March is a month that I generally love because of St Patrick's Day, the start of the longer evenings and seeing the Spring flowers appear. However, this March has been cold and wet (despite a few sunny days!), which shouldn't determine whether or not I've enjoyed a month, but the bad weather coupled with being ill and one of my cats being attacked meant it hasn't been my favourite month. That being said, Spring is all about hope and there is no month that has no good in it (or even a day if you think really hard about it!), so here are my March favourites in terms of beauty, TV & film. I'd love to hear what yours were in the comments below!
TV:
The Morning Show (Apple TV): We are very late to the show here, but I got a new iPhone for Christmas, which came with a free 3 month subscription to Apple TV, so we're making the most of it and will decide if we want to keep it on after that. I don't want to pay for both Netlfix and Apple, so it will be one or the other, plus as we come into summer, we'll watch less TV so won't be able to justify having both. After that little ramble, the first show that we watched was one we've heard about for a few years and we were hooked from the first episode! I love how complex all of the characters are - it's easy to have issue with them but love them at the same time. If it wasn't obvious from the name, it's based around a morning tv show and the first season focuses on the fallout after one of the co-anchors is exposed as a sexual predator, which leaves the other anchor worried for her job, her character in the public domain, but she also battles with the fact that they're best friends. Also, it shows how many people were complicit in his abuse, whether they approved or not. Some people saw it as extra-marital affairs, others as abusing his position but so much more comes to light as time goes on, It's one thing to turn a blind eye to a man cheating on his wife but a whole other story when it comes to rape. Of course, journalists are hovering around like vultures ready to take the co-anchor, and ultimately the show, down. The second season is when the pandemic started and the disgraced TV star is in Italy, happens to befriend an aspiring documentary maker and they form a friendship. As they've been exposed to the virus, they need to quarantine together and in that time, she interviews him. It's something that really makes you wonder about genuine remorse, whether there is any point in people trying to change if others won' give them a chance and about personal responsibility and self-reflection. Jennifer Aniston, who plays co-anchor Alex, contracts Covid and portrays it so well that I was actually uncomfortable watching some scenes as they brought me back to when I was in the depths of it and wondering if I might die. All of the actors play their parts brilliantly and it really does make you remember the early days of the pandemic - "oh that won't make its way over here" or "oh it's just like the flu" to "WHAT DO WE DO NOW THAT IT'S HERE?" - things that we may have forgotten because time heals. We are really looking forward to season 3, which finished wrapping in early February as far as I am aware.
The Reluctant Traveller (Apple TV): We saw Eugene Levy speak about his new show on The Graham Norton Show and it definitely looked like something we'd enjoy. We enjoy Eugene's humour plus we enjoy watching travel shows, so it's the perfect combination. It's also very interesting - I learned so much about Costa Rica, for example. It's a very safe place - it doesn't even have an army! The people are so laid back, which is similar to our perception of those from the Caribbean and West Indies. It has the most stunning rain forests and the people are so friendly and warm. My favourite was Utah, which was unexpected.
Bad Sisters (Apple TV): I love Sharon Horgan so was pretty sure we'd enjoy this show! It's based around five sisters who are very close, but the husband of one is utterly obnoxious, cruel and openly rude and hurtful to those around him. It begins with him in a coffin and then works backwards so that we can find out why people would want him dead. In the meantime, the insurance company will go bankrupt if they pay out on his life cover, so they are investigating before paying and are suspicious of the sisters. If you like Irish wit and dry humour, you'll love this show, and it has apparently been commissioned for a second season!
Film:
Another Round (Netflix): This is a Scandinavian film so if subtitles aren't your thing, you might want to give it a miss, but we tend to like Scandinavian shows/films so decided to give this a go one evening and enjoyed it. It's about a group of four 40 year old teachers who are disillusioned with life and when out for dinner, one of them says that he read that our bodies are born with a blood alcohol deficiency of 0.05%, so they decide to embark on drinking more alcohol to correct this. Initially, things definitely improve for them in terms of energy, motivation and general happiness, however there are consequences. I don't want to give any spoilers but it was an interesting concept and film. I wonder how we'd survive if we drank daily - would we stick to the 0.05% deficiency or take it further?
Champions (cinema): As punishment for a DUI offence, a basketball coach is given Community Service in the form of coaching a basketball team of individuals with intellectual disabilities. He goes into it with a bad attitude because he think that he should be coaching in the NBA. What follows is a journey of discovery, joy and friendship. The film is excellent at showing that there is more to a person than a label or diagnosis and that great things can be achieved by dedication and an open mind. It's a life-affirming film and well worth seeing. I love Woody Harrelson and he portrays the coach and his attitude so well.
CODA (Apple TV): This won Oscars in 2022 but we didn't see it in the cinema because at the time of its release, there were still some restrictions and I was very ill and not willing to take risks in going to indoor places with strangers. I was delighted to see it on Apple TV (I think it may have been released online at the same time as in cinemas, which has happened with quite a few films in recent years), as I had wanted to see it. CODA stands for child of deaf adult and the film is based around a family where both parents and one child are deaf but the other child isn't. It's difficult for her as she has to help them with their fishing business (they depend on her as they need an interpreter), as well as go to school and try to maintain some semblance of a normal life. She decides to join the school choir and the teacher realises that she has a real talent and offers to help her to prepare for an exam for a scholarship to study music at third level. She is so torn because her family need her, yet her passion is in music. Her teacher doesn't understand her situation at home and she is tempted to throw the towel in but her brother believes that the family can manage without her and that she breath-taking. The fact that her parents couldn't hear her was heart-breaking but she signed the words to them when they snuck into her audition, so they got the meaning. In the film, at this point, it goes silent to give the viewer an insight into what it's like and I must admit that it was a spine-tingling moment. It is a great watch and it really does give an insight into the struggles of both deaf people but also the children of deaf adults and the responsibility they have. Deaf actors were used in the film, which is only right in my opinion, but apparently caused some controversy at the time for some reason.
Beauty:
Viktor & Rolf Flowerbomb*: I've been wearing this since around 2007 and still love it every bit as much as when I first sprayed it! As the name suggests, it's floral with notes of Jasmine, Peony, Freesia and Centifolia-Rose. It is strong and decadent, yet feminine at the same time, however it isn't so sweet that I'd describe it as girly - this is probably due to the woody base. The new campaign is based around the fact that you can be both feminine and a feminist. I find it very long-lasting on the skin and it also linger on scarves etc. If you have yet to smell it, you're missing out! I need to get a candle version because I would love my house to smell like this!
YSL Black Opium Le Parfum*: Another decadent fragrance. I do love a strong perfume for days when I need an edge to feel more powerful (for some it's a red lipstick, but a strong, sophisticated fragrance does it for me). This beautiful perfume has notes of vanilla, coffee and white flowers - strong, yet feminine and the face of the fragrance is the ultra-cool Zoë Kravitz. This is a very long-lasting fragrance that I feel makes a statement when I wear it - it isn't over-powering, however it definitely makes its presence felt and you will no doubt be asked what fragrance you are wearing.
Charlotte Tilbury Magic Body Cream: My goodness, this is expensive, but it's absolutely beautiful and totally worth the hype! If I win the lotto, this will be on my body all day, every day! I love that it's in a tube, I love the texture - it melts into the skin so easily, doesn't take a work out to massage it in, doesn't pill, it instantly leaves the skin feeling comfortable and nourished and this feeling stays rather than dissipating like it does with some moisturisers. Skin is left supple, soft and firm with continued use, but the nourishing feeling is instant. I adore it!
Rare Beauty makeup in general: This post says it all - it's basically like makeup for dummies, so easy to apply and blend. Read the post to see why I love the brand so much!
Drunk Elephant O-Bloos Rosi Drops: This is a beautiful liquid blush, particularly if you like a peachy-pink colour, and like something that gives the skin a natural flush of colour. It looks very pigmented when you dab it on however it blends into the skin so beautifully for a lit from within colour that instantly makes the skin come alive.
I would love to hear what you've enjoyed this month - anything from clothes, to food, to TV!
Thanks for reading!
All products are bought by me, unless otherwise stated. Anything marked with a * has been kindly gifted, without obligation. I don't do sponsored posts. Opinion is always my own. Affiliate links may be used.
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