectly. I am so happy about this and can't wait to wear it. I love smock dresses and now I am on the look out for more in the same style. This dress was £14.99 and well worth it.

Another recent purchase I am obsessed with are these flat velvet chelsea boots from ASOS. I am severely lacking in decent shoes and all I ever wear are Converse or Vans and therefore was in dire need of something I could wear with all the pretty dresses I seem to be acquiring lately. I did have a pair of creepers which doubled as ankle boots as my go to dressy shoe, but they are starting to fail me and need replacing. I started looking online for something similar, something cool but dressy, and actually came across a few styles that I liked, but these ASOS boots came out on top. They were £35 and another solid investment, allowing me to ditch my scruffy sneaks in favour of something a little more prim and proper. (But not too much, it is me we're talking about...!)

Last but by no means least on my list of recent purchases: Scrunchies. Yes they're back in fashion, yes they cost twice as much as they did in the 90s and yes everyone and their mum are wearing them, but I don't care, I'm all over this! I seem to be hoarding scrunchies since I jumped back on the bandwagon and have acquired quite a collection. They are so much more comfier than a regular hair elastic and don't rip my head apart when I've had them in all day for work. Pretty and practical, that's what we like. Here are a few of the ones I've bought recently. Coloured, tartan, velvet, you name it, I'll buy it!

And those are all my recent bargains and buys, I love this type of post so feel free to link me your own recent hauls!