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Joker: Folie à Studio

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It is such a bummer to see the hate literally destroy my most anticipated movie this year so viciously. What a whiplash we experienced watching Joker: Folie à Deux crumble under the aggressive attack of the fandom that built the cult around the first one. Although some, like me, didn’t realize at first where all the hate came from, now, after the second weekend drop, we can all agree that it was a bad business decision. Losing the studio around 200 million and further hurting the DC brand was not part of the equation when the film was greenlit, I assume. And Gaga was such a cool choice for the role, but I understand how the singing could be off-putting for the crowd that made the first movie possible in the first place. Listening to the reviews that came out before I watched the movie lowered my expectations so much that I ended up loving the film. Unfortunately, this movie didn’t represent the audience that made the first one such a hit, which was an incredibly risky and, as it turne
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Ryan Murphy's Monsters

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  Those two shows are among the best television I have seen in my entire life. I was hooked from the first episodes, even though, as a gay person fascinated with murderers and criminal cases, I already knew the stories well. Ryan Murphy, however, managed to provide a fresh perspective on these legends within our community, adding dramatic twists and turns that weren’t available to this generation. The gruesome murderers once again had their time to shine, portrayed through incredibly powerful performances by everyone involved, leaving us to decide whether we could sympathize with them or not. The amount of work Ryan put into his shows and the accuracy of the stories is mind-boggling. I assume most of the material is well-documented and adapted for the screen with that special Murphy flair that takes it to another level. He knows his audience, and since American Horror Story , where Jessica Lange, Sarah Paulson, Evan Peters, and Angela Bassett blew our minds, he has consistently amazed
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Lady Gaga's New Album 'Harlequin' - A Happy Mistake?

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Look, I could write for hours about what Gaga and her art mean to me, but I will not defend her anymore; she is good. The one thing, though, about Gaga is that you will remain disappointed if you try to put her in a box, as she often doesn’t match your expectations. A true fan will go on this journey with her wherever she decides to take us. Over the last couple of days, I’ve felt like I prejudged her last album. It didn’t match the vibe of "Joker," nor did it meet what I was expecting, and on top of that, the album cover didn’t really fit the album’s vibe. I expected punk; she went solo jazz etc.. But what’s more punk than giving them zig when they were expecting zag?  It’s almost like she’s punk through her music, subverting what even punk means.  This morning, when I heard the live version of "Happy Mistake" as the first thing when I opened my eyes, my opinion changed. Did you hear her voice in that live Jimmy Kimmel performance ? I judged too quickly, because t
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'My Journey Through Scotland' - Part Six: Climbing the Dùn Caan MacLeod

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It baffles me how challenging a 444-meter-above-sea-level hill could be, especially after the adventures I’ve embarked on in the last couple of years. I must have lost my mojo somewhere along the way, because this goddamn old volcano sucked all my energy out quickly. The old hill named Dùn Caan is the highest point on the Isle of Raasay, a small island located between the Isle of Skye and the Scottish mainland. The peak stands at 444 meters (1,457 feet) above sea level. It’s a flat-topped, extinct volcano with a distinctive profile that dominates the island's landscape, making it visible from miles around. The climb to Dùn Caan is relatively short, but the terrain can be boggy, especially after rain, which adds to the difficulty. The summit offers breathtaking panoramic views, including the Cuillin mountains on Skye, the Applecross Peninsula, and even the Torridon hills on a clear day. The hike to Dùn Caan  ( video here ) typically takes around 4-5 hours round trip, depending on th
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'My Journey Through Scotland' - Part Five: The Old Man of Storr & Inga

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The fifth day of our journey was marked by another trip on our own. Our hostess was so happy with us, since we were so self-sufficient and tidy (for anyone who’s interested in inviting us anywhere), we were the perfect company—or at least she said so. She pointed our attention to the 'Old Man of Storr', where I knew a couple of movies were filmed, and I had already been annoying the people around me about wanting to go. A magnificent cluster of rocks that you can observe from far away as well as up close, which makes the view even more beautiful.                                                                                                                                                                                                 The Old Man of Storr After yesterday, when we were shown how the weather works, we felt ready to see the northern part of the island. We got on that same bus and went even further from Sligachan. Lost in beautiful views all along the way, the time
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'My Journey Through Scotland' - Part Four: The Fairy Pools

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I have just received my dose of vitality in Plockton, giving me the motivation to wake up and go search for another beautiful sight that was on the agenda. 'The Fairy Pools' are a series of stunning, crystal-clear natural pools and waterfalls located on the Isle of Skye. Nestled at the base of the Black Cuillin mountains, these enchanting pools are renowned for their vivid turquoise water and magnificent surroundings. Unfortunately, the area is too popular with tourists and photographers, who work hard to make this place appear fictional on the internet. The Fairy Pools photos are heavily edited and retouched, 'enhanced' and 'improved' so much that you can go there with some expectations that are not going to be met. Luckily, we had a friend, our hostess for the journey, who lowered our expectations for the site long before we saw it in person. By doing us this favor, she provided us with a day full of incredibly mesmerizing, realistic views—not heavily edited b
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'My Journey Through Scotland' - Part Three: Plockton

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After the first two days, which were kind of wasted given our plan, we were craving to experience the nature and the beautiful sights we had come to see. Our friend had to work, so she left the house early, leaving us behind to explore on our own. She told us about Plockton, a beautiful village outside Skye that we could visit first and where we could spend the whole day exploring. She would join us after work and take us back by car. She showed us the train station and explained how to get to Plockton before heading on her way. We walked through the now-iconic Skye Bridge that connects the island with the rest of the world, and we were lucky to have some sunshine clearing the clouds before us.                                                                                    View of Kyleakin  We took the train from Kyle of Lochalsh, the first town after Kyleakin outside the island. Eli specifically told us to sit on the left side of the train so we could observe the beautiful scenery
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