FILM WEDNESDAY: Beasts of No Nation

This film was incredible!

It tells the story of a young African boy named Abu, who is forced to become a child soldier after his family is killed during the civil war that is taking place in his country.

The country remains unnamed throughout the film, suggesting that it is a portrayal of the widespread reality being faced in many parts of the African continent.

Despite the violence and savagery portrayed in the film, there is an odd sense of hope behind it as well. After being completely brainwashed and forced to do terrible things, there is still a side of Agu that believes in a better life and a better future, and this belief is constantly tested as his story unfolds.

He loses more and more of himself as he carries on, so much so that at one point he realizes he is never going to go back to being the happy little boy he used to be; but not once does he forget to pray, and to hold on to the only part of him that still feels, deep down, at least partially pure: his heart.

Along with his loyal friend, Strika, another child soldier who is so traumatized by the war he never speaks, he bears through the life he was condemned to, just like the hundreds of other African children before him, and the hundreds yet to come.

Watch it on Netflix!

MUSIC FRIDAY: I’m Still Here by John Rezeznik

I thought this song was appropriate for today since I disappeared yet again for about two weeks due to college madness. Architorture, like I’ve said multiple times on this blog, is insanely time consuming, BUT I’M STILL HERE haha.

Of course that’s not the only reason why I’m posting this. On top of that, this song is actually very nice, and is the soundtrack to one of my favorite Disney movies of all times: Treasure Planet (is it weird that I kind of had a crush on the main character even though he’s a cartoon????? IDK, please don’t judge me haha).

Check it out:

And also check out Treasure Planet’s trailer:

FILM WEDNESDAY: Just My Luck

I’d forgotten how cute this film is. It’s with the fabulous (and still normal at the time) Lindsay Lohan and the adorable Chris Pine, so that’s reason enough to grab some popcorn already.

In it, Lohan plays the super lucky and perfect Ashley, who ends up losing her luck to a super UNlucky Jake (Pine) when kissing him at a masquerade party. When she realizes what happened, she goes on a wild search to find him and take her luck back. Only problem is… she has no idea who he is!

Watch to see what happens!!!!!

Here’s the trailer:

 

OKAY BYE!!!!!

MUSIC FRIDAY: Something in the Air by Seafret

For anyone out there who likes bands like Imagine Dragons, Vance Joy or The Lumineers, not only do I fully approve of your musical taste, I also feel like you would love this band I recently discovered called Seafret.

They’ve got some really cute, chill songs, and the singer’s voice is very similar to Vance Joy’s. I really like the songs Atlantis, Oceans, and Give Me Something, but my absolute favorite is Something in the Air.

It’s got the sweetest vibe to it, almost soothing in a way, with it’s delicate guitar bit in the beginning and such lovely lyrics.

Check them out!

BAI 🙂

FILM WEDNESDAY: My Afternoons With Margueritte

When french films decide to be emotional, they get really freakin’ emotional, and that is absolutely the case with My Afternoons With Margueritte. I watched this with my mom a little while ago, and it made me all warm and happy inside. Totally recommend it.

The story is about a young man, Germain, who is a little different from the others; he just has a bit more trouble thinking about things and understanding them. It doesn’t help at all that his bitter mother treats him like an idiot (it makes him think he really is one, which is far from the truth). Also, no matter what his teachers did in his school years, it all came down to the fact that he simply cannot read. Not if his life depends on it.

Despite all, people still like him for his endearing and pure personality, and for his unyielding loyalty. He is just one of those truly good people, and even though he sometimes says the wrong thing, they know it is always with the best of intentions.

One afternoon (quite a frustrating one for this poor fellow), he decides to relax a little at a park bench, where he sometimes goes to watch pigeons (he in fact gave each pigeon a name, and knows them apart). There, he meets 95-year old Margueritte, and so begins an unexpected and lovely friendship between the two.

Margueritte loves to read; she has read every book a person can think of, and when she meets Germain, she decides she will read those books to him, since he cannot do that himself. She also decides she will try to teach him how to read, even if everyone else has given up.

Watch to see what happens!!! 🙂 It’s really beautiful, I promise. You will be touched by how the story unfolds. Not to count that Germain is played by none other than the legend, Gérard Depardieu, which is reason enough to watch anything.

OKAY BYE!

MUSIC FRIDAY: Transatlanticism by Death Cab for Cutie

I used to looooove this band when I was a freshman in high school.

It’s kinda morbid, but really, really chill. Two other songs I like a lot by them are “Movie Script Ending” and “Title and Registration”.

A more recent song is “I Will Follow You Into the Dark”.

FILM WEDNESDAY: The Way Way Back

I’ve got to admit that when I sat down to watch this film for the very first time I thought it was gonna be some lame, stupid-jokes-packed, typical American comedy, with the same old cliché story line about an awkward boy who falls in love with a hot girl and defies all odds by finally winning her heart in the end of the story.

I was surprised to find that it is nothing like that at all.

This film is actually extremely sensitive, and portrays some very difficult life situations involving especially family issues that most of us will go through at some point in life or are going through already. It’s very different from other coming of age films, and so, so sweet. I don’t know why but it really moved me.

Duncan, the main character, does not get better because of a girl, like most teenage protagonists tend to be portrayed doing in basically 99% of films nowadays. He gets better because of his new and amazing group of friends, who help him finally step out of his comfort zone and do something completely different and much more rewarding than just moping around with his time

Watch it. Seriously. You’ll find it endearing, I promise.

MUSIC FRIDAY: See You Again by Wiz Khalifa ft. Charlie Puth

This song made me very emotional. I thought it was a very delicate and sensible homage to Paul Walker, who died in 2013 in a ridiculous and unfortunate car accident, leaving behind a daughter and his close friends, Vin Diesel and Tyrese Gibson.

I thought the music video was lovely, too.

FILM WEDNESDAY: Freaky Friday

I used to loveeee this film when I was a kid, and still very much enjoy it. It’s crazy to see how different Lindsay Lohan is today, and where drug-use has taken her.

Anyway, for those who don’t know this film is basically about a mother and daughter who will not stop fighting if their lives depend on it. Everything changes when they visit a Chinese restaurant and an old Chinese lady gives them fortune cookies that cause them to switch bodies. That’s when things get interesting, because all of a sudden they are the person they are constantly fighting with, and it is the first time that they are forced to look at things from each other’s point of view.

SUPER COOL RIGHT

Here’s the trailer:

Okay, byeeeeeeee! ❤

SORRYYYYY <3

My blog has been an embarrassment lately, and I’m so sorry! I’ve been super busy with college work and that’s why I haven’t posted anything in forever. But hey, check out one of my projects:

It’s my voice narrating it, and it’s in portuguese! 🙂 It’s about one of Mies Van Der Rohe’s projects in Stuttgart, Germany (for those who don’t know, he’s a very famous architect).

Anyway, I’m also very close to finishing a house I’m designing (SO MUCH WOOOORK) and tomorrow I’m turning in a proposal I’ve created with a group of classmates for Urban Design.

Hopefully when this week is over I can dedicate more time to my blog 🙂 .

BYEEEE!!!!!!!