For a taste of something a bit different, I thought my second review would be on something that I've been rather obsessed with for the last week. If you've read our "About" page you probably already know that two of my majors are Spanish and History hence it should come as no surprise that one of my favourite TV shows at the moment is a combination of both. Now, if you're not a native Spanish speaker or the extent of your Spanish is ¡Hola! and ¡Gracias!, fear not! This show has started to air in the US so English subtitles are readily available.
I discovered this little gem as I was scrolling through page after page of Spanish TV shows in an attempt to find something I could use to get more exposure to the language. It struck me immediately as it didn't seem to be one of those typical telenovelas with the exaggerated love stories and dramatic acting. I struggled to find a website that would let me view the show in NZ (as it doesn't air here) but eventually, through some internet magic, managed to get a good stream. If you're in the US, you'll find it on Hulu.
Sira Quiroga played by Adriana Ugarte
The story follows a young girl named Sira Quiroga (Adriana Ugarte) who grows up in Madrid with her seamstress mother and through her childhood learns how to sew and make garments. A romance with a dashing typewriter salesman, Ramiro, played by Rubén Cortada (who, holy crap, is GORGEOUS) leads her from Madrid to Tangier, Morocco where her life changes forever. The time period crosses over with the Spanish Civil War though is set mostly in Morocco where we hear only bits and pieces of the horror of what is happening in Spain. Sira takes up her trade as a dressmaker and makes a powerful friend in Rosalinda Fox and of course, Félix, the next door neighbour.
Sira Quiroga and Rosalinda Fox
This show has a distinctly historical feel with a touch of glamour, espionage and just the right amount of drama. I was surprised at how fast the show moved. Within the first episode we see her grow from child to adult, fall in and out, and in love again and move from Madrid to Tangier...in the first episode! They seem to have cut out all the unnecessary bits making each episode like it's own mini movie. The characters are delightful. Sira is an excellent protagonist that grows from a naïve and frail young girl to a powerful, independent woman with only success in her future. She doesn't beg your pity and neither is she reduced to just the subject of someone's affections. Rosalinda and Félix are both incredibly likeable characters that move the plot forward and also create a sense of family for Sira in Morocco. Candelaria takes on the mother figure shape when Sira first comes to Tetouan and remains an influence in her life. I may possibly have been biased in my adoration of Ramiro. It's those eyes! And of course there's Jamila, Sira's ever loyal housemaid that you can't help but love.
Rubén Cortada as Ramiro *sigh*
Thus far the series has been absolutely excellent and I simply can't wait to watch on! In fact there's a high chance I'll be watching at least one episode tonight. If you're up for something a little different definitely give this show a watch. The first episode will have you hooked!
So firstly, my apologies for failing to post last week. Life of a uni student I guess. In any case, I thought I'd do a bit of catching up by posting two reviews this week.
After five years of anxious waiting, catching snippets of them in collaborations, scanning their website for the mention of a new video or even just one of their "thank you for voting" videos, they are FINALLY back. I'm no hard core rock fan but Tokio Hotel has always had a special place with me. I love that their songs have substance and carry important meanings. Their earlier work (i.e. Scream) had excellent songs like Don't Jump (my personal favourite) which was anti-suicide, Forgotten Children about immigrant children that are neglected in the streets and Break Away about refusing to conform to the norms and being your own person.
In 2009 they reappeared on the scene with a new sound and new look (mostly Bill's hair really). Gone was the massive black and white lion's mane now replaced by black and white dreadlocks (what?) for their video Automatic. He'd changed it again by the time they did the video for their second single World Behind My Wall from the long awaited album Humanoid. Admittedly, I only became a fan in late 2009 when I first heard Automatic. I rushed to YouTube and found myself falling in love with their music. I didn't waste time buying Humanoid (in English and German) as well has Scream and some songs from Zimmer 483. I even made sure I got my copy of the Welcome to Humanoid City Tour DVD because sadly, they never seem to tour in NZ. Their performance in the 2009 EMA Awards had me hooked - all that fire and the double meaning to the song World Behind My Wall (I'm referring to the 20 year anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall). Beautiful.
And now, after a very long absence, Tokio Hotel have decided yet again to grace us fans with something new to feast on - a new season of Tokio Hotel TV! Veteran fans will remember the old series which followed the lives of band members Bill, Tom, Georg and Gustav as they trekked through America on their Scream tour. They boys have been hard at work creating a new album, getting a myriad of new tattoos and piercings and collaborating with fellow label mates, Far East Movement (If I Die Tomorrow is a pretty awesome song!). Of course Bill has been changing up his hair a ton and experimenting with some new clothes which I'm sure fans are going to LOVE.
The first episode of the new Tokio Hotel TV aired on Wednesday 6th August (which was Thursday at like 3am for us Kiwis) and boy was I excited! The boys were finally reunited in LA and work really seemed to underway for the new album. The twins seem to have had an even bigger role in the production of this album although it seems as though Tom's been doing most of the work. The G's, who remained in Germany despite the twins moving to the US, rejoined for the final touches to the album and of course the photo shoots!
They haven't given too many hints as to what the new album will sound like but I have been catching a few snippets of tracks here and there. So far so good! With any luck they'll release it soon and put us all out of our misery. And hopefully they'll go back to making a ton of music videos instead of just two. Come on Bill, I know you love getting all dressed up for them!
If you're a fan like me, do check out their YouTube channel for the new series which airs every Wednesday/Thursday (depending on where you live). If you're not, check them out anyway, they're pretty freaking awesome!
The people who know me know that I've always loved Taylor Swift's music. One look at my iTunes and it's pretty obvious. I may or may not have woken up early to watch the live stream on Monday (or Sunday, depending where you live). Taylor explained how she woke up everyday during the production of the album, NEEDING to create a new sound for herself. Inspired by the vivaciousness of the late 80s and armed with infamous co-writers, 1989 (her birth year) was born. Just to show how much of a freak I am, as soon as she mentioned 80s music, I was screaming in my head "IT'S GOING TO BE NAMED AFTER YOUR BIRTH YEAR ISN'T IT?" I even embarrass myself.
Shake it Off is Taylor's first single from her fifth studio album, 1989, set to be released worldwide on October 27th. Long gone is the curly-haired, cowboy boot wearing, country singer as Shake is her biggest departure from the genre she once originated from.Taylor even admits that 1989 is going to be her first solely pop album, so anyone who says "omg wtf this isn't country," ...she doesn't even claim herself to be country anymore. Taylor teams up with Max Martin and Johan Shellback another time (and certainly not the last) after writing singles together such as We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together and 22 from her previous album. The trio wanted to achieve something like they had never written before and well, they sure achieved that.
Watch "Shake it Off"
Shake it Off is a horn heavy song that follows the trends of many of today's songs. There's something about a good horn line that instantly makes it better followed by a this... sick... beat. I've always loved big bands! It's a mish mash of all of the elements on the radio with one hell of a catchy chorus. It shouldn't work... but it does!. It's something so left-field for Taylor but I guess shocking people is one way to grab people's attention. My only issue is that Taylor's voice can come off quite shrill in the verses and it does catch you off guard. But man.. those lyrics will stick in your head like nobody's business!
The lyrics are nothing too serious with mentions about haters and fakers, complete with a spoken verse rap with a twist of cheerleading chants. It's a far cry from the love songs that she's known for. They're positive and uplifting with a bit a tongue and cheek towards herself. No one makes fun of Taylor Swift like Taylor Swift. "I go on too many dates but I can't make them stay," shows that she doesn't take herself too seriously and despite everything the media throws, nothing can touch her.
How ballerinas drop it low.
I'm going to admit that I may have watched the video way too many times. I haven't been in the best of moods for a while and this definitely put a smile on my face and had me laughing. Taylor explains the concept of the video as just throwing herself into the middle of a group of professional dancers and just seeing what happens. We all know she's an awkward dancer and it's adorable. Taylor tries her hand as a bunny-hopping ballerina, a "less than hip" hip hop dancer, trying to tut, twerk, work magic with silks in modern dance and at some sort of ode to Lady GaGa. If anything it teaches her audience that you can't take yourself too seriously and do what makes you the most comfortable while you're finding out where you belong.
Expectations vs. Reality.
My favourite parts of the video were Taylor "tutting" and the elegant leap she does as a rhythmic gymnast. Work that ribbon! We've all been that awkward dancer at a party who most definitely won't win So You Think You Can Dance... because we most certainly think we can't. Also, the ending with the group of fans was a cute touch! These were all hand-picked fans from instagram, twitter, facebook etc. who were sworn to secrecy after appearing in this music video. But seriously, HOW DID THOSE FANS KEEP THAT SECRET FOR TWO MONTHS?
Oh yeah and this song may have been on repeat the whole day yesterday and today... maybe.
FUN FACT(S): Taylor also hosted a pizza party after her live stream for her fans. She invited them over to her NYC apartment to hang out. WHO DOES THAT?! (Also according to fans who were there: she has a large photo of Ed Sheeran pulling the middle finger and owns Frozen on Blu-Ray.)
KEEP
9/10
(Oops... I don't even know if we do funny decimals for ratings.)
By Daniela Studio: Walt Disney Animation Studios Year: 2012
Disney's Paperman is the Academy Award winning short-film
that premiered before screenings of Wreck-it Ralph in 2012. In a time when
people speculated that hand drawn animation was dead, Disney decides to release
something that's the best of both worlds. Director John Kahr describes the
inspiration to create Paperman from making eye-contact with people for a split
second on your way to work. What if that person would change your life forever?
On his way to work, George comes across a beautiful woman at
the train station. Unfortunately for him, he believes that he let the girl of
his dreams slip away, but fate has other plans. Once in his office, George
spots Meg in the building opposite to him. With the help of a stack of papers
and his persistence to see her again, George hopes his attempts will be enough
to capture her attention once again.
The animation is stunning and a welcomed change from all the
CGI animated movies Disney has been producing lately. Many have wondered if 2D
animation is dead, but Paperman gives us hope that one day it will make its
return. It’s creative, innovative and a great blending of the old and the new. The plot is a simple boy meets girl story with
a cute twist that keeps the audience entertained and separates it from other
classic New York love stories.
The score is by Christophe Beck who recently did the score
for Frozen. It’s a beautiful score that matches every beat of the film. It
starts off understated but builds once the planes take flight. Once the paper
planes develop a personality of their own it I heavily expressed through the
music as it serves as the climax. It saddens me so much that it isn’t available
to buy in the New Zealand iTunes store… WHY?!
The colour palette is mostly black and white with a pop of
red thanks to Meg's lipstick. The red is a way to connect the two characters.
George holds onto his infatuation with Meg by keeping a ice of paper with Meg's
lip print on it. The touch of red is attention grabbing. Think of Schindler's
List and the girl in the red coat. The girl in the red coat is probably one of
the main things I remember from Schindler because it was something that was
different and showed character development for the titular character. The red
lipstick serves the same purpose here and is one of the more memorable
components.
You can just feel the awkward.
George's design reminds me a lot of Roger from 101
Dalmatians. It must be the nose… and the hair. Actually I found myself typing
Roger instead of George a few times... oops. He's dorky, adorable, awkward and
incredibly persistent. My favourite moment would have to be all of George's
failed attempts at trying to get his paper planes through to Meg and all of his
expressions. We've all had those moments when we're so frustrated that we want
to bang our heads on the walls! Meg is elegant and beautiful. Both are very
simplistic which complemented the very simple design of New York. It gives an
old school vibe and retro feel. Let's not forget one of the most important
characters.... the paper planes. The paper planes are animated to have a personality
of their own and become a figurative Cupid’s arrow. They act as a compass for
Meg and lead her to George who seems to be harassed by every paper plane in New
York. These planes are the ultimate wingmen. It's simple, got some trouble
with love? Make a paper airplane!
As part of celebrating 20 years of great films and as a follow up to my review of Best Picture Winner, Forrest Gump, I thought I would discuss Frank Darabont's The Shawshank Redemption. It was a fellow nominee for Best Picture.
The film boasts a great cast with Tim Robbins as the lead, Andy Dufresne, and the legendary Morgan Freeman as the narrator and best friend to Andy, Red. It was nominated for numerous other awards at the 1994 Oscars including Best Actor (for Morgan Freeman), Best Adapted Screenplay and Best Original Song. It was unsuccessful in all these categories.
The Shawshank Redemption revolves around a timid Andy Dufresne who is sentenced to life in prison for the murder of his wife and her lover. During his time at Shawshank he befriends Red, a man famed for being able to get his hands on anything, even Rita Hayworth. The film is basically his life at the prison and his encounters with fellow inmates, new meat and the establishment. Despite the slow moving pace, the film ends on a high leaving you wondering what the hell just happened.
The first time I watched this film was on recommendation from my dad who, thus far, has yet to recommend a bad movie. It is his all time favourite and I can certainly see why. The screenplay is actually adapted from a Stephen King short story but no, this has very little to do with horror - at least in the traditional sense. I have since watch this multiple time and it has yet to get old. Personally, I feel that this is one of those timeless films.
One of the main themes is freedom and lack thereof. It questions the nature of freedom and the idea of being free within an establishment designed to rob one of freedom. It begs the question of what it really means to be free and illustrates the idea that freedom exists in the mind rather than in one's situation. It also looks at the absence of freedom in the real world and the idea of institutionalisation. This is particularly evident through the character of Brooks. There is also the pervading theme of innocence vs. guilt and the role reversal provided by the corruptness of the establishment and the purity of Andy's character and other inmates. These themes are still as relevant today as they were twenty years ago.
I liked that this film was not full of the conventional Hollywood story lines we have come to expect. The theme of love in this film is about brotherly love and camaraderie rather than romantic love. There are messages about self betterment and the preservation of innocence. There is also the all important idea of perseverance. Needless to say, I always think Morgan Freeman is perfect casting. Despite the fact that Stephen King initially wrote Red as an Irishman, Freeman embodies everything necessary to successfully communicate this character to the audience. He allows us to relate to and sympathise with a convicted criminal and appeals to our sense of humanity. Tim Robbins also does an excellent job of convincing us of his purity and innocence but also that he knows things he doesn't always articulate. He makes a complex character seem very simple. I also loved that this film tied up all the loose ends in a very satisfactory way.
What I didn't quite like about this film was the pace. In modern times we're used to films getting to the point very quickly and it becomes tedious for us to keep up with a lot of development and little action so to speak. While the slow pace is a necessity, as it is intended to reflect a period of 20 years and it allows us to get to know the characters fully, it still feels stretched out. If we are able to put our need for immediacy aside there is no doubt that this film is thoroughly enjoyable.
All in all I think this film was much more deserving of the Best Picture award than Forrest Gump. I feel it explores ideas and themes that were very different and unique, even in today's terms. It also revolves around very original protagonist. It appeals to our sense of humanity and questions our understanding of the world. Definitely go ahead and watch it and let us know in the comments what you thought!
KEEP
8/10
(If you weren't convinced, IMDb rates it #2 on it's list of the Top 100 movies of all time!)
by Daniela Studio: Lionsgate Release Date: November 21, 2014 (U.S)
November 20, 2014 (N.Z) WARNING: Potential spoilers for those who have not read The Hunger Games series!
The Hunger Games: Mockingjay - Part 1 (gosh that's a mouthful) is based on the third book in The Hunger Games trilogy from author, Suzanne Collins. It is the sequel to Catching Fire (2013) and will be succeeded by Mockingjay Part 2 (releases on November 20, 2015). Francis Lawrence returns as director and is also the director of the final installment in the series.
Katniss Everdeen (Jennifer Lawrence), is recovering from the events in the Quarter Quell (the 75th Hunger Games) and trying to adjust to life under the rules of Alma Coin (Julianne Moore) in the undergrounds of District 13. With Peeta (Josh Hutcherson) captured by President Snow (Donald Sutherland) and her unwillingly becoming the face of the rebellion, Katniss must fight to protect her family, friends and save a nation that has been living under the tyrannical rule of the Capitol.
Our Leader the Mockingjay - Teaser Trailer
We open with shots of hovercrafts and the voice of Plutarch
Heavensbee (Phillip Seymour Hoffman) talking to President Coin. Raise your hand if you feel like crying
already! The two are discussing Katniss’ capabilities of being the face of the
rebellion. If you can recall, in Catching Fire, Plutarch was serving as a
double agent for the rebellion and constructed the Quarter Quell in a way that
allowed them to save the victors that were fighting on their side. Coin is
reluctant as she thinks the last games had taken a toll on Katniss.
Inbetween this conversation, we cut to see Katniss walking through a packed gloomy looking District 13. The people appear to be tired, dirty and broken as
the events of the war have destroyed their lives. I did notice that when
Plutarch says “they’ll follow her,” all the people start to turn their attention
towards Katniss. I see what you did there Francis Lawrence.
Enter President Snow (Donald Sutherland) who declares that “any association with the mockingjay symbol
is forbidden!” Let us take this opportunity to marvel at those scarily accurate crop circles! Now here’s where the action starts. We get our first
glimpses of the actual war that has broken out in Panem. From gun-wielding, stormtrooper-like peacekeepers (peace… yeah right) to the big bombings in what I assume to be District 8, Panem looks to be in utter chaos. As if our hearts can take it anymore, we see a young boy,
who most likely won’t make it to the end of the film, asking “are you fighting
Katniss? Are you here to fight with us?” Katniss replies with “I am, I will” following with the sound of a million hearts breaking. Then... BOOM! MOCKINGJAY SYMBOL! BOOM! RUE’S
WHISTLE! BOOM! EVERYBODY CRIES.
I actually really liked this teaser! It's serious and sets the tone for the movie. Everything appears grey and dull (like Coin's hair) and the music complements the pacing if the teaser really well. The series has come a
long way from just releasing shots of Katniss running through the forest… which
was actually never used. I find it really interesting that throughout the
trailer we just hear about Katniss and hear about all the plans yet, we don't even see her face til the very end. It
reflects the fact that the whole rebellion is centered around her and her
image, but the all the events of the movie are a result of Plutarch and Coin’s
plans.
Prepare your tissues people! I for sure will be bringing them along for Justine. Can you tell I'm a little bit excited for this?
FUN FACT: I dressed up as Seneca Crane (amazing beard and all) and Justine came as Effie Trinket for her little brother's birthday party. That was also the second time that I have had a beard drawn on my face at her house...
Check out the one of the previous teasers below! I LOVE the propaganda angle that Lionsgate has been using!
WARNING! This film contains bad language, violence (duh) and nudity. If this isn't for you then you probably shouldn't watch this film. ...you should still read the review though.
The first rule of Fight Club is....damn I just broke the first rule of Fight Club! I mean, there is no Fight Club...crap.
For those of you who have yet to see the cult classic (also known as the people who only know the "The first rule of Fight Club..." line), the story follows a man in his thirties (played by the amazing Edward Norton) with the characteristics of the average everyday man. He works a dead-end job for a "major" car company and lives in a IKEA laden condo with only condiments in his fridge. He suffers from unrelenting insomnia and as a result begins to attend support groups for a range of different illnesses that he does not have: bowel cancer, testicular cancer, tuberculosis and numerous others. That's how he meets Marla (Helena Bonham Carter). During one of his work trips he meets "single serving friend" Tyler Durden (Brad Pitt), a soap salesman who sees through the pleasantries of small talk.
Despite the film being called Fight Club, it has surprisingly little to do with actual fighting. If you were expecting some higher budget reworking of WWE or UFC, look elsewhere. I mean don't get me wrong, there's a lot of fighting but just not as much as you'd expect. Instead, this film has one of the most amazing plot lines. I love being surprised. Hollywood has become so predictable that I find I immediately fall in love with anything that breaks the stereotype. David Fincher does an absolutely superb job both leading you towards and pulling you away from the twist. Brad Pitt does a phenomenal job with Tyler. My only criticism is that maybe a lesser known actor would have been more convincing as an anti-consumerist. After all Brad Pitt is the personification of consumer society. Every magazine has his face on it, every label wants him to be the poster boy. But if we disregard this fact he actually plays the character incredibly well. Also, it is quite possible that his casting was for the sake of irony. If this was the case then kudos Mr. Fincher. As for Edward Norton, well, I sort of have a soft spot for him. After watching him in Primal Fear and American History X he is close to overtaking Kevin Spacey as one of my favourite actors. He manages to execute timidness and frailty with such conviction and then completely turns it around. I personally think he's an extremely underrated actor. Then there's Helena Bonham Carter. Admittedly, I was incredibly startled when she turned up in the film. I'm so used to seeing her in Tim Burton films that Marla came as a surprise. Of course she assumed the role well. Her natural strangeness and darkness was perfect for the role and after seeing the other potential candidates for Marla (like Reese Witherspoon...what?), HBC was perfect casting.
Fight Club covers a range of excellent themes that act as a social commentary. One of the most pervading themes is consumerism. At the beginning of the film, Norton's character is the picture of American consumer society. It takes the removal of himself from that so-called idealistic life to realise that there was no real need for that "strine green" sofa or the "glass dishes with tiny bubbles and imperfections, proof that they were crafted by the honest, simple, hard-working indigenous peoples of...wherever". A defining scene is the wrecking of the VW Beetle - a symbol of the 60s youth that became the corporate owners of the 90s. The next big theme is masculinity vs. emasculation. Norton's character is largely emasculated by his job and his lack of success in life. Emasculation reaches it's climax in Bob (Robert Paulsen played by Meat Loaf) who has testicular cancer and "bitch tits". Tyler, however, is the epitome of masculinity. Norton's character progresses from the comfort of Bob's man breasts to release of Fight Club and his sense of masculinity grows. Tyler is the goal. Finally, there's the theme of self-destruction. This takes two forms: self-destruction for the purpose of rebuilding one's self and self-destruction for the purpose of destroying oneself. We can see Norton's character's self-destruction via the initial Fight Club as a sort of death of his old self and a rebirthing of a new, strong self. At the same time, as Fight Club grows, Tyler's dominance runs parallel with Norton's character's ruination.
Fight Club itself is a symbol of rebellion. It takes men away from the humdrum, monotony of daily life and puts them back into a state of primal instinct. The film makes the comment that in our society we are so far removed from our origins as a hunter-gather society. We have become consumers and as a result we have "evolved" to avoid conflict and to bottle contempt. We have fashioned ourselves to exercise restraint and this leads to a huge build up of frustration and tension. Fight Club is a way to let go of those tensions. The members of Fight Club are your average Joes - "we cook your meals, we haul your trash, we connect your calls, we drive your ambulances. We guard you while you sleep." This shows that it is not the extremities of society that are driven to this kind of violence. It is the everyman. This film makes one of my favourite social commentaries, that situation drives people to do extreme things and that everyone is capable of destruction whether they believe it or not.
This is one of the best films I have seen in a long time. If you are not easily offended by excessive violence, foul language, nudity and...uh...anatomy, you simply MUST watch this film. I am completely baffled by it's lack of Academy Award nominations (sound effects? Really?) but I think in the following years it has emerged as a film defining of the decade. Watch it and watch it again. Believe me, you're going to want to.
KEEP
10/10 (100% deserved!)
And just a little extra for those interested, here are some of my favourite quotes!
"Man, I see in fight club the strongest and smartest men who've ever lived. I see all this potential, and I see squandering. God damn it, an entire generation pumping gas, waiting tables; slaves with white collars. Advertising has us chasing cars and clothes, working jobs we hate so we can buy shit we don't need. We're the middle children of history, man. No purpose or place. We have no Great War. No Great Depression. Our Great War's a spiritual war... our Great Depression is our lives. We've all been raised on television to believe that one day we'd all be millionaires, and movie gods, and rock stars. But we won't. And we're slowly learning that fact. And we're very, very pissed off."
"You're the all singing, all dancing, crap of the world."
"The things you own end up owning you."
"I'd like to thank the Academy..."
"I am Jack's inflamed sense of rejection."
"His name is Robert Paulsen"
"We have front row seats for this theatre of mass destruction."
"It's only after we've lost everything that we're free to do anything."
"We were selling rich women their own fat asses back to them."
"If I did have a tumour, I'd name it Marla."
"Sticking feathers up your butt does not make you a chicken."
