Lopez Blogs

Ah the last advent calendar blog of the year just before I go all annual christmas card post on your asses. And this year is a doozy, I tell ya. Despite lots of people cancelling because of weather and illness, the party on saturday night was quite delightful and lots of fun was had. That was me (above!) after one too many mulled wines (from marks and spencers, not home made sadly). Cleaning up on Sunday took forever, and now it is Monday and I am back at work (for 3 days) and pondering the following non-festive facts:

• Why did I wear new shoes on the walk to work today? My feet are absolutely killing me and I could barely walk the last 10 minutes...
• Why do my new shoes have such rubbish grips? I was flailing around on the ice so much I looked like a bizarro world Torville and Dean!
• Simon Curtis' Diablo is a brilliant march to work song, sets a ferocious pace (prior to the crippling pain of new shoes of course)
• Joe will probably get up to number one this week won't he, but Shayne Ward's Melt The Snow popped up on my mp3 player today and reminded me what a brilliant seasonal lush-fest that tune is.
• It's rather cold out today so I'm going to warm myself up with the latest seasonal recipe from Donal Skehan. What a whizz in the kitchen that guy is :)

The greatest movie of the decade:

It's actually quite hard to choose a movie of the decade. I'm sure the Harry Potters would be in there. Ditto Lord of the Rings. Why not Hairspray? Milk! Most the Pixar films; Shaun of the Dead; Brokeback Mountain; Slumdog Millionaire; Stardust would be pretty high on my list - see I've always gone for movies that I really connect with emotionally, over the critically acclaimed stuff. And that is why year after year every Christmas I end up watching Love Actually several times. Sure it uses every emotional manipulation trick in the book to hook you in, but it works and the various intertwined love stories set against the backdrop of hope and optimism that is the build up to Christmas. Some of the stories are amusing, some sad, some still timely (a campaign to get a more unlikely candidate to the festive number one rings as true this week as it did in the film) and some grittily and heartbreakingly real. Gorgeous backing music, as well as a delicious soundtrack (it was this film that got me into my beloved Maroon 5, thanks to use of the one of my enduring fave tracks of theirs, The Sweetest Goodbye) it's jam packed with enjoyable moments, stellar performances and festive goodness. I never ever tire of it and always find it quite lovely, actually. here are some of my favourite moments/quotes:

• "Whenever I get gloomy with the state of the world, I think about the arrivals gate at Heathrow Airport. General opinion's starting to make out that we live in a world of hatred and greed, but I don't see that. It seems to me that love is everywhere. Often, it's not particularly dignified or newsworthy, but it's always there - fathers and sons, mothers and daughters, husbands and wives, boyfriends, girlfriends, old friends. When the planes hit the Twin Towers, as far as I know, none of the phone calls from the people on board were messages of hate or revenge - they were all messages of love. If you look for it, I've got a sneaking suspicion... love actually is all around." (Hugh Grant's boffable Prime Minister)
• "I love that word "relationship." Covers all manner of sins, doesn't it? I fear that this has become a bad relationship; a relationship based on the President taking exactly what he wants and casually ignoring all those things that really matter to, erm... Britain. We may be a small country, but we're a great one, too. The country of Shakespeare, Churchill, the Beatles, Sean Connery, Harry Potter. David Beckham's right foot. David Beckham's left foot, come to that. And a friend who bullies us is no longer a friend. And since bullies only respond to strength, from now onward I will be prepared to be much stronger. And the President should be prepared for that."(Hugh Grant's Prime Minister in one of his more kick ass moments after Billy Bob Thornton tried to nibble Martine mcCruth's ear)
• "And he's got a big knoooooob!" (the unfeasibly named Colin Frissel, now star of the BT internet ads!)
• Any scene with Emma Thompson in - not only does she sparkle at the busy wife and mother role (particularly excelling when she nips off to the bedroom when she gets a Joni Mitchell cd for Christmas and realises her husband is a philandering fool, even in her upset she smooths down the corners of the bed), is brilliantly down to earth eating cereal with her widowed friend and has an acutely world view of Barbie, pondering whether to gift wrap the transvestite or the prostitute...
• The fact that Keira Knightley thinks it ok to smooch her husband's best friend just because he played silent night on a crappy tape recorder and held up signs saying "with any luck by next year i'll be going out with one of these girls" (holds up supermodel pics) "
  But for now, let me say - Without hope or agenda - Just because it's Christmas - And at Christmas you tell the truth - To me, you are perfect - And my wasted heart will love you - Until you look like this" (shows pictured of a mummy that is as withered as the reviews of Keira's latest play) Ok that is quite romantic, and provides me with my first sniffle of the movie
• Billy Mack telling a radio DJ that Britney Spears was a rubbish shag, calling his single a festering turd of a record, showing Parky his cock and having a horrible spikey haired bra-burner trying to oust his faithful manager. The bitch
• The bloke from the office falling in love with the bird from Gavin and Stacey while working as body doubles in nuddy movies. Gorgeous!
• The ongoing debate about Natalie's thighs and arse. Plumpy indeed!
• The inability of the aforementioned Natalie to be able to say anything without littering it with 'swears' - "where the fuck is my fucking coat!"
• Jamie and Aurelia - love transcends their language barriers. Plus I love his little stomp through the village with the townsfolk increasing in their following numbers with each step. It's like the Simpson's mob come to life! And his proposal? Quite lovely! "Yes. is being my answer. Easy question"
• The school play - the ridiculous amount of animals at the nativity ("there was more than one lobster at the birth of Jesus?"/"8 is a lot of legs David"), the cuteness of it all and the big reveal of Natalie smooching the face off PM David
• The brother with mental health problems who gives his sister a hug after she gives him a far too big scarf. Which is sweet. Earlier he tried to hit her, probably for her incessant calling him "my darling" and not shagging sexy Carlos who later got buried alive in Lost
• The completely unrealistic chase through the airport as little Sammy runs after his true love Joanna. juxtaposed with the aforementioned trek through the french village where Jamie proposes, Sammy completely eludes security and runs after the love of his life, Joanna. It's the rousing music that makes it one of my fave guilty pleasures of the movie. Poor Sammy though - not only has he just lost his mom, but he's fallen in love with a right snot of a "aren't I amazing, look at me" stage school brat!!
• Finally - brillo use of music. God Only Knows has never sounded more hopeful and uplifting as it does at the end of the film, All You Need Is Love brilliantly enhances a story book wedding and of course All I Want For christmas is You is practically the anthem of the intertwining love stories, and sung quite well by the aforementioned Joanna...

of course by the time the movie is over, I'm a) ready to watch it all over again and b) ready to listen to Mariah Carey's Merry Christmas for the umpteenth time. It really is just the festive album that both keeps on giving and is worth going back to. It's got a little something for everyone too - studied and careful vocals on songs like Silent Night and O Holy Night; she's in girl group heaven with her gospel backing choir on tracks like Santa Claus is Coming To Town and the Phil Spector amaze-athon Christmas (Baby Please Come Home); and all tender and heartbreaking on Miss You Most. it's her simply joyous and wonderful All I Want for Christmas that really is the icing (aceing?) on the cake here - it's rollicking, joyful, upbeat, giddy, optimistic, filled with sleigh bells, totally catchy and never ever sounds old. Quite simply the best original Christmas tune to appear within the last 15 years. Too much of this thing is not enough :) But do buy the album if you haven't already (chances are - you have!) It's a must have reminder of how amazing mariah can be and a pleasant surprise for anyone not really into Christmas music...

Back Weds 23rd with the 4th Annual Online Christmas Card :)