Tuesday arrives and it is time for my weekly film course, this time I have picked up my favourite American teacher, John Whischmeyer; with a 6-week course on Barbara Stanwyck, one of the first classic actresses in Hollywood, and an icon.

When you arrive to class, after a busy day at work, and they let you know that they are going to show a whole movie in the class, there is no better feeling in the whole world. Above all, a restored print of The Lady Eve. It’s only with Henry Fonda. And, if we thought we were very modern, comedy in its purest form, screwball comedy. Such marvellous scripts and performances were available in the major American film studios. Besides, the Stanwyck does it all so well, that you believe her as she makes it look so simple. Continue reading ““Happiness is this” – “La felicidad es algo parecido a esto”” →

Is it Friday, again? I love to hear that and  it’s almost my favorite day of the week because it announces that the weekend is here to stay. Since October of last year, I have created this new tradition, so when Friday arrives, the perfect plan unfolds before my eyes: gym and cinema. I know… it sounds weird, but the main reason behind this is because my gym and the cinema are in the same building here in Kingston (The Rotunda). So a vice, like cinema is for me, becomes something healthy, ironic. Continue reading ““Miss Sloane” – “¿El fin justifica los medios?”” →

 

Easter is gone, you have survived your first days at work and a coaching course. How are you going to reward yourself? That’s a good one, but, what am I thinking? I life in Movieland, right? Easy then, let’s make it a double bill. Continue reading ““About last Friday night” – “Ocurrió el viernes pasado”” →

Life gets in the way, so many films, the Oscars coming up and so little time for everything else, including 5 visits to the cinema to relive “La la land” (couldn’t help it and it won’t be the last one)… I don’t know where to begin with and I have long abandoned you since I last wrote here… I will begin by telling you that I am doing the zillionth film course. This time is non other than Marty,  I mean Martin Scorsese (who comes next Wednesday to the BFI for a talk, lol). And my teacher, who is such a nice fella, asked us the other day if we wanted to make a presentation about any of our favourite Scorsese’s films. I did not have time enough to raise my hand and say that I wanted to do it on “The Age of Innocence”. Continue reading ““The Age of Innocence – La edad de la inocencia”” →

There are a few films that you decide you’re gonna like, even before watching them. It doesn’t happen often, but when it happens, it’s like a miracle. There’s nothing in the world that will change that feeling. And that’s exactly what happened to me the first time I watched the preview of “La la land”. I fell in love with it. I was in desperate need to see it immediately.

Then, the London Film Festival came along and made my wait shorter. Instead of January 2017, I ended up watching it in October. Magic! Thank goodness! And it didn’t disappoint me at all. How could it have? Continue reading ““La la land o donde quiero vivir para siempre”” →

Being a French film, with that title, it could only be Isabelle Huppert…what a woman! (Forgive me but I can’t help it – Quelle femme!) Continue reading ““Elle – Quién va a ser…Isabelle Huppert”” →

Attending a premiere has many advantages, but without a doubt, the best is when the own director introduces the film. Just priceless…

Because, after having seen his previous film (Clouds of Sils Maria with Juliette Binoche), I kept thinking that it might have been just one of, so I decided to watch this one to confirm my suspicions…after all curiosity killed the cat. Of course, he has a very particular way of telling stories about deep and intricate personal relationships. This time, he told us that, after working with Kristen Stewart (incidentally, the only American, or non-French, who won ever a César), he was eager to discover or find her limits as a performer and hence he wrote this movie. By the way, about the boundaries, he said that he still has not found them… He went on to say, that this time next year he will be participating with a film under the experimental section. Thank God this film was only in the “dare” section! Continue reading ““Personal Shopper”” →

It’s been 7 years since he directed his first feature film, “A single man”, so personal, so intimate with the gorgeous Colin Firth and a redhair, Julianne Moore. By this time now, you probably have guessed that I’m talking about Tom Ford.

Now, this time, his second film is even better, if that’s possible!! But, the tables have turned, or, at least, the roles. He repets the scheme….another redhair, this time Amy Adams, who I believe is Ford’s alter ego in this case. (as it was Colin Firth in his first film). Let me point out why I think this is…Tom Ford introduced the film at the Festival with his characteristic thick rimmed glasses in his hand….and both Firth’s and Adams’s characters use a similar pair! Continue reading ““Nocturnal Animals – Animales nocturnos”” →

As its title says, it arrived and I finally watched it. Good science fiction films are always worth waiting for. Furthermore, not everyone is able not to fall into the dead easy and trite of the genre.

I was just discussing it with a friend on Facebook…after all, Denis Villeneuve might not have been a bad choice to direct “Blade Runner 2” after so many years. Especially after some of Ridley Scott’s latest bungles – he went from the top with “A Good Year” to the bottom – crashing with astonishing ease in “Black Hawk Down”. Continue reading ““Arrival – ¿La llegada? (título por confirmar)”” →

How wonderful is to feel like a child once in a while. Very few people have the ability of combining so effortlessly, both fantasy and reality as good as Spielberg and, in this case, it’s my Spanish fella: J.A. Bayona. By the way, his name sounds so much better in English than in Spanish. It felt awkward at first, when the film festival director introduced him (thanks Claire!).

Straight to the point, please don’t watch this film if you don’t believe in magic. In order to enjoy it, you MUST suspend your disbelieves. Otherwise, you are in danger of suffering a colossal disappointment. Don’t say later that I didn’t advise you… Continue reading “Second act: “A monster calls” – Segundo acto: ” Un monstruo viene a verme”” →