Fandon Mashup | Those of Wit and Learning

Fandom Mashup is an original featured created and hosted by the lovely Micheline @ Lunar Rainbows Reviews. Each week she proposes a unique fictional scenario and then invites you to build a dream team of five fictional characters from five different fandoms to help you to complete the task. Make sure you check out Micheline's blog for more info!

This week we're choosing five characters whom we think belong in Ravenclaw! Ravenclaw's my Hogwarts House, so this was a lot of fun...

Evelyn 'Evie' Carnahan from The Mummy (1999)

I will never, ever be bored of The Mummy; it's one of my favourite films and a lot of that is down to this lady. She's bookish and scholarly and learned, but also adventurous and brave, and she isn't mocked for her enthusiasm by the people who matter. Evie wants to be an academic, so she'd definitely be in Ravenclaw.

Belle from Beauty and the Beast (1991)

Any woman who can get as excited about a library as this woman does belongs in Ravenclaw. The 2017 Belle also belongs in Ravenclaw, especially being an inventor, but I prefer the original and the 2017 Belle looks an awful lot like another Hogwarts student...

Cosima Niehaus from Orphan Black

Cosima is a proud nerd and super smart, and while I'm sure Ravenclaw is full of bookish people I think the kooky, more Luna-esque people are sometimes forgotten about. Ravenclaw will have as many scientists as more artsy lovers and I think Cosima would find a lot of like minds there willing to help her with her experiments.

Samwell Tarly from Game of Thrones

He and Belle can nerd out over the Hogwarts Library together, and if Samwell could go to boarding school it'd mean having time away from his horrible father.

Elizabeth Bennet from Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen

We know Elizabeth loves books, but that's not the reason I'd put her in Ravenclaw. For me Elizabeth is a character who encapsulates 'Wit beyond measure is man's greatest treasure'. She loves to play around with speech, is constantly verbally sparring with other people even when, like Mr. Collins, they don't realise it. She'd definitely be at home in Ravenclaw.

Who would you put in Ravenclaw?

Top Ten Tuesday | Daddy, Daddy Cool

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly feature created at The Broke and the Bookish. Each week you compile a list of ten books which coincide with that week's theme. You can find everything you need to know about joining in here!

This week's theme is a Father's Day freebie, so I figured I'd talk about some of my favourite father/father figure-daughter relationships in fiction!

Hans Hubermann and Liesel Meminger from The Book Thief by Markus Zusak

‘I'm not such a good reader myself, you know. We'll have to help each other out.’

Will I ever be over The Book Thief? Probably not, no. It's not everyone's cup of tea but the book made me bawl like a baby and the relationship between Hans and Liesel has to be one of the purest, most loving relationships in fiction. I love Rosa, too - as a mother figure she has a brash charm all her own - but Hans is too sweet a man to leave off this list.

Atticus and Jean Louise Finch from To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee

‘If you can learn a simple trick, Scout, you'll get along a lot better with all kinds of folks. You never really understand a person until you consider things from his point of view … until you climb into his skin and walk around in it.’

Atticus Finch is the original DILF and I love his relationship with Scout. He has to be one of the most soothing, comforting fathers in fiction and I adore him. I've chosen to ignore the existence of Go Set a Watchman because I'm still not certain Harper Lee really wanted that book to be published.

Theoden and Eowyn from The Lord of the Rings by J.R.R. Tolkien

‘Duty? No... I would have you smile again, not grieve for those whose time has come. You shall live to see these days renewed.’

I haven't read the books - sorry! - but I adore the films and I love the relationship between Eowyn and her uncle. He could have been a better guardian but he could have been a hell of a lot worse - looking at you, Denethor - and there's no denying there's a genuine love and affection between them. Eowyn loves him enough to stay by him and protect him even when Rohan was a dangerous place for her and her brother, so there's clearly a strong bond there.

Mo and Meggie Folchart from the Inkworld trilogy by Cornelia Funke

‘I don't know any father who's more besotted with his daughter than yours.’

I loved the Inkworld books when I was younger and it's such a shame the 2008 adaptation of Inkheart was pretty poor because Brendan Fraser was a great choice for Mo. To be completely honest with you Meggie started to irritate me as the books went along, I do think it's a shame her story became more along the lines of choosing which boy she loved more while Mo got all of the action, but their relationship is a lovely one and they're clearly very close.

Mr. and Elizabeth Bennet from Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen

‘Your mother will never see you again if you do not marry Mr. Collins, and I will never see you again if you do.’

It's so hard to find gifs of these two! Also yes, I prefer the 2005 version to the 1995 version. Come at me, bro. Mr. Bennet is probably my least favourite on this list, on account of him not being a very good father. His relationship with Elizabeth is lovely, but he doesn't hide it from his four other daughters that she's his favourite and therefore the one most worthy of his time. Mrs. Bennet is often seen as a silly woman there for comedic effect and while the woman is pretty insufferable, she's actually the better parent when we consider the Bennets' situation; should Mr. Bennet die their house will no longer be theirs, and Mrs. Bennet wants her daughters to be provided for and safe in a society that won't let them inherit their father's house because they don't have a penis. That they might marry someone wealthy is a bonus and isn't unusual for the time - a big part of marriage was the chance to climb up the social ladder. So Mr. Bennet's relationship with Elizabeth is a lovely one, but he's not the best parent and I think Elizabeth knows that, too.

Belle and Maurice from Beauty and the Beast (1991)

‘My daughter? Odd? Where did you get an idea like that?’

Maurice is a bit of a ditz, clearly intelligent but not so people smart, but it's clear he thinks Belle is the best thing since sliced bread (and so he should). Their relationship is clearly a close one considering Belle literally gives up her freedom to set her father free, something I'm sure she would have done whether he was sick or not. The Broadway production of Beauty and the Beast added an extra song for Belle and her father, 'No Matter What', and it's one of my favourites.

Sara and Captain Crewe from A Little Princess (1995)

‘I believe that you are, and always will be, my little princess.’

This is one of those occasions where I prefer an adaptation to the original book; Frances Hodgson Burnett's book is lovely, and I recommend reading it, but I grew up with the 1995 adaptation and I'm so fond of it. It still makes me cry. Captain Crewe (played by Liam Cunningham, aka Davos Seaworth in Game of Thrones if, like me, you've been trying to figure out where you've seen him before) is a doting father and and all-round very nice chap and his relationship with Sara makes me feel feelings.

Annie and Mr. Warbucks from Annie (1982)

‘Absolutely not! I'm a businessman. I love money, I love power, I love capitalism. I do not now and never will love children.’

Unfortunately the gif is from the 1999 adaptation, which isn't a bad adaptation but isn't the one I grew up with, as yet again the gifs are scarce. Yes it's corny, but I love Annie and I love the way that it encourages the idea that children are allowed to love their birth parents and their adopted parents.

King Mongkut and Princess Fa-Ying from Anna and the King (1999)

‘I will be there in your dreams, as you will be in mine.’

Really, internet? Not a single gif?! Oh well. Anna and the King is essentially a more serious version of The King and I without any of the sing-a-longs, and it's probably one of my favourite movies. It's not perfect, but I get swept away by it every time I watch it. The relationship between King Mongkut and his monkey-obsessed daughter, Princess Fa-Ying, is so sweet and if you watch the film you'll probably cry.

Fa Zhou and Fa Mulan from Mulan (1998)

‘The greatest gift and honour is having you for a daughter.’

Fa Zhou says some things at the beginning of this movie that certainly hurt his daughter's feelings, but it's clear the two of them are close: Mulan literally risks death, by execution or warfare, by posing as a man and taking his place in the army so he doesn't have to go to what's likely to be his certain death now that he is old and fairly frail.

What did you talk about this week?

Should Disney's First Openly Gay Character Be Celebrated?

Disclaimer: Some mild spoilers for the Beauty and the Beast remake. Yes I do take Disney movies too seriously, no I’m not sorry for it. These are my own thoughts, views and opinions etc. – in no way am I presuming to speak for the LGBT+ community and I apologise in advance if I come across that way at any point in this discussion, it’s not my intention. This post was first posted on my other blog, which I'm considering moving over to permanently in future.

As Disney goes through its remake phase, just like it went through its sequel phase, it was only a matter of time before 1991’s Beauty and the Beast was given a fresh lick of live action paint.

News stories started asking if the fairy tale promotes bestiality or Stockholm syndrome as though this were the first time those questions had been asked – seriously, do they not realise how often fairy tales have been studied over the years? This isn’t a shock revelation – until it was revealed that LeFou, played by Josh Gad of Frozen fame, was going to be reimagined and portrayed as an LGBT+ character. Naturally, that was all the press could focus on and, in some ways, I can’t really blame them. LeFou’s hardly the hero of Beauty and the Beast, but that Disney were actually going to acknowledge someone as openly gay in one of their movies was a big deal – especially to the LGBT+ community who have been waiting for this kind of representation for years.

Now that I’ve seen the film (and I won’t talk about my thoughts on it here, because this  blog post would turn into a book) I can say that, yes, I certainly got the impression that LeFou is a member of the LGBT+ community, but at no point did he use the all important sentence: I’m gay (or however else he might choose to identify himself). This is a real shame considering the director of the remake, Bill Condon, is an openly gay man himself. If LeFou being gay was the director’s intention then why not just come out and say it? Would including a piece of dialogue like that take too much attention away from the main storyline?

Well, it shouldn’t. We need to start getting to a point where it’s not a shock for someone to reveal they aren’t heterosexual, if they’re comfortable enough to discuss their sexuality. If attention can be taken away from the main storyline by something like that then that’s the fault of the creators and of the audience, because people talking openly and safely about their sexuality in the media, whatever their sexuality is, isn’t going to seem normal until we make it normal, and we need more creators who are willing to take that risk – especially with media that is largely consumed by children. What better way to make children realise, from a young age, that people are deserving of respect regardless of who they choose to take to bed (or choose not to, in some cases).

So, should Disney be praised for their decision to make LeFou an LGBT+ character?

Honestly, I don’t think so. We don’t really know for certain that he is gay because he never tells us that he is. Sure, at the end of the movie there’s about two seconds of screen time when we see him dancing with another man and we’re led to believe his adoration of Gaston is more along the lines of wanting to be with him than like him, but this feels a little like the Dumbledore fiasco all over again. When Rowling revealed Dumbledore was gay there was an outcry from the LGBT+ community because it wasn’t blatantly said outright. At the time I wasn’t sure what people were expecting – was Dumbledore’s sexuality really revelant to Harry’s story? – but I don’t think we can ignore so many voices, from the very community Dumbledore is supposed to be a part of, telling us they weren’t satisfied with the years of only hinting at non-heterosexuality.

Whenever we watch a film or read a book, we’re programmed to automatically assume that everyone is heterosexual, and that’s why it’s important for creators to just come out and say when someone is gay or bisexual or pansexual or demisexual or asexual – sexuality is fluid and all members of every sexuality deserve to see themselves reflected in the stories they immerse themselves in. That’s why it was so important for LeFou to come out and say: ‘I’m gay.’

I can already hear people’s counter-arguments: ‘The story’s set in 18th century France, LeFou would have been executed for sodomy if he’d come out as gay’. Hm. Yeah, but I don’t remember many stories of 18th century French villages having their own royal families who they’ve forgotten about because an enchantress has turned their prince into a beast. It’s a bit like saying the sexual violence in Game of Thrones is historically accurate even though Westeros is entirely fictional and its own rules could apply. There are dragons in Game of Thrones, too, but no one argues that they’re historically inaccurate. This is exactly the same for our nameless French village; there’s no reason why this one village, with its own royal family they clearly decided not to send to the guillotine, couldn’t be a far more liberal place than the rest of the country.

Also, LeFou doesn’t necessarily have to come out to the people who could potentially cause him harm. Belle is portrayed as forward-thinking and you can guarantee the Beast knew someone in his circle of aristocratic friends who wasn’t straight, what’s important is that LeFou comes out to people who accept him in front of the audience. What’s important is that children see him not being used as comic relief, but as someone who questions the constraints of traditional masculinity and is rewarded for it.

On the one hand, I want to praise Disney for taking another step closer to one day having openly non-heterosexual protagonists, to encourage them to take further steps like this one, but on the other I find it difficult to praise a movie for having Disney’s first ‘openly gay character’ when we don’t know for certain that he is gay, and it’s certainly not openly if he is, and when we remember that Disney was founded in 1923. This is far too long a wait for representation that has come in the form of a side character who still isn’t really given the kind of voice that the LGBT+ community deserves.

Top Ten Tuesday | Tonight, Matthew, I'm going to be...

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly feature created at The Broke and the Bookish. Each week you compile a list of ten books which coincide with that week's theme. You can find everything you need to know about joining in here!

This week's theme is a fandom freebie, so I'm going to talk about some of the characters I'd love to cosplay as. I love a good Comic Con, though I've never been able to go to the biggest one in the UK which is, of course, in London, but I haven't cosplayed since my teens. These are the characters I'd love to be for the day if I ever have the confidence to cosplay again!

(Sorry, I think only people who can remember Stars in Their Eyes will get the reference in my title...)

Sally from The Nightmare Before Christmas: This is one of my favourite films from my childhood and every Halloween I try to dress up as Sally before I go out for cocktails, but unless I want to try making her dress myself (which would be a terrible idea) her outfit is either too expensive or the cheap ones aren't made of very nice (or flattering) material. One day!

Katrina Van Tassel from Sleepy Hollow: Another much-loved film of mine, and to be honest the main reason I'd love to cosplay as Katrina is down to the dress she wears right at the end of the film - I call it her Beetlejuice dress.

Belle from Beauty and the Beast: My favourite film of all time, I love it so much. I actually had a fancy dress party for my 18th and dressed up as Belle in her ball dress, but I'd love to cosplay her in her blue dress; she looks most like herself in that dress.

Violet from Rat Queens by Kurtis J. Wiebe and Various Artists: This is probably my favourite graphic novel series and I just adore Violet, plus I think one of my friends would be a fantastic Hannah - I'll have to try and convince her to cosplay with me.

Alexia Tarabotti from the Parasol Protectorate series by Gail Carriger: I've only read Soulless (reviewed here) so far, but I still think Alexia is such a fun character and I could have a lot of fun putting together a 19th century outfit.

Evy Carnahan from The Mummy: If Beauty and the Beast is my favourite film, The Mummy is a very close second and most of that is down to Evy. As you can see, I have a thing for nerds and bookworms in films - I think The Mummy is the first time I saw a person a bit like me in an action movie, and that was quite a big deal.

Clarice Starling from The Silence of the Lambs: Another cinematic heroine of mine, though I enjoyed the book, too. I like Clarice because she's not perfect; so many women in thrillers are unrealistic because filmmakers feel the need to make a woman flawless to make her likeable, but they didn't do that to Clarice. She's still learning and she can make mistakes, but that doesn't take anything away from her successes.

Éowyn from The Lord of the Rings by J.R.R. Tolkien: This lady is the mother of the Warrior Princess trope, and she's fantastic. She's one of my favourite characters from The Lord of the Rings and I'd love to swish around in one of her dresses while also feeling bad-ass.

Alice from Alice's Adventures in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll: This is another one of my favourite classic stories, and I think so much fun could be had with an Alice cosplay; you can be as innocent, as mad or as dark as you like, that's why the story's constantly being retold.

Rowena Ravenclaw from the Harry Potter series by J.K. Rowling: All I'd need is a medieval blue dress and the Ravenclaw diadem and I'd be set! I'm still waiting for Rowling to write me a book about the Founders to be honest...

What did you talk about this week?

Top Ten Tuesday | The Warm Fuzzies

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly feature created at The Broke and the Bookish. Each week you compile a list of ten books which coincide with that week's theme. You can find everything you need to know about joining in here!

This week's theme is a Valentine's freebie, and today I've decided to talk about some of my OTPs. I'm not usually a book boyfriend kind of person, I'd much rather see two people get together than imagine one half of that couple getting together with me. Over the years I've accumulated quite a few OTPs, so today I thought I'd share my top ten eleven with you; these are all from films and TV shows, because I've noticed I tend to 'collect' OTPs from visual media much more than I do books. Don't know why!

Evy Carnahan & Rick O'Connell from The Mummy and The Mummy Returns

Third movie? What third movie? Hahaha, there was never a third movie! If I keep saying it, it means it's true. I have to be honest: if someone said to me my life depended on choosing a fictional boyfriend, I'd probably go with Rick O'Connell. He's cute, he's funny, he's cheeky and he's very people smart, plus he can kick butt. What I love about Rick, though, is how he's never intimidated by Evy's intelligence. The Mummy's set in the 1920s, Evy's from a fairly wealthy family and is struggling to muscle her way into academia because of our arch-nemesis, sexism. Rick ends up owing his life to her, but he doesn't let her saving his ass make him feel bitter or emasculated, and on top of that he never mocks her for her enthusiasm. When Evy has something exciting to tell him - even if exciting for her means 'oh look at these cool scarab beetles I found, they totally ate people ALIVE' - he listens. Like, actually listens. I just think these two are a wonderful pair, and to this day The Mummy is still one of my favourite movies of all time.

Tohru Honda & Kyo Sohma from Fruits Basket by Natsuki Takaya

Compared to some of my friends I haven't watched much anime at all, but Fruits Basket and Inuyasha are tied for my favourite anime. Fruits Basket is the first 'proper anime' I watched, and I've loved it since I first watched it. Tohru and Kyo are such an adorable couple, in the anime and the manga, and it was definitely through them I realised one of my 'types'; I've always loved couples where one half is a ray of sunshine and the other's a complete grump, and these two represent that perfectly. If you've never watched the anime or read the manga, I recommend doing both - it's a great story!

Eowyn & Faramir from The Lord of the Rings by J.R.R. Tolkien

I've only seen the movies (I know, I know, I should read the books) but I love Eowyn and Faramir. I like the two of them separately and together, as is the case for pretty much all the couples on this list, because I think that's when you really care about their relationship. What I really like about these two, though, is that they were challenging gender stereotypes long before Katniss and Peeta were; Eowyn's a shieldmaiden, a warrior princess who dresses as a man to join the battle and achieve glory, while Faramir's an unloved second son who can never meet up to his cold father's standards. Faramir's quiet, bookish and gentle, all the things we might associate with traditional female characters, whereas Eowyn is angry, passionate and impatiently awaiting her chance to do something. They work wonderfully together, and separately they're fascinating.

Monica Geller & Chandler Bing from Friends

I love Friends, but the older I get the more I dislike Ross. You watch the show now and he's so jealous and possessive and just a bit of a prick. In recent years I've realised that Rachel should have stayed on the plane, gone to Paris and had that amazing career while Ross wallowed in self-pity. Monica and Chandler, on the other hand, I adore. They work so well together as a couple; Monica helps Chandler to grow up, and Chandler helps Monica to let her hair down a little.

Vanessa Ives & Ethan Chandler from Penny Dreadful by John Logan

I LOVE THESE DORKS. If you like Gothic literature and you haven't tried watching Penny Dreadful yet, you're missing out. I was very sceptical when I first learned a show was being made that threw classic Gothic characters, from Dorian Gray to The Wolfman to Frankenstein, together into one story, but I think it's done really well. I love Vanessa and Ethan's relationship because while it's clear they love each other in a romantic sense, they also love each other in every other way, too; they're friends first, and they genuinely care about what happens to one another. Also I think there's something vaguely Evy and Rick-ish about their relationship, which might be why I'm so fond of it...

Rae Earl & Finn Nelson from My Mad Fat Diary

My Mad Fat Diary is a fantastic British show. The way it deals with issues like self-harm, mental illness and eating disorders is brilliant. These two are just... ugh, my heart. Finn is the sweetest guy on the face of the earth, and Rae is the kind of heroine I wish had been on TV when I was a teenager. I highly recommend watching this show!

Amy Santiago & Jake Peralta from Brooklyn Nine-Nine

More dorks. I think there's something vaguely Evy and Rick-ish about these two, too; what I love about Brooklyn Nine-Nine is you think the characters are going to fall into certain stereotypes, and then they completely surprise you. Jake initially seems like a bit of a douche, and he can sometimes be a douche because, hey, he's human, but for the most part he's actually a really decent guy. And then there's Amy who's this hard-working, adorable cinnamon roll. I love this show - it's one of the few funny shows I've seen that genuinely makes me laugh.

Leia Organa & Han Solo from Star Wars

Who doesn't love these two? I don't give a damn about Luke Skywalker, I watch the original Star Wars films purely for these two; Leia's a brilliant heroine, and Han's a cutie patootie.

Belle & the Beast from Beauty and the Beast

There seems to be a consensus among fans that the Beast's name is Adam, but Disney has never actually confirmed that. You would think Belle would have asked him for his name at some point, though... Oh well, this is still my favourite film of all time. These two just give me a lot of feelings. I know a lot of people think their relationship is Stockholm Syndrome-y, but I vehemently disagree: when the Beast lets Belle go, she leaves. Gaston throws her book in the mud, the Beast gives her a library and listens when she reads to him. I just love this film.

Inuyasha & Kagome from Inuyasha by Rumiko Takahashi

I mentioned Inuyasha earlier, so I had to mention these two. I fell in love with Inuyasha when I was around 15/16, and it's just so much fun to watch. I love these two dorks.

Gambit & Rogue from X-Men

I looooved the X-Men animated series as a child, and I especially loved these two. I just think there's something heartbreakingly romantic about someone being hopelessly in love with a person they can't touch. They're so much fun - I love them!

What did you talk about this week?

My Top Fifteen Songs From Musicals! (Part One)

I love musicals, though sadly I don't get to see them as often as I like. The best place to see musicals in the UK is London, but it's just so expensive. That doesn't stop me from listening to the music, though! And I listen to it a lot.

I was going to make a top ten list of my favourite songs from musicals, not only to share my love of musicals but also to try and showcase some of the lesser known musicals out there, but as I was compiling my list I realised I couldn't narrow it down to just ten songs, so instead I have fifteen! 

This post is the first of three, so without further ado, here are the first five of my top fifteen songs from musicals!

(These are in no particular order, I just love them all!)

Home - Beauty and the Beast

I mentioned a little while ago that Beauty and the Beast is my all time favourite film, and the music from the Broadway production is just gorgeous. Sadly I've never seen the musical, but I'd love to. If I'm perfectly honest I love pretty much all the songs from this musical (in fact I love pretty much all the songs from all the musicals I'll be mentioning!) but this one in particular is very special to me.

People Will Say We're in Love - Oklahoma!

Contrary to what I just said, this is probably the one musical on this list whose soundtrack I've never listened to in its entirety. I should really get on that! This song is so much fun, and to be honest it's on this list purely for Hugh Jackman the lyrics: "Don't stand in the rain with me; people will say we're in love", which I think are beautiful.

The Cat and the Moon - The Lord of the Rings

This is a really, really fun song! If you're a fan of folk music that gets people dancing and you haven't listened to this song then you need to listen to it right now. Now, go on!

Shadowland - The Lion King

This is the one musical in part one that I have actually seen! My parents took me to London when I was ten years old, which was very exciting for someone who'd never been before; while we were there we decided to see a show and my parents let me pick one, so, being the Disney lover that I am, I obviously chose The Lion King. And it was amazing. In fact I really want to go and see it again. 

This song is gorgeous - I love that there's more of Nala in the musical than there is in the film - and it's stunning live, too. If you ever get the chance to see this show then you have to see it!

Some Things Are Meant To Be - Little Women

We finish part one with a more melancholy song, but it's still beautiful. I love the story of Little Women, and it's just as great in musical form!

I've always had a fondness for Beth because I played her in an amateur dramatic production of Little Women when I was eighteen, but a lot of the time I think she's seen as a tool for Jo's story (which, in some ways, she is). I love this musical because each of the sisters is given a voice, and this song in particular does a wonderful job of expressing the love that Beth and Jo feel for each other. I have two sisters myself, and this song just makes me feel all warm and fuzzy and sad.

I'll be back soon with the rest of my list!

J.

Top Ten Tuesday | Favourite Movies/TV Shows

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly feature created at The Broke and the Bookish. Each week you compile a list of ten books which coincide with that week's theme. You can find out everything you need to know about joining in here!

This week's theme is 'Top Ten Favourite Movies or TV Shows' - it's a chance for us bookworms to share some of our other favourite stories which happen to be told through a different medium. 

I decided to stay away from any book adaptations, even though there are a few that I love, so without further ado, here's my list!


Beauty and the Beast (1991)

I am a Disney nut, so obviously at least one Disney film was going to be on this list and it had to be this one. Why? Because not only is Beauty and the Beast my favourite Disney film, it's my favourite film period. I love this film so much and I'm never going to grow out of it; in fact people who claim they've grown out of Disney are just as bad as people who claim you can grow out of YA. Stories are stories no matter how old you are.

Avatar: The Last Airbender (2005-2008)

Honestly a lot of the films and shows on this are going to be ones from my childhood/teens that have stayed with me, and this is one such show. Can you believe it's turning ten years old next year? This show may be animated, but it's not only for children. This show is just gorgeous and it explores some really mature themes without talking down to its audience. If you love character-driven shows and you haven't watched this yet then I recommend it. It's just beautiful story-telling!

The Mummy (1999)

This film is another one of my all time favourites, and it's just so fun. When it was originally released I was only eight and I don't think I watched it until I was at least ten or eleven, which was probably for the best; the scarab beetles terrified the life out of me when I was younger.

The Mummy has a little bit of everything. It's got action, adventure, humour, romance and a fantastic female lead - what's not to like? Plus Brendan Fraser and Arnold Vosloo aren't too bad to look at, either.

Firefly (2002)

I didn't actually get around to watching Firefly until this year, but I always knew I was going to love it. Who knows why I waited this long to watch it; perhaps because I'm very lazy when it comes to tv shows (I really have to force myself to watch them sometimes) or maybe because the show was cancelled, and I was reluctant to become invested in something that was going to end sooner than I'd like.

Usually when I watch shows with a relatively big cast of main characters I'll have one or two that are my absolute favourites, but what I love most about this show is that I love all the characters and I'm not sure that I could pick a favourite. This show is so much fun and there's a character for everyone - if only it hadn't been cancelled!

The Tudors (2007-2010)

This show is the kind of show that polarises people. There are those who love it despite its flaws and there are those who are too invested in historical accuracy to enjoy it. Now I love me some historical accuracy in my fiction and dramas, and I'm well aware of this show's flaws - in fact I'm as willing to point them out as someone who hates it - but what I love about this show is the way it humanised all six of Henry VIII's wives.

When it comes to famous historical figures it's so easy for us to look at old, stiff portraits and think we know everything about the person in the picture. What this show did was give Henry's wives, and Henry himself, as many likeable qualities as unlikeable ones. This show reminded its audience that these people, though they lived 500 years ago, were still people, and as someone who writes historical fiction I can't help but appreciate that.

Friends (1994-2004)

It's so bizarre to think that this show started a month before I turned 3 years old. 20 years on and it's still being enjoyed and watched, and if that's not the mark of a good show then I'm not sure what is.

I discovered Friends during my teens, a couple of years after the show finished, and my best friend and I watched it and loved it whenever I slept over. Like Firefly, this show is another show in which there's a character for everyone, but I love them all. It still makes me laugh, and if I'm ever feeling down, sad or depressed all I have to do is stick on an episode of this and I feel better.

Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl (2003)

Did this film really come out 11 years ago? Bloody hell.

I feel very lucky in that, as a child of the 90's, I got to witness the releases of Peter Jackson's Lord of the Rings, the Harry Potter series and the Pirates of the Caribbean films during my childhood and adolescence. I've no doubt in my mind that these films were formative.

The Pirates films are so much fun. I know I've said that for several of the films/shows on this list, but I guess that's just what I enjoy to watch. If something isn't fun then why watch it? These films made pirate stories cool again, and they introduced me to Captain Jack Sparrow, my one true love.

The Nightmare Before Christmas (1993)

Here we have another Jack, and this one sparked my life-long admiration for Tim Burton's work. I was only 2 years old when this film came out so obviously I can't remember its release, but watching it is a constant memory throughout my childhood. I loved this film when I was little (and still do) and I can't remember a Halloween or Christmas when I didn't sit down and watch it.

To this day it's still my favourite of Tim Burton's films, despite the fact that he didn't direct it, and I'll be watching it again as soon as October rolls around!

Pan's Labyrinth (2006)

I don't think I've met anyone who watched this film and didn't love it. Watching this film reminds me of the feeling I got reading Grimm's Fairy Tales when I was younger; it's dark, spooky, melancholic and hopeful, and frankly I don't watch enough non-English speaking films.

I think Guillermo del Toro's a brilliant storyteller, and I continue to love his work.

Orphan Black (2013-present)

Orphan Black's another show I didn't start watching until this year - in fact I accidentally marathoned the entire first season in the space of 3 days - and I'm in love with it. Tatiana Maslany is amazing at what she does and, like Firefly and Friends, I love all the clones so much that I find it hard to pick a favourite.

What I really love about this show is how it's addressing themes such as a woman's right to her own body and what she does with it, and right now I think it's so important that we're talking about it; especially when there are still people out there who think they have the right to shame women into having or not having abortions, or think that it's justified to blame a woman when she is a victim of sexual abuse.

I just think this is a very important show, and it addresses all these issues so beautifully while maintaining an excellent story and gorgeous character progression.

So what are some of your favourite films and/or shows?

J.