Movies – Good Bye, Lenin!

The future lay in our hands. Uncertain, yet promising.

After months in a coma, Alex’ mom wakes up. The news of East Germany falling down while she was asleep would be fatal for a socialist idealist like her, so Alex takes a decision: to mantain the illusion that the Berlin wall has never fallen down. German tragicomedy Good Bye, Lenin! narrates this sweet and funny story while showing the major changes that the country’s society went through at the time. Totally recommended.

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Movies – Léon

I want to be a cleaner, just like you.

I had never heard a word about this film until a glorious day my mom came to me and said “there’s a movie tonight on television, it stars Jean Reno and I love Jean Reno, wanna watch it with me?” I agreed cause, sincerely, I had nothing better to do. And yeah, Jean Reno’s quite a fine actor. The movie seemed to be pretty good from the beginning, but as the story went on and I saw the cast show what they’re made of, I gradually discovered the awesomeness of it. I can’t believe I didn’t know Léon even existed. It is indeed a wonderful movie and definitely not to miss. Continue reading

Books – El Eternauta

The only valid heroe is the heroe in group, never the individual heroe, the heroe alone.

El Eternauta has become a classic of Argentinian graphic novels over the years, and there are more than one reason why we should pay attention to it. It was written right at the heart of the country’s comic books Golden Age, back in the fifties, and by the hand of a more than controversial author. But that’s not it. El Eternauta is also a remarkable piece of fiction, full of imagination and Sci-Fi inventions, while being realistic at the same time. Continue reading

Books – The War of the Worlds

Are we such apostles of mercy as to complain if the Martians warred in the same spirit?

Encouraged by the Sci-Fi reading challenge I joined this year and accompanied by a love for classics, I decided to go to the roots of the genre and read the first and most acclaimed authors of Science Fiction. Following Jules Verne’s A Journey to the Centre of the Earth, I grabbed H.G. Wells masterpiece The War of the Worlds. Popularized by its several adaptations (including Welles’ broadcast and Spielberg’s film), this book continues to amuse its readers, and keeps standing firmly as a must read. Continue reading

Movies – Hugo

If the entire world was one big machine, I couldn’t be an extra part. I had to be here for some reason.

Trust me, you don’t want to miss this movie. Hugo is one of the big names for this awards season, (fairly) nominated for 11 Academy Awards, including Best Picture and Best Director for Martin Scorsese. With its amazing visuals, superb acting, remarkable plot and beautiful music, it’s been so far the best 2011 movie I’ve seen.

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Movies – War Horse

Wherever you are, I will find you and I will bring you home.

Steven Spielberg comes back with another of his war epic movies, but this time the protagonist is a horse called Joey. He’s born and raised by Albert Naracott’s side, a young farm boy. He teaches Joey plenty of things and they grow closely attached to each other, but when World War I breaks out and his family starts facing financial problems, his father decides to sell the animal to the army. Now a war horse and away from Albert, Joey will go from one owner to the other as he struggles for his life. Will Albert be able to keep his promise and get together with his horse again? Continue reading

Books – Pride and Prejudice

The misfortune of speaking with bitterness is a most natural consequence of the prejudices I had been encouraging.

Pride and Prejudice is the story of five sisters whose mother’s only will is to see them well married. It is through the eyes of Elizabeth, one of the oldest, that we get to see the lives of the families that sorround them, their manners, habits and morals. It is through her eyes as well, that we’re witnesses of how first impressions can so badly deceive us, and how different things can turn out to be. Continue reading

Movies – The Help

God says we need to love our enemies. It hard to do. But it can start by telling the truth.

Here’s a movie I would have totally ignored hadn’t it been one of the big contestants for this year’s awards season. As I’m trying to check out all the nominees for the Best Picture category of the Academy Awards, I decided to finally watch The Help. And I’m really happy I did, because I loved it! In this review, I will tell you why, and hope it encourages you to see it yourself.

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Books – Journey to the Center of the Earth

We see that science is eminently perfectible, and that each theory has constantly to give way to a fresh one.

I’ve always admired Jules Verne for being so ahead of his time. Isn’t it amazing that he wrote about space travel and submarines a long time ago before they were even invented? I knew about all of this, but never read one of his books from beginning to end. Considering I decided to be part of a Sci-Fi reading challenge this year, I thought it was time to travel through one of Verne’s books. I grabbed Journey to the Centre of the Earth from the bookshelf and got immersed in this inventive and exciting adventure for a couple of days. Continue reading

Movies – Midnight in Paris

That’s what the present is. It’s a little unsatisfying because life is unsatisfying.

In Midnight in Paris, Woody Allen tells us the story of a man in love with another time. And he does it in a very magical way, with a great cast, wonderful music and set in one of the most beautiful cities in the world. Not to miss.

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Series – Modern Family

One big (straight, gay, multi-cultural, traditional) happy family.

I really don’t know why, but ever since Modern Family was aired on television I had always avoided it. I just thought it would be one of those new not-at-all-funny sitcoms that come out every year. But once again I had the pleasure to be fooled and remember how stupid I am to misjudge something when I haven’t even tried it. This series is as modern as the family it portraits, and one of the most hilarious shows I’ve seen in a long time.

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Books – The Walking Dead

Things? You mean those monsters there are at the hospital? Who are you? What the hell is going on?

I’ve never been that into zombie stories, but I happen to love the TV series The Walking Dead. I could watch an entire season in a rush and I wouldn’t get tired (in fact, that’s exactly what I did with the first season). Eventually, I found out this show is based on a monthly graphic novel with the same name, and I bought a couple of books to see what they’re like.

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Books – If on a winter’s night a traveler

You are about to begin reading Italo Calvino’s new novel, If on a winter’s night a traveler.

If on a winter’s night a traveler (translated from the Italian Se una notte d’inverno un viaggiatore) is a very particular book. The protagonist is a reader, referred to as “you” or “the reader”. He starts a book by Italo Calvino, but just when it starts getting interesting, he finds out there’s something wrong with the edition of the book and he cannot go on reading it. So he goes to the shop where he bought it to complain and get another copy. The thing is, the book he started wasn’t even Italo Calvino’s. It was a book by a Polish author, and now he wants to finish that one. He gets a copy, but then again, there’s something wrong with it and he cannot go on reading. This way he starts ten different books that for varied reasons, are always interrupted. Continue reading

Series – Awkward

My moment in the spotlight sucked some serious ass.

Looking for something to watch on TV this summer, my brother came across an MTV series called Awkward. I had my doubts, that channel doesn’t stand out for offering quality material. But I gave it a try anyway, I had seen the main actress play a secondary role on One Tree Hill and I wanted to see how she did here. I must say we were really surprised, as the show turned out to be very good. And entertaining!

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Books – The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo

Everyone has secrets. It’s just a matter of finding out what they are.

Män som hatar kvinnor (translated in English as The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo)  was published posthumously after the death of its Swedish authour Stieg Larsson. Counting on a great plot an interesting characters, this crime novel makes the reader addictive, probably being this the reason why it became a bestseller all over the world. First book in the Millennium trilogy.

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Movies – Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace

He is the chosen one. He will bring balance. Train him.

Sixteen years after the end of the original Star Wars trilogy (1977-1983), a prequel of it was released. Avid fans all over the world were awaiting it full of excitement, queuing for hours to get a ticket and quiting work to attend the film. What movie could possibly live up to such great expectations? Well, Star Wars Episode I didn’t. Not only critics but also a considerable number of fans, hated this movie.  But I’m not a fan. I was born many years after the original trilogy was made, and this is in fact the first time I watch the entire saga. So I didn’t feel that same disappointment with Episode I. I liked, I enjoyed it, and I think it is overall a good movie. However, I could see some flaws, and though I wasn’t disappointed, I didn’t get that magical feeling I got when I watched the original trilogy. I like this movie, but I understand why many Star Wars fans do not. Continue reading

Merry Christmas, you filthy animal! (and a Happy New Year)

Today I was watching Home Alone 2 (for the twentieth time, I guess), and once again I laughed out loud with this scene. It may not convey the most christmasy message, but I thought it was great to post it here today. Merry Christmas everybody! Have a beautiful day, and may all your wishes come true -G.

Books – Breakfast at Tiffany’s

If I could find a real-life place that made me feel like Tiffany’s, then I’d buy some furniture and give the cat a name.

The book by Truman Capote that inspired the timeless Breakfast at Tiffany’s is likely to surprise you. It did to me, as a matter of fact. First, I was surprised by how different it was from the movie. I didn’t like that. The second time I read it, I was surprised to see how much my reaction to it had changed. Now I think it’s absolutely worth-reading. Continue reading

Random – 2012 Reading Challenges

This year, I decided to sign up for three different Reading Challenges. Here I’ll keep the record of my progress, and every time I read one book from the list, I’ll write a review of it and link it here. I haven’t chosen which books I’m going to read yet, because I want to decide that along the way. It is quite exciting, haven’t you thought of signing up too? So, these are the Challenges! :] Continue reading

Movies – Vertigo

And if you lose me, then you’ll know I loved you. And I wanted to go on loving you.

Lately, I’ve been interested in watching classic films. I started simply for curiosity, but then I found out I actually enjoy these old movies. Particularly, the ones by Hitchcock. So this week, it was Vertigo‘s turn, which got me pretty excited because James Stewart starred in it. And then I saw it was far much more than I thought, it was actually one of the best movies I’ve ever seen.

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