Introducing: The Movie Addict

Hi my name is Yana and I am a movie-holic.

I make it a point to watch movies on a regular basis. It is my obssession. I tend to revolve my own life to those of the movies. It is in fact a hobby of mine but lately I have thought of it as a job. If it was up to me, I would have seen all the movies that has ever been shot. I can watch movies all day long. I imagine in my head the things I would like to write in a column for a review on a paper or magazine or a website. I study the characters and the places and the scenes. I find it disturbing actually...

You may say that I'm lazy. Go ahead, I welcome you. But I do find this sort of adventure through films. They comfort me, strangely enough. It is a journey to me; one that I cannot and will never experience for I, in my opinion, lead a very tedious life and this is my one outlet.

Come and join me in my world and the world of eccentric, deeply-flawed, vulnerable, exciting, and almost-real characters and their life called the "movies."

XOXO Yana

Life is a Single Skip for Joy

I have been working hard lately... yes! I have been working and if anyone thinks otherwise well, your opinion does not matter here. It was a surprise to me that I did not have to work yesterday and today. Thank God! I deserve it. What did I do? I caught up with some television shows I love and rented movies that I have been dying to watch and just got lazy. What?!?! I deserve it.

Moving on... I rented a movie called "Dedication." I saw its previews online and just by looking at it, it has my name attached to it. I love dry movies. They are simple yet full of content; straight-forward yet you get a feeling of mystery for all it's incomplexities.

First of, I love Mandy Moore. I have been a big fan since her A Walk to Remember days and although her movies lately has not given her much justice, I still remain her groupie. She did try more teen movies after and just left her on a plateau. (Chasing Liberty is an exception and that left me in a love trance) Later on, she went into this phase of weird, bizarre roles in movies that I was about to give up my interest. Then came her dumb romantic comedies which I thought were cute but lacks substance for her talent. Finally, Dedication, I felt, gave her that area which she could actually excel into. Let me just get this out of the way... I love this movie!!!

As for Billy Crudup, who plays opposite Mandy Moore, he did give a stellar performance in my opinion. I liked his movies such as Almost Famous (Cool movie, btw), Big Fish, Stage Beauty (love, love love!), and Trust the Man. I do feel that he is a good actor that deserves more credit than what is given to him from his movies and projects. He can dive into a character and embrace it without any reservations. He also ain't bad to look at.



Billy Crudup plays Henry Roth, a successful children's book writer who lives a dull life. The only person he does care about is his collaborator, Rudy, who recently died and left him to finish his next children's book. Henry needs to work with Lucy, Mandy Moore's character, who is an illustrator, to finish his next book.

Henry Roth is... let's just say, he is not good with the ladies. He pushes people away and just wants to be by himself in his dump of an apartment in solace. He is very rude towards Lucy and pushes her away at every opportunity he gets. He does this because he unknowingly is falling for her eccentricities and her balls to snap back at him. Henry has a problem with sleeping, riding in cars and asking help from friends and she helps him get over those fears. Lucy has a tough exterior but deep inside, she wants a man to woo her too. This happens through Henry's little gestures...

1. Gives her this tiny, unusual, unique rock. He throws the rock at a beach full of pebbles and later on finds it for her. (How sweet is that?!?!?)

2. Borrows a friend's beach house so that she can concentrate on her work.

3. Gives her a telescope that she has been wanting since childhood.

I cannot give the movie justice with my words... You just have to go see for yourself...

They have hilarious dialogues and sweet moments together that even with all that animosities, craziness and sarcasm thrown all together, you can't help but root for the two to end up. Let me just praise the writer, David Bromberg, for this movie. The dialogues are funny and sarcastic and just beautifully written. I was laughing the whole time. Brilliant!!!

Here are some quotes for you...

"The reason why people get together now because they think they're looking for similarly broken people."

"Life is nothing but the echo of joy disappearing into the great chasm of misery."

"Life is nothing but the occasional burst of laughter rising above the interminable wail of grief."

"Don't accuse me of not liking you."

"You're the goddamn thing!"

aww....sighs...another hit for Ms. Moore

P.S. THIS IS FOR ALL THOSE PEOPLE WHO GAVE UP, IS GIVING UP, AND IS GOING TO GIVE UP ON LOVE. YOU ARE NOT AS HOPELESS AS YOU THINK. THERE ARE FAR MORE HOPELESS PEOPLE THAN YOU ARE. GET OVER IT. MWAHUGS!!!

XOXO Yana

My James McAvoy Obssession

The Title says it all. Who could resist this charmer with his intense blue eyes and magnetic glance? I swear, every time he speaks I feel like his lips are swooning me; his voice like hot chocolate for my ears. I am in a deep trance. I haven't even discussed his acting talent yet.

Let's face it. James McAvoy is not your typical leading man. He is not tall nor dark but he is most definitely handsome. You can't have everything, can you? But superficial things aside, he is a true gem. A gem with flaws and imperfections yet this is what makes him irresistible. He is the unconventional and modern-day, dashing prince charming.

Here are some of his films that I have seen:

Rory O'Shea Was Here

Here he plays a very disabled person who is paralyzed from neck down. He decides to move in with another disabled that no one else understands other than him. Together they for a bond and experience independence, love and heartache. This is the first movie I saw James in. His character is very bitter but I thought that he was charismatic at the same time. I just hated his blonde hair.

Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe

Here he plays Mr. Tumnus who is half human and half goat. He dangerously befriends Lucy and is soon caught up with the unite witch's wrath. Again, I thought that he is very charismatic even though he almost betrayed Lucy. He really plays awkward character well that even though his part was of a cowardly goat he acted very endearing and lovable.

Penelope

Here he plays Johnny Martin a very addicted gambler who was hired to pretend to woo Penelope only to get a close-up picture of the pig-faced girl. He plays a very un-dashing prince charming but you can't help but fall inlove with him. He is tough and scruffy on hte outside but deep inside, he is a sweet and sincere guy. His hair looks hat too.

Starter for 10

Here he plays a very intellignet college freshmen who joins an intelectual club who joins a hameshow. Like his earlier awkward characters this one tops it all. He just experiences problem after problem thinking that he still is doing the right thing. What he is actually looking for is right under his nose. You can't help but cheer for him in this movie.

Becoming Jane

Here he plays the rumored-lover of Jane Austen who became her greatest inspiration. Tom Lefroy is a playboy who worked to open up Jane Austen's sensual and romantic side. With him she experience "what's out there," love and heartache which always goes hand in hand. James plays a different character. One that is not at all awkward but is very sure of himself. Here he combines his dashing good looks and acting prowess to result in one of my favorite characters in movies.

Atonement

Here he plays mentally-tortured man who is caught up in a love so perfect, it was forbidden. His search for love along with the woman he loves is treacherous with a force tearing them apart. They "deserve" a happy ending together. This is truly his best performance to date. The intense gaze he projects from his eyes and the pasionate tone of his voice is truly magnetizing, it's hard to take your eyes off him. So hands down best performance to last the next 50 years.

Wanted

Here he plays a son of a murdered assassin and is hired and brutally trained to become part of an elite team of assassins. Here he tries to uncover a conspiracy with the help of a sexy assassin. Honestly, I was dissapointed with this movie after all that hype about the movie. I thought that he deserved a better movie.

So, movies I still need to watch with James McAvoy?
1. Bollywood Queen
2. Bright Young Things
3. Last King of Scotland

There you go. I am seriously on high right now... You have no idea. Will you maryr me, James? I must be crazy. Well, it's free to dream, right?

XOXO Yana

The Blue Room

I saw a Nights in Rodanthe today. It was just a simple adult love story. Nicholas Sparks really makes your heart warm and you'd wish you were in the story. The story is about two people who are just living miserable lives. To strangers, their life looked perfect but to them and the people who know them, they are a wreckage. But as fate would have it, they both meet each other in this deserted little beach inn where it's off season. They form a bond and they found in each other what the other needed. It was a romance meant for greatness. When everything seemed like the perfect ending, like in classic Nicholas Sparks novels, death catches you by surprise. Even with the sadness and tragedy, both of them will always have their Nights in Rodanthe.

To me, the movie was not corny or it did not have those hollywood grand gestures or agendas. It simply has the element of love, the classic love that will never fade with time. I simply wanted to live as Adrianne.

I want to meet a man in the most beaufitul place I could imagine. I want to live in that serene house with blue shutters and all its history. I want to wake up every morning looking forward to getting to know him. I want to share my life with this stranger who i know, deep inside, might mean the world to me. I want a man who would trace a map on my body. I want a man to write me letters of love and romance and sensuality. I want to make love in the blue room. I want a man to want me.

XOXO yana