Music – Amélie G's Diary

Episode 1 – Local entrepreneur, Ripley Holden, holds a lavish opening for his new state of the art amusement arcade in Blackpool. But his fortunes look set to change for the worse when one morning he discovers the dead body of a young man on the premises. He attempts to co-operate with the investigating officer, but DI Carlisle has clearly taken a dislike to Ripley.

Episode 2 – The murder investigation begins to make Ripley’s life very difficult indeed. Carlisle calls Ripley’s son, Danny in for questioning – he’s convinced that Danny knows something about the body in the arcade and that he’s covering up for his father. When a huge tax bill surfaces and puts pressure on Ripley’s finances, his friends, who have invested in the arcade, start to get twitchy .

Episode 3 – Forensic evidence links Ripley to the murder. To make matters worse, his application for planning permission for his Vegas style hotel is turned down and investors are beginning to ask for their money back. Meanwhile, Natalie is devastated to find out that Carlisle is a police officer and that he has been investigating her family.

Episode 4 – Carlisle doesn’t believe Danny’s murder confession and remains convinced that Danny’s just covering up for his father. Natalie warns him to keep away from her family but Carlisle is determined to get his man. Ripley is forced to drop everything and take drastic measures when Danny, traumatised by recent events, reaches breaking point.

Episode 5 – Natalie provides Ripley with a watertight alibi for the night of the murder. Carlisle knows she’s lying but there’s nothing he can do about it. Meanwhile, the business Ripley has been building for so long is falling down around his ears. And Marr, Ripley’s friend and trusted advisor, reveals his true colours and a mean trick that he’s been storing up his sleeve.

Episode 6 – The final strands of Ripley’s life star to unravel. On the morning of Shyanne’s wedding, he tells Natalie that their marriage is over. Carlisle turns up at the ceremony to arrest him for murder. But Ripley reminds Carlisle about a small matter of his compromising affair with s suspect’s wife. As he sets out to do the right thing by his family, while clinging on to his lifelong dream of joining the big players, Ripley faces his biggest challenge yet.

Musical drama, starring David Morrissey, Sarah Parish, David Tennant, Thomas Morrison, Georgia Taylor, John Thomson, Steve Pemberton, Bryan Dick, Kevin Doyle and David Bradley.

This mini series was a complete shock to me as soon as I watched the first episode – I just loved it right away till the very end. The actors are excellent, the story is original and the choice of songs is perfect all along the storyline.

Begin Again (2013)

Gretta and her long-time boyfriend Dave are college sweethearts and songwriting partners who decamp for New York when he lands a deal with a major label. But the trappings of his new-found fame soon tempt Dave to stray, and a reeling, lovelorn Gretta is left on her own. Her world takes a turn for the better when Dan, a disgraced record-label exec, stumbles upon her performing on an East Village stage and is immediately captivated by her raw talent. From this chance encounter emerges an enchanting portrait of a mutually transformative collaboration, set to the soundtrack of a summer in New York City.

Comedy, starring Keira Knightley, Mark Ruffalo, James Corden, Hailee Steinfeld, Mos Def, Catherine Keener and Adam Levine.

Eight years after his much acclaimed Once, John Carney gives us a new story in which the characters are united by their love of music in a beautiful New York City background. Since the Pirates of the Caribbean trilogy, I follow Keira Knightley’s career and she is able to amaze me each time, I remember her so moving in Seeking a Friend for the End of the World two years ago and now she has proved she can sing. All I can say is when I watched this movie, I forgot I was in a theatre as I was singing along and dancing in my chair, completely carried away by that charming story in which the main actors portrayed endearing characters. This is my favourite movie this year so far, since Wes Anderson’s The Grand Budapest Hotel.