Wonder Woman. Oh My Wow.

Yesterday I finally got to watch Wonder Woman. As a humongous fan of DC to the point where I barely even enjoy any Marvel except X-Men and Robert Downey Junior's face, I was really looking forward to this film, but was a little apprehensive. Not because I'm of the opinion that DC films have always lacked compared to Marvel, and to be honest, I think anyone who says that is completely forgetting the Dark Knight trilogy, and isn't part of the cult for whom Watchmen is a classic, but anyway. I was worried, that they couldn't fit in all of her story, details of the war, and the building of the other characters into a two and a half hour film effectively. Also, I was unsure of how successful Gal Gadot would be at carrying a whole film as I only know her from Fast and Furious, in which she is great, but it is a secondary (maybe even tertiary) role.

I had nothing to worry about! Yes, there could have been a little more in depth explanation here and there I suppose, but for two and a half hours, everything was said that needed to be, and brilliantly so! It was definitely a shame that they wanted to differ from Captain America so much that they moved the timeline from the Second World War to the First, only because 'Evil Hitler', one man who can inspire destruction and horror is a much more acknowledged persona. However, it didn't negatively affect the film too much at all. I also felt it was a little rushed for Steve to fall in love with her, but that's Hollywood for you I suppose. I was still emotional when he *spoiler alert*.

It was definitely my favourite film I have seen Chris Pine in. Until Wonder Woman I've never really had strong feelings about him, and would never watch a film purely because he's in it, but I do really enjoy him in Star Trek, and did really enjoy him in this. He also wasn't too shabby in Hell or High Water, but I do have weird thing for hairy men with cowboy accents. Most importantly I feel for an film with an ensemble feel to the cast, as this one had, is that all the actors lived up to playing alongside the incredible David Thewlis. Through Harry Potter, he's an actor I've grown up with and adore. I was ecstatic to see him in film once more, and I was almost as ecstatic to see Ewen Bremner because Spud is my absolute favourite Trainspotting character.

I have to apologise for doubting Gal Gadot. She was absolutely incredible as Wonder Woman! It felt that she was playing a very authentic role, and a lot of what she said fell inline with my own beliefs. As a person, Gal has only gone on to impress me more as I've read up about her. She was Miss Israel 2004, did her 18 months conscription in the Israeli army, loves motorbikes, has two daughters and was pregnant with the younger one during filming Wonder Woman, and went to university to study law!! She's actual life goals. I think she's definitely now one of the most inspirational and admirable women to me, alongside the likes of Helena Bonham Carter, Hilarie Burton, Betty Shabazz, Violette Szabo and JK Rowling. To name but a few of course.

Don't just 'get you a woman who can do it all', find one to inspire you to become a woman who can do it all; a wonder woman.

Love Conquers All

'To say that we are winning the war on crime because we've head to put everyone in prison, in short, is like saying that we're winning the war of disease because we've had to put everyone in hospital'

- someone surnamed Currie in my current textbook 

 Or like saying we're winning/are going to win the war on terror because we've stereotyped one religion and abused them all, or denied them entry to our countries. 

The terrorists that have attacked the UK most recently have done so for three main reasons: the West have destroyed massive sections of the Middle East and have not rebuilt or improved them to a decent standard; the terrorists hate our way of life; they believe a highly distorted version of their religion of Islam supports them. 

The first point, the West pretty much have to own. Yes, the removal of Saddam Hussein was a necessity, but leaving Iraq and Afghanistan in wreck and ruin has not been a good idea, and it all seems a little hypocritical when you look at relationships with the Assads. However, you can't fight fire with fire. So them attacking us for attacking them is not going to bring about a solution, just as much as us attacking them for attacking us is going to achieve peaceful resolution. The second point is completely on them. Especially when they attack our way of life by attacking a pop concert full of teenagers. There is nothing wrong with what we do day to day, and there is no way we should stop it just because a minority have decided to have a problem with it. The problem they have is the third point; their massively distorted view of Islam. The Islamic God is the same as the Christian and Jewish God, the only difference really is believing Jesus was the Son of God, both Islam and Judaism recognise him as a prophet. All three religions are based in love, and care for one another, not violence and hate.

'We're not broken just bent and we can learn to love again'
- Pink

My dad sent me a text saying he hoped I wasn't scared about going to London with work today after the recent attacks. I told him, 'If a terrorist gets me, I won't be on their conscience then, so they're not on my worry list now'. He told me this was 'very phlegmatic', which I googled, and the example sentence it gave was 'the phlegmatic British character'! And lots of things came together in my mind, making me very proud to be a phlegmatic Brit. We have this stiff upper lip that means we care about each other, and we care about what's right, but as soon as you're wrong you can do one thinking we're going to pay you the time of day. The concert in Manchester wasn't a response to a terrorist attack, it was a celebration of 22 people's lives, love, music, and Britain.  I have an overwhelming sense of British perseverance within me at the moment. We're going to be ok, we're going to get through this, and we are not going to bow down and be defeated.