The Oscars Nominations Predictions 2017

Here we are again. The best time of the year, the Oscars time! And here are my final nominations. In few hours we’ll be hearing what the Academy picked.

BEST PICTURE

• La La Land
• Manchester by the Sea
• Moonlight
• Arrival
• Fences
• Lion
• Hidden Figures
• Hell or High Water
• Hacksaw Ridge

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• Silence
• Deadpool

I couldn’t pick my 10th option because I’m hopeless optimistic and actually think they would go for R-rated comic book movie. Right yeah? I kind of wanted to leave Hidden Figures out as well but this is where the final list now. At the moment it’s either La La Land’s or Moonlight’s to lose.

DIRECTOR

• La La Land – Damien Chazelle
• Manchester by the Sea – Kenneth Longergan
• Hell or High Water – David McKenzie
• Arrival – Denis Villeneuve
• Moonlight – Barry Jenkins

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• Hacksaw Ridge- Mel Gibson
• Fences – Denzel Washington
• Silence – Martin Scorsese
• Lion – Garth Davis

By far the hardest category to predict this year. The three of them are absolute locks (Chazelle, Lonergan and Jenkins) but the two others… I believe that Villeneuve is due with a nomination (I haven’t seen Arrival yet but I’m only hearing good things plus he’s done great job with previous films that were nominated, Prisoners and Sicario) but the last slot was hard to decide. I played a wild card.

ACTOR

• La La Land – Ryan Gosling
• Fences – Denzel Washington
• Manchester by the Sea – Casey Affleck
• Hacksaw Ridge – Andrew Garfield
• Captain Fantastic – Viggo Mortensen

ACTRESS

• La La Land – Emma Stone
• Jackie – Natalie Portman
• Arrival – Amy Adams
• Florence Foster Jenkins – Meryl Streep
• Elle – Isabelle Huppert

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Loving – Ruth Negga

Because of the story of Loving, I wanted to give a slot for Ruth Negga but Huppert has been really strong and one can never leave Streep out, especially when she gave amazing speech at the Golden Globes in the middle of voting of the Oscars nominations.

SUPPORTING ACTOR

• Lion – Dev Patel 10
• Moonlight – Mahershala Ali
• Hell of High Water – Jeff Brigdes
• Florence Foster Jenkins – Hugh Grant
• Nocturnal Animals – Aaron Taylor-Johnson

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• Manchester by the Sea – Lucas Hedges

I just might be hopeful here again but if Nocturnal Animals will soar at least a bit, Taylor-Johnson will be in. And the Academy has avoid to nominate younger actors in this category like Tremblay last year. But Hedges has been strong so far, so this is a game.

SUPPORTING ACTRESS

• Hidden Figures – Octavia Spences
• Fences – Viola Davis
• Manchester by the Sea – Michelle Williams
• Naomi Harris – Moonlight
• Lion – Nicole Kidman

 

ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY

• Manchester by the Sea
• The Lobster
• Hell or High Water
• La La Land
• Captain Fantastic

 

ADAPTED SCREENPLAY

• Moonlight
• Fences
• Lion
• Nocturnal Animals
• Arrival

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• Hidden Figures

OK, I have a thing for Nocturnal Animals even I haven’t seen it, so again, I’m putting it ahead of probably stronger contender.

CINEMATOGRAPHY

• La La Land
• Silence
• Arrival
• Lion
• Moonlight

EDITING

• La La Land
• Manchester by the Sea
• Arrival
• Moonlight
• Hacksaw Ridge

 

COSTUME DESIGN

• Fantastic Beast and Where to Find Them
• Jackie
• La La Land
• Florence Foster Jenkins
• Allied

 

PRODUCTION DESIGN

• La La Land
• Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them
• The Handmaiden
• Jackie
• Arrival

 

MAKE-UP & HAIRSTYLING

• A Man Called Ove
• Deadpool
• Florence Foster Jenkins

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• Star Trek Beyond

I asked my make-up artist friend’s opinion here and she chose Deadpool instead of Star Trek Beyond. I’ll blame her if I’m incorrect.

SOUND MIXING

• La La Land
• Arrival
• Rogue One
• Hacksaw Ridge
• Deepwater Horizon

SOUND EDITING

• Hacksaw Ridge
• Deepwater Horizon
• Roque One
• Arrival
• The Jungle Book

 

VISUAL EFFECTS

• Rogue One
• The Jungle Book 5
• Arrival
• Strange
• Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them

 

SCORE

• Moonlight (Nicholas Britell)
• Jackie (Mica Levi)
• La La Land (Justin Hurwitz)
• The BFG (John Williams)
• Rogue One (Michael Giacchino)

 

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• Lion (Dustin O’Halloran, Hauschka)

I’m still a bit annoyed that Jóhann Jóhannsson is not eligible for Arrival as he is these days one of my definite favourite composers. Love his work! I wanted to leave John Williams out but you know, you just can’t. And it’s traditional that the composers branch always vote for their own and already now there are THREE new comers. I hardly see that happening but I don’t know who else to pick. Justin Hurwitz all the way, I looooooove La La Land’s soundtrack!

 

SONG

• Moana – How Far I’ll Go
• La La Land – Audition (The Fools Who Dream)
• La La Land – City of Stars
• Sing Street – Drive Like You Stole It
• Trolls – Can’t Stop the Feeling

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• Sing – Faith
• Hidden Figures – Runnin’

Always hard category to predict. I gave a chance to Sing Street’s 80’s sounds, it’s a gamble, I know. I hope that the song above wins, I can’t get enough of it.

ANIMATED

• Zootopia
• Kubo and the Two Strings
• The Red Turtle
• Moana
• My Life as a Zucchini

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• Finding Dory

Yes, I left out a Pixar film. I’m aware.

 

DOCUMENTARY

• Cameraperson
• I am Not Your Negro
• 13^th
• OJ: Made in America
• The Eagle Huntress

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• Weiner

 

FOREIGN LANGUAGE

• Toni Erdmann (Germany)
• The Salesman (Iran)
• Land of Mine (Denmark)
• A Man Called Ove (Sweden)
• My Life as a Zucchini (Switzerland)

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• It’s Only the End of the World (Canada)

I have a feeling I should not count out Xavier Dolan but I don’t know what else to do.

 

ANIMATED SHORT

• Inner Workings
• Piper
• Blind Vayasha
• Borrowed Time
• Pearl

 

LIVE ACTION SHORT

• Graffiti
• Nocturne in Black
• Sing (Mindenki)
• Timecode
• The Way of Tea

 

DOCUMENTARY SHORT

• White Helmets
• Joe’s Violin
• Extremis
• The Mute’s House
• Watani: My Homeland

 

Agree, disagree? We’ll now soon enough how I did this year.

Person of the Day – Martin Scorsese

It’s Mr. Scorsese’s birthday today. So, Happy Birthday, Marty!

It took a while, approximately 25 years for me to understand the art of Scorsese. And I still haven’t watched all of his masterworks but these days he’s definitely one of my very favourite directors. When I explain what I want to do as my work, I always describe it the way that “I want to do something that I really love, that I really don’t want to quit doing ever, I want to be Martin Scorsese, who still at age of 74 keeps doing the most inspiring stuff.” So, I basically want to be Marty.

So, here’s to celebrate his amazing career and all those great things to become, my top-3 Scorsese films:

CAPE FEAR (1991)

I already saw this back in when it was released and I was only something like 12, so probably I shouldn’t have. But I did and I was so scared of Robert DeNiro’s Mad Cady but I also found him awfully attractive, especially when he was seducing this teenage girl played by always a bit dirty Juliette Lewis. Good stuff.

THE WOLF OF WALL STREET (2013)

When I reviewed Wolf I’ve never gotten that much comments on any of my reviews. I know the film is still kind of wrong but I absolutely loved it! I don’t think any film that long has gone by so fast. And that drug scene! It is my favourite scene of Leo DiCaprio, who I obviously love, of all time. It is so funny! I need to watch this movie again.

HUGO (2011)

If you love cinema like I do, or like Marty does, there’s no way you won’t like this film. Or love it, to be exact. It is one of the most heart-felt and the most beautiful films I’ve ever seen. Truly amazing work and such a love letter to the art of moving images. ❤

The Best of the Best – Disney Company Films

To celebrate 93rd birthday of The Walt Disney Company I wanted to list my favourite films produced by the company. Walt Disney is one of my biggest heroes. He was the man who made fairytales to become live. My all time favourite quote is his

and I always try to keep that in mind when it feels I can’t. We all can. 🙂

There might be some films missing but I blame IMDb if not my fave Disneys are on the list, as these were the ones the search of ever reliable IMDb gave me. There are some minor SPOILERS in videos.

10)

Ratatouille (2007)

9)

Enchanted (2007)

8)

Freaky Friday (2003)

7)

Beauty and the Beast (1991)

6)

Mary Poppins (1964)

5)

Frozen (2013)

4)

Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl (2003)

3) (This breaks your heart. The best montage ever.)

Up (2009)

2)

The Lion King (1994)

1)

Wall-E (2008)

Lovely, lovely films! It’s great that there are still people who make you feel good with creating this kind of films.

And there’s more to come like live-versions of Beauty and the Beast, Tim Burton’s Dumbo or Cruella with Emma Stone starring. Even the trailer for the fifth Pirates of the Caribbean looked promising. Mary Poppins also returns and Lasse Hällström is going to direct Keira Knightley and Helen Mirren in The Nutcracker and the Four Realms, that should be interesting. And yes, the live version of  The Lion King sounds scary idea.

The First Oscar Predictions 2017

Here we go again! I did some predictions last spring right after the Oscars 2016 but so much have changed since then! So, here are my endless lists. The films are in random order in every category and as you can see, there are much more of them that is allowed in every category. I will get into them during the next 10 days, so bear with me. Here’s the first look.

The Oscar Predictions 2017 

updated October 6th

BEST PICTURE

• La La Land
• Manchester by the Sea
• Billy Lynn’s Long Halftime Walk
• The Birth of a Nation
• Arrival
• Silence
• Fences
• Moonlight
• Lion
• Jackie
• Loving
• Nocturnal Animals
• Hidden Figures
• Hell or High Water
• Hacksaw Ridge
• Sully
• Passengers
• Live by Night

DIRECTOR

• La La Land – Damien Chazelle
• Manchester by the Sea – Kenneth Longergan
• Silence – Martin Scorsese
• The Birth of a Nation – Nate Parker
• Billy Lynn’s Long Halftime Walk – Ang Lee
• Loving – Jeff Nichols
• Arrival – Denis Villeneuve
• Nocturnal Animals – Tom Ford
• Moonlight – Barry Jenkins
• Fences – Denzel Washington
• Passengers – Mortem Tyldum
• Live by Night – Ben Affleck
• Jackie – Pablo Larráin
• Lion – Garth Davis

ACTOR

• La La Land – Ryan Gosling
• Sully – Tom Hanks
• Lion – Dev Patel
• Fences – Denzel Washington
• Manchester by the Sea – Casey Affleck
• The Founder – Michael Keaton
• Loving – Joel Edgerton
• Silence – Andrew Garfield
• Billy Lynn’s Long Halftime Walk – Joe Alwyn
• Captain Fantastic – Viggo Mortensen

ACTRESS

• La La Land – Emma Stone
• Jackie – Natalie Portman
• Hidden Figures – Taraji P. Henson
• Fences – Viola Davis
• Loving – Ruth Negga
• Arrival – Amy Adams
• Florence Foster Jenkins – Meryl Streep
• Elle – Isabelle Huppert
• 20^th Century Women – Annette Bening
• Miss Sloane – Jessica Chastain

SUPPORTING ACTOR

• Manchester by the Sea – Lucas Hedges
• Silence – Adam Driver
• Silence – Liam Neeson
• Sully – Aaron Eckhart
• Billy Lynn’s Long Halftime Walk – Steve Martin
• Moonlight – Mahershala Ali
• Manchester by the Sea – Kyle Chandler
• Nocturnal Animals – Michael Shannon
• Fences – Stephen Henderson
• Hell of High Water – Jeff Brigdes
• Florence Foster Jenkins – Hugh Grant
• Fences – Jovan Adepo
• Live by Night – Chris Cooper
• Live by Night – Brendan Gleeson

SUPPORTING ACTRESS

• Hidden Figures – Octavia Spences
• Hidden Figures – Janelle Monáe
• Nocturnal Animals – Laura Linney
• Nocturnal Animals – Amy Adams
• Billy Lynn’s Long Halftime Walk – Kristen Stewart
• Manchester by the Sea – Michelle Williams
• Naomi Harris – Moonlight
• Aja Naomi King – The Birth of a Nation
• Lion – Nicole Kidman
• Live by Night – Sienna Miller
• 20^th Century Women – Elle Fanning

ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY

• Manchester by the Sea
• The Lobster
• Moonlight
• Loving
• Jackie
• Hell or High Water
• La La Land
• Patterson
• I, Daniel Blake
• 20^th Century Women
• Captain Fantastic

ADAPTED SCREENPLAY

• Hidden Figures
• Billy Lynn’s Long Halftime Walk
• Live by Night
• Silence
• Fences
• Lion
• Nocturnal Animals
• Love & Friendship
• Hidden Figures

CINEMATOGRAPHY

• La La Land
• Billy Lynn’s Long Halftime Walk
• Silence
• Arrival
• Passengers
• Nocturnal Animals
• Moonlight
• Fences

EDITING

• Billy Lynn’s Long Halftime Walk
• Silence
• Live by Night
• La La Land
• Fences
• Jackie
• Arrival
• Lion
• Moonlight

COSTUME DESIGN

• Hidden Figures
• Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children
• Love & Friendship
• Fantastic Beast and Where to Find Them
• Jackie
• Silence
• La La Land
• Florence Foster Jenkins
• Hail, Ceasar!

PRODUCTION DESIGN

• Hidden Figures
• La La Land
• Billy Lynn’s Long Halftime Walk
• Silence
• Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children
• Rogue One
• Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them
• Allied
• Jackie
• Arrival

MAKE-UP & HAIRSTYLING

• Hidden Figures
• Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children
• Love & Friendship
• Nocturnal Animals
• Deadpool
• Jackie
• Star Trek Beyond
• Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them
• Rogue One

SOUND MIXING

• Billy Lynn’s Long Halftime Walk
• Silence
• Live by Night
• La La Land
• Arrival
• Passengers
• Sully
• Rogue One
• The Jungle Book
• Allied
• Hacksaw Ridge
• Deepwater Horizon

SOUND EDITING

• Billy Lynn’s Long Halftime Walk
• Silence
• Live by Night
• Deepwater Horizon
• La La Land
• Roque One
• Arrival
• Passengers
• The Jungle Book

VISUAL EFFECTS

• Billy Lynn’s Long Halftime Walk
• Rogue One
• The Jungle Book
• Star Trek Beyond
• Arrival
• A Monster Calls
• Strange
• Captain America: Civil War
• Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them
• Assassin’s Creed

MUSIC

• Billy Lynn’s Long Halftime Walk
• Silence
• Nocturnal Animals
• Arrival
• The BFG
• The Light Between Oceans
• Finding Dory
• Rogue One
• Hell or High Water

SONG

• Hidden Figures – Victory
• La La Land – Audition (The Fools Who Dream)
• La La Land – City of Stars (or some other songs…)
• Moana – We Know the Way
• Sing – ?
• Trolls – Can’t Stop the Feeling
• The Eagle Huntress – Angel by the Wings

ANIMATED

• Zootopia
• Kubo and the Two Strings
• The Secret Life of Pets
• Finding Dory
• Sing
• The Red Turtle
• Moana
• Miss Hokusai

DOCUMENTARY

• Fire at Sea
• Cameraperson
• Risk
• Gleason
• Miss Sharon Jones
• Amanda Knox
• Weiner
• Voyage of Time: Life’s Journey
• Lo and Behold: Reveries of the Connected World
• Tickled
• 13^th
• Jim: The James Foley Story
• Holy Hell
• Under the Gun
• Before the Flood
• Life, Animated
• OJ: Made in America

FOREIGN LANGUAGE

• Elle (France)
• Julieta (Spain)
• Fire at the Sea (Italy)
• Toni Erdmann (Germany)
• Neruda (Chile)
• The Age of Shadows (South Korea)
• The Salesman (Iran)
• It’s Only the End of the World (Canada)
• Ma’Rosa (Philippines)
• Land of Mine (Denmark)
• The Happiest Day in the Life of Olli Mäki (Finland)
• Chevalier (Greece)
• From Afar (Venezuela)
• Death in Sarajevo (Bosnia and Herzegovina)

ANIMATED SHORT

LIVE ACTION SHORT

DOCUMENTARY SHORT

• White Helmets

TV of the Week Vol. 4

Vol 4! Really?! Well, I assure you I do watch A LOT more TV (or well, streaming services) than that. But this weekend I had a lot of free time, so I caught up with some of my favourite television.

BREAKING BAD (2008-2013)

Created by Vince Gilligan

Starring Bryan Cranston & Aaron Paul

Synopsis (IMDb): “A high school chemistry teacher diagnosed with inoperable lung cancer turns to manufacturing and selling methamphetamine in order to secure his family’s future.”

Yes. I know. I’m still watching this. Shocker. I have no idea why I haven’t seen this before. It’s been something like two years or more when I started to watch this but it was a thing that I did with my then-roommate and after we moved apart, I let it be for quite a while. But the last week I finally continued watching this. The problem is that it really affects me oddly deeply and I can watch something like four episodes and then I need to watch something really fluffy and comforting. It’s really weird because I can’t remember any series going so badly under my skin. I don’t know why this one does. Oh no, not true, Hannibal was even worse, I couldn’t watch it at all after few episodes.

Obviously most of you, who read my blog, have seen the series and I also started the fourth season couple of days ago but again I find it difficult to go back to it. But when I do, I enjoy the writing and acting immensely. Especially the writing, it’s so amazing, the pacing is unbelievable. There are people who probably don’t like how it’s told, at points so slowly, that it’s hardly moving and then it hits you hard on the face when it moves so quickly that it almost hurts. But I actually think that is why Breaking Bad was and is so popular. It also helps a lot that all of the players are amazing. Especially Bryan Cranston. But then again, isn’t he always. He is one my favourite actors of all time. And it makes it easier to relate when these people are a lot like us with their problems and especially how they look. Aaron Paul is cute as a bunny but he could be any bad, but so hot, boy from your high school.  Great series and even though I know the ending it is still a pleasure to watch this even though it’s taking its toll on me.

Rating: ****½ (out of 5) (I might give it full five after finishing it.)

DOWNTON ABBEY (2010-2015)

Created by Julian Fellowes

Starring Michelle Dockery, Laura Carmichael, Hugh Bonneville, Jim Carter, Brendan Coyle, Joanne Froggatt, Rob James-Collier, Phyllis Logan, Elizabeth McGovern, Sophie McShera, Leslie Nicol, Penelope Wilton & Maggie Smith

Synopsis: “A chronicle of the lives of the British aristocratic Crawley family and their servants in the early 20th Century.”

I would have never, ever thought that Downton Abbey would be one of those series that I end up loving. Before starting to watch it I assumed it’s a soap. A very lavish and stylish, made with a lot of sterling but still a soap. And yes, maybe it is a bit. No, I can’t say that because that word underestimates Downton Abbey too badly. Although I have to admit that some twists in the plot are straight from soap opera world. But all in all, Downton Abbey is affecting drama with a lot of sugar and spice.

When I started watching Downton Abbey, I watched four seasons in 10 days or so. That hasn’t happened for a while that I get caught so badly to any series. And what was the most surprising I absolutely fell in love with the characters. And that is where the richness of Downton Abbey lies. Its characters. They’re the heart of the whole thing. Yes, the series looks amazing, the music is beautiful, English language is always amazing to listen when spoken so elegantly as here (some might call it snobbishly but I love it!) and as a big England fan, I love the scenery. But without rich and full-bodied characters, Downton would be nothing. It’s been a while since I’ve cared fictional characters this much. Even the ones that I don’t like that much. But Fellowes and co. have managed to make every character a human, a breathing, living, mistake-making human. And you accept them as those, love them despite their flaws.

I’ve been shocked to my core by Downton Abbey, I’ve cried so much, felt despair and love with the characters and lived every moment with them and it felt so good! I’m sad that it’s now over. But I’m glad they wrapped it up before it got sour. Btw, it’s surprisingly funny and big thanks for that goes to Maggie Smith. There is a reason why she’s been honoured because of the role again and again. She’s amazing.

Rating: ***** (out of 5)

SCREAM season 2 (2016)

Created by Jay Beattie, Jill E. Blotevogel  & Dan Dworkin

Starring Willa Fitzgerald, Bex Taylor-Klaus, John Karna, Carlson Young & Amadeus Serafini

Synopsis: “What starts as a YouTube video going viral soon leads to problems for the teenagers of Lakewood and serves as the catalyst for a murder that opens up a window to the town’s troubled past.”

I already reviewed the first season within the films, you can read it here. The second season continues the story in a same way, no big changes here. Murders are still bloody slashers, characters are still young high schoolers and plot repeats itself. No big revelations here. It’s entertaining and quite hooking but that’s it. I did like the first season more.

The biggest annoyance here is the leading lady, Emma, played by Willa Fitzgerald. Her character is just really, really annoying. She just can’t see outside of her own life. And she’s such an angel. Ugh. I do not like her. So it makes that much harder to watch this. I heard they’re going to do two episodes special or something for Halloween and I kind of hope they will wrapped it up with it. There just isn’t enough steam to continue. But that is just my opinion. Or if they will continue, I hope they make some nice changes like kill the main character in the beginning of the third season. At this point, if feels like writers are playing it safe. But I do admit that the beginning of the season worked and so did the end of the season but as it is 12 episodes long, they could cut at least half of them and viewer would not lose any excitement. There’s basically no character development and the story itself is starting to be boring. Despite my negative thoughts, I did watch it in two nights. And was that scared that I needed to watch some Friends before going to bed.

Rating: *** (out of 5)

P.S. Nice pastiches of classic horror films including the titles of episodes.

Liebster Award #2

Great JW at Film & Nuance nominated me for a Liebster Award for the second time in my blogging history. THANK YOU! It’s nice to be recognized. 🙂 Check out his site! And if you’re up to it, here’s my previous Liebster post.

Here are the questions he set up for all of us nominated:

1.What is your favourite movie in your least favourite genre. And why?

• This is kinda hard to answer. There are three genres that I don’t like that much: western, war movies and mafia related films. But to be honest, all the films I’ve watched in the last genre mentioned, I’ve liked, so I should probably stop saying that I don’t like it. And I don’t remember watching any westerns that I actually liked. So, let’s say… Atonement. Can I call it a war movie? No? Well, hmmm, what about Inglourious Basterds? Still no? Ok, I’ll change genres back to western as I just realised (after checking my  IMDb ratings) that there is one western that I liked a lot: True Grit, Coens’ version. There you go, found it.

2.If you had to favour a certain style (for directing a film,writing a book or any other art form of your choice), would you prefer a no-frills and direct approach, or an artistic and ambiguous one. Why?

• I’d had to go with no-frills and direct as I enjoy those kind of films more than artsy ones. I do love beautiful writing in a book but without obvious story it just doesn’t work for me.

3.Name a movie you can watch any day.

• That would be something silly and easy to watch like Legally Blonde, Mean Girls, Love Actually, Trainwreck etc.

4.If you could keep an object that you had previously but by now either lost it,sold,misplaced,had it stolen or destroyed, what would it be?

• Nevermind album by Nirvana. I used to listen to it all the time and got fed up with it and for some idiotic reason sold it. Same goes for special edition of Green Day’s Dookie. Idiot.

5.Pick an era to live in.

• Hippietime, sometime around 60s to 70s. Interesting times, a lot of political changes, freedom and great music.

6.The best film you’ve seen this year and an unreleased 2016 film that you think might beat it.

• Spotlight and I doubt there will be one but possible contenders are The Light Between Oceans, Silence, Arrival, Billy Lynn’s Long Halftime Walk and La La Land. I’m really picky about films that I give 10/10 and there have been years when I haven’t awarded full points to any film. But La La Land is my the most awaited film of the year as I absolutely love both Ryan Gosling and Emma Stone and Whiplash, that was made by same man, Damien Chazelle, was my absolute favourite from 2015.

7.Name a memory you would keep till your death.

• I don’t think I can single out one memory. I have a lot of those that I’d like to keep. I haven’t done anything THAT spectacular that I could point it out.

8.Ice-cream or popsicles?

• Ice-cream

9.Where do you stand on the Harambe case?

• I wasn’t aware of this case but went and read about it. Idk, to me zoos are no-no anyway, so… But I think the staff acted the best way they thought was suitable at the moment. In case there’s someone as clueless as me, here’s the story.

10.Favourite type of music? And what does it mean to you?

• These days I listen to all kinds of music from classical music to hard rock and anything between, also EDM. But I guess my favourite kind is still rock especially classic rock e.g. Led Zeppelin.

11.How do you cool off after being upset/angry?

• Music. It always works. My ex-roommate aka one of my best friends used to say it was easy to know my mood by the music I was listening to. I use music to manipulate my feelings. It affects me a lot.

There you go. Something about me. Now it’s your turn. I should nominate ten blogs I guess but I’ll settle with half of them. Here are the blogs I love to follow and I hope they will get a lot more followers! I know it should be under 200 followers but I choose not to care. 😉 Check them out!

• Movie Reviews 101
• Vinnieh
• Life of This City Girl
• Jordan and Eddie (the movie guys)
• House of Geekery

So, here are my questions for you guys and girls:

1. What kind of a role in a film would be the most interesting to you to play?
2. If you read, what is the book you always go back to?
3. Three things that would make your life better?
4. Who is your ultimate celebrity crush and why?
5. Who’s your favourite dead director?
6. If you could choose to study whatever despite the future earnings/finding a job/the place of the study/etc. what would you study?
7. What film do you think will win the best picture Oscar next February?
8. Your dream vacation spot?
9. The best movie memory?
10. Do you have a schedule for blogging?

That’s it! Good luck and

 

The Best of the Best – ROM-COMS

Time for some love and laughs! There’s never enough of those two. Especially these days.

Romantic comedies are my “skeleton in the closet”. I just love them! I can even watch really bad ones. It kind of feels that I’ve seen all romantic comedies. I haven’t really, I do have some kind of limit (read: “made for TV”). Unfortunately there aren’t that many really good ones. Rom-coms are like horror films, only bunch of them are classics. But I do have them on this list (at least almost all of them). I admit, there are some screwball comedies missing, as I still haven’t watched them and the list is also missing When Harry Met Sally because I didn’t really like it. But I did like all these 18 films that I mention next quite a lot.

Like always (see my previous lists like the best cinematographers, directors or TV characters) I have few honorary mentions:

Sideways that, to me, is more of a buddy dramedy but as all these listed came up from IMDb when searching genres of “romance” and “comedy”, is one of my favourite films that really feel real. And as a wine fan, I love it! Sideways, as a film, is better than some of those in actual TOP-10 but as I don’t see it straightforward rom-com, I left it out. Trainwreck that came out only the last year was a blast and it might end up my eventual TOP-10 but I’ve only seen it once. Pitch Perfect is also great but again, not exactly rom-com. One of the great surprises in the genre lately was Warm Bodies. I’m not a fan of zombies (or movies about them) but this one warmed my heart (and body). One of the classics that I have here bubbling under is Some Like It Hot, that is one great film! And should probably be up there but when I did my list, those 10 were easy to list. Same goes for Groundhog Day. The last one that I have outside of my best ten, is Jerry Maguire. I would have never ever counted it as a rom-com but IMDb does, so here we go. One of the best romantic scenes in films (obviously spoilers):

And now the actual TOP 10.

10) The Proposal

I gave this only 7/10 in IMDb when I first saw it but I’ve seen it since something like five or six times and it always makes me laugh and perhaps tear up a bit. And Sandy is hilarious and you know, I never get tired of watching Ryan Reynolds to take of his clothes.

 

9) Midnight in Paris

Midnight in Paris is better than it’s standing but as I find the best rom-coms actually laugh out loud funny, this one just isn’t one of those, thus it’s place as number nine. But it is my favourite Woody Allen film and I love the writing and characters in it. I first saw it in the middle of summer and it is beautiful and suited to that warm, dark August night better than anything.

 

8) How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days

This is what I call rom-com! It even has Matthew McConaughey in it! Before his later years career, obviously. And I loved him already back then. His lovely, cocky Texan ways. I think I’ve seen, if not all, most of his rom-coms because he just is the MAN in them! And Kate Hudson is funny and beautiful and this one is a classic in the genre.

 

7) The Great Race

I actually haven’t seen this oldie with Jack Lemmon, Tony Curtis and Natalie Wood for years and years but it was my favourite when I was a kid and I remember laughing so much. I still remember the funniest stuff. I should definitely watch it again. Great fun!

Ok, now we come to those six ones that are THE rom-coms to me. I watch them over and over again. And love them! Despite the cheesiness or anything. These are the films to watch when you feel down.

6) Legally Blonde

Some of you might remember how Ally McBeal had a theme song to make her feel more confident with “yes, I can” mentality. Well, Legally Blonde is my theme movie. It’s my encouragement, I always watch it when I feel I can’t. I don’t think it as a rom-com that much but of course it is. BUT the main thing is that Elle doesn’t need a man to be successful and happy and I like that. Plus Reese Witherspoon is genuinely funny.

 

5) Never Been Kissed

Yeah, I’ve seen this ten or more times. I’m not a huge fan of Drew Barrymore but here she shines. And all those supporting characters are great too. You should check this to see young Jessica Alba and James Franco. Cheesiness factor is quite high but who cares.

 

4) Love Actually

As this is already my Christmas number one and the film that I wish would survive after armageddon (with few people as there wouldn’t be any point otherwise), I’ll let it slip and put it my number four on this list. But it is still ultimate rom-com. And British do it better. They are funnier.

3) Bridget Jones’s Diary

I hate the fact that Bridget so desperately needs a man in his life (and I don’t like the second part, she’s way too silly in it) and that she looks, well, maybe, actually, real with her idiotic clothes and desperate need of a cut -hair and is way too ridiculous but maybe that’s the point. We can relate. Where’s my Darcy? Plus genuinely funny! The scene where Bridget introduces the author of Kafka’s Motorbike, I still can’t watch it, too humiliating. And super-funny. And come on, Colin Firth is… Well, Colin Firth. Love him. Who wouldn’t like to be liked “just the way you are”?

 

2) Notting Hill

Have you been to Notting Hill? I would love to fall in love there too. Or in London, generally. Like I said, British do it better; they’re funnier, more real and romantic, apparently. Notting Hill with that Ronan Keating song might be too much to some but not to me. I still laugh, especially when Horse & Hound is interviewing other cast members or Spike is doing anything, or when William says “upsy-daisy”, so hard when watching this. Oh, and I cry so much when watching this film. And in the end I’m so in love and uplifted. That’s why this genre exists.

 

1)  Four Weddings & a Funeral

I should probably thank Richard Curtis for making my life better (thank you, Mr. Curtis) as all four in my top-4 are written by him. Four Weddings being THE romantic comedy. (Thanks for Hugh Grant, apparently, too! I didn’t realise before that he is my ultimate rom-com leading man…) I also always say I’m not a big fan of 90’s films. I guess I’m lying. Thank you also introducing me to W.H. Auden.

Stop all the clocks, cut off the telephone,
Prevent the dog from barking with a juicy bone,
Silence the pianos and with muffled drum
Bring out the coffin, let the mourners come.

Let aeroplanes circle moaning overhead
Scribbling on the sky the message He Is Dead,
Put crepe bows round the white necks of the public doves,
Let the traffic policemen wear black cotton gloves.

He was my North, my South, my East and West,
My working week and my Sunday rest,
My noon, my midnight, my talk, my song;
I thought that love would last for ever: I was wrong.

The stars are not wanted now: put out every one;
Pack up the moon and dismantle the sun;
Pour away the ocean and sweep up the wood.
For nothing now can ever come to any good.

OK, now I want to watch all these great, feel-good flicks. I’m glad they exist.