Hiatus...I don't like the word, let's just call it a little break

As you may have seen, I haven't been posting regularly or being that active on Twitter in these last few days.

I have an explanation, there is a cause and fear not, the break will be over soon. Here's the rundown:

Cause: Dissertation
Topic: Independend Film Industry : D I know
DDL: 30th August, 11:59 pm
Anxiety level: approaching a 7
% of dissertation done- about 70%
Chances of success? 100 (I'm being positive here)
When will I be back? Most likely 1st September
Will I start posting more often? YES
Do I know my 1 year anniversary is coming? YES
Am I preparing something special for it? YES
Should I stop answering in CAPS LOCK? yes
Are you still with me, guys? ________

Love you all, be back soon!
Diana

Submarine [2010]

Written and directed by Richard Ayoade, Submarine is a film based on a novel by Joe Dunthorne, about the trials and tribulations of a young man who has to deal with love and parental issues. It's a rather dark movie, that deals with depression, fear, death, separation and loneliness, but it somehow shines because of its actors' performance, the sweet, awkward vibe of it and the beautiful way it treats the delicate themes.

Oliver Tate, wonderfully played by Craig Roberts is a shy, introvert 15-year old who is in love with Jordana, a fellow classmate. After he finally conquers her heart and begins dating her, problems in the family start arising, as a former flame of his mother stirs up trouble in the couple's life. We witness a series of funny, but also sad and miserable scenes in which Oliver tries to cope and fix all of the problems the best way a young boy can. Split into three parts, the last one, representing the show down, is the most interesting one, as his desperation on New Year's Eve night to find his mother and "save her" shows us the most emotion we've ever seen him display, and it is moving and unsettling to see.

Although the overall feeling is a dark and deep one, there are several scenes that are awkwardly sweet and funny: the imagining of his funeral, the first conversation he has with his father about love and relationships, his preparation for Thursday night lovemaking, or his desperate act of revenge against the man. As dark and secluded Oliver is, we still care and sympathise with him, and so viewers are constantly rooting for his happiness and success in resolving his problems.

One of the things that made me love and fondly remember this movie are the characters, which are created and portrayed in such an unusual, yet very appealing and entertaining way: from his adorable mother played by the genius Sally Hawkins, to the crazy Graham Purvis (Paddy Considine, with the coolest haircut ever), and his often annoying, but in the end, sad and misunderstood girlfriend, Jordana, all have a certain something that distinguishes them from all typical characters you see in comedies or drama, and I really appreciated that.

Another strong point is the music, as all the song were written and performed by Alex Turner, of Arctic Monkeys fame. I think the soundtrack definitely improved the overall atmosphere and feel of the movie, especially in some parts, like the scene where Oliver reads Jordana's letter, puts his father cassette on and lies on the bed, as it crumbles, with the voice of Alex Turner on the background.

Submarine is a rather typical British movie- dramatic, sometimes a little bit bleak, but with a quirky sense of humour and mountains of talent and quality of filmmaking. Although it ended on a high note, I still found it to be at times depressing and dark. Still, Submarine is a good movie that I recommend!

P.S. If you liked Moonrise Kingdom and its style and humour, I think you will enjoy this, as well- I found a lot of similarities between these two, but maybe I'm wrong.

P.S.2. Ben Stiller, wtf?

On the road [2012]

On the 16th of August, I had the pleasure to attend the UK Premiere of On the road at the Somerset House, which is a great location. No, I wasn't invited and no, I didn't mingle with the celebrities or the press- I bought my own ticket and saw the film with all the rest of normal people. It was actually very nice. There were no chairs, so everyone had to bring their own blanket and/or pillows from home, and they allowed food and drinks brought from outside, so basically everyone came for a picnic and a film viewing- absolutely lovely.The place was packed by the time the three actors (Danny Morgan, Tom Sturridge, Sam Reily) were presented. They didn't talk too much, but it was nice to have them discuss their movie experience before seeing it. P.S. Reily was one the deepest, most grave voice I have ever heard- very interesting.

On The Road is an adaptation of the famous Jack Kerouac book from the 50s about the Beat generation. It tells the story of Sal and his adventures across the United States, where he meets a wide range of interesting characters, starting with the crazy Dean Moriarty, and continuing with people like Old Bull Lee (Viggo Mortensen), Terry (Alice Braga) or hitchhikers like Steve Buscemi. Written for screen by Jose Rivera and directed by Walter Salles, of Motorcycle Diaries fame, On The Road is a wonderful film, a very well made one, from almost all cinematic point of views, but missing in real and palpable emotion. Not perfect, but not as bad as most reviews make it to be.

The script is very faithful to the book, but doesn't quite capture its madness and sense of youth and adventure, so overall it leaves you a little bit unsatisfied. That is probably the thing that set off all the not so lukewarm reactions from critics. Even I, after seeing it, had to think for a long hour why it didn't impress me- what was missing? why wasn't it all that? I think as much as he tried, Salles couldn't properly transmit Jack Kerouac's world to the screen. I don't mean that visually or from an acting point of view- no, those aspects were very beautiful, it just didn't have the complete vibe of the Beat era, at least that is what I thought (I did read the book 2 years ago).

Taking that aside, I thought everything else was simply wonderful and very beautiful to watch. The direction, and I think I can easily include the cinematography in this description, as well, were on the same page as the era, the vibe of the story and its characters- a little careless, full of light and colors, but also shadows and darkness. One of the things I loved about it is the fact that it managed to highlight the actors' performances: the close-ups showing us the unexpected moments of sadness and desperation (Kristen Stewart melancholic realizations in the car as the hitchhiker sings, or the fantastic ending shot of Garrett Hedlund on the streets of New York), the wide shots of the places and situation in which the protagonists were faced with- everything worked very well and helped us understand them much better and see beyond the youthful exuberance that drove them forward. The score/soundtrack of the 40s and 50s, paired with the sets and the costumes, recreated the Beat years and immersed the audience into the period, showcasing the wonderful mad group in the perfect light.

Casting-wise, I think Salles chose the right people for the job. If you research the whole story behind the making of the film, you will find out that there were a lot of A listers lined up for it: Marlon Brando, Leonardo DiCaprio, Brad Pitt and so on, but when Salles came on board, he insisted he wanted unknown actors for the main parts and I think his choice was better for the film overall.

Sam Reily, as Sal Paradise, the lead character, did a great job, showing us a calm, intelligent, patient personality, but one in constant need for love, attention and friendship- I really liked the way he portrayed his attraction and fascination with Dean, although the book suggests an even more sexual connection with the wild man.

Garrett Hedlund, as the devil rallying up everyone, was probably the stand out of the cast, and with good reason, since his character is the most complex of them all. Yes, Moriarty may seem just like a crazy bastard, but deep down there is someone else out there waiting to come out, and he does, from time to time. Garrett perfectly portrays the part and shines in most of his scenes. I especially loved the one in Sal's house, when he confesses to his friend that he is lost, that he doesn't know how to calm down or what he really wants- the way he goes from a sad, melancholic state to crazy retelling of a sex orgy, back to the sense of misery he hides in his soul- it was just fantastic, at least in my eyes. If the movie does well and gets attention, you can definitely expect award nominations for him (I will be rooting for him all the way, I have been a fan of his for a long time).

Most are probably wondering about Kristen Stewart. What can I say? She did a good job, although there are still traces of Bella, actually of plain old Stewart, still there- I'm referring to the rapid blinking, hand through her hair and other typical KStew mannerisms. But she does shows us a different side of her in some scenes, as she is required to perform in several sex scenes, displaying a wild, slightly nymphomaniac personality. She doesn't go all the way, as in the book, but the effort must definitely be appreciated. I think she shines more in the second half, as her character grows and faces more challenges there.

Other two performances I really enjoyed were by Kirsten Dunst and Tom Sturridge. Dunst has the experience, beauty and charisma, and those three elements made it rather easy for her to shine; it blew KStew out of the park. Also, she had great chemistry with Hedlund, I can definitely see why they're dating now. As for Sturridge, I just loved him and his character- he is so poetic, sweet and naive, just a man looking for love and attention and the perfect poem. There is one scene where he talks with Sal about his feelings towards Dean and what he wants from life- one of my favorite from all the film, he acted it wonderfully.

There are also a lot of cameos/short apperances by world class actors: Terence Howard, Steve Buscemi (in a disturbed sex scene), Elisabeth Moss, Alice Braga, and of course, the creme de la creme, Viggo Mortensen and Amy Adams, who portrayed pure madness and quirkiness, in a memorable and entertaining way. You will definitely be a little surprised by Adams, but in a good way. Overall, Reily, Hedlund and Dunst stand out, but my surprise was definitely Tom Sturridge- quite the revelation, I loved him!

Before coming to the conclusion, I have to give a warning for the prudes: you should expect a lot of drugs (marijuana and benzedrine) and sex scenes- there are many of them, but never over the top or too long (with the exception of the San Francisco one, which I cringed because it just took too much to show one obvious thing).

On The Road is a great film, based on an even better book, that deserves your attention and patience. It's wonderfully made and perfectly acted (well, for most parts), and although it doesn't quite reach the level of madness and beauty of the Beatnik era, it's a lovely attempt. Go watch it if you have the chance!

Garden State [2004]

Written and directed by Zach Braff, Garden State is a weird, rather pretentious movie that failed to really impress me. Everything seemed too perfectly awkward and amazingly hipster, with a large dose of misunderstood melancholic state that absolutely didn't feel realistic, and not even a little bit adorable.

OK, maybe I'm being too harsh on it, let's go back to the beginning. Garden State tells the story of Andrew Largeman, a wannabe actor who is forced to return to his hometown in order to witness the burial of his mother. He then gets reacquainted with some old high school friends (Peter Sarsgaard being one of them) and meets a sweet, wacky girl, named Sam (Natalie Portman). It's basically a character development story; you may even called it a coming of age one, and usually I'm all up for it, because I love these kinds of scripts, but this was just....slightly unbearable. If I were the quitting type, I would have done it by minute 15, but I'm not, so I stayed until the end, and I don't regret it that much, since I did see a couple of scenes I liked. I understand and appreciate the fact that it is a personal story for Braff and that it is, in a way, autobiographical, but sometimes just didn't click for me.

From a filmmaking point of view, there's nothing particular to say about the direction or the cinematography- they didn't stand out, good or bad. As for the screenplay, as you might imagine, I'm not that positive about it. I understood where he was going with the story, with the idea of quitting drugs and finally experiencing life, but I thought most of the dialogue was a tad too clicheic, if that is a word, and even a little bit lame. Again, it was almost screaming from every letter and phrase, "look at me, I'm so awkward and melancholic and misunderstood, but underneath all that I'm such a cool, beautiful person". Now, I'm not applying this to the whole movie- I actually liked the screaming into abyss scene and the bath one between the two lovers (that was an honest, sweet moment); it actually started getting interesting in his last day in town, with the whole hunting for Large's present but overall, yeah, it didn't do it for me. I did love the soundtrack, that was definitely a strong point.

As for the acting, I won't dwell too much on it, but I will talk a bit about Natalie Portman's character. Most of time, I really didn't knew if I absolutely loved or hated her. Sometimes she would be sweet and caring, other times her forced wackiness would just completely put me off. I still don't how I feel about her. What did you think of her character?

In conclusion, if you want to watch Garden State, I suggest you don't. Please, just try something else: when's the last time you saw a 1950s movie? Or a musical? Just rent Beauty and the Beast, I 'm 100% sure you will like it more than this.

Searching for Sugar Man [2012]

Yesterday, in an attempt to escape my overly quiet campus and the pending dissertation that is breathing down my neck, I went out in town for a coffee, some magazines and a movie. I saw Searching for Sugar Man, a documentary I've been meaning to see for a long time. I chose Curzon Soho because of its location, and it was a great experience, of high quality, but damn, was it expensive, I'm not going there anytime soon.

Anyway, the movie, written and directed by Malik Bendjelloul, tells the story of Rodriguez, an unknown Detroit artist who recorded two albums at the beginning of the 70s, that were basically invisible to the American industry, but had a huge success in South Africa. Two locals, intrigued by the mystery of a man who they knew nothing about, but loved his music, decide to solve the problem by tracking down the money and find out the real story of Sixto Rodriguez, the South African musical hero.

I won't spoil everything, but I will say it was a nice, but bittersweet journey. The whole movie takes you through a whirlwind of emotions and stories: from the beginning of his career, when producers would consider him to be a genius, to the inexplicable downfall, to his resurrection in the southern hemisphere, the inside view of a man who changed a nation without even knowing and the sad truth of music industry and where it can get you. It goes up, then down, it gives you goosebumps, it makes you smile, and it entertains you with a wonderful soundtrack.

This leads to a very important part of the documentary- the music. At a first listen, you immediately think "Bob Dylan" and the similarities are definitely there- same grave voice, some beautiful lyrics, same style, but Rodriguez shines somehow through his songs and their own simplicity and beauty, sometimes even better and commercial than the folk idol. I really do encourage you to give it a listen, even if you don't see the movie. Try "Sugar man", "I wonder" or "Can't get away"- very relaxing, smooth and rhythmic songs.

Searching for Sugar Man is one of the best documentaries I've seen recently- I recommend it to any music lovers out there. It has a perfect balance of emotion, passion and entertainment, mixed in a rather interesting way. You should see it if you have the chance!

Vera Drake [2004]

Written and directed by Mike Leigh, Vera Drake is a 2004 British film which tells the story of an older woman who performs abortions in the 50s. It is quiet, subdued and heartbreaking at points, as she must ultimately face the consequences of her actions.

Vera Drake is portrayed as an incredibly positive, outgoing and slightly naive person, with a heart of gold, who is available and willing to help anyone who requires it. Married with two children, a son and a shy, introvert daughter, she goes on her day to day life, cleaning houses as a way to pay the bills. The harsh discrepancy comes when we find out Vera is also known, to many women, as the lady who performs abortions. She does it because she thinks she is helping girls out whenever they can't manage, and because she has been doing it for such a long time without any problems and without receiving any money for it, she is sincerely upset when one of her "patients" is admitted to the hospital in terrible conditions after it.

Misses Drake's world collapses when, in the day of her daughter's engagement, the police come knocking on her door, demanding information about her rituals, after the sick girl's mother tells the police Vera's name. That scene when the detectives come to confront the woman is probably one of the most moving, heartbreaking moments of the whole movie. We can easily see the change as she realises what she has done and what might await for her, we can feel her emotions, her terror, and her performance was quite extraordinary. I loved the fact that everything was quiet, there were no shouted accusations or cheeky attitude, there were only silent voices and normal conversation, as she admits to the detective and the police that she "help girls out, when they can't manage"; she answers the questions, but her mind always goes back to her family and her children in the other room.

Vera Drake is a bleak, rather slow movie- it seems like it's just waiting to burst, but there is no fire, not even at the end. The cinematography and the direction are wonderful and they perfectly use the 50s sets and costumes, which are all realistic, and I always smiled at the use of the very British language (Ta, crikey, be back in a jiffy). The supporting cast is very good, especially Richard Graham who plays her husband, the insanely talented Eddie Marsan as Reg, and I do have to mention the dorky Chris O'Dowd, as well, even though he had a very small part.

Imelda Staunton, portraying the main character, is, as expected, absolutely brilliant. She brings so much joy and kindness to her part at the beginning, but so much angst and fear after the reveal, and she does it with conviction, passion and immense talent. I was impressed by her performance, especially in scenes like the one where she had to take off the wedding ring.

Overall, Vera Drake is a very well made film, with a great lead performance and a sensible topic, but that might bore or unsatisfy some, just because of its slow, rather bleak rhythm. I liked it, but I wouldn't recommend whole hearted to everyone, it depends on what people usually like.

The Dark Knight Rises [2012]

Before going in to see the film, I didn't read the reviews or the spoilers- I didn't knew who was the villain (except Bane) or the character reveal at the end; all I remember was reading a tweet that said the film had a lot of plot holes. Besides that, nothing, so I went into the theatre with normal expectations, trying to have a clean view on it.

Ladies and gentlemen, sorry to say, but I was not that impressed. Yes, it's a very good action movie, with great visual effects and fight scenes, grand, magnificent and brave, but it didn't do it for me. It didn't have Dark Knight's tight, intriguing and slightly crazy storyline, or Heath Ledger's complex character type, it didn't help people connect with the characters; moreover, the movie seemed to try too hard in achieving greatness and darkness at times, some plot holes were too obvious and I honestly didn't understand half of the things Bane said. It still has the Batman/Nolan magic, but it's not better or more exciting than the first two.

I love, for most of it, Nolan's direction and vision. I understand where he is going and I appreciate and admire his ways, but sometimes it was too much (Bane taking over the city and all his speeches). He creates epic movies, with many subtleties that are surely missed at the first view (I remember seeing Inception for the second time and understanding so much more then); on one hand, it plants a doubt or an intrigue on your brain and you remember it, but on the other hand you leave the theatre unsatisfied and that leads to a not so stellar opinion overall. If I would have to classify his movies, I would put Dark Knight and Inception above TDKR, if not others, too.

See, that was my problem- this need for an epic finale of the Batman trilogy, with huge action scenes, and end-of-the-world speeches and moments, felt sometimes too fake and over the top...and this is where the plot holes come in. Struggling for almost a year to get of the worst prison in the world, Bruce Wayne climbs to the top, and without any money, passport, transport, he arrives safe and sound and with clothes in the most protected, craziest and secluded place in the world. Should I even mention the fact that if a bomb would really explode in the middle of the ocean or bay, it would probably trigger a tsunami so strong that could wipe out a city? And how did he have time to get out of there in time? Also, when did he have time to write his will leaving all of the buildings he previously lost AND indications for a specific character before being forced into the pit? I'm sure there are more and more important than this one, but I'll leave it at that.

Before I continue, I know most of you are probably rolling their eyes right now, saying "Come on, it's an action movie/blockbuster/different world, why is it so important?"- it isn't and I probably wouldn't have noticed or mention it, if it wasn't for the fact that overall, the movie failed to impress or excite me. You could argue that Avengers had a worse script or bigger plot holes, yes, but that movie had me on the edge of my seat, entertained and excited for most of the time.

But, you see, there are some amazing details in The Dark Knight Rises that need to be talked about. Firstly, the splendid Hans Zimmer score, who was perfectly chilling and powerful for the story. Secondly, the visually beautiful cinematography, from the close ups or wide shots, to the dark tone of the film. Thirdly, the fantastic casting: I love Michael Caine- his sweet, wise, caring and noble personality, and most especially, his last scenes, as they were, probably, the only moments where my emotions got to me (and, of course,the goodbye scene). Christian Bale, mister Batman himself, continued his line of great performances by delivering a suffering, dark and lonesome Batman. Tom Hardy's was good, but that's the thing- he didn't actually stand out in any way, which is probably ok, since his character is just a toy of the main villain, just a man fighting someone else's war, because of love. Anne Hathway was a lovely surprise and I really liked her portrayal of Catwoman, and Marion Cotillard was stunning as usual- got to say, I was not expecting that twist at the end. As for Joseph Gordon-Levitt, well, yet again, nothing out of the ordinary until the last scenes, were I was, once more, taken back by the reveal. My friends seem to think we will definitely have a continuation because of that, do you think so, too?

I admit, the last part was pretty amazing and I loved all the character revelations, the way Nolan tied up loose ends by giving Alfred his dream ending and so on.

To sum things up, The Dark Knight Rises is a fantastic summer blockbuster that fails to connect in some places. Wonderfully made and full of action and power, but doesn't reach its maximum potential, as it clogs in a sea of details, characters, storylines and a need for epic proportions. If I really had to rate it (something that I never do, as you must have noticed), I would give it a 3.5, maybe 4, out of 5. That's still good, right?

Liebster award

Yesterday the lovely Ethan from A reservation at Dorsia (I love the name, BTW) and Margaret from Cinematic Corner [and now Iluvcinema] passed the Liebster blog award on to me. So now it’s my turn to tell you some things about me and answer Ethan's and Sati's questions. Here are the rules of the blog-a-thon:

Each person must post 11 things about themselves.

Answer the 11 questions the person giving the award has set for you.

Create 11 questions for the people you will be giving the award to.

Choose 11 people to award and send them a link to your post.

Go to their page and tell them.

No tag backs.


11 things about Diana

1. I try to avoid as much as I can Horror movies- I have probably seen maximum 5 in my life. Blame Chucky, the killer doll, for this absurdity. [I watched it when I was like 7 and I couldn't sleep for 3 days after it]

2. I can't really explain why, but I just can't stand Jennifer Aniston, she annoys the hell out of me; some goes with Blake Lively.

3. Chocolate- my drug, in any shape or form. The longest I've lasted without having it? probably a week

4. I went through a very long phase (aka crush/obsession) of Backstreet Boys mania- hey, don't laugh or roll your eyes, I was 8 or 9. Nick Carter was my idol :)

5. I am a very lazy, rather static person. Me, in clubs every night or walking for days? hiking? sports every week? neah, not my thing, sorry!

6. As much as I am into indie and alternative music right now, I can't refuse a good R'n B song- this week's choice: Frank Ocean- Thinkin about you

7. Considering I write a movie blog, you would be shocked and horrified by the number of classic, must see films I haven't watched....YET!

8. Confession: I never understood the fascination about Lord of the Rings trilogy- why do people think it's the best thing in the world? it's not, it really isn't! Best Picture winner? really? *prepares to hide from the avalanche of tomatoes coming her way*

9. Most of my day is consisted of me daydreaming- I waste so much time imagining things and hoping for miracles or unrealistic situation to happen, it's beginning to annoy me. Is there a cure for that?

10. If I could adapt a book into a movie or mini series, that would be East of Eden by John Steinbeck- fantastic story with a level of character development that just amazes me, and I love character development in films.

11. I have never paid for 1 movie and went to see 2. I want to do- is it tricky to do? any tips? :)




Here are Ethan's eleven questions for me:

1. Which do you prefer: Foreign films or english-language films?
English- language films: I think knowing the language and understanding, first hand, what they are saying, without reading the subtitles, makes you understand and feel the story better

2. Black & White or color?
Color. As much as I like the magic and uniqueness of black&white, color is very important to me.

3. Has any film changed the way you look at something? If so, which one and what did it change?
Hmm..interesting question, I don't know, I don't think so, nothing comes to mind now!

4. What part of the filmmaking process interests you the most?
Scriptwriting, directing and casting, in that order, the first being the most important.

5. Have you started working on creating your own films?
I have several script ideas, I just haven't started yet- I really should, though, very soon

6. Did you discover film on your own or did someone expose you to it?
It's hard to explain, but let's just say that my film passion, the one that drove me to start a blog, started recently because of my viewing of A Streetcar named Desire.

7. What’s your favorite genre?
Probably drama, or something like Little Miss Sunshine or Juno, which is a mix of drama and comedy, from my point of view

8. Do you just enjoy watching films, is it actually a career path that you want to pursue, or do you already work in the film industry?
It's a career path that I want to pursue

9. When a novel is adapted to film do you read the book before watching it or vice versa?
If I am interested in both, I always first read the book, then see the movie, for me this makes much more sense than the other way around.

10. What do you think is the most powerful creative medium? Why?
What do you mean by creative medium? if you're talking about the best place to work or one that can influence your creativity flow, that could be anywhere- sometimes I get inspired on the tube or at a coffee shop, but honestly most of my ideas come at night, before going to sleep, or when I daydream, which I do a lot.

11. What’s the best use of music you’ve ever seen in film?
Recently, I've been fascinated with scores and orchestral music, I've been noticing it more often. The best example I can give, the one that pops up in my mind, is the typewriting piece or piano sounds from the Atonement score- if you've seen the movie, you know what I am talking about. It's rather original and interesting.


Here are Sati's questions:
1. What is your favorite movie scene?

Hard to say, there are so many, but one that I always remember and somehow, with no particular reason, affects me, is the burn scene in Fight Club, when Pitt's characters burns Norton's hand and gives him the big speech about life and loss. Brilliance right there!
2. Your favorite performance?

Again, I don't have a favorite one, but I love Michael Fassbender in Shame, and I was shocked by how good Hillary Swank was in Boys don't cry, and I would also add Vivien Leigh in A streetcar named desire to the list
3. Movie character that is most similar to you?

Hm...interesting! I really don't know, I would probably be the supporting character, maybe the best friend or something :))
4. Favorite movie quote?

Sooo many: "I'll make him an offer he can't refuse" (Godfather), "Nobody's perfect" (Some like it hot), "Your mom scares me" (Almost Famous), "It's only after we've lost everything that we are free to do anything" (or something like that- Fight Club)
5. What is one movie where you would change actual director/actor/actress for someone else?

I can't remember anything specific, but just to give a recent example, I would change Cody Harn in Magic Mike with someone else.
6. What is the first film you saw?

Wow...I can't say for sure, but probably Beauty and the Beast or Dirty Dancing :)- both at home, on VHS
7. Would you change any character's fate? If so, whose and for what?

Nedd Stark in Game of Thrones- he died too soon
8. Your favorite track from movie soundtrack?

A tie between "Cell Block Tango" from Chicago and "I've had the time of my life" from Dirty Dancing
9. What book would you like to see adapted for screen?

Like I said before, East of Eden by John Steinbeck
10. Favorite guilty pleasure movie?

Cry Baby, with Johnny Depp
11. Favorite trailer?

Shame- the song helped build up a tension that is so palpable and breathtaking that I am always overwhelmed when I see it

Here are Iluvcinema's questions:
1. LOTR or Harry Potter?

Harry Potter, no doubt about it!
2. What’s the longest you have waited in line for a movie?

Hmm....I'm not the premiere type, so I don't know, probably 30 minutes, if it was really crowded
3. Have you ever fallen asleep in a film? If so, which one?

Never in cinema...maybe at home, when I was very little, but I usually don't fall asleep or give up a movie, I try to watch it all, even if I don't like it.
4. What was your first concert experience?

First concert? that's a tough one! I think it was a local festival with three local bands, it was pretty good, I don't remember that much.
5. If you could go anywhere in the world, where would it be?

Again, a no brainer: NEW YORK CITY! it's been a dream of mine for a long time
6. Any hidden talent(s)?

No, I don't think so....I don't know
7.Subtitles: Yea or Nay?

I am totally ok with subtitles....sometimes I even chose English subtitles for an English movie just because it helps me understand better and get all the dialogue
8. What book would you like to be seen made into a movie?

Like I said before, East of Eden by John Steinbeck
9. What is the first thing you would do if you won the lottery?

Settle on a sum and give it to my family, help my parents with their payments and everything
10. Have you ever snuck into a film without paying for it?

No, but I want to do it soon :D
11. What is your favorite silent film?

I haven't watched a lot of them, but I really liked City Lights, by Charlie Chaplin

My 11 questions:

1. What's the song that you keep listening these days (the repeat curse)?
2. The last film you saw in cinema? 3 words to describe it please
3. Childhood crush?
4. Think of a soundtrack of a movie and tell me the best song from it, one that you still listen, years after you've seen the film
5. What's that one genre of films that you usually don't watch?
6. If you could adapt a book into a movie or miniseries, what would it be and why?
7. Tell me one actor/actress that you would be starstruck by (imagine you walk in a Starbucks and you see him/her 2 feet from you- possible reaction: eyes wide open, legs shaking, suddenly it's hot in the room)
8. If you could recommend a book to your readers, what would it be and why?
9. How would you describe a perfect (or close to perfect) script? what are they key elements it should have?
10. Favorite British actor/actress?
11. What did you have for lunch?

I know a lot of people already got the award, some even from different sources, so it is hard for me to transfer to 11 new people, but what I am really interested is in your answer of the questions. I will nominate some blogs, but anyone can answer them, in my comment box or on their blog, I would love to read your replies anyway. Here are some of my choices:

Ruth from "splendid and lovely"

Nikhat from "being norma jean"

Margaret from "cinematic corner"

Ruth from "flix chatter"

Stevee from "cinematic paradox"

Anna from "defiant success"

Liam from "underwood uncut"

Alex from "and so it begins"

SDG from "U, me and films"

Alex Jowski 

...and so on!

Like I said, no need to do everything all over again or ask another 11 people, just answer the questions! :)