Head in the clouds

Hey sweeties,

How’s life going? Me? Haa, I’m a bit sick. On my way to healing though.

So, yesterday, I gathered all my last strengths and I went to the french premiere of The Secret Life of Walter Mitty. And it’s

The Secret Life of Walter Mitty is based on the short story written by James Thurber in 1939. Walter Mitty is the chief of the negative assets department of Life magazine. He is what we could call a lambda employee. He is discrete and mild. And he daydreams a lot. He imagines himself as the hero of situations where he isn’t, to seduce the woman he likes – Cheryl Melhoff, played by Kristen Wiig- or to shut the mouth of his dickhead boss – Ten (dickhead dickhead dickhead) Hendricks,played by Adam Scott.

And I found that, paradoxically, he’s a very reasonable and pragmatic man who always keeps his counts updated in a notebook. Well, maybe it isn’t so paradoxical, it may be quite complementary to his daydreaming… But this isn’t the point.

So, someday, the magazine is redeemed and the last number is to be released. For that last cover, Sean O’Connell – the star photojournalist of the magazine apparently, played by Sean Penn – sent a special photograph that represents the Quintessence of Life.

But this photograph could not be found. It wasn’t sent with the rest of the camera film.

With the help of Cheryl Melhoff, Walter tries to find the photograph. But under the pressure of Ten (dickhead) Hendricks who threatens to fire him, he needs to resort to drastic measures and decides to go in search of Sean O’Connell.

I mean UUUUUGH OF MONSTERS AND MEN AS SOUNDTRACK, how could you not go to watch that film AND love it? So, yes, first awesome thing about the film : the soundtrack. Of Monsters and Men, David Bowie, Arcade Fire.

Second awesome thing : the freaking landscapes. It’s mind-blowing.
[BEWARE, I don’t know if it might be a spoiler, but, just in case, spoiler alert] From Groenland to Himalaya, passing through Iceland, it’s wonderful. [spoiler alert end]
It’s so beautiful that it hurts. It hurts so much. I almost cried of frustration. I was like “nononononononono stop, stop it, my feels, I want to be there so badly, my heart is bleeding”.

Guys, I’m just so under the heat of emotion that I don’t really know how to carry on writing this post. I don’t know what to say. I could say that the actors are perfect, the atmosphere is perfect, the directing is perfect, it’s on the top of the entertaining scale, etc. Yeah yeah, I could say all that. 

I could also say that it’s hilarious, touching, sweet, fabulous, tough and tender *wink wink*(you’ll understand when you’ll watch the film, because you will). There’s everything you need for a good film. Humour, action, romance, adventure, suspense (well, except if you’re like me and you expected the end), real life, fantasy and references.

Of course, there are some imperfections, some points that could have been better. But it’s a gorgeous film and you guys really need to watch it. It’s such a relief for the mind, I don’t know. You’re just happy to watch what you’re watching. 

Look, it’s like being a 6 year-old and going to Disneyland for the first time. Eyes are shining, hands are shaking, you’re so exciting about what you see that you don’t know how to react. You can’t even tell how you feel. Happy? Yes, but it’s more than that. Excited? It’s more than that. Lucky? More than that. It’s an explosion of all the best feelings you can ever feel. There’s no better feeling than this on the eve of your birthday.

Blood, desire and insanity

Hello sweeties,

Last weekend, I saw Stoker. A few weeks ago, I saw the film posters in the subway and I thought “I really need to see that, there’s Mia Wasikowska”. Like most of us I think, I discovered her in Tim Burton’s Alice in Wonderland and immediately fell in love with her. She’s of the actresses who look smart besides being absolutely gorgeous. She looks delicate, cute and kind, but you feel like you can’t mess with her or something like that. I find her fascinating in some way. She’s definitely one of my favourite actresses.

So, yes, I needed to go watch that film. But when I took a look at the trailer, I freaked out. “Oh God, there’s so much blood, I can’t watch that”. You have to know that I can’t bear seeing blood on-screen. I could deeply cut my arm or anything else and bleed badly, I wouldn’t mind. Well, I’d pee in my pants because I’d be afraid of losing my arm, but I’d be ok with seeing blood. But if I see blood on-screen, I totally feel bad. Even a drop. It really really makes me feel uncomfortable. So I was quite worried about watching Stoker, but I plucked up courage and bought a pack of candies to reassure me.

What is it all about by the way? It’s a family story, the one of India and her mother who lost their father and husband – Mr Stoker – in a car accident. Mr Stoker’s brother – uncle Charlie – appears in their life after the funerals. Officially, he comes to keep them company in that ordeal, but it seems that disturbing feelings are going to emerge… Murders and hidden desires are to the program.  *anxious soundtrack dum dum duuum*

I really don’t regret watching the film. First because it’s absolutely brilliant. Second because the candies were very good.

Esthetically, I think it’s beautiful. It’s well filmed, there are very interesting motions. The scenes  follow fluently and it suits the atmosphere of the story. The cinematography is very nice, it definitely is pleasant to the eye. But not only, it also is full of meaning and interpretation. Each shot is thought to serve the story, to be part of it and not only to be pretty or impressive.

Concerning the story, it’s very well written in my opinion. Some things are maybe a little too obvious, but the whole story telling is great. I was scared sometimes, but I thought that it would be worse. It’s well balanced, between anxiety and expectation. I’d say it’s reasonable on that point. I mean, the story isn’t what we could call reasonable : it’s violent, perverse, psychotic. The perfect show for the peeping Toms that we are. But you won’t leave the theater with the heart about to explode of fear (which is a good point for me).
At the same time, the film is perfectly intense, in particular on the feelings of the characters. They seem very… Pure. It’s hard to explain, but it’s very spontaneous, the characters seem to live in their own world and nothing reach their feelings, even those are not socially acceptable.

Stoker is definitely to be seen. Beautifully disturbing.

A ghost who can be seen

Hello sweeties,

I saw The Perks of Being a Wallflower this week. It first didn’t inspire me a lot. I mean, the film’s poster is probably one of the less attractive ones that I ever saw in my life. This awful green colour, yurk. I thought it was some Disney’s comedy. I was like “There’s no way for me to pay to see this, let’s wait until it goes on TV” (N.B.: I almost never watch trailers, because I’m dumb). But then some friends I didn’t see all together for a while suggested to go see it, so I eventually surrendered, because I’m super weak.

And it wasn’t such a bad idea after all. It was a pretty good one actually. There’s nothing original in the film story, but it is nice though. We get into the life of a reserved freshman. It’s his first high school year, he’s friendless and he’s being bullied. He believes it’s going to be the worst period of his life. But he’ll end up to see that he wasn’t totally right.

First thing that makes the film great : the cast. Ezra Miller whom we’re all in love with, Emma Watson whom we’re also all in love with, Paul Rudd whom we’re ALSO all in love with. We live in a beautiful world and we love everyone. Don’t forget Mae Whitman and Johnny Simmons who played Roxy and Young Neil in Scott Pilgrim vs The World, and we’re good.
I think Logan Lerman is nice as Charlie. He has that cute and friendly face, you know. Emma Watson was ok. But the dresser should have chosen better dresses for her because it really wasn’t flattering (hello swimmer’s shoulders). She could have been so much prettier. I really felt that her beauty wasn’t used, that’s a shame. Ezra Miller is hilarious in the film. For once, he’s not playing an insane kid. It’s nice to see him smiling and laughing without being unhealthy. WE WANT MORE OF THAT PLEASE.  He is without any doubt the star of the film.

Second thing that makes the film great : the soundtrack. The Smiths, David Bowie, New Order… How cool is that? I’m a huge fan of The Smiths (original eh), so I was quite happy to hear them there. Asleep is such a beautiful song.

Now, we’re getting emotional. I cried during the film. Yes, OKAY, I cry on almost every film. But here, it’s different. Charlie’s story speaks to me. I’m not crying because “he’s so romantic omg and his story is so sad omg”. It’s a bit more than that. My story isn’t as tragic as Charlie’s, the reason of my constant sorrow is fortunately not the same. But I know how it feels to be alone. Really alone. To be left in the corner. To feel like you belong to nowhere. And to feel like it’s never going to be better. I know these anxiety attacks. I know this loneliness disease. I know all that so well.

When I was younger, I was very shy too. I am still now a little, but I opened up a lot. I made so much progress. And when I was watching the film, I was seeing myself. I was Charlie. I was this guy who thinks he’s a ghost. Before realizing that he’s a ghost who can be seen. And I think it’s the case for a lot of us, more than we might think. 

We all think that no one can understand, no one feel what we feel. Because being depressed is a selfish state of mind. Yes it is, don’t look at me like that, I know you think the same. It is selfish. But you know what? Don’t hide from this, don’t be ashamed. Because it’s good to stop caring about others and to think about yourself instead. You are important. Do you read me? You matter.
I won’t go any further about this subject today. I’ll probably write something about it someday, if I feel the need and if you also feel the need. Know that you’re not alone, ok? You are not alone.

Sooo. So yes, The Perks of Being a Wallflower is another drama made in USA with a soundtrack for hipsters and disgusting sugary feelings and blah blah blah. But at least, this one means something for me.