Barça - Real Madrid 5:0

If you are not a football fan or simply just arrived from Mars: FC Barcelona and Real Madrid are the two best teams in the world and whenever they play against each other, it's called El Clásico. When it comes to El Clásico in Spain, it's not just two teams playing, it's two worlds against each other: the Madrid/Spanish world and the Barcelona/Catalan world. Let's just say it's a hate-hate relationship when it comes to sports, culture, language and political news.
And yesterday el Barça had a historical win over RM - 5:0. This is, without a doubt the best news of the month.

Impossible but true.

I remember one day when my mother, after showing her the latest addition to my rather big collection of Picasso books - I even have one about the man's dog after all - asked when I was going to reach the point when I have a photo of all his works and stop spending money on new books. Then I told her it was an impossible thing to achieve since it is still unknown how many works he has - I believe around that time it was 13 thousand and counting.

Now I'm wondering what my mother will say if I tell her 270 new pieces were discovered - I guess she'll stay true to herself and say it's either impossible or quite simply ridiculous. And I'll stay true to myself when I tell her there's nothing impossible or ridiculous about it if you keep in mind that he had almost a hundred years to create whatever he had in mind. And we all know his mind and hands were anything but lazy.

5 reasons why I love The Sopranos.

1. The humour.

A perfect example is the 10th episode of the first season. An all-time favourite.

2. As someone who's obsessed with the Godfather, it's something very much like an obligation to love it.

3. Even my mother loves it.

4. Tony's mum is hilarious, brilliant and adorable.

5. How did Tina Turner say...?

...oh yes, Simply the Best. Or at least one of them.

Have the faith I have in you.

Pure perfection and some heartache.

...and he's back.

When two years ago Joaquin Phoenix announced he was retiring, I believed him. I was suspicious, but I did. Then, the whole craziness started - falling off the stage, the slightly scandalous Letterman appearance - and I didn't say anything. When you like and, dare I say, know someone so much, you just know. Just like I did. On Letterman, I knew it was a character - none of the usual gestures, none of the usual changes in his voice, nothing Joaquin. I remember my friend was sending me video links about Joaquin's latest act and I just said let's wait until the film comes out and you'll see.

It wasn't long ago that I sent named friend a link with recent photos of him (I was happier than ever to see him back to normal at the Venice Film Festival) and the link with his visit to Letterman.

Joaquin is like famiy to me - I basically grew up with him and I couldn't wait to see him again. And here he is, on Letterman again, as we know him, all those moves, all that tone, all those glances. He might be the best actor in the world but I still know when he's acting. And here, my friends, he is himself, that modest, shy boy I grew up with - and who is always eager to get off the show.

Yet another movie post.

I find it somehow unbelievable and very sad that though there are three feature films out there about Coco Chanel, none of them is acceptable. And the worst is, it's not even high expectations - they are, quite simply, lousy movies. First there was the Shirley Maclaine version and everyone hated it (though she got nominated for some awards for it) and said let's wait for the Audrey Tautou one, that will be the real thing. Then, it turned out to be a huge disappointment, even if the colours and outfits were nice.

And then there was the one about her romance with Igor Stravinsky. When I started watching it it was okay but then suddenly I realized that 10 minutes passed and nothing happened. Of course you could say it's ok since the movie is almost 2 hours long (and why is it that it's always the worst ones that last the most?) but it was pure suffering. And I like Diaghilev and ballet...

The whole movie seems pointless - the creators obviously decided they would show the important things through facial expressions and not words but it all seems too forced. I understand they are French and we are talking about turn-of-the-century artistic circles but still, there is a way to make it seem effortless. What they lack in filmmaking talent, they try to compensate with the good old weapon: nudity and long sex scenes.

I don't know why the life of Coco Chanel is so difficult to succeed on the big screen, maybe the creators of these movies should turn to Mr Lagerfeld for an advice. After all, he accomplished the apparently not so impossible mission with his short movies...

I ate, I loved, I prayed - and I came back.

Hello everyone, after more than 3 months without posting I am back again. Due to my rather exhausting working hours (48-50 hours per week paired with 24 hours of travelling) and my busy university schedule (I had to turn in my thesis and prepare for a few exams), I simply couldn't find the time to write here, or anywhere else for that matter.

But now here I am, with a brand new job that hopefully will let me have the freetime to enjoy life and my hobbies. To celebrate the beginning of what for me is a new - and once again, hopefully better - life, I watched Eat Pray Love last night.

The thing is, it was a hit in Spain and now everyone is reading the book on the metro and the promotion made me believe it was some light comedy so I must admit I decided to watch it for pure entertainment and had no intentions whatsoever to actually have thoughts provoked by this film. But I was wrong. And this time, it was a lovely disappointment. Eat Pray Love might not be heavy weight but it's also far from light. I couldn't avoid thinking while reading behind the lines and the great acting but all this, the fact that this movie actually has a profound meaning, it has something to say, didn't stop me from having a good time. I like how Italy is for eating, India is for meditation and Bali is for love in the film and I also love that despite the obvious beauty of these places the creators stayed away from the shallow let's-show-the-beach/monuments /pretty things-and-call-it-a-day shots. Some elements of the editing are also outstanding, and all in all I was surprised and overwhelmed by the quality the film presented.

And to think that I almost stayed away from such an experience because of some cash-oriented, misleading promotion! Now if only I could find out why despite loving the movie I do NOT feel the urge to read the book.........