15 years of Madonna's 'American Life'

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.

Hollywood

Nothing Fails

Die Another Day

Love Profusion

Mother and Father

sources: thepinsta & youtube

Pete Yorn and Scarlett together are back together with 'Apart'

These are excellent music news and you have no idea how happy i am. Pete Yorn and Scarlett Johansson are collaborating again and releasing an EP called 'Apart' after their 2009 'Break Up' and these are wonderful news.

'Break Up' was an excellent EP full of catchy and lively songs about a couple's struggle of breaking things up and now, nine years later, they're back together with 'Apart' dealing with all the emotions that you go through when you're not living anymore with the person you used to be. Lots of sad and confused feelings in really hip songs as the first single 'Bad Dreams' is out and sounds amazing.

We'll have to wait for June 1st to listen to the rest of the tracks but in the meantime, watch the music vid for 'Bad Dreams' below and if you weren't familiar with him, get to know a little bit more about Pete Yorn with my 10 fave songs from him –including lots of the 'Break Up' EP, of course. Maybe you're not aware of it, but Pete and Scarlett back together is the best thing ever.

sources: albumism & youtube

'Heathers TV' Trailer

The reboot of the chick flick classic 'Heathers' into a TV show didn't sound too good at first, but the first trailer is out and it looks real good. It has 'Mean Girls' vibes all over and a bit of touch of the 80s film, and the fact that original Heather is on it as well (Shannen Doherty) makes it all way better. It also has Selma Balir playing one of the Heathers' moms so this can't get any better unless Winona Ryders would make a cameo on it. Also, the fact that they changed the Heathers from three girls to two chicks and a boy it's really something great as it diversifies more the original iconic gang.

The killer reboot premieres on March 7th so let's hope it doesn't disappoint because i love a good highschool dramedy and this one looks badass. Beware of the traielr because it's kinda spoilerish.

sources: stocklandmarletb & youtrube

Top 13 David Bowie songs

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.

Under Pressure

Thursday's Child

Music moments in 'Call Me By Your Name'

(Spoilers!!)
Yes, this is another 'Call Me By Your Name' post. But if you've seen the movie, you know the movie is worth a thousand posts. And i'm not going to make any more about it for now, but i had to remark the perfect soudtrack of the film.

From The Psychedelic Furs' 'Love My Way' to the precious songs that Sufjans Stevens' has in the movie, the music is a key element in the film and the final scene with 'Visions of Gideon' by them is something unforgettable. As a i adore those grand music moments in film where a song gives a whole lot of meaning to a specific scene, i could not post this moment, where Elio has to face the reality that him and Oliver are never going to meet again as the lovers they were, and the harsh truth of that. I cannot express with words how grand Chamalet's performance is in that scene but it touches your heart in such a way that i had to post it. And as Sufjan Stevens have released a new video as a soundtrack of the film with 'Mysteries of Love' with gorgeous scenes from the movie, so you can watch it below as well.

sources: id & youtube

Katy Perry as Marie Antoinette in 'Hey Hey Hey' music video

Katy Perry has released her new music video 'Hey Hey Hey' playing a modern Marie Antoinette and is simply fantastic.

Clearly inspired in Sofia Coppola's movie of the French queen, Perry is dressed in period clothes but has a cellphone, eats Hit Takis and ice cream and there are also video games, but even though she's a queen, she's oppressed by her king and husband, so she dreams of rebelling and becoming Joan of Arc. In the end she has the same fate as the infamous queen (with one little surprise) but well, the video and the mixture of that era and actual times is always fun to see and i think anyone dreams of being a modern Marie Antoinette as i did in this post.

Enjoy the vid, this is the fourth single that Katy Perry is releasing from 'Witness' after 'Chained to the Rythm', 'Bon Apetit' and 'Swish Swish' so that's not bad at all from a "flop" album, right?

sources: kparg, wideawoke, unxxrted & youtube

Sofia Coppola wins Gotham Award Special Tribute

Sofia Coppola was awarded the Gotham Award Special Tribute last night in honor of her career as a director and they did a gorgeous supercut of her movies to present the award to her, and i always love these type of videos.

In a recent interview she says that she has started writing her next project but there's no more info about it, and while 'The Beguiled' was a film that i didn't really love (the movie was beautiful but the trailer gives away everything), i'm always excited for her new projects. As for jumping to the small screen, she has no plans to direct any series in the future, as she doesn’t like to extend a story that long, which is a shame.

Anyway, you can watch the super beautiful video below as it contains scenes of all her movies, that out of her six features i really love three of them. Enjoy!

sources: sctumblr, awardsseason, & youtube

26 years of 'Achtung Baby'

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.

Zoo Station

The Fly

One

Who's Gonna Ride your Wild Horses

Ultraviolet. (Light My Way)

sources: u2 & youtube

'Ingrid Goes West' (2017)

(#NoSpoilers)

'Ingrid Goes West' could be easily described as this decade's 'Single White Female' but with instagram accounts. Because if anything, this movie is a critic to the attachment we have to social media and specially to display a picture perfect life on instagram.

The movie clearly starts on that point with a scene that echoes the gloriousness that was 'Black Mirror's episode 'Nosedive', with a wedding scene all sabotaged by Ingrid (Aubrey Plaza) because she wasn't invited. But in reality, she didn't even knew the bride or anything, she just followed her life through social media so she couldn't handle it and had to ruin the most #perfectday out of spite. 

Ingrid's case is going too far but at the same time i don't think it's that far from reality. Nowadays we all have, at some extent, a little bit of an addition to social media (facebook, twitter, instagram...) you name yours. I have to admit that i adore instagram and i like to upload pretty things but that's pretty much it but in the movie, not only Ingrid, which would be the most extreme case, but Taylor (Elizabeth Olsen) are victims to that addiction. Taylor is a socialite whose income provides from brands paying her to promote their products on instagram and that's pretty much it. She lives any girl's dreamlife, to just live, laugh, love and publish it on her account. But it's a fake life, where she depends on her likes and followers to have some kind of validation of herself. And it's not far from what Ingrid does, but Taylor's is the more acceptable way nowadays. There are tons of people who display their perfect life in photos but that in reality it's all a facade and they all tend to believe and that's what the movie is all about: The creation of this perfect life and validation through people we don't know, believing that we're some kind of celebrity among our followers.

Apart from the deep reflection, 'Ingrid Goes West' is a really funny movie. It's a dream film for instagram users because everything that it's expected it's shown, and both leading ladies are perfect on it. The movie opened this last Summer so be sure to watch it whenever you have the chance, but if you aren't convinced yet you can watch the teaser trailer below.

sources: archstecnica

6 favorite songs by Paris Hilton

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!

Stars Are Blind

Nothing In This World

I Want You

DoYou Think I'm Sexy

Turn It Up

Good Time

sources: youtube

'Skam's Isak and Even for Interview Magazine

'Skam's most beloved season, Season 3 with Isak as the absolute protagonist, aired a year ago and people are still talking about it. And while it wasn't my favorite (i'm a true S1 lover) anyone who watched knows the importance that particular season had. And that's why a year later Interview magazine is doing a spread with the two young actors that starred in S3.

Tarjei Sandvik Moe (Isak) and Kenrik Holm (Even) are featured in Interview's mag latest issue in a really cool and hip photoshoot by Frida Marklund where two Norwegian rising stars talk about the impact of that season among a teenage and not so teenage audience. Isak's and Even's lovestory was important because i don't think i've seen as many teen shows with gay plots that were as honest, natural and open as it was on 'Skam'. And here another important and key character of this plot was Eskild, an older but young gay character that shared his wisdom about his experience and the views of others on homosexuality. But the pretty picture are, of course, the two lovebirds falling in love, and there's nothing wrong in that, but Eskild should receive a lot more credit.

Anyway, as this shoot was too gorgeous not to post it and truth is that these two share an amazing chemistry, after the cut there are some of my fave takes of the photoshoot but you can check out the rest at the source. Oh, and enjoy this S3 promotional ad that i've never had seen and that perfectly explains Isak's struggle with his homosexuality and his hetero friends. It blowed my mind, literally.

Gianni Versace's Tribute Runway Show Brings 90s Supermodels Back

Donatella Versace did fashion history last night and that was exacty what she intended for her Tribute collection show for her brother, the late Gianni Versace who was assassinated 20 years ago. And what better way to homage her brother than to bring his favorite models he worked with in the 90s?

The Versace runway show during the Milan Fashion Week had all the it models of the moment, Gigi and Bella Hadid, Kendall Jenner, Kaia Gerber (Cindy Crawford's daughter) as well as many others, but the show was totally stolen by the ultimate supermodels during the finale: Naomi Campbell, Claudia Schiffer, Cindy Crawford, Helena Christensen and Carla Bruni. They were the first supermodels and they simply remain iconic, and seeing them together in such an amazing tribute show was simply the most awesome throwback. They don't need any introduction and they're absolute icons so that was the perfect finale show for Versace as it was the 20th anniversary of his death. Naomi, Cindy and Claudia reunited last year for Givenchy proving that they're still the best at their game, but seeing them alongside Helena and Carla in such a special event is something else.

As for the designer's tragic story, we'll get Ryan Murphy's next season of 'American Crime Story' next year but in the meantime you can check out the finale in the clip below and see how these ladies still strut the runway like pros.

sources: theguardian

'Twin Peaks: The Return' Top 10 Performances

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 'Part 8'. 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!

1. Rebekah Del Rio - No Stars (Part 10)

2. Chromatics - Shadow (Part 2)

3. Nine Inch Nails (Part 8)

4. Julee Cruise - The World Spins (Part 17)

5. James - Just You (Part 13)


6. The Veils - Axoloti (Part 15)


7. Lissie - Wild West (Part 14)


8. Trouble - Snake Eyes (Part 5)


9. Audrey's Dance (Part 16)


10. Chromatics - Saturday (Part 12)


sources: twinpeaksarg & youtube

Jane Campion's 'Top of the Lake'

(No spoilers)
I don't know how i waited so long to watch this show. Directed by Jane Campion and starring the always amazing Elisabeth Moss, the show is really worth watching. The director herself must be reason enough to watch but the story, also written by Campion, the actors, the location (New Zealand and Australia) and the photography are exquisite. And the second season was not far behind.

The mini serie's first season aired in 2013 and the first choice for detective Robin was none other than Anna Paquin, with whom Campion worked in her most acclaimed and beautiful film, 'The Piano', making Paquin the youngest actress ever to earn an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress. And while it would had been nice to see her reuniting with her onscreen mother on that film, as Holly Hunter appears in this first season, she had to quit after she was pregnant. But Elisabeth Moss in this role is so excellent that i can't picture anyone else playing this complicated character.

Located in New Zealand, the story centers the mystery of a 13-year-old girl who tries to commit suicide by drowning herself in a haunting lake of the area and the story gets entangled as the episodes go by bringing out a zillion emotions by Robin. And her character is the key to the whole show, because you go deep into her deepest fears, her past nightmares that still very much present and her complicated persona.

These past fears still haunt during Season 2 in 'Top of the Lake: China Girl', and this time there's the case of the murder of an unidentified Asian woman in Sydney where brothels are legal and there's a large amount of young Asian women who come to the country to make a living of their bodies. And while the first season is better, the new one gets you hooked on the show like mad. If only to watch Nicole Kidman and Gwendoline Christie on it as well. And they're both brilliant, just like Moss. And there's also the young talent of Alice Englert, Campion's own daughter–about who i already talked here, so we have a fantastic female cast.

I can't tell more about the show without being spoilerish so, as a treat, i'm posting below the trailer of 'Jane Campion's Own Stories', a retrospective survey that the Film Society of Lincon Center will do about the filmmaker and that looks as beautiful as all her movies are. And you can also take a look at some gorgoeus stills of both seasons after the cut!

Gucci Bloom

 The new ad campaign for Gucci Bloom, the brand's first ever women's scent of the label, is finally out and the result is something completely gorgeous.

The campaign has actress Dakota Johnson, model Hari Nef and photographer Petra Collins as the faces of the delicious new ads, and everything is absolutely gorgeous. Photographed by Glen Luchford, the bizarre trio pose in what it seems a modern day version of the 'Secret Garden' while they dress ethereal floral dresses from the exquisite Gucci collection and wander around without a care in the world in the perfume's ad. And if that wasn't beautiful enough for our eyes, they turned Times' Square, with the help of Harper's Bazaar and the presence of and the company of Gucci's designer behind the brand, Alessando Michele, into their own special secret garden to promote it, and what we can see in the video is really a blossoming experience. Not only the photos and the ads are gorgeous enough but the whole setting in the middle of a big city like New York is something beyond dreamy.

Watch the ad campaing vid and the Times' Square "garden" in the two vids below and some more pics after the cut. It's really something more than pretty.

'Polina' trailer

I simply adore anything related to the ballet world, from brilliant movies like 'Black Swan' or lesser ones like 'Center Stage' or 'Save the Last Dance', to tv shows as good as 'Flesh and Bone'. So the news of a new movie about this beautiful and dark world are always interesting news.

Shot in Russia, Belgium and France, the movie centers Polina's journey to become a ballerina, from growing up and learning ballet in a very strict academy when she was a little girl to her turned into a young woman and deciding to take another path in the dance world. Obviously, the trailer reveals quite a lot but i'll want to watch it anyway. Mostly because, contrary to 'Black Swan', here we get a real life ballerina, Anastasia Shevtsova, and it also stars Juliette Binoche as a dance teacher.

Let's hope that it doesn't take too long to ope worldwide but in the meantime watch the trailer below.

Selena Gomez' 'Fetish' Music Video Directed by Petra Collins

Selena Gomez has released a new song which are not news to me because i don't really follow her music (no shade intended) but the music video is directed by Petra Collins, so there she got my attention.

As you know, i really follow and love Collins' work and lately it seems that these two are collaborating a lot, as Petra photographed Selenita for Wonderland Magazine, and they really seem to work things out pretty nicely and good. In the video, Selena sings about some old love that keeps coming back while she's desperate at home trying (i think) not to go back to him. From ripping her tights or tying up her tongue, to eating glass, soap, lipstick, whatever not to yearn for that love, for a kiss of that love, that tongue. She's so hot about it, she even gets into the cooler. The vid is full of really Petra Collins-esque images, and i always adore her style and signature photography, and the song is not bad at all, infact i have it on my mind ever since i watched the vid.

So enjoy this new Collins-Gomez collab and check out some pics the photographer took on set as well as come stills of the vid. After the cut!

Oona Laurence, the new Sofia girl

Oona Laurence is 14, she's petite and she's one of the "vengeful bitches" of Sofia Coppola's new film 'The Beguiled', so it's good to keep an eye on her for the things to come.

I've only seen her in 'Orange is The New Black' before playing young Tiffany aka Pennsatucky but she seems to be quite the revelation from the young talent that 'The Beguiled' has. She also played Matilda on Broadway so we're talking about a rising star in the making here. I still have to wait for an entire month to watch the film so in the meantime enjoy this beautiful and fun photoshoot by Danielle Kosann for The New Potato and also, the fun 'Hamilton' vid the cast did starring Miss Laurence for a charity cause. And check out the rest of the pretty photos after the cut!

Cartier's Panthère ad directed by Sofia Coppola

I know i'm posting a lot of Sofia Coppola things lately but how could i not when everything is so gorgeous? The latest coming from her is directing the new Cartier ad for the brand's reintroduction of the jewelry watch Panthère, and the result is, as always, exquisite.

In the ad featuring Aussie actress Courtney Eaton, who i've only seen in 'Mad Mad: Fury Road', we can see how Coppola directs the relaunch of the 1980s' watch by fitting it into modern times with a lot of elegance and style, and it really works out. The advert is gorgeous and with a lot of taste, the music is very on point considering how it's a deluxe accessory from the 80s, and Courtney Eaton looks perfect while doing so.

So, enjoy the clip and a few more stills of the advert below.

sources: caurtneyteam & youtube

Music Monday (Chromatics, Arcade Fire, Phoenix, Shirley Manson, Katy Perry, Miley & Supermode)

Another Monday, another Music Monday! And obviously, many are songs that have been released in the past few weeks but i don't care because they sound great and are worth the attention. Enjoy!

Chromatics - Shadow
It wouldn't be fair to start this Music Monday without the song that has been on my mind for two weeks now after watching the return of 'Twin Peaks'. That is 'Shadow' by Chromatics' as it was featured at the end of the first episode and it fit so perfectly it was astounding. It had the whole atmosphere of Lynch's original series and the song is hypnotic and haunting. I adored it to say the least.

Arcade Fire - Everything Now
Arcade Fire are back with a really strong single that reminds us a lot to 'Reflektor' but who cares when it sounds so good? i can't wait for their new album though it's true they will never be as iconic as they were with their debut 'Funeral'.

Phoenix - Goodbye Soleil
And i can't definitely wait for Phoenix's new album as everything they release sounds so fantastic. The previous album was ok but i really have high hopes for this new one as one track is nearly better than the previous one. And i love their sound.

Brian Reitzell feat. Shirley Manson - Queen of the Bored
Well, i don't watch 'American Gods' but i love mrs. Manson and this song sounds like it could be part of any Garbage album so of course, i loved it. Nice to hear this woman's voice always.

Katy Perry - Swish Swish feat. Nicki Minaj
Finally Kity Purry has released a decent track, and by decent i mean an instant hit. And the best part is that it seems to be about Terror Swift so it's all good by me.

Miley Cyrus - Malibu
I just could not add this song here even though everyone has already heard it and loves it. But this might be the song of the Summer because it sounds so good and it's such a good-feeling track that i had to put it here.

Supermode - Tell Me Why
And finally, and old song that i had completely forgotten about but it's such a big hit that i had to post it. It's an instant hit and i can't stop listening and dancing to it now.

sources: pitchfork & youtube