Words

To tell a story without many spoken words (no, I’m not exactly talking about silent films). 

Taking I Am Love and like the film itself, words are needless.

Love this film

Love this picture

Love this moment 

Love the blur

I love the end of the film.

Aimée and Jaguar

What do I think about this film, let me see…I can’t believe it’s a story based on true facts. It’s the first thing that comes to my mind, too romantic, in a sense. I mean, it’s understandably legitimate. There are endless stories ready to be told, so why not this one in particular? Why not? Maybe I don’t believe it because I’m too conservative and I’m not yet open and aware that there always been women who were in love with other women.

We are in Berlin in the middle of the Second World War, between 1943 and 1944. The scenario is of dark terror where jets and planes cross the skies turning its color a dark orange. People try to live their lives; some under imminent danger and some of careless clueless.

Felice is a Jewish woman living under a false name who belongs to an underground organization. One of her friend’s boss is Lily. Felice finds Lily to be a very charming woman, creating a strong attractiveness towards her. Felice meets Lily through their friend in common in a party where Lily tries to connect with a sergeant she’s being unfaithful with. From this moment they begin communicating with each other and suddenly an unusual and yet undeniable love starts between the two. But this relationship is far from being adequate and easy. Lily has a husband and four children and Felice is being persecuted by Gestapo, which she doesn’t know.

This love takes its crucial point when Felice has to decide to whether stay with Lily or flee with her friends having a bigger chance of surviving the war. Lily dies of despair if Felice goes, but if Felice stays her surviving changes are threatened to the bone.

Felice and Lily

Lily played by Julian Kholer and Felice played by Maria Shneider are two tremendous forces. Julia Kholer brings her theatrical performance making Lily the most emotionally explosive woman in the film; she’s funny, she’s energetic, she’s cold and hurtful all at the same time; she’s so elegant and beautiful.

Maria Snheider brings the coolest character to the screen. She plays a courageous woman. Felice is someone strong and tough, calculative in every aspect, almost heartless but then Lily came and she would turn into someone fragile and vulnerable; it’s beautiful to watch!

Aimée and Jaguar brings the relentless question – what if.  What if Felice would flee? Would they never meet again, would it be the same? We can’t ask these questions I suppose, because it was simply the choice made, it was that choice and not the others. This also brings the word destiny. For me it’s about letting go and acceptance and forgiveness.

The story tells us about a choice in life. At the end, through Alice, it tells us how this woman wanted the moment. The now. Everything in life should resume to that; just live the moment, the precious now.

Despite my conservatism I was touched by this story; Aimée and Jafuar it’s a film to be seen again and again. 

Actors Acting

Praising a Character – Alexander Supertramp by Emile Hirsh

I guess we all admire when someone transforms in someone else, this case, Emile Hirsh into Chris McCandless.

First I must say Sean Penn made something that I know everyone is so grateful for. He did all the work. I know someone who can’t seem to watch the entire film because he already knows what’s going to happen, he says. Then I thought, curiously that excuse is exactly what the film proves wrong; I think he can’t bear the realism and selfishness of this protagonist’s words and ideologies and he doesn’t believe the journey is worth it. I’ve seen Into the Wild a few times and I keep re-watching it, entirely, because I’m not able to pass any second (then I have this urges to tattoo my body with Into the Wild words so I remember what’s important).

Emile Hirsh – he is the man, the super tramp. It wasn’t really about losing all that weight but about losing himself in a character the way he did. But yes, it was undeniably a very physical performance. I like the way he was starless, I liked the fact he wasn’t Leonardo DiCaprio (no offense), the way he wasn’t a perfect body shaped guy, I liked his messiness. Let’s not forget he was so well supported by the other teammates; Catherine Keener, Vince Vaughn, William Hurt, Marcia Gay Harden, Hal Holbrook, Jena Melone.

Who isn’t inspired by the character he plays?

Actors Acting

Praising a Character – Alice Pieszecki by Leisha Hailey

In a series full of women, literally speaking, I would confess that Alice P. was one of the reasons why L Word was worth seeing (even including Bette and Tina or Shane). It got to this point, I mean, from episode one it became a love/hate thing. We can’t help but hate them and at the same time stop watching. Basically I hated the show but I watched it!

Alice P. was absolutely hilarious and genuinely into women. The great thing about Alice/Leisha is that she wasn’t really written out so I guess Leisha just invented herself into this character and she was great not only because she was hilarious but because she was often hilarious, she was often Alice Pieszecki and that mattered too.

Well, we all know something went really wrong with the show and it should have been something else; better stories told . We understand they wanted to tell it all but they messed up fast and bad, at one point it was all bullshit.

I would laugh like crazy with Alice; she was really worth the wasted time! She’s such a treasure.

Great improviser and great musician! 

Crush on her

Olivia Williams

Wow, this film. It was probably my favorite film from 2010 and her presence was stunning.

I'm pretty excited about 'Anna Karenina', can't hardly wait.

'Hanna'.

'An Education'.

Fans taking over

Are fans really taking a step forward?

The first thing is, they are and always were an influence in a particular part of the Show Business. Like the Star Wars fans were the principal reason for the sequels and prequels and all the franchising. But this is common sense.

As we enter Twenty First Century other examples appear like ‘Snakes on a Plane’, where some scenes were re-shot due to the massive fan interest. Ok, this is cinema and it is an example that supports my view on the subject – an entertaining and admirable piece needs a voice, one unique voice (Diablo Cody, Miranda July), not voices…

'Me and You and Everybody We Know'

The matter in Television has to be interpreted differently. Characters grow in a different way and storylines can basically go anywhere. Though, to be good there’s got to be consistency.

'The Good Wife'

I don’t like when suddenly the sister, who’s been away all that time, appears or the mother appearing after seven seasons and has cancer. Glee it’s a very recent example on how fans played a huge part on this show, specifically speaking - the characters of Brittany and Santana; their storyline clearly grow due to the popularity they had around the web, and I guess it can’t be denied.

Santana and Brittany

I came along this subject because of ‘Rizzoli and Isles’ to be true. The main thing about the show is just the ‘gags’, really! I saw the first season and I truly enjoyed. Facing the facts here – it isn’t a great series. The main thing about it is just that gags come across everything (to the point we don’t really pay attention to the victims or who the murderer is, we just want to laugh at what Dr Isles will say and Detective Rizzoli facial reactions will be). 

There’s also the part about not being true to the novels (didn’t read it, and the last time I knew it is ‘inspired’); that Angie Harmon character is exactly like in other detective series; guess what, I never saw any work by Harmon neither knew her. The thing is gags are too good to pass. The chemistry between the protagonists is too good to past.

Ok, where was I? Oh, the chemistry… chemistry as in like Brad and Angelina in ‘Mr. and Mrs. Smith’ (ok, probably not the best choice because they got together and now have six kids, but they really had an amusing chemistry) or Colin Firth and Geoffrey Rush in ‘The King’s Speech’. But no, it’s actually Lesbian subtext and I guess the series is pretty known for that too. Let me just say I watch the show for everything but this and I don't wanna take this on a negative way. It all started in the pilot you know, "Are we having a sleepover, or is this your way saying you're attracted to me?" To join this there's also an episode called "I Kissed a Girl". I understand gay stuff on show business or in prime time is rare, so something like this amusing chemistry comes along there’s hullabaloo. Result – popularity around the web.

Season 2 - popularity has grown so much. Result:

Episode three – it was a love letter to the fans. It was really funny that final scene but at the same time… weird. It was like ‘they are really throwing (in a positive way) this back at us’, a message saying ‘you are heard’, really, so strange. I mean, each episode there’s some sort of rewarding moment.

They got carried away by the subtext, clearly. So I guess they (as in the fans) indeed took over Rizzoli and Isles, at least an indirect part! Anyway! TNT renewed the series for a third season.

And I think I'm just going to stop noticing the fans' perspective, dah...

This is how I look when I watch 'Rizzoli and Isles', I love it, it's so goofy!

Actors Acting

Kelly McGillis

The 'Top Gun' lady!

I must say I didn't watch many films starring her. But I saw 'Witness'...

...and I saw something pretty unknown called 'The Monkey's Mask'!

There you go!

Rachel vs Professor Diana

An Amish single mother with nothing but good intentions who falls for the good cop vs the dangerous and naughty professor who likes erotic asphyxiation and who happens to be the killer of Mickey, the young female student who was missing.

Fifteen years separate them and two different career paths.

Rachel .

Diane.

Your Sister's Sister

Sorry the 'logistics' of the photo, you can just go to the Toronto Film Festival site here - http://tiff.net/filmsandschedules/tiff/2011/yoursisterssister

But I couldn't help it. This is the first look at the Lynn Shelton new movie and it's Emily so, you know!

I wish I was there, in the Toronto International Film Festival...damn!

3 Animated Films

Persepolis

Waltz with Bashir

Grave of the Fireflies

I nominate these three animated features the most fascinating films I’ve seen lately and they all have a few things in common. 

They are dramas based on biographical events. 

They deal with war - ‘Persepolis’ deals with the Iranian Revolution of 1979; ‘Waltz with Bashir’ the 1982 Invasion of Lebanon by Israel forces; ‘Grave of the Fireflies' is set on the Japanese side of World War II.

They are three animated films dealing with this matter in particular – the effect on people.  They all base their stories in an emotional portrait about growing up, about the impact of wars and conflicts and dependency.
They are twenty years apart, from different continents but indeed with significant things in common.

The bottom line is - stories make us feel, no matter in what form they come. I’m not going to be numbering the different ways these three films are great, I’m not going to talk about the technicalities cause who gives a shit, really? (Taking the fact that shots make the story happen, the close shots makes us feel in a way and the colors in a different way and the soundtrack also helps...but excluding that!!) That’s for critics and people who want to make films. I’m doing this simple thing here, nominating three films I was fascinated by the admiring stories and perhaps you could get curious and might take a look at, I know they don't feature your favorite stars but I'm sure you wouldn't regret it.

Tales from Screenwriters

Tales from the Script it's a documentary about what it is to be a screenwriter in Hollywood...and then I think 'Oh, the American Dream' (you understand the irony if you watch the doc)!

Guinevere Turner is so awesome!

A curiosity from the doc - she's only one of the five women starring in it --- between fourty men.

This is a man's world, indeed...

Crush on her

Oh, if I have a crush on her...God, she's so pretty...

...I thought I'd never seen any work of her before (no offense to her)...

...but she was actually in 'Yes Man' which I had seen...

...and god she looks so good in here...

...and then I realized she just had a baby last year...

...and how is that even possible?

What can you say, right? 

So thanks 'Rizzoli and Isles' people!

Actors Acting

Tom vs Hesher 

I love this; you can't identify the same guy can you?

Not that Joseph hadn't done dark before, he had done plenty ('Manic', 'Mysterious Skin', 'Brick', 'Stop Loss') but I was watching Hesher and I had this flash of Tom smiling and singing! I just love this Joseph Gordon-Levitt and his versatility. 

Moment in a film

A metaphor from Hesher -
"Life is like walking in the rain, you can hide and take cover or you can just get wet".
So, what do you choose?

Picture Moment - Photo Booth

Emily Blunt, in color.

Kristen Stewart is...Kristen Stewart.

Eva Green wins.

Keira and Joe, great team.

Cate Blanchett smooth ways.

Diane in blue.

Liv!