Reading & Seeing 17

Frank
Jon (Domhnall Gleeson) is a bit of a loser and wannabe musician who's seriously struggling to write a (decent) song. A chance encounter and random offer to stand in for a visiting band's keyboard player sets him off on a bizarre journey into the somewhat conflicting realms of creativity and fame. Most of the band dislike him but not Frank (Michael Fassbender). Former psychiatric patient and perpetual wearer (even in the shower!) of the papier máché head, Frank sees potential in Jon and insists that Jon stay with the band to record their album. It's a rather odd little film, in part inspired by Chris Sievey's comdey persona Frank Sidebottom who wore an oversized, blue-eyed, black haired papier maché head, but this Frank has his own story entirely. It's rather amusing in places but also terribly poignant particularly as it looks at the link between genius and madness. The cast is stellar and the music, unsurprisingly, is a v.strong presence throughout the film - the closing number in particular is bloody brilliant. A gem of a movie, definitely worth a watch.

The Wind Rises
The latest animation from Studio Ghibli tells the story of Jiro who, due to his near-sightedness, cannot become a pilot so instead endeavours to design and engineer them. Throughout his career there are ups and downs, all played out against a recognisable and troubled historical backdrop. Intermingled with world events (earthquakes and the onset of war) is the delicate love story between our protagonist and Nahoko, a girl he saves in the earthquake and is reunited with by chance some years later. The animation is utterly beautiful - the reflections in the water and the dappled light coming through the trees is so perfect. I loved Jiro's dream sequences and his conversations with Italian engineer Gianni Caproni, I also liked the way Jiro would be talking to his team of engineers and then envisage the plane above them, taking flight with the wind blowing all about them. Talking of wind, and aeronautics actually, Mitch and I have been working our way through the Studio Ghibli films and flight, planes and nature seem to be a common theme. The Wind Rises is tragic yet beautiful, something Hayao Miyazaki does rather well, too bad it's the last film he'll make.

He, She and It (1991)
Set in the not so distant future, earth is a scarred husk of a planet largely thanks to the effects of global warming and war. The human race still exists but it's fragmented. Depending on their status, people either live in the protected (and privilaged) domes of the multis - gigantic companies which run everything; the glop - a sprawling sector, home to most of the remaining population and rife with gangs and crime; or the free bases - self contained towns which are run and protected by the citizens that live there, independent of the multis. Although many animal species (and people) have died off due to the sun's strengthened radiation, one thing that has remained, and has only become stronger is technology. The Net (cyberspace) is at the heart of life in this new world. It's where people from all walks of life can communicate with each other. It's also the primary source of entertainment and information storage. As you've probably guessed, this is deliciously SF. The actual story follows Shira an ex-multi employee who returns to the free town of Tivka to live with her grandmother (and expert security software programmer), Malkah. But the talented Malkah has been working on another secret project, a cyborg. A cyborg built to resemble a human - physically and emotionally - but with the strength and stamina of a machine and it turns to Shira to socialise it. It's been described as feminist fiction and I can see why, the female characters steal the show, particularly Nili - a scout sent from an all-women community cut off from the rest of the world. Although the women have their flaws, the male characters (aside from Yod, the cyborg) are weak in more ways than one. It was great to read about some really meaty and gritty female characters and something which I need to do more of. I've got Beyoncé in my head now.


#nofilter
Last week I went to the bloomsbury theatre at UCL to see three youtubers put on a live show. And those ladies were: Hannah Hart of My Drunk Kitchen; Mamrie Hart (no relation) of You Deserve a Drink; and Grace of Daily Grace. I confess I'm not totally up on my youtube channels but I'd watched quite of few of Hannah's videos and a couple of Mamrie and Grace's. My friend Alex (who's way more clued up about this stuff) got the tickets. Once we were in our seats I looked around at the audience and noticed that I was probably one of the oldest people there. However, as soon as the show started I knew that my old age had no detrimental effect on the crazy antics happening on the stage. It was pretty hilarious. I've not heard so many puns packed into an hour and twenty minutes before - those american ladies love their puns. They also (as you may have gathered from their youtube channel names) like to drink. V.silly and smutty as hell - a good show indeed. Here's Hannah's music video about a carrot onesie (featuring Grace and Marmie).

Reading & Seeing 16

Under the Skin
Chilling, sinister and amazing. Set in Scotland, Scarlett Johansson plays a seemingly attractive and friendly young women who picks up single and unattached young men on the pretence of giving them a lift somewhere. Once they're seated in her van, she asks if they'd like to come home with her. Unluckily for the poor bastards who say yes, they're not about to get their rocks off. They're about to meet their end because Johansson is some sort of alien. She's actually seducing them and taking them back to her creepy lair to harvest their bodies in one of the most terrifying sequences I've ever seen. But it's not just the action on screen that's frightening, it's the music. With very little dialogue, the music (and the stunning Scottish scenery) is a powerful presence throughout the film. It's unnervingly atmospheric - whether it was the eerie, minimal rhythmic beats or the frantic violin (or strings) music, I had goosebumps. Johansson is spot-on, as are the v.brief appearances of the supporting cast. Director Jonathan Glazer has been likened to Kubrick and I can definitely see the similarities. I'm not sure if this is still on at the cinema but I do highly recommend watching it on the big screen if you can. We had to watch something funny before going to sleep (I have a v.active imagination) and I suggest you do the same.

In the Heart of the Sea (2000)
The true story of the Nantucket whale ship Essex which foundered in 1820 thanks to an encounter with a sperm whale. Its crew faced a harrowing 90 days in open whale boats searching for land in the Pacific Ocean, with next to nothing to eat or drink, apart from each other... Around forty years ago, a new first-hand account of the Essex crew was unearthed which is why Nathaniel Philbrick wrote In the Heart of the Sea. Before the diary of cabin boy, Thomas Nickerson, was discovered the story of the Essex was almost solely known thanks to the account of Owen Chase, the vessel's first mate, whose own journal was published soon after the sinking and rescue. Philbrick uses both these accounts, which sometimes conflict, in order to piece together what happened. As well as the narrative, Philbrick also provides some useful and interesting contextual information - whaling terms, maps, what life was life was like in Nantucket at that time etc. I also liked the fact that he tells us about what happened to each of the survivors. Yes, the tradgedy of the Essex is apparently what inspired Melville to write Moby Dick, but for me I thought this true story was even more fantastical and shocking. It's no secret that I couldn't get to grips with Moby Dick at uni but I thought this book was excellent and gave a real sense of what it was like to be a whaler in the mid 19th century. I read this in 6 days (into the early hours of the morning on a couple of occasions); I could not put it down. An incredible (and gruesome) story of survival, definitely worth reading before hollywood have its way with it anyway.

The Last Runaway (2013)
Another book set in America in the mid 1800s (I appear to have gone off on a historical story jaunt), however, this novel is centred around Quakers, quilts (yay!) and the underground railroad, a movement which helped slaves on the run to reach the boarders of Canada. At the centre of it all is Honor Bright, a young English quaker who finds herself v.much alone and somewhat stuck in a tiny, developing village in Ohio. Understandably she feels completely alien in her new home, and the majority of people aren't particularly sympathetic. Quite a fuss was made about this book, possibly because of Tracy Chevalier, but I have to say I found it rather simple and straightforward. (My auntie pointed out that the simple writing style is supposed to mirror the simplistic Quaker way of life. Or something.) I confess I did enjoy the quilting references but at times it felt like Chevalier, who'd obviously done a lot of research into the craft, was determined to squeeze in bits of her new-found knowledge when the story didn't need it. I like the mixture of third-person narrative and letters but unfortunately Honor is a little irritating, Jack Haymaker is terribly one dimensional (in fact a lot of the quakers are either beige or unpleasant) and the meatier characters (Belle and Donavan) aren't really given enough page space. The truly interesting subject - the underground railroad - sort of trundles along in the middle distance which is a shame because I think that's the book I'd rather have read.

The Drowned Man: A Hollywood Fable
Chances are you've heard something of the hype surrounding this production of promenade theatre. Well, let me tell you, there's a damn good reason for it. I went last Thursday and I can honestly say it was probably one of the best things I've seen. Rather than sitting down to watch a story, imagine walking around inside it - following the action from scene to scene over four floors of the most incredible sets, silently watching the drama play-out before you. Well, that's what it's like and it was amazing. I'm not going to say any more because it's way more fun to discover stuff for yourself. They've extended it until the end of June and I thoroughly intend to go again. Intrigued? Read more about it here.

Reading & Seeing 15

Only Lovers Left Alive
Set in the not so distant future where the world is sort of crumbling and blood is in short supply. The film follows the story of long long time vampire lovers (who've married each other several times) Adam (Tom Hiddleston) and Eve (Tilda Swinton). Having influenced a number of revered composers throughout history, Adam has become a reclusive musician in his own right and spends his days in his crumbling Detroit house surrounded by his vintage guitars, listening to old records and making grizzly-snythy (awesome) music. His only contact with the outside world is Ian, a big fan of Adam's music who also "gets stuff" for him - more guitars, equipment and the like - and a doctor at the local hospital who keeps Adam, for a fee, in regular supply of blood. He also talks/skypes Eve who lives in Tangier with her good friend, fellow vampire and provider of her blood supply, Christopher (John Hurt). Eve flies to see Adam in Detroit (as he's being all mopey - Tom makes a great and v.sexy mopey vampire) and we follow their exploits from there. So what did think? FINALLY! A vampire film I can get on board with! Hiddleston and Swinton make beautiful vampires - pale, boney and quite obviously very much in love. The two leads seemed so comfortable and easy with each other, I didn't question for a second that they'd spent centuries together. And, given that they have lived for centuries, there's some amusing name dropping (Adam's thoughts on Byron and Mary Wollstoncraft for example) and the script is littered with pleasing literature references and quips. The sets (Detroit and Tangier) are perfect and, coupled with the reverberating grungy music, are incredibly atmospheric. True, the pace is slower that a lot of the films we're fed these days and it won't appeal to everyone but for me, it was a real breath of fresh air. The cast is small - Hiddleston and Swinton claim the most screen time but there are also very short but brilliant performances performances by the supporting cast, most notably Mia Wasikowska, as Swinton's impetuous (and greedy, let's say) younger sister. If you want your vampires glowing and fannying around with werewolves in high school then this is not for you. However, if you like your vampires altogether a bit more brooding and gothic give this a whirl.

Still from the movie - I love LOVE these tiles (I'm currently rather obsessed with tiles). The shot framing in this film was beautiful!

The Goldfinch

Donna Tart's long awaited third novel and my first book read on a kindle (but that's another story, which you can read about here). The Goldfinch centres around Theo Decker who is re-calling (or rather penning) his life story. He begins on the day that his mother is killed, 14 years previously, after a bomb explodes in New York City's Metropolitan Museum. The aftermath of the explosion sets Theo's life on a fragmented and rather lonely path at the core of which is the painting of The Goldfinch - spurring him on on one hand but also unravelling his life at the same time. So, would I recommend it? Yes, but be warned: it is long, just shy of 800 pages actually. Although it starts with a, quite literal, bang, it doesn't keep that pace and, in places, I found myself thinking, "c'mon, c'mon, get to the next bit"(the Vegas stuff dragged on a bit too long for my liking). But, persevere, it does pick up again. On the plus side, Tart's descriptions are stellar and there's some great, rather meaty, supporting characters which really move the story along. Other good stuff: a couple of plot twists and turns, which I didn't see coming, and the details and descriptions of New York City build such a rich picture, they made me want to go back there so so badly. It's not as amazing as The Secret History (of course, I would say that, it's one of my favourite books) but it was bloody good and certainly worth the 11 year wait.

The Grand Budapest Hotel
Set in the ficticious land of Zubrowka, this is the charming, amusing and at times rather sad story of  charismatic concierge, Gustave H, and lobby boy, Zero, at The Grand Budapest Hotel. In true Wes Anderson style every shot is perfect and a joy to behold, the script is quick, witty and poignant, the characters are a beautifully varied bunch if a little 2-dimensional (especially the female characters) but thanks to the pacey story-line and a seriously fabulous cast that last observation didn't really bother me. Also, the two main characters are pretty meaty and spectacularly portrayed - Ralph Fiennes has been given much praise for his performance and rightly so. There's numerous chase scenes, cameo appearances, excellent costumes and magnificent sets all wrapped up in several layers of story-telling - a particularly favourite detail of mine. If you hadn't guessed already, I loved this film. You must see it, preferably in the cinema. It's a feast for the eyes and much too lovely to miss on the big screen.

Life After Life
Ever driven by interesting concepts, the premise of a character reliving her life over and over again (taking different paths each time) seemed right up my street. Ursula Todd, born, many times over, in 1910, lives many lives some of which do not last beyond childhood, others find her meeting her doom in the blitz of WWII, but everytime she dies, her life starts over on the same snowy day in Feb 1910. On the whole, I liked it. I wanted to see how each life Ursula lived would unfurl and how the choices she made changed the outcomes of her (and others') situation. I also liked that certain events didn't change, some exchanges or outcomes were always bound to happen, and that the re-telling of some life events gave a much more 3-dimensional view of our protagonist and her family. However, there were a few things that really irked me. Obviously, this is not a new concept and it's not surprising I was drawn to it because one of my favourite books, Replay, does it too. Replay takes a different stance in that the protagonist always dies at the age of 43 and instead of being reborn he comes back at ever-closer ages to 43. He also, unlike Ursula, remembers everything from his former lives. What annoyed me about Life After Life is that Ursula's remembering is inconsistent and lazily explained if she does in fact "remember" something. Also, in her different lives, external happenings, often vary. Fair enough if events are altered as a result of Ursula's choices but it didn't seem to make any sense that external happenings were subject to change without an instigator, surely they should have been the constant. Perhaps I'm being picky but it bothered me. However, the bits set during the blitz were enthralling - v.morbid but interesting and really vividly described. I think I'll try another Kate Atkinson. I really liked her writing style, and probably just need to cool it when it comes to the rules of incarnation - I don't know if there are any afterall.

oscar worthy

I confess: Oscar/bafta season does get me excited. I try to watch a lot of films anyway but I'm always interested to see what's been nominated for the big film awards. In the run up to the Oscars, there's normally lots of good stuff out so here's a little round-up of what I've been watching along with some poster art. I do love alternative posters. Also, if you're thinking of heading to the cinema for valentines movie night perhaps this might help...

Her

Spike Jonze ('Where the wild things are', 'Being John Malkovich') has written and directed this, very beautiful, love story of a different kind. Set in the near future, writer, Theodor (Joaquin Phoenix) is recently divorced and rather lonely. He purchases a new type of operating system for his computer - intelligent, personable and capable of evolving. After answering a couple of initial questions and opting to make her female, Theodore's OS takes on a personality of her own. She (Samantha) and Theodore become closer and closer. Their relationship begins to change, evolving just as Samantha gradually expands and explores her humanity (of sorts). But is there a future for two 'people' with very different states of being - using being in the very loosest sense? Well I'm not going to say because I think you should watch it. I loved everything about this film - the story, the cinematography (really dream-like, the colours are beautiful), the characters, the little details (Theodore's job as a letter writer is v.clever, and the costume styling is ace) and the music. The music is particularly amazing - Arcade Fire and Karen O doing their thing can never be wrong. I also liked how it seemed believable. Yes it's set in the future where OS's have artificial intelligence but, we are already incredibly dependent on technology and it's evolving at an insane rate. Who's to say people wouldn't become attracted to their computers if they built up a rapport with them? It would be hard not to if they sounded like Samantha (Scarlett Johansson). Although she never appears on screen (Samantha doesn't have a body of course) her voice essentially carries the film forward. I read that someone else had originally been cast as Samantha and that Johansson had been a last minute change, recorded over the top of the original actress. A little harsh perhaps but Johnasson's voice is so full of life and has such an impact on everything throughout the story. I'm really rooting for this to scoop the 5 oscars that it's up for. Kinda romantic but not in a gooey-way.

The Wolf of Wall Street
The tale of stock broker, and massive jerk, Jordan Belfort (Leo DiCaprio) - it's one hell of a ride, an incredibly debauched, drug filled ride with a little bit of Jennifer Lumley thrown in for good measure. As all the trailers have suggested, it may have the words 'Wall Street' in the title but you don't really need to know a thing about stock markets, brokering etc to be able to follow this film (thank god, as I don't understand any of that stuff). Instead, what you get to witness are the fruits of the Belfort's corruption: namely having more money than he knows what to do with. You'd have thought there were only so many drugs to snort, cruise boats to crash, women to *ahem* bone, dwarves to throw, cars to crash, people to screw over, but not for Belfort. It's 3 hours long but you won't be bored for a second. The pace is fast, the script is sharp, it's superbly acted (Leo is awesome) and it's funny. It's been described as a black comedy - much of what happens is shocking (those work parties are essentially orgies) - but I laughed a lot, much of the time with open-mouthed horror. It deserves the hype and is definitely worth a watch, especially if you're after something rather
anti-valentines-y this evening.

12 Years A Slave

I put off watching this for a good while mostly because I knew it was going to be harrowing. But, all the reviews, comments from friends and Mitch persistently suggesting we should see it, were working against me so I caved. It is beautifully shot and incredibly well acted (terrifyingly well acted in terms of Fassbender) but it is absolutely devastating. Based on the memoirs of Solomon Northup, a free man leaving in New York with his wife and children, is was kidnapped in Washington DC and sold into the slave trade. It is heart-aching stuff, I cried almost the entire way through. And not silent crying, oh no, I was ugly crying. The brutality, the injustice, the shear lack of humanity that it is displayed in that film still haunts me. But, it is an amazing movie and thoroughly deserves all the praise it's getting. I'm glad I've seen it but I shall never ever watch it again. My advice? Make sure you've got something up-beat and light-hearted to watch afterwards if this is your choice tonight.

In spite of my fairly 'meh' feelings towards it - happy valentine's day! Hope you have a good one if you're a celebrator (tonight, we're staying in, making burgers and watching Wall-E). But more importantly, happy friday to all!

picture sources 1 // 2 // 3

Reading & Seeing 14

The Gigantic Beard that was Evil (2013)
In case you didn't know, I like beards. And, I like books, particularly beautiful books with lovely covers and great illustrations. So, you can imagine how chuffed I was when my lovely friend Alex gave me this for Christmas. It's a short graphic novel about Dave, who, you've guessed it, begins to grow a very big beard. But it's no ordinary beard - this one's got a mind of its own and doesn't care to be trimmed... I need to read more graphic novels I think. This one was perfect for reading in bed just before going to sleep (you could easily read it in one sitting but I wanted to savour it). Also, the author/illustrator, Stephen Collins, is a south londoner so that's pretty cool plus the book itself smells amazing.

The Fifth Child (1988)
A chilling novella about a couple, Harriet and David, who decide, against the advice their respective parents, to buy a huge house and have lots of children to fill it. Sounds pleasant enough and about half of the book sets the stage - family life is good, one baby after another is born and the house is full of relations during the christmas, easter and summer holidays. But then, the fifth child is conceived and everything changes. Harriet's pregnancy is terrible and serves as a warning as to what is to come once Ben is born. His destructive presence slowly destroys the idyllic family set-up and it's Harriet who's ultimately left isolated. It covers a number of issues: people's perceptions and the effects of those judgements, genetic throwbacks, disabilities but it also seems to show that you plan your life to a 'tee' but that doesn't mean that life will follow your plan - anything can and will happen. Not up-lifting stuff (there's a scene in an institution which will probably haunt me for a long time) but it really made me think and has definitely encouraged me to read more Doris Lessing for sure.

The Maltese Falcon (1930)
One of the classic detective novels, it was originally serialised in a magazine in 1929 which is perhaps why each punchy chapter ends in such a way that you want to read on (even if the tube has pulled into Brixton and you've got to get off). The story centres around Sam Spade - clever, quick-thinking, if rather cold, private detective - who's boat is thoroughly rocked when the beautiful Miss Wonderly is ushered into his office and asks for his help. The plot moves at a fast pace, the narration following Spade from confrontation to confrontation as he attempts to solve the murder of his business partner and the mystery of the Maltese Falcon. There's a lot of talking which, along with the succinct descriptions, really sets the scene and gives the great characters a 3 dimensional quality. As if I hadn't tempted you enough already, it's super easy to read and there's a great little surprise at the end.

The Hobbit - the desolation of smaug

Having watched the first instalment of this story last Christmas, I confess I wasn't too keen on watching part II. But, eventually, I gave in and I was pleasantly surprised - it's way better than 'An Unexpected Journey'. Saying that though, it does have a few faults: 1. it's unbelievably long 2. there seems to be a lot of unnecessary 'laying the groundwork/backstory for the lotr films' 3. the weird love triangle between kili, legolas and evangeline lilly 4. it's unbelievably long. And the best bits? There's an excellent sequence which involves the dwarves escaping the wood elves via wine barrels in a river, whilst also killing orcs. But it's Smaug that really steals the show. The conclusion, or rather abrupt end, of this film is a bit of a cliffhanger and has obviously been engineered so that audiences will want to see how the story will conclude. But, if I remember correctly, there's really not much of the story left which either means "yay, the third film will be an hour long at most!" or "wow what a drawn out, misshapen, hash-up of a film, with all that CGI and added on stuff the book of my child-hood is unrecognisable". Perhaps I'm exaggerating a bit but I have a terrible feeling that it'll be more like the latter. We'll see.

Parks and Recreation
Oh my god, this show is amazing. Mitch and I only started watching it about a month ago and we're almost up to date, with season six ready to be viewed over the weekend. In some ways it reminds me of 30 Rock - a bunch of odd ball characters all thrown together into the only environment which brings all types of people together: work. It's so good to be watching a comedy again, because although I do enjoy a good drama (House of Cards season 2 - feb 14th!) I also love having a good laugh.

festive film line-up

So this is just for starters.

We kicked off our Christmas movie viewing last Sunday with a couple of classics - Home Alone and It's a Wonderful Life - followed by two gems from the 80s... First up, Trading Places. Rich, snob, broker Dan Aykroyd finds his life turned upside down when his obnoxious bosses orchestrate a change of circumstances and swap Aykroyd's life of luxury with that of impoverished street hustler Eddie Murphy. Not only is the script great and the casting superb, it's also directed by John Landis of Blues Brothers and An American Werewolf in London fame. He also directed Michael Jackson's Thriller video.
Second 80s film - Scrooged. Bill Murray is in the Scrooge seat playing one hell of a jerk and tv network director. In standard Christmas Carol style he's visited by three spirits - past and future are pretty terrifying. Murray is perfect for the 'starts out bad, ends up good' character arc role (also see Groundhog day), and, although it's relatively new to my xmas film list (I only watched it for the first time last year), it'll probably be staying in my list for years to come purely for the entertainment factor.
Looking forward to the others especially: Bridget Jones's Diary - I've not seen it in years, The Muppet Christmas Carol - I might save this for Boxing Day, and The Snowman - for me, it's the oldest on my list, the one that really signifies christmas, probably because I've been watching it every year since I can remember. We had - still have - it on VHS, and on that version, David Bowie did an intro (I know, v.cool). In all of my 26 years I've not met anyone else who's seen this (and I think a few people thought I'd made it up) but! some v.helpful individual has put it on youtube so you can see it for yourself!

Also, in case you hadn't realised, it's a week till Christmas day!

picture credits: 1 // 2 // 3 // 4 // 5 // 6 // 7 // 8 // 9 // 10

Reading & Seeing 13

Journey into Fear (1940)

Istanbul, 1940. English engineer, Graham, has been in Turkey on business. The night before he is due to begin his journey home, he is injured in a shooting, perpertrated by a thief disturbed by Graham when he returns late to his hotel room. The gunman escapes but the Turkish Head of Security tells our protagonist that the so-called thief was actually paid to murder him. A new route home is plotted for our engineer and he finds himself on a cargo ship bound for Genoa. The ship is also carrying several other passengers of various nationalities, but who can Graham trust? Exciting stuff eh? Spy thrillers aren't usually my thing but this was v.cool indeed. It's most definitely one of those "can't put it down" books (unsurprisingly, I finished it in record time). As well as writing many novels, Eric Ambler, also wrote screenplays. The descriptions and pace in 'Journey into Fear' definitely lend itself to a film plot and the narrative angle - through the eyes of an ordinary man - made Graham and the story itself, instantly more accessible. Although World War II is evidently the cause of Graham's situation, the War is very much in the background. The crux of the novel is a very simple concept - the interaction of strangers in a confined space. Oh, and the drive for survival. Definitely worth a read.


Sweet Tooth (2012)

Let's start with a confession. I've never read any Ian McEwan before. I know, I know - where have I been? Everybody raves about him (plus he's one an award or two) so perhaps this was the wrong book to start with as I'm not sure what the fuss is about... It starts with an intriguing set-up: a confession from a former secret agent who, after only 18 months in the service, disgraces herself and ruins her lover. Tantalising, no? However, what followed was a meandering recount of the lead-up and installation of our protagonist, the incredibly irritating Serena Frome, into MI5. Once she's actually there (where I thought the pace/interest might increase) she's given a role in operation Sweet Tooth, which basically involves the secret service, under the guise of the "Foundation", bank rolling writers who openly criticise communism. Serena, after one meeting with one of these writers, one Tom Hadley, promptly begins an affair with him. This drags on somewhat. The only shinning light in all the affair stuff is when Serena (and therefore the reader) reads the writer's short stories which were all pretty weird and slightly messed up. But, there aren't enough of these short stories to make up for all the waffle. Just when I was starting to write a v.disparaging review of Sweet Tooth (in my head) it finally got interesting - ahem, 30 odd pages from the end. In fact, the last 10 pages of the novel actually made the book for me and the very final paragraph delivered the payoff I'd been waiting for which I admit, was pretty clever and definitely altered my opinion (and the review). Perhaps this is just how McEwan rolls? He gives his readers 300 pages of nothing before you get it all at the very last second? I might have to read another of his to find out.

Blackfish (2013)

An excellent documentary which exposes the dark side of SeaWorld and the killer whales that "perform" in their shows. The film is framed by the most recent (or at least, the most recently publicised) incident of a fatal killer whale attack on its trainer. You might remember the story from 2010: experienced trainer, Dawn Brancheau, was killed by Tilikum, the largest killer whale to be kept (and perform) at SeaWorld Orlando. Through interviews with former trainers, whale hunters, marine biologists and former marine park owners the documentary follows the life of Tilikum - from his capture as a baby to the solitary life he lives in Orlando where he still appears in shows today. It's quite a devastating look at what goes on behind the curtain at SeaWorld: the lies they spread about killer whale life spans, their complete dis-reguard for their trainers safety (namely buying a whale that they knew had killed a person) and of course a complete lack of respect for the whales themselves. The film got me all riled up and quite emotional, not just because people had died, or been seriously attacked in the name of forcing wild animals to perform to crowds but because whales had died too, mostly thanks to the complete ignorance of the people in charge at SeaWorld and other such parks. Thankfully, I can say that I've never been to such a place but even if I had, I sure as hell wouldn't go again. I highly recommend this film - I feel like more people need to be aware of what's really going on.

Star Trek Voyager (1995- 2001)

Seeing as SO much of my time was spent watching this show (about 3 months) I thought I'd give it a quick mention. Even if you hate SF and Star Trek, I think you've gotta give kudos to the overall concept -Voyager is stranded in an uncharted sector of space known as the Delta Quadrant (Earth, some 70,000 lights years away, is in the Alpha quadrant). The great unknown is the perfect backdrop for interactions with bizarre species and thought provoking scenarios. I'm not gonna lie to you - after 170 episodes some of the story lines get a little repetitive. But, there are some great episodes and I really warmed to all the main characters - especially Janeway, Starfleet's only (as far as I'm aware) female captain. Sure, it's geeky, a little cringe-y at times (and they can't end an episode for shit - last ever instalment was vastly disappointing) but the franchise has come a hell of a long way since the days of William Shatner getting it on with one alien babe after another... Definitely an acquired taste but it made me laugh (sometimes with it, sometimes at it) so if you're curious about what Star Trek was like before JJ Abrams got his mits on it, Voyager is great series to try.

Reading & Seeing 12

Gravity

A lot of hoo-ha has been made about this film and for good reason. Sandra Bullock and George Clooney are part of a space crew whose mission is severely compromised thanks to an influx of debris (mostly bits of broken up satellites). And so ensues an extremely tense hour and a half of willing the survivors to make it back to earth. Yes, some of it does seem a little far-fetched at points (the Wall-E moment in particular, yet part of me actually loved this too) but for the most part you'll be so captivated by the escalating action (not to mention the truly beautiful cinematography) that it's hard to dwell on those niggly points. I've seen a lot of films that are set in space (I do love my SF as you know) but this one was different. Devastating debris attacks aside, it all felt much more real - from the (very) cluttered and claustrophobic ISS to the terrifying absolute silence of space. The zero gravity scenes were fantastic and the entire way through the space scenes I found myself gripping hold of the chair or mitch's hand (subconsciously hanging onto something grounded? possibly). At 90 mins it's a perfect length, no amount of the screen time is wasted with filler scenes, literally every minute counts. This is a film that needs to be seen on the big screen - it must be incredible at the IMAX. I repeat: do not wait for the DVD. Also on the plus side, the 3D in this film actually works.

image source 

Arcade Fire @ the Roundhouse

Despite the fact that I've been an Arcade Fire fan since the days of Funeral, that's a good 9 years ago (an after school wander into hmv to buy it on it's release date), I'd never seen them live before Monday. And, what with their growing success, I'd resigned to the fact that unless I wanted to go and watch them in a soulless and cavernous venue like the o2 arena (which I certainly did not) I'd probably missed the boat. So, when I heard (the night before the tickets went on sale) that there were two dates at the Roundhouse to see them - under the fake name "The Reflektors" - you can bet I was there at 9am refreshing my browser window, with my debit card ready to purchase the maximum of two tickets. As an added bonus to actually securing the tickets, my impatient self didn't have to wait more than a week and half before the gig! And the gig itself? It was AMAZING. Mitch and I arrived early and joined the small queue that had started to form, the shitty weather clearly kept most people in the neighbouring pubs until the last minute). Once inside we collected our tickets to the musical talents of the Mariachi band from the doritos advert - it was then that I knew that this wasn't going to be like any other gig I'd been to. Next, we were given masquerade-type masks followed by the offer of having our faces painted, which I  did, obv. before being ushered into the main area along with about 200 other people to be part of a flash mob! A lady taught us a simple dance routine to one of the band's new songs which we could then perform during the gig (which we did, obvs). At 8:45, out they came and it was awesome. I'd listened to their new album a few times and liked a couple of the tracks but hearing them live was a completely different matter. It sounds corney but they completely blew me away. They all have so much energy – you can't help but dance around and sing along, I couldn't take my eyes of them! It was very new album heavy, which, at a couple of points I thought was a bit of a shame as I'd loved to have heard some more of their old stuff (disappointingly nothing was played from Neon Bible) - but this feeling only lasted all of 10 secs because their performance was so mesmerising. We did get three songs from Funeral (Power Out was probably my highlight) and Sprawl II from The Suburbs (my favourite from that album). For those of you who aren't quite convinced about the new album all I can say is: you should see it live. It was probably one of the best live gigs I ever seen. Never before have I left a show on such an insane high. 

Hothouse (1962)

Science fiction in it's purest form. Earth is unrecognisable thanks to the fact that it's stopped spinning on its axis. The side of the planet which faces the sun is over-run with vegetation: flesh-eating plants, trees and gigantic insects thrive whilst puny humans struggle to survive. Our race has regressed to a more primitive and green skinned state - intelligence, the ability to communicate and reproduce and our actual size have all been dramatically reduced. The story follows a small tribe of humans, and the creatures they encounter, on a journey through a completely unfamiliar future-earth. The creatures are rather disturbing, the landscapes bizarre and the situations quite frightening - the best thing about this book was that it really captivated my imagination. There's probably not much actual science behind the events leading up to the explosion of frondescence but Brian Aldiss' descriptions of the planet and it's omnivorous forests are so vivd that all disbelief is suspended. I didn't for one second wonder whether any of it was plausible, let alone probable, because you're cast off into this crazy world with nothing but the conviction of Aldiss' writing. And it is convincing. I've not read any SF quite as raw as this but I really enjoyed it.

Mockingjay (2010)

The third and final instalment of The Hunger Games trilogy. After basically inhaling the last book, this one took me quite a while to finish - partly because I opted to spend my commute knitting a scarf but also because it's just not as good. There's no actual Hunger Games for a start which, although due to the progression of the plot means that that would be impossible, means that the book lacks the satisfying structure of the previous books. Mockingjay is all a bit chaotic - rebels this, rebels that - and even Katniss is pretty irritating throughout. You're still rooting for her most of the time but you'd like to give her a slap round the face all the same. Suzanne Collins hasn't short-changed you on horrific deaths and main character slaughterings but the ending is a bit of a non-event. The saving grace of the deflated conclusion was probably that our heroine, in my opinion, totally ends up with the right bloke (even if it half-arsed thanks to his character essentially being downgraded into something v.two dimensional in this third book). Saying that though, I'm glad I read them and of course I'll watch the films (only a week until Catching Fire at the IMAX - I can barely contain my excitement). Perhaps I'm being a bit harsh as the endings of the first and second books were amazing - two out of three isn't bad.

16 mm film quilts

A few weeks ago my friend sent me link to this - Sabrina Gschwandtner's film reel quilts. 

Awesome no?

I think they appeal me particularly as it's the perfect mash-up of two things I have a great interest in: film (as in actual old school film) and quilts!

Technically they're not actually quilts but there's no mistaking what the artist had in mind when making them. The log cabin motif in quilting is v.much present in her new collection. Rather perfectly the artworks are made mostly from film footage of educational documentaries focusing on textile crafts including sewing, knitting, crochet, fabric dyeing and, of course, quilting!

The exhibition, Sunshine and Shadows, displays the quilts on light boxes so you can get a good look at all the individual frames in the film. Sadly it's on at the Philadelphia Art Alliance so I've not got a chance of seeing them up close but anyone who's philly based the exhibition is until August 18th.

image source 1 & 2 

image source 3& 4

super sister saturday!

Pretty much the entirety of saturday was spent in the fabulous company of my sister. 

We began by heading over to gallery 71A near old street station to catch the Not For Rental exhibition. Set up in the basement below the headquarters of excellent film magazine - Little White Lies - the exhibition was set out like a video rental store, with shelves of VHS boxes bearing the works of 200 artists. 

As it was the last day of the show, the artworks were on sale and disappearing off the shelves, the proceeds going to charity. Aside from appreciating the art, it was also pretty fun to guess what films were being depicted on the covers (most satisfyingly, the answers were on the back). These were a few of my faves. 

Then we wandered down the road to The Book Club for some brunch. I had the salmon and scrambled egg (it was huuuge - enough for two!) and my sis had the pancakes with maple syrup and summer fruits. We both drank their iced coffee - it is delish!

After a good old chinwag we decided to venture to kings cross - the original plan involving checking out the free exhibition at the british library but, we didn't make it past caledonian road. There we stopped off at a second hand bookshop before whiling away the rest of the afternoon in the ever-lovely Drink Shop & Do.

An ice coffee (there's was also v.good) and a slice of victoria sponge later and it was time to head home.

The best saturday I've had in ages and my sister actually managed to get me to leave Brixton - it's no easy task!

Reading & Seeing 11

Man of Steel
The highly anticipated re-launch of the Superman saga. They'd been teasing us for weeks with awesome looking trailers and I can happily say that the film was grand! To be honest, Superman, of all the super heroes, never really appealed to me - I never watched more than a couple of episodes of Smallville (I got bored) and I didn't watch the film that came out in 2006, I thought the TV series from the 90s (you know, the one with Terri Hatcher) was laughable and I didn't get into the comics. I think the only superman related thing I've embraced before Monday was the old Christopher Reeve movie. But that has changed. Man of Steel completely flipped my opinion of the guy, mostly thanks to the first 20 mins set on Krypton, with a fatherly Russell Crowe kicking some ass as Jor-El. The story creeps along at a tantalising pace - the audience getting glimpses into Clarke's past and present - before a seriously explosive conclusion. Henry Cavil is a dream as the troubled alien hero and the supporting cast is on form including krypton general gone bad, Michael Shannon. I think I'm right in saying that there might be a second instalment in the pipeline...the last few minutes are mighty pleasing and certainly suggest it. Fingers crossed!

War Horse at The New London Theatre
Back in December 2011 I promised Mitch that we would see this stage production - it took me a year and a half to make good on it but better late than never. We both resisted seeing the Speilberg movie version and remained in the dark about the ending which I imagine is the best way to see it. Our avoidance tactics were well rewarded - it was brilliant! I am constantly amazed at how stage productions work around the fact that there is only a stage upon which to tell epic stories - epic stories that are often made into movies with special effects, stunning locations and hundreds of extras at the director's disposal. The team behind War Horse - that's the set designers, puppeteers and cast - should be congratulated for their skills and imagination. I completely forgot I was sitting in a theatre looking at horse-sized and shaped, machanical puppet controlled by three men - it was a horse, a real horse, in my mind. It's a fantastic story and incredibly emotional (a lot of this has to do with the WWI setting which is just devastating) - I cried about 5 times, particularly at the end. I highly reccomend seeing it on the stage - nothing can really compare to a live performance, it draws you in more than something on a small screen can ever do.

The Eyre Affair - Jasper Fforde (2001)
Set in an alternative 1985 where a specialist law enforcement agency has been created to police the rising crimes against literature (forgeries and the like), the crimean war has been ploughing on for 130 years, people keep dodos as pets and the end of Jane Eyre concludes with the heroine going off to India with her cousin. The story follows Literary Detective, Thursday Next, as she sets out to catch one of the world's most wanted men for crimes against literature, Acheron Hades and rescue the story (and characters) of Charlotte Bronte's Jane Eyre. It is as bonkers as it sounds but absolutely brilliant! Part detective story, part sci-fi (time travel is an everyday occurrence and worm holes are dealt with in a v.matter of fact way), part fantasy (blurring the lines between fiction and 'real life') and a little bit of horror (the Hades character does some pretty horrendous stuff plus there's a few werewolf and vampire references thrown in for good measure). There are so many twists and turns that you're always kept guessing as to what will happen next. It's been a while since I read a good adventure story and I definitely need to get my hands on the next book in the series.

The Hunger Games - Suzanne Collins (2008)
I was skepitcal about this book when it came out and again so when they released the film - Battle Royale for kids anyone? But then I watched it. And loved it. So, I figured I should try and read them before the next film comes out and the first in the trilogy seemed like the prefect holiday read. It's not the best written book but the concept is a winner and Katniss is a v.likeable character who you can easily root for. What was interesting about the book, compared to the film, was that you get a lot more insight into her thoughts, particularly concerning her feelings towards Peeta. I'm not gonna lie, I got a bit of a laugh from people when they saw what I was reading but whatever, it's a page turner and I liked it (also, I pretty sure that this is the main reason why people use kindles). I kinda gave up with Harry Potter and there was absolutely nothing which appealed to me about the Twilight series so The Hunger Games is my little guilty pleasure and I shall definitely be reading the sequels.

Reading & Seeing 10

How to Be A Woman - Caitlin Moran

Hands down, the funniest book I've read since...ever? Quite probably. I can't remember reading anything else that made me laugh out loud on the tube. At rush hour. I think Caitlin Moran is awesome - not only is she a great writer but she also raises some excellent points about girl stuff and life in general. It's sort of like a critique on the behaviour of women told through a v.amusing narrative which links back to events in her life (so it's a little autobiographical too). The critic quotes on the cover of this book are correct: every woman should read this book. Guys might be interested too but I imagine a lot of it might be lost on them. She may not have all the answers but she's got some excellent (and hilarious) ideas!

The Teleportation Accident - Ned Beauman

A completely random read. If I'm honest I initially picked it for the title and cover but the blurb got me hooked. It's an odd little story centred around german theatre set designer Loeser and his two life passions: 1) Renaissance set designer Lavicini and his 'Teleportation Device' which destroyed a theatre and killed members of the audience. 2) sex, and more specifically, his obsession to bed one lady in particular, Adele Hitler (no relation). It's these two interests that take him first to paris and then to LA. Along the way he meets a string of interesting characters - good, bad and some who are completely superfluous to the story's progression. I liked the oddness of the dislikable protagonist and the bizarre back stories (and conditions) of some of the supporting roles, but most of all, the end was exactly what I'd wanted. So rarely does that happen these days. It's a delicious soup of odd-ball characters swimming around in the increasingly un-rigid elements of time and space. I wouldn't say that this book is for everyone but this is Ned Beauman's second novel (he's only 28!) and I liked this a lot so I think I might try his debut too...

Star Trek: Into Darkness (2013)
I may live with a die hard star trek fan and I may, from time to time, watch an episode of the tv show all the way through but I'm not a big star trek fan and frankly, I think it's a little bit silly. BUT, J J Abrams has brought star trek to the masses, he has reached out to those who, when hearing the words star trek, roll their eyes and shake their heads at the thought of william shatner et al running around cheap looking sets fighting/conversing/attempting to get off with various humanoid aliens, and given them so much more. J J Abrams has made star trek cool. I was sooooo looking forward to this and it did not disappoint. Yes, perhaps it's not as good as his first foray into the franchise but by god it's bloody good. It's action packed, the script is sharp and the cast is superb! Seriously, the line-up for this movie is fabulous and I'm not just talking about Cumberbatch (even though he was my favourite thing in this instalment). There's lots of old skool star trek references  for the trekkies (especially concerning the continuing spok/kirk bro-mance, particularly the part involving the radiation chamber - it's all rather touching) and it's a superfun journey for all the rest of us waiting to see how the gang will put an end to the evil (and delicious) Benedict Cumberbatch. Unsurprisingly, I highly recommend it, on the big screen if you still can!

The Fall (2006)
Possibly the most beautiful film I've ever seen both aesthetically (the locations in the 'story' sequences are AMAZING) and the plot itself. It's a simple tale - set in a hospital, a little girl with a broken arm befriends a fellow patient - a stuntman in the movies. He's depressed as his lover has left him for a movie star so, enlisting the innocent girl's help, he tries (a number of times) to kill himself. In return for 'helping' him, he tells the little girl the story of the Red Bandit. The characters and story in the hospital run parallel to the events in the fantastical story of the bandit until the v.touching (and bloody) conclusion of both. I cried at the end - the actress who plays the little girl is adorable - I defy you not to do the same. This is a great film which I deffo recommend - a real gem.

four films

The Place Beyond the Pines
Although it was heartbreaking, I really liked Blue Valentine and so I was v.much looking forward to the director's, Derek Cianfrance, newest movie offering. Add him to a tantalising trailer, killer cast, sweet-ass tag-line and I was ready to love it. I was not disappointed. The story takes place over three distinct acts - all v.much connected but which, at the same time, feel almost like three short little films. At first glance you'd be forgiven for thinking that it's a quiet film, set in a quiet nondescript town, about people who are just living their day-to-day lives. But, it seems there's a lot more depth to it, namely its message: the importance of a father/son bond and how our decisions and actions have a consequence. I really don't want to give any of the plot away because that'll ruin the surprises but I will describe the feeling I got whilst watching it: tingly, the hair on my arms stood on end. Drifting seems like the perfect word for The Place Beyond the Pines - from the characters to the overall mood. The film itself drifts along at a thoughtful pace, easily switching between the different character perspectives across the three acts. The ending is fairly inconclusive, the viewer leaves the set of the story in much the same way as they entered it, on a motorcycle driven by a drifter. It's emotional and rather haunting, the cast is excellent, there are some truly beautiful shots (the winding empty road as Gosling and then later his son, are riding along made me wish I had a bike) and the soundtrack needs to be released soon so I can buy it. Need I say more?


Trance
Danny Boyle's first film since directing the epic opening ceremony at the Olympic Games last summer. The premise starts simply enough. It all revolves around a painting which is first the subject of the robbery and then goes missing as the thief, James McAvoy, fails to remember where he stashed it. Enter Vincent Cassel as the leader of the heist group who's pretty pissed off and so suggests McAvoy sees a hypnotherapist (the beautiful Rosario Dawson) who'll hopefully unlock the vault of McAvoy's memory and reveal the painting's location. There's a lot of 'is that real or is he dreaming' but the confusion just adds to the suspense. The lighting and soundtrack are awesome and the conclusion is very satisfying. Nice one Danny.

Compliance
You'd think this was some sort of psychological experiment exploring the idea of authority but no. No, this is based on real life events. Set in a fast food chain restaurant in the US, the manageress gets a complaint call about one of her members of staff stealing from them. The member of staff flatly denies it. The person on the phone says that he's a police officer and that the member of staff (a young teenage girl) needs to be contained and watched until he can collect her. And so ensues the fastest escalating complete insanity you could possibly imagine. It's tough viewing and will certainly leave a bad taste in your mouth. However, I do recommend it, much in the same way I'd recommend Dogtooth (to be watched once and only once) but do have something light or funny lined-up to watch afterwards.

Robot and Frank
Set in the near(ish) future, retired jewellery thief Frank is given a robot by his son to help him out around the house and garden. Frank takes an immediate dislike to the robot but gradually finds within it the perfect accompliace and, to an extent, friend. It's a beautifully paced film with a very small (but fantastic) cast lead by Frank Langella. Uncomplicated and delightful viewing. Go see!



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easter bits + pieces

I'd been really looking forward to the long easter weekend but where did it go?! Over waaaay too quickly for my liking.

On friday Mitch and I enjoyed a v.leisurely day - late brunch and a freezing but lovely walk along the south bank before heading to Queen Elizabeth Hall to see a v.special screening of Dead Man's Shoes wherein all the music featured in the film was played live by a band! I like how people are always challenging the idea of 'cinema' with things like sing-a-longs, secret cinema and the like. I guess this particular experience was almost a throwback to how films used to be enjoyed back in the days of the silent cinema, with a bloke playing a piano to accompany the action. The updated version (guitars, double bass, keyboards, drums) was pretty cool and the film itself, written by Shane Meadows and Paddy Considine, was excellent - gritty, well scripted and beautifully played out - I highly recommend it, especially if you liked This is England.

Treated myself to some nail varnish. The minty green reminded me of spring PLUS it's the same colour as this awesome geometric necklace I wear all the time.

Almost the whole of saturday was spent helping my friend move house which was knackering but also rewarding as it means he's now living round the corner from me!

Spotted at  my auntie and uncle's house: One of the best wedding invites I've ever seen.

On sunday ma famille and I travelled down to the New Forest to see my auntie and uncle for Easter lunch - and v.nice it was too!

Decorative eggs at Mitch's mum's house.

Lastly, on Monday Mitch and I went to Essex to see his family and partake in his mum's annual easter egg hunt (it's really for his nephews...). This year his uncle and auntie were visiting from Germany so we were also treated to some seriously tasty german food called kloesse (involving meat and dumplings) - so good.

So yeah, easter was fun and now it's april. Crazy.