mercredi 28 décembre 2011

The 11 movies I've loved in 2011

I have been a lot to the theaters this year. Disappointing sometimes, often enjoyable, I came up with a list of 11 movies that I've really liked in 2011; it goes crescendo so read it all! :)

   
X-Men: First Class

After the really disappointing X-men: Wolwerine, this last opus of the successful franchise was really enjoyable. Not much to say about it except some awesome super powers, battle between evil and good and a nice 60's atmosphere. 




Fast Five

In a totally different genre, this action movie was really entertaining and the scenario wasn’t bad at all. Of course, the story stays simple: good bad guys against cops, sexy people and breathtaking car races, but it all works and gives a second breath to the Fast and Furious franchise.




     
Rise of the Planet of the Apes
For once, a prequel is even better than the original ! Great scenario and scenes, good actors and believable struggles in our little monkey friend's mind.



Friends with Benefits
Another surprise this year. Justin Timberlake and Mila Kunis have a great chemistry in this romantic movie, really enjoyable and funny. I can't hide the fact that all those naked scenes were really enjoyable too
:) Too bad the ending is so cheesy! 




The Help
Just watched it in the plane and it was really good! Emma Stone is growing into a great actress. The topic of the black maid in the conservative white southern USA was really interestingly treated.

Hanna
What a movie! The young actress Saoirse Ronan plays a bad-ass killer trained by her dad. Great action and suspense. With a scary and cold Cate Blanchett (definitely my favorite actress)
 
The King's Speech
Rewarded by the Academy, The King's Speech is one of my favorite movies this year. The story is moving, funny and makes you learn a lot about the British monarchy.
     
Super 8
Ah! Finally a good movie from Steven Spielberg with a coming to age story. A young and passionate boy wants to direct a movie with friends and ends up falling in love with the main actress, meanwhile being witness in an alien invasion. Beautiful atmosphere, amazing young actors, great action and special effects.  
     
The Beaver
Probably the strangest movie of the year but wow! This movie directed by Jodie Foster stole my heart. Even if I needed few minutes to get into the "Mel Gibson talking to a beaver muppet", the actor played his part so well, from depressed to possessed, that you really believe that the Beaver is actually alive! And the ending: genius and shocking!
 
Contagion
Shocking, simplified, strong emotions and amazing actors (Kate Winslet, Marion Cotillard, Matt Damon, Laurence Fishburne
…). The viewer is witnessing the spread of an unknown disease, a scary one. No cure and dead people pilling up. You follow the journey of several actors in that medical catastrophe: a family, a WHO specialist, an epidemiologist… The story is really realistic and the staging is amazing! What a great idea Steven Soderbergh had to fade the sound and put music on when a emotional moment happened. Beautifully scary! 

 
50/50
Best surprise of the year and ultimately favorite movie of 2011. Funny and really touching, I have cried and laughed during the entire movie. Cancer is familiar to me and I've really liked the way it was talked about. No unnecessary teary moments, it sounded all very true to me. The two main actors are great: Joseph Gordon-Levitt (oh so handsome and cute) and a surprisingly earnest Seth Rogen, playing outside of his usual genre.

What were your favorite movies this year?

lundi 26 décembre 2011

My good resolutions for 2012

© Tammy Hanratty/Corbis

It's almost New Year and it's the time of the year when you analyze what happened (or didn't happen) and promise to yourself that THIS year you'll respect your new year's resolutions. So here are my 2012 resolutions :

- SPORT ! I need to get my exercice routine back and sweat my ass off at least 4 times a week.
- Party more ! Spend more time with my friends, who I've neglected lately.
- Find a new job ! Not easy to find a new job lately but I hope to reach my goal and find a great position in a media related field.
- Be happy in my personnal life, stop worrying about others too much and overthinking every single detail. Being positive and hang out with people who will care for me as much as I will care for them (so difficult to find those days).
- Travel more ! Places I'm dying to go soon : Japan, USA (New York and San Fransisco), India (Rajasthan), Morrocco. I'd love to go back to South Korea and Taiwan too.

So here are my good resolutions, what are yours ?

samedi 24 décembre 2011

What's left of the Christmas fun ?

AHHHH Christmas ! I remember when I was a little boy and I couldnt wait for that special day when I could discover great presents under the well decorated tree.

© Monalyn Gracia/Corbis

When you are an adult, Christmas has sadly lost most of its appeal ! First, you need to impress everyone that you have decided to invite to your table with a great meal and breath-taking decorations. It's now a competition between hosts and families. Christmas' Eve became tiring and troublesome. Before that you have weeks and weeks of christmas shopping cause everyone now has everything and it's more and more difficult to make people happy with a simple book or cd. And even with the best efforts, you may end up disapointing your loved one. Did you know that in France, a third of all christmas presents is sold online the next day ? Not everyone can pretend to be a good Santa !

So what is left of the christmas spirit when you aren't a young child anymore ? I guess what survives through the hassle of the years is probably this young version of you awakening at the simple thought of those great (and now refundable) presents under the well decorated tree. So enjoy this day and its tradition even if you are now on the wrong side of the screen and Merry Christmas to your inner child !