Are you the kind of person who always thinks the bottle is half full rather than half empty? Do you tend to look on the bright side of things? If hopefully the answer to these two simple questions is a hearty yes, then you're a true optimist.
So the obvious follow-up question is: What are you optimistic about? Is it your personal future - whether you're still studying a degree, already working but aspiring to a better job or, sadly, a newly unemployed person looking for work? Or is it a global issue perhaps, like the end of the ongoing economic crisis or a greener future of our troubled, ailing planet?
Hey folks, whatever the ideas, post your comments below. It will be so uplifting to read how gleefully optimistic you feel about the future!
I see .. some of you must be thinking "how about you, dear teacher?" Well, I'm optimistic that one day all the films in Spain's cinemas will be shown in their original version, no matter which language they were shot in and ... OK OK, I get it, enough of this lecturing of mine about the sheer joy of watching the cast act their roles on the big screen in their mother tongue, let alone the benefits you guys gain in terms of language learning. I just can't help it, he he!
My Big Fat Greek Wedding is a lighthearted romantic comedy, perfect for a rainy autumn evening.
It tells the story of a disenchanted “ugly-duckling” Greek-American girl in her thirties (Toula Portokalos), who falls in love with a charming ”non-Greek” guy (Ian Miller). This seems to be a huge problem for her traditional family, especially her stubborn father, who cannot understand that his little girl wants to marry a man who has no Greek roots whatsoever.
The film treats, in a funny way, something that is still a big issue for some cultures: mixed marriages. Albeit it is becoming more and more common for people with different religions, races or cultures to get married, incredibly enough this kind of couples do still have problems nowadays with their family and friends, or even society in general. Fortunately, this is changing little by little.
Though I’m not a big fan of Nia Vardalos, the leading actress, I think her acting is, if not brilliant, not bad at all. At any rate, I prefer her partner, John Corbett, who I know very well for his effective roles in two of my favourite TV series: Northern exposure, and Sex and the city.
The character I like most is Toula’s father, Gus. An unyielding, devoted family man, who sometimes may look like an old fuddy-duddy but in fact feels really proud of his Greek roots. He loves his daughter most of all, but too often he can be really annoying and pigheaded. In my opinion, Michael Constantine, the actor who plays this role, does a great job and is the protagonist of many of the funniest scenes.
To finish, I have to say My Big Fat Greek Wedding is not the best film I’ve ever seen, and probably it won’t appeal to everyone, but undoubtedly it is easy to watch, full of enjoyable moments, and I would recommend it to all of you who want to have a nice time in front of the TV screen with your family or friends.
Some of you may remember a lavish 60-million-dollar (no less!) 2-minute ad for Chanel back in 2004. Directed by Baz Luhrmann (Moulin Rouge), it featured Aussie mega-star Nicole Kidman (who else!) alongside the terribly handsome (I mean, my wife says so! ) Brazilian actor Rodrigo Santoro, who had played a year earlier this secondary role in Hugh Grant's Love Actually that launched him into stardom.
The short film / commercial was considered by many experts a masterpiece of advertising: Debussy's "Clair de Lune" playing in the background, the amazing cinematography and the beautifully scripted story of the doomed lovers ... you don't remember? No worries, watch the famous ad:
Mesmerizing, isn't it?
Now, 8 years on, the French perfume giant strikes back, this time with a suitably minimalistic (for these times of crisis, you know) black-and-white 30-second commercial, which you may have already seen on TV as it premiered barely a couple of weeks ago. I have no idea how much exactly it's cost to produce, but surely it wasn't cheap as it stars the "inevitable" Mr Brad Pitt (another favourite of my wife's, ha ha!), who, you will hear further down below, has reportedly been paid 7 million bucks for the job, wow!
Anyway, the thing is there's been kind of a "controversy" surrounding Pitt's ad, since it's the first time a male celebrity has endorsed the classic signature # 5 fragrance. Watch this funny yet thought-provoking short clip:
So, as the blonde presenter asks her audience: "Are you liking the latest Channel commercial or is it just plain, odd, strange?" Moreover, I wonder if some of you might like to post your opinions here on this blog as to whether it is fair / ethical to pay a celebrity huge amounts of dough for endorsing products from luxury brands.
Finally, a little extra with something more, say, "mundane", but brilliant to my mind: open this Dutch website and just wait for a few seconds - with the speakers on but without clicking on any items. You'll be pleasantly surprised to see what unfolds before your very eyes.
You must admit there are excellent "unsung" professionals in the world of advertising ...
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More advertising. Today I was watching Sky One online when an ad for Rexona caught my attention (I'm sure you've heard of the brand before). The big deodorant manufacturer is currently sponsoring British F1 team Lotus, though I had not realised until I saw the commercial this morning.
The 2012 Lotus F1 car. See the brand on the top right corner?
"Rexona: It won't let you down" is the slogan they want us to remember, to get stuck in our memory. And sure thing they manage that through this fantastic TV commercial in which you can see the Lotus pit crew working painstakingly, in slow motion, striving to make no errors whatsoever, in the few seconds they have while they change the car's wheels at a pit stop during a F1 Grand Prix. The driver's success very often depends on their job, which must be synchronized to perfection. And perfection is what the two-and-a-half-minute ad (watch below) oozes, every second of it. You cannot help admiring the mechanics' precise work. The sound and image editing are unbelievable, mixing slow mo frames with the interviews of the actual people "behind the scenes". Even Rexona's logo, a vector, which very much reminds me of Nike's legendary swoosh, looks perfect at the end of the clip, punctuated by the roaring, deafening noise of a F1 engine.
It's am awesome commercial which, for the sake of English (and, why not, advertising) I want to share with you all. Hope Rexona will send me a free batch of their products after they read this entry, ha ha!
I wonder if you guys have a favourite ad on TV / the radio (whichever the language) that you would like to share with us too ... Note: Needless to say, I don't root for Lotus or its drivers ... GO FERRARI, GO ALONSO!
I have always loved this kind of stories, a mix of magic and reality. Since I was a child I have been attracted to fairy tales, cartoons and science fiction. I still remember the fascination I felt while seeing E.T. at the cinema and, honestly, I have this poignant feeling when I see The Lion King or Avatar nowadays; so I´m delighted that fantasy films and series are in fashion again.
Obviously, I regard the film has to be original, with a good cast and an enthralling plot. I can´t stand commercial films like, for example, Snow White and the Huntsman, starring Charlize Theron as the evil stepmother (I saw it last year), whose dialogues and plot, despite an awesome production and mind-blowing special effects, don´t draw your attention.
I'm a big fan of “Once Upon a Time” because it is a gripping fantasy television series, where all the characters, apparently normal dwellers of a small village, are in fact characters of fairy tales: Snow White, Prince Charming, Sleeping Beauty, Little Red Riding Hood … All of them are prisoners in our world of The Evil Queen´s spell, unable to remember anything about their real provenance and unaware that the village´s major is the dreaded creepy queen, who is determined to control their lives to ensure that there will be no more happy endings in fairy tales.
Fortunately, there's a glimmer of hope in a character that is apparently unrelated to all this fantasy…
First
and foremost, I personally reckon San Sebastian is one of the most beautiful
cities in Spain, in which you can find tradition and modernity everywhere.
Every step of the way you have strong mixed feelings as you don’t know whether
you are living in the present or in the past.
A bird's eye view of San Sebastian
The city is
well-known for its International Film and Jazz Festival, not to mention its
excellent and popular “pintxos” (the locals don’t like the word “tapas” at all)
for instance, the so-called “la hoguera” (made with half-smoked cod) and the foie gras with apple
compote, which in my personal opinion are both absolutely delicious. Moreover,
San Sebastian
has an annual gastronomic congress that is well-known worldwide and where the
most famous professionals compete at the most demanding level.
A small delicacy: La Hoguera
One of the most popular attractions in the summer
season is the unrivalled La
Concha beach. Those who have the chance to sunbathe and swim
there are involved in a mystic experience because La Concha beach is surrounded
by some historical stately buildings and countless churches that seem to stare
at you penetratingly. On the opposite side, the marvellous La Concha bay is like an open
door to the immensity of the Cantabrian Sea. Located in the heart of the OldTown,
Constitution Square
is another historical landmark. Besides, the Town Hall, which was initially
designed as a casino, is one of the most remarkable buildings in Spain. In
addition, there is a wide range of museums, such as Chillida-Leku, which is fully
in nature and invites tourist to approach art in an unusual way.
Obviously, it is inevitable for me to comment on
San Sebastian´s mountains, such as MountIgeldo, which is an entertaining
place due to its amusement park. One of
its funny rides is the old roller coaster, which has a deafening wooden
carriage. People can go to this mount by car but it is worth riding up there on
the funicular railway, which is one of the most antique in Spain. The experience
is unforgettable because you can take pleasure in observing and photographing
the city from an excellent viewpoint.
Mount Igueldo
Depending on your preferences or your frame
of mind, you can choose between three unbelievable night leisure areas which
this city offers to get the most peculiar entertainment. Firstly, the OldTown’s
hustle and bustle gives you the impression that the activity never stops at
all. Secondly, Reyes Católicos
Street conceals the trendiest part, with modern
places and amazing innovative music proposals. Last but not least, the Youth’s
Gros borough is a place with scattered bars for those who enjoy relaxing.
I strongly
recommended you to visit San Sebastian because I am absolutely convinced that
you will fall in love at first sight. The city will enthral you, not only
physically but also spiritually.
If you found it too difficult, how about this other video taken from Mark Shea's "Overlander.tv" (a nice Aussie accent!)? It has Spanish subtitles (a rough transcript) and features, on and off, a Basque girl speaking Spanish (though the translation into English is provided too)
