We need to talk...

One day before Valentine's Day, and for the first time in the last 8 months, Marco and I arranged a date to go to the movie theatre, just the two of us.

Originally, our choice was Wim Wenders's latest documentary for Pina Bausch, 'Pina 3D', but at the theatre, the times had changed and no longer worked for us...

Instead, we went to see a pretty intense movie: 'We need to talk about Kevin', by Lynne Ramsay.


Two days later, I still see images of this film in my mind's eye. Yeek, that was really horrifying on many levels. I do not regret seeing it but for a first film after 8 months of abstinence, that was a bit of a tough ride! We laughed :O)

Now, I can't wait to go see 'Pina 3D'. Hopefully, Pina's contemporary poetry and dance should do me a world of good!

Top of the morning to you!

These last few days, I've had to rest at home for health reasons (thank you very much, I am perfectly well now!;)).

The experience reminded me of my childhood's sick days when my mum would tuck me in bed and bring me a very comforting bowl of soup (little alphabet noodles were one of my faves) or a plate of ham and mash.

This time, my mum had been replaced by my loving and caring husband, but the scenario was quite similar: "Lie down and rest!" I have never felt bored when obliged to rest, it is just that now I feel more... restless, and it is more difficult to stay in just resting...So just like when I was a child, I took a good pile of books and magazines to go through, and asked my husband to pick up a short list of musical comedies to cheer me up. And it worked! 'S wonderful!

Here are 2 of them for your viewing pleasure:

Top Hat


An American in Paris

The Secret in their Eyes & Nine Queens

The Secret in their Eyes (El Secreto de Sus Ojos), directed by Juan José Campanella (2010):

 & Nine Queens (Nueve Reinas), directed by Fabián Bielinsky (2000):

Cher and Julie Andrews: not one wrinkle!!

Yesterday was a cold and rainy Saturday...As the raindrops were slashing the window panes in a regular fit of liquid ecstasy, we decided to cuddle up a bit. And so we browsed through our newly acquired VHS standards (found at Goodwill for 1$) that were waiting for us on the shelf. We picked one for the early afternoon (Moonstruck), and a second one for the late night show (Mary Poppins). How delightful! These two films have aged extremely well! Let me prove it to you...

Moonstruck (by Norman Jewison, 1987), with Cher and Nicolas Cage: Crazy romantic - infectious!
A few quotes:
-Ché bella luna!
-I am confused!
-It's that crazy moon!
-Snap out of it!
-Do you love him, Loretta?...Oh, Ma, I love him awful...Oh God, that's too bad!

...and the great Mary Poppins (by Walt Disney, 1964). A treat, take my word for it!
A few of my favourite quotes:
-Just a spoonful of sugar makes the medicine go down... in the most delightful way!
-A thing of beauty is a source of joy in life.
-Close your mouth, Michael, you are not a cod fish!
-First of all, let me tell you something...I never explain anything!
-There is a word for it: Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious (sing along with the video: a good tongue-twisting exercise, guaranteed!)

Now as you perhaps already know it, there is also an edited version for a fictitious film entitled Scary Mary, which has a little something of Poltergeist to it...

Flying to the Moon!

To the Moon or...to St Peter's Gate with Fred Astaire and Gene Kelly in The Ziegfeld Follies!

If you want to be You...Be a Fantastic YOU!

Being true to oneself is not easy everyday... It could even be considered as one of the biggest ordeals we have been assigned to achieve, don't you think? Hence my interest in two films that I saw recently. Both deal with the topic with such bravado that I felt I had to share the good tips with you, my dear readers.
Fantastic Mr Fox by Wes Anderson. I saw it on January 2nd at the theatre, thanks to a couple of wonderful friends, Rob and Trelawnie, who had invited us for the occasion. They thought it would be a good way to celebrate the new year. And they were right; it was a FANTASTIC and spectacular way to step in the new decade!

I found this stop-motion version of Roald Dahl's classic tale very foxy (;o), witty and delightfully satirical, but also quite down-to-earth as it is also based on good commonsense...All in all, Mr.Fox (George Clooney's voice is perfect here) cannot help being himself, i.e a "wild animal". After this fantastic screening, we were hungry like wild horses (they eat all the time in the film!), so we decided to treat ourselves to the Golden Thai on Church Street. From Fantastic to Golden, how better could that get?

Now, just a few days ago, Marco and I felt so free, so high and so happy to be you+me that it was the perfect night for us to welcome Harold and Maude at home...The VHS video having been bequeathed upon us by the good graces of Rob & Trelawnie (the same amazing friends, yes), we watched it again for our viewing pleasure. What a roller-coaster!

Just in case you too felt the connection between Wes Anderson's films (Rushmore, for instance) and Hal Ashby's dead pan humour (see Being There and Harold & Maude, of course), you would be perfectly right. We discovered that Wes Anderson was greatly influenced by Ashby's Harold & Maude.

Now let's play a little game...
Click on the picture below. Then enter your first name, surname and password (character):

P.S: I am Lettres Ornées, and you?

Big Night!

Primo & Ann from Big Night

With Christmas drawing closer, get-together parties are multiplying on your calendars just as I am writing it...
Here is my suggestion for a double-bill evening in the hotel & restaurant film category. This is a recipe for success that will assure you a cosy and memorable party with your loved ones. Eating good food - why not try Big Night's "Timpano", or "Timbale"(a yummy avatar of the timpano)?- drinking good wine and being merry in good company is, I think, a very pleasant way to rejoice over the season.

Big Night (1996), directed by Campbell Scott, Stanley Tucci

Click on the picture above to listen to samples from the unforgettable soundtrack!

Grand Hotel (1932), directed by Edmund Goulding.

With Greta Garbo, John Barrymore, Joan Crawford.

Greta Garbo & John Barrymore on set: the encounter of two legendary actors. They developed a real friendship based on mutual appreciation and respect.

Watch the first scene of the movie: