Saturday 26 March 2016

Martin Scorsese presents Vinyl.

It is not the most praised movie of Martin Scorsese not the most well-regarded, regardless of such notion, Casino is according to my experience a masterpiece and one of his best films thus far, my stance on Casino is clear, I consider it better than Raging Bull (even though Robert De Niro won his only major Academy Award thanks to his majestic performance) and it is even better than Goodfellas that is considered one of the finest in movie history (Joe Pesci won his only Oscar as well due to his performance as a crazy-cum-aggressive mobster). In my opinion, Casino was not rewarded as it should have been, based on a true story it brings as likewise the best performance ever by Sharon Stone, a movie star who is possessed of an IQ of a genius, yet she is more famous for being the erotic muse of 1990s thanks to her performance on Basic Instinct (peculiar is to realize that she was only the tenth or eleventh option to star it as she was not so famous back then. Indeed, she did it because no other famous actress was brave enough to appear on it. As a matter of fact, the number one option was Michelle Pfeiffer who refused to be on Basic Instinct after reading the script and envisage so many sizzling scenes). Sharon Stone became famous due to her performance on Basic Instinct, yet Casino proves her career could have been less brittle, Sharon Stone did render her best performance winning a Golden Globe award hence. She was also nominated to an Academy Award (Susan Sarandon was the winner that year because of her performance on Dead Man Walking). Regrettably, Sharon Stone has not been able to repeat such outstanding performance as the one she rendered on Casino, she is still reminded far more than because that movie Basic Instinct than for her great role on Casino alongside Robert De Niro, Joe Pesci all of them directed by Martin Scorsese with a script signed by Nicolas Pileggi author of the book of the same title and also the author of the book which inspired Goodfellas

Martin Scorsese
Casino Martin Scorsese

Casino Martin Scorsese
                                           
However, there are more people who think like me (I am sure there are plenty of fans who love Casino and movie reviewers that deem it unfairly treated) Cameron Diaz did want to rearrange her career so that achieve what Sharon Stone was able to do thanks her performance on Casino and she was able to get the female part on movie Gangs of New York, even though it is a bona fide movie is no as special as Casino 

Casino
Casino Sharon Stone

Gangs of New York is a strange case inside movie history, with a superb cast (Daniel Day Lewis, Leonardo DiCaprio and the beforementioned Cameron Diaz) it was going to be a classic movie contingent upon the fact it recreated the foundational myth of New York City, yet the result was cold nonetheless, it received 10 nominations to Academy Awards winning not a single one of them. What is more, 9/11 made it to be postponed. Finally, a late fire in Cinecitta (Italy), the place of the shooting made Gangs of New York somehow accursed. The same year that was supposed to envisage Martin Scorsese and its team obliterating any competition, yet they were emptied-handed (at least Daniel Day Lewis won a Bafta and Scorsese the Golden Globe award) that year as I have mentioned some happenings took place that are worth to be remembered, in that edition, year 2003, Pedro Almodovar received an Academy Award for best screenplay something to point out as he does not write in English. Likewise, he received a nomination as best director even though Spanish film Academy did not choose his movie "Talk to her" to represent Spain in the category of best foreign film something that made him to maintain himself aloof from Spanish movie Academy. By contrast, that year saw how Academy Awards reconciled itself with Roman Polansky to whom they give an Oscar (The Pianist) albeit he could not enter into USA thereby he recorded a video instead as he is still an outlaw as far a United States is concerned.

Martin Scorsese Vinyl
Gangs of New York Martin Scorsese

Like Cameron Diaz another famous person was dazzled by the story on Casino movie therefore he called Martin Scorsese on to offer him a new exciting project. I am talking about Mick Jagger, leader of The Rolling Stones who met Marty in a party in 1970s and to whom he has paid homage in many occasions as the Stones is his favourite rock band (poster on Taxi Driver, two songs in Mean Streets, two songs in The Departed, song on Casino likewise...).

The Departed Martin Scorsese


Mean Streets Martin Scorsese


Similarly, Martin Scorsese directed The Rolling Stones in one of the best musical movies ever recorded, Shine a Light, a live concert in Beacon Theatre in New York City which was introduced by former US president Bill Clinton, it counted with other artists such as Christina Aguilera, Jack White and Buddy Guy therein. However, even though it was more than a decade since Casino was produced the project had not been born yet. Mick Jagger did want the same portrait Martin Scorsese had been produced on Casino but this time with music industry. Nobody had used rock music as Scorsese on movies thus Martin Scorsese was the perfect person to carry out the project.

Vinyl
Martin Scorsese and The Rolling Stones

Shine a light Martin Scorsese

Shine a light Martin Scorsese

Until 1970s musicians were mistreated in economic terms no matter how great, good or many records they could sell, yet from that decade to this new century in which Internet has renewed the face of music industry with new technologies such as Napster, Spotify or downloading... Record companies were able to produce millions, music producers were even more famous than musicians themselves to whom they give plenty of wealth. Rock, punk, dance music... several musical styles were born and developed in 1970s. Martin Scorsese started his filming career in a professional level in that decade and it was on those days in which The Rolling Stones produced their best records just when Brian Jones died and Mick Taylor was hired as new guitarist. The aim of this television series Vinyl is to show the magical aura this age represents. First episode shot by Martin Scorsese himself has been lauded by everybody. 

Vinyl
Vinyl Martin Scorsese and Mick Jagger

Main protagonist of Vinyl is Bobby Cannavale who appeared on Boardwalk Empire television series whose pilot was shot as well by Martin Scorsese (Marty has assured he is to direct new chapters of Vinyl on second season if it works accordingly). Regarding the female cast, we ought to talk about Olivia Wilde, with Irish background, she has double nationality both Irish and American and she adopted her current surname to pay homage to Irish writer Oscar Wilde, her real name is Olivia Jane Cockburn.

Vinyl

Vinyl Olivia Wilde

Vinyl has already been watched by many in North America and the truth is its plot is promising, Bobby Cannavale is the main owner of a record company and Olivia Wilde is her partner, Vinyl is expected to be a portrait of music industry of 1970s and the groups of the same epoch, that age is deemed magical by many from an artistic point of view. Now you can watch a trailer of Vinyl, television series. HBO is the channel responsible to broadcast it

VINYL TRAILER 

                                         
Vinyl

Vinyl
Vinyl

Will Martin Scorsese be able to achieve the same amount of success he has obtained with other movies? Will Mick Jagger be satisfied with his coveted project? Do rate, share and comment Original Version Vinyl

Vinyl
Vinyl

Monday 21 March 2016

Literary criticism.

This post is an introduction to a series I am to publish that are about some criticism movements that have been taking place on literature history. It is utterly interesting and with sheer delightment I announce the following points to discussion. These are some of the movements which are to be talked about.

Literary Criticism
Literary Criticism
  1. New Historicism
  2. Post estructuralism
  3. Feminist movement
  4. New Colonialism
Write you very soon. Do share, rate and comment. 

Thursday 17 March 2016

The Summer of Natalie Davis.

After publishing my first book Ser un Tusitala  my intention is to publish a fictional tale both in Spanish and English, the title of this book is to be The Summer of Natalie Davis. The main protagonist is a young girl from Manhattan, New York City whose name is given after American actress Natalie Portman.


Natalie Davis
The summer of Natalie Davis


Her surname is Davis, after seeing model Hannah Davis being chosen as the cover for Sports Illustrated on the programme of Jimmy Fallon and because she thinks she could be a great one she decides thereby to become a supermodel. 


The Summer of Natalie Davis
The Summer of Natalie Davis


She is very young and has plenty of ambition, yet her dad who is a lawyer denies it. Consequently, her mum decides to send her to a rural place in Spain in order to be with her mum (grandma of Natalie) during a summer in which she lives unforgettable experiences. Meanwhile, the mother of Natalie Davis convinces her husband of allowing Natalie Davis try modelling. You can read an extract of this novel following the link. Natalie Davis 

Saturday 12 March 2016

Letter to Rolling Stone magazine regarding Keith Richards

As a diehard fan of the Rolling Stones and Rolling Stone magazine I must point out (even though it can be late) that the late Rolling Stone magazine number 1246 is too polite with Keith Richards, he does not need it nor The Rolling Stones. Does not sound Trouble (the best track from his latest solo album Crosseyed heart) like many other Rolling Stones songs? Is Paul McCartney doing worse than the Stones as Kiz may imply? Does not sound his anecdotes already told a zillion times before? There are far too many new artists and emergent stars who deserve a cover more than Keith Richards again let alone when he is talking about the same stuff one more time. 

Keith Richards All down the line 1246 issue
Rolling Stone magazine
Letter to Rolling Stone magazine

Keith Richards Trouble

Wednesday 9 March 2016

Donald Trump on Playboy Magazine

If you want to know deep facts regarding the life, career and persona of Donald Trump in detail you must read this analysis I wrote Donald Trump about Donald Trump, yet this post is not to be boring at all contingent upon the fact I discovered Trump is one of the few men who have been on the cover of Playboy Magazine, I have therefore decided to write these lines with that historical cover.

Donald Trump Playboy
Donald Trump Playboy Cover

Times have changed so dramatically that Playboy Magazine does not longer feature naked women on the magazine. Still, the front-runner of the Republican party is Donald Trump who at 69, with no political career nor experience and against everybody both inside Republican and Democratic party is the front-runner, has been leading polls since August and has resulted victorious in the following states, New Hampshire, South Carolina, Nevada, Vermont, Tennessee, Virginia, Arkansas, Alabama, Georgia, Massachusetts, Kentucky, Louisiana, Michigan, Mississippi and Hawaii thus far, if you want to know further details (really interesting indeed) follow this link Donald Trump if not, you at least would have discovered the Playboy cover of Donald Trump one of the first and perhaps only man to appear on it. What do you think?. Lastly, it has been reported ancestors of Donald Trump changed the now renowned surname as in the past it was Drumpf as the family came from Germany. Is Donald Trump to be the next president of United States? Do rate, share and comment. Why US elections are always on Tuesday?You can discover it following this link US Elections

Sunday 6 March 2016

Oscar Mistakes 2.

Some time ago I did write an article about mistakes made by the Academy Awards inside the history of Oscars Oscar Mistakes I focused the story on filmmakers and actors mainly. Notwithstanding, the piece of writing I penned was not wrong at all because and thanks to a research carried out by Hollywood Reporter magazine current members of the Academy have revisited 5 movies that did win the major category at Oscars, yet they should have not resulted the winners, these 5 movies were awarded with the prestigious prize of best motion picture and are history. Nonetheless, if these people would vote today everything had been different. In fact, those members assure the following changes should take place. Henceforth, Brokeback Mountain would had been the best movie of 2006 instead of Crash. Saving Private Ryan would be the winner of 1999 getting rid of Shakespeare in love thus. The Shawshank Redemption would beat Forrest Gump in 1995. My left foot would be now the best picture of 1990 not Driving Miss Daisy. All the president´s men would be now the best picture of 1977 beating Rocky similarly. If there are mistakes on Best Director and best actor category there are even more in the best motion picture category. All in all, it is with great delight that I announce that the beforementioned article I wrote with other other two have been published in a book of my own named Ser un Tusitala available worldwide Ser un Tusitala Hope you love it!!!


Ser un Tusitala
Ser un Tusitala Book

Wednesday 2 March 2016

Black Market Clothing

I got a free Sunday in which I discovered an amazing shop in Toronto, Black Market Clothing, it was similar to those shops in Camden, London in the sense it looked like an old fancy building and the shop was located downstairs. Not only the clothes were cheap they were very original. There were plenty of T-shirts with imaginative designs and slogans. Jeans from top brands such as Lee or Levis. As I am from Europe these Northamerican brands are specially expensive thereby I bought a military jacket with the Canadian flag on, some stylish Levis jeans and a T-shirt that depicts Homer Simpson and his beloved friend Barney as if they both were inside Pulp Fiction movie, the funny fact is they carry glasses of beer instead of guns though, something you can discover thanks to the following pictures.  Black Market Clothing

Black Market Clothing Toronto
Levis Jeans and a funny T-shirt on Chinatown Toronto after buying on Black Market Clothing

Black Market Clothing Toronto
On the nearby Alexandra Park, Toronto (Alexandra was the wife of Edward VII) with a Canadian military jacket on from Black Market Clothing Toronto


If you are tired of buying in big malls and you do not have a huge budget try Black Market Clothing Toronto as you will be positevely surprised Black Market Clothing is situated on 256a Queen W. Toronto, Ontario, Canada.