86th Annual Academy Awards 2014

In case you didn't know, the Academy Awards were last night and while i was tempted to watch them since i've seen many of the nominated movies this year, i went to sleep and did my catching up in the morning. Usually, i'm making a post about the red carpet and its best looks only, but is it me or this year the red carpet fashion has been really boring? So i feel like discussing the whole thing, who won, who lost, who was best dressed and who should have been nominated, let's begin!

This had to be one of the most predictable Academy Awards. '12 Years a Slave' won the Best Movie Award, Cuarón won Best Director for 'Gravity', McConaughey Best Actor for 'Dallas Buyers Club', just like Jared Leto as Best Supporting Actor and 'Her' got the super deserved award for Best Original Screenplay. Those were all a given. I was happy for 'Her' and for both DBC actors, i watched the movie yesterday and both did great. Still, it is painful for Leonardo DiCaprio, sure his role on 'The Wolf of Wall Street' wasn't his best one but give an Oscar to this man already, we all know he deserves it.

Anyway, i was afraid that Cate Blanchett wouldn't win the Oscar for Best Actress in 'Blue Jasmine' because of the Woody Allen controversy. She really owned the movie and did an excellent, flawless performance, so nothing should have come in the way of that. So i'm really happy for that as well, just like for Lupita Nyong'o win for '12 Years a Slave' instead of Jennifer Lawrence. Don't get me wrong, JenLaw did a really great and hilarious performance in 'American Hustle' (the only good thing about the movie tbh), but there's no way she would win another Oscar. She deserved it for 'Winter's Bone' but not for 'Silver Linings Playbook', and sure Lupita was way better than her in the Steve McQueen movie.

And none for 'American Hustle', lol.

Still, i'm mad that 'La Vie d'Adèle' ('Blue is the Warmest Colour') wasn't nominated for Best Foreign Movie – though i'm happy that 'La Grande Bellezza' ('The Great Beauty') won instead of 'The Hunt', but still, i liked the French movie better than the others nominated. And 'Short Term 12' should had at least been nominated for Screenplay or even recognised some of the magnificent performances of the movie. Forever underrated. And also, we all know that Joaquin Phoenix should had been nominated for his emotional performance in 'Her', as well as Spike Jonze as a director or even Amy Adams (who was better in this movie than in 'American Hustle'). And let's be honest, Scarlett Johansson's voice in the film deserved a nomination, she was better with her voice than some other performances that were nominated in the Best Supporting Actress category.

And finally, the ladies! If there's someone who owned the red carpet this year, that was Lupita in a flawless Prada dress. She really stole the show and looked absolutely beautiful and mesmerizing:

My second favourite was Kate Hudson in this stunning Atelier Versace gown that looked amazing on her. This was nearly my favourite dress of the night and she looked flawless:

Karen O was also fantastic in this elegant Camilla Staerk looking really classy and pretty:

 Emma Watson looked really classy in this Vera Wang dress, always looking on point but her look at the Golden Globes remains one of my favourites:

Cate Blanchett also looked like a winner wearing Armani Privé, she looked nice but didn't wow though the dress was really pretty:

And Naomi Watts (a personal favourite) looked fresh and beautiful in Calvin Klein, i would have posted a red carpet photo but it looks way better in this really great Vanity Fair portrait so i'm posting this one and a few others that i loved:

sources: TFS, vogue, twitter & vanityfair

'La Vie d'Adele' - I Follow Rivers

 

The more i remember 'La Vie d'Adele', the more i like it. It's a movie with so many special things, full of so many small details that make great moments in life, like this scene i'm posting below.

It's when Adele returns home after having had sex for the first time with Emma, the first time ever with a girl, and the first time she has really felt it. And she's happy. She's glowing. She gets home and they are throwing a surprise party for her 18 birthday with her family and her closest friends. Those who stood by her despite the lesbian rumours in her highschool. And they start dancing to Lykke Li's remixed song 'I Follow Rivers' without a care in the world, because now Adele has everything. She's not missing anything in her life anymore and feels complete. And that scene, that moment is bliss. This is happiness:

sources: clarabows & youtube

Things that mattered in 2013

Fashion
I never really pay as much attention to runway shows as i should do, but this year two collections really caught my attention, kinda similar when it comes to adding jewels to the clothes and having tons of special details which i adored.

First there's Balmain's F/W 13 collection that was exquisite, maybe you can't appreciate it by these pics but you can take a better look at the full collection here.

Now Dolce & Gabbana's Fall 2013 Ready to Wear collection has been my favourite, all those jewel dresses, the use of red and gold, the religious motives, are simply flawless. Also, the cover that Karl Lagerfeld shot with Scarlett Johansson for Harper's Bazaar is, hands down, the best magazine cover of the year, the image is so powerful and the dress so flawless that i can't even.
Get a look of the full collection here.

Movies

 

Spring Breakers - This was the most provoking, most outrageous film of the year. Everyone had an opinion about it, not always good, but those who got the real motive of the film, absolutely adored it. I have already talked deeply about it (and for another blog too, Tokio Blues mag – in Spanish), so no more words needed. Movie of the year.

Only God Forgives - Another super underrated movie. This one probably didn't make it onto any body's best movie list but i absolutely loved it. It left me so speechless that i couldn't even talk about it here because i don't know how to explain this movie. Mostly hated by everyone, it's one of those to either despise or fucking love. A modern masterpiece.

Blue is the Warmest Colour - Just saw it and obviously it's gotta make the list of the best movies of the year. It's pure emotion, full of feelings, full of heartbreak. One just cannot watch this movie and feel indifference. You gotta be dead for that.

Blue Jasmine - This is good old Woody Allen and it's been quite a while since we got one of these. I've also made a review of it here so no explanation needed. Nothing better than a comedy that slowly goes darker and darker without even noticing.

TV Shows

I'm highlighting the two shows that i liked best this year, i'm not including 'Game of Thrones' or 'Girls' because, even though their seasonswere good, they weren't as great as their previous ones. So here are my two fave shows from the year that i highly recommend:

Orange is the New Black - Best new show of the year. There's no competition. This show was so, so good that i watched it in a matter of two weeks. And then felt the void after watching a really good show, the feeling of wanting more. Next year with its second season cannot come soon enough.

Breaking Bad - I watched this show this year, the full five seasons, and i have to take my hat down for it. It's a really good show, one of the best ones when it comes to quality in the last few years and i finally got why everyone was so excited about. Heisenberg though, can rot in hell.

As far from the rest, 'American Horror Story' is being really, really good, 'Awkward' is still enjoyable but not as it used to be, 'Grey's Anatomy' needs to end soon because it's dull now and the interns are annoying, 'Hart of Dixie' needs to be cancelled already, 'Pretty Little Liars' remains a super guilty pleasure, 'New Girl' needs to be good again, '2 Broke Girls' is fun but it's always the same, 'The Carrie Diaries' is nice but i wouldn't care if it got cancelled, and 'Cougar Town' is still great. And 'Skins' came to and end this year and it was bittersweet but nice.


Music
I'm adding first the albums that i listened nonstop this year and then my top 10 songs. First the albums, keep in mind that i rarely listen to a complete album, so there's only three:

Yeezus - This is the album of the year. It's so ahead of its time that i bet those who hated it now, will love it in a matter of time. Song of the album has to be 'I Am a God'.

Trouble Will Find Me - The National didn't disappoint. i'm so resentful that i didn't get to see them live last month but some day i will. Song of the album is the flawless 'Sea of Love'.

Night Time my Time - i was surprised by this album, didn't expect to like it as much at first. But it's a perfect pop album, highlighting 'Metal Heart'.

Other albums that have been nice but haven't listened to them as much are, obviously, 'Random Access Memories' by Daft Punk, 'Reflektor' by Arcade Fire, though are many songs that i didn't like, and lately i've been listening a lot to 'Beyoncé' though it didn't do anything to me at first, can you believe?

And here are my top 10 songs from 2013:

1. Arcade Fire - Afterlife

i've been having this song on repeat ever since it was released, it's so flawless, it gives you so much energy, let alone the Spike Jonze performance video was amazing.

2. The National - Sea of Love

Another full of energy song, for those who say that The National only do ballads and sound boring.

3. Daft Punk - Get Lucky

This was everyone's jam and absolutely everybody got sick of it but it makes me smile every time i listen to it. It's so smooth yet cool and funky that i love dancing to it.

4. David Bowie - Where Are We Now

This song is so beautiful, has so much emotion into it, and David Bowie's voice, it really transports you somewhere else. Absolutely precious.

5. Phoenix - Bourgeois

This song is so flawless that makes it up for a really disappointing album. I expected so much from them but well, they still make amazing songs like this one.

6. Kanye West - I Am a God

"I am a God, so hurry up with my damn massage, in a French-ass restaurant, hurry up with my damn croissants" that should be enough to explain it.

7. Haim - Don't Save Me

This new band sounds so fresh and so catchy that they had to make it onto the list with this song. I dare you not to love it.

8. Miley Cyrus - We Can't Stop

Ok, explanation. If this song was released by Rihanna or Beyoncé, you would be all loving it but it had to be Miley Cyrus. This song is a mega hit, catchy as hell and loved it. No shame about it. The music video sucks though.

9. Sky Ferreira - Metal Heart

The sound is super powerful and it's really catchy. Love this album and this one stands out.

10- Beyoncé - Pretty Hurts

The one i liked best from the new album, love the lyrics, the sound, everything is perfect.

Blog

Most popular entries of this year:

1. ELLE UK February issue: Scarlett Johansson by Rankin
2.  Between Cut! and Action! 30 iconic behind-the-scenes photos from movie productions (part ll)
3. Miss Dior directed by Sofia Coppola
4.  Ginger & Rosa (2012)
5.  What do you need to know about Spring Breakers before you watch it

Things that mattered in 2011 | 2012

sources: alefashion, vogue, filmgeek, antepenultimomohicano, fallintothenoise, premiososcar, fanpop, leviathyn, tonleik, violentsuccess, playdirect, 

'Blue is the Warmest Colour' (2013).

(Spoilers!)
I've finally watched 'Blue is the Warmest Colour', i was so anxious about it, it received so many good reviews that i simply couldn't end the year without watching it. Just because of that, i expected so much that i kinda left the cinema a little bit disappointed in the sense that it's not a movie where many things happen, well it does, but not in the sense of plot twists or stuff like that.

The movie is a simple story, the awakening of teenage Adele, who struggles through the realisation that she has fallen in love with a girl and simply can't get that out of her system. It really captures well the aching and agony that it must be to fight against what one thinks is right and pretend to be normal and the fear of what people will think. She can't even tell her revelation to her best friend who's gay, so go figure. It also pictures the beauty of the first love, of new sensations, of everything new and beautiful and that sweet moment when you fall in love. The delicacy with which the performance of Adele Exarchopolous is done, is the greatest achievement of the movie. She simply carries on with the whole film and one just falls in love with her face, her beauty, her sweetness in acting, she embodies the whole character and her emotions displayed on the screen really captivate you, you just hurt with her.

The second part of the movie, on which Adele is living with Emma (Lea Seydoux) though still hiding her sexual orientation at work, is maybe the toughest part of the movie, as she sees how her lover has outgrown of her, her freshness and naturality are not attractive to Emma anymore, and now she demands someone more interesting, more into art, and not just one girl who "settles" into being a teacher. Adele is doing what she has always wished, to be a teacher, and you don't know if she seems to fall out of love with her job because it doesn't motivate her anymore or because Emma has put those ideas into her head and she thinks it doesn't fulfill her as much. One has to hate Emma during this part of the movie, it is understandable at one point that relationships fade and she needs something more but the way in which she does it, evidently cheating on Adele with Lise and lashing out at her when she finds out she's cheating on her with another man it's despicable. That's the perfect excuse for her, to kick out Adele from her life without being a dick about it. The cruel ways in which we act sometimes is really shown here, hurting the one we love for our own personal benefits.

The scene where they meet again some years after their break up is heartbreaking, it's the portrayal of the damage the first love can do to us, Adele cannot simply move on, she cannot go on like everyone else seems to do, she's wounded for life and the ending scene really captures that well. It's not a happy ending for her, she simply cannot see love in anyone else but in that ideal, first time love where she gave her everything.

The movie is full of emotions and it's hard to explain them all, but i feel like this is the journey of a young woman getting into adulthood, experiencing the beauty and ache of the first love. It's not a matter of gender, it's a matter of love as they say in the movie and how it can ruin us for life. This movie has stick into me and now i understand why everyone loves it so much, it's pure emotion and feelings we can all relate to and that's what makes it so special, how it reflects so much intensity that we've all felt at some point, and the feeling of leaving with a void in our hearts.

sources: wearelust & filmvixen