Film Flare

Pretty frisky, huh? No matter that it was also true for every woman ever at some point in history (is the sailor hysteria over?), the best thing about that title quote is that it came out of Ella Fitzgerald's lips in 1959 - which is not that early for this type of line, true, BUT it was written for the 1933 musical, Pardon My English, and the fact that no one picked it up in between is revealing. It's from the song Lorelei, composed by George Gershwin and, perhaps most importantly because the lyrics are delicious, written by Ira Gershwin. At first I thought Ira was a woman, which made total sense for me, but she is actually a he. He of the Gershwin brothers. Okay that's enough trivia, move on.

i was stripper named 'diamond dan'
The highlight of the week was by far ~~Danny Castellano's striptease~~ the important themes and viewpoints at play in the The Mindy Project's smashing and hilarious third season premiere. You can read all about it at Vanity Fair and know that I wholeheartedly agree. I'll just share these for context:

take your time to really analyse the rarity Kaling's female gaze.

The new girl in town

When someone younger than me already has a Wikipedia page filled with accomplishments it just feels weird. But at eighteen years old, Tavi Gevinson is pretty much light-years away, up and better that a lame wiki page, and I still haven't come to terms with my feelings on this.

She's on every magazine rocking multi-talents like a tiny female James Franco, and it's just making everyone in their early twenties really uncomfortable. Tavi, stop being so successful and adorable. I'm kind of totally rooting for you at this point, and it feels unnatural for someone who should be actively despising teens. Go back to listening to Taylor Swift and tumblr about being wild and free or something.

Men do not naturally not love. They learn not to.
I saw The Normal Heart last Thursday night and goddamn it. It's too beautiful and way too sad. I think the fact that I couldn't tell how much veracity there was in it says something. 30 years later and still so much ignorance and prejudice, even in young generations. This film made me angry, and that's not an easy feat.

Dog days - a short film
In other not so depressing news, London Film School graduate Nathan Deming has just completed his graduation short film Dog Days. He contacted me so that I could watch it, possibly write about it. It's always a pleasure to support new directors, and his short proved to be an interesting watch - the two ingredients that drove me to share it now. Dog Days is beautifully shot, feels intimate and real in all its boredom and brotherly dynamics, and I swear I could feel the burning heat of that summer afternoon. Oh and by the way, Deming nailed the tone shift he describes below. Here's what he has to say about it:

A portrait of adolescence, brotherhood, and a moment of discovery. Stephen and Isaac are bored to death on a hot summer day when the dog goes missing. The drama unfolds slowly, moment by moment, like real life. Stephen struggles to contain his younger brother and find some purpose in himself. I worked hard with Joran and Clayton to capture bits of their own relationship on film: Joran, quiet and introspective, Clayton, loud and goofy.

I wanted to avoid music, to avoid anything melodramatic about a family pet getting hurt. I wanted to focus on the physical, the heat of the sun on their skin, the shift in nature from benevolent to menacing once the dog’s wound has been discovered. I wanted 4:3 out of nostalgia, and I wanted the camera work to feel one step away from “found footage.” I wanted to tell a simple story that culminated in one moment - Stephen’s ride back to the house on the tractor - and the overwhelming feeling that on this boring summer day he might’ve just opened Pandora’s box.

so go ahead and watch the trailer!

the best from around the web

+ Katy shares some blogging confessions that I totally identify with

+ Vanessa writes about Dial M For Murder and I can't believe she watch it in 3D
+ Mindy Kaling was on the Colbert Report and I [ insert normal reaction ]
+ Nik shares some thoughts on the latest cinematic news
+ Alex looks at Andrea Arnold's filmography and now I KNOW I need to see Wuthering Heights
+ Andina reviews Begin Again, and apparently Keira dazzles again

photographed by Peggy Sirota for GQ's January 2013 issue

this post is part of the Top Ten Tuesdayfeature, hosted by the Broke and the Bookish

So this feels like a double déjà vu of last week's Top Ten Tuesday and the forty fall movies watchlist, but it's different, okay? Plus college just started again and scheduling is not my strong suit (clearly, since it's thursday already). Last week's novels are not necessarily in my READ NOW list, but these are. They range from classics to modern easy-reading, because I've found this blend is the perfect way to keep me turning pages without feeling dumb / snobbish / tired of too many fancy words.

honourable mentions: Twenty Thousand Streets Under the Sky, and Finding Colin Firth. They would be in this list if only I could have them!

In order of publishing date

#10 WHAT MAISIE KNEW, by henry james, 1897
I'm scared of being bored out of my mind by this book (so many mixed reviews!), but ever since I watched the movie adaptation I can't get it out of my system.

#09 Chéri, by colette, 1920
Give me an unconventional love story and I'll happily dive into it, head first. Chéri dwells in a subject still largely untouched: the affair between a woman and a younger man. Back in 2005, Prime caught my eye for dealing with this and I haven't been the same since. Oh by the way, watch it.

#08 Every Man Dies Alone, by hans fallada, 1946
I'm not sure what's making me read this book, but it sounds dark and poetic. Like with Maisie, I'm a little hesitant, but I'll let you know how it goes.

#07 THE SHINING, by STEPHEN KING, 1977
I've written about it in my last Top Ten Tuesday, but long story short, I need some quality horror in my life.

#06 BRIDGET JONES'S DIARY, by HELEN FIELDING, 1996
I've started it already actually, just this week, and it's hilarious from page one.

#05 ATONEMENT, by IAN MCEWAN, 2001
I've wanted to read this book since I can remember, and it feels like everyone has read it and loved it. Considering the movie's depressing qualities, I'll save it for a rainy weekend when no one can hear me sobbing, and cursing that damn girl.

#04 GONE GIRL, by GILLIAN FLYNN, 2012
It's a bit obvious why at this point: every movie fan is pretty much counting the days till the film premieres in his country ( 7! ). I'll probably pick it up next week, just in time for our upcoming podcast episode about Gone Girl/Fincher movies. Have you listened to our latest with Mettel as a guest?

#03 FIfty Shades of Mr. Darcy, by William Codpiece Thwackery, 2012
This is just a fraction of the amount of easy-reading novels I go through on a regular basis. I need a break from all those heavy Law books, okay? Finding Colin Firth should be here too (I need it), but in the foreseeable future you can bet on me finishing the Knitting in the Cityseries (three down, two to go!), and then picking up this hilarious piece of satire where I left it. It's Jane Austen with a Fifty twist, and I think it begs for a film adaptation. Or at least a short. With Colin Firth.

#02 The Goldfinch, by donna tartt, 2013
Again, I've written about it in my previous post, but basically Donna Tartt is one of the most exciting contemporary authors. I'll only give a try during Christmas break though, because it is huge.

#01 We Were Liars, by E. Lockhart, 2014
Probably one of the most written about books of the year, We Were Liars has been the star of every book blog in 2014. I've read a couple of chapters and there's a nice flow to it. It's enigmatic and lovely, and it supposedly has a surprising plot twist at the end.

So have you read any of these?

what books are you planning on reading this fall?

I know the two pictures above make no sense and have no relation whatsoever with September, I'm not crazy. I'm just hungry and in need of a new black dress.

This month I've made a conscious effort to post semi-regularly, thus managing to post nine successful posts - which if you've been following this blog for a while you know is quite a feat for me in a back-to-school month. And because I have a better schedule this year, I'm confident I can increase this number in October.

the books of september

The best books I've read this month were the first three instalments of the Knitting in the City series, by Penny Reid. As I've said before, Neanderthal Seeks Human was a strong breakout novel, but the I'm afraid the other two didn't quite click with me - especially the second book, Friends Without Benefits. I still enjoyed it, but the plot felt a bit soap-operish at times. Also I cringe at love words spoken by a man in italian - I'm sure it can be very romantic in real life, but in my mind it always sounds so corny!

The third book (Love Hacked) was better, but still not like Neanderthal. For some reason the latter rang truer to me, more realistic (for a romance novel), and Janie - the leading female character - was interesting and flawed in a way that appealed to me in particular.

my favourite movies of the month

THE FAULT IN OUR STARS

directed by JOSH BOONE

with SHAILENE WOODLEY and ANSEL ELGORT

Yes, I saw the film every teenager is raving about and I liked it and I read the novel and liked it too, and I cried way too much because this is the most depressingly beautiful thing ever. To some extent. I think I loved the parents more than the main characters though, which made me feel really old. When did teen movies stop being my movies?

THE NORMAL HEART

directed by RYAN MURPHY

with MARK RUFFALO and MATT BOMER

I've written about this one, and what I've expressed before still applies. There's still a terribly huge amount of ignorance and prejudice when it comes to homosexuals, perpetuated by stereotypes and biased theories, or masked under slap-inducing hypocrisy. I don't know if it's a worldwide phenomenon, but in my daily life this is what I see.

While The Normal Heart has the AIDS discovery and fight as its foundation, it was the sensible portrait of a loving relationship between two men that got to me. The usual routine for the portrayal of gays is the flamboyant or promiscuous homosexual; and, even if they resemble a section of the gay community, in movies they are caricatures, used for mockery or for their shock value. Few are the movies and shows who tell a different story, and I cannot understand why.

MAGIC IN THE MOONLIGHT

directed by WOODY ALLEN

with COLIN FIRTH and EMMA STONE

This was seriously adorable. Like Midnight in Paris adorable, except this time I identified with its message on a much deeper level, which made it better for me. It's not exactly funny, but sweet and blissful, and it has some killer costume design straight from the 20s - look at those flappers! And Colin Firth is most certainly not too old.

BEGIN AGAIN

directed by JOHN CARNEY

with KEIRA KNIGHTLEY and MARK RUFFALO

Andina's review pushed me to watch it within a few hours of reading her thoughts, and I'm happy to say the expectations she instilled in me were thoroughly met. Begin Again is one of those cute little films that feel fresh and rewarding. It's original and truthful, everyone involved seems comfortable in their own roles, and it makes for a relaxed, easy, no worries movie night.

what were the best movies you saw in September?

Brittani from Rambling Film has had two killer ideas for A to Z lists: movie and tv episode titles. The first was a blogathon that I still would like to be a part of (can I, Brit?); the latter is not a web event but Brittani has kindly allowed me to make my own list - and I am thrilled because episode titles are one of the weird little things that I love noticing. This list really is about the names and not the episodes themselves, so quality of title doesn't always reflect the quality of the episode itself. I find that the opposite is more frequent, though, as titles are usually pretty average sounding.

One last note to say that I tried to refrain from picking titles that are taken from music/books/etc. (except when they are puns), such as Meditations in an Emergency and Smoke Gets In Your Eyes, which are two killer titles, but can't be credited to Mad Men. I made an exception for True Bloodbecause I get the impression the songs in question were often picked precisely for their titles. I also included runner-ups because I'm that interested (to say in love would sound dramatic right) in this stuff.

Absinthe Makes the Heart Grow Fonder, Californication

All Roads Lead to Fitz, Scandal

Authority Always Wins, True Blood

Baby, Talk is Cheap, Sex and the City

By the Skin and the Teeth, Prison Break

Conversation Over a Corpse, Alfred Hitchcock Presents*

Children Shouldn't Play With Dead Things, Supernatural

Das Boob, Will & Grace

Don't Come Back Alive, Alfred Hitchcock Presents*

Enough About Eve, Gossip Girl

Everybody's A Fucking Critic, Californication

(The) End is Not Near, It's Here, The O.C.

Evil is Going On, True Blood

Form and Void, True Detective

Friday Night's Alright For Fighting, Gilmore Girls

Forgiveness and Stuff, Gilmore Girls

For Those Who Think Young, Mad Men

French Me, You Idiot, The Mindy Project

Guy Walks Into an Advertising Agency, Mad Men

Girls in Bikinis, Boys Doing The Twist / aka Gilmore Girls Gone Wild, Gilmore Girls

Good God Y'All, Supernatural

Heaven Can't Wait, Supernatural

Hold Me In Paradise, Boardwalk Empire

House vs. God, House

I'm a Kayak, Hear Me Roar, Gilmore Girls

(The) Ins and Outs of Inns, Gilmore Girls

J
Jose Chung's 'From Outer Space', The X-Files

K

Karma, True Blood

Kissed by Fire, Game of Thrones

[ okay, it's probably because I'm obsessed with the song, yes ]

Litt the Hell Up, Suits

Love is to Die, True Blood

Let me Hear Your Balalaikas Ringing Out, Gilmore Girls

Lesbian Request Denied, Orange is the New Black

Liver, I Hardly Knew Her, House

Little Green Men, The X-Files

[ this was the toughest letter ]

Musings of a Cigarette Smoking Man, The X-Files

Memoirs of an Invisible Dan, Gossip Girl

Murder Me Twice, Alfred Hitchcock Presents*

My Deja Vu, My Deja Vu, Scrubs

Nothing But the Blood, True Blood

None Are So Blind, Alfred Hitchcock Presents

(The) Origins of Monstrosity, American Horror Story*

Oh, Oh, Oh... it's Magic, Pushing Daisies

(The) Post-it Always Sticks Twice, Sex and the City

Paris is Burning, Gilmore Girls

Quiet Riot, Prison Break

(The) Revolution Will Not Be Televised, Masters of Sex

(The) Real Paul Anka, Gilmore Girls

Remember the Monsters?, Dexter

Shut the Door. Have a Seat, Mad Men

Super Cool Party People, Gilmore Girls

Shut Up, Dr. Phil, Supernatural

To The Lost, Boardwalk Empire

Those are Strings, Pinocchio, Gilmore Girls

Thank You for Coming, Masters of Sex

Under God's Power She Flourishes, Boardwalk Empire

Valar Morghulis, Game of Thrones

We Do Not Touch the First Ladies, Scandal

What is Dead May Never Die, Game of Thrones

What Death Can Join Together, Penny Dreadful

Waldorf Stories, Gossip Girl

Who Shaves the Barber?, Fargo

X - none

You Can't Trust a Man, The Sopranos

You Smell Like Dinner, True Blood

Z - none

*episodes I haven't seen

I've been annoyingly sick for two weeks now with a damn cold that's not serious enough to skip college, yet bad enough to prevent me from thinking straight. I spent these past 15 days either sleeping in bed or in class, hence the absence.

I hate colds.

Back in September my viewing schedule was crawling with promising new shows and old affairs, from twenty-minute comedy sensations to one hour long experimental dramas. A month later and half of them are gone, for all kinds of reasons. Here's the gist of it:

A to Z:This is seriously the most adorable show on tv right now, which should be no surprise since it stars two actors with the most adorable faces ever (just look at them): Cristin Milioti and Ben Feldman. The supporting characters aren't that great [edit: MLS had the same issue, but hopefully A to Z won't have the same fate], but the concept and leading actors alone make this the show I wait all week for.

Manhattan Love Story: like I said, the supporting characters are an issue (in fact, they're quite bad), but MLS is still an easy, interesting watch. The inner dialogue is fun and mostly true, the two actors compelling and lovable, and I'm hoping it goes even further with the whole "honest thoughts" narrative. [ edit: just got cancelled, effective immediately. What happens to the unaired episodes? Give them to me! ]

The Affair:Real quality TV here, serious stuff. Really good. Perhaps too good for this still summer-hot weather.

How to Get Away With Murder: Not sure about this one. Viola Davis is amazing, and I'm intrigued by Karla Sousa's character but, apart from that, very few things pull me in at this point.
the mindy project & BROOKLYN NINE-NINE: Still hilarious.
Supernatural: Deanmon and the King of Hell, bromance of the season. Still entertaining, perfectly balancing comedy, drama, and horror. I'm in it until the end, which is not coming.

scandal: Well, this is reaching new levels of crazy. I'm in it only for Jake and Abby. Everyone else is so tired - yes tired (and not just tiring), like they ran out of energy. I don't know how long it will last for me. Shonda, come on!
law & order: svu: After all these years, SVU still does it for me. This new season has had some pretty controversial cases, and I'm loving the new detective, Carisi.
once upon a time: My new addiction, such a cute little show. I'm binge watching, currently halfway through the second season. Emma and Hook is gonna happen, right? How long do I have to wait.

so long...

the originals & The Vampire Diaries: Both for essentially the same reason: you're walking around in circles.
Grey's Anatomy: I meant to stop when Lexie and Sloan died, but I absolutely draw the line at Yang. There's just nothing left at this point.
Awkward: I should've never started it, but I'm okay now.
New Girl: Not even sure what happened, but I lost interest. Didn't you?
Modern Family [for now]: I still love this show but I need to lighten my schedule - as you can see, I'm currently following nine [edit: eight.] shows! So Modern Family will take the fall simply because I can pick it up whenever I want and happily binge-watch it.

I've seen the red band society pilot, and it looks good - saving it for another time.
Considering starting gotham when the days get shorter, and maybe outlander when I get over my premature book DNF.

the best from around the web
Vanessa teaches how we can make classic movies sound cool to modern people.
Sati reviewed Gone Girl, which I thoroughly loved.
Brittani published a post on 'brilliant acting defined by one look' and it's really good
Mettel recaps The Affair's pilot

what shows are you watching this season?

The October Horror Project is a special watchlist that I made in late September, meant to prompt me to see some of the horror classics I was still missing from my repertoire. This list of 31 movies also included some of my all-time favourites from the genre, that I could rewatch or not, depending on how much free time I had throughout October.

The title is of course inspired by The Blair Witch Project - one of those classics I hadn't seen. A month later I'm missing only five classics (Frankenstein, M., Eyes Without a Face, The Texas Chainsaw Massacre and Halloween), mostly because I but the end of it I was a little tired of watching horror movies. It's one of my favourite movie genres, but man, all that madness is exhausting!

So here's the top 5 new-to-me horror movies (and one tv show) that I watched this month:

American Horror Story

Directed by CHARLES LAUGHTON

Starring EVAN PETERS, JESSICA LANGE and FRANCES CONROY

Not originally a part of this project, this FX horror series demanded its place in my Halloween night when no other movie on the list caught my eye. Not being in the mood for gory classics, I turned to American Horror Story for my traditional Halloween night of nightmares, and I was not disappointed.

I'm only halfway through the season, but already loving it. Haunted houses are one of my favourite horror themes - add multiple murders to the mix and I'm set - and the references to other movies/famous homicides are a treat. The main actors are amazing (especially Jessica Lange and Denis O'Hare, how awesome) and the same goes for the guest stars - Kate Mara, Teddy Sears, Adina Porter... A final note for the quality of the music used, from classic soundtracks to some pretty interesting tunes that I already saved on Spotify!

PEEPING tom, 1960

Directed by MICHAEL POWELL

Starring KARLHEINZ BOHM and MOIRA SHEARER

Sometimes it's hard to separate thrillers from horror, as a lot of nightmare-inducing flicks don't feature supernatural beings, malicious monsters or gory murder sequences. Some dive into the horrors of humanity, the evil within us all. And the best of those paint a three-dimensional portrait of its villains, equally tearing us apart with the good and bad in them.

Peeping Tom is one of those films, in addition to putting its audience on the stand for the same crimes the movie's serial killer commits. He revels in seeing other people being scared to death, and isn't that what we've been doing for decades while watching these films? Call it entertainment and fiction, but the morbidity is still there.

The Night of the Hunter, 1955

Directed by CHARLES LAUGHTON

Starring ROBERT MITCHUM and SHELLEY WINTERS

It's one of the - if not the - most beautiful black and white films I've ever seen, but the beauty ends right there, for everything else is as dark and as eerie as they come. There are endless great shots, but this is the one that struck me the most, and the most horror-ish of all.

Apart from how it looks, it really is Robert Mitchum who stands out as a murderous preacher. Can you image having a man who wants to kill you outside your window in the middle of night, singing Leaning on the Everlasting Arms in a deep, calm voice? Is there anything more terrifying than that?

The religious speeches, the creepy singing from both children and Mitchum, the evocative visuals... it all makes for a very atmospheric movie that I will hardly forget. What prevented me from giving it a full five star rating were the finale minutes, that I found rather off putting. If you've seen The Night of the Hunter, what do you make of that ending?

ROSEMARY'S BABY, 1968

Directed by ROMAN POLANSKI

Starring MIA FARROW and JOHN CASSEVETES

I've seen the miniseries, from which I gathered that despite its flaws, the story that supported it was very interesting. Besides haunted houses and spirits, another type of horror theme that I usually enjoy is the religious kind - like The Exorcist and The Exorcism of Emily Rose (two of my all-time favourites), and The Omen (another one on my list) - so I'm all for satanic cults and devil children, so to speak.

But to also have the fear that your husband is involved and against you is just perfect. I love it when the victim is trapped, and no one has ever been as trapped as Rosemary. Everyone really is out to get her, and every attempt to escape is a failed one. It's frustrating and shocking. And that ending.

ALIEN, 1979

Directed by RIDLEY SCOTT

Starring SIGOURNEY WEAVER, TOM SKERRITT and JOHN HURT

Arguably the biggest horror film I had never seen, Alien was the one that most surprised me. It's no secret that I'm not a fan of this franchise, but honestly, how could I say that without having seen the movie that started it? Idiot. So I did, but not for the reasons you might expect. This 70s cult film wasn't even in the list until, well, I saw the videogame Alien: Isolation for the PS4 and thought it looked really cool. Figured I should watch it before playing, right? And I'm so glad I did.

Sure it stills annoys me that they make the same stupid mistake of touching and looking too close at potentially dangerous alien beings they know nothing about, but I'm willing to let that go for the sake of the genre and because everything else is brilliant. In fact, it's next to perfect. It's creative, atmospheric, with plenty of tension and just enough gore. Weaver felt as iconic as I hoped, so what most surprised me were the visuals - what a gorgeous film.

check out the complete list for my Favourite Horror Movies of All-Time

interstellar, 2014

Directed by CHRISTOPHER NOLAN

Starring MATTHEW MCCONAUGHEY, ANNE HATHAWAY and MICHAEL CAINE

A couple of years ago, Discovery published an article on interstellar travel in light of the 100YSS program, at one point posing the question of whether space exploration was an evolutionary step for mankind or an insurmountable barrier, promptly linking to a piece that bets on our species's genius, ambition and hope, and to another who doesn't.

It's a compelling read, but regardless the article brought Interstellar to mind with this one sentence: An interstellar mission would be the most audacious act humans can accomplish, a challenge that would surpass our wildest science fiction fantasy. Well, not anymore.

The premise is simple enough: mankind is facing extinction by hunger. We need to find alternatives, which in this case means another planet; and because our solar system doesn't offer any good ones, we need to travel to another star. That's a bit more than I knew going in and, since part of the wonder is figuring it out as the movie progresses, we'll leave it at that.

What becomes pretty obvious once the mission begins is that you're in for a breathtaking journey. It's a prodigious visual achievement that developed truly gorgeous concepts - the black hole and wormhole are so alluring that it really makes us wonder about the beauty in some nature's most dangerous creations. Despite the intentional similarities to 2001: A Space Odyssey, it stays creative and fresh by its own merit. Also: the sheer scale of it is tremendous.

Though exhilarating at times - I've never been so invested in spaceship couplings - Interstellar is an atmospheric, slow-burning sci-fi piece that gives its audience time to ponder what happens and its meaning, which also allows for good acting to come forth, such as the performances given by Matthew McConaughey, Mackenzie Foy, and Matt Damon, who portrays the most hated character of the season so spectacularly.

Damon's character takes the whole courage/sacrifice debate to a new level through isolation, and, without giving too much away, what it can do to you. And this is part of just one of the many moral dilemmas (another Nolan theme we love) Interstellar's characters will face.

The film's use of sound is also superbly effective in building tension, but perhaps most spectacular is the lack of it - the shattering silence of outer space. The sound of an explosion can make us jump out of our seats, but a silent one buries us in them with a devastating feeling of isolation. This was greatly explored in Gravity, and again perfectly achieved when needed in Interstellar.

The use of music is a whole different story. Most of the time I didn't consciously notice Hans Zimmer's score, which to me means that most of it is good. In some scenes, however, the overtly dramatic music works against its purpose of amplifying the audience's emotions, much like Fury's epic battle score took the grandeur out of some good action sequences. The difference is, while the latter felt out of place, the former was trying to match its underlying scene's tone.

— spoilers ahead —

Which brings us to some of my only issues with Interstellar - the operative word being only because this really is just a fraction of it, no matter how important: the raw suffering, the heartbreak, the love conquers it all and let's save the world narratives. Putting aside the lone hero, I could deal with the first two by saying I wasn't in a melodramatic mood last night, but from the black hole onwards it lost me. I like that we save ourselves, and I like that what makes us human proves to be invaluable, but I found the way it was done rather cheesy and off-putting.

Part of it is due to the answer itself (love) which, to say the least, surprised me; another is the pacing and the over-explaining of what was happening in that weird dimension. The film explains a lot of stuff, but it's not the inner-workings of a wormhole that are tiresome, it's the explaining of the obvious (for the most part, the scene easily spoke for itself). The third act just sort of fell apart, and the neat wrap-up left me with nothing to wonder about.

— it's safe again —

So, in the end, a bit of mystery was in order. It didn't have to be a mind-bender like 2001: A Space Odyssey, just have that dash of the unexplained that keeps us wondering and, as Cooper so often said, dreaming.

final notes:
even if the third act gets a bit out of hand, GO SEE INTERSTELLAR,
and on the biggest screen possible.

Last month may have been a disaster tech-wise (smartphone not working, stuck with pre-historic Nokia for now) but I did get the chance to watch some new-releases, and even attend the Lisbon & Estoril Film Festival. Noirvember didn't happen, but go ahead and look around other blogs for your noir fix.

November was also the month the british show The Fall returned for its second series, with still three episodes to go before the finale in mid-December. As for new shows, I watched all the episodes of The Good Wife(so addictive), and started the really funny and sweet Jane the Virgin, at Nikhat's recommendation.

In total there were eight movies this month, all new-to-me. Let's Be Cops and What If were okay, and Interstellar was good-looking but not all that impressive. No time for mini-reviews this month so here's the short version: Gyllenhaal can do no wrong, apparently I'm an abortion loving feminist, Viola Davis has the best arms in the business, and I now wake up every day to the soundtrack of Guardians of the Galaxy. Here are the top 5 movies I saw in September:

all synopsis from IMDb

PRISONERS, 2013

Directed by DENIS VILLENEUVE

Starring HUGH JACKMAN, JAKE GYLLENHAAL and PAUL DANO

When Keller Dover's daughter and her friend go missing, he takes matters into his

own hands as the police pursue multiple leads and the pressure mounts.

But just how far will this desperate father go to protect his family?

OBVIOUS CHILD, 2014

Directed by GILLIAN ROBESPIERRE

Starring JENNY SLATE, JAKE LACY and GABBY HOFFMAN

A twenty-something comedienne's unplanned pregnancy forces her to confront

the realities of independent womanhood for the first time.

the disappearance of
eleanor rigby: them, 2014

Directed by NED BENSON

Starring JAMES McAVOY, JESSICA CHASTAIN and VIOLA DAVIS

One couple's story as they try to reclaim the life and love they once knew and

pick up the pieces of a past that may be too far gone.

guardians of the galaxy, 2014

Directed by JAMES GUNN

Starring CHRIS PRATT, ZOE SALDANA and BRADLEY COOPER

A group of space criminals must work together to stop the fanatical villain Ronan the

Accuser from destroying the galaxy.

nightcrawler, 2014

Directed by DAN GILROY

Starring JAKE GYLLENHAAL and RENE RUSSO

When Lou Bloom, a driven man desperate for work, muscles into the world of

L.A. crime journalism, he blurs the line between observer and participant to

become the star of his own story.

Have you seen any of these? What was the best film you saw in November?

hese past couple of years I have watched many fellow film bloggers participate in the Blind Spot Series, a web event promoted by The Matinee that encourages movie viewers to tackle some classics they're still missing. With just a few (but hugely) legendary films left on my ancient List of Shame, I figured 2015 would be a good year to cross twelve classics off of it and get that much closer to the finish line.

And what better way to do it than actually taking part in one of the most useful and clever events of the film blogosphere? The challenge spreads throughout the year, one movie per month, one post per movie. Each Blind Spot will be announced in the first week of each month, and reviewed in the last. To take part simply pick twelve classics you haven't seen, link back to Ryan's blog, and start watching!

Metropolis, 1927

M., 1931

The Seventh Seal, 1957

Citizen Kane, 1941

Breathless, 1960

La Haine, 1995

A Clockwork Orange, 1971

Oldboy, 2003

Dr. Strangelove [...], 1964

The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly, 1966

Persona, 1966

Lawrence of Arabia, 1962

[ letterboxd ]

The last month of the year has passed without a single christmas movie watched. I usually go for Mickey's Christmas Carol, but this year it was all housework and no TV. I caught glimpses of Frozen around midnight of the 24th (when we open the presents) but that was it, and somehow the lack of a flat screen made sense in this family-oriented holiday.

Still, that was merely a day in a month full of opportunities to watch some of the best movies of the year. Amidst those was The Bollywood Experiment, my proper introduction to indian movies, and it was a hit. For our podcast episode we watched four movies: Lagaan, Ek Tha Tiger, Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayengeand Dev.D; the first two left me a bit cold, but the others were truly great - especially Dev.D, which prompted me to see Zindagi Na Milegi Dobarayesterday. And now I have a whole list of other bollywood movies to check out, courtesy of Mette. I never thought this would actually happen, but I'm really excited to see them.

Anyway, here are my top three films seen in December:

THE LEGO MOVIE

directed by PHIL LORD and CHRISTOPHER MILLER

with WILL ARNETT, ELIZABETH BANKS and ALISON BRIE

Months ago I heard my podcast partners Nik and Mette gush over The Lego Movie and all the time I was thinking Really? A movie with animated legos? It's not about being snobbish as it is about having a preconceived notion of which movies I'll like and which I won't - so, prejudiced? Much better.

As a result I end up enjoying 90% of the movies I see, which makes me happy. But having a 2014 releases watchlist that I really wanted to go through for once, I hit play on this weird lego thing and man, it was AWESOME! It's crazy entertaining and it really is gorgeous. HOW, though.

ENEMY

directed by DENIS VILLENEUVE

with JAKE GYLLENHAAL and MÉLANIE LAURENT

I have no clue what that was about, but it was good. Staring at the screen for a couple of minutes after that positively scary last scene (spiders are an issue), thinking wtf I thought I was starting to get it, and having the urge to read more and more about it is refreshing. This will be on my top movies of 2014. I wonder if reading the novel will explain anything; though I never liked Saramago's writing, this sounds too interesting to pass.

STARRED UP

directed by DAVID MACKENZIE

with JACK O'CONNELL and BEN MENDELSOHN

Just from the gifs below it was easy to guess how much I would love this, and I really did. These dark British dramas always get to me, with their bold performances, striking violence, and emotional breakdowns. Another one for my 2014 top list, for sure.

THE BEST TV SHOWS OF THE MONTH
FinishedThe Good Wife, and I swear I have never seen a show getting better so steadily with each season. Brooklyn Nine-Nine also had an exceptional run, as well as The Fall which took everything one disturbing step further in its last couple of episodes. Jane the Virgin was the biggest surprise of the month, as I am loving this telenovela-inspired show. And of course we said goodbye to The Colbert Report, the consolation being that its host will be back on air very soon.

FAVOURITE READS OF DECEMBER
Bridget Jones's Diary, by Helen Fielding: At times the diary entry format was a bit tiring, but I didn't have to wait long for an hilarious joke or female insight that had me nodding in approval. I'll be reading the others soon.
We Were Liars, by E. Lockart: every time I thought of the protagonists ages, for some reason, it annoyed me. I hated most of them, was appalled by their pretentious family more than once, and properly eye-rolled at their entitled and childish ways many, many times. But somehow that seemed right. And the end is surprising.
After I Do, by Taylor Jenkins Reid: This was my favourite; funny, heartbreaking, and all too real at times.

2014 RETROSPECT
As I intend to publish lists of my favourite movies, books and tv shows of the year, I'll leave you with the statistics of it for now. Last year I watched 161 films, and read 39 books (which means I surpassed my goodreads challenge!). I can't really count shows, but with new and old series I must've followed about 15 tv shows throughout the year.

OLDBOY

directed by CHAN-WOOK PARK

with MIN-SIK CHOI, JI-TAE YU and HYE-JEONG KANG

As mentioned in the previous post, this year I'll be participating in the Blindspot Series. Each month's movie will be announced in the respective Suddenly post. For January I picked the South-Korean thriller Oldboy, honestly having no idea what I'm getting myself into - but it looks fantastic.

Have you seen/read any of these movies, tv shows and books? Share your December picks below!

TITLE: quote from Still Alice, by Lisa Genova | 1: Rapunzel, by Claire Keane | 2: Shia LaBeouf and Maddie Ziegler in Sia's Elastic Heart
3: The Goldfinch, painting by Carel Fabritius | 4: still from Bird People, directed by Pascale Ferran
5: Stacy Martin in a promotional photo for Nymphomaniac | 6: Julianne Moore for Interview Magazine

[ all spoilers in grey ]

For the past two weeks I've unconsciously drifted towards three stories that depict people struggling with an illness, and how that impaired their will to live. Though not exactly correlated, their juxtaposition is one that has haunted me since.

The first was Jojo Moyes's novel Me Before You, where a 35 year old and recently quadriplegic man plans to commit assisted suicide in six months - the cornerstone of it being that it is his decision; the second was the movie The Theory of Everything, which so conversely depicts Stephen Hawkins's undying will to live, despite the many pains and adversities of his condition; and the third was Still Alice, a movie where a woman diagnosed with early onset Alzheimer's can't stop her mind for withering, and also decides that, at a certain point, she'd take her own life.

Will went through with it, Stephen is still around us, and Alice tried, but failed. Despite the different outcomes, each fight is different, and each decision is an individual one. I recommend all three works, just know that Still Alice is based on a book by the same name, and that Me Before You is soon to become a movie starring Emilia Clarke and Sam Clafin.

On a brighter note, last week I saw Nymphomaniac and Bird People, and while the latter took an unexpected and very strange turn towards the surreal, the former was spectacular. I liked it even more than Melancholia, and though I saw the director's cut, the hours flew by.

Then yesterday I saw the Rob Marshall's adaptation of Into the Woods. Though overall disappointing, there are some really clever and great moments in it. Some scenes seemed to evoke Disney's early years, namely the Last Midnight scene: the thunder and wind, the spinning around, and the body movements of the witch were somewhat similar to those of the evil queen's from Snow White, don't you think?

Another great scene was Prince Charming's (Chris Pine) cheating duet with the Baker's wife (Emily Blunt): absolutely loved the concept, and I was happy to see that the promise of "what happens after the Happily Ever After" was starting to show, but then the other storylines got such messy and unimpressive endings! And what was with that breakup scene? On the plus side, Agony is absolutely hilarious (just watch them rip their shirts open), as one of the best things about Into the Woods is its goodhearted mockery of the classic disney/grimm tales.

And finally, though I never heard her music, I stumbled upon Sia's new music video and it is stunning. Shia LaBeouf and Maddie Ziegler dance together inside a large cage, reportedly a representation of Sia's own relationship with her father, though one of her tweets hints towards an internal struggle. Either way, Ryan Heffington's powerful and emotional choreography and LaBeouf's and Ziegler's instantly captivating performancesmake this a must-watch.

I'm currently working on my best of the year lists,

which means catching up on a few films that I still want to watch from 2014.

The first post is set to publish next Saturday, and the other two or three will

come up the following week. For now, here's the best from around the web:

- Jimmy Fallon discovered the other night, on air, that he inadvertently passed on an opportunity to date Nicole Kidman - his reaction is hilariously adorable.
- Watch the Golden Globes Nominees share their cinematic crushes, for W Magazine.
- Nikhat posted her favourite posters of 2014 and it's all gorgeous [shhh that's the post that's coming on saturday].
- Josh shares the ten 2015 releases he's anticipating, which reminds me it's time to make that list again!
- MsMariah elects the best and worst movies of last year, and adds some creative and fun categories.
- Brittani reviewed Wild, a movie that still has no premiere date around here and that I really want to see.
- Mettel has already started her 2014 in Retrospect lists, so check them out!
- Katy shared her Favourite Artwork of 2014 movies, her Best and Worst from 2014, and wrote an article on Jake Gyllenhaal's career - there's no stopping this girl and I love it!
- Alex lists his favourite male and female performances of the year; Ruth did the ladies category too!

Emily Bluntin Michael Kors and Lorraine Schwartz jewelry

Kate Hudsonin Versace

Reese Witherspoonin Calvin Klein

Diane Krugerin Emilia Wickstead *favourite!

Felicity Jonesin Dior

Amy Adams in Atelier Versace *favourite!

Sienna Millerin Miu Miu

Jessica Chastain in Atelier Versace

Jennifer Lopez in Zuhair Murad

Julianne Moorein Givenchy Haute Couture and Chopard jewelry

Dakota Johnsonin Chanel Haute Couture

Emma Stone in Lanvin

Lupita Nyong'oin Giambattista Valli Couture

share your favourites below!

This is the first year I'm making a yearly retrospect, as never before had I watched enough movies to actually list my favourites. Well in the beginning of 2014 I made a list of 30 new releases to watch, and though I ended up removing some (Transcendence and Exodus, not even touching those) and adding others (ending up with a list of one hundred movies), the essential core was always of about 40 films, and I thankfully managed to watch all of them by now, apart from Wild, Blue Ruin, Force Majeure, Inherent Vice and Leviathan.

So at last I am capable of making these grand lists that I always enjoy reading on other blogs so much - starting with the best movie posters from last year, including teasers and alternative posters released in specific countries. And what a year it's been for the creative departments. From daring minimalism to intricate drawings, from provocative concepts to stark surrealism, and even a spin on the traditional face poster, 2014 had a lot to offer.

Though the forty posters that follow are not ranked, I'd like to point out two of them.First and foremost, if I had to rank them, the black Nymphomaniac poster featured above would be my absolute favourite: it's provocative yet sleek, with great use of a pitch-black background and lightning. Another one that stood out for me was the trio poster for Foxcatcher - I guess its old-fashioness spoke to me. The torn-paper version is frequently preferred, but something about that background that reminds me of stuffed animals and old rich families (and I wrote this before even knowing), together with the mean-looking trio of Tatum, Ruffalo and Carell, makes this a strangely imposing poster.

this list excludes teasers and posters for 2015 movies

the 40 best movie posters of 2014

share your favourites below!

The 2014 retrospective continues with my picks for the ten best scores of last year, with works from notable composers like Hans Zimmer, Alexandre Desplat, Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross, to lesser known composers such as Mica Levy and Keegan DeWit. Most of the listed tracks are on Youtube but, whenever that's not the case, the links will redirect you to Spotify. The scores are not necessarily in order, for truly all ten are fantastic - even the honourable mentions are worth a listen.

And they are Jeff Grace's thriller score for Cold in July, Dustin O'Halloran's delicate piano pieces for Breathe In, Andrew Hewitt's stranger than strange score for The Double, the prolific work of Jonny Greenwood in Inherent Vice, the eeire undertones of Antony Partos's and Sam Petty's score for The Rover, the score for Belle by the ever lovely Rachel Portman, and Alexandre Desplat's score for The Imitation Game.

THE 10 BEST original scores OF 2014

interstellar, by hans zimmer

Ah, Hans. I really didn't appreciate the melodramatic tunes (or perhaps the close-ups of McConaughey's tears were a little too tight), but once you got into the thriller and sci-fi zone, you nailed it. As always, you're larger than life - sometimes even bigger than movies.

best track: Mountains

the grand budapest hotel, by alexandre desplat

Congratulations to Alexandre Desplat for the double oscar nomination - is that a first? To be honest I've never been the biggest fan of Desplat's pling pling tunes (I know that sounds retarded but hey, it's the best I could come up with), but this year he did it: he let go of that pling and dived head first into Wes Anderson's crazy world, and what surfaced was quirky and beautiful, so very fitting of The Grand Budapest Hotel.

It's the pick-me-up soundtrack of the year!

BEST TRACK: mr. Moustafa

Listen up philip, BY keegan dewitt

Finally a jazz infused original score, filled with hot, velvety sounds that make you want to, you know. I haven't seen the movie, but you can make a CD out of this one, please.

BEST TRACK: interlude (version #1)

the theory of everything, BY johann johannsson

The classical score of the year, the one that will fill your ears with beautiful notes of heartbreaking sadness and joy, it's Johann Johannsson's work in The Theory of Everything. So gentle, so delicate, so worthy of every praise.

BEST TRACK: domestic pressures

only lovers left alive, BY jozef van wissem and SQÜRL

Foreign and exotic, with that taste of vampirism that we've loved ever since Philip Glass scored Dracula; add a rock edge to it, and you've got Only Lovers Left Alive. By the way, this is the one you can listen to on a daily basis without fear of looking like a geek.

BEST TRACK: The taste of blood

enemy, BY danny bensi AND saunder juriaans

Whether slow and hesitant or frenetic and impulsive, the one thing that permeates this score is a huge, scary question mark. Listen to it and you can feel the search, the anxiety, the need to find something vital - until suddenly it all comes to stop, and you think you're close to getting it, only to have the sounds twist again all around you, sending you right back to where you started.

And isn't that exactly what Enemy is like? That's why Bensi and Juriaans's work is so impressive - it's like reliving the movie.

BEST TRACK: control

gone girl, BY trent reznor AND atticus ross

Here's two composers that are no strangers to anyone who's being paying attention to movie scores this last couple of years. Notoriously well-known for their award-wining work in The Social Network, Reznor and Ross have proved to be the perfect addition to Fincher's movies.

In Gone Girl, their style is instantly recognisable but still original (the trademark of true talent, if you ask me), pairing those scratchy electric sounds we've come to love with fresh tunes as sweet as sugar. This combination takes on the movie's duplicity, thus subconsciously charging the viewer with an unshakeable uneasiness.

BEST TRACK: sugar storm

under the skin, BY mica levy

Back in April I wrote about Mica Levi's score for Michel Faber's Under the Skin before even watching the movie. Months later and having seen the movie and read the novel it is based on, it's clear to me that this is the perfect score for it: alien, surreal, and every ounce as disturbing as the film.

BEST TRACK: lonely void

whiplash, BY Justin hurwtiz AND tim simonec

Perhaps it's not fair to feature Whiplash's score since at least two of the film's most iconic tracks (Whiplash and Caravan) are pre-existing jazz pieces - ultimately making it ineligible for awards - but even if it's still not quite clear to me how much of it is original or altered, it was simply impossible not to mention it.

Hurwtiz's score is frantic and electrifying (don't tell me you can keep your feet still), and when the drum kicks in it doesn't let go for a second, trapping us inside Andrew's mind even when we beg for a break - because as much as it energises, it also exhausts. Even the underscore in between the playing had an edge to it that often escalated to unbearable tension. So much that when the adrenaline wore off, I was ready to say goodnight. But never good job.

BEST TRACK: overture

birdman, BY antonio sanchez

I still can't understand exactly why Sanchez's score was ineligible for the Oscars (plenty of original drumming in there, certainly enough for the Globes and the Critics Choice), but that's behind us now; for it remains an undeniable fact that Birdman's drum frenzy was one the year's most creative and unique scores, which is only fitting for a movie that so daringly stepped out of the box.

Much like Whiplash's, its relentless rhythm keeps us glued to the film's narrative and all its seamless shots, and the unevenness (almost unmusicalness) of it only intensifies the surreal and the unbalanced minds of Birdman's characters. Maybe it's not one you'll listen to from time to time (unless you're in need for some stress and anxiety) but as a film score, it's the one you just can't ignore.

BEST TRACK: internal war

share your favourite score from 2014 below!

“Be it a rock or a grain of sand,
in water they sink as the same.”

WOO-JIN LEE, IN OLDBOY

The minute I decided to enter this challenge I knew that one particular movie needed to be in my list - Old Boy. It's the film I get recommended the most, and being unforgivably unfamiliar with Korean cinema, this pick was a no-brainer. But knowing about it didn't prepare me at all for its viewing: I expected a violent revenge tale, but what I got was a bloody comedy, a moving and disturbing drama, and then a violent revenge tale (and not from the character I expected it from). All in one beautiful - talk about striking cinematography - crazy, excessive movie that had me double-checking my reactions throughout. Should I laugh, be repulsed, or cry? Is it possible to do it all at once? It is!

[ Spoilers below ]

The incest theme is both shocking and refreshing in an age where controversial material is so rare in movies - as if depicting equals condoning - and it is so cleverly done that you can't help but be torn apart by mixed feelings. Also interesting is how we start with a hero and faceless villain, and in the end they're both so equally miserable that they're assigned roles become indistinguishable from one another.

It's dark, twisted stuff and I shamelessly love it for that; in fact I believe Dae-Su's crying in the end means the hypnosis didn't work - that's how bleak I like my movies.

food for thought

If PETA gave The Wolf of Wall Street so much grief over a goldfish being inside Jonah Hill's mouth,

what would they say about the eating of four live octopuses?

Verdict

Having seen Stoker too, I'm ready for more from Chan-wook Park!

This is the year's first entry for the Blind Spot Series.

These posts are a collection of first impressions, musings and loose thoughts - not reviews.

We're back on track with the best of the year lists, and with only two left I expect them to be done by the end of the week, so that I can have proper time to prepare my Fifty Shades of Grey rant and/or love letter to Sam Taylor-Johnson (at this point, it really could go both ways).

With accusations of sexism floating around hollywood and dominating the awards coverage, nothing feels better than highlighting the exceptional work done by so many talented women last year. Some possibly notable performances I haven't seen include Marion Cotillard in The Immigrant, Sheila Vand in A Girl Walks Home Alone at Night, Gugu Mbatha-Raw in Belle and Beyond the Lights, and Laura Dern and Reese Witherspoon in Wild.

honourable mentions:

Tessa Thompson and Teyonah Parris in Dear White People
Rene Russo, Nightcrawler
Felicity Jones, The Theory of Everything
Imelda Staunton and Faye Marsay, Pride
Keira Knightley, Begin Again, The Imitation Game and Laggies
Emily Blunt, Into the Woods and Edge of Tomorrow

Lorelei Linklater, Boyhood

Kelly Reilly, Calvary

Elizabeth Moss, Listen Up Philip
Viola Davis, The Disappearance of Eleanor Rigby

THE 15 BEST FEMALE PERFORMANCES OF 2014

#15 maggie gyllenhaal, IN frank

Maggie Gyllenhaal's unsung role in Frank stands out for its inexplicable allure: as Clara she was weird, angry, and strangely sexy, shining the brightest when singing in positively ridiculous costumes.

#14 patricia arquette, IN boyhood

Love it or hate it, Arquette's performance in Boyhood has an emotional pull that is simultaneously intense and effortless. As my friend Nikhat so well said, it's easy to forget she's even acting.

#13 scarlett johansson, IN under the skin

Hypnotising and alien-like, without barely saying a word. How could we not follow her into the dark?

#12 emma stone, IN birdman

As if we didn't love her enough, Stone goes ahead and proves once again that she has talent to give and sell (as we say around here). The whole ensemble was so spectacular that it's hard to talk about one without mentioning the rest, but Emma Stone in particular was a pleasant surprise, with all her turmoil and magnetic energy.

#11 mia wasikowska, IN maps to the stars

One person in one frame and another in the next, this girl was a fake, manipulative, nerve-wrecking psycho that you just want to punch in face. The rare moments when she reveals her true self just further confirm her insanity. She was both victim and abuser, and Mia Wasikowska nailed that.

#10 LISA LOVEN KONGSLI, IN FORCE MAJEURE
Another woman that by the end of the movie was turned completely around. Kongsli deals with some pretty complex and divisive emotions here - you may even hate her character at times, as I did - and does so with great talent. Like with Arquette, it's all about stark realism.

#09 JENNY SLATE, IN OBVIOUS CHILD
Hilarious, brave, and unapologetic - Jenny Slate said out loud what a lot of women think and feel, and she did so candidly and with a unique sense of humour. Slate also carried the movie through its most delicate moments with grace, and I just feel like thanking her and Gillian Robespierre for that.

#08 MARION COTILLARD, IN TWO DAYS, ONE NIGHT

Yet again a very realistic performance, and this one I particularly loved for its spot on portrayal of depression: it's not all screaming and sobbing, sometimes you just shut down and feel unbearably tired and numb. Cotillard dragged herself throughout the film from door to door, fighting for a job she could barely keep - and that's the most honest thing I've seen all year.

#07 uma thurman, in nymphomaniac vol. I
The best, most intense and most hilarious scene in the whole movie, all because of her. Just watch it.

#06 agata kulesza, in ida
Yes I thought the other Agata was great, with her silent stares and her fleeting smiles and whatnot, but this Agata, this Agata... so sad, so mysterious. And kind of impressive, too.

#05 jessica chastain,in a most violent year
The daughter of a gangster from head to toe, the woman you want guarding your children (or maybe not), the perfect counterpart to Isaac's character: Chastain was the ticking bomb you can't get away from, embodying the kind of woman we want to be, even though we know we shouldn't.

#04 tilda swinton, in snowpiercer and only lovers left alive
In Snowpiercer she was that, and it was impressive. In Only Lovers Left Alive she was a vampire who was more human than most of us, and I think it's safe to say we all fell a little in love with her. In both amazing, Swinton is constantly at the top of every list, never missing a step.

#03 julianne moore, in maps to the stars and still alice
Her work in Still Alice is as devastating as the disease it portrays, and her character in Maps to the Stars is so goddamn well written, and her acting so believable, that it feels like you're watching reality tv.

#02 ESSIE DAVIS, IN THE BABADOOK
Essie Davis slowly goes from depressed mother, to true nightmare, to the fiercest mother you've ever seen, and you believe it all in every second of The Babadook.

#01 ROSAMUND PIKE, IN gone girl

Another manipulative character that keeps changing faces. Pike makes you fall in love with Amy, defend her, admire her and hate her, feel bad for her, even scared of her - basically she does whatever she wants with us, and all we can do is beg for more.

so what were some of your favourites? have you seen all of these?

Now that we've looked at the best posters, original scores and female performances, it's time for the top 15 male performances of 2014. We're getting real close to the end, with only a post left! This was by far the hardest list to rank, for the amount of male talent on the big screen last year was just huge - even the ones in the honourable mentions were superb. I cheated twice but hey, my blog my rules. Also note that while Norton and Redmayne were amazing, they're in the honourable mentions because I wanted to highlight lesser-known performances. And we're doing this the quick way, with just pictures.

Possibly notable performances I haven't seen: Alfred Molina in Love is Strange, Joaquin Phoenix and Josh Brolin in Inherent Vice, Bradley Cooper in American Sniper, and Gaspard Ulliel in Saint Laurent.

HONOURABLE MENTIONS:

Edward Norton, Birdman
Eddie Redmayne, The Theory of Everything
Alec Baldwin, Still Alice

Benedict Cumberbatch, The Imitation Game

Ben Affleck, Gone Girl

Elijah Wood, Grand Piano

Dominic West, Pride

Bradley Cooper, Guardians of the Galaxy

Michael Fassbender, Frank

Keanu Reeves, John Wick

THE 15 BEST MALE PERFORMANCES OF 2014

share your favourites in the comments!

Here we are at last, the final list of the yearly retrospect: The Top 25 Best Movies of 2014. Possibly notable movies I haven't seen include Relatos Salvajes, Mandariinid, Blue Ruin, A Girl Walks Home Alone at Night, God Help the Girl, What We Do In The Shadows, The Disappearance of Eleanor Rigby: Him and Her, Mommy, The One I Love, Inherent Vice, Coherence, We Are the Best!, Love is Strange, and The Guest.

Honourable Mentions:

Bird People, The Fault in Our Stars, John Wick, Listen Up Philip, Dear White People, Filth, The Lego Movie, Grand Piano, The Rover, Two Days One Night, Begin Again, Calvary, The Normal Heart, Pride, Laggies.

THE top 25 BEST movies OF 2014

“AT SOME POINT, THERE WOULD
SIMPLY BE NO POINT,”

#25 STILL ALICE, directed by RICHARD GLATZER

“This self obsession is a waste of living. It could be spend in surviving things, appreciating nature, nurturing kindness and friendship, and dancing. ”
#24 ONLY LOVERS LEFT ALIVE, directed by JIM JARMUSCH

“The torment didn't make the music. He was always musical, if anything it slowed him down.”
#23 FRANK, directed by LENNY ABRAHAMSON

“All power comes from God.
As long as it suits Him, fear not.”
#22 LEVIATHAN, directed by ANDREY ZVYAGINTSEV

“WE ARE GROOT.”
#21 GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY, directed by JAMES GUNN

“We're not asking - we're demanding.”
#20 SELMA, directed by AVA DUVERNAY

“Do the same thing as last time.
Everyone's happy.”
#19 22 JUMP STREET, directed by PHIL LORD andCHRISTOPHER MILLER

“Know your place. Keep your place. ”
#18 SNOWPIERCER, directed by JOON-HO BONG

“When it feels scary to jump, that is exactly when you jump, otherwise you end up staying in the same place your whole life, and that I can't do.”
#17 A MOST VIOLENT YEAR, directed by J. C. CHANDOR

“YOU THINK IF HE WAS PREGNANT, HE WOULD BE WORRYING ABOUT YOU RIGHT NOW?
NO, HE'D BE TRYING TO GET THAT FUCKING THING OUT OF HIS BODY.”
#16 OBVIOUS CHILD, directed by GILLIAN ROBESPIERRE

“PEOPLE WIND ME UP.
HOW?
THEY'RE IGNORANT.”
#15 UNDER THE SKIN, directed by JONATHAN GLAZER

“I want to know that I'm not driving
in one direction.”
#14 LOCKE, directed by STEVEN KNIGHT

“Two first class tickets for two first class ladies.”
#13 NYMPHOMANIAC VOL. I, directed by LARS VON TRIER

“On the stairs of Death I write
your name, Liberty.”
#12 MAPS TO THE STARS, directed by DAVID CRONENBERG

“I think his world had vanished long before he ever entered it.”
#11 THE GRAND BUDAPEST HOTEL, directed by WES ANDERSON

“Cruising on a lake,
you think that’s discreet?”

#10 STRANGER BY THE LAKE, directed by ALAIN GUIRAUDIE

“You might have run, too,
and left your kids behind.”

#09 FORCE MAJEURE, directed by DAN GILROY

“IF IT'S IN A WORD OR IN A LOOK, YOU
CAN'T GET RID OF THE BABADOOK.”
#08 THE BABADOOK, directed by JENNIFER KENT

“ Chaos is order yet undeciphered.”
#07 ENEMY, directed by DENIS VILLENEUVE

“You have to behave cause
they will kill you.”

#06 STARRED UP, directed by DAVID MACKENZIE

“There are no two words in the English language more harmful than good job.”

#05 WHIPLASH, directed by DAMIEN CHAZELLE

“The only time you liked yourself was when you were trying to be someone this cunt might like.”

#04 GONE GIRL, directed by DAVID FINCHER

“Coach is the father. Coach is a mentor. Coach has great power on AN athlete's life.”
#03 FOXCATCHER, directed by BENNET MILLER

“I'd like to think if you're seeing me,

you're having the worst day of your life.”

#02 NIGHTCRAWLER, directed by DAN GILROY

“popularity is the slutty
little cousin of prestige.”

#01 BIRDMAN, directed by ALEJANDRO G. IÑÁRRITU

SHARE YOUR FAVOURITES movies of the year IN THE COMMENTS!

Fifty Shades of Grey, 2015

Directed by SAM TAYLOR JOHNSON

Starring DAKOTA JOHNSON and JAMIE DORNAN

this review is free of spoilers! but have you seriously not read the book?

When thinking of ways to describe the new erotic film Fifty Shades of Grey, one word immediately comes to mind: stiff. And not in the good way. There's no point in tiptoeing around it, so knowing that what follows comes from someone who actually wanted this movie to succeed, here it goes. Considering the movie itself, without the story, there are three things fundamentally wrong with it: rhythm, cinematography, and tone. It is shocking how serious the lack of rhythm and flow in Fifty Shades is - like you can actually feel the end of one scene, the beginning of the next, and the awkward pause in between - it's like watching dozens of little snippets of the least risqué BDSM love affair ever.

And it doesn't look particularly good either, in fact the camera work and editing is often inadequate or just plain corny (that slow-motion + fading sex montage? what were you thinking?!), and right in the one genre where cinematography is essential.

And finally, this thing has sharper mood swings than a teenager with PMS. I imagine they were aiming to go from funny to sexy and all fifty tones in between with grace and ease, but it's just exhausting, confusing, and sloppy. Oh by sexy of course I mean clinical-looking, fake-moaning, awkward-humping sex. And just to be clear, that has nothing to do with the nature of their sexual relationship.

Now onto to the really bad stuff: all of this poor executing is sitting on top of this absurd plot that best resembles a teen sexual fantasy (and a bad one at that), riddled with all the classic clichés that even telenovelas grew out of by now, and a dialogue so bad it redefines the meaning of cringe. It's boring, unforgivably emotionless, and unexciting. It elicits no thrills and pushes no boundaries whatsoever. It doesn't even come close to the edge. It just sits there, with its mild bondage and a butt plug joke. The only outrageous thing about Fifty Shades of Grey is how insufferably bad it is - so, you know, a pretty faithful adaptation of E.L. James's erotica.

There is, however, exactly one good thing in it: its sense of humour. And, at this point, I seriously hope it was intentional. As done by others before it - think laugh-out-loud Nine and a Half Weeks, but don't get your hopes up - Fifty Shades resorts to comedy to soften the blow of its darkest kinks (or in their minds, to ease a sexual tension that is non-existent), cleverly playing with double-meanings and our own knowledge of Grey's peculiar hobbies. This was actually a great call.

It's in those moments that the leads thrive in near-perfect comedic timing, but in every other scene Dakota Johnson and Jamie Dornan just look uncomfortable, stiff, hollow. Frustrating.

Like the twilight fan-fiction turned book by impressive marketing, Fifty Shades has no clue what it wants to be, no clue just how good it could be. Both Sam Taylor-Johnson and E.L. James were sitting on material with actual potential and, forgive the bluntness, but they both simply blew it.

I originally planned on writing a post about Fifty Shades that focused on the
erotica genre, both literary and cinematic, in all its wonders and dangers.
But I'll save it for another day soon - this was long enough.

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Review: Fifty Shades of Grey (2015)