The votes have been counted and verified and I can reveal that the winner of the Favourite Actress Poll -as voted for by you – is none other than Julia Roberts.

So here is my – as promised – review of the gorgeous Julia and her many, many films! Enjoy!

Born in 1967, in Georgia, USA, Julia Fiona Roberts has undoubtedly become one of the world’s most famous actresses.

With a career spanning over 20 years, Roberts is responsible for some of the greatest films of the last two decades, earning her the title of highest-paid actress for three years running from 2002 to 2005.

A year after the 1988 coming-of-age film Mystic Pizza, starring Roberts, Lili Taylor and Annabeth Gish, Roberts received her first Academy Award nomination (as Best Supporting Actress) for her role as Shelby Eatenton Latcherie in the heart-wrenching film Steel Magnolias (1989).

Based around the lives of Truvy’s Beatuy Parlour clients, in Louisiana, the cast includes Sally Field, Dolly Parton, Daryl Hannah, Shirley MacLaine, Olympia Dukakis and of course Julia Roberts, as the fiesty Southern women.

A tale of true friendship that sees the ‘magnolias’ tested to their limits when it comes to life, love and loss. A brilliant drama.

However, it was in 1990 that Roberts was catapulted into the fame-game after starring alongside the delightfully gorgeous Richard Gere – and if you can’t guess which film is being referred to, well lets just say you’ve made a big mistake, big, big, HUGE!

Pretty Woman grossed $463 million worldwide and for a romantic comedy revolving around a rich man and a prostitute, that aint half bad.

An albeit slightly unlikely fairytale, Pretty Woman sees love blossom between Gere’s powerful businessman Edward Lewis and Roberts’ not-so-trashy prostitute Vivian Ward, after he hires her to accompany him on various business meetings and events.

A light-hearted love story with a Cinderella-style twist, which definitely isn’t a slippery lil sucker!

Sleeping With The Enemy (1991), saw Roberts change directions in her role and take on something a lot more serious and unnerving.

Roberts plays Laura Burney, wife to Martin, played by Patrick Bergin. From the outset, the pair seem to have the perfect relationship but in reality Martin is a brutally abusive and obsessive partner.

Living in constant fear, Laura plans her escape but will it be a happy ending? A chilling thriller that scarily highlights how terrifying Obsessvie Compulsive Disorder can be – trust me, you’ll never look at a cupboard full of tins in the same way…

Yet after her performance as Tinkerbell in Hook (1991), Roberts promptly disppeared for the next two years…

But by 1993, she was back, co-starring in the legal-thriller, The Pelican Brief (based on the novel by John Grisham) with Denzel Washington, which was received as a great success.

Between 1993 and 1996, Roberts’ career was a rollercoaster of highs and lows, but it was from 1997 that she regained her run of box-office smashes…

If you haven’t seen My Best Friend’s Wedding (1997), then where have you been?!

Roberts’ role as Julianne Potter is quite possibly one of her best, as a pact with her long-time best boy mate Michael (Dermot Mulroney) and the realisation that she is in love with him, leads to the sabotage of Michael’s up-and-coming wedding to the sweet-and-innocent Kimberly (Cameron Diaz).

This is a must-see film with Roberts only just stealing the show from Rupert Everett‘s character George.

Crossing the Atlantic in 1999 gave us the beautiful Notting Hill where Roberts was just a girl standing in front of Hugh Grant asking him to love her.

With the tagline, “Can the most famous film star in the world fall for just an ordinary guy?” The answer is a simple yes – especially since said ordinary guy says things like “Oops-a-daises.”

Throw into the mix the disgustingly funny Spike (Rhys Ifans) and we have ourselves a box-office winner.

In 2001, Roberts received the Academy Award, Golden Globe, Screen Actors’ Guild Award and BAFTA for Best Actress, for her portrayal of Erin Brockovich (2000).

Based on the true story of Erin Brockovich – a single mother who helps bring down Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PG&E) for the poisoning of a town’s water supply – the film was a worldwide success.

Working with Brad Pitt for her next three movies, Ocean’s Eleven (2001), The Mexican (2001) and Ocean’s Twelve (2004), Roberts’ personal life also came together.

It was on the set of The Mexican that Roberts met her future-husband, cameraman Daniel Moder.

The pair wed a year later on on July 4, 2002 in New Mexico and on November 28, 2004, they became the parents of twins, Hazel Patricia and Phinnaeus Walter.

In 2007, Roberts and Moder welcomed their third child, Henry Daniel, on June 18.

Overall, Julia Roberts is a truly brilliant actress and a deserved winner of The Favourite Actress Poll – okay, winning an Oscar is probably better but hey!

Julia, Reviews And Shoes salutes you. 10/10

Orphan (2009) is a bone-chillingly brilliant horror film – and for someone who doesn’t scare easily that’s saying something.

The tagline “There’s something wrong with Esther. Can you keep a secret?” will leave you guessing to the very end, and when all is revealed you may actually wish you were never told – it’s that creepy.

Kate Coleman (Vera Farmiga) and husband John (Peter Sarsgaard) plan to adopt after the stillborn birth of their third child “Jessica.”

Charmed by a Russian 9-year-old called Esther (Isabelle Fuhrman), the couple bring home what they think is the perfect – if slightly old-fashioned – child.

Oh how wrong they were….

Immediately befriended by Kate and John’s deaf-mute (and unbelievably cute) daughter Max, but shunned by older son Daniel, the incidents and manipulation soon begins.

SPOILER ALERT: Oh okay, I wont give anything too particular away – as much as I want to.

What I will say is this: all is not what it appears with little Esther…

From the brutal killing of a nun – with a hammer no less – to the swift assumption that all of the events are in the imagination of mum Kate, this film has you on the edge of your seat for the whole duration.

Isabelle Fuhrman is brilliant as Esther, as is the gorgeous Aryana Engineer as Max, yet the roles that these two young girls play couldn’t be further apart.

While Max truly melts the heart, Esther will pretty much stop it dead.

A must-see horror that is neither predictable nor pathetic in it’s attempts to scare.

Reviews And Shoes rating: 10/10

The Polite Vicar, Newcastle-under-Lyme, is a great place to go and enjoy some hearty food and drink.

Set back from the main road and neighbour to The New Vic Theatre, the pub is an ideal choice for dinner and tea times.

For the new year there is a new menu, which includes some rather exotic additions such as the Honey and Soy Tuna served on a bed of spicy Singapore noodles, and a Mediterranean
Style Vegetable Tagine.

A few of the old favourites, however, do still remain like the Lincolnshire
Sausage and Mash, and the Mixed Grill.

The prices do seem to have crept up a little but the Two For One offer is still available so all is forgiven.

Overall, The Polite Vicar is a good-all-round place to eat and drink.

Reviews And Shoes rating: 7/10

Well…poor little Joe McElderry is all that can be said.

As first singles go, The Climb is quite possibly one of the worst debuts ever seen – or more accurately – heard.

Was Simon Cowell having a private joke when he chose the Miley Cyrus song for this year’s X Factor winner to release? Because it sure seems like it.

We know that Joe can sing (albeit in a slightly girly way) so why-oh-why did he agree to record a little American girl’s song? They have nothing in common, well, except for some pretty impressive gnashers.

To make matters worse, Cheryl’s protégé didn’t even get the coveted Christmas number one either, thanks to a Facebook campaign encouraging people to download Rage Against The Machine’s Killing In The Name – an obvious festive choice.

But it doesn’t have to be all doom and gloom for the South Shields singer. Hopefully his second song will be much better and he does as well as he really deserves.

To view the video for The Climb click here

Reviews And Shoes rating: 3/10

Series seven of BBC‘s Strictly Come Dancing came to an end on Saturday (19 December), and after 14 weeks, the best man didn’t win.

Ricky Whittle and new-to-the-show dance partner Natalie Lowe, were by far the superior couple, with The Whittle’s dancing being of a near-professional standard – along with his six-pack.

But as per usual, the ever-amazing public seemed to forget that the competition is called Strictly Come Dancing and not Strictly Come Entertainment.

Like Rachel Stevens before him, The Whittle was robbed thanks to the viewers at home hopelessly falling for the underdog.

Little Chris Hollins and dance partner Ola Jordan were entertaining and yes, very likeable, but could Hobbit Hollins dance? Not really…

The only time the tiny pair superceeded Ricky and Natalie, was during the Charleston, which embodied the sheer fun that the two had together during the show.

Apart from that, The Whittle was top-dog and took to each dance with ease, with his Quickstep being one of the best in the show’s history, knocking Lil Chris’s Foxtrot out of the park.

Ricky’s Cha Cha was also pure indulgence proving there wasn’t a dance – be it ballroom or latin – that he couldn’t do.

As well as the two previous show dances, the finalists also had to perform a Showdance routine, and a joint Lindy Hop.

The Lindy Hop, which saw both couples performing at the same time, was an unfair advantage for Team Cola as Chris didn’t once have to do any lifts due to his height, unlike The Whittle who ended the routine with both Natalie and Ola on his back.

Even judge Darcey Bussell claimed the dance was better suited to those with a ‘more compact stature.’ No kidding Darce!

The Showdance routine saw Ola Chops really make the most of what Chris could do, and using their natural entertaining ability the overall effect was a good one.

The Whittle’s Showdance, however, was just too showy, with the pair performing the most death defying lift ever seen – the only way to decribe it being Natalie lying across Ricky’s back, supported only by the crook of his neck whilst being spun around. Absolutely terrifying.

In the end, the public could not be swayed, choosing to crown Lil Chris and Ola Chops as champions. But all’s well that ends well…The Whittle most certainly has a career in dancing.

Strictly is one of the best shows on television, beating The X Factor hands down when it comes to content.

Dancing is a skill and unlike ITV‘s poor excuse for entertainment, BBC 1 leaves the deluded and crazy auditionees where they belong. At home.

Using celebrities instead of wannabe’s, Strictly Come Dancing has an air of sophistication about it that The X Factor, this year especially, lacks – no idiotic screaming audiences.

The only bad thing that can be said about the whole show, is the continuous employment of Bruce Forysth, one of the most unfunny people to ever grace the Earth. Bruce, it’s nice to see you, nice to see you NOT.

Reviews And Shoes rating: 9/10