Russian most popular New Year movie

The Irony of Fate, or Enjoy Your Bath! DVD cover

The Irony of Fate, or Enjoy Your Bath! (Russian: Ирония судьбы, или С лёгким паром!; Ironiya sudby, ili S lyogkim parom!) is a Soviet comedy-drama directed by Eldar Ryazanov as a made-for-TV movie.

Simultaneously a screwball comedy and a love story tinged with sadness, the film is traditionally broadcast in Russia and some other former Soviet republics and satellite states every New Year's Day. It is as fondly viewed every year as is the American films It’s a Wonderful Life and Home Alone during the Christmas holidays. Many memorable quotes from the film have become catch phrases in the Russian language.


Plot summary
A group of old friends have a tradition of going to a public bathing house on New Years eve. Occasionally too much vodka and beer makes two of them unconscious. The problem is that one of them (Sasha) has to go to Leningrad but another one (Zhenya) goes. Zhenya wakes up at Leningrad airport. Believing that he is still in Moscow he takes a taxi and goes home. The street name, building and even apartment number, the way an apartment complex looks the same and the key coincide completely - just typical Soviet-type 'economy' architecture. Imagine the surprise of Nadya when she enters her apartment and finds a man without trousers in her bed. What's more - Nadya's fiancé also finds him there.
The movie starts with an animated prologue. The rest of the film a live-action.


Watch full movie online with English subtitles
The Irony of Fate, or Enjoy Your Bath! Part 1





The Irony of Fate, or Enjoy Your Bath! Part 2

via ruslovo.blogspot.com
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Anna Chapman's first television interview (one hour talk show video)

Anna Chapman, the almost stereotypical "Bond girl”, accused of spying for the Russian government appeared on Russian talk show “Пусть говорят” (Let Them Talk). The 60 minutes episode “Let them talk. New Year with a girl of the year” was dedicated to Anna Chapman and featured her mother, sister, grandmother, school teachers, friends and her first love.

Watch online "Let them talk. New Year with a girl of the year"
Anna Chapman full video (1 hour,  Russian language)

Google Searches 2010: Year in Review

Re-live top events and moments from 2010 from around the globe through search, images, and video.

Music: GoodLife by OneRepublic
Produced by Whirled Creative

Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides Official Trailer

Johnny Depp returns to his iconic role of Captain Jack Sparrow in an action-packed tale of truth, betrayal, youth and demise. When Jack crosses paths with Angelica, a woman from his past (Penelope Cruz), he's not sure if it's love — or if she's a ruthless con artist who's using him to find the fabled Fountain of Youth. When she forces him aboard the Queen Anne's Revenge, the ship of the formidable pirate Blackbeard (Ian McShane), Jack finds himself on an unexpected adventure in which he doesn't know who to fear more: Blackbeard or the woman from his past.
—Disney's press release


Pirates of the Caribbean 4 Official Trailer

Domino Clock (video)

The Domino Clock takes a simple, iconic object and transforms it into a new way to tell time. The concept is simple. Three larger-than-life dominoes are equipped with articulating "dots" that flip back-and-forth between black and white to keep time. They hang on the wall or stand free, communicating wirelessly as they quietly mark the passing hours and minutes.
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Word Lens instantly translates printed words using video camera on iPhone (video)

Word Lens can instantly translate printed words from one language to another using the video camera on iPhone. No network delay, no roaming fees, and no reception problems.

Word Lens is a dictionary -- evolved. It looks up words, and shows them in context. Word Lens can be used on vacations to translate restaurant menus, street signs, and other things that have clearly printed words.

Word Lens has its limits. Sometimes the translation will have mistakes, and may be hard to understand, but it usually gets the point across. If a translation fails, there is a way to manually look up words by typing them in. Word Lens does not read very stylized fonts, handwriting, or cursive. 


Languages currently available using in-app purchase:
- Spanish to English
- English to Spanish
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Holidays Art

Holidays Art by phatpuppy

Joy to the World

I'm a Believer

Walking to Church

Christmas songs by Owl City

Owl City Picture via deviantart by ~CupCakeOwO

Owl City is an American synthpop musical project by Adam Young. Owl City was born from Young's musical experiments in his parents' basement in Owatonna, Minnesota. As Owl City, Young developed a following through MySpace before signing with Universal Republic.

After two independent albums, Owl City gained mainstream popularity with the 2009 major label debut album Ocean Eyes, which spawned the hit single "Fireflies".

Wiki






The song "In Christ Alone" as performed by Adam Young of Owl City.
Written by Keith Getty and Stuart Townsend.

Christmas song by Flyleaf

Image via Wikipedia

Front Cover for the Album Much Like Falling
 by the artist Flyleaf

Flyleaf: Christmas Song Lyrics

A frightened virgin teenage girl 

Receives a message that defies the laws of this world 
All she can do is weep and nod 
She's to bring into this world the Son of God 

God's angels sound their trumpets 
And blow their horns 
Tonight the long awaited savior is to be born 
The goodness bound by Satan it has been torn 
With this baby's precious brow ready for thorns 

Merry Christmas! Holiday greetings in different languages

Merry/Happy Christmas

A Christmas cake with a "Merry Christmas" greeting. Image via wiki

The greetings and farewells "Merry Christmas" and "Happy Christmas" are traditionally used in North America, the United Kingdom, Ireland and Australia, commencing a few weeks prior to Christmas (December 25) of every year.

"Merry," derived from the Old English myrige, originally meant merely "pleasant, and agreeable" rather than joyous or jolly.

Christmas derived from the Old English Cristes mæsse, for Christ's Mass).

The phrase is often preferred when it is known that the receiver is a Christian or celebrates Christmas. The nonreligious often use the greeting as well, however in this case its meaning focuses more on the secular aspects of Christmas, rather than the Nativity of Jesus.

The alternative "Happy Christmas" gained usage in the late 19th century, and is still common in the U.K. and Ireland alongside "Merry Christmas". 

Frozen Ornaments (17 photos)

Winter's ornaments on frozen glass...

Winter Solstice Lunar Eclipse (photos and video)

Winter Solstice Lunar Eclipse. Photo by fincher69 on flickr

The December 2010 lunar eclipse occurred from 5:27 to 11:06 UTC on December 21, coinciding with the date of the December solstice. It was visible in its entirety as a total lunar eclipse in North and South America, Iceland and northern Scandinavia.

The eclipse of December 2010 was the first total lunar eclipse in almost three years, since the February 2008 lunar eclipse.

It is the second of two lunar eclipses in 2010. The first was a partial lunar eclipse on June 26, 2010.

The eclipse was the first total lunar eclipse to occur on the day of the Northern Winter Solstice (Southern Summer Solstice) since 1638, and only the second in the Common Era.

Source: wiki 

Photo gallery:

Video:

Time lapse video of Winter Solstice Lunar Eclipse on December 21, 2010 from 1:10 AM EST (6:10 GMT) to 5:03 AM EST (10:03 GMT) from Gainesville Florida.  Music is Claude Debussy Nocturnes: Sirènes.

Royal Film Performance and World Premiere of The Chronicles Of Narnia: The Voyage Of The Dawn Treader

The Voyage of the Dawn Treader held its world premiere on November 30, 2010 in London at the Royal Film Performance* in Leicester Square. It was the first time the Royal Film Performance was screened in Digital 3-D and the second time a Narnia film premiered at the event, the first being The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe in 2005. The premiere was attended by various personalities, including Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip.

*The Royal Film Performance is a charity performance of a British film which is attended by members of the British Royal Family. The proceeds from the evening's entertainment are donated to the Cinema and Television Benevolent Fund, a charity which offers financial support to people from the film, cinema and television who encounter accident, illness, bereavement or unemployment.
The tradition was started with A Matter of Life and Death in 1946 and has continued every year since then.

via wiki  

The Royal World Premiere of The Chronicles of Narnia: The Voyage of the Dawn Treader held at The Odeon Leicester Square on November 30, 2010 in London, United Kingdom

The Chronicles of Narnia: The Voyage of the Dawn Treader (movie)

The Chronicles of Narnia:
The Voyage of the Dawn Treader

Theatrical poster. Image: wiki

The Chronicles of Narnia: The Voyage of the Dawn Treader is a 2010 3D fantasy-adventure film based on The Voyage of the Dawn Treader, the third published novel in C. S. Lewis's epic fantasy series The Chronicles of Narnia. It is the third installment in The Chronicles of Narnia film series from Walden Media. Unlike the earlier two films, it was distributed by 20th Century Fox, and was the first to be released in Digital 3D.

Set a year after the events of the previous film, the two youngest Pevensies Edmund (Skandar Keynes) and Lucy (Georgie Henley) are transported back to Narnia along with their cousin Eustace Scrubb (Will Poulter). They join the new king of Narnia, Caspian (Ben Barnes) in his quest to rescue seven lost lords to save Narnia from a corrupting evil that resides on a dark island. Each character is tested as they journey to the home of the great lion Aslan at the far end of the world.

The film premiered on November 30, 2010, at a Royal Film Performance in London. It had a wide theatrical release in traditional 2D, RealD 3D, and Digital 3D, and a limited release in 4D worldwide on December 10.

Award nominations

On 14 December 2010, the song "There's a Place for Us" from the film was nominated for a Golden Globe Award for Best Original Song at the 68th Golden Globe Awards. It also received 3 nominations in Best Youth Actor (Will Poulter), Best Live Action Family Film and Best Original Song at Phoenix Film Critics Society Awards.

Source: wiki

The first official trailer for The Chronicles of Narnia: The Voyage of the Dawn Treader

The Chronicles of Narnia: The Voyage of the Dawn Treader (novel)

Image via Wikipedia

Front book cover art for the book 
The Voyage of the Dawn Treader

The Voyage of the Dawn Treader is a fantasy novel for children by C. S. Lewis. Written in 1950, it was published in 1952 as the third book of The Chronicles of Narnia. 


Plot
Begun in January, completed in February 1950 and published on 15 September 1952, The Voyage of the ‘Dawn Treader’ returns Edmund and Lucy Pevensie, along with their priggish cousin, Eustace Scrubb, to Narnia. Once there, they join Caspian's voyage on the ship Dawn Treader to find the seven lords who were banished when Miraz took over the throne. This perilous journey brings them face to face with many wonders and dangers as they sail toward Aslan's country at the end of the world.


Influences

Arguably, Voyage of the Dawn Treader is the novel which shows the most influence from Lewis' Irish background. It is reminiscent of the Immram genre of Irish literature. However, unlike such voyages, The Dawn Treader travels East, rather than West.

It was suggested that that the Odyssey was an inspiration for it as well. It might also symbolize Paul's journey in the Bible.

Source: wiki

Fan Art

the voyage of the dawn treaderby ~alboradadelgracioso

The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian (movie)

The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian. © Disney/Walden Narnia. Image: deviantart 

The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian is a 2008 epic fantasy film based on Prince Caspian, the second published, fourth chronological novel in C. S. Lewis's epic fantasy series, The Chronicles of Narnia. It is the second in The Chronicles of Narnia film series from Walden Media, following The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe (2005). The four Pevensie children (William Moseley, Anna Popplewell, Skandar Keynes, and Georgie Henley) return to Narnia to aid Prince Caspian (Ben Barnes) in his struggle for the throne against his corrupt uncle, King Miraz (Sergio Castellitto). 
Source: wiki

Prince Caspian: The Return to Narnia

The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian,
illustrated by Pauline Baynes
Image via books online store  

Prince Caspian: The Return to Narnia is a novel for children by C. S. Lewis, written in late 1949 and first published in 1951. It is the second book in the Chronicles of Narnia series, although in the overall chronological sequence it comes fourth.


Themes

The two major themes of the story are courage and chivalry and, as Lewis himself said in a letter to an American girl, "the restoration of the true religion after a corruption".

Adaptations

The BBC adapted Prince Caspian in two episodes of the 1989 series of The Chronicles of Narnia.
The second in the series of films from Walden Media, titled The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian, was released in the US on 16 May 2008. The UK release date was 26 June 2008.

The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe (film)

Image via Wikipedia

 The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe is a 2005 epic fantasy adventure film directed by Andrew Adamson and based on The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, the first published and second chronological novel in C. S. Lewis's children's epic fantasy series, The Chronicles of Narnia. It was co-produced by Walden Media and Walt Disney Pictures and distributed by Walt Disney Pictures. William Moseley, Anna Popplewell, Georgie Henley and Skandar Keynes play Peter, Susan, Lucy and Edmund, four British children evacuated during the Blitz to the countryside, who find a wardrobe that leads to the fantasy world of Narnia. There they ally with the Lion Aslan (voiced by Liam Neeson) against the forces of Jadis, the White Witch (Tilda Swinton).

The film was released on December 9, 2005 in both Europe and North America to positive reviews and was highly successful at the box office. It won the 2005 Academy Award for Best Make Up and various other awards and is the first film in the series of films based on the books. An Extended Edition was released on December 12, 2006 and was only made available on DVD until January 31, 2007 when it was discontinued. It was the best selling DVD in North America in 2006 taking in $332.7 million that year.
Source: wiki

Movie trailers (spoilers!)

The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe (novel)

The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe cover. Image: photobucket

The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe is a fantasy novel for children by C. S. Lewis. Published in 1950 and set circa 1940, it is the first-published book of The Chronicles of Narnia and is the best known book of the series. Although it was written and published first, it is second in the series' internal chronological order, after The Magician's Nephew. Time magazine included the novel in its TIME 100 Best English-language Novels from 1923 to 2005. It has also been published in 47 foreign languages.

Lewis dedicated the book to his god-daughter, Lucy Barfield.

Writing

Lewis described the origin of The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe in an essay entitled It All Began with a Picture:

"The Lion all began with a picture of a Faun carrying an umbrella and parcels in a snowy wood. This picture had been in my mind since I was about sixteen. Then one day, when I was about forty, I said to myself: 'Let's try to make a story about it.'"

The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe.
Faun carrying an umbrella and parcels.
Image: photobucket

Shortly before World War II, many children were evacuated from London to the English countryside to escape attacks on London by Nazi Germany. On 2 September 1939 three school girls: Margaret, Mary and Katherine, came to live at The Kilns in Risinghurst, Lewis's home three miles east of Oxford city centre. Lewis later suggested that the experience gave him a new appreciation of children and in late September he began a children's story on an odd sheet which has survived as part of another manuscript:

"This book is about four children whose names were Ann, Martin, Rose and Peter. But it is most about Peter who was the youngest. They all had to go away from London suddenly because of Air Raids, and because Father, who was in the Army, had gone off to the War and Mother was doing some kind of war work. They were sent to stay with a kind of relation of Mother's who was a very old professor who lived all by himself in the country."

How much more of the story Lewis then wrote is uncertain. Roger Lancelyn Green thinks that he might even have completed it. In September 1947 C.S. Lewis wrote in a letter about stories for children: "I have tried one myself but it was, by the unanimous verdict of my friends, so bad that I destroyed it."

In August 1948, during the visit of the American writer Chad Walsh, Lewis vaguely talked about completing a children's book which he had begun "in the tradition of E. Nesbit". After this conversation not much happened - until the beginning of the next year. Then everything changed.

In his essay It All Began With a Picture C.S. Lewis continues: "At first I had very little idea how the story would go. But then suddenly Aslan came bounding into it. I think I had been having a good many dreams of lions about that time. Apart from that, I don't know where the Lion came from or why He came. But once He was there, He pulled the whole story together, and soon He pulled the six other Narnian stories in after Him."

On 10 March 1949 Roger Lancelyn Green dined with him at Magdalen College. After the meal, Lewis read two chapters from his new children's story to Green. Lewis asked Green's opinion of the tale, and Green thought it was good. The manuscript of The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe was complete by the end of March 1949. Lucy Barfield received it by the end of May. When on 16 October 1950 Geoffrey Bles in London published the first edition, three new Chronicles - Prince Kaspian, The Voyage of the Dawn Threader and The Horse and His Boy - had also been completed.

The Chronicles of Narnia (film series)

The Chronicles of Narnia (film series) Image by spunkynell

The Chronicles of Narnia is a series of epic fantasy films from Walden Media based on the series of novels, The Chronicles of Narnia written by C. S. Lewis in the 1950s. It currently consists of three films of a planned heptalogy - The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe (2005), Prince Caspian (2008), and The Voyage of the Dawn Treader (2010).

Although Lewis did not want his books to be turned into films, it has been done four times, three of them for television. The BBC made television serial adaptations of The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, Prince Caspian, The Voyage of the Dawn Treader and The Silver Chair. A film version of The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, entitled The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, produced by Walden Media and distributed by Walt Disney Pictures was released in December 2005. Permission for films to be made was given by C. S. Lewis' stepson, Douglas Gresham. It was directed by Andrew Adamson. The screenplay was written by Ann Peacock. Principal photography for the film took place in Poland, the Czech Republic and New Zealand.
Source: wiki

Search Amazon.com for The Chronicles of Narnia
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