July 6th, 2008

I'm gonna throw the wine bottle away, and the ciggies and the self-pity.

No more giving men more importance than they deserve. Self-confidence will be now grabbed by the nails and put in my arms; people won't only notice it, they'll notice and fear it by design!

Yes, this is a Bridget Jones moment and, since I'm every woman I'll be riding the bike until my legs die!

[Song: Ooh La La - Goldfrapp]

My Celluloid Women

Here are the top 6 movie women that made my year marvelous in different ways.

6. Anna Scott [Julia Roberts - Notting Hill]

There she is, the greatest star in the world; maybe the face we all can't forget. And out of nowhere she gets in an unattractive travelbooks shop and lives are changed. This marvelous modern Cinderella story made me cry unashamedly on some of the darkest days of the year. Roberts' performance was both heartbreaking and lightful, portraying the poor celebrity with marvelous dignity. If in the past I felt more like Hugh Grant's character, today I'd be definitely Miss Scott - hyped but unloved. The beauty of the movie lies on the feeling of possibility that fills the air as you watch it. As Björk would say "all is full of love... your doors are shut."

5. Regina George [Rachel McAdams - Mean Girls]

"This girl is the nastiest skank bitch I've ever met. Do not trust her. She is a fugly slut!"

Those who had seen the movie know what I'm talking about. But for the newbies I'd start with "Regina George is flawless", not because she really is, but because she knows she is and parades it! From all the evil self-indulgent bitches out there, Regina George is the most fun of them. With a notable beauty she goes beyond the hot shallow High School queen, becoming an archetype of a human phase. Of course there is some exaggeration on Tina Fey's genius script, but this girl is real, she's everywhere and [believe it or not] on every age field.

Of course that most of Regina's charm is due to McAdams's performance; you can see she's having the time of her life as the blonde adolescent who thinks she's the cherry on the top of the sundae. Her jargons and laidback confidence match adoringly with her [mostly] subtle meanness. As Janis says "she's a life ruiner", but as Cady says "she's like de Barbie doll I never had."

4. Elle Woods [Reese Witherspoon - Legally Blonde]

The best quality of Elle Woods is that she is good! "She may seem like your typical selfish, back-stabbing slut faced ho-bag"... but wait a minute, that's the #5! Elle Woods is GOOD!! She's sweet, helpful, devoted and hardworker. That's why you totally don't understand why that ugly-piece-of-shit Warner Huntington III breaks up with her. "You're breaking up with me because I'm too blonde?"

Further on we end up reassuring ourselves that breaking up with Elle was the best thing Warner could do to her, because she then created one of the best icons of this century so far. The way her triviality is never judged and is actually sweetened makes you adore her right away and hate those who mistreat her.

Besides, she's a twisted feminist icon, funnily competing with Enid, the lesbian activist from the same film; although she follows the preppy blonde stereotype, she's the reinvention of the feminist one. But above a feminist, Elle is a humanist! The best thing I learned with her was to have faith in people. As she'd say "you might be surprised."

3. Miranda Priestley [Meryl Streep - The Devil Wears Prada]
"Do you know why I hired you? I always hire the same girl- stylish, slender, of course... worships the magazine. But so often, they turn out to be- I don't know- disappointing and, um... stupid. So you, with that impressive résumé and the big speech about your so-called work ethic- I, um- I thought you would be different. I said to myself, go ahead. Take a chance. Hire the smart, fat girl. I had hope. My God. I live on it. Anyway, you ended up disappointing me more than, um- more than any of the other silly girls."
That's the worst thing you could hear from you boss right? Yup, we agree and there'll be no punchline here. Alright, I'm kidding! All I have to say is that no one could've said those lines better than La Streep with her Oscar-worthy performance as the most evil of the bitches: Miranda Priestley.
I'd say that she and Regina George are my favorite movie bitches, but what makes Miranda #1 is the fact that she's got reasons to be how she is; George is just a conceited teenager that is funny, hence we love her. But Miranda uses her meanness to keep herself where she is, on the top; and if she were a man everyone would say she's just doing her job, as Andy would say to defend her. The thing is that, despite the headeater behaviour, Priestley is a fine and perfect example of the modern executive women; and since we're keen to feminism, she's highly praised. That's all.
2. Lizzie Bennet [Keira Knightley - Pride & Prejudice]
Okay, I've written a million posts about this film and my Lizzie Bennet adoration. So, I'll limit myself in saying that the second Miss Bennet is still my favorite female character and that Keira is my favorite this-generation actress. I'm so damn happy she's got a Globe nod; I don't think she'll get an Oscar one, but I'm sure we'll have delicious red carpet moments!!
1. Bridget Jones [Renée Zellweger - Bridget Jones's Diary]
"Bridget Jones, wanton sex goddess, with a very bad man between her thighs... Dad... Hi."
I loved talking about my Bridget devotion. But right now I lack inspiration! This year I've become her by drinking vodka at home and mourning the broken heart with tearjerking songs. But indeed I've said so much about Bridge that I'll just leave it for the ho this time.
"So beyond good and evil with me, that now I'm careless about being a spinster and a lunatic, if my life can be carried with at least half the joi de vivre with which Bridget carries hers. It also left me craving a snow filled make out session."
"Whenever I'm having a rainy day, it instantly makes me feel better."
"Behold as Renee Zellweger creates a cultural icon."
[Song: The Weather - Patrick Wolf]

Immature

There's always something you can rely. Right now I rely on Björk's ability of bringing me up.
I'm reading this book - I mentioned it before here [and yes ho I'm still reading it cos I'm a slow reader] and the woman left her country still in love with her last boyfriend; but after a moment she decided to let him go and thought she was finally over him, until he'd creep into her veins again and domain her thoughts in the worst of fashions. She fought against it, she succeeded.
Did you spot the relation? So, yeah you know what/who I mean. But in one point, when I drove some of the CCs home, I turned the car's stereo on and guess which song was playing. Yes, "maybe not from the directions you are staring at" indeed!
Lucas didn't get things at first [yes ho you know my slowpokeness], but as soon as he sat in front of this computer he finally connected everything.
So as I see a very dear friend of mine suffering for something he doesn't have and probably never had or will, I can't help seeing myself on him and I can't help feeling sick. He [not my friend, you-know-who] could never replace the missing elements in me and still I wanted to keep fooling myself he could, would and should. Then I see so much energy wasted in the illusion I built myself; and when I look back and remember what's my mind been hanging around [Björk], I finally see she IS the whisper in water she says she is in Bachelorette.
"How extremely lazy of me."
Silly girl, so silly!
And at this moment, I want to remind myself of another woman who has brought me up during that period: come the fuck on Bridget!

[Song: All Is Full Of Love - Björk]

My Feminist Divas

*this post is for the action heroine blog-a-thon*

The moment she appears on that spacesuit you can't take your eyes off her; but as soon as she starts to peel off the suit while her body floats in the "first weightless striptease in movie history", you, straight male or not, are sure to be mesmerized by that figure. In his 1968 cult flick Roger Vadim had then girlfriend Jane Fonda as the Queen Of Galaxy, Barbarella. In that Fall Fonda's life would change, and Pop Culture would win the sexiest and wittiest of divas.

Last year I had the pleasure of reading Fonda's autobiography and knowing the production from her point of view. Back then there were not the overused CGI effects we have nowadays, so the crew had to invent most of the effects to the movie.

But it's not the campy filmmaking that excites me the most in Barbarella. It's her latent feminity and sexuality. At face value Barbarella is just a movie done to fulfill teen and middle-aged straight men's sexual fantasies, exploiting the sexy image of Fonda. Many feminists felt outraged by the way Barbarella uses sex to get away from troubles, but that's such a shallow way of seeing the movie that I of course ignore.

In the movie, the Universe, in a far future, is in peace; that way it's implied that such concepts of misogyny and repressed sexuality are like museum pieces. Right after the marvelous striptease the President of Earth [Claude Dauphin] calls Barbarella for a mission and there she is normally naked as if the Apple and the Snake episodes on the Eden had never happened.

That easiness towards nudity and sexuality is for me groundbreaking. Watching Barbarella nowadays with anachronic eyes is kinda funny; in the midst of the sexual revolution, the fact that the main heroine is always saving her skin by baring herself may have shocked some people back then, but the fact that it still alarms them nowadays is somewhat ridiculous. Barbarella's world is an ideal world where sex is a normal thing.

The highlights for me are the campy pastiche of the planet SoGo [c'mon, the reference here is obvious] - the Essence of Man and the Orgasm Organ are iconic!! I need both of them in my apartment. I also love the Sex Pills and how Barbarella says "make love? But no one's done that for hundreds of centuries!" And of course I could not finish this paragraph without saying how hot John Phillip Law was.

But why is she a feminism icon? In a society which women's sexuality is still repressed, Barbarella's naturalness about her body and sexuality is not only witty but kind of utopian; and that from a movie made in 1968, a time we still didn't have the advents of Madonna, Kylie Minogue and all these whore-divas we have nowdays. The role became Fonda's main icon and even if misogynistic fools try to use it to confuse the general public about Fonda's feminist image, only superficial eyes don't see how Barbarella is iconic for Woman Power.

That links me to my other favorite heroine: Bridget Jones. Yes! You might say she's not from an action movie, but is there more action for a modern woman than having a career, fighting against weight, being beautiful most of the time and trying to get a nice and decent boyfriend? Besides, in both of her movies Bridge battles her ego, runs against time, skydives, faces vile and ill intentioned men, goes to prison, wears costumes etc.

From most of the sexist point of view, feminists are men-hater women, mostly lesbians who wants to be men. We all know those are faux characteristics crystallized by this patriarchal society of ours. Feminists are also women who crave for love and men's attention as much as equal opportunities. Like Barbarella, Bridget is aware and pleased with her sexuality, but as a woman still far from the utopic future portrayed on the 1960's movie, she is absorbed by the 20th century concepts of love and sex. And alright, let's cut the anachronic talk and admit that at least most of us still desire for love and emotional stability with a person by our side. Bridget later also realizes that she needs no man to validate her, but it doesn't hurt to have someone else to share those beautiful ideas and, of course, the bed with.

The way her story flirts with Jane Austen's Pride And Prejudice reinforces the feminist power contained in Jones's life. Eliza Bennet ahead-of-her-time looks on love is what Bridget learns to wish and go after; and what I, after learning about the lives of these gorgeous women [Fonda, Barbarella, Jones, Austen and Bennet], have set as my goals.

Depression Movies #2 [Partie Un]: The Feminist

*there might be spoilers*

So tonight, as my very particular form of masochism I decided to watch for the millionth time Pride & Prejudice. Surely some will disagree with me, but I haven't seen lately such a perfect movie. I'm considering the last two years releases, at least. I'll give you three reasons why I think so.

The first and main one is that few film adaptations from novels, especially historically favourite ones such as this, remain so faithful to the original. When I first watched P&P I haven't read the book, although I was already familiar with the author's fame and prestige. The film however, like few others have, gave me this great urge to read the book as soon as possible. After I did all my screenings of the movie are always filled with even more praise on Deborah Moggach and Joe Wright's delightful transfiguration of Jane Austen's humor and writing. Other Austen films like Emma and Oscar winner [for best adapted screenplay] Sense And Sensibility, although being lovely and marvelous have failed to catch me as much as P&P.

The way Wright's camera chronicles the Bennets' lives is so voyueristic that you feel immersed in the movie. There are two specific scenes I never get enough of: at the first ball, during the dance Mr. Bingley is having with Miss Lucas but he and Jane Bennet can't take the eyes from each other, we see Eliza and Miss Lucas peeking at them in way that it feels like it's us who's peeking them all through a keyhole; later when the Bennet girls are leaving Netherfield, Mr. Darcy helps Eliza to get on the carriage... there! That scene is enchanting! It's their first touch and the film filled it with such life and meaning as we see Lizzie's expression and later the close at Mr. Darcy's hand. It reminds me of their first glance at each other back at the ball. It happens so quickly like in real life, hence setting for the public the charachters' passion.

The second point I must once again talk about is the cast. I've hardly seen such a charming ensemble in my life; all the actors worked perfectly in their actings, making those adorable characters coming to life with such naturalness as if we lived in the 18th century. This time I especially got impressed on Kelly Reilly's Caroline Bingley; Mr. Bingley's sister's snobby attitudes and falsehood were performed by Reilly in such a bitchy-yet-discreet way that I was amazed and surprise I never gave much attention to her before. Donald Sutherland's Mr. Bennet's laidbackness is as funny as the book describes; and I totally have no words for Brenda Blethyn and Tom Hollander's performances, they're simply hilarious and captivating; same goes for Carey Mulligan and Jena Malone's as the silly youngest Bennets and the subtle and mesmerzing Rosamund Pike, making Jane the most beautiful of the Bennets indeed [I just wanted to hold her everytime she was onscreen]. Talk about that Dench woman! In her almost-cameo performance she delivers a Lady Catherine de Bourg as bitchy and grand [despite her size] as you imagine that you just hate the hag. Oh and Simon Woods's Mr. Blingley is so cute and innocent you'd put him in a vial and admire him forever.

But surely my favorite actors in this movie are Mathew Macfadyen and Keira Knightley. Mathew has the power of making us fall in love with him at each and every screening. His Mr. Darcy is so poignant and honest that it is kind of cruel how he makes us desiring him to pop out of the screen and coming to us in that final scene. He's as stiff as an 18th century Brit man should be and as charming and thrilling as any Brit man is. As for Keira... well, the woman is G-d! Maybe because I read the book only after I saw the movie, I cannot imagine anyone else as Elizabeth Bennet. As the headstrong and determined woman that Lizzie is, Keira showed us with grand smiles and subtle gestures the character like perhaps Austen had imagined. Lizzie's fierce honesty and deep and sarcastic intelligence burst with life from the eyes and expressions of Knightley. Her voice goes up and/or stumbles at the right moments and the way she's always sweaty and dishevelled is genius!

The third and last reason of my P&P loving is more about the novel than the movie itself. The women from Austen's book are typical 18th century women, except for Eliza of course. Eliza is ahead of her time, that craves for the things women from her time crave, but with a patience, sense and dignity that was rarely found on feminine characters from that period. In a society which a woman had not many options than getting married, Eliza's desire for real and earthquakingly love was groundbreaking. On the plot we know that in case Mr. Bennet died before his daughters got married and left the house, they'd all be thrown to poverty and homelessness. So marriage was a question of survival; still Eliza stood for her beliefs in spite of the dreadful circumstances. Ironically, though, the most heartbreakingly line of the novel, that shows the twisted part of women in that society, is not from Eliza, but from Miss Lucas: "Not all of us can afford to be romantic, Lizzie."[Song: Drowned World/Substitute For Love - Madonna]

"May, the 3rd"

Alcoholic unities: 0
Caloric unities: 0
Cigarettes: 0
[Holy shit, it's 6am! Why the fuck am I up?]

For the first time in this lifetime I'm back to Salvador, but not exactly present and happy. Yup, bla-bla-bla and whining on the dancefloor now. But after a weekend in Conquista, in which what was expected wasn't exactly gotten, but much more of what was thought was gained, return to my tedious routine definitely isn't exciting. But, what can I do?

May's resolutions:

- Delete daydreaming from my lexicon.

- Go out less, study more and save more money.

- To think about that person is absolutely forbidden.

- Get a fuck buddy.

- Keep last-minute-made, crazy and useless resolutions.

[Song: Possibly Maybe - Björk]

PS: You can see through the song that it ain't working.

January 10th

Fat Unities: 2 [in liquid form... cappuccinos]; alcoholic unities: 0 [boring!]; cigarettes: 3 [and the last one was awful... mix of guilt with dizziness].

Holy fuck! Last night I got home feeling sick lied down for a while and woke up at 3 a.m.! I went out with Soraya [intel girl]; we hit the movies to see a lovely Brazillian piece about growing up in a strange environment and later we went to the town's café, Don'Antônia.

Sol is a marvel, we've talked about all her favorite subjects that happened to be mine as well: movies and jazz! We raved on Meryl Streep, our mutual favorite actress alive, and before the movie session I could not leave the department store without a La Streep piece I've been meaning to watch for ages. I recommended her classics she never watched like An Affair To Remember, All About Eve, A Star Is Born and Breakfast At Tiffany's [!] and some modern marvels like Mean Girls.

Soraya is funny and adorable; she also has the same memory problem as mine, maybe even more critical [she forgets movie titles!], and turned out to be a total carefree person, a bit different from the high school girl I used to remember. She was okay about my smoking, although she despises cigarettes. At the café we raved more on Julie Andrews [her love] and Audrey Hepburn [my love], talked about our lives, the optimism over 2007 and food talk.

After we Judy-ed, I drove her home and stopped at a fast-food in the way home to have a milk-shake and a smoke. Uhg the smoke! It took over my brains in the worst fashion possible, making me feel sick and like puking. I suddenly felt this huge guilt ["why the fuck am I smoking?!"] combined with all those feelings; my very dramatic side made me hate myself and lose the optimism; I hated the fact I was smoking, I hated my strawberry milk-shake [I left without drinking a sip], I hated the fact I was alone, I hated myself for hating being alone... I tried to read but the book's words just jumbled before my eyes and made me even more sick. Peach Trees came instantly on my mind... but honestly I don't want that anymore. Supercalifragilistiexpialidocious cheered me up a little as I drove home but uhg I lied down and died.

Now... I feel like throwing up, but I still want a cigarette.

[Song: All By Myself - Celine Dione]

PS: Bridget Jones post.

Top 5 Favorite Songs In Movies

My passion for films and music is well known and the marriage of these two is so obviously well succeeded that there is no need for me to ramble. This list [because I have nothing else to do but doing lists] is about those sequences in a film that a song defines a scene, no lines or explanations are required, just the scenes and the music.

Honorable mentions:

Two of the films from this list has more than one song moments that I completely adore. However I had to choose one of them to make it to the final list; that doesn't stop me from mentioning them anyway. Others are amazing and sometimes over-adored scenes, that even though I now think are too hyped I could not not mention.

- "The Blower's Daughter" by Damien Rice [Closer]

Absolutely everyone loves this, maybe simply by the fact that Rice's song is beyond marvelous. I like it for other few reasons; one is that the song is played at the begining of the film and at the end: in the same movie the same song plays different and important roles to the story.

In the begining when we have a short-pink-haired Natalie Portman walking among the crowd in London streets and towards her comes forever-hot Jude Law, this song plays as a prelude, a "set the mood" song. It works perfectly because the song is haunting enough to tell us that that is a dark movie we are starting to watch. That first line completely chills me to the bone.

In the end, when the characters do all those things they do and we just get shocked about their behaviors, maybe because human beings really play those games, the song works as a line, as the film's itself line. Although I know the readers of this blog have seen this film, I really cannot go further on details about this, because who knows a wandering [and completely lost] blogger decides to read this and I spoil the whole pleasure in watching this film and feeling this song's job in it. But you all know what I mean, right?

- "The Man That Got Away" by Judy Garland [A Star Is Born]

I first listened to this song on the Gilmore Girls' 5th Season episode "So... Good Talk". Did I die when Luke knocked on Lorelai's door and kissed her as a sealing of their return as a couple while Judy Garland sang this song on Lorelai's TV? Do I really have to answer?

When I finally watched 1954 George Cuckor's version of "A Star Is Born" with Judy Garland, all I could wait for was to see the scene that had the song that made me cry over and over for no apparent reason, just for the sake of drama-queening. When I finally heard those trumpets on the film as Norman Maine [James Mason] enters the Jazz bar Esther was playing with her band that night, I felt the chills; but when I finally had the pleasure to see Judy's performance I died, I cried my insides out!

First thing that came to my mind after it was over: "AGAIN!"

- "Crazy For You" by Madonna [13 Going On 30]

Okay, Jennifer Garner, the 80's and Madonna... do the math.

What I most love about the final scene of this movie [when the song's chorus is played with this amazing additional string section] is that it's simply beautiful! It doesn't have any deeper meaning than it's Jenna's favorite song; I could say it was because she trully always loved Matt and bla-bla-bla, but it isn't really what this film is about. It's just about being cute and make us cry and smile with its lovely happy ending. And Madonna's song makes the closure perfect.

- "Come-On-A-My House" by Della Reese - dubbed by Madonna [Swept Away]

It's not like I had to manage to add this woman more than once on the list. I really abso-fucking-lutely love the scene where Adriano Gianinni's character tell a now-tamed Amber to sing and dance for him. The thing starts hilariously with Madonna in a high pitch voice but even that managed to make her Master Esposito get a boner.

Okay, it's better if you watch it.

It could be the island's mood or the temperature abrupt variations from day to night, but yeah Peppe we do understand your delirium: sizzling hot!

- "It's Raining Men" by Geri Halliwell [Bridget Jones's Diary]

Would there ever be another song to describe that infamous fight scene between hotties Daniel Cleaver [Hugh Grant] and Mark Darcy [Colin Firth]? I mean, Bridge is our hero man! She went from self conscious-30-years-old-single-therefore-depressed girl to two-hot-men-fighting-over-me!!

- "Without You" by Renée Zewellger [Bridget Jones's Diary]

This is one of the most hilarious parts of the movie. There she is, our hero drunk as pig at a Christmas party at her office singing Mariah Carey's Without You with her horrible drunk untuned voice, completely making a fool of herself because she was clearly singing it for Daniel Cleaver, her love interest. What's left for us then? Laugh!!

Who saw that would never imagine Renée could do what she did in Chicago.

Top 5:

5. "Fade Into You" by Mazzi Star [Swept Away]

Guy Ritchie and Madonna's second collaboration [the first is that outrageous and amazing music video] isn't well regarded among general public nor the critics. I agree that the film has some flaws like the boring edition in the begining [before the main characters become castaways] and some jokes are too According To Jim-esque for my taste; but generally I like the movie and find it very underrated. Madge's performance is mostly funny and cute, her comedy timing is great and as Amber she's adorable.

However, there is a scene that defines for me the best moment in the film. When Peppe and Amber embrace their attraction and live their love in that paradisiacal island, we are swayed by the lovely Fade Into You. But there are two things I adore about this sequence: the first is Alex Barber's breathtaking cinematography, he captured the scenario in a so beautiful way you feel like you're there; the second thing is that Fade Into You's lyrics match perfectly with the film's moment and is like a watershed in the character's fates. Mazzi Star's lyrics go about giving yourself away for a stranger, letting go of prejudices and giving a leap of faith on the unknown; exactly what the lovers were doing in that island and decided to keep on doing when they returned to "civilization". Right after the song ends, they are found.

4. "Just The Way You Are" by Maggie Gyllenhaal [Happy Endings]

After the whole [Jake] Gyllenhaal fuss in 2005 I totally overlooked this family, and despite all the buzz Maggie is getting herself this year I deliberately ignored her. Until I saw Happy Endings. Dan Ross's movie is beyond cute, not only because you simply love all the whackiness of its characters [especially Maggie's and Lisa Kudrow's], but also because it never judges their behaviors therefore we feel free to identify ourselves with them. That way we completely fall in love with each character, understanding their actions, fears and embracing their dramas. [I wanna marry Jason Ritter even if he has "Raise Your Voice" and "Freddy Vs Jason" on his past.]

So the moment Maggie's character sings that song you can't help loving everything about her [and Maggie herself by default for giving life to Jude in a so loveable way]. The song tells perfectly what you feel about the characters and how the film dealed with them; and that way you just feel hopeful to get your happy ending.

3. "Vogue" by Madonna [The Devil Wears Prada]

Madonna and Shep Petibone wrote this pop classic inspired by the dancing style that was in fashion at underground gay clubs in the late 1980's; the rest is history.

In 2006 David Frankel in his orgasmic movie The Devil Wears Prada takes Madonna's classical hit and puts it as the soundtrack of a sequence that shows all these marvelous couture outfits dressed by Anne Hathaway. Even though we all know that song must have been played in a million fashion catwalks since its release, that time it was there for the whole world to see how Madonna's song is as fresh and new as those clothes.

A funny thing about that scene is that Madonna's song is about people who feel better about themselves imitating great Hollywood stars on the dancefloor, and Andy Sachs goes through a change of behavior, personality and self-confidence with all those Chanel suits and Jimmy Choo-es. Does all that sound kind of superficial and frivolous? Yeah, but who gives a fuck?! Sometimes we must unwind and just be happy with trivial things.

Besides, who would resist Madonna and Dolce & Gabbana clothes?!

2. "All By Myself" by Celine Dion [Bridget Jones's Diary]

Okay, kilos and kilos of calories + wine + Bridget Jones = LAUGHS!!

The opening scene from modern masterpiece Bridget Jones's Diary is a masterpiece itself. Seriously, who never felt so shitty about himself that drank the night away at home and listened to depressive music until faint? Okay, I haven't but I felt similar; never got drunk and overchocolated but yes, I dubbed a corny song in a dramatic way that completely fit into my current state. The scene is so ridicule that it's genius how screenwriters Helen Fielding, Andrew Davies and Richard Curtis manage to make us laugh at the fact that we ourselves had done that.

Uhg... to know/remember what I'm talking about, rewatch that marvelous scene.

1. a) "Moon River" by Audrey Hepurn [Breakfast At Tiffany's]

This song is perfection. I first ever heard it back in 1997 when my father played a Louis Armstrong record that had it. Back then I knew nothing about the fact it was written for a movie nor anything of English so I just felt amazed by its tender melody.

Years later [2005] I found it among my mp3s, this time sung by Frank Sinatra. And I was in a moment of discovering classic cinema. The ho instantly told me it was from one of the greatest movies ever made, Breakfast At Tiffany's and I NEEDED to see it. Then I finally saw the lovely scene where Holly is sat by the window singing the song Henry Mancini wrote especially for Audrey's vocal range and in Paul/Fred's eyes were imprinted the fascination for that outstanding, charismatic and intriguing person. The music she was playing had such a sorrowful tone, so filled with what we Portuguese speakers would call saudade that contrasted with the fun, eccentric and hyperactive woman he had experienced till then. That depth on Holly's persona is enough to make him fall in love with her.

What does happen with us at that exact moment? We completely feel the same.

b) "Moon River" by Nacho Pérez [La Mala Educación]

The reason I absolutely love this song in this movie is that it brings us exactly the opposite feeling that BAT brings us.

In Almodóvar's 2004 film the scene that features this song is one that we see a young priest playing a guitar while a pretty and innocent boy sings Moon River [in Spanish] at a riverbank. Then we see a close shot on the priest and he has the exact same look that George Peppard's character in the 1961 film has. But opposite to him there's no grown runaway girl from the south, there's a ten-year-old boy.

What does happen with us at that exact moment? That's it! Pedro Almodóvar completely changed the effect the song brings upon us. Instead of a sympathy to a growing relationship, we feel completely shocked and scared about what is to happen. The lovely song that makes we all fall in love suddenly becomes something we feel afraid of. Therefore, there's no way in not loving this music moment.

Anticipating...

Unconsciously, the previous post was some kind of prelude to that famous New Year resolution list that we all put effort in doing, but few of us actually practice them.

Well, knowing me as you do in which box do you think I fit in? I don't believe we should plan our lives because a lot of things in it doesn't depend on our simple will and desires, but there are some things that we can think in advanced, some targets and goals to be accomplished. I don't do a list à lá Bridget Jones, but I set goals I want in life and pose myself to try to do them in the year-to-come.

That in theory. Since I never actually write down anything I tend to forget all the resolutions by January the 2nd; sometimes I remember during the year, but it's not like I officially put them on paper as an agreement between me and myself. This year though I'll do it differently.

No, I'm not going to start writing it on this post, but I'm going to start thinking about it. For me 2006 is already over; even though Sargitarius has just begun and it's supposedly "the month of miracles" I would label [ick... here I go doing it again] such happenings as "2007 preludes". Yeah, maybe I should let go and just live... but you see, that's what I've been doing and there are some things about this [and me] that I still don't like, so maybe it's time for a change.

From today on I'm going to start revisiting my year; reviewing the highlights, the turning points, all the things I said I'd do and didn't and if they're still part of who I am and what I want to be, etc etc. Perhaps I should have done this few months earlier for Rosh Hashnnah, but I don't think it's too late... and according to my Christian upbringing I've still got time.

Oh, what does all of this have to do with Live To Tell and the mirrored cross?

Well, you know... stream of consciousness.

[Song: Got To Be Certain - Kylie Minogue]

Top 3 Romantic Craps

When I say "crap" I mean things that cynical bitches like moi would rather get away from, but they're so lovely and so catchy that not even the strongest and the most bitter of spirits can help. Here are three of my favorite things to do when this romantic wave gets me by the knees.

3. Romantic Flicks

Whether just cute melodramas like The Lake House or cute comedies like Never Been Kissed I can't resist their power. Truth be told even the most convicted of quirkyalones daydream about "the one" and these pieces of manipulative media touch us on the wound. It's not like I die in desperation every time I watch a romantic flick, but yeah I get emotive, I cry like a Madeleine Wallace, I curse the world and myself and others more for being alone etc etc.

When things are really dark I get the Hollywood conservative you're-nothing-till-you-have-a-man films like Never Been Kissed, Notting Hill, Love Actually, wrap myself in a blanket, have a pan of brigadeiro and cry my insides out when they end. When I'm optmistic and wanting to feel good I get things like Pride And Prejudice and Bridget Jones with lighter and deeper approaches.

Today I rented Moulin Rouge, let's see if I'll survive.

2. Kylie Minogue's Put Yourself In My Place*

What is it that even if we're not heartbroken we feel drowned by broken-hearted songs?

Kylie Minogue is a marvel; she's known for her dance beats and the hipnotic states her music brings to us on clubs, or even at home when we put her cds or listen to her songs on the radio. But only the attentive listeners and the fans know that her lyrics are the saddest lyrics from Pop Music; get some of her dance classics like Can't Get You Out Of My Head, On A Night Like This, Please Stay and I Should Be So Lucky and you'll find a want of reciprocity in love that is heartbreaking when you notice that it's combined with those wild beats that makes you forget everything to follow your body's desire to dance.

And, if you get to the ballads, then you die. As one of the most underrated performers she delivers song renditions full of feeling and emotion. Listen to Dangerous Game and you feel disappointed with love, Finer Feelings [an upbeat ballad] and you want a good life. But the one that touches me to the bone, chills me to the spirit is the once-ignored [by me] Put Yourself In My Place.

I'm not gonna ramble about the lyrics 'cause they obviously summarize what I'm talking about. But her performance, uhg it's heavenly! Few pop divas I know transmit so much of what the lyrics mean in their voices without sounding cheesy and exaggerating [read: Beyoncé and Christina Aguilera]; Kylie gives to this song the desolation and sadness it brings and when you're feeling romantically self-destructive it's just like chocolate.

1. Madonna's Crazy For You**

I don't know if it's the sense of freshness or the hope, but this song is pure diamond. Madge's vocals are heartfelt and mostly sad; they sound like a desperate call that everyone should be oblidged to listen to. The lyrics are like Put Yourself In My Place before the cheating, therefore it's hopeful. Who wouldn't love to hear an honest and emotive "I'm crazy for you"? And that's what and how Madonna tell us whenever she sings this song.

Recently I downloaded Re-Invention Tour's studio tests, like the tests they do on studio with new arrangements for rehearsals and dance routines creation. When it comes to Crazy For You feels like the whole world goes silent and all you listen is the song with her lovely slips on the lyrics and the little jokes. It feels like she's singing just for you. Crazy For You resembles to those times when you were a teenager waiting for "the one" to fall from the sky just to say such words. And guess what, in the romantically self-destructive state of mind that's exactly what you become again.

Call me silly but whenever I go to a party I can't help dreaming that what this song describes happens to me that night.

*Showgirl Tour's version: the best live performance I've heard of it so far.
**RIT's studio version.

[Song: Put Yourself In My Place - Kylie Minogue]
[Song 2: Crazy For You - Madonna]