Tengo Ganas de Ti (I Want You)

Directed by: Fernando Gonzalez Molina

Cast: Mario Casas, Clara Lago, María Valverde, Alvaro Cervantes, Marina Salas, Diego Martin, Nerea Camacho.

Plot:

The end of June marked the release of “Tengo ganas de ti” (I want you), the much awaited sequel to “Tres metros Sobre el Cielo”, the most watched Spanish film of 2010. “Tengo ganas de ti” is, like the first movie, an adaptation of the novel of the same name by the popular Italian writer Federico Moccia. The sequel to “Tres metros sobre el cielo” tells the story of Hache’s (Mario Casas) return home after two years in London. The memory of Babi (Maria Valverde) has been with him for all this time and is apprehensive about meeting her again. The entire movies is built on the idea of things having changed and Hache starting over, making new friends, getting a job, rebuilding his life. The only question is: will he ever live anything similar to the magic of his first love again?

My opinion:

I found the continuation of “Tres metros Sobre el Cielo” to be disappointing, especially in comparison to its predecessor, due to the many exaggerations. I read many opinions and most fans of the first movie were disappointed by the evolution of the plot. The majority of viewers requested a third part and I watched some interviews with the cast mentioning this possibility. The funny part is that no third book was written, so in this case, either the author will have to start writing a continuation to the series or the third movie will be the only independent one.

Mario Casas played a more complex role. The new Hache is grown up and has a deeper personality, struggling between his past and trying to build a present. Clara Lago was not very convincing as Gin and there was a complete lack of chemistry between her and Mario Casas. Not to mention her two singing scenes, which were awkward to say the least, because she wasn’t singing, but talking. What made the scenes funny was everyone’s groundless astonishment with her voice. Maria Valverde made a very stylish appearance. Her character, Babi, was severely changed, though. It looked as though the director had performed a complete deconstruction of the role and deprived the character of its energy and personality. The fact that she still managed to perform in a convincing manner is a plus, but it was a disappointment to watch the character decline to such extent.

I recommend watching this movie only after having seen the first part of the series, “Tres Metros Sobre el Cielo”.

RO:

Regizor: Fernando Gonzalez Molina

Distributie: Mario Casas, Clara Lago, María Valverde, Alvaro Cervantes, Marina Salas, Diego Martin, Nerea Camacho.

Actiune:

Finalul lunii iunie a marcat premiera “Tengo ganas de ti”, mult asteptata continuare a filmului “Tres metros Sobre el Cielo” (Te vreau), cea mai vizualizata pelicula spaniola in 2010. “Tengo ganas de ti” este, la fel ca primul film, o adaptare a cartii cu acelasi nume semnata de cunoscutul autor italian Federico Moccia. Continuarea la “Tres metros sobre el cielo” spune povestea intoarcerii lui Hache (Mario Casas), dupa doi ani petrecuti in Londra. Amintirea lui Babi (Maria Valverde) nu l-a parasit in toata acesata perioada si gandul revederii il nelinisteste. Intreaga pelicula este construita in jurul ideii ca lucrurile s-au schimbat, Hache se regaseste inaintea unui noi inceput, a unor noi prieteni, a unei slujbe si a refacerii propriei vieti. Ramane, insa, intrebarea: va mai trai vreodata ceva similar farmecului primei sale iubiri?

Parerea mea:

            Continuarea peliculei “Tres metros Sobre el Cielo” mi s-a parut dezamagitoare, mai ales in comparatie cu prima parte, datorita numarului ridicat de exagerari. Am citit numeroase opinii despre film si majoritatea fanilor s-au declarat dezamagiti de evolutia actiunii. Majoritatea au solicitat o a treia parte si am vazut cateva interviuri cu actorii din distributie in care se mentioneaza aceasta posibilitate. Partea amuzanta este ca nu exista o a treia carte, asa ca, in acest caz, fie autorul va trebui sa inceapa lucrul la o continuare, fie acest al treilea film va fi singurul independent de o baza scrisa.

            Mario Casas interpreteaza un rol mai complex decat cel din prima parte. Hache a crescut si are o personalitate mai profunda, zbatandu-se intre trecut si incercarea de a construi prezentul. Clara Lago nu mi s-a parut suficient de convingatoare in rolul lui Gin, iar intre ea si Mario Casas “chimia” a lipsit cu desavarsire. Cat despre cele doua scene muzicale ale ei, au fost cel putin ciudate, deoarece nu canta, ci vorbeste. Ceea ce a facut ridicolul scenelor a fost incantarea nefondata a protagonistilor relativ la vocea ei. Maria Valverde a fost o prezenta extrem de stilata. Personajul sau, Babi, este schimbat radical, insa. Pare ca regizorul a realizat o deconstructie completa a rolului si a privat personajul de energia si personalitatea sa. Este de remarcat faptul ca Maria Valverde a reusit, totusi, sa fie convingatoare in aceste circumstante, insa a fost dezamagitor sa vad personajul ei dacazand in aceasta maniera.

Recomand vizionarea acestui film doar dupa prima parte a seriei,“Tres Metros Sobre el Cielo”.

Hache's encounter with Babi

Hache and Gin

Maria Valverde, a very stylish appearance

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Holiday Series: A Day in Bulgaria

EN:

It’s been two years since I visited Balchik and other places in Bulgaria, but I thought about sharing my experience on the blog. Who knows, maybe one of you intends to go there someday or in the near future and could use the information. Plus, I though you would enjoy seeing the pictures from the trip.

Let’s start with a little bit of history and additional information on the location:

Balcic (or Balchik) is a town situated on the Black Sea shore, in Bulgaria, approximately 60 km from Vama Veche. After the Second Balkan War, the town became part of Romania from 1913 through 1940. In 1940, just before the outbreak of World War II in the region, Southern Dobrogea (Cadrilater) and  Balchik were ceded by Romania to Bulgaria, by terms of the Craiova Treaty.

The Balchik Palace was the favorite summer residence of Queen Maria of Romania and her immediate family. It is surrounded by the Balchik Botanical Garden, unique in Central and Eastern Europe, especially due to its cactus collection. Balchik is also known as the White Town because of the chalk hills surrounding it. 

From Constanta it should not take you more than two-three hours to get there, especially if you leave in the morning when there’s little traffic. The road is pretty bad once you reach Bulgaria, or at least it was back then, I don’t know if they did anything to fix it in the mean time. If you're wondering which are the main attractions, I will let the pictures speak for themselves:

RO:

Au trecut doi ani de cand am vizitat Balcicul si alte obiective din Bulgaria, insa m-am gandit sa impartasesc experienta mea pe blog. Poate, cine stie, cineva dintre voi intentioneaza sa mearga acolo intr-o buna zi sau in viitorul apropiat si informatiile i se vor parea utile. In plus, m-am gandit ca v-ar placea sa vedeti pozele din calatoria mea.

Sa incepem cu un scurt istoric si o serie de informatii asupra locatiei:

Balcic (sau Balchik), este un orasel situat pe tarmul Marii Negre, in Bulgaria, la circa 60 de km de Vama Veche. Intre anii 1913 – 1940 a apartinut Romaniei, in urma celui de al doilea razboi balcanic. In 1940, Dobrogea de sud (Cadrilaterul), inclusiv Balcicul, au fost cedate de Romania Bulgariei, prin Tratatul de la Craiova.

 In Balcic se afla celebrul castel, resedinta de vara preferata a Reginei Maria a Romaniei, inconjurat de o la fel de celebra gradina botanica unicat in Europa centrala si de est, in special datorita colectiei de cactusi. Pentru mult timp orasul a fost supranumit Orasul Alb, din cauza dealurilor calcaroase din jur.

Pornind din Constanta, drumul pana acolo dureaza maximum doua-trei ore, mai ales daca plecati dimineata, cand e trafic scazut. Drumul este avariat, o data ce treceti granita in Bulgaria, sau cel putin era atunci, nu stiu daca s-au facut reparatii intre timp. Cat despre principalele atractii, voi lasa fotografiile sa vorbeasca de la sine:

EN:

After visiting the Castle, the botanical garden and the surroundings, we went to Cape Kaliakra. According to legends, the fortress used to guard the treasuries of Lyzimah, successor of Alexander the Great. The two Bulgarians selling tickets at the entrance spoke a very funny Romanian and managed to make us laugh. We still get amused and make jokes about it when we look back on that day.

RO:

 Dupa ce am vizitat castelul Reginei Maria, gradina botanica si imprejurimile, ne-am indreptat catre capul Kaliakra. Legenda spune ca in aceasta fortareata erau pastrate comorile lui Lyzimah, succesorul lui Alexandru cel Mare. Cei doi bulgari care vindeau bilete de acces la intrare vorbeau o romana stricata foarte amuzanta si ne-au facut sa radem in hohote. Inca ne amuzam si glumim pe tema asta atunci cand ne amintim de ziua cu pricina.

EN: 

It was way past noon, so our next thought was to get something to eat. The place we had in mind after having read numerous reviews about it was Dalboka, a seafood restaurant and farm of Black Sea mussels. The food is extraordinary, the prices are affordable and the scenery is great. The terrace is by the sea and you have a nice view of the mussel farm, placed in the middle of the sea. We had the Sea Mirage (mussel soup) and mussels natural flavor with hogweed (we wanted to try the tiger prawns, but they were out for the moment), both served with a very spicy sauce based on red peppers on the side. In case you are interested, you can see the entire menu on their website.

Around 4:30 PM we headed back home, because it was a melting hot day and we were tired from all the walking and visiting in the sun.

This was my short Bulgarian adventure. Let me know if you’ve ever been there or if you intend to visit any of these places.

 RO:

            Deja era trecut binisor de ora pranzului, asa ca urmatorul nostru gand  a fost sa mancam ceva.  Dupa ce am citit numeroase recenzii pozitive referitoare la el, am decis sa incercam restaurantul Dalboka, specializat in fructe de mare si, simultan, ferma de midii de Marea Neagra. Mancarea este extraordinara, preturile sunt mai mult decat accesibile, iar cadrul este superb. Terasa se afla chiar pe malul marii, iar in zare se vede ferma de scoici, pozitionata in mijlocul apei. Am comandat supa de midii si midii natur cu condimente (am vrut sa incercam crevetii Jumbo, insa nu erau disponibili in acel moment), ambele servite alaturi de un sos extrem de picant, pe baza de ardei iute. Daca sunteti interesati, gasiti meniul pe site.

In jur de ora 16:30 ne-am indreptat catre casa, deoarece era o zi caniculara si eram deja franti, dupa mult mers pe jos si vizitat sub soarele arzator.

            Aceasta a fost scurta mea calatorie in Bulgaria. Astept sa-mi spuneti daca ati vizitat sau intentionati sa vizitati vreunul dintre aceste locuri.

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