4 minute read
Love Letters
from #276
Love Letters
by Jocey Neligwa & Eva Hughes-Sutton
Why I love Ghosts
Dear Button House and its Ghosts,
Your show feels like a great big hug, with each episode making me laugh harder than the last, or even bringing a tear to my eye, largely thanks to its cast, who were massively involved in writing the show. Over five seasons, it has perfectly formulated the “Found Family trope” that I love so deeply in films and media.
Your show follows an unfortunate incident, with young Allison, who recently inherited the house with her husband Mike, dealing with her newfound gift, the ability to see ghosts: at least those residing in the house for their respective afterlives, bound by its borders. Though separated by generations and unlucky fatal circumstances, it is so lovely to watch the friendships between a Georgian Lady and WW2 Captain blossom or to watch an eighties politician play chess with a caveman. Though obvious differences may separate them, the familial love they share for each other brings a warmth that seeps through the screen and feels like a hug, especially when watching it on a rainy autumn day; a perfect escape from the stresses of life.
This show dives into many topics; love, grief, friendships, family, and even vegan breakfasts, all bringing the characters closer, with flashbacks to the past and many mishaps and hijinks. Even when the show is over, the cast, who may be remembered fondly from the BBC’s Horrible Histories, portray a genuine love for their individual characters and the show itself, making it even better. As GHOSTS wraps up this year with the fifth and final season, it will be time to say goodbye to Button House in the beautiful countryside once and for all. With the last episode being a holiday special, it will be the best bittersweet gift, sitting under the tree this cold Christmas.
Love from, Jocey Neligwa
Dear the Chick Flick genre,
Growing up, the mocking tones of my ignorant filmbuff father tried their best to deter me from you, but they were no match for the headstrong spirit of a teenage girl. In fact, felt sorry for him. I still do. Imagine being deprived of the experience of being curled up in a single bunk bed with your best friends on a Friday night, giggling until the ungodly hours of the morning while watching Miley Cyrus fall in love on a subway. (LOL (2012) is an underrated trainwreck of a classic of yours, by the way).
In fact, those nights may not have remained so vividly in my mind had your movies not been such a girlsnight staple. I can’t watch 10 Things I Hate About You (1999) without fondly remembering the friends I had at fifteen and our united daydreaming over Heath Ledger and what falling in love might feel like. I can’t watch 13 Going on 30 (2004) without thinking of that rainy Sunday afternoon my mother and I spent watching Jenna Rink learn to appreciate the messiness of young girlhood. Which, in turn, allowed me to appreciate mine.
The female protagonists of your genre taught me that I can wear pink and dream about romance and prioritise kindness while also being smart, self-reliant, and able to become Harvard Valedictorian of 2004 – special thanks to Elle Woods for all the times she motivated me to pick up my pen and study!
Your films helped to create sisterhoods just as thick as those defined by blood. In consequence, I fell in love with the power of film to be able to connect me closer to the women in my life, and to create memories I’ll hold with me forever.
With love and thanks,
