20 years ago Garbage reached no.1 on the UK album chart with their second album 'Version 2.0.' This record was a really excellent follow-up to their debut album 'Garbage', and quite a surprise as they brought a new sound totally different from the grunge and rock-ish style of their flawless debut. And while they tried to bring new sounds to their following albums ('Beautiful Garbage' was a nice effort that grows on you with the years, whereas 'Bleed Like Me', 'Not Your Kind of People' or 'Strange Little Birds' were ok but failed to impress), they haven't been able to reinvent themselves like they did with their sophomore album.
And as such an important date couldn't be missed, Garbage planned to make a anniversary concert in London to remember this amazing album (i've got tickets for that), but there was such a high demand that they ended making an anniversary tour and they will even make it to the US. I really can't wait to see them playing live this amazing album, it's gonna be something beyond, as i've only saw them play live during the 'Beautiful Garbage' tour and it was great.
So, as a celebration of this very important and ground-breaking album, and while everyone remembers 'Push It', 'I Think I'm Paranoid' or 'When I Grow Up' from this record, i'm bringing you my top 5 songs from 'Version 2.0.' that you probably have forgotten, even though two of them were actually singles. It's going to be worth it because this album is complete perfection from beginning to end, a pure jewel to the ears:
'Sex and The City' turns 20 years old this week, can you believe? It seems like yesterday that this show about some thirty-something women first aired and changed TV forever. Yeah, that might sound dramatic but it did, as there was no other show that talked that openly about sex, and coming from a female perspective no less! So, they need to be appreciated more because even though the first seasons look a bit outdated now because of the fashion and those monologues from random people straight to the camera, the rest feels fresh and the feelings, doubts and humour remains relatable.
So, in honor of one of the best shows ever and one of my personal favorites, here are 20 reasons why this show remains flawless, in no specific order. Check them all out after the cut!
The girls
Each of the four main characters are simply amazing. From Miranda's neurotic ways, to Charlotte's prude mentality, Samantha's festive way of life or Carrie's dramas, there isn't one that could be missing. I'm a Miranda and I know some say she's the worst one but they certainly don't know a thing as she's the most down to earth character. And while Carrie was at first everyone's favorite, i liked that as seasons went on, people preferred the other girls. But as a whole they made the best combo of women you could ever have.
The City
If there's a big love story in the show, is the one that the characters have with New York City and they made you fall in love with it too. From restaurants to the Manhattan Bridge, to cool spots in the Soho or fancy boutiques, the show was full of locations that made you wonder how amazing it must be to live right there. I don't think there has been another show that showed the City as great as they did, even though 'Gossip Girl' did really nice as well.
Female friendship
One of the most important things of the show is not the sex or their relationships they had with other men, but the friendship between four ladies. It's beautifully shown and you could see their ups and downs but in the end they had each other's back no matter what and that was the biggest bond the series had. And they made me tear up a little whenever they got emotional between them, they argued or they simply showed their true love for each other.
In 2003 Madonna released the controversial 'American Life' after the country dance album 'Music' and it was definitely a different twist for her. And while i liked some songs, i was kinda disappointed as i expected something else, despite Mirwai's fabulous involvement. But i played it again a few years later and i unexpectedly adored it.
'American Life' wasn't Madonna's biggest success, in fact, its lead single and title album track didn't even make big on the charts as it was expected from the Queen of Pop but many as i didn't understand what we had ahead of ourselves. This album was ahead of its time, and that makes it priceless as years go by and you listen to it with a different point of view. Many appreciated it for what it was but it took time to others to see that this is not Madonna's worst album, not even close. One has to admire gems like the ultra hit 'Hollywood' or divine and worth James Bond tunes like 'Die Another Die', so underrated at the time. And what about the powerful and heart felt ballad 'Nothing Fails' which i saw her performing live, playing an acoustic guitar and with a profound feeling that later i understood as weeks later it was announced that she and Guy Ritchie (after whom he wrote such a beautiful love letter) were divorcing. But all of them, alongside some pure disco electronic delights as fantastic as 'Mother and Father' or 'Nobody Knows Me', make up for a different, out of the box album.
It's surprising how underrated this album actually is but i guess many experienced what happened to me when i first listened to it and now we can give the place it deserves. Below there are my five absolute favorite songs from 'American Life', one of them actually included in my Top 20 Madonna songs ever so it can't be that bad of an album. Not at all.
(Updated with Season 4 episodes - First published on Dec 12, 2016)
Well, i'm finally on the 'Black Mirror' boat and i've binge-watched the whole show in two weeks, and gotta admit you were all right, it's good. And as i've talked about my fave episode, 'Nosedive', it's time to rank them all in my not so humble opinion, always.
So, below i'm listing all the eps, beginning with the ones i liked a lot and ending with the ones i liked less, that is from best to worst. Let's begin! (Spoilers!)
3x01 Nosedive
I've already talked about it, and having watched the rest, and especially 'San Junipero' -everyone's favorite, 'Nosedive' remains my favorite. Maybe because i didn't expect nothing from it and it amazed me. And because it was wonderful, obviously.
3x04 San Junipero
I liked this ep, i have a heart, but maybe you all talked about it way too much so i expected a lot. And it was beautiful but the hype was too high even though i adored that it's the only episode that has a happy ending. Well sort of. And who doesn't want to end up in San Junipero for the rest of eternity with their loved ones? I found that it was such a beautiful idea that i can't stop thinking about it. And maybe i have another ep that it's my #1 but this one is so close, so, so close it's practically a tie.
1x01 The National Anthem
Maybe this will surprise many as i've seen that the pilot of the show does not rank high on other people's lists but i actually liked it a lot. Maybe because it was the first one but i loved the idea and the criticism it made of society and the morbid fascination of the viewers no matter what. Something so present nowadays it's sad.
This is just heartbreaking, as many of you probably know, legendary artist, singer, songwriter and actor David Bowie has passed away at the age of 69. His birthday was just three days ago and his loss is something indescribable to everyone who loved his music. And his voice... if there's something i always miss when i lose someone close is that i will never get to hear their voices again and it's something that always strikes me and in this case, when it's someone you've been listening ever since you were a kid, it's something tragic.
Inevitably, i'm making a top 12 of my most favourite songs from him, i'm not going to rank them as they're all fantastic and maybe the ones i'm putting are the obvious choices and others are not the most acclaimed ones, but i grew up seeing him in 'Labyrinth' and as it remains one of my favourite movies there you have them. Seriously, what a loss. Check out the rest after the cut.
Last year i totally missed U2's best album 25th anniversary so this year i had to dedicate it a post. I know many refer to 'The Joshua Tree' as the Irish band's best album but i have to simply disagree. In fact, as a kid i had to suffer from a die hard U2 fan (my brother) so i listened to everything U2 that was out there and the first album that i actually liked was 'Achtung Baby'. It was a total game changer for a band as it used to have a more conventional sound, so it was a really nice surprise, and the 'Zoo TV Tour' was something visually amazing and i wished i could have gone to one of their concerts but i was too young then.
So, below i posted my favorite songs from this one of a kind album that remains to this day my fave from them, i hadn't added 'Even Better Than The Real Thing ' because everyone knows that song (and i like these ones better) but you can listen to the full album here.
Paris Hilton has announced that she's releasing a new album soon and that's good news even though you don't think so. Why? Because her debut album 'Paris', released in 2006, was a pure pop jewel. Sure it contained the basic 2000 pop album sound, similar to those released by Hilary Duff or Ashlee Simpson, but songs like 'Nothing in This World' or 'Stars Are Blind' remain hit tracks to this day. Maybe you cannot get over the fact that it's indeed Paris Hilton singing this songs and yeah, her voice may not be that good and she doesn't write her own material but if you get over that stuff, the album is kinda good.
So, as we'll have to wait for the heiress to grace us with her new album, here are six songs that you have to admit that are really catchy and fun to dance to, many are from her debut record and 'Good Time' was randomly released but still a great dance song. Listen below!
You think i would go in deep about 'Twin Peaks The Return' without mentioning the awesome music performances that put a brooch almost at the end of every episode? You thought wrong. From Lynch's personal favorite Rebekah Del Rio, unforgettable since 'Mulholland Drive' and her performance in Silencio Club, to new additions into Lynch's world like the Chromatics, fitting perfectly into Twin Peaks, there had been a bunch of performances that gave us a breeze of fresh air after so many emotions during many episodes. And maybe those were to give us a moment and digest everything.
Anyway, there are some that have been stellar, like my number one with Rebekah Del Rio, which performance, voice and lyrics are something hypnotic. Other like the Nine Inch Nails provided the darkest performance for such a twisted episode like 'Part8'. While we got some nostalgic performances with James singing 'Just You' or the iconic Julee Christie who was back on the show only to trash it after she didn't have the screen time she wanted. And we even got Audrey doing her dance, but was it really her?
Others were new artists like Lissie and her energetic 'Wild West' or even Lynch's son Riley performing with his band Trouble but every performance has been grand. So, below are my fave 10 performances the show had. Maybe you're missing the one with Eddie Vedder, but i'm simply not a fan. Yeah, there are people who don't like his voice or music. Anyway, Ladies and Gentleman, enjoy!
This season of 'Girls', the last season of the show, has been, wow, AMAZING. I've always loved the show, even when Season 3 and 4 were not all that but Lena Dunham has always created incredible relatable moments that are truly the greatness of the show. Maybe they are all annoying but in the end you grow fond of them and feel with them. Even with Marnie. But this last season has been the perfect and realistic brooch for its farewell.
The finale was not what everyone expected, but definitely it was a realistic ending, because in the end things got real. And while it wasn't anything exciting it was something as true as life and that is something true. And that's what Lena Dunham has done with the show, as unrealistic it might had seem sometimes, she made it true.
So, as usual with every season, and sadly because this will be the last post like this, here are Season 6's best moments and scenes because, there had been a lot, and many very special ones. But, in conclusion, 'Girls' has been quite a journey, but i loved everything about it. Check the best of S6 after the cut!
We're only a few months into 2017 we already can say that 'Big Little Lies' is the show of the year, or at least, it's going to be among the best ones by the end of the year. That's not going to be surprising but what it actually is, is that many people are like in shock that Nicole Kidman gave such an amazing performance. Like they didn't know she was an excellent actress before.
For those living under a rock, or that haven't had the time to give Mrs. Kidman the credit she deserves, i've decided to make a list of my fave Nicole Kidman performances. The woman has an Academy Award for 'The Hours', three Golden Globes and even a BAFTA, so why her giving a great performance is news at this point? Anyway, check the full list after the cut, i've decided not to rank her performances but these are my absolute faves.
Birth (2014) - This is probably my fave performance from her. The dark psychological thriller directed by the brilliant Jonathan Glazer directs Kidman in this film with such a weird plot that it's amazing how believable he makes the story. The movie tells how a boy attempts to convince Kidman's character that he's her dead husband reborn and as silly as it might sound, you believe it. Apart from the turmoil of emotions that Anna (Kidman) goes through the movie, there's a particular shot from her that anyone who has watched the movie remembers. It's the close up shot of her face in the theatre as she realizes that indeed what the boy is telling her about being her dead husband might be true and her reaction during that one shot is priceless. She simply does amazing and the movie is really something else, as all Jonathan Glazer's movies are, so it's really worth watching.
To Die For (1995) - This was the first movie where Nicole Kidman really received some credit for her performance. She actually won the Golden Globe for her performance and she really owned it. The Gus Van Sant movie really brought one of the best features that Kidman has, her apparent iciness into the character of Suzanne Stone Maretto that was equally ambitious, manipulative and cold. It felt like it was a role made for Kidman and she really embodied the character. And the movie is also fantastic.
The Others (2001) - Another stand out performance from the Aussie actress that made her earn praise by absolutely everyone, and she was many times nominated for this role but she barely won anything, which was unfair. Anyway, in the Alejandro Amenábar film, Kidman gave one of her most heartfelt performances during a very personal difficult time in her personal life, as she was divorcing Tom Cruise and the insane media attention that it brought into her life. But she got the best revenge on her ex by giving out two extraordinary performances that year and earning recognition for them all around the world. And there's no need to say that the movie is already a modern terror classic today and she was excellent on it.
The final season of 'Girls' premieres on Sunday and i don't think we're ready for it. But, as we have no other choice and i'm really willing to watch it despite the sadness, i'm making my now traditional post about the best moments and scenes the first season had as it was the only season left that i hadn't done it (as i did with seasons 2, 3, 4 and 5) and the first season really deserves it. I will do the same with the final season and also a Top 10 Favorite 'Girls' episodes' post once season 6 ends, but for now, here are the best moments and scenes the glorious first season had. Check them all out after the cut!
(Spoilers!)
First things first, the very first scene where i thought, "i'm gonna love the shit out of the show" was in 'All Adventurous Women Do' (1x03) when Marnie returns home and finds Hannah dancing to Robyn's 'Dancing on My Own' and she joins in. It might be a simple scene but how spontaneous and natural it feels and how anyone can relate to the feeling of dancing your pains away despite everything being shitty is fantastic. Hannah had just discovered that her ex-boyfriend Elijah had been gay all the time she was with her and Marnie is confused with her feelings about Charlie but in that moment they don't care. And i loved that.
I'm... speechless. The news of the death of George Michael on Christmas day have caught us all by surprise and heartbroken during a holiday he was so related to. And i just can't believe it. I knew he was having some really bad years when it comes to his personal life but he had managed to pull it off and make a huge comeback twice in the past, so i was just expecting the third one. Because if anything, George Michael has one of the best voices our generation has ever heard, with such range that he could sing whispering through your soul with 'Jesus to a Child' and powerfully sing 'Somebody to Love' at Freddie Mercury's tribute concert and sound almost like the Queen singer.
This 2016 couldn't be any worse when it comes to loosing great artists and with this one they literally took part of my upbringing, as i always watched his fabulous videos in MTV like 'Too Funky', 'Freedom' or 'Fastlove', and with 'Older' i became enchanted by his voice. I don't know, i just didn't expect for his voice to go silent.
My favorite songs from him below, in no special order but starting with 'You Have Been Loved', song he wrote as a farewell love letter to dear friends he lost, now it serves us to kiss him goodbye because he truly "has been loved."
You Have Been Loved
Too Funky
This video, the song, the models, everything is so fabulous, catchy and cool, one can't get better than this.One of my favorite videos ever.
Kissing a Fool
It's inevitable for me to sing out loud this song when it comes out because, it is so great. I would love to sing it at a karaoke one day because it's just perfect for that.
Killer/Papa Was a Rollin' Stone
For me, this cover is way better than the original song and it always gives me so much life when i listen to it. I adore it.
Careless Whisper
A powerful ballad that will remain forever.
I Can't Make You Love Me
This one hurts for anyone who has ever felt a broke heart. Because the lyrics, the melody, are so relatable that the heart keeps on breaking.
Fastlove
I listened to this song on repeat and it was all worth it. I never grew tired of it. I got the casette of 'Older' back in the day and bought the cd when i got the chance. A masterpiece.
A Moment With You
His voice was perfect for slow, smooth songs like this. It created a whole vibe you could easily get into and i adored that.
Freedom!
This one would not be on the top 3 songs but i had to add it here because it's so iconic when it comes to his career. I know many would have added 'I Want Your Sex' but, eve though it's good, it's not among my faves.
Outside
I was going to add 'Faith' instead of this one but who am i kidding? i know 'Faith' i's a classic but i'm sorry, i like this one so much better. It makes me wanna dance and sorta turns me on so it's a win-win.
+
Somebody to Love
I could not make a list without adding this Queen song and the performance to witness how powerful and emotive the tribute was. He just totally nailed. He was such an amazing performer, i can't believe it yet.
Just a few days ago we got a taste of what to expect from the much awaited and criticized 'Blade Runner' sequel, and while i don't expect it to be something as big and iconic as the original 1982 film, it looks intriguing to me. But that only reminds me of all of the films coming this 2017 and how much i'm looking forward for them so here are the 10 movies i want to watch this next year really badly:
Blade Runner 2049
While it's not directed by Ridley Scott as the classic movie is, Denis Villeneuve is a director to keep an eye on, as he has already delivered some interesting works like 'Prisoners', 'Sicario' or the recent 'Arrival' so i have high hopes for it. It also helps that the trailer looks amazing and it contains the whole mood of the first film so hope i won't get disappointed and that it turns out to be at least something interesting.
Jackie
I don't really like biopics, for me they're the most boring thing, but Pablo LarraÃn has caught my attention with this Jackie Kennedy film. For a starter, her life is something that interests me and by the looks of the trailer it looks amazing. Also, Natalie Portman seems to deliver one hell of a performance so i can't wait.
It's Only the End of the World
I adored 'Mommy' by Xavier Dolan so this new film has my full attention after that. Dolan seems to have created another moving story about family combining it again with humor and sadness and he did so well with his previous feature that i already want to watch this new one as soon as possible.
2016 has personally been a challenging year for me, and that's why i haven't updated the blog as much as i would have liked, but lately i've been posting more and more. Anyway, let's begin with everything i've loved this year!
Le mode
First things first, maybe the collection hasn't been my favorite but the runway show for the Fendi Couture Fall 2016 at the Fontana de Trevi was something astonishing and beautiful. Check the collection here.
I know many will include 'Elle' on their best of the year lists but even though i liked it, it didn't quite fascinate me like it happened to everybody else. But here there are the ones that i really loved.
Mustang -This was a marvellous movie and it deserved to be on my #1. I didn't expect it to be so good and it excelled my expectations after all those 'The Virgin Suicides' comparisons and the subplot that the film delicately shows it's heartbreaking. An instant favorite film of mine.
The Neon Demon - One of the weirdest movies you will ever see, the Nicholas Winding Refn movie is a visual and visceral trip to the sordid and superficial modelling world, with an ending you can never forget. It might be included in some of the Worst Movie of the Year lists but definitely is one of the films of the year for me. You either love it or you hate it and the more they hate it the more i love it.
Youth - After 'La Grande Bellezza' Paolo Sorrentino won my heart and with this movie it only made it more clear that he's a director to follow (i bet he already was to many but i was late to realize that). This movie reflects on the passing of time and the importance it has on society and art nowadays and Michael Caine and Harvey Keitel are splendid on it. Must watch.
Nocturnal Animals - Tom Ford's most visceral film shows that he's another director that matters and that we have to keep a close eye on him. I recently talked about the movie so i can't say anything more about it than to go watch it. Now.
Tangerine - Sometimes i watch movies because i see stuff posted on tumblr and i'm so glad i watched this. It follows a long day in the life of two trans ladies and it's a funny ride but sad at times. The dialoges and situations are gold and the feeling of freshness and ordinary life are present the whole entire movie. I really recommend it.
Julieta - I went to see this movie with my mom and it's the type of film you have to go watch with your mom. I didn't really expect much from it but the story slowly embraces you reminding you of all those good old Almodóvar stories that you love so much. Since 'Broken Embraces' (Los abrazos rotos) that i didn't like an Almodóvar film this much, and even more because 'Julieta' is so much better.
TV Shows
When it comes to tv shows, it's been a really good year. Starting with 'Girls' with season 5 being one of the best seasons the show had, preparing us to bid farewell to our girls next year with season 6. Another favorite of mine that has been great has been 'Game of Thrones's season 6 that has been a complete rollercoaster of emotions. From the Jon Snow storyline, to Sansa, to Hodor and Cersei, everything was over the edge and also preparing us for an unexpected ending coming soon that will be completely stellar, i bet (i still have to make the Best scenes and moments from S6 but will do before the new season begins). 'American Horror Story: Roanoke' surprised us all with season 6 and delivered one of its best season in years. And 'The X Files' was back with season 10 being surprisingly good and leaving a door open for another new season.
This year we said farewell to 'Looking' and thankfully we could all have some closure with the really great and touching movie that HBO made for all us viewers, because such an emotional show needed to have an ending. Another show that ended this year was 'Awkward' that used to be so good but it needed to end already, though i always watched it no matter what. And a really similar show, 'Faking It', was cancelled and therefore it didn't have an ending which was totally lame despite the show being ok. They could have done a mini season and give it an end. Another show that was unfairly cancelled was 'Vis a Vis', the Spanish version of 'Orange is the New Black' that turned out to be better than the original show. It was such a shame that it didn't have an ending when the story and the cast were amazing. I'm still heartbroken about it. About 'OITNB', season 4 was not bad but it wasn't as good as the amazing season 3 was. Contrary to 'UnReal' which second season started kinda low but it ended so good that i can't wait for more.
Other shows that are still on are 'Grey's Anatomy' that somehow keeps me interested no matter what, 'Scream Queens' that is not as great as the perfect first season was but has episodes close to it, and 'Younger' that remains being my good feeling show. And i'm a little behind on 'Divorce' but i'm loving the Sarah Jessica Parker show so far.
As for new shows i watched this year, i finally managed to finish watching 'Jessica Jones' season 1 and i'm glad i did because it got really good towards the end. I also watched Judd Apatow's 'Love' and it was ok but nothing as great as everyone else was saying. Ryan Murphy's 'American Crime Story: The People vs. OJ Simpson' was an amazing series with amazing performances to watch with the supreme Sarah Paulson giving one of her best performances ever. And i binge-watched 'Black Mirror' and it was all worth it. I also watched all five seasons of 'Friday Night Lights' and i actually liked the show better than i originally expected, while Woody Allen's 'Crisis in Six Scenes' was kinda disappointing. And last but not least, 'Stranger Things' was an absolute trip to nostalgia and i adored it while Paolo Sorrentino's 'The Young Pope' became my fave tv show of the year.
I also have to mention two amazing, mesmerizing and heartbreaking docu-series that i watched this year, 'Making a Murderer' and 'The Jinx' that are both equally good and seriously, amazing.
Musique
When it comes to music i have to say that i haven't been in the mood to really listen to new stuff but even though i have to admit Beyonce's 'Lemonade' was not bad, i've listened to these albums above way more, and when it comes to songs, here's my top 10 (i'm aware that there's one hat's not new but i've discovered it this year):
Posts
