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.
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...
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.........
Lay a whisper on my pillow Leave the winter on the ground I wake up lonely,there's air of silence In the bedroom and all around
Touch me now, I close my eyes And dream away...
It must have been love, but it's over now It must have been good, but I lost it somehow It must have been love, but it's over now From the moment we touched till the time had run out
Make believing we're together That I'm sheltered by your heart But in and outside I turn to water Like a teardrop in your palm
And it's a hard winter's day I dream away...
It must have been love, but it's over now It was all that I wanted, now I'm living without It must have been love, but it's over now It's where the water flows, it's where the wind blows
It must have been love, but it's over now It must have been good, but I lost it somehow It must have been love, but it's over now From the moment we touched till the time had run out
It must have been love, but it's over now It was all that I wanted, now I'm living without It must have been love, but it's over now It's where the water flows, it's where the wind blows.
When I have a little spare time, I just love watch David Letterman interviews. I usually go for the new ones but after I just had to turn off Kirsten Stewart's appearence for finding her immature and lack of sense of humour, I decided to go for Sarah Michelle Gellar. She is just lovely and - I guess that's why I like her so much - her sarcasm, combined with that of Letterman make me laugh out loud.
This interview, from 1997, is one of my favourites.
