Is this about the Avengers? Which I know nothing about.

Date: Sunday 31st March
Film: Avengers Assemble (2012)
Director: Joss Whedon
Starring: Robert Downey Jr., Tom Hiddleston, Scarlett Johansson and Chris Hemsworth
Running time: 02 hours, 23 minutes
Rating: 10/10

Easter Sunday and I find myself indulging in a little brother-sister bonding, lazing on my Mum's sofa watching a film we, apparently, both adore. I've gushed about this movie before, and with every viewing I find myself smiling along.

Plus, it's nice to have a conversation about how dull Captain America is with the one person you'd least expect to be discussing superheroes with.

Challenge day: 186
Challenge time: 12 days, 05 hours, 47 minutes
Challenge film total: 150

Harry is the best hope we have. Trust him.

Date: Saturday 30th March
Film: Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1 (2010)
Director: David Yates
Starring: Daniel Radcliffe, Rupert Grint and Emma Watson
Running time: 02 hours, 26 minutes
Rating: 10/10

Film: Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2 (2011)
Director: David Yates
Starring: Daniel Radcliffe, Rupert Grint and Emma Watson
Running time: 02 hours, 18 minutes
Rating: 10/10

Back from visiting the Harry Potter Studio tour, the Luce and I, full of Butterbeer, settled down on the sofa to double bill the final, and best, two of the Harry Potter series.

This is where it all comes to an end, there is action, emotion, growth, tragedy and romance. Having watched the cast grow and mature, it's great to feel a sense of completion with their stories.

The only fault I can find with these films is the terrible epilogue to finish the entire series off. This is through no fault of the filmmakers, I found this cringe-inducing to read so seeing it brought to life on screen wasn't going to change my feelings all that much.

Challenge day: 185
Challenge time: 11 days, 23 hours, 32 minutes
Challenge film total: 147

I like this ship! You know, it's exciting!

Date: Monday 18th March
Film: Star Trek (2009)
Director: J. J. Abrams
Starring: Chris Pine, Zachary Quinto, Karl Urban and Simon Pegg
Running time: 02 hours, 02 minutes
Rating: 10/10

I can watch this film a trillion times and I still find it ridiculously exciting so when the flatmate told me his plan for the evening was to settle on the sofa and watch it, I did a little jig of glee.

I've said everything I have to say on this before. It's wonderful, it makes me happy. Watch it. Now.

Challenge day: 174
Challenge time: 11 days, 02 hours, 12 minutes
Challenge film total: 137

Somebody's coming up. Somebody serious.

Sunday 10th March

Sunday night and time for a spot of Sunday Night Film Club. Up first, a film we had planned to watch once before...

Film: Wild Bill (2011)
Director: Dexter Fletcher
Starring: Charlie Creed-Miles, Will Poulter and Sammy Williams
Running Time: 01 hour, 38 minutes
Rating: 8/10

Honestly, I don't know why we put it off. Wild Bill is a great little British film, the storyline is strong, the acting is brilliant and the views of East London are stunning.

A story of loyalty, redemption and love. This is worth seeing if you get the chance.

Film: Leon Director's Cut (1994)
Director: Luc Besson
Starring: Jean Reno, Natalie Portman and Gary Oldman
Running Time: 02 hours, 16 minutes
Rating: 10/10

Up next, a movie we both adore. Considering it is close to 20 years old, this film doesn't seem to have aged - Natalie Portman definitely hasn't aged, She's just grown taller - Leon is a wonderful film about finding someone to care for in the most unusual circumstances, how far you will go for that person and how friendship can help you mould a future from an unpleasant upbringing.

Yes, it is about a hit-man, a young girl, corrupt cops, drugs, and violence but, most importantly, it's about love.

Challenge day: 166
Challenge time: 10 days, 09 hours, 29 minutes
Challenge film total: 129

Much better than hanging around here with you dorks.

Date: Saturday 9th March

Saturday night, Wales is visiting, the BFF is in town and, for the first time in a long time, I am spending quality time with both the best friends. Whilst London is a big old place, and there are plenty of things we could be doing with our Saturday evening, we know what we like, and it's been a while since we had a chance to do this.

After a quick adventure out of the house to get some food, we were back on the sofa and in our pyjamas for a night of trashy movies. Up first, one of our favourites...

Film Empire Records Remix! Special Fan Edition (1995)
Director: Allan Moyle
Starring: Rory Cochrane, Liv Tyler and Renee Zellweger
Running Time: 1 hour 47 minutes
Rating 10/10

I've written about this film before, and anyone who knows me, knows how much I adore this. I've seen it more times than is ever necessary and always enjoy it. This was no exception.

As we were watching the DVD, it had all the extra bits I love (and, I'll be honest, miss a little bit when they don't show up in theatrical screenings) and watching it with the one person that probably has seen it as often I have was a real treat. We may have spent the majority of the evening quoting the upcoming scenes.

As always, this is a film that never lets me down.

Film: Grease (1978)
Director: Randal Kleiser
Starring: John Travolta, Olivia Newton-John and Stockard Channing
Running Time: 01 hour, 50 minutes
Rating: 8/10

Another classic film of our youth and one I hadn't seen in a while. If you don't know Grease, you've been living under a rock.

We might have sung, we didn't dance, none of us under went a dramatic make over (although we did all paint our nails).

All in all, a near perfect way to spend an evening with my favourite people.

Challenge day: 165
Challenge Time: 10 days, 03 hours, 48 minutes
Challenge film total: 126

I don't sit in while you're running it down. I don't carry a gun. I drive.

Date: Sunday 24th February
Film: Drive (2011)
Director: Nicholas Winding Refn
Starring: Ryan Gosling, Carey Mulligan and Bryan Cranston
Running Time: 01 hour, 40 minutes
Rating: 10/10

Brutal violence, underground crime organisations, fast cars, Ryan Gosling and Christina Hendricks. Drive is a list of things I love in cinema. The exquisitely told story of a mysterious man (we never learn his name), who is hired to drive, the one thing he does well, and after a liaison with his neighbour, and an interaction with her ex-con husband, ends up mixed up with a criminal gang and things go downhill from there.

Drive is intense. From beginning to end. In the doomed love affair, in the violence, in the car scenes. It's this intensity that, in my eyes, makes it such a great film.

One of, in my opinion, the best films to come out in the last few of years. I have so much love for Drive.

Challenge day: 153
Challenge time: 09 days, 15 hours, 02 minutes
Challenge film total: 119

Listen, why don't you relax. Why don't you take a pill, bake a cake, go read the encyclopedia.

Date: Tuesday 19th February
Film: Moon (2009)
Director: Duncan Jones
Starring: Sam Rockwell and Kevin Spacey
Running Time: 01 hour 37 minutes
Rating: 10/10

So many people have told me I will adore this film. It's set in space, it stars Sam Rockwell, it's basically right up my street. I'm not sure why it's taken me so long to get round to watching it. I missed out on watching Moon's BBC preview at the end of last year, but I knew that the first time I watched this, I wanted to look back over some of the director and production team's tweets I caught that night. A quick query in the twittersphere and I was helpfully pointed to a Storify of  all the fun stuff. 

Pillows plumped up, laptop in hand and I was ready to go.

Within five minutes I was so involved in the film I forget that the tweets were there. It says an awful lot for Sam Rockwell's talent that he can command your attention throughout a film where his main interactions are with a computer (voiced by Kevin Spacey) and himself.

It's hard to describe Moon,  not without giving things away. If you haven't seen it, seek it out. This is a wonderful piece of film-making.

Challenge day: 147
Challenge time: 09 days, 09 hours, 51 minutes
Challenge film total: 116

They're the dance people. They're here to keep the, uh, guests happy.

Date: Saturday 9th February
Film: Dirty Dancing (1987)
Director: Emile Ardolino
Starring: Patrick Swayze, Jennifer Grey and Jerry Orbach
Running time: 01 hour, 40 minutes
Rating: 10/10

I have seen this film more times than I can count. I can't explain why I love it so much, most memories of my childhood are of me, the sister and the not quite sister waltzing around the house in our nighties, on our tiptoes, channelling Baby.

For the longest time, the majority of the plot was lost on me. I knew Penny got knocked up by Robbie the creep, I just didn't know what knocked up was. I knew that it was bad for Baby to be in Johnny's room all night, I just didn't know why. All I knew was that I needed to find a man that could wear a mullet and a leather jacket, move his hips to the rhythm and sweep me off my feet, possibly in a lake.

Dirty Dancing is my feel good film. One of my go to happy places. A film that I will always watch if it is on the telly, a DVD I will dig out any chance I get.

It may not be the greatest film ever made, but to me it is perfection.

Just don't call it a musical.

Challenge day: 137
Challenge time: 08 days, 22 hours, 25 minutes
Challenge film total: 110

You put those people together, you can't expect what's going to happen.

Date: Friday 28th December
Film: Avengers Assemble (2012)
Director: Joss Whedon
Starring: Robert Downey Jr., Tom Hiddleston, Scarlett Johansson and Chris Hemsworth
Running time: 02 hours, 23 minutes
Rating: 10/10

One of my favourite films of 2012 (if not my absolute favourite) and in the 8 months since its release I've watched it more times than is probably healthy for anyone. In fact, I am incredibly surprised that this is the first time I've watched it since the challenge began.

Although, this probably wasn't the best time to watch, I'd been back in London half an evening, 1am was fast approaching and I still had to unpack, repack and get some sleep before heading to Southampton at 8am. Of course, I didn't want to do anything but set up my snazzy new Blu Ray player (thanks Santa!) and the only way to test out my wiring skills would be to put a disc in the machine. Obviously.

There is no part of this film that I do not love. It combines all the things I adore; Joss Whedon, superheroes, handsome boys and action scenes that make sense. That doesn't mean I'm not still really annoyed about the whole blade removal debacle.

I find Avengers inherently enjoyable. Joss has written a script that combines pre-established characters and new faces without letting anyone fade into the background. There are lines that, no matter how many times I watch the movie, make me smile.

Challenge day: 94
Challenge time: 05 days, 07 hours, 12 minutes
Challenge film total: 67

Galloping around the cosmos is a game for the young, Doctor

Date: Saturday 22nd December
Film: Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan (1982)
Director: Nicholas Meyer
Starring: William Shatner, Leonard Nimoy and DeForest Kelley
Running time: 01 hour, 53 minutes
Rating: 10/10

Do I really need to write about how brilliant The Wrath of Khan is?

No, didn't think so.

Challenge day: 88
Challenge time: 04 days, 19 hours, 39 minutes
Challenge film total: 61

Who was that pointy-eared bastard?

Date: Monday 17th December
Film: Star Trek (2009)
Director: J. J. Abrams
Starring: Chris Pine, Zachary Quinto, Karl Urban and Simon Pegg
Running time: 02 hours, 02 minutes
Rating: 10/10

If you don't like this film, we can't be friends.

I adore it, lens flare and all.

A great re-imagining of a classic franchise.

There is nothing that makes me happier than handsome boys in space.

I will probably watch this 50 more times before Into Darkness comes out later this year.

Challenge day: 83
Challenge time: 04 days, 13 hours, 09 minutes
Challenge film total: 83

Tell No One

Date: Saturday 24th November
Film: TBA
Director: TBA
Starring: TBA
Running Time: 2 hours, 22 minutes
Rating 10/10

This is the post in which I tell you I went to see a film and proceed to tell you nothing about it.

Secret Cinema day has been and gone.

Secret Cinema, for the uninitiated, is an all encompassing, secret, theatrical, cinema experience. You buy tickets knowing nothing about what lies ahead of you. Leading up to the start of the Secret Cinema season (the same event runs for a few weeks, with performances every evening as well as weekend matinees) obscure, indirectly related, clues (songs, pictures, video clips) are uploaded to Secret Cinema's Facebook page.

A couple of weeks before the event you're given a dress code and a meeting place.

The day arrives, you get up and get organised and find yourself, as I did on Saturday morning, queueing outside a library with hundreds of others, all dressed in men's suits.

You are then led into a world where the film is recreated and you are encouraged to join in. For the last event, earlier this year, the film was Prometheus and we found ourselves, in our boiler suits, examining life forms from other planets and experiencing life aboard our space ship.

This time around, as the event is still taking place, I am to keep quiet about where I have been and what I have seen.

Once the season ends, I can tell you more, for now I can tell you the films I saw was 2 hours and 22 minutes long, it was a film I already loved and the experience was, as it was last time around, phenomenal.

Tell no one.

Challenge day: 62
Challenge time: 2 days, 22 hours, 32 minutes
Challenge film total: 38

Just another tasty treat from the gang at Empire Records.

Date: Saturday 27th October
Film Empire Records (1995)
Director: Allan Moyle
Starring: Rory Cochrane, Liv Tyler and Renee Zellweger
Running Time: 1 hour 30 minutes
Rating 10/10

Saturday night and back to The PCC for another of their wonderful all-singing, all-dancing quote along events. This time around? One of my favourite films...

The bar at The PCC was kitted out in its best Rex Manning Day decorations and they remembered all the little touches that help make The PCC a little bit special when it comes to their events and the films we adore...

So, after a short meeting with The PCC's very own silky shirt wearing Rex Manning, we settled in our seats and Rex Manning himself came out to introduce the film and involve us all in a fancy dress competition, and a rousing sing along to two of the great tracks from the film; Say No More (Mon Amour) and Sugar High





Once we were all at optimum excitement levels, the lights were dimmed and we were transported to mid-90s Middle America for a spot of nostalgia. Quoting, shouting and singing (mainly me, sorry Luce!) our way through the film.

This is definitely the best way to watch one of those films that you adore, it brings a whole new perspective to scenes you have seen a hundred times over.

DAMN THE MAN, SAVE THE EMPIRE.

Challenge day: 34

Challenge Time: 1 day 14 hours 25 minutes

Challenge Film Total: 21

We could grow up together, E.T.

Date: Monday 22nd October
Film: E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial (1982)
Director: Steven Spielberg
Starring: Henry Thomas, Robert MacNaughton, Dee Wallace and Drew Barrymore
Running Time : 1 hour 55 minutes
Rating: 10/10

Thanks to the lovely team over at Den of Geek and Universal, last night CW and I found ourselves in a cory screening room at Universal's London offices for a screening of what I believe to be one of the greatest films of all time.

I love E.T., have done since I was a child. It is one of those films that I cannot flick past on the TV without stopping to watch. Even though I know the story inside and out and I know what is coming I still find myself reacting as if it is the very first time I am seeing things.

Kudos to Henry Thomas, Robert MacNaughton and Drew Barrymore for being so convincing with their love for E.T., it makes me believe that one day I could find a friendly alien in the tool shed (note to self: get a tool shed. And a garden to put it in).

That immediately recognisable John Williams score makes the (many) dialogue free moments something pretty special. Walking into the screening room and hearing that score playing over the PA bought back some pretty powerful emotions.

E.T. is what I consider to be an almost perfect film, yes the CGI is a little dated (as with all films from that period) but the acting and direction make you believe, at any age, that this is really happening. E.T. is not a sci-fi film, it is not a children's film, it is a love story. Pure and simple.

Thank you, Den of Geek, for this screening. By the end I was channelling Spielberg's biggest fan, and crying like a baby...

Challenge day: 29
Challenge time : 01 days, 06 hours, 51 minutes.
Challenge film total: 16