Every now and then it happens that a kitteh-lady is wired a little differently in the heat-between-the-upstairs-downstairs department.

“It’s the so-called ‘normal’ guys who always let you down. Sickos never scare me. At least they’re committed.” — Batman Returns (1992).

Freak fetishes. They are a Thing.

I recently watched the 1996 movie One Fine Day starring Michelle Pfeiffer and George Clooney. It was an entertaining romantic comedy and wasn’t quite as predictable as more recent rom-coms. This movie somewhat kept you guessing because the characters were against each other the whole way through until the end.

The two main characters, Melanie and Jack, are divorced with children. They are very career-driven and meet accidently one day because they are both late getting their children to school. Everything else that day seems to go wrong for Melanie and Jack, including loosing their children, an unscheduled visit to the doctor, broken projects for the boss, switched cell phones, etc. Viewers will most likely recognize the children as Mae Whitman and Alex Linz, both child stars who are still acting.

Overall the movie was pretty good. It was a cute, quick-watch but didn’t have much depth (not surprisingly).

Der Tag des Falken ist ein wirklich schöner Fantasyfilm mit guter Besetzung (Rutger Hauer, Matthew Broderick, Michelle Pfeiffer)  und interessanten Charakteren, gemischt mit einer tragischen Geschichte um ein von einem aus Eifersucht dem Teufel verfallen Priester verfluchtes Liebespaar: Er – der Ritter – verwandelt sich jede Nacht in einen Wolf, sie – seine Herzensdame – wird am Tag zum Falken, wodurch ihre Liebe unmöglich wird. Ein kleiner Gauner und ein alter Eremit werden geschickt, um die zwei zu erlösen.

Auch heute noch, im Zeitalter von Tricktechniken vom feinsten, ist dieser Film aus dem Jahr 1985 ein Muss für jeden Fan von “Ritterfilmen”, zu denen ich mich allerdings nicht zähle.

Leider muss auch in den etwas unpassenden Soundtrack erwähnen, der dem Film die Erhabenheit nimmt und so manche wundervolle Szene mit “Disco-Sound” buchstäblich zu Boden trampelt. Aber ansonsten, wenn man darüber hinwegsehen kann, ist das Vergnügen diesen Film zu sehen ungetrübt und man wird bestimmt nicht bereuen, ihn gesehen zu haben!

This entry is part site update and part blog.

Updates~
You may have noticed the new music player i’ve added, it kinda refuses to start playing automatically, despite me adding the short code, so i’ve pretty much given up on that but i guess it works out for the best since background music can be annoying at times. I will be adding more songs to the playlist soon, but right now it plays “On My Own” from the musical Les Miserables, but this is the Glee version, sung by Lea Michele.

I’ve also opened the TRINKETS section, only avatars are up right now but i will be adding more bit by bit. I’ve added some Michelle Pfeiffer and Wicked icons, here’s a little taster:

Go to the trinket section to check all of them out =D

Blog~
So today i woke up early to go yum cha with my family, we haven’t been in ages so it was a bit of a treat. This time we managed to order just the right amount of dim sum so we didn’t have to take any left overs home hehe, thats the thing with dim sum, everything looks small but it is actually quite filling. Anyways, as the title of the entry says, today has been about new things. After going yum cha we went to Kingston and finally bought my grandma a DAB radio because she could no longer listen to the Spectrum AM558 chinese radio show on our old radio due to the digital switchover. The radio has a CD player and an ipod dock! It looks so pretty i actually kinda want it for myself, though i probably wouldn’t actually use it since i have my ipod and ipod speakers and also my laptop to listen to music with. Plus i rarely listen to the radio anymore, i only listen to it when i’m in the car lol.

After buying the radio we had to head to the apple store in the bentalls centre since i booked an appointment at the genius bar to get my macbook looked at. The grey plastic bit around my macbook screen and keyboard top were starting to chip away for some reason, and since i bought the apple care plan i thought i’d see if they could do anything about it. Thankfully it was something that the care plan could cover and they fixed it there and then since they already had the parts in store. When it was done, i realised they actually changed the whole keyboard, so now my laptop looks brand new from the inside xD. The keyboard and touchpad feel really weird though because they have this “rough” feeling to it when its new, but since i’ve been using my macbook for just over two years now, the old keyboard’s plastic had kinda been worn down and turned shiny and smooth. But oh well, i’m not complaining since they gave me a new keyboard hehe, i’m actually really glad i bought the apple care plan, and i definitely recommend anyone who has a mac and doesnt have the care plan to get it. The care plan is for 3 years and it really does come in handy since you’re obviously gonna be using your mac for more than a year. I mean not long ago my charger went on the fritz and cos i had the apple care they just gave me a brand new charger, which without the plan would have cost me around £46 to buy a new one!

Got home and my uncle and my little cousins were at my house and so were my other aunt and uncle who come to visit my grandma every sunday. It was really nice to see my little cousins, my uncle comes down every month to see my grandma but i was uni when they came down last month, so i’m really glad i got to see them today otherwise the next time i see them would have been at christmas. Little kids actually grow up so fast! My little cousin Gemma is already 11 and just took her 11+ exam! Its kinda weird when i get to see my little cousins grow up, it feels like its too fast, especially the ones who have just about turned double figures, they seem so eager to grow up and it seems a bit scary, i’m just thinking “aww no, stay a kid a while longer”. I swear the childhood period is getting shorter these days. Also i feel so old, even though i’m only 20 haha. If everyone stayed being kiddies i wouldn’t feel so old xD.

Anyways tomorrow is another day and with it shall bring a new blog entry. So until then~

♥ Veronica ~x

Inauguramos a partir de hoy una sección con monográficos sobre cine. Así, cada sábado hablaremos de algún film de culto, analizaremos alguna saga o criticaremos películas míticas. Hoy, vamos con el Batman fílmico…

Para empezar a hablar del cruzado de la capa, hay que remontarse a los mismos años 60, época en la que una serie Camp basada en el personaje, congrega a miles de fans ante la pantalla. Si, hablo de aquella mítica teleserie en la que las onomatopellas de los golpes copaban la imagen: Pow, Biff…

Viendo el enorme éxito que tuvo esta serie, el paso era lógico. Había que llevar a Batman Y Robin al cine. Y así, el productor William Dozier se decide a filmar un episodio largo con estos protagonistas de excepción. Pero claro, es una película y no un capítulo. Quieren tirar la casa por la ventana y fichan a todos los villanos importantes. Joker (Cesar Romero) Pingúino (Burguess Meredith) Enigma (Frank Gossin) y Catwoman (Lee Meriwether, sustituyendo a Julie Newmar, la catwoman de la serie, liada con otro proyecto). Batman (Adam West) y Robin (Burt Ward), deberán enfrentarse a tal atajo de viles y viciosos villanos.

El tono Camp de la serie está presente desde el principio, quedando para el recuerdo la escena de Batman corriendo con la bomba, o la del tiburón de cartón piedra que mordía la pierna del héroe.

En aquellos tiempos la imagen que la mayoría del mundo tenía de Batman, era ésta. Un Batman ciertamente tripudo y siempre metido en situaciones inversímiles y estúpidas. En DC Comics, la editorial que publica el personaje se llevaba las manos a la cabeza. Necesitaban devolver a Batman al origen. A las sombras…

Pasan los años y en las oficinas de Warner Bros se empiezan a oír entre susurros rumores sobre un nuevo proyecto con Batman. Tom Mankiewicz, asesor creativo en Superman the movie (Richard Donner 1978) propone un guión, pero no cuaja. Se parece más a James Bond, personaje del que había escrito libretos, que al propio Batman.

Se van sucediendo los rumores, hasta que el anuncio es oficial. Batman vuelve al cine. La gente del comic tiembla ya que durante años han estado dando una imagen oscura al héroe para que ahora lo arruinen con un film tan camp como aquel de Adam West. Pero pueden estar tranquilos. Se elige a Tim Burton como director. En aquella época, Burton tan solo había dirigido dos films y un puñado de cortos, acordes a un estilo que le va a caracterizar durante el resto de su carrera. Burton lo tiene claro. En su mente, ya sabe quién es Batman. Michael Keaton.

Los fans y el propio Bob Kane, creador del héroe ponen el grito en el cielo y empiezan a llover las quejas. Que si el tipo es bajito, que si ¿qué hace un actor de comedia en un proyecto como este? que si….. Pero da igual. Burton no cede. Lo tiene claro. Ya ha trabajado con el actor en Bitelchus, y le gusta cómo interpreta.

Por el camino, Keaton suelta alguna perla que deja al personaje en no muy buen lugar, lo que cabrea más al ejército de fans. Para el papel del villano parece haber más unanimidad. Alguien del estudio propone a Jack Nicholson. Nadie tiene nada que decir al respecto. Es el maldito Nicholson. Todo un puntazo. Hasta Bob Kane asiente al oir la elección. El actor de Chinatown, no lo duda. Acepta a cambio de fines de semana libres. Y así, junto con Kim Basinger, se empieza a rodar BATMAN.

1989 por fin es el año en el que Batman llega a las pantallas grandes. Tras ver el film, ya nadie recuerda a Adam West. El tono oscuro de Burton (presente en toda su obra) el genial Joker a medio camino entre un asesino psicótico y un payaso de feria, el tema musical de un Danny Elfman desatado y Keaton. Keaton calla a todos los fans. Es el mejor referente visual de Batman que existe. Y nadie puede negarlo.

El film revienta las taquillas de todo el mundo. Y da lugar a un fenómeno: La Batmanía. Mires donde mires, el símbolo del murciélago está ahí. En los cereales, en los refrescos, en las hamburgueserías…..

Burton se frota las manos. A pesar de los agujeros del guión y ciertos momentos tensos ha terminado. Lo ha logrado con nota, así que ya puede dedicarse a otros proyectos. Pero volvería a Gotham.

Con Batman por todas partes, y viendo el éxito del film, que Warner Bros quisiera una secuela era algo que estaba cantado. Así que nada, a llamar a Burton otra vez, que venía de dirigir Eduardo Manostijeras.

Para este nuevo film, se cambia todo el diseño de producción. La película no va a ser para nada un calco de BATMAN. Así, para este Batman Returns se crea un enorme set con la plaza principal de Gotham, el cementerio de la ciudad y el zoo. Todo ello cubierto bajo una espesura blanca causada por la nieve. Poco a poco va tomando forma un proyecto que estará llamado a ser el más Burtoniano de la saga.

Los papeles principales están cogidos. Michael Keaton vuelve a ser Batman. Kim Basinger lo deja en favor de Michelle Pfeiffer que va a ser la mejor Catwoman fílmica jamás vista. Por su parte Danny DeVito se une al cast para interpretar al Pingüino, villano de la función junto con Cristopher Walken que interpreta a Max Shreck (un guiño Burtoniano a Nosferatu).

Al ver el principio del film, se ve que todo es distinto. No tiene que ver nada con el Batman anterior. El film es Eduardo Manostijeras pero con Batman de protagonista. Hasta en la banda sonora, otra vez de Elfman, se nota que las garras de Burton han llegado lejos.

Finalmente la película triunfa, pero los resultados no son tan espectaculares como los de su predecesora. No obstante, en Warner están contentos. La secuela tiene luz verde.

Entre medias de lo que todavía se llama Batman 3, aparece Batman animated series, la mejor recreación del personaje en la pantalla pequeña y que durará cuatro temporadas y serviría para que se creara un universo animado en torno a los héroes de DC.

Las cartas están lanzadas. Batman 3 es una realidad. Pero no va a ser lo que se espera de ella. Burton se mantiene como productor, pero no como director, labor que recae en Joel Schumacher. En cuanto al papel principal, Keaton dice que ya no quiere ser Batman; el guión no le gusta, se vuelve sutilmente al Batman de los 60 y eso no va con él. Así que Schumacher le ofrece el papel a Val Kilmer que acepta, para luego dar mil millones de quebraderos de cabeza a todo el mundo en el set.

Se va viendo que la película tiene más colorines que las dos anteriores. Una cosa decisiva al respecto: En este film sale Robin. Chris O´Donell será el chico maravilla.

Todo es distinto, nada es igual. Se rediseña Gotham, con más colores, más pulp todo. Se cambia el precioso Batmovil que diseñara Anton Furst para BATMAN y se ridiculiza a los villanos hasta puntos insultantes. Dos Caras, interpretado por Tommy Lee Jones, es un estúpido, un calco del Joker, solo que con media cara desfigurada. El otro villano de la cinta, porque en esta película todo pretende ir a lo grande, es Enigma, al que da vida Jim Carrey. Probablemente Carrey es el único que está algo metido en el papel, pero no lo suficiente. Nicole Kidman hace las veces de chica en apuros con diálogos estúpidos como nunca vistos en el cine… Lo peor de todo, no hay duda, son los dichosos pezones. El Bat-traje tiene pezones!!!!! Sin duda un film para olvidar.

El film, estrenado como Batman Forever,  recauda lo suficiente para que Warner siga frotándose las manos. Quieren Batman 4. Lo peor está por llegar.

Schumacher hizo suya la franquicia de Batman. Pero lo hizo para mal. Si ya en este Forever, Gotham se teñía de colorines lo que está por venir, es el ridículo a la enésima potencia…

(Continuará…)

I was looking up Edward Cullen on Wikipedia and I saw that it said that Edward was a Byronic hero. Because of that, I clicked on the link that explained what a Byronic hero was. Anyway, as I was reading the characteristics, it did sounds like Edward As I continued down the website, it mentioned that Lestat from the Vampire Chronicles and the Phantom from the Phantom of the Opera were Byronic heros as well, but I digress with the Phantom. That made me think about how much Lestat and Edward were alike in the sense that they are both Byronic heros. I think that’s the reason why I don’t like either character. I mean, it’s not that I hate them, but it’s just that they’re not my favorites characters from their respective series. Anyway, I think that’s the reason why I don’t like Lestat and Edward is the fact that they’re Byronic heros.

In my search for any Lestat vs. Edward stuff, I found quite a few pictures that made fun of Edward and the Twilight series or making fun of the fact the Twilight series “outshines” the Vampire Chronicles. The one that I found to be the most funny was the one where it showed Edward and Bella together in the first box, and the following three boxes showing Louis, Lestat, and Armand telling their opinions on the series. I found that Lestat’s and Armand’s reactions to be the most funny. Their reactions were classic Lestat and Armand. Anyway, the next one that I thought was funny was the one where Lestat as picking on Edward. I just found those funny. By the way, you can find the originals at this site.

Ah i’ve missed blogging! I finally finished my essay and handed it in yesterday, and now maybe i’ll have some more time to blog more often haha. I forgot how addictive blogging could actually be.

This entry won’t go into anything too deep as i haven’t really had time for any deep, self-evaluating thoughts lately since the only thing that has been on my mind was the damn essay.  Well that’s not entirely true.

So i had such a random dream the other night, it was so weird and hard to explain? Haha, but long story short there were chinese celebrities in it… but the only one i remember is Moses Chan. And ever since i think my obsession with him has come back! I totally forgot how HOT he was!

As i said this entry is just gonna be a light-hearted one, so here’s a list of stuff that i’m currently in love with:

[x] Moses Chan <3
[x] Glee – just cheers me up so much
[x] Season 6 of Desperate Housewives – i swear it just keeps getting better
[x] Songs “Taking Chances” (Celine Dion) and “On My Own” (from musical Les Miserables)
[x] The rumor about Michelle Pfeiffer in a vampire movie! The idea alone excites me
[x] Blogging and reading people’s blogs xD

The list was longer in my head but i’ve kinda forgotten some of it, so yeah those are pretty much the obsessions in my head right now. Anyways, am currently packing my stuff to go home for the weekend, i think some TLC has been well earned and my grandma and cousin are coming over from malaysia on monday so will be going to collect them.  Anyways i think my parents will be here soon, so i’m signing off.

♥ Veronica ~x

I was bored recently and was on my computer I don’t know why but I typed Lestat vs. Edward into Google to see what I would get. Anyway, a lot of stuff that popped up were drawings of people making fun of Edward through Lestat’s point of view, and videos and articles asking who would win in a no-holds bar fight. I immediately thought that Lestat would definitely win. I say that because, after looking up their powers as a refresher, while Edward has super strength, super speed, and can read minds, Lestat can do or has all of that, plus so much more. Lestat also has pyrokinesis, the ability to fly, and he’s telekinetic. Plus, he killed an entire wolf pack by himself, albeit with the help of his two mastiff dogs. Anyway, I really think that Lestat would definitely win the fight against Edward, and that’s assuming Lestat doesn’t fall in love with Edward first, which I doubt would actually happen, and that Lestat doesn’t hurt Bella.

Mel Gibson is a father. Again. I’m emphasizing on the again part, since you probably know that this is his 8th child. OK, so he has like 1o siblings and I guess we can conclude that he likes big families. But the problem is, only one of these 8 children is from another woman- his current girlfriend Oksana Grigorieva. The rest of the “klan” is from his wife he is getting divorced from. I don’t know which is worse really? To be getting divorced or to be getting divorced from the other parent of your 7 kids?

I used to have a huge crush on Mel Gibson when I was a teen. Don’t get me wrong, when I watch his old movies- I still have a crush. It is the whole drunkenness, weird comments and religion mania that turn me off. Of course he is not the looker he was in the 80s and the 90s, but he used to be the one of the most good-looking men in Hollywood.

Now it is not uncommon for us regular folk to fantasize about celebrities and wish we could date them- but as much as I wished I could play Michelle Pfeiffer’s part in Tequila Sunrise or Rene Russo’s in Lethal Weapon 3 ( The list is longer, I’m just making a point here), I really and literally couldn’t fantasize about being his romantic interest. He was always married- since 1980 and he started to appear in films in the late 70s anyway- and he had so many children!!! I mean it is OK to want to have kids with someone you love but 7 is just way too much. It means his wife Robyn Moore spent more than 5 years of her life pregnant. Please, Mel- a little birth control would really do you good.

He is a good actor and a film-maker I respect. His personal life aside, I admire his talent. I just wish that he can channel his energy to his work. A lot of us can barely make time for a career and a personal life. How can you be an actor/director/producer and have 8 kids? Unbelievable.

Here is a nice video from Tequila Sunrise, prepared with a song from the movie: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v7rhw8ulFcQ&feature=related

Mel Gibson, young

El director de The Queen o Dirty Pretty Things (Negocios ocultos) entre otras, Stephen Frears, dirige esta vez un apasionado e irónico romance.
Ambientada en el siglo XIX, durante la Belle Epoque en París, Christopher Hampton, guionista también de Expiación o El americano impasible, adapta ésta novela de Colette.
El talento y la experiencia tanto del guionista como del director, ambos nominados en varios ocasiones a los Oscar, hacen que lo que podría ser un cursi romance, se convierta en un intenso tira y afloja de egos, pasiones y placeres.

Los personajes resultan muy interesantes, Michelle Pfeiffer, encarna a la elegante y rica prostituta que acoge a Chèri, el descarriado hijo de una amiga (Kathy Bates), interpretado por Rupert Friend. La relación entre ambos se convierte en un aprendizaje, en una diversión y sin quererlo también en una necesidad para ambos, que solo entenderán cuando tengan que separase para que él se case con una joven escogida por su madre.

Las interpretaciones de los 3 son impecables, pro hay que decir que Michelle Pfeiffer destaca especialmente, esta guapísima y resplandeciente, su interpretación es fuerte y sólida, traspasando la pantalla con una sutil sensibilidad, quizás digna de Oscar.

Lo mejor del film son los diálogos cargados de subtexto y muy cortantes e irónicos, abordando con la cordial falsedad de la época las inquietudes y sentimientos de los personajes bajo sus corazas sociales y físicas. Tan guapos, finos y elegantes por fuera, y tan atormentados por dentro.

Otro punto fuerte es la fotografía que consigue un perfecto equilibrio entre la calidez del romance  y la elegante frialdad de la estética de la época, en consonancia con la escenografía. Los exteriores son todos increíbles, paisajes y arquitecturas de ensueño, que te meten de cabeza en el idilio, y si te dejas llevar la experiencia es tan intensa como suave y agradable.

La nota final, viene de la mano del compositor Alexandre Desplat, responsable también de las bandas sonoras de Coco avant Chanel o  The Curious Case of Benjamin Button,
que ha conseguido que Chèri sea galadonada en los World Soundtrack Awards ( Premios mundiales de Bandas sonoras).

Si os interesa, se estrena en nuestro país el próximo 6 de noviembre.

Rebeca Arnal

Image: getbackimages

Image: tumblr

Michelle Pfeiffer (Elvira Hancock) and Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio (Gina Montana) in stunning sparkly dresses in Scarface .

Sparkle this season with Roberto Cavalli’s artfully cut eyelet-embellished navy fleece-wool dress $3,280 at Net-A-Porter

What are you doing for Halloween this year? I am going on a pub crawl around H Street tonight. Costume: a dead 1950s house wife. Have fun and be safe!

Stardust is a great romance and action movie. It is about a man who makes a promise for his beloved woman and win her heart. In order to win her heart he goes across the wall of his land to bring a star for his beloved. But there is a turn around. The star is actually a woman. After their adventures together they meet a pirate in the sky who helps them see that their love for each other cannot be hidden as well as helping the man become more of a fighter than a coward.

But not only that the 3 wicked witches are on an adventure to capture the heart of the star for eternal life and beauty. They go through the far lands to try and capture her until the end but the girl is protected by the man. Who do not know it yet but love each other. It all falls in to place.

This is practically what it is about. It has comedy romance adventure and action. A great great movie. On average I would give this movie a 10/10 it is a great movie. I love it with all my heart. A perfect movie for teenagers and adults. This is still my favourite movies of all time after all the other movies who have come out after this one. For all the people with a thirst for romance, comedy and adventure this is movie is for you!

Yes, my lovelies, you were right–I’m going to be Catwoman for Halloween.  Purrrfect, right?   I must confess, I was super tempted to be a lesbian vampire, but with all the Twilight fans running around, I don’t think the world needs another vampire this year.  So, consider yourself warned:  once I slip into my catsuit and high-heeled black leather boots, watch out.  I may just sink my claws into you! 

There have been so many great looks for Catwoman, but I’ve decided to do the retro version–part Julie Newmar, part Emma Peel spy chic, mostly because I want to wear a huge belt like Uma Thurman did in The Avengers. Who’s your favorite Catwoman?  And hey, does anyone have a whip I can borrow?

As my favorite feline villianess, I of course will be using my considerable powers to corrupt the good and innocent and spark evil doing.  However, it remains to be seen whether I’ll be able to use my catacylsmic charms  to entice Van into being Batman.  (We’ve often done couples costumes but not always.)

But wait!  I have breaking news! Van just came home from work and was so smitten with the sight of me in my cat ears that she agreed to be Batman on the spot!  So Halloween will be filled with (butch) bat/(femme) cat sexual tension here at chez Sublime–the question is, who will emerge victorious?  Only time will tell, my pretties.

Back from a long hiatus. What have I been watching thus far? Well…

The Proposal – Sandra Bullock is the fire-breathing, man-eating incarnation of Meryl Streep’s Miranda Priestly (The Devil Wears Prada), albeit a watered down, less scarier, version. She is a Canadian book editor who faces deportation if she does not fix her visa status soon. Enter nice book editor’s assistant, the secretly rich, quiet Ryan Reynolds who reluctantly agrees to marry her so she can get a spouse visa. Sparks fly. Dogs fly. Guess how it ends? Sidebar: I am sorry. I could not finish this. I just feel that Sandra Bullock is too old to be in romantic comedies. Why can she not be like other fortysomething Hollywood movie stars and star in a movie where she actually acts her age?!?

I Could Never Be Your Woman -  Michelle Pfeiffer is a successful TV executive producer and a single mom juggling between the responsibilities of work and home. Enter Paul Rudd as the young break out actor who falls for her. Sparks fly. Cute one-liners fly. Movie falls flat. Amy Heckerling directed this. So that makes you scratch your head. I do not know why this one has not done better. Perhaps it is because they were trying to pass Michelle Pfeiffer and Paul Rudd off as younger, trying to make a non-issue as an issue, trying to make a conflict out of nothing, trying to make a movie that just does not quite compute.

Garden State – Zach Braff plays a young struggling New York actor cum waiter who comes home for his mother’s funeral. Estranged from his father, alienated from his hometown, the character does not know what to do and I do not know what to make of this film as well. Natalie Portman is thrown in in the middle of the mix as a chronic liar with epileptic fits, but even her charm does not save this movie. The problem? Nothing happens. Literally nothing happens in the movie, the whole entire time.

The Sweetest Thing – I know this is an old one, but since I had to go through it, I might as well write about it. Cameron Diaz and her lady friends spend their time hanging out and hooking up (unfortunately not with each other). Apparently they all have issues. Cameron Diaz’s character is afraid of relationships, and her other two friends cannot just have enough sex (in fact, Selma Blair’s character’s jaw gets stuck in an uncompromising position while doing it) and…well, that’s it really.

The Heartbreak Kid – Ben Stiller has relationship issues. Encouraged by family and friends (note to self: never listen to family and friends), he proposes to the first woman he meets on the street and she turns out to be a total psycho (creepy that). On their honeymoon, he meets the perfect woman (Michelle Monaghan). Sparks fly. Lies fly. Fights ensue. This one is actually funny.

Made of Honor – Patrick Dempsey has relationship issues. He is bestfriends with Michelle Monaghan and is in love with her but does not realize it until she leaves for Scotland and comes back with a rich Scottish fiance. Sparks fly. Montages fly.  Guess how it ends?!?

The Ugly Truth – This one is actually more fun. Katherine Heigl (look how nicely she’s filled out since those “Roswell” days!) is a successful TV executive producer (aren’t they always?) with relationship issues. She has a crush on the neighborhood hottie but can’t quite work up the courage to ask him out. Enter totally un-PC, totally woman-hating Gerald Butler (without the “300″ get-up…so sad!) who teaches her how to play the dating game without looking like a total dork. Sparks fly. Vibrating panties fly (best scene that, actually. This redeems the movie for me). Happy endings for everyone.

Mary and Max – Eight-year old Mary from Australia, and 40something obese man from New York, Max, strike up a friendship as pen pals. The story chronicles how each one go through life. A touching, bittersweet, heartfelt animated film.

Zombieland – Funny take on zombie movies, with Woody Harrelson starring, with funny cameo from comedian Bill Murray. Mixes tongue-in-cheek humor with indie sensibility. Winning formula! Now a hit in the USA.

This past weekend, I wore my nerd badge proudly and indulged my reading, TV- and DVD-watching, M&M-eating, CD-listening, pop culture-loving tendencies. Here’s what I covered.

DVD — Chéri

Photo by Bruno Calvo

Michelle Pfeiffer stars as Lea de Lonval, an early 20th-century Parisian courtesan who takes Chéri (Rupert Friend), the teenage son of a former rival, under her wing to teach him the ways of the world. A weekend turns into a six-year affair which ends when the boy’s mother (Kathy Bates) arranges for him to marry a girl closer to his age. Lea and Chéri pretend they’re okay with moving on until they realize they can’t.

Pfeiffer is as radiant as ever, showing the vulnerability beneath the proud and elegant facade. Friend’s titular character, however, comes across as a spoiled rich brat and borderline stalker. I didn’t get a sense of true love from these two; it’s more like Lea just doesn’t want to grow old alone and Chéri only wants what he can’t have.

Lea’s gowns are resplendent and Alexandre Desplat’s score is melodious as always, but I expected more from director Stephen Frears and screenwriter Christopher Hampton (adapting stories by Colette), both of whom had worked with Pfeiffer on the superior Dangerous Liaisons. Nerd verdict: Respectable in parts but not that endearing.

CD — Pete Yorn & Scarlett Johansson’s Break Up

Last month, my friend Tomas made me aware of this album over at his blog, make.see.eat.do, and I finally had a chance to listen to the whole thing. If you were envious of Johansson before because of her bodacious looks and acting skills, you’ll positively want to push her down the stairs after hearing her sing. Because she can, quite impressively. Her retro smoky tones blend well with Yorn’s emo voice on this album of mostly catchy, toe-tapping, folk-rock tunes. This isn’t some misguided star trip a la Don Johnson or Bruce Willis; Johansson (who was asked by Yorn to collaborate) is better than some “singers” out there and should do more albums.

Don’t believe me? Watch the video below for the first single “Relator” (you’ll need surgery to get it out of your head afterward), then go to www.lala.com and register to listen to the entire album for free by entering the actress’s name in the search window. (This only works for U.S. visitors. If you’re overseas, search YouTube for other videos like this one.) Nerd verdict: A recommended Break Up.

TV — White Collar & Grey’s Anatomy

White Collar, USA’s latest original series, stars Matthew Bomer as Neal Caffrey, a convict who excels in the kind of crimes for which the show is named. In order to stay out of jail, he makes a deal with the FBI agent who finally nabs him to let him help solve cases, using his expert criminal mind. Bomer is handsome with his piercing blue eyes and does a capable job, but he lacks the extra oomph that makes an actor a breakout star. Tim DeKay is solid as Agent Stokes, the straight-up guy who’s frustrated by and a little envious of Caffrey’s lifestyle. The show doesn’t offer anything new but I might tune in again if I’m home on a Friday night and there’s nothing better to watch. Nerd verdict: Lightweight criminal.

Over on ABC, this week’s Grey’s Anatomy episode had the kind of action-packed, pulse-quickening drama that called to mind the show’s best episodes from seasons past (i.e. the “Into You Like a Train” crash ep in which two people were impaled on the same pole and the doctors could only save one). A patient dies amidst the chaos in the ER after a nearby fire and Chief Webber interviews the doctors to determine who’s responsible. The camera swirls like a Tasmanian devil through the scenes, throwing the viewer into the confusion and leaving no time for the kind of angsty stuff that can drag the show down. The Rashomonian element of the doctors telling conflicting stories about the same events made it fun to try and figure out who made the fatal mistake. It also made me hope that Izzie never returns. I didn’t miss her at all and found Alex’s repeated phone calls to her super annoying. Nerd verdict: Heart-poundingly good.

Book — Daniel Judson’s The Violet Hour

This noirish thriller, set in the Hamptons, unfolds over three days as auto mechanic Cal tries to hide his pregnant former boss from her abusive husband while searching for his friend, Lebell, who has gone missing after leaving a trail of blood in his apartment. Cal wants nothing but an orderly life to prove he didn’t inherit criminal tendencies from his father and brother, but as he gets more involved in his friends’ crises, he wonders how far he’s willing to go to keep them out of trouble and even save their lives.

Hour grabbed me from the first minute with its mysterious opening paragraphs about a deadly female assassin. The pace is non-stop, the language rat-tat-tatting through one plot development after another. This book reminded me a little of Charlie Huston’s debut, Caught Stealing, another crime noir with a lean style in which an innocent bystander is driven to violence after inadvertently crossing paths with bad guys.

The novel isn’t perfect; it’s a little too coincidental that all the bad stuff happens to different friends of Cal’s on the same weekend. Judson also has a tendency to overuse commas by inserting adverbs and prepositional/adverbial phrases in awkward places, disrupting the flow of his sentences. Witness:

Closing her eyes, she held still for a moment, or tried to, ended up, despite her efforts, wavering a little.

And:

It took a moment for her eyes to adjust, and when they did, she saw, beside the house, in its shadow, both the motorcycle and the Lexus.

But Judson’s characters are dynamic and his plot riveting enough that I was willing to overlook this quirk. Not only that, I now want to read Judson’s other novels, too. Nerd verdict: Hour goes by fast and is time well spent.

What did you read/see/hear this weekend?

Originally published in Rip-In Magazine, Issue 039, 2007

Genre: Fantasy, Adventure, Romance
Starring: Charlie Cox, Sienna Miller, Michelle Pfeiffer, Robert De Niro, Nathaniel Parker, Ian McKellen (Voice over), Dustan Thorn, Peter O’Toole, and Rupert Everett.
Director: Matthew Vaughn
Writer: Jane Goldman and Matthew Vaughn

Fantasy is always about the crossing of worlds. There is one pertinent question that fans of the genre ask: How do the different worlds meet? In this case, the answer resides beyond a very long wall of an old English village called, well, Wall.

The exposition of the film was rather terse and clumsy. The short and coarse editing of Stardust commenced a choppy prologue. While it was marginally disorientating, the interjection of Dustan Thorn’s (Parker) foray and adventure into the old world of magic enabled the birth and destiny of his gauche and awkward son named Tristan (Cox).

The young and idealistic protagonist portrayed the village dreamer that girls scorned and adults tolerated. The prudent decision to cast Charlie Cox worked for the film as he shifted seamlessly from an adolescent romanticist to the mature, sword-buckling buccaneer. Driven by the need to impress his teenage sweetheart within Wall, Tristan made the decision to leap through the one-old-man-guarded brick barricade to commandeer a fallen star for his beloved. Unfortunately (and hilariously), the hobbling old guard was a high-kicking, somersaulting, and staff-cracking martial artist. Later, the boy realised the history of his birth and the transgression of his father’s love beyond Wall. Tristan uncovered a priceless gift by his mother, a black candle, which transported him into a crater where Yvaine (Miller) was first introduced as the fallen star trapped in mortality.

The crater was a sign that lifted the anchor of fantasy and let sail the magic and voyage of two individuals who, at first, could not stand the sight of one another but necessarily had to stay together. In their journey, the audience was introduced to the three witches of the old world, one of whom was called Lamia, centrally played by Michelle Pfeiffer. Her character was at once deliciously evil and insatiably contemptuous. A short discussion with the rest of the reviewers unanimously agreed that one just can’t get enough of her. Her multidimensional expression and interpretation of Lamia showed both the comedic and detestable, the complex shift of hopelessness to triumphant arrogance. Pfeiffer was paradox stuffed in one ravishing yet incalculably old body. One almost wished she didn’t die in the end. Who cared if evil lived as long as she was delectably wicked? My vote is still affirmative.

Based on the novel by Neil Gaiman, Stardust (2007) enraptured the audience without high-handed or cluttering visual spectacular. The adapted story, written by Jane Goldman in collaboration with the director Matthew Vaughn, was masterfully shaped not so much for children but for adults. This was evident through the affecting and memorable entrance of Captain Shakespeare (De Niro). At first glance, it seemed the script writers executed a paltry attempt to unveil a crass and disgruntled pirate. But like all good storytelling, the depth of his character later revealed the endearing comedy of a fey, camp and closeted transvestite that respected and dutifully performed his vulgar and oafish heritage. Few fantasy films would dare conspicuously exhibit a queer character for fear of audience and profit ostracisation. For this alone and more, Stardust deserves an applause.

In summary, the postmodernistically foreboding, risqué, camp, and romantic montage of the film were accomplished with delightful humour and style, although its editing needed more finesse. Stardust exceeded expectations not because of its adapted narrative or imaginative visuals but because the casts and characters were exceedingly dynamic, animated and insatiable.

Inspirado por el deseo del rey Alfonso XIII de construir un hotel de lujo que estuviera a la altura del Ritz de París, el Hotel Ritz de Madrid, inaugurado en 1910, comparte con sus homónimos de París y Londres la reputación de ser uno de los hoteles más majestuosos de Europa. El hotel se diseñó y construyó bajo la supervisión personal del legendario hotelero Cesar Ritz, de quien adoptó el nombre.El Ritz ha desempeñado un papel esencial en la vida de Madrid durante el último siglo. Aún hoy, el hotel persiste como un punto de atracción clave para muchos visitantes de esta capital europea.

A principios del siglo pasado, el rey Alfonso XIII volvía de sus viajes por Europa con el recuerdo de los palacios que había visitado impreso en la memoria. Madrid era una ciudad de intensa vitalidad, con edificios soberbios y hermosos jardines. Sin embargo, de un modo u otro le faltaba algo. El Rey fue el primero en ser consciente de cuánto ganaría la ciudad si contara con un gran hotel de lujo de la misma categoría del Ritz de París o Londres.

Se puso manos a la obra y no perdió tiempo en poner estas ideas en práctica. Madrid debía ofrecer a sus visitantes algo realmente extraordinario: un hotel que pudiera satisfacer el gusto más refinado de un nuevo tipo de viajero, que sólo por aquel entonces empezaba a conocerse como “turista”.

El sueño del monarca comenzó a hacerse realidad. La edificación del Ritz -grandioso, luminoso y confortable- había comenzado con el respaldo de la Compañía de Desarrollo Ritz. Charles Mewes, de París, y Luis de Landecho, de Madrid, fueron los arquitectos responsables. En poco tiempo, las paredes del futuro hotel sobrepasaban ya las magnolias, los cedros y las acacias del Prado.

Lo último en comodidad y lujo en aquella época era contar con cuatro o cinco cuartos de baño en cada planta del hotel. Con instalaciones como éstas, el Ritz se convirtió de inmediato en uno de los hoteles más lujosos del mundo. Había un teléfono por piso junto al ascensor, el cual también estaba considerado como un ejemplo sublime del lujo moderno.

Actualmente, el Hotel Ritz mantiene estas tradiciones, aunque los baños y teléfonos son estándar en todas las habitaciones, las cuales cuentan además con conexiones Wireless de alta velocidad a Internet.

A su vez el  Restaurante Goya es cita obligada para los paladares más exigentes, el té de media tarde en el Lobby Bar, un almuerzo o cena en La Terraza disfrutando de los increíbles jardines unido a un discreto pero atento servicio, hacen de los Restaurantes y Bar del Ritz los lugares más exclusivos de Madrid. 

Para terminar, destacar la fabulosa ubicación del Hotel,  un auténtico lujo por si misma. El Hotel Ritz está situado entre el Parque del Retiro, el Teatro de la Zarzuela y los tres museos más importantes de Madrid: el Prado, el Thyssen Bornemisza y el Centro de Arte Moderno Reina Sofía.

El hotel se encuentra situado en pleno centro financiero de la capital, a escasos metros de la Bolsa de Madrid, y a 5 minutos a pie del casco histórico.

Sin lugar a duda, el deseo del rey Alfonso XIII de crear un hotel majestuoso se vió cumplido.

Durante casi cien años, el Hotel Ritz Madrid ha dado la bienvenida a las personalidades más representativas de todos los ámbitos: cultura, arte, política, ciencia, moda… El Libro de Oro del Hotel se ha convertido en testigo y testimonio importante de ello.

Esta es una pequeña muestra de algunos de los clientes ilustres del pasado y del presente que han firmado en nuestro Libro de Oro: Rey Alfonso XIII y la Reina Victoria Eugenia ,El Emperador Haile Selassie de Etiopía ,El Rey Jaled de Arabia Saudí , La Reina Sonia de Noruega , El Príncipe de Gales y la Princesa Diana , El Príncipe Raniero y la Princesa Gracia de Mónaco , El Príncipe Naruhito de Japón , El Rey Mohammed VI , El Maharaja de Kapurthala , El Príncipe Ernst August de Hannover , Margaret Thatcher , Fidel Castro , Mijail Gorbachov , Eva Peron , President Jaques Chirac , Kofi Annan , Vladimir Putin , Matta Hari , Romano Prodi , Yaser Arafat , Helmut Kohl , Tony Blair , President Bill Clinton , Nelson Mandela, Herbert von Karajan, Sir George Solti , Cher, Placido Domingo, Marc Anthony , Ana Belen , Madonna , Julio Iglesias , Frank Sinatra, Sting , Arthur Rubinstein , Jennifer Lopez , Elton John , Tina Turner , Brian Ferry , Lorin Maazel , Paul McCartney, Salvador Dali , Alberto Maravia , Fernando Botero, Catherine Deneuve , Sofia Loren , Michael Caine , Pierce Brosnan , Mel Gibson , George Clooney , Milos Forman , Salma Hayek , Nicole Kidman , Ridley Scott , Brad Pitt , Jerry Lewis , Tom Cruise , Monica Bellucci , Dennis Quaid , Sylvester Stallone , Jeremy Irons , Penelope Cruz , Morgan Freeman , Will Smith , Emma Thompson , Harrison Ford , Mel Brooks, Laurence Olivier ,Lesley Howard , Richard Burton , Ava Gardner , Woody Allen , Richard Gere , Roger Moore , Melanie Griffith , Zsa Zsa Gabor ,  Antonio Banderas , Julia Roberts , Henry Fonda , Ben Stiller , Jennifer Connelly , James Stewart , Holly Hunter , Dustin Hoffman , Michelle Pfeiffer , Jodie Foster , Burt Lancaster ,Anthony Hopkins , Marcello Mastroianni , Orson Welles, Alexander Fleming , Christina Onassis , Ivan Trump, David Delfin , Dolce & Gabana , Salvatore Ferraga , Manolo Blanhik , John Galiano.

Más información: http://www.ritz.es/web/orit_es/hotel_ritz_madrid.jsp

Title: Cheri
Director: Stephen Frears
Written by: Christopher Hampton [based on novel by Colette]
Starring: Michelle Pfeiffer, Rupert Friend, Kathy Bates
Running time: 93 min.
Release date: October 20, 2009
Film Company: Miramax
Review source: Click Communications
Rating: C+

A good body lasts a long time. Everyone knows that.
–Lea

Cheri is my least favorite work by Colette. But Colette can write wonderful stories and this film could have worked particularly with Michelle Pfeiffer back in a Dangerous Liaisons-type role. It is a period film, set before WWI in Paris, when courtesans held the power. Lea [Pfeiffer] is a well-known courtesan to the rich and famous and has been living a luxurious, richly fitting lifestyle for years. Now she’s facing a time [or AGE] when she feels that she might retire. One of her old rivals, played with sufficient bitterness and contempt by Kathy Bates, asks Lea to take her son Cheri and “teach him” about women. The 19-year-old Cheri and Lea fall in love and stay together for six years until Cheri’s mother decides it’s time for Cheri to have children and she arranges his marriage to a daughter of another courtesan. Unfortunately Lea and Cheri are obsessed with each other. Lea wants to remain young and Cheri refuses to take on grown up responsibilities.

The male narrator detracts from the female power of the courtesans, particularly Lea. Cheri is visually stunning with verdant gardens and lovely ornate costumes. Cheri is a bit too melodramatic. Pfeiffer holds her own and she’s gorgeous and regal in every scene. There’s little chemistry between Pfeiffer and Rupert Friend [Cheri]. Pfeiffer fills the screen and is too overpowering for Friend. He lacks the experience to rise to her acting talent even in this poorly scripted film.

Cheri needed a much better script and a different younger actor as Cheri to make it work.

DVD Extras: Deleted scenes, The Making of Cheri [superfluous viewing as the film isn't that good]

GRADE: C+