"Does your depravity know no bounds?"

I am a huge movie freak as you might have noticed from my incessant babble about movies and actors and whatnot. I blame my family for letting me spend countless of hours superglued to the tv screen when I was a kid watching too many cartoons which resulted in a) a sharp sense of sarcasm and b) an understanding of the English language from a very fragile age.

This lead to a new way of annoying said family (screaming random words in English, like mistletoe or dumplings or pumpernickel while running around them in circles was a favorite past time) and the chance to enjoy movies at a fragile age without subtitles being a problem anymore.


There is honestly nothing better than a night at the cinema with a huge bag of popcorn or an evening cuddling up on the bed and pressing play. And of course I did just that last year!
I think I watched so many movies, from the good to the bad, from the amazing to the ones I refuse to admit I ever watched (cough Bruno cough), from the ones I watched countless of times to the ones that started full blown obsessions.

And as always, there are the ones that stood out like chest wound in an emergency room (medical humor, haha. Yeah, funny for just a smidgen of the population, I know) and these are it. I know it's almost February and all of the end of year lists are usually done, well, at the end of the year but I could not let my favorite movies pass unnoticed.

And also, I am the kind of girl that would be late to her very own funeral so this is just typical :))

Without further adieu, in no order whatsoever, my favorite movies of the past year:

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(click all photos for bigger)

The ones that will be watched a couple more (tens of) times:

Inglourious Basterds
Imdb here. Trailer here.

It's a Quentin Tarantino film so of course it had to be in my top ten. I love QT even if he always creeps me out a little and this movie had it all for me: an amazing cast (rounded up by Christoph Waltz who waltzed - haha, get it? - his way right into my heart with one of the best roles of the year!), that typical Tarantino violence that always seems to tiptoe the line between gruesome and cartoonish, a soundtrack so weird that it fit the movie just right (David Bowie anyone?), the equivalent of language eye-candy for the ears, and history as you've never seen it before. And Eli Roth manhandling Nazis with a baseball bat. Perfection!





The Hangover
Imdb here. Trailer here.

Okay, I admit it, I refused to watch this movie at first because I was more than convinced it was going to be another one of those atrocious movie that sell themselves as comedies but which are anything but. And boy, was I wrong! It's a truly funny comedy that makes you wince with laughter and makes you wipe happy tears from your eyes at the end and thank god that, even though you've had your fair share of drunken nights, at least you did not wake up with a missing tooth, a baby and Mike Tyson's tiger in the morning!




Where the Wild Things Are
Imdb here. Trailer here.

I remember reading the book as a kid and loving it. And even though I was skeptical at first, this really did turn out to be a beautiful portrayal of childhood and of just where a child's imagination and thirst for knowing "what is right?" can take him. And even if the movie did not hit it with you, the soundtrack is really just as quirky as the images themselves.




(500) Days of Summer
Imdb here. Trailer here.

This is truly not a love story. This is a story about love, true as it really is, happy and painful and raw and real and not always with a perfect ending. Joseph-Gordon Levitt and Zooey Dechantel click perfectly in this movie that feels like a music video at times, sharp and still funny. It goes back and forth, and forth and back again, because when love breaks our hearts and we're asked to 'start from the beginning' do we ever do? No, we just tell it how it springs to mind. To me this has been the most sincere love story portrayed on film.




An Education
Imdb here. Trailer here.

And speaking of love story and romances... this is not one either. True, it's a story about a relationship between a 35 year old man and a 16 year old girl, but the true romance is between her and herself. At 16, when the whole world is lying on your feet and someone offers you Paris and freedom, you can't say no. I loved this movie because it felt so close to my heart and deem it a must watch for anyone!




Sherlock Holmes
Imdb here. Trailer here.

Robert Downey Jr. and Jude Law. Honestly, need I say more? A Holmes like you've never seen him before and a Watson that is a true revelation in a movie that kicks ass and still holds (mostly) true to the original books. If you're a classic Holmes fan I am sure this will bug you because there are times when it feels more like a Die Hard than a British detective story but the characters are so charming and witty and engaging, and the relationship between them feels so genuine that you just cannot not fall in love.





The Boat that Rocked:
Imdb here. Trailer here.

Rock'n'Roll? Check. Cast featuring Philip Seymour Hoffman, Bill Nighty, Nick Frost, Rhys Ifans and the cutie pie Tom Sturridge? Check. Feather hats and velvet blazers? Check. And did I meantion real, honest to god, lets-remember-the-good-old-times rock'n'roll when music was music and not Pepsi commercial contracts and haute couture wanna-be's? I dare you to watch this movie and not feel like shimmying around the house with a feather hat and David Bowie in the background. It's such a seriously fun feel-good movie that vibrates with music all around.




Avatar
Imdb here. Trailer here.

I think a good movie should be the kind of experience that sends shivers down your spine, making you gasp and tear up and smile until your face hurts; make you watch with wide eyes eyes glued to the screen and blows your mind to little bits, simply. Avatar is that kind of movie, a movie that will have you talking about it as the first of its kind, maybe just like the first Star Wars did so many years ago. It's really a visual and visceral experience, completely overwhelming, and entertainment (and isn't it the entertainment business after all?) at it's best.




Star Trek
Imdb here. Trailer here.

As a die hard Trekkie, I know I will always be subjective about this movie but it freaking rocked. As I mentioned before. A billion more viewings later, and I still lie impressed in my chair when McCoy warns people that "Dammit man, I'm a doctor not a ..." or when Spock drawls "Interesting." or Kirk gets his ass kicked by every character in the movie. It is an impressive feat to make the original movie proud, but this i just what this does.

By the way, anyone up for a Star Trek drinking game?




Up
Imdb here. Trailer here.

This was the kind of story that seriously tickled the kid in me. How many times have you not wished to take a bunch of balloons and fly away to places unknown? God knows I've spent too many days as a kid being the next great explorer in my mind. It also an adorable story about friendship (between a young, bouncy kid and a grumpy old man), about talking dogs, about dreams, about birds named Kevin. It made me tear up a couple of times, and laugh till my sides hurt most of the time. Go watch it and tell me you don't feel like buying balloons afterward!





Honorable Mentions:

The Soloist
(trailer here)
The performances are the things that got me here. Brilliant acting from both actors.


Inkheart
(trailer here)
I don't think I've ever really grown up. Why else would I be this attracted to any movie that plays with imagination and stories and magic?


I Love You Man
(trailer here)
I love funny comedies that are actually funny and they are a rarity these days (Meet the Spartans, anyone? Ugh!).


Easy Virtue
(trailer here)
I admit it, this one had me at the British accents, Colin Firth and Ben Barnes.


District 9
(trailer here)
I loved this, from the plot (best alien 'invasion' plot ever) to the main actor who was not even a real actor yet did a marvelous job!


Adventureland
(trailer here)
A small, cute, coming-of-age movie that I felt wasn't as full of teen flick cliche's as most of the movies out there. Really enjoyed it and the acting was absolutely great!



Other Honorable Mentions
(I was too lazy too screencap the trailers anymore but that does not mean I loved them any less!)






(Keep your eye open for a Doctor Parnassus post in the near future. Brilliant movie, it's a Terry Gilliam insane ride. It also proves that Heath's death was a big loss for movies out there because he shines in that role, blowing everyone out of the water!)

(all screen captures by me from Apple.com trailers. All posters from around the internet)

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Your turn!
Did you suffer through Bruno as much as me? Should Captain Fine - I mean Kirk follow Mr Shattner's lead and have his shirt ripped off more in the new Star Trek? Can Diane Kruger be any more awesome? Do you agree that Robert Downey Jr and Jude Law are the most perfect pairing since sliced bread and toasters?

And oh yeah: What were your favorite movies of 2009?


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Video of the Day:
Sherlock Holmes music video set to Ke$a's Tik Tok
(A-MAZING :D)

"The slayer T-shirt fit the scene just right"

Tuesday was one of those deceptively sunny days. The ones where you look out the window and see bright blue skies and you can almost hear the birds singing (of course, that is merely a hallucination by your warmth starved brain) and you walk out singing and freeze your ass off in exactly 3.6 seconds. But still, yay sun!

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This week, these things rocked harder than David Bowie's glitter make-up back in the days:
+ one Pathology exam passed on Monday. I am convinced this subject will be the death of me, which is slightly ironic.
+ playing The Penis Game from 500 Days of Summer in front of Starbucks at night with The Boy and Edvigia. Everyone needs to try this game at least once, a fun time is guaranteed!
+ wine.
+ being the proud owner of a new sparkly blazer which I cannot wait to introduce to the world!
+ losing time by looking up clips of Robert Downey Jr. and Jude Law being all bromantic. Sherlock Holmes is great even the second time around, trust me!
+ choking on coffee from too much laughing when watching the new American Idol episodes. Oh man, some of the people that try out for that show are just too painful to hear.
+ having to skip going to the club with the twitter group but still getting a phone call in the middle of the night when our gang's song (The Proclaimers - I'm Gonna Be (500 miles) came on. In case you're wondering why that's our song, all you need to do is watch How I Met Your Mother. I rest my case!
+ Falling in love with the style of Vika Gazinskaya thanks to a post by the lovely Carola's Musing on AloModa.

This week, this thing sucked as much as the lack of glitter make-up these days:
+ exam session starting in 3... 2... 1.

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Tuesday, the 12th:
Courses at the hospitals that deal with infectious disseses. Germaholics beware!







dress: Mango, trench: H&M, belt: Zara, tights: Accessorize, boots: Nine West, bag: Musette, peacock print scarf: bought in Turkey, owl necklace: thrift, heart necklace: Swarowski.

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Thursday, the 14th:
Two tests in one day which brought along a small degree of mental damage. The day ended with wine so it all was good.







top: Hugo Boss, cardigan: Mango, pants: Stradivarius, booties and bag: Musette, bracelets: bought in Rome, bracelet: CalvinKlein Jewels, watch: Swatch.

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Friday, the 15th:
Starbucks. Need I say more?



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Song of the Day:
Weezer - (If You're Wondering If I Want You To) I Want You To

"But wait, now how long could this take?"

An yummy brunch to lighten a Sunday morning. Just the nudge I need for all the things that need doing today!

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My oh my, one week of uni down, about a billion more to go? I'd like to thank coffee for being my most loyal friend on this slow trip and for keeping me at least functional when I'm sliding down hospital walls from exhaustion. I honestly cannot wait for summer. Winter starts losing its charm once the Christmas tree goes down and beautiful snowy nights turn to drab rainy days.

But still, as long as these nights are still filled with warm Parisian-style cafes or Irish pubs things aren't half bad and the day doesn't take it's toll too hard. Sweet wine always make the lips smile even in the coldest of days, cuddling in an empty coffee shop melts the bones quite easily and outings with the girls where jokes and plates of pastas are shared can warm up any frostbitten soul.

Okay, maybe I'm not minding the cold that much.

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Tuesday, the 5th:
A long day, good coffee and gingerbread. And I wore jeans, to the shock and horror of the people in my life :))



jeans & gray cardigan: Mango, boots: Nine West, striped top: Mango

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Thursday, the 7th:
A day spent studying given up for coffee before school, an exam canceled and replaced with Italian food and Sherlock Holmes (second time this year, woot!). Good day!





dress & cardigan: Mango, tights: Accessorize, booties: Musette, owl necklace: thrift.

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Today (Sunday, the 10th):
As the photo at the beginning of this post says, it all begun with coffee and french orange juice, brie cheese and club sandwiches. It's a tradition The Boy and I will try to keep from now, considering that we've also fallen in love with this particular cafe :)




Can you guess what's wrong with this photo? Yup, no heels! It felt weird walking around in flat boots but I love these so much that I had to steal them from the mother.




My personal photographer ;)

animal print coat & dress: Mango, boots: Zara, flower print headband: Accessorize

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Song of the Day: Leighton Meester - Somebody to Love

"The side line's blind with casualties who sipping life casually"

(photo source: Ammit @ Flickr)

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Happy new year my darling cupcakes <3

A little late, I know and apologize profoundly but my body is still not yet recovered from the Christmas holiday and the very long New Year's Eve. My fingers would rather get snug around a hot vanilla latte instead of getting lost over keyboards.

I have also started university with a bang this new year, and by bang I mean still hungover and sleep-deprived. I am taking this as an opportunity to get myself ready for all those night shifts I will be pulling at the hospital, minus the inebriation of course ;)

Hope you welcomed 2010 with open arms and open hearts. For me this was the best NYE ever, with so much fun had and so many self-made Screwdriver cocktails ;) I am hoping this means it will be a wicked year all around. Fingers crossed and hope I don't jinx it!

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I could not think of a better way to start the new year :)


The boys being boys.






The boys still being boys. And the girls being fabulous! From left to right the dresses are Miss Sixty, Orsay (which I paired with the lovely Guess shoes) and tailor made (inspired by the Dior cocktail dresses of the past). What did I tell you, fabulous!

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Here's hoping I get my mind and fingers into gear and start post-post-posting a lot more. I have some interesting things in the back of my mind and thankfully friends with baseball bats lurking behind me and ready to pounce when I'm too lazy to open Blogger. Nothing like scary best friends to get a girl writing, haha!

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Song of the Day: Jay-Z - Empire State of Mind (feat Alicia Keys)