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Sent to me by my cousin Fred… fab vintage flamenco from the 60s.
But I cannot work out what the woman says at 2.40 minutes – can you?
flamenco of death
13 Monday Feb 2017
Category Archives: films
truly, madly, deeply…
14 Thursday Jan 2016
Tags
… just when I thought this week couldn’t get any sadder.
mystery of palo cortado
07 Saturday Nov 2015
Perfect Saturday afternoon… chilled fino, hot buttered popcorn and this amazing film. I’d heard so much about it (including mixed reviews) but I absolutely loved it. Especially as it mirrored my own experience after visiting over a dozen different bodegas and getting more than a dozen different answers to my question “so, what’s the difference between an amontillado and a palo cortado?”. Also great to see so many people that I know. Check it out if you can.
netflix españa
22 Thursday Oct 2015
Posted in films, television
At long fucking last Netflix has finally arrived in Spain. I think it was yesterday. So of course I signed up for the free first month trial. And that’s when things predictably went pear shaped. As in, how do I access it from my brand new SmartTV when I can’t find it anywhere on there? After looking everywhere I contacted the Netflix helpline thingy and had an option of a chat or a phone call. I chose the chat and within seconds Pau (possibly not real name? 😉 ) came online to chat with me.
Well, I am now in love with Pau, whoever he (or she) may be. Pau stayed on the chat with me for about half an hour while we tried things out, first trying the most obvious solutions and then digging deeper. At one point I had to call the LG helpline (while Pau patiently waited for me) and I was told that my BRAND NEW SMART TV that was manufactured in June and bought by me in July did not support the Netflix app. What the fucking fuck?? To be fair, the LG helpline guy (he had a lovely voice) seemed just as perplexed as me, and said he couldn’t understand why this app wasn’t possible. So okay fine, but Pau was waiting and I had to go.
When I told Pau this was crazy and I didn’t sign up to Netflix to watch films on my iPhone or laptop, he remained calm and asked if I had any other device options such as Wii, PS3, or 4, or Blu Ray players. Bingo! Hello somewhat aged Sony BluRay player! I had my doubts at first because no Netflix was showing up (and other apps like YouTube had been cancelled over the years). But then I did an update and lo & behold… there was Netflix! Yay! So I signed in and there it was! Pau, bless him, said he would hang on until I tested it, so that I could actually start watching something, and so I tried it out and, yep, no problem. Well, okay, it’s a bit of a pain to have to switch to HDMI2, turn on the BluRay and wait for all that to sort itself out, but you know… it’s what I’ve got.
So hey, what did you do today?
out of it
25 Monday Feb 2013
Posted in films, media, music, television
Tags
awards, awards shows, bafta, brits, emmys, golden globes, goya, mtv, oscars
So that’s the awards season over (right? or have I missed some?). I don’t know about you but I feel increasingly out of it when I either watch or read about these awards shows these days. Especially MTV – have no idea who most of those people are, other than the ones receiving lifetime acheivement awards. And although I’ve got used to not knowing what half the films up for awards are about on Oscar night I was shocked this time to realise I didn’t even recognise a lot of the actors on the red carpet. I can’t blame all of this on living in Spain and mostly seeing tv series and films after they come out on DVD. I suspect it has some connection to the fact that so many world leaders are now younger than me – what do you think?
250 films in 2.5 minutes
07 Wednesday Nov 2012
fear me, if you dare!
06 Sunday May 2012
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Seriously, this is my new motto…
Fear me, if you dare! 🙂
Good ol’ Puss in Boots. He was the best thing in the Shrek films and this was the best line ever. Especially because it doesn’t even make sense.
And I swear this is the best role Antonio Banderas has ever played. Even though the film gets kind of floppy after about 45 minutes, it’s still great fun.
What’s the best just-for-fun film you’ve watched lately?
pink ribbons, inc
06 Monday Feb 2012
Billions of dollars have been raised through the tireless efforts of women and men devoted to putting an end to breast cancer. Yet, breast cancer rates in North America have risen to 1 in 8. “What’s going on?” asks Barbara Brenner in Pink Ribbons, Inc. a new film coming in 2012.
This looks like an excellent documentary by the always excellent National Film Board of Canada. Hope it gets people to open their eyes. Have always hated the whole Pink Thing.
gifts!
05 Thursday Jan 2012
This year Peter and I didn’t “do” gifts, preferring to go out for a couple of nice meals during Christmas week instead, and then go to Málaga earlier this week to celebrate my upcoming 55th birthday. But I also got some lovely surprise prezzies from friends… a third Binky book to add to my collection, two DVDs from my Amazon wishlist and a box of Christmas goodies and cat toys (the cosmic catnip banana is a hit!) from Sweden.
Tonight is the Cabalgata, a parade featuring the Three Kings and hoards of shrieking children, which I will try to avoid. But I still want to see the “mapping” Christmas light show on in the Plaza San Francisco (last night tonight). If I manage to get there I’ll take a video of it. But first some grocery shopping as it’s a bank holiday tomorrow and have been away all week. Hope I don’t get swept up in the crowds!
What did you get for Christmas?
the killing
28 Wednesday Dec 2011
Tags
dubbing, films, programmes, spain, the killing, tv
I’ve been hearing rave reviews about this Danish tv programme for ages so when the first series (it’s now into series 2) became more reasonably-priced on Amazon I decided to go for it. Two episodes in and I’m hooked! And its especially refreshing to see actors that look like real people.
Watching it has also made me wonder why Spanish people are so averse to sub-titles. I’ve been going to sub-titled foreign films since I first found out they existed – I think I was about 16. So I don’t get it when people say it’s “too difficult” to read and watch at the same time. And I really don’t get how not hearing the actor’s real voice isn’t important to viewers.
In Portugal films and tv series are sub-titled and, as a result, most of the population has at least a smattering of English. Unlike in Spain. But I guess Peter would be out of a job if they got wise here and changed their ways. Still, I cannot abide dubbing. Can you?
